How many problems can a love bear ?
Chapter 5						Accueil   Home

27

Ted and Lily arrived at the Lockridge property to visit Gina, Lionel and the baby.

"Hi Mum!" Lily shouted when she opened the front door of the house.

Nobody answered!

"Perhaps they aren't here! Or maybe there are doing something important and we disturb them, Lily!" Ted said.

"You would never disturb us!" Gina said while she entered the living room. "I was in the kitchen to prepare Channing's lunch!"

"Oh! On the phone you said that you have to ask me something and that you would make it personally."

"Could you make me a favor?" Gina said.

"Come on Mum! What's it?"

"I'm in the garden if someone should need me!" Ted said and left the room, because the discussion between Lily and Gina didn't interest him at all.

Inside the house Lily and Gina were continuing their question and answer game. Gina didn't dare to ask Lily if she would take care of her little brother the next two days.

"Oh, Mum, come on! Tell me what the matter is? You know that I hate that kind of question and answer games, don't you?"

"Ok! Lionel asked me if we could spend one or two romantic days in Los Angeles. And I would love to go there with him, but it would be much more romantic if I could let Channing with you and Ted?" Gina said to her daughter.

"I would be honored if I could take care of my little brother! Mum, you know that I really love Channing, he's such a lovely boy!"

"Thank you so much Lily! But are you sure that Ted will agree to take care of Channing?" Gina asked her daughter.

"Yes, I am! He also loves Channing and not to forget he's Channing's grand brother!" Lily said and laughed.

Gina and Lily looked out of the window and saw Ted who was sitting on the bank and was reading in a newspaper.

Gina noticed that Ted's habits were almost the same like C.C.'s and she remember how it was when she was married to C.C., before Sophia reappeared in Santa Barbara, every evening when C.C. came home from the office he sat down in a chair in the atrium and began to read the newspaper.

28

At the same time at the Capwell mansion, Sophia was packing her suitcase in her and C.C.'s bedroom, because C.C. had planed a romantic trip, but Sophia didn't know where they would spend their trip. She remembered that she would have to try once again to reach Eden on the Capwell yacht! So she picked up the phone and dialed the number and this time she had luck!

"Hi, Darling! I already tried to phone you but I couldn't reach you!"

"Oh, Mum! I went for a walk on the beach! I've phoned with a special friend in Europe and he gave me the address where I can find Cruz and the children!"

"That's great! But I have to tell you something!"

"What's the matter, Mum? Did something happen?" Eden answered and felt that she was scared about her mother's answer.

"I didn't want to disappoint you, but your father wants to go on a trip with me for a few days and...!" Sophia stopped and waited for Eden's answer! At this moment C.C. entered the room and Sophia didn't realize that she wasn't alone anymore.

"But that's great! I hope you enjoy it!" Eden replied.

"I'm sorry, darling, that I can't keep my promise to meet you this evening!" Sophia answered and C.C. who stood behind her felt that fury rose in him! Thoughts run trough his mind, did Sophia betray him? Did she have a love affair with Lionel like many years ago? Probably! C.C. was almost sure that Sophia and Lionel didn't meet by chance in the Capwell Oasis! And why was she on the yacht? Did she have a date with Lionel, his worst enemy on his boat? C.C. knew that he had to talk to Sophia as soon as she had hanged up the phone!

"Ok! Dear, I'm contacting you as soon as I'm back in Santa Barbara! I love you!" Sophia said and hung up the phone; she turned around and looked at a very angry C.C.. She knew that he must have been standing behind her for quiet a long tome and he did hear what she said. Sophia knew that she would have to lie to him if we would ask her about the call.

"I haven't realized that you came in!"

"Who was on the phone?"

"Ah... Could you please forget everything that you heard?" Sophia said and knew that C.C. wouldn't give up until he had heard a plausible explanation, but Sophia didn't know how to explain him what was going on without breaking the promise she made to her beloved daughter who had finally found home after all those years of worries and fears. She couldn't tell C.C. the truth because she didn't want to hurt Eden once more.

"Was that this Lockridge bastard?"

