Previously...

With the help of Janet Harper, James learned that Brooke had been living with Philip Whitacre in Phoenix for the past five months.  Brooke insisted that their relationship was plutonic, but refused to return to Hollywood with James.  Brett purchased drugs from a pusher and maniuplated Gwen into administering them to James in an effort to keep him in a paralyzed state so that he could continue running Sunset Studios.  Stormy returned home and became aggravated that Brett was running things at the studio.  Heather used her relationship with Will to steal viable movie scripts from him for Sunset Studios.  In exchange, Brett promised to give her a starring role in The Murderess.  Brooke reconsidered and returned home, lying to an elated James that her baby was in fact his son. Ethan became devestated after hearing the news.  

Episode 26

"Hiding in Shadows"

Leilani was busy serving breakfast in the dining room, setting up a buffet of eggs benedict, bacon, sausage and toast, and pouring glasses of coffee and orange juice for the Blackthornes as they trickled into the room.

"You're not eating much, Darling," James said to Brooke as she nibbled at a piece of dry toast and washed it down with a sip of juice.  "Are you feeling okay this morning?"

Brooke nodded beamingly, gazing across the table at James who sat in his wheelchair next to Miranda.  "I'm fine.  Just not very hungry I guess."  She leaned back in her chair and placed a hand on her pregnant stomach.  "The baby is kicking like crazy this morning."

"Leilani, maybe you could bring Brooke a bagel," Miranda said with calculated certainty.  "Isn't that what Philip brought you the other day at the department store?"

Quickly, Brooke turned to Miranda and flushed with resentment.  She knew Miranda was trying to provoke an argument with her and James.  The fact that she'd lived with Philip in Phoenix was a sore subject and Miranda knew it.  It appeared that the young woman hadn't changed at all.  Still taking jabs and manipulating petty dramas at every turn.

"The toast is fine, Leilani," she said with a vague smile, then met with James's gaze to determine his reaction.   To her relief he didn't seem too affected by the mention of Philip’s name.

Heather entered the room silently and sat down next to Brooke while Leilani poured her a cup of coffee.  "Thank you," she said politely and brought the cup up to her lips.

"Good morning, Heather," James said, wishing to break the tension that Miranda had set into motion.   He couldn’t blame his daughter.  She’d been overly protective of him since his operation, and one of the only members of his family who’d stuck by him.

"Good morning," Heather said, then looked at Brooke with a smile.   "It's nice to have you back, Brooke.  How’s the baby?"

"Thank you, Heather," Brooke said happily and lowered her eyes to her stomach.  "The baby's doing fine.  He or she should be here in a couple weeks."  Her words came out methodically.  Being back in the house seemed so strange to her.  She couldn't relax or be herself.  But strangely, she knew that being there was right.

"It'll be something to have a baby in the house again," James said, then turned to the buffet.  "Won't it, Leilani?"

"Yes Mr. Blackthorne," she said dutifully and poured him another glass of juice.  "It's been quite a while since we had a little one around.”

Sickened by how everyone seemed to be treating Brooke as though nothing had happened, Miranda rolled her eyes and stuffed a forkful of food in her mouth to keep herself from going off at the hilt.

Outside in the foyer, Brett came down the stairs and headed for the dining room just as Stormy emerged from the gym down the hall.  They met up and squared off with a rigid stare, as if challenging the other to deliver the first blow.

Reluctantly, they both backed off and wordlessly entered the dining room where the rest of the family was gathered.  Miranda looked at Brett and smiled happily, gesturing to the empty chair next to her.

“Good morning everyone,” Brett said while straightening his tie.  He sat down and pushed his coffee cup toward Leilani who stood by with a freshly brewed carafe.   “Brooke, it’s wonderful to see you in the house again.   Welcome home.”

“Thank you Brett,” Brooke said with a pleased glimmer in her blue eyes.

Stormy sidled uneasily into his seat across from his father and glowered at Brett from his vantage point.  He’s really snowed everyone good, he thought to himself.  The man of the house since he’d been away.  His own father, who heavily questioned Miranda’s decision to marry him last year, was his number one fan.  It was wrong in so many ways.

“Well Stormy,” James began with a stern scowl on his face.  “What do you intend to do now that you’re back?”

Uncomfortable at being put on the spot, Stormy nursed his juice and looked warily around the table.  “I’m not sure yet,” he said.  “I’m going to explore my options and take it from there.”

Brett scoffed under his breath and placed his elbows firmly on the table.  “What options are those, Stormy?” he asked spitefully.  “Good Times Records is no more.  Are you thinking of starting up another recording studio?  Oh, wait, I guess you’d need capitol to do that.  Maybe you can work for your mother and Jordan.  Rydell Productions is in a bit of a slump but I’m sure they’ll get out of it sooner or later.”

Stormy clenched his fists angrily.  He knew that his brother-in-law was taking jabs at his expense, in front of his father and sister just to make him look bad.  Well it wasn’t going to work.  He would show them all what kind of man Brett really was.

“By the way,” Brett continued and removed a script from his briefcase.  “James, I have a new script that I’m sure is going to be worth a look at.”

