How many problems can a love bear ?
Chapter 15						Accueil   Home

69

CC was standing there looking at the swimming pool and Sophia could see that he looked troubled.

CC was thinking about how he could explain to Sophia why he had come to Italy without bringing Giovanni in any trouble, CC was grateful that Giovanni had called him to tell him that Sophia wasn't feeling well and that she had fainted, but CC was also very worried about what might cause Sophia's illness. CC remembered the situation in the old atrium when Sophia almost fainted after Kelly was locked in psychiatry because she had a nervous breakdown after the incident with Dylan Hartley.

"I came as fast as I could." Sophia said.

"So where have you been? I've been calling your apartment for hours you never even came home."

"Out of town. I was out of town and when I read the newspaper this morning I came back right away." Sophia replied because she didn't want CC to know that she was just released from the hospital.

"Oh. I'm sorry I didn't mean to snap at you, this thing has gotten me on the roots." CC said while he gently touched Sophia's cheek. "You look very pale!"

"Just tell me everything. Tell me what happened, tell me how she is."

"She would be fine if everybody would just leave her alone. I tried to protect her, tried to keep her away from the psychiatrists, but this judge... this judge thinks that our daughter is mentally incompetent so she puts her in a hospital for testing."

"CC our girl had had one trauma after another in her life, you saw the stress she was under!"

"Yes, I know that. Letting her move out didn't help much I should never had done that. The psychiatrists get her now and make things even worse."

"They make things better, they might help!"

"She doesn't need that kind of help. I'm sure that Dylan provoked the attack, if in fact it was even an attack, self-defense isn't a crime. It's nothing wrong with Kelly."

"Of course it was self-defense. There is no doubt about it was self-defense, but she needs to talk to doctors, CC. She needs to talk to the professionals."

"Professionals... they think that the whole world needs treatment, that's what professionals do."

"CC there was a time in my life that without psychiatric help I might not have saved my sanity. I had no attachment with my emotions I could have been an empty shell. Can you want that for Kelly?"

"All I want is my daughter to be home, to be under this roof so I can watch over her, I want all of my family here I don't want them running off in different directions. I want my children here and I want my...." CC stopped himself from saying my wife...

"I have to go now. Please, Please let me know as soon as we can see her, will you?"

"Yes, of course I will." CC said while Sophia turned around to leave.

"Sophia, when we're able to see her I would like you to come with me, I think Kelly will feel good seeing us together."

"So do I. I think it's a good idea. The sooner the better." Sophia said and made a few steps to leave the atrium when she almost fainted, CC hurried to catch her and prevent her from falling.

"What? What is it? Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm just a little fainted it's everything with Kelly." Sophia replied and looked into CC's eyes.

"I walk you to the car!" CC said while he was still holding Sophia's arm.

CC was brought back to the present because he had the feeling that somebody was watching him, he turned around and saw Sophia.

Suddenly CC turned around and looked at Sophia, she felt like she would faint just because of the way CC looked at her, she saw so much love in his look and she just wanted him to take her into his arms and never let her go again, but Sophia knew very well that it would be too easy that way and it wouldn't solve their problems.

CC made a few steps towards Sophia but he wasn't able to speak, because he was afraid that Sophia would tell him to leave right away.

Sophia felt the same way, she didn't know how to react and what to say, but there was so much that she wanted to tell CC, she wanted to tell him what the doctor told her, she wanted to share her worries with him. CC opened his mouth to start talking to Sophia, even if he didn't know how to start, Sophia was relieved, because the silence between them made her nervous and frightened.

"You look very pale." CC said with concern. "Aren't you still feeling well?" CC asked and he hoped that Sophia would give him an honest answer.

"Well, I still feel somehow sick. May I ask what brought you here?"

"Of course, but I hope you want get mad at me when I tell you. But first I want to know how you feel and if you have seen already a doctor because you feel already sick for some time, at least a few weeks." CC said and he wanted so badly to take Sophia into his arms and hold and never ever let her go again.