"WHAT?" Sophia asked without believing what she just had heard from the man she loved, he didn't trust her and Sophia was very hurt about that, because she was sure that C.C. had changed, but he was the same man she had already left several times. Sophia was disappointed and her eyes were filled with tears.

"You have an affair with him, haven't you? I saw you at the Capwell Oasis earlier and I know that you were on MY yacht this morning to see him! It was he who sent you the letter you received yesterday evening!" C.C. said and felt that he become more and more furious.

Sophia couldn't believe that C.C. thought that she had an affair with Lionel.

"What are you talking about? Lionel and I, we are friends and there is nothing more between us! We met by chance at the Oasis! You're right I was on the yacht, but not to meet Lionel! Please believe me! I can't tell you whom I've met on the yacht, not yet, but in a few days I will tell you!"

"WHAT?? You want me to believe you? Again you're sleeping with my worst enemy and you want me to believe you? No! I can't believe you!" C.C. said and went to the door to leave their bedroom.

"I thought that you have change within the last years, but I was wrong! Do you know what? I'm leaving and I won't come back if you don't change your mind about Lionel and me! I love you, but I can't bear your behavior and your jealousy anymore and if you don't trust me than it will be better if we don't get married again!" Sophia said while tears run over her cheeks, she took her suitcase and run down the stairs to leave the house. C.C. who became angrier followed her and outside the Capwell mansion he continued with his accusations.

"What? You dare to tell me that you love me and behind my back you are sleeping with this Lockridge bastard just like you did so many years ago!"
"You're crazy! I swear there's nothing between Lionel and me, but you can't or perhaps you don't want to believe me! But in a few days you will see that I haven't lied to you, but than it could be too late!" Sophia said and got into her car and drove away.

29

At the same time Eden was standing on the sundeck of her father's boat when she discovered a man who came straight to the yacht.

"Finally he's here" she thought while she was still looking at that man with his dark hair, she remembered his blue eyes, almost the same blues eyes as hers. When the man finally arrived on the sundeck of the Capwell's yacht Eden came straight to him and gave him a big hug.

"Oh! I'm so happy to see you! I've missed you so much! Do you know that?" Eden said still hugging this man.

"Well, I know and I missed you too! And what did they say when they heard that you're back?"

"You mean Daddy and Momma?"

"Yes and the rest of the family!"

"Well, by now only Momma knows that I'm here! I begged her not to tell anyone that I'm here!" Eden replied.

"What? Why?"

"First I want to find Cruz and my children! And I know that daddy wouldn't let me go again if he would know that I'm back!"

"Yeah! That's how I remember him! Always caring about the persons he loves. How's Mum?"

"She's fine! And I'm sure she'll be glad to hear that you're in town, Brick!"

"And I'll be happy to see her! I mean I missed her!"

"I know! Oh! I've almost forgotten to tell you the good news!" Eden said and a beautiful smile appeared on her face.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Brick asked his sister.

"You know that Momma divorced daddy when I left Santa Barbara!?"

"Yes, you told me when we met in Europe!"

"And you know what? They are going to marry again!"

"That's great! Do you know when they will marry?"

"No, Momma hasn't told me yet!"

 "And do you already know when you're going to Mexico to find Cruz and the children?"

"No, because I wanted Mum to come with me, but she's going on a trip with daddy for a few days, she called me earlier to tell me that she has to go because he starts to become suspicious!" Eden told her brother.

"He hasn't changed much within the last few years! Am I right?" Brick said and laughed.

"I think so! But I know that he loves Momma and the fear he feels inside that he could lose her makes him sometimes react like a fool! But he would never show or talk to anyone about it."

30

In the meanwhile at the Capwell mansion C.C. was sitting on the sofa when Kelly entered the house, she still wore her bathing suit! She immediately realized that something happened and that her father was in a very bad mood. First she hesitated but then she took her a heart and talked to him.

"Daddy! Did something happen? Are you in a bad mood?"

"Well, you're right in a very bad mood!"

"What's the matter, dad?" Kelly asked.

"Oh it's a long story!"

"I've time! Come on tell me what happened!"

