The Autumn Effect (Read 13,747 times)

[fluffysmom]

Johnny may have signed his own death warrant. I'm so glad that Sami and Sydney were able to talk to Bo about what really happened to EJ.

[André DiMera]

Chapter 52

ST LUKE'S
BO: As for you, Johnny...
JOHNNY: I didn't do it! I didn't do anything! I swear! Whatever they said, they're lying! It's all Uncle André's fault...oops.
Johnny had said that just loud enough for most people in the back, especially André, to hear. André stood up.
BO: Not so fast.
Within seconds, Jeannie and J.T. Had grabbed André by the arms. Shane stood behind them for back up.
BO: André DiMera, you are under arrest for the murders of Roman Brady, Carrie Brady, Cassie Brady, Melanie Kiriakis, Philip Kiriakis, and Marlena Evans, as well as the attempted murder of Belle Brady.
ANDRÉ: Oh, shut up! Do you really believe any of this? Do you believe any of what that juvenile delinquent says? Look, it's me, I'm Tony!
BO: You have the right to remain silent...
André got out of J.T. and Jeannie's grip. He then pulled out a gun. At the same time, Bo, J.T., Shane, and Jeannie pulled out guns and had them pointed at André. Johnny and Sydney both ran over. André put the gun to his head and pulled the trigger.
SYDNEY: It's over. It's all over, Johnny.
Johnny chuckled.
JOHNNY: Over? You think this is over? This is only the beginning! I shall destroy you all! The whole Brady family! You are mine! And you will feel my wrath!
Everyone in the church looked at Johnny. And although he seemed overconfident, Johnny knew now that he had just made a huge mistake.

They never even raised their voice. That was the worst part. The fury of the Brady family. And now I understood why. Why my sister, who had killed our father in cold blood, why the Bradys, who had done virtually nothing to stop me in the past, why they had hidden from me. They were being kind. They put André's body in the DiMera mausoleum and sealed it shut, hoping that none of the DiMera's would ever get out again. Cassie, of course, was already dead. There wasn't much they could do with her. They still visit Bart, once a year, every year. He's in Salem County Jail for the rest of his life. I wonder if, one day, they might forgive him. As for me, they changed some of my legal papers. André used to be my guardian. But, they changed it so that my grandmother, Susan, is my legal guardian. They also put it in writing that I must stay with her until they say so. I'm now forced to stay with Susan Banks for, probably, the rest of my life. And that is a punishment worse than any I could have thought up.

[MrsM]

Hmmmm. I don't think this is the last we will see of Johnny.

[fluffysmom]

I won't be surprised if Johnny figures a way out of this.

[sportsgirl]

Yep I feel the same way about Johnny...

[André DiMera]

Chapter 53

NOTE: As with the last two funerals, *** indicates a passage of time.

ST LUKE'S
The mess from André's body had been cleaned up and Johnny had been escorted out of the building. It was now time for the funeral to begin. Everyone was silent as the priest made his way up the aisle.
PRIEST: Good morning.
CONGREGATION: Good morning.
PRIEST: We are gathered together this morning to celebrate the life of our sister in Christ, Marlena Evans. To remember her. To mourn her passing. But, also, to celebrate the fact that, through Christ, she has been given eternal life. We pray.
***
CONGREGATION (singing): When we've been there ten thousand years, bright shining as the sun, we've no less days to sing Your praise than when we first begun. Hallelujah, grace like rain falls down on me. Hallelujah, all my stains are washed away, they're washed away. Hallelujah, grace like rain falls down on me. Hallelujah, all my stains are washed away, they're washed away.
The Priest stood and motioned for the congregation to sit down, which they did.
PRIEST: If any of you would now like to, I invite members of Marlena's family, or any of her friends, to share a few words with us about Marlena.
The priest sat back down. It took a moment or two, nobody was really sure who should get up first. But, finally, Brady stood up and walked to the pulpit.
BRADY: Good morning.
CONGREGATION: Good morning.
BRADY: Well, this is kind of hard to believe, but when I first learned about my dad and Marlena, she and I didn't always get along. Or, I should probably say, I didn't get along with her. I was a bit of a handful in my teenage years. But, no matter what I did, Marlena always loved me as if I were her son. And, eventually, I came to love her as a second mother.

THE FUNERAL CONTINUES TOMORROW, 8/1

[sportsgirl]

Thank goodness they got Andre. This is hopefully the last funeral. Then Sydney can get the help she needs to deal with it all.

