Tuesday - 11/23
HUDSON STREET DINER
Hawk sighed.
HAWK: Kid, you know I’d love to have you come with me, but-
PEYTON: Oh, come on! It’s a holiday, it’s not like I’m asking to tag along on a mission. Besides, they’re my uncles, too.
HAWK: A fact of which I am well aware. However, as I’m sure you know, Mom wouldn’t approve.
PEYTON: Does she need to know?
Hawk raised an eyebrow.
HAWK: What? You think she wouldn’t notice if you’re conveniently absent for a few hours on a holiday that’s all about family?
PEYTON: I guess not.
HAWK: Why are you so eager to get to know them, anyway?
PEYTON: Because they’re our family. Because they’re…
Peyton gave him a meaningful look.
HAWK: Because they’re Dad’s brothers.
PEYTON: Exactly. I never got to know Dad or even meet him. And I thought maybe, if I met some of his brothers, I’d get to know him, too.
HAWK: Oh, Peyton.
He took his sister’s hands in his.
HAWK: I miss Dad, too. I know it doesn’t seem fair, I got a couple of years with him and you didn’t, but I barely remember him, either. But, hey, Dad didn’t really spend that much time with his brothers. You know who he did spend time with, though? Steve and Kayla. The best way to get to know Dad is to talk to them. From what Mom’s told me, Steve and Kayla were almost Dad’s adopted parents.
PEYTON: That makes sense, I guess. Why does Mom hate Dad’s side of the family so much?
Hawk sighed again.
HAWK: It has to do with the way Dad died. About eight or so months before you were born, Dad brought Mom and I to Salem to introduce us to Steve and Kayla. Steve had lost his memory and seeing Dad a lot of it back. That’s why I said Steve’s the best person to talk to about Dad, they had a special connection. Anyway, while we were in Salem, a couple of the DiMeras kidnapped Dad and blackmailed him into giving Steve a message from them. However, that apparently wasn’t enough, as one of them, Dad’s cousin, or brother depending on who you talk to...he “disposed” of Dad and used his organs to help our grandfather, Stefano DiMera.
PEYTON: What?! Why would they do that? And how could they do that to their own brother?
HAWK: I don’t know. By all accounts, Stefano was a very bad man. And while Dad didn’t like a lot of what he did, one of his brothers, and his cousin/brother that I mentioned a moment ago, were super loyal to Stefano. If I had to guess, in their mind, it was worth it to help their father, who was dying at the time.
PEYTON: That’s disgusting!
Hawk nodded.
PEYTON: No wonder Mom doesn’t like them! Steven, your job is to hunt down criminals, right? Did you or any of your co-workers catch them?
HAWK: That’s the main reason that I’m here. One of them, the one who’s relationship to Dad is complicated...the one who killed Dad, is the one I captured.
PEYTON: Thank god for that!
HAWK: I’m still working on getting Dad’s brother.
PEYTON: I hope you get him soon!
HAWK: Me too. But, that’s why Mom doesn’t like the DiMeras. Who knows, maybe now that André is out of the way, once E.J. is caught, maybe Mom will be more open to you meeting the family. They’re not all like André or Stefano. The one who owns the house now, Tony, and his brother Chad, they’re quite nice, good people.
PEYTON: Wait...did you say E.J.?
HAWK: Yeah. Why?
PEYTON: I’ve heard that name before. Recently, even. E.J.’s Johnny’s dad, right?
HAWK: That’s correct.
PEYTON: Wow. But, Johnny’s nothing like his dad.
HAWK: I haven’t as of yet gotten to meet him, but I’m happy to hear it.
DIMERA MANSION
JOHNNY: So, what now?
Johnny and E.J. were in Rolf’s lab.
E.J.: What now, indeed. Your uncle’s sudden departure has certainly complicated things.
JOHNNY: Did he really not give you any idea of what the next step was?
E.J.: No, you know André, he only tells people what he thinks they need to know. He never reveals his full plan to anyone until well after it’s in motion.
JOHNNY: Well, if we wanna keep putting out tapes, we need to figure out something. I’m cool with being an actor and a director, but I’m not a writer.
E.J.: Writing isn’t my strong suit, either.
JOHNNY: Maybe we should just take a break from this?
E.J.: That might not be a bad idea. It’s a holiday here in America in a day or so. Let’s take this week off, then we’ll regroup and examine things again.
JOHNNY: Sure.
He smiled.
JOHNNY (thinking): Or we could just leave this where it is altogether.