"Yes, I saw a doctor a few days ago and he did some blood analysis. So tell me why you are here? And why should I get mad at you? Did something happen with one of the children?"

"No, no the kids are fine, at least they were when I left Santa Barbara. Can we please sit down? You look weak." CC said and the longer he looked at Sophia the more worried he got.

Sophia went to the table that was only a few steps away from where they were standing and sat down on a chair, CC followed her and took a seat at the table opposite to Sophia's so he could look at her.

"So" Sophia said, because she didn't feel at ease with the silence between them.

"Did you already get the results from the blood analysis?"

"Yes, CC. I got some results, but the doctor was here earlier took take some more blood samples because he wants to do some other tests. But now tell me why you are here. Because I don't believe that you came all the from Santa Barbara to Milan just to make some small talk with me!" Sophia said.

"Okay, but would you please promise me <not to get angry with anybody?"

"All right. I promise because honestly I'm not in the mood to start an argument or a fight with you or anybody else."

"Hm, she must have something serious, because usually she would never let the chance pass by to fight with me" CC thought to himself.

"Okay, Giovanni called me and told me that you didn't feel well and that you passed out and darling I was worried and frightened. I hope you don't mind that I came here?" CC said.

"No, it's okay with me" was the only answer he got from Sophia.

CC could see that something was bothering her. "Baby, don't you want to tell me what the doctor said?"

"CC, maybe we can talk later. I feel a bit tired and I want to rest for one hour or so, if you don't mind?"

"No baby I don't mind." CC said and smiled at Sophia but she didn't return his smile, she got up from the chair and went into the direction of the house, on the half way Sophia stopped and turned around, she looked at CC who was still sitting on his chair and looked at her, Sophia had to smile because she saw how helpless CC felt. "You don't have to stay outside. You can come in if you want" Sophia said, she was waiting for an answer but no word came over CC's lips, CC stood up and when he approached Sophia she saw that tears were running down his face.

"What is CC?"

70

At the same time at the Capwell mansion Eden was still waiting for some news from her brothers, she started getting nervous because she had a strange feeling that something was wrong, she had to think about what Brick had said about Kelly and her state of mind. Eden knew how much Kelly loved Joe, but she was sure that Kelly had found real love with her new boyfriend Connor.

"Oh Cruz, I wish you were here to take me into your arms and promise me that everything will be fine, not just Kelly, but also that Momma and Daddy will find a way to be together again and most of all that you would tell me that you still love me like you used to do before I got sick and let Lisa control our lives" Eden said to herself, while she got lost in her thoughts about Cruz and their time together.

Eden remembered their last evening in front of the fireplace before her trip to Utah which took a tragic turn because her family thought for several months that she had died in a plane crash.  

Eden and Cruz were kissing in front of the fireplace in their beach house.

"I miss you already."

"You imagine? Just next week we gonna be married"

"What kind of ceremony do you think we gonna have up in the mountains?" Eden asked.

"I exactly know what I'm gonna say to you" Cruz replied.

"Tell me now!"

"You want me to spoil it?"

"Just tell me a part of it! I wanna have your words with me so I can look forward to something"

"Okay. I tell you this part from the bible. Entreat me not to leave thee, nor to return from following after thee, for whither thou goest, I will go, and where thou lodgest, I will lodge, thy people shall be my people and thy God my God, whither thou diest, will I die and there will I be buried. The Lord do so to me and more also."

"If aught but death part thee and me"

"Where there is love..." Cruz said.

"There is no death" Eden finished his sentence.

Eden's memories drifted further to her and Cruz's wedding in Pebble Creek.

 The minister said: Having considered alone and together this marriage I now ask you Eden do you take this man to be your lovely wedded husband?

"I do"

"I ask you Cruz you take this woman to be your lovely wedded wife?

"I do"

"Then Eden as you place this ring on Cruz's finger repeat after me: With this ring I thy wed and join my life to yours"

"With this ring I thy wed and join my life to yours"

"Now Cruz as you place this ring on Eden's finger repeat after me: With this ring I thy wed and join my life to yours"

"With this ring I thy wed and join my life to yours"

"May these rings stand as a sign for you of the desire to live, to love, to create, to build in your lives and in the lives of those who you touch that idea of perfection that is humanity. In the presence of god and by the authority vested in me I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride."