[fluffysmom]

I hope Sydney can get some help now. I'm glad she has Sami, Lucas, and John.

[André DiMera]

Chapter 54

ST LUKE'S
Hope stood at the pulpit.
HOPE: She was a good person to talk to. If you ever had a problem, you could talk to Marlena. And she would always give you advice, whether you wanted to hear it or not. She was a good friend...
***
ERIC: You never wanted to mess with her or her children. Mom was a really nice, sweet lady, but she was also tough. And heaven help you if you tried to hurt one of her children...
***
JOHN: Even from the beginning, our relationship was vey complex. When I first
Came to town, I had no idea who I was. And, Marlena became convinced that I was her husband, Roman. Now, of course, we know differently. But even after Roman came back, Marlena was always on my side. She became the love of my life. It's kinda like that old Kenny Rogers song, "Through the Years". Because through the years, we turned each others lives around. The sweetest days I found, I found with her. Through the years, even though some things went wrong, our love remained so strong. And I am so glad I stayed right there with her through all the years...

CEMETARY
The crowd now gathered at the cemetery. The priest stood near the coffin.
PRIEST: And now, brothers and sisters in Christ, we have reached the final resting place for Marlena. And although we know that this is the end of her life on this earth, we may take comfort knowing that her eternal life in heaven has just begun. It is written in the Holy Gospel according to Saint John, the third chapter, beginning with the sixteen verse: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him". Forasmuch as it hath pleased Almighty God of his great mercy to take unto himself the soul of our dear sister, Marlena, here departed, we therefore commit her body to the ground; earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust; in sure and certain hope of the Resurrection to eternal life, through our Lord Jesus Christ; who shall change our vile body, that it may be like unto his glorious body, according to the mighty working, whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself. We pray.
The congregation folded their hands.
PRIEST: Almighty God, our heavenly Father, we thank you for the time we spent with Marlena. We ask that you keep her in your arms. We ask that you send your Holy Spirit to comfort Marlena's friends and family in this time, that they might know that she is safe with You in heaven. And we ask that you watch over us each and every day of our lives. In Your name we pray. Amen.

[fluffysmom]

I wonder how Sydney is doing after Marlena's funeral and all that happened at the church.

[krw627]

I am surprised Sami or Sydney didn't speak about Marlena. It would've been difficult to write, but so great to hear Sami talk about their relationship...the same with Sydney.

[André DiMera]

Chapter 55

BRADY PUB
A large gathering of people gathered at the Brady Pub after the funeral. There was a lot of talking going on. Sami was sitting at a table with Lucas. Eric walked over.
ERIC: Hey, sis.
SAMI: Hey.
Sami stood up and she and Eric hugged.
ERIC: About what you said at Mom's funeral...

ST LUKE'S - FLASHBACK
Sami stood at the pulpit, giving her eulogy for Marlena. She was tearing up as she was talking.
SAMI: Mom and I...we didn't always see eye-to-eye. In fact, for a lot of my life, we argued. And I think that might be because, as much as I used to hate to admit it, we were so much alike. We were both really stubborn. But, no matter what we said to each other, no matter how horrible some of the stuff we said was, the next time we saw each other, it would be as if none of that had eve happened. Mom was truly a saint for putting up with me for all these years. And it's because of her that I'm the woman I am today. Because no matter what we did or said, or how much I tried to push her away when I was younger, my mom has always been there for me. She's always been my best friend.

BRADY PUB
ERIC: That was really nice, what you said. And, I know that Mom would be proud of the woman you've become.
SAMI: Thanks, Eric.
Sami and Eric hugged again. In another part of the Pub, Sydney was sitting by herself, her head in her arms. Ceri, who had just arrived, walked over and rubbed Sydney's back.
CERI: Hey.
Sydney looked up. It's obvious that she's been crying.
SYDNEY: Hey.
CERI: How are you holding up?
SYDNEY: Not so good.
CERI: Anything I can get for you? Anything I can do?
SYDNEY (voice breaking): Hold me? I just really need to be held right now.
CERI: Okay, come here.
Ceri put her arms around Sydney. Sydney laid her head on Ceri's shoulder and started crying.

[fluffysmom]

Poor Sydney. I hope she can get through this and finally be happy.

[sportsgirl]

^^^What she said!

Good to hear Sami finally being mature!

[krw627]

That chapter was probably written well before I posted my comment. But it is so nice to see the mature Sami...even if it isn't onscreen. ;-)