PREVIOUSLY ON SUNRISE BAY...
*Todd blamed Gabi's accident on himself. Barbara flipped out on him and scolded
him for "taking advantage of Gabi." She eventually cried into his white t-shirt while everyone watched on in surprise.
*Amy informed Lacey that she swears Lacey's ex Jasper was in Sunrise Bay. Lacey
was scared at the thought but refused to believe it. Nicholas came over and formally introduced himself to a worried
Lacey.
*Nicole happily accepted a date from Brice.
*A hysteric Nina barged into Annie's apartment to find Annie and Keith going
at it on the floor. After flipping out about that, she shocked Annie by telling her that Todd was a "raging homosexual."
*****************************************************************************
SUNRISE BAY HOSPITAL
Todd’s breath fogs up the glass that looks into the hospital room that finds Gabi hooked up to machines that are giving her life. Todd is in complete shock that just hours ago she was walking and talking.
Todd can’t help but place all of the blame for this horrible situation on himself. He never should have lost control
of himself like he did and gotten so drunk as to mess around with a woman, especially Gabi, considering her deep feelings
for him.
"Hey, how are you holding up?" This is Luke.
Todd turns around and looks into his eyes and can’t help but
feel the tender and caring vibe the other man is putting off. He immediately forces himself not to think of Luke that way.
Luke is just trying to be a good friend. Nothing more.
Todd wipes his eyes. "I guess I’m doing Ok. It should be Barbara
we’re worried about. She is her mother."
"Well I know Barbara is her mother and that she’s extremely upset but, hey, you’re my friend. I want to make sure you’re holding
up alright."
Luke is sincere and Todd can tell. Somehow this sincerity makes
Todd feel even worse. Todd isn’t quite sure why. But he decides that there is a little part of him that knows the exact
reasons why: He wants Luke to care more than anything.
"I also just wanted to make it very clear that I don’t think
you’re a horrible guy for what happened between you and Gabi. I know that shit like that can happen. Barbara really
made it seem like you were an inconsiderate jerk. Though it’s very understandable because she is Gabi’s mom and
is just protecting her daughter."
As Luke says these words quietly, Todd’s eyes move to the
other side of the room where Nicholas is now comforting a sobbing Barbara. He flashes back to moments ago when he was comforting
her as she cried into his T-shirt.
Soon Creg reenters the waiting area with a cappuccino in his hand. Creg’s glare immediately sets in on Todd. Todd just glares
back at him and turns around and faces Luke.
Luke takes note of the glare and turns to give his brother a pissed
look. He then, without consciously knowing, lightly touches Todd’s right arm. The same electric feeling overtakes Todd’s
body at the touch. He quickly turns to look Luke in the eye. Luke feels his face redden and he quickly turns away. Creg takes
a sip of his cappuccino and watches this all—a fury begins to boil in his blood. What the fuck was that?? Is my brother
a fag as well??
Todd watches as Luke makes his way over to his mother and sister.
He swears that Luke meant something by that touch on his arm but then quickly tries to dismiss it as wishful thinking.
"Why in the hell are they making us wait so long for news on her
condition? I can’t take it anymore!" Barbara suddenly darts up from her son’s embrace and something seems to have
snapped inside of her.
"Mom, please settle down. I’m sure the doctors are doing everything
in their power to get Gabi stabilized. Try to stop worrying." Nicholas tries to reason with his mother.
"TRY TO STOP WORRYING??? How in the hell am I supposed to stop worrying
when my daughter is fighting for her life?? Tell me that Nicholas!!" Barbara mind is in overload and she can’t stop
the emotional surge from taking over. She then turns to look Todd in the eyes and quickly walks up to him, "This is all of
your damn fault!!! I NEVER WANT TO SEE YOU NEAR HER AGAIN!!! Don’t you see what you caused???!!!"
Todd can’t bring himself to a line of defense against Barbara’s
words. He strongly feels that he is to blame for most of the situation and Barbara is making him believe it more and more
each second. All’s he does is stare at Barbara’s watered eyes, not uttering a single word. His words are buried
beneath guilt.
"So you’re not going to defend yourself? Well at least you
know you are a piece of shit for taking advantage of Gabrielle. I do mean what I said about not letting you ever see her again.
