Thursday - 8/26
KIRIAKIS MANSION
VICTOR: Ah, it seems the Wicked Witch of Salem is back.
THERESA: I’m not in the mood for your insults right now, Victor! Now tell me what the hell is going on!
PHILIP: You wanna watch yourself there?
THERESA: Oh, screw you! Or are you involved in this, too? Of course you are! I know you hate Brady, but not this much!
VICTOR: Will you shut up and listen for a moment? That way you might get more information than Brady’s skewed point of view.
Theresa folded her arms.
VICTOR: As it happens, the situation with Brady is up in the air at the moment.
PHILIP: As in we don’t know which Brady is real.
THERESA: How do you not know? You’re his family for god’s sake!
PHILIP: Someone else has recently come along with a surprising amount of evidence to suggest that he’s the real Brady, and that the person we’ve known for the last thirteen years is an imposter.
THERESA: Yeah, that’s what Brady told me. He also told me that you’ve all but abandoned him since this came to light! I knew you could be cold, Victor, but I didn’t think even you were this heartless!
VICTOR: I’m remaining impartial until this whole mess is cleared up. I have people working on it who will get me the information that I need.
THERESA: That’s not what it sounds like from the way Brady tells it!
VICTOR: Then clearly he’s telling it wrong, no surprise there. I have not kicked him out of the Mansion, nor do I plan to until the full truth is out. Until then, I’m considering both Bradys as my grandsons.
THERESA: Then why isn’t he here?
VICTOR: Do I look like a mind reader to you? If you want the answer to that, you’d have to ask him. He chose to leave, I did not kick him out.
THERESA: You didn’t stop him either.
VICTOR: I’m sure this may come as a surprise to you, but despite his attitude, he is an adult. He is more than capable of making his own decisions. If he had wished to stay in the Mansion, he would have been welcomed to. The fact that he chose not to has nothing to do with me.
THERESA: The hell it doesn’t! Well, I’m going to go find him, since neither of you seem to give a damn about him!
Theresa stormed off. Philip sighed deeply.
PHILIP: That went well.
VICTOR: You have an interesting definition of “well”.
PHILIP: First Justin and the twins, now Theresa. So many returns in one day. Looks like the Mansion’s going to be packed again.
Victor nodded.
PHILIP: Dad, I’m going to ask something, and please don’t bite my head off-
VICTOR: Then don’t ask anything worthy of it.
Philip sighed again.
PHILIP: How much about this situation with Brady do you actually know?
Victor considered his son for a moment.
VICTOR: Not nearly as much as I would like, and that does not sit well with me.
BRADY PUB
Sami, Lucas, Johnny, Allie and Sydney were sitting down at a table.
LUCAS: So, tomorrow’s the big day.
ALLIE: Yep! I’m so excited! I can’t wait to start at Salem U!
SAMI: I’m going to miss having you two at home so much! The apartment’s going to feel a bit more empty without you.
JOHNNY (under his breath): You’ll still have your favorite at home, so don’t be too sad.
Sydney kicked Johnny under the table. He glared at her, but before he could say anything, the door opened and he looked over. Meadow West walked in. Johnny got up and walked over to her.
JOHNNY: You made it!
WEST: Yeah, sorry I’m late. Silver took forever picking out all of her stuff!
JOHNNY: You’re right on time.
They walked back to the table.
JOHNNY: So, introductions. You already know Allie and Sydney. This is my mom and her husband, Lucas. Everyone, this is Meadow, my girlfriend.
WEST: Nice to meet you both.
Lucas stood up and shook her hand.
LUCAS: You too. Thanks for joining us.
WEST: My pleasure.
SAMI: Girlfriend, huh? When did that happen?
WEST: Around graduation.
JOHNNY: We went to the Last Blast together.
SAMI: Oh, that Meadow! Sorry, I guess there’s more than one, I was a bit confused about which you were.
WEST: There are three. Or, there were. We don’t talk to one of them anymore. And I’m Meadow West.
JOHNNY: The best of all the Meadows, in my humble opinion.
LUCAS: Well, we’re glad you could join us. Have you been here before?
WEST: A few times, but it’s been ages. I remember the clam chowder being really good!
LUCAS: That it is.
A few minutes later, each of them had put in their orders.
SAMI: So, Meadow, how long have you two known each other?
WEST: We met a couple weeks into the school year.
JOHNNY: But I noticed her the first day. She caught my eye almost immediately.
West took Johnny’s hand under the table.
SAMI: Uh-huh.
Sami looked West over.
SAMI: And what exactly are your plans?
WEST: For college? I’m going to be studying Cosmetology.
SAMI: I see. So, you’ve been together for this long, I’m just sorry that this is the first time we’re meeting.
JOHNNY: Well, we wanted to wait to see how things were going before we told everyone in the family about our relationship.
LUCAS: Which is understandable. I remember when Sami and I first got together, we didn’t tell our parents for a long time.
SAMI: Speaking of which, what do your parents do?
WEST: My Mom’s a lawyer in East Salem, and my Dad died when my sister was very young.
LUCAS: Sorry to hear that.
WEST: Thanks.
SYDNEY: How’s Silver doing?
WEST: She’s doing well.
SYDNEY: Good.
SAMI: Oh, you’re Silver’s sister. I already met your mom, then. We met at graduation.
WEST: That’s good.
SAMI: So, Meadow, what happened with the other Meadows that you don’t talk to one of them anymore?
JOHNNY: Do we really need to go into that now?
LUCAS: No, we don’t.
SAMI: I’m just curious what happened. What you roped my son into.
LUCAS: Sami!
JOHNNY: She didn’t rope me into anything. If you must know, one of the other Meadows was being a jerk and trying to blackmail me. Since I know the master of blackmail, I called her bluff and let the other two know. Meadow here actually stood up to her with me.
SAMI: Oh, I see.
LUCAS: Anyway, let’s move on to a more pleasant topic of conversation.
SYDNEY: I think our food’s coming.
ALLIE (whispering): Good save.
SYDNEY: No, it really is.
Sure enough, one of the waitresses came with their food. Johnny glared at Sami, who was currently looking between him and West.
And I hope Johnny does look after Allie.