“Let’s see it, Son,” James said and reached across the table for the bundle of pages.

The exchange made Stormy see red and he could hardly control his anger.  His father was calling Brett son?  That was the last straw.  He was his father’s only son, and that’s the way it was going to stay.

“The Murderess,” James read from the title page.   “Is it any good?”

Brett nodded and grinned mischievously across the table at Heather.  “It’s excellent,” he said.  “I’d like to start optioning it right away.  With your approval of course.”

After a second or two, James handed the script back to him.  “I trust you.  Go with it if you think it’s going to be a hit.”

Exhilaration coursed through his veins as Brett took the script and placed it back in his briefcase.  He loved the fact that James had instilled such faith in him.  And it was about time he got some respect.  Soon everyone would know that he was a force to be reckoned with.

James took Brooke’s hand and squeezed it tightly, beaming from ear to ear as he scanned the length of the table.  “Now that we’re all here, there’s something I’d like to announce to everyone,” he began.  “Since Brooke is back, and the baby will be here soon, we’ve decided to get remarried.”

Brooke smiled happily and leaned over to kiss his cheek. 

Miranda practically choked on her food, coughing sickly as she quickly brought her napkin to her mouth.  She couldn’t believe her ears.  Not only had her father taken that witch back and forgiven her for being a slut, but now he was going to marry her again.  Will he ever learn?

“That’s wonderful, Dad,” Stormy said, realizing this was his opportunity to try to get back into his good graces.  “I’m very happy for both of you.  Brooke, welcome to the family.”

“Thank you,” she replied fervently, barely able to contain her happiness.  She was sure this was where she belonged.  She and James had been so in love at one time, and now was their chance to recapture that love.  And with any luck, her being there would prove beneficial to his recovery.

“When’s the big day?” Heather asked.  She tried to dodge Stormy’s biting stare, wondering what he was thinking and how he felt about her being there.

“In a couple of days,” James replied.  “We want to make sure we’re married by the time this beautiful baby comes.”

“The sooner the better,” Brooke said and kissed him again.

Miranda folded her arms and pushed herself back in her chair.  Brett clasped her hand and stopped her from storming off, as he knew she would.   She sighed and reluctantly remained seated, forced to celebrate the engagement that was doomed as much now as it was the last time.

Just then, Gwen entered the dining room dressed in a plain gray skirt and drab brown cardigan sweater.  Her long ash blond hair was pinned up onto her head and she wore no makeup.  Her eyes flickered past Brett and she felt a surge of excitement run through her body.   Quickly, she stifled any tell-tale signals that could be detected by the family and made her way over to James where she produced a paper cup full of pills.

“Time for your medication, Mr. Blackthorne,” she said and set the cup on the table in front of him.  “Shall I get the gym ready for your therapy?”

James groaned and rolled his eyes away from her.  “Oh Jesus, here we go again,” he moaned.

“Daddy, stop it,” Miranda said sternly.  “Stop giving Gwen such a hard time or she’ll leave us.  Then where will that leave you?”

“In a much better place, that’s where,” James deadpanned as he began swallowing the pills with his juice.

Brett watched him intently, certain that the muscle relaxers he’d given Gwen would do the trick in keeping James dependent on his wheelchair.   And as long as he was unable to get around on his own, Sunset Studios would be his own. 

“Are you ready?” Gwen asked as she moved behind his chair.

“No,” James said bitterly.  "I want to spend the day with my fiancé."

“Darling, you should go,” Brooke said.  “I have some planning to do for the wedding.  I’ll see you later, okay?”

He nodded glumly and kissed her before Gwen wheeled him out of the dining room and down the hall to the gym.   After he’d gone, Brett stood up and grabbed his briefcase tightly in his hand.

“Well, I’d better get off to the studio,” he said evenly, then kissed Miranda.  “I’ll see you tonight, Babe.”

“Don’t be too late,” Miranda said with a smile as he made his way out of the room.

After he’d gone, Heather quickly stood up and excused herself.  “I’d better get going too,” she said.  “I’ll see everyone later.”

Stormy stood up and stopped her from leaving. “Heather, we need to talk,” he said, pulling her aside just outside the room.

She shook her head in protest.  “We have nothing to talk about, Stormy,” she said coldly and pulled her arm away.  With that, she turned and trotted across the foyer to the front door.

Once outside, she spotted Brett getting into his black Italian sports car and called after him.  “Hold on a minute,” she said, preventing him from getting into the seat.  “Don't think you can just sneak off that easily.”

“Heather, I’m late,” he began with an irritated sigh.  “Can’t this wait until tonight?”

“No, it can’t,” she insisted with hostility evident in her voice.  The cool breeze whipped through her hair and she pushed it from her eyes as she glared at him heatedly.  “In case you’ve forgotten, I’m the one who got you that script that got you all that praise from James just now.  And I don’t think I have to remind you the lengths I had to go to to get it.  Now you owe me and you owe me big.  You promised me a part in the movie.  I want it.  In writing.  Unless you want me to go to Will Thomerson and tell him who’s been stealing movie deals out from under him.”

Brett leaned against the car and folded his arms with a cocky smile.  “You’re certainly full of surprises,” he said.  “Who would have thought that Heather Blackthorne would show some spunk and resort to blackmail?”