You don’t deserve a person like Gabi in your life." Spite overwhelms her choked up voice.
"Barbara, PLEASE don’t start this again. Please, you are only
making things worse! Doesn’t Todd have to live with enough right now? The last thing he needs is you up in his face
and screaming how much you hate him for what he’s done! If you really cared about Gabi, you’d stop this." This
is Elaine.
She sincerely is sick of seeing Todd so critically attacked by Barbara’s
words. She also feels the animosity Creg is putting towards Todd. For some reason, she doesn’t think that Todd is that
bad of person, though she just met him a few hours ago. However, partly she knows that this kindness she’s putting towards
Todd has to do with her overwhelming guilt for knowing she was the one who murdered his father AJ in self-defense.
"Elaine, you are the last person I want giving me orders on how
I should act!" Barbara gives Elaine a scolding look. "Just stay out of it. It isn’t any of your business! Why are you
here in the first place? You can’t tell me that you care about Gabi’s condition. If anything, you’d wish
she’d die then you could have the satisfaction of seeing me in pain!"
"Barbara, believe whatever you want. I am not the one who squirmed
into somebody’s husband’s life. You are going on this rant against Todd about how awful of a person he is when
you should be taking a long hard look at yourself, Ms. Barbara Winthrop! So please, next time you get the urge to criticize
anyone for their actions, give yourself a long hard look in the mirror!!" Elaine takes a deep breath at the last syllable
while keeping a penetrating look onto Barbara.
Barbara looks a bit shocked but surprisingly just shakes her head
and turns around so Elaine cannot look in her eyes. She once again feels an emotional surge overcome her body as she falls
into a "riot" of tears.
Suddenly a Dr. Maddox enters the waiting area. "Could you guys please
quiet down? Your yelling is rattling all of the other patients. By the way, I just got back from running tests on your daughter,
Ms. Winthrop. I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask you to sit down…" He now wears a sympathetic expression.
Barbara, through her tears, slowly walks back to sit next to Nicholas.
She squeezes her son’s hand tightly. Todd begins to feel very dizzy. Creg wears his same angered expression. Elaine
gives Cynthia and Luke a worried look. Everyone’s eyes then focus upon Dr. Maddox as he prepares to give the news….
BOAT DOCK
"Are you gonna take this blindfold off yet?" questions an eager Nicole as Brice leads her onto the docked boat. Two bottles of champagne are set upon a circular table, with two glasses neighboring them.
"OK, I guess I can take it off." Brice gently unwraps it from Nicole’s eyes.
Nicole smiles gleefully as she realizes they are on a boat. She takes in the sight
of the champagne and the fancy setup of the boat. "Wow, it’s so pretty. I can’t believe you set this all up for
me. How sweet of you." She walks to the edge and looks out at the ocean as moon reflects upon it. "It’s such a beautiful
night, isn’t it?"
"Yes, it certainly is. I hope you don’t get sea sick. I wouldn’t want
you to lose all of that food we had before coming here."
"I think I can handle it. Besides, I’ve never gotten sea sick before. I
was on this week long cruise a couple years ago and didn’t feel a thing." smiles Nicole as she glances at him, their
eyes locking.
"Good then." Brice says as he walks up next to her and gently puts his arm around
her and pulls her closer.
At first, Nicole wonders if she should let him have her so close. This whole date
has gone fantastic so far and she hopes that Brice doesn’t want more from it than she does. However, she dismisses those
thoughts from her mind and leans into him.
"I love the ocean. It’s such a source of mystery and beauty." Brice states,
looking entranced by the gentle waves.
"Yeah, you are so right about that. It’s almost as though it has hypnotizing
powers or something, you know?"
"I know exactly what you mean. It’s also a very good source of artistic
inspiration. I can’t even count how many paintings of mine have been because of gazing out into the deep blue sea."
Nicole gets a surprised look, "You paint?"
"Here and there." He grins and moves her in closer.
A warm and safe feeling comes over Nicole as she feels Brice’s heart beat.
This is soo romantic. I swear I’m having a dream here. Brice Jackson, you are too perfect.
"I’ll show you some of them if you want. They’re nothing great. Just
a hobby of mine that I really enjoy." Brice slowly breaks their embrace and heads toward the champagne. "Are you in the mood
for some champagne?"