"Thank you" Cruz replied and they had to laugh.

Eden was brought back to the present because the phone rang, she wiped away some tears that were running down her cheeks and cleared her throat before she answered the phone.

"Hello?"

"Eden, it's me, Mason. Did Kelly already come home?"

"No, Mason. So you haven't found her yet? I'm getting really worried about her."
"I know, so am I. Well I call you as soon as we have found her. Bye."

"Okay Mason. Thank you. Bye." Eden hung up the phone, she needed to go for a walk in the Capwell garden, she turned around to find her face to face to the love of her life.

71

At the same time in Milan, Italy, doctor Massimo arrived in his office at the hospital after he had sent Sophia's blood samples to the laboratory. Dr. Massimo was still not sure if he should really believe what the man had told him about CC Capwell poisoning Sophia. Dr. Massimo didn't know CC Capwell but he had strong doubts that such a powerful man like CC Capwell would try to poison a person who he would like to get rid of. The only thing that Dr. Massimo knew for sure was that he had to do some research on CC Capwell and Sophia before he would get another visit from the strange man who pretended to care a lot about Sophia. Sure Dr. Massimo had agreed to fake Sophia's tests to help keeping CC away from Sophia but Dr. Massimo was a very suspicious man and he was surly not the kind of man who easily believed what he was told by strangers without having any proof. Dr Massimo was thinking about how he could get some information about CC, about Ken Mathis and how he could find out who tried to kill Sophia when his phone rang.

72

At the same time Eden and Cruz were standing face to face to each other in the living room of the Capwell mansion for the first time since years.

"Cruz" Eden whispered and she was the happiest person in the whole world for a few seconds, she finally saw the love of her life, her soul mate standing in front of her but right away Eden got very frightened that Cruz would turn around and leave without giving her a chance to explain everything and to apologize for all the pain she caused him and their children.

"Oh my God! She's still as beautiful as she ever was, when not even more beautiful" Cruz thought to himself as his thoughts drifted to the day when he last saw his beloved wife.

CC, Sophia, Eden and Cruz entered the study the study in the Capwell house.

"Cruz did you tell Eden what happened this morning?" Sophia asked.

"No" Cruz answered.

"What?" Eden wanted to know.

"I found the tiara in the desk drawer"

"What?" Eden asked again.

"Eden, did you do it?" Sophia asked her daughter.

"No, of course not!" Eden exclaimed.

"Did you, Lisa?" Cruz asked.

Eden/ Lisa turns around to look at Cruz "Don't use my name! You have no right to use my name!" she replied.

"Did you put the tiara in the drawer?" Cruz wanted to know.

"Yes I did!" Eden/ Lisa answered with a mischievous smile "I wanted you to find it!" she said to Sophia.

"Eden" Sophia said softly to her beloved daughter.

"I am not Eden! You want her back, don't you? I'm gonna tell you something, she's gonna stay with me. You wanna know why? Because of all the hell you've put her through. Hell you can only dream about!!! See Eden has a little problem, she doesn't know how to deal with the hell you've put her through, but I do and I AM GOING TO MAKE YOU PAY!"

Dr Foxworthy had joined the Capwell family in the study.

"So I go after Sophia who else does know? If you expect me to draw you a diagram I think you are out of luck!" Eden/ Lisa told Dr Foxworthy.

"May we ask some questions?" Dr Foxworthy asked.

"Yes, what's going to be like? No guaranties you gonna get any answers."

"Well I think you'll tell us what we wanna know!" Cruz said.

"What makes you so sure?"

"You can't help yourself!" Cruz replied "If you weren't too tight in this story you would have kept your mouth shut about this."

"Who's the shrink here anyway?" Eden/ Lisa asked.

"You've been looking for a soap box for years and this is as captive an audience as you ever gonna find. So let's get on with this! What exactly do you want?" Cruz asked.