“All I want is what I have coming to me,” she said, her tone full of warning.  “And this time I damn well intend to get it.”

Brett raised an eyebrow and watched as Heather turned and started down the driveway to her car.

Alex Reynolds positioned herself against the thick cushions of the luxurious sofa at her and Jordan’s home in Beverly Hills.  She nodded to the butler as he left a tray of caviar and champagne and then exited the room, closing the heavy wood doors behind him.

“Such elaborate hors d’ oeuvres for this time of the day,” Marilee Wells-Walker said as she leaned forward and scooped a giant heaping of caviar onto her toast points.  “I’m beginning to think my help isn’t needed in your new venture, Alex.  If you can afford this kind of luxury-“

“Call it a celebration,” Alex cut her off with a sly grin as she tipped her champagne flute to her full lips.  “A taste of things to come once we get our new company off the ground.  The caviar is Sevruga, by the way.  I only eat Sevruga caviar.  I like the best in everything.”

“I know you do,” Marilee said with a grin.  “After all, Jordan Rydell is quite a good catch.  Dare I say a step up even from James Blackthorne.  Both such handsome, virile men.”

“Your horns are showing, Marilee,” Alex joked.  She had to admire her peer for her determination.  She was a beautiful woman and had amassed a great fortune and a long line of husbands.   The latest was Seth Walker, a young congressman who spent his days at City Hall and his nights trying to please an insatiable Marilee.   "What would Seth say if he heard you talking that way about another man?"

Marilee laughed heartily, pushing a lock of wispy blond hair from her face and picking up her glass of champagne.  “Only kidding, Dear,” she said, then continued in an offhanded fashion.  “Speaking of James, did you hear that he went to Phoenix and brought Brooke Taylor back with him?   Rumor has it they’re planning on remarrying.”

Alex sighed and sat forward, crossing her legs.  “Yes, I have heard that,” she said.  “I only hope James knows what he’s getting into this time.  That woman caused him nothing but heartache the last time she was in his life.”

“Anyway, let’s get down to business,” Marilee continued, shifting topics with gleeful abandon.  “What's the next phase of our business plan?"

"I've applied for the drilling permits," Alex explained.  "It's just a formality, mind you.  That land in Colorado is worthless other than the fact that there's a fortune in natural gas underneath of it."

"So no concern of environmentalists getting in your way?"

"The way I look at it, I'll be doing the nation a favor by setting up this pipeline," Alex said eagerly as she nibbled at the delicacy.  "Who could argue with me exploring for energy sources?"

"There's always somebody," Marilee deadpanned and then broke out into laughter.

The parlor doors opened and the butler entered swiftly.  "Miss Reynolds, your son is here to see you," Gordon said with just the right amount of uniformity.  "Shall I show him in?"

Alex's face lit up and she quickly rose to her feet.  "Absolutely," she said, thrilled that Stormy had finally returned to L.A.  "Marilee, do you mind if we continue this later?"

"Not at all, Alex," she relied, standing up and grabbing her Chanel bag from the sofa.  "Call me tomorrow and we'll go over those bids from construction companies to handle the pipeline."

"Of course," Alex said as Marilee left the room just as Stormy entered.  "Darling!  I'm so happy to see you!"  She ran over and threw her arms around him ecstatically.

"Hi Mom," Stormy gushed, standing back so he could look at her.  "Marriage seems to agree with you.  You look incredible."

"Don't give my marriage credit for that."  She grinned and walked across the room to the desk where she lit a cigarette and gestured to the sofa.  "Sit down, Darling.  Would you like some caviar?"

He sat down and shook his head.  "Where's Jordan?" he asked.

"At the studio," Alex replied and sat down next to him.  "Stormy, I want you to know that I've tried to talk him out of this vendetta he has against you, but I’m not sure how much good it's done.   He's still pretty angry about what happened between you and Heather."

"I'm not surprised," Stormy sighed.  "Heather won't even talk to me.  We have to settle things between us but how can we when she's still so hostile?"

"I heard about Good Times Records.  I'm so sorry that things didn't go as you planned on the tour."   Alex took a drag of her cigarette and considered telling her son the truth - that she had been the one to pull the sponsors for the tour.  She immediately thought better of it.  How was she to have known that it would cost him his lifelong dream?  No, he would never forgive her if he knew she had been the person behind his troubles.  But all she wanted was for him to come home and forget about that trampy singer.

"Maybe it's for the best," Stormy said with a shrug.  "I was barely able to keep it afloat anyway.  The competition is so fierce.  I think it happened for a reason."

"What are you going to do now?" Alex asked.

He sighed and stood up from the sofa, beginning to pace around the room.  "I don't know," he said.  "Everything's so up in the air.  Dad still won't talk to me, Brett is walking around acting like he owns the house and the studio, and Heather's room is two doors down from me.  I feel like I'm a guest in my own house."

"Why don't you come live here?" Alex asked, her tone full of excitement.

Stormy frowned.  "Here?  Yeah, I'm sure Jordan would love that."

"He'll get used to it."

"No, I need to stay at the house. I just need