"I’d love some." Nicole walks alongside him toward the table. "I’d
also love to see some of your paintings."
Brice pops the cork, "I will be sure to show you them sometime." He then pours
the sparkling liquid in the adjacent glasses. He hands her one of the glasses and holds his up. "I would like to propose a
toast."
"A toast to what?" says Nicole as she stares into his eyes.
"A toast to life. A toast to living! Life is soo fucking great!" He begins to
laugh. "Sorry for the French, I just feel like the luckiest man right now. You are so beautiful, life is so perfect. I’m
happier than I’ve been in the longest time. As I said, life is fucking great!" He then clicks his glass against hers
as she is trying to process his kind words.
"Brice, you really don’t have to say so many nice things about me. I don’t
know what it is that I do that you like so much. I do know, however, that you are one of the sweetest men I’ve ever
met. I mean, our date was perfect. Are you sure I’m not dreaming?"
"You know what, you are thinking way too hard. Just accept the fact that you are
the most perfect being to grace this planet."
She feels her cheeks redden as she absorbs his comment and brings the champagne
to her lips. After sipping she playfully says: "Do you want me to fall off of this pedastal you have me placed on? I'm
telling you, I'm a big klutz. It will all be on your shoulders if I break my legs."
Brice laughs at her comment, "Verry clever. Fine, I promise to not give you another
compliment the rest of the night. You are right, I wouldn't want you breaking your legs. Besides, you can't swim with broken
legs!"
Nicole gets a confused expression. "Did I hear you right? Did you say swim?!"
Brice doesn't verbally answer but instead rips off his shirt and runs off
the edge of the boat, landing with a big splash into the ocean below.
Nicole runs frantically to the edge, "Brice, you are crazy! I can't
believe you just did that!"
Brice swims to the top and looks up and gives her a taunting expression, "What's
taking you soo long??! Come on!"
Nicole's eyes widen and she shakes her head back and forth. "No, there is no way
I am jumping into that water!"
"Ohhhh it's the dress! That's why you won't come in! You don't want to ruin your
pretty pretty dress!" He says it in a teasing voice. "I'll replace it I promise. Come on, it's no fun down here without you!!"
Nicole crosses her arms tightly. "There is no way I am jumping into that water,
Brice Jackson!"
"Awww, are you a sissy girl?! Does the fragile model not want to get wet?!" Brice
taunts her like a little boy picks on the girl he has a crush on.
Nicole suddenly feels a burst of adrenaline. If it's one thing that makes her
angry, it's being called a "fragile model."
"I am not a sissy prissy model! That's it, I'm coming down! You better watch out
or I'll jump on your face!" Nicole stops to consider her temporary insanity before running off the boat and jumping into the
ocean below. Brice swims up to her and dunks her. She comes back to the top in full laughter and attempts to dunk him as well.
Both look like silly teenagers enjoying the remaining summer days before the school year begins.
ANNIE LANSING'S APARTMENT
"Annie, brace yourself for this—Todd is…he is, well, he’s just gay!!! There I said it! I said it! Your brother
is a raging homosexual!" Just as the words leave her mouth with their dramatic tone, Nina bursts into another crying fit with her accompanying purple handkerchief.
Annie chokes on her water and gives her mother a stunned expression. "What!!???"
Keith has re-entered the room just as the "raging homosexual" bit has been uttered. Well I can safely say that me and my exposed
member are definitely not at the forefront of Nina’s mind.
"You heard what in the hell I said!! Your brother is gay!!" Nina screams the words
and then begins to blow her nose hard
"Oh my…what in the hell is giving you this idea?" Annie’s eyes are
bulging as she pierces her mom with a shocked glare.
"It’s just…I’ve been thinking really hard, Annie! Thinking so
damn hard and there is no other explanation but that your brother is a flamer!", states Nina as she intensely wipes her watery
eyes. "Why else would he have reacted so strongly to the comments I made the other day over the newspaper article???!! Huh??
Tell me that, Annie Denise Lansing!!"
Annie darts upwards from the couch and slams her cup on the stand adjacent to
it. She begins to pace and then notices that Keith has reentered the room. "Mom, how in the hell are you linking that article
to the fact that you think Todd is gay? That doesn’t make any damn sense!" says Annie as her gaze goes right back to
her mother.