"Yesterday evening you're mother received a letter from an anonymous sender and I begged her to forget it and she agreed. But ... this morning she left the house she told me that she had an important business meeting at Armonti Industries and when I tried to call her later I was told that she wasn't at the office the whole morning!"

"Perhaps the meeting was elsewhere and she only forgot to tell you!" Kelly said.

"When I arrived at the Capwell Oasis because your mother and I had planed to have lunch there together... I saw her with ... this... Lockridge bastard!"

"I'm sure they met by chance!"

"Why do you ask my something if you have already spoken to your mother about it?" C.C. said and became more and more furious because he felt betrayed not only by the woman he loved so much but also by his daughter.

"Listen! I haven't spoken to Momma today!" Kelly replied and thought that it would had been better not to have started this conversation with her father.

"I'm sorry, dear! It hurts so much and it drives me crazy!" C.C. said.

"Well, and that's the reason why you sit here and mope?"

"I haven't finished, Kelly! When we had lunch I told your mother that I tried to reach her at the office and she told me that she was on the beach, where we first met! I believed her, but when I came home ... you know that Connor wanted to talk to me and he told me that someone lives on the boat since a few days and that someone has seen Sophia on the yacht this morning!" C.C. made a pause before continuing. Kelly who had listened carefully to what her father told her became very angry on Connor, why had he told her father this story without speaking to her mother or to her. She realized that Connor didn't know her father well enough to know how much trouble he could cause with what he told C.C..

"And you know the best? When I went upstairs earlier your mother was on the phone with this... she didn't realize that I entered the... our bedroom. I heard that she told him that she was sorry that they couldn't meet this evening because she has to go on a trip with me and that she loves him ...!"

"Maybe she has spoken to Julia or Mason!"

"No, Kelly! When she hang up and realized that I was in the bedroom she asked me not to question her about that call. Well we ended up in an argument and Sophia left the house."

"I'm sure she'll be back for dinner! Maybe you two have to calm down and then...!"

"I don't think so! She told me that she'll leave me and that it would be better not to get married again if I wouldn't trust her, but how could I trust her ever again when she's sleeping with my worst enemy?" C.C. said and stood up to leave the room.

"Daddy! I don't believe that Momma has an affair with Lionel!" Kelly said and smiled, but C.C. didn't return her smile and left the room.

31

At the other end of Santa Barbara Eden and Brick are still on the sundeck enjoying the sun! They were talking about their time in Paris when they realized that a car approached. Eden got up and looked into the direction of the car.

"It's Momma!" Eden said to Brick.

"Well! I think it would be a bigger surprise for her if I hide for a few minutes and than come out again!"

"That's great idea!" Eden said while Brick had himself on the way to hide.

"Hi, Mum! I thought you wouldn't find time to get here today?" Eden said to her mother because she was astonished to see her mother because she thought that her parents would go on a trip for a few days.

"Well! I don't want to get into that right now! Sorry, darling but I'm not in a very good mood!"

"Did something happen?" Eden asked carefully because she didn't want to push her mother into a discussion.

"Everything's all right! How do you feel? I mean how does it feel being back in Santa Barbara?"

"It's good to be here again! You know there were times when I didn't want to come back here any more because all those memories hurt so much! But let's talk about something more pleasant!"

"Okay, what do you want to talk about?" Sophia asked her daughter hoping that Eden wouldn't ask her something about C.C. because his behavior has hurt her so much and she didn't want to talk about him.

"I've got a surprise for you!"

"What? You know that I hate surprises?"

"I know that you hate to be surprised but I also know that you love to surprise the people you love!" Eden said and a big smile appeared on her face.

"Come out! It's show time!"

Eden hadn't even finished her sentence when Brick appeared on the sundeck of the Capwell yacht. He went straight to his mother and opened his arms.

"You're lost son is back!"

"Oh, Brick! I'm so happy to see you! How are you?" Sophia said while tears appeared in her eyes.

Brick took his mother into his arms.

"I'm fine! And you? Do you know that I've missed you?"

"I'm okay! Have you really missed me? I've missed you so much!" Sophia said while she softly touched her son's cheek.

"Of course I have! How's C.C.? Eden told me that you and C.C. are going to marry again!"