Eden/ Lisa started to laugh before she said: "Isn't that obvious?"

"Not to me it is and I can barely tell what's going on and believe me I need somebody to spell the answer on me" Cruz replied.

"I am ..." Eden/ Lisa turns around to look at Sophia "... what you made me!"

"Oh my, I'm getting sick and tired of everybody else being responsible!" CC said.

"No. No. I'm the only one who's responsible. Isn't that right, Eden?" Sophia asked.

"You've sent Eden away!"

"How Lisa? We just want to understand your feelings" Dr Foxworthy said.

"Oh what a crap!" Eden/ Lisa said while she turned around to face Dr Foxworthy "You wanna get rid of me!"

"We couldn't do that if we wanted to. You're obviously in control here and I'm sure you're not gonna relinquish into your position until you accomplished what you set out  to do!" Cruz told Eden/ Lisa.

"You see! I mean do you see this? I mean Lisa obey his listening"

"Everyone is listening! You wanna keep us guessing is that what we can do to stop you? But I don't think there would be much satisfaction in that. Why don't you tell us what it is what you want?" Cruz said.

"You know you can learn a lot from this bumper stickers on the back of the cars that say don't get mad get even! Well that's what I intent do do. That's all!"

Nobody said a word for quiet some time so Eden/ Lisa decided to break the silence. "So don't everybody speak at once!" she said laughing.

"We are too impressed for words!" Cruz replied.

"Don't blame me!" Eden/ Lisa told him.

"Let's spear the attitude. Talk to us! You claim that you wanna protect Eden that means that we're all on the same side." Cruz said to Lisa.

"Hm, not quiet!" Eden/ Lisa said sighing.

"Lisa?" Dr Foxworthy said to get her attention "What exactly is it about Eden's relationship with her mother that disturbs you so much?"

"You're the couch woman! Go around! Why don't you figure it out?" Eden/ Lisa answered.

"So much for her undying devotion for her alter ego!" Cruz said.

"You know I would think if you really wanted to help Eden it would kind of be useful to open up to us!" CC told his daughter.

"Or if you won't then let her" Sophia said.

"Not a chance!" Eden/ Lisa replied angrily "Eden couldn't explain herself even if I let her!"

""Then how do you know that if you never try?" Cruz wanted to know.

"Because I was there! I was there that day I saw her shut down and I saw what it took to bring her back!" Lisa answered.

"To bring her back or keep her from ever coming grips up what happened?" Cruz asked.

"It's one and the same, Sherlock!" Eden/ Lisa answered "Or you think endless hours and a hundred bugs per on Dr Feelgood's couch detecting Eden's painful and misguided childhood is actually doing anything but benefit this shrink's pocket book?"

"Well I don't know, you're the one who knows all the answers." Cruz replied.

"I give you a little clue! Your wife's little problem has to do with not thinking but feeling. If Eden could handle that..."

"Then you wouldn't be here!" Cruz finish Eden/ Lisa's sentence.

"Every high wire leading to that. You're just lucky that you landed on your oldest daughter. Too bad that your luck's run out!" she said to her mother.

"Whatever you intent to do, Lisa, we will help Eden. Do your worst on me!" Sophia told her daughter.

"Sophia in her most heartbreaking role till the date. A martyred mother. Where was Jane of Arc when Eden needed her, not to mention Channing. I think that should be something that should not have been redirected. I've got a clue for you. Bury her for good!"

"All that business with the jewel thefts?" Cruz asked.

"Would you mind to do the honors?" Eden/ Lisa asked Dr Foxworthy.

"I can only guess but you can explain!" the doctor answered.

"It was obviously just the pathetic reaching out of a very, very insecure child woman looking for the attention and not the resentment of her mother, her friends. Or was it such an incredible rush? You can't imagine!"

"You helped steal the Armonti diamond in Europe?" CC asked.

"Helped, daddy?"

"Andre Wolff was in on that too!" Cruz explained.

"Well we weren't really partners per saying it's just that we found out that we were after the same price and instead of competing, seeing who would turn each other in, we decided to team up. We were a hell of a team!" Lisa replied.