"I told you, Annie! I’ve been thinking long and hard about it and that’s
the only logical explanation as to the reason he got so angry when I made the comments about that damn article concerning
the gay parade! Annie, I just can’t take this!! What in the hell am I supposed to do??!! I should just kill myself and
get it over with. There is no way in hell I candle handle something like this!!"
Annie then exhales deeply. Mom can’t be right. There’s no way that
Todd is gay. I’ve seen Todd checking out women plenty of times...I think. Besides, he already told me that he slept
with a girl since he’s gotten to Sunrise Bay. She’s just being a nut-job. It’s not like this behavior surprises
me. She needs to be locked up in the psycho ward right alongside Cassie! Annie then breaks her thoughts: "Mom,
you just need to calm the hell down. Todd is not gay. I repeat, he’s not a raging homosexual, OK? So please chill out!"
Annie then turns her head and notices that Keith has disappeared back into the
bedroom. She doesn’t blame him at all for wanting to escape the scene of a psycho-babbling Nina.
"How do you know that he’s not gay? Tell me that! What other possible explanation
could there be? Tell me now!! Is there something else that the two of you are hiding from your mother?"
Annie then rolls her eyes. She feels a sharp headache coming on and she doesn’t
know if it’s from her head injury or the sheer sound of her mother’s whiny voice. "Look, I just know, OK? Maybe
Todd just feels strongly about gay rights or something. So please stop flipping out like this! Your son is living the straight
and narrow, OK?"
"I just want to know how you can be so sure! You have to back up what you say!
Haven’t I taught you anything?" Nina’s drama queen tone is thick in her voice.
Annie swallows hard; she is so close to flipping out and telling her mother how
little she taught her. However, Annie wants more than ever to get back to her peaceful night with Keith. She will do everything
in her power to get her mom out of the apartment.
"Fine, I’ll tell you if you really want to know! He slept with a woman and
he told me about it. Are you happy now? Gay guys don’t go sleeping with women the last time I checked. So is that sufficient
enough evidence for you?" She crosses her arms and gives her mom a piercing stare.
Nina studies Annie’s face calculatively and is quiet for a few moments.
"Are you sure he slept with a girl? Maybe he used a gender-neutral name like Bobbie or something like that. You do know there
are girls who are named Bobbie. Maybe he really slept with a Bobby, you know what I mean??"
"Is it that you want Todd to be gay, Mother, or do you just hate that you are
wrong?" questions Annie with an accusatory tone. "No, it was a girl! I am 100% certain! Now would you please leave so I can
get back to Keith and our peaceful night?!"
"You just want me to leave so you can go back to screwing him like a Jezebel!"
Nina points a finger in her daughter’s face. "I can’t believe I have such a slut for a daughter and a gay son!
I don’t deserve this!! God must hate me!!!"
Annie rolls her eyes and clenches her fist tightly. She would so beat this woman
to a pulp if she wasn't her mother.
Suddenly the door to the bedroom flies open. Annie is shocked to see Keith quickly
approaching her mother with an angry look upon his face. "Ok, I am not listening to this anymore! Your daughter is not a fucking
Jezebel and don’t ask me about Todd cause I really don’t know him. I just couldn’t stand in that room and
hear you screaming like a lunatic anymore!! Please, settle the hell down!"
Nina's eyes bulge in shock as paralysis comes over her. She is at a loss of words
on how to respond to Keith.
Instead Keith continues, with Annie in awe of the man before her. "Nina, I know
we haven’t talked much but from what I’ve heard and seen I’m thinking you need to calm the hell down when
it comes to Annie. She is her own damn woman now and she doesn’t need her mother down her throat about everything! And
for once in your life, could you give her a little credit? She got promoted and all’s you did was tell her how you don’t
like her designs!? What in the hell is up with that?"
"Well…I…I never!!!" Nina can’t make out anything else and
instead shoves her handkerchief back into her purse and makes a beeline for the door. "I can’t believe the lack of respect
towards elders in this room! It’ horrendous!! I don’t’ have to take this!!"
"Then leave and don’t come back till you have something decent to say!"