Sophia stood there and didn't know what to answer because she knew that Brick would go to C.C. and tell him the truth about Sophia's mystery-mongering if she would tell Brick about the argument she and C.C. had. So she decided not to tell anything about what happened earlier at the Capwell mansion.

"Oh! C.C.'s fine! Eden already told you about the marriage?" Sophia said and looked at Eden who seemed to be happy about the fact that her parents wanted to marry again.

"But now, let's talk about something different! Where have you been all these years?" Sophia asked Brick.

"Well first I went to the east coast to work there, but then I decided to go to Europe and that's where I met Eden some years ago! I mean at that time she was consulting a psychotherapist in Paris because of her split personality. And I promised her to tell no one where she was because she didn't want to be a burden for her anyone!"

"Mum, I hope you can understand that? I mean I'm not proud of my behavior but I didn't want to come back or to see anyone I love because ... I was so scared that I could ... one more hurt ... or try to kill a person I really love from the bottom of my heart!" Eden said and tears ran down her face.

"Well I think I should better leave you alone for a while! And besides I have to look for a flat where I can live!" Brick said and left the boat.

"Baby, we don't have to talk about that if it hurts you too much!" Sophia said.

"Momma, I only wanted you to know that I wouldn't to something like that ever again! I love you, Momma and I always did but I was sick and filled with so much hate and I couldn't deal with it!"

"I love you too, Eden!" Sophia said and embraced her daughter.

32

At the same time Kelly arrived at the Santa Barbara Police department. She was very angry about Connor and what he had told her father earlier that morning.

She entered Connor's office at the department and directly begun to start her accusations against Connor.

"How could you do this? Are you happy now?"

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"YOU have destroyed everything do you know that?" Kelly said and she was so angry that tears appeared in her eyes.

"Kelly, please calm down! I really don't know what you're talking about! As far as I know I haven't make a mistake or something that could hurt you!"

"WHAT? You told my father that someone has seen my mother on the yacht and that there was also another person on the yacht!" Kelly replied in a very snobbish tone.

"Oh now I know what you're talking about! But I only told you're father that there is someone living on his yacht since a few days and that your mother was seen there too. I said nothing more, I swear!"

"Well, now my father thinks that my mother has an affair with Lionel Lockridge!"

"What? Why? I don't understand that because I said nothing about Mr. Lockridge to your father!"

"He saw Momma at the Capwell oasis with Lionel and ... earlier daddy and momma had a terrible fight and now they don't want to marry again and momma left and told him that she doesn't know if she will ever come back." Kelly was interrupted by the ringing of the phone.

"Wait a minute I have to answer the phone, after that we'll go on talking, OK?" Connor said and smiled at Kelly in love.

"Hello! Officer Connor MacCabe's on the phone!"

"What? Are you sure?"

"Thanks you very much for informing me!" Connor said and hung up the phone, he smiled at Kelly.

"What? Why are you smiling like that? I don't find it funny or amusing!"

"Well, the call was from the person who told me that someone lives on your father's boat! This person had some new information for me! I think you should better sit down!" Connor said.

"Why? Did something happen?" Kelly asked and realized that she was afraid about Connor's answer what would be if this person told Connor that her mother was on the yacht with Lionel Lockridge? No, she didn't want to think such things, because she was sure that her mother really loved her father and would never ever betray him, not again.

"Kelly!"

"Yes, please tell me what this person said! Perhaps it'll be some other bad news to destroy our family!" Kelly said and realized that Connor felt attacked by her words.

"I'm sorry Connor!"

"Well this person knows called me to tell me that he's almost sure that the person who stayed at the boat for a few days is ...!"

"Who is it?" Kelly asked very impatiently.

"... your sister Eden!"

"What? Eden's back and Momma knows this?"

"It seems so!"

"Ok, I'll go to the yacht and see if it's really Eden who's on the yacht!" Kelly said and took her coat and went to the door to leave.

"Wait, Kelly! I'll come with you!

"Thanks Connor! And ... I want to apologize because I accused you of destroying my parents' marriage." Kelly said with a big smile on her face and that gave Connor a tender kiss.