"Until you decided to pursue the partnership on this side of the Atlantic" Cruz answered.

"Do you remember seeing me in Europe?" Sophia asked.

"Do I? Who is that you're thinking you're talking to??? I'm not Eden! Of course I remember! Do you?" Lisa replied.

"Yes! I'll never forget it. That was when I knew I had to come back!" Sophia said.

"Oh it was so heartbreaking! Me! I have children, my known-less, oh gee, I realize I left something behind!"

"She couldn't help herself!" CC explained.

"How many times have I heard that? How many times, daddy? My personal favorite must have been when Sophia shot and killed Channing. Do you remember who came to you and told you how they forgave you and how they understood you?" Eden/ Lisa asked her mother.

"Yes! You! Eden!" Sophia replied.

"No! You were right the first time! It was one of my performances. If I had let Eden have her way Channing wouldn't have been the only one who died!"

"What do you mean?" Sophia asked.

"Eden wanted to kill you! She couldn't face it but she wanted you dead. She wanted to kill you herself!"

"And what about now?" Sophia wanted to know "Does Eden still want me dead?"

Eden/ Lisa didn't answer her mother's question.

"I do have an appointment of sorts something that had been on the books for quite a while!" Eden/ Lisa explained.

"Who's it with?" Cruz asked.

"Well that would be telling. It's a surprise. You're the detective you really wanna know you start detecting!"

"Okay! Let's start with today's date!" Cruz said.

"What about it?" Eden/ Lisa asked.

"Well it's an anniversary, isn't it?" Cruz asked "21 years ago today Sophia disappeared and everyone has thought she has drown"

"Ding dong the witch is dead!" Eden/ Lisa replied.

"And you were there, weren't you? When it happened?" Cruz continued questioning his wife.

"I was there!"

"With friends?" Mason who had arrived asked.

"I was alone!" Eden/ Lisa answered.

"I took Channing and Ted and Kelly to the ranch that day, you s.... Eden said that she would go at the beach!" Mason explained.

"You see, she heard you the day before tell Lionel that you were going to kill him if he let the naked truth out about Channing and your affair."

"Eden did hear us!" Sophia said.

"Every word! She wanted to say something but she didn't."

"Why not?" Cruz wanted to know.

"Because no one ever believes children! The adults they stick together and they lie to protect themselves. It's horrible...." Eden/ Lisa explained.

"I never meant that I was going to kill Lionel!" Sophia defended herself.

"We all know how the road to hell is paved!" Eden/ Lisa replied.

"Those were just angry words!" Sophia tried to explain to her daughter.

"You see, Eden was frightened but she was also very curious. She went down to the beach that day, she hide behind the tall stems of grasses, she watched you as you took a skiff out to  the Lockridge yacht where Lionel was waiting for you..."

"And what did she see?" Cruz asked.

"We all know what she saw!" CC replied.

"You have no idea what I saw! You don't have a clue?" Lisa yelled.

"What happened?" Cruz wanted to know.

"The sky and the sun, it was very high above the water and the light reflected off of it, the heat of the sea was like a mirage, what Eden saw was not a mirage. Lionel was waiting. And Sophia came aboard the boat. Immediately there was a discussion, the wind was blowing inland and carried in snatches of their argument, cold heartless words. Lionel came towards her and a seagull flew over it, it's cry sounded like a scream." Lisa explained.

"It was a scream!" Sophia replied.

"It was your scream. You fell overboard and Eden watched you as you disappeared into the water!"

"Then what did you do?" Cruz asked.

"Do? I didn't do anything! I thought good let her drown, she deserves to for what she did to me and daddy and then I heard her call for help!" Lisa said.

"Dear Lord she watched me die. I am responsible." Sophia exclaimed.

Cruz was so afraid that he could stand face to face once again face to face to Lisa, Eden's alter ego without recognizing it.

"Cruz, I'm not sick anymore! Would you please give me a chance to explain everything to you?" Eden asked while tears were running down her face, because she couldn't stand the silence between them.