Annie yells as she quickly walks behind her mom as she’s heading for the door. The door goes slamming in her face and
it puts a smile upon Annie’s face. Annie then turns around to look Keith in the eyes. "Keith you are so damn sexy at
this moment. That thing you just did with my mother. AMAZING! And the look on my mother’s face when she barged in here
and saw us going at it on the floor, PRICELESS! Come to think of it, I think she was pretty jealous knowing how much of a
man you are…" She lets the last syllable linger.
Keith inhales deeply and then cracks a slight smile as he remembers darting into
the bedroom to put clothes on because his excitement was in full glory for Nina to see. "Yeah that was pretty funny now that
I think of it. Look, I hated to snap at your mother like that but my anger problem got the best of me. I can’t believe
how ignorant she is towards you. Now I most definitely understand what you mean when you tell me that your mother is unstable.
She infuriated me and before I knew it I was out that door and screaming at her like I did."
Annie suddenly wears a seductive and wicked gaze. She then practically attacks
Keith into roaring kisses and pushes him down onto the couch. "I want you to give me every bit of that anger you
felt for my mother a bit ago but convert it into something a bit more enjoyable…"
"Oh you bet I will…" whispers Keith as he rolls on top of Annie.
LACEY'S HOUSE
Lacey digs into the gallon of Ben and Jerry's Cherry Garcia that she and Amy are sharing. "This stuff is pure heaven, I'm telling you. I swear if you look up heaven in a dictionary it will show this
right next to the holy kingdom."
"Yes, I must admit it's quite orgasmlicious." giggles Amy as she gets a scoop
out that is ten times larger than her spoon.
"Orgasmlicious? Man, Amy. You never fail to amuse me, I'm telling you." says Lacey
while shaking her head.
Amy abruptly changes the topic from heavenly ice cream to men: "So what do you
think of Jarrod? Do you think he's cute?"
Lacey licks the rest of her scoop of ice cream and seems to be contemplating the
question. "Cute? I can't say I really thought of it too hard."
"Oh, come on Lacey. Enough with that thing you do."
says Amy as she digs into the gallon of ice cream while rolling her eyes.
"The thing I do?"
"Every time you think a guy is good looking or something you say something
along the lines of 'Oh I haven't really thought about it' So I guess the answer is that you think he's hot as hell. Well,
hands off! He's mine!" says Amy in an exaggerated and playful tone of voice.
"Yes, hot as hell is immediately what came to my mind when thinking of him." responds
Lacey sarcastically, "He's not bad. Actually, I had my mind on a guy I think is much cuter. You know our new neighbors?
I met one of them today!"
Amy darts up in her seat. "Oh my gosh. Are you saying that a hot
single guy is moving next door? This is perfect for you Lacey!"
Lacey rolls her eyes. "Unfortunately, he is not single. He mentioned his
girlfriend to me. Actually, I served the two of them at the restaurant before. His girlfriend was a total bitch to me."
"I bet she was just jealous because she thought that he was hitting on you."
"Yeeaah, I'm sure." Lacey jumps up from the couch and randomly starts cleaning
the house. "How does Connor mess this place up so quickly? I swear that kid is a human cyclone."
Amy puts the lid back on the ice cream and slowly rises from the couch. "I'm glad
there will be a man next door though. Knowing that Jasper is in town, we'll need some guy close to protect us."
Lacey quickly turns around and glares at Amy: "What did I say about mentioning
that?! I don't ever want to hear Jasper's name again! He is not back in town and there is nothing to worry about."
"Chill, Lacey. Come on, you have to be realistic here. I got a very good
look at him and I don't forget a face. Especially that idiot's face."
Lacey stands in the middle of the living room and lets out a huge sigh. "Amy,
you're right. Look, I'm sorry at yelling at you for that. I guess I'm just--I'm just--"
"--Scared?" Amy quickly interjects. "I understand, Lacey. I know what he did to
you and what lengths he'd go to get you and Connor back in his life."
Amy's comment seeps into Lacey's mind. She feels tears beginning to emerge. "He
is not laying a fucking hand on my son. No, not a damn finger."
Amy gently puts an arm on Lacey's back. "Jasper is not going near Connor. I promise
you that. Look, maybe we should go to the police station first thing in the morning and tell them of the whole situation.
They'd have to do something, I'm sure of it."
Lacey resumes cleaning up the house as she bends down to pick up some scattered
toy cars. However, her pace is much slower than moments ago. "What could the police do?" Lacey lets out a delayed response.
"I don't know. I wouldn't think they could completely ignore you. I mean, what
if Jasper founds out where you live? Even worse, what if he already knows? He's a dangerous man."
"You don't have to tell me that, Amy." She can't help but glance at the permanent
scar on her right wrist. The events of that violent night is stamped on Lacey's mind as is the horror of when she went
to Connor's room to find his bed empty.
"We'll go to the police and find out what they can do. I insist. Besides, it doesn't
hurt to see." Amy firmly states.
Lacey gives her a faint nod and then glances toward the hallway. "I'm gonna go
and check on Connor." says a teary eyed Lacey as she heads toward her son's bedroom.
A sigh of relief comes over her as she gazes in at her son fast asleep and cuddling
with his big stuffed teddy bear. She walks over to him and leans in, giving him a peck on the cheek.
"I love you more than anything, Connor. I would die for you. Don't worry, your
dad isn't stepping a foot into this house. If he does, he'll pay the consequences. I'll make sure of it." Lacey whispers
this as a single tear goes down her cheek.
SUNRISE BAY HOSPITAL
The doctor clears his throat and gives each of the attentive faces a brief look.
"I’m afraid Gabi’s condition is seriously critical. She’s lost an immense amount of blood. We aren't
sure how long it's gonna be for her to wake up. It could be weeks or even months. I don't know what to tell you
but keep praying for her." The doctor briefly looks at his feet. Giving bad news to families and friends is the
part of the job that he dreads more than anything.
Barbara darts upwards and shakily questions, "What in the hell are you trying
to tell us, doctor? TELL ME! What’s going to happen to my daughter???!!"
The doctor swallows hard. "I’m sorry but I think this could go either way…"
"No, no!! This can’t be happening. You can’t be telling me that there
is a possibility she might die! No, this is just not happening!" Barbara breaks down once again into her son’s arms
as the two both cry and are unsure of the outcome.
Cynthia sits on the other side of Nicholas and offers her comforting arm for her
boyfriend. She doesn’t know exactly know how to think. She really wishes she could cry over this thing but for some
reason the emotions just aren’t coming to her. Maybe it’s because she’s never been fond of Gabi. But still,
shouldn’t she be showing some humanly emotion?
Todd sits with his eyes blankly upon the doctor but he’s not really in the
room. No, he’s sitting around with Gabi and just bullshitting with her and reminiscing about old times. Her laughter
fills the room as she is hanging onto his every single word. Then it hits him like a ton of bricks: this situation is his
entire damn fault! If he would have come out to Gabi a long time ago she never would have kept gaining these deep feelings
for him and their night of passion would have never happened. But that night of passion has him completely perplexed. Even
if he was smashed, why in the hell would he sleep with a woman? Something just isn’t right with that. He is completely
sure of his sexuality but how could this sorta thing go on? Suddenly his mind forces him to realize where he is seated—in
a hospital waiting room. Todd has to face the fact that Gabi might die. He feels a fireball of pain rushing to the tip-top
of his throat and just gives into it and lets the flame consume him. He cries. Through the streaming tears, he can still see
Luke’s figure. He wants more than ever for Luke to come up to him and make the hurt fade away…
Elaine brings her hand and rests it upon his shoulder. "I can tell how much Gabi
means to you. I’m so sorry…"
Creg watches his mother comfort Todd and finds a burning sense of rage sneaking
up on him. Why in the fuck is she acting like this is effecting Todd so fucking much? Wait, I know what’s going on
here. She may have just met Todd but she is still guilty as hell for being the one responsible for killing his dad. Well,
screw Todd. Mom, you killed AJ in self defense so you should feel no damn sympathy for that fag! He suddenly feels the
vibration of the cell phone that’s in his pocket. He then sneaks off to answer the call when he thinks nobody’s
eyes are on him. However, he doesn’t realize Luke caught glimpse of his "sneaky exit". Luke notices Creg’s pissed
look and gets curious as to just where his brother is sneaking off to…
IN THE HALL BY THE WAITING ROOM…