73

At the same time in Milan at the Armonti residence.

"What is CC?" Sophia asked again.

"Everything is fine..." CC replied.

"You are crying and you want me to believe you when you tell me that everything is fine. Sorry, but I strongly doubt that everything is fine when I sees tears running down your face." Sophia said while she wiped away the tears from CC's cheeks. Sophia walked into the living room and sat down on the sofa. CC who had followed her into the house didn't dare to make a step further into the living room and stayed in the doorway.

"I'll go for a walk so you can lay down and rest for a while." CC told Sophia.

"CC please don't shut me out. Please tell me what's wrong?"

"We can talk later, you need to rest" CC replied and turned around to leave.

"Darling please don't go. I need you here with me"

CC didn't know what do say, he went to Sophia who was still sitting on the sofa and just took her into his arms. CC started to cry like he just had cried once in his life, CC clearly remembered that day, it was the day when Sophia had disappeared, he would never forget how helpless he had felt that day when his world fell apart, but this time CC was filled up with guilt and sorrow that he almost couldn't stand it anymore.

"CC please, tell me what's wrong!" Sophia urged him.

"It's okay, baby. Please don't worry about me! You need to rest!"

"How do you think that I could rest if you sit right here in front of me crying? So I listen." Sophia said and tenderly touched CC's cheek to reassure him that she would be there for him.

"Oh baby, I'm so sorry...."

"Sorry for what?" Sophia asked because CC didn't continue talking.

"Everything what I did to you..."

"I don't have a clue what you're talking about..." Sophia replied.

"I mean everything! I did so many mistakes over all those years, like divorcing you when you came back to Santa Barbara, throwing you out of the house when I woke up from the coma, keeping secrets from you when Pamela came back to Santa Barbara, ..." CC said.

"CC, that's all in the past and if I wouldn't have forgotten I would never have gotten involved with you again..."

"But there are some things you are not aware of, not yet and I have to be honest with you. But first please tell me what the doctor said? Sophia, I'm scared to death. Are you still suffering from the poisoning or did... the... cancer... come back?"

"No, it's not the poisoning and the cancer didn't come back, it's..." Sophia didn't know how to tell CC what the doctor had told her, she was afraid of CC's reaction.

"What is it, Sophia? It can't be that bad that you can't tell me what it is? Wait, you're not suffering from any sexual transmissible disease, are you?"

"No, CC!" Sophia said and she realized that she didn't even really had accepted what Dr Massimo had told her about the results of her blood analysis.

"Baby, I'm there for you if you need me and I can see that something is bothering you" CC said.

"You're right! I don't know how to tell you what the doctor told me!" Sophia said and closed her eyes for a few seconds and when she opened them she said "CC, I'm ...." then Maria the housekeeper of the Armonti residence came into the living room and Sophia didn't finish her sentence.

74

In Santa Barbara, Kelly was still sitting at the beach, tears were still running down her face. Kelly got up and walked to her car, she had to leave because she felt the urge to visit Joe's grave. While Kelly was driving into the direction of the cemetery, she couldn't stop crying because memories of Joe, her first true love, appeared in front of her inner eye while the song The greatest love affair was played on the radio, the song that were played at her wedding with Joe.

"We've seen the brokenhearted

New loves started and then fade away

Where love ran out of energy

Somewhere along the way

Oh but lady the lessons we have learned

have helped us make it

The mountains we have climbed

are far behind

Chorus:

It's been a lifelong love song

with every lyric saying that

we're still number one

and now composed our love has grown

and we have turned a prayer into

the greatest love affair of them all

And now we both should cherish

the treasures at the rainbow's end

the game is finally over

I knew that we would win

Oh and lady the lessons we had learned

have helped us made it

the mountains we have climbed

are far behind

Chorus:

From now on it will be easy

so easy for you and I

we've found the purpose and the

reason

the need lives on inside

Kelly was brought back to the present by the beeping of a car horn, she saw headlights, but it was too late, she couldn't avoid the crash and everything went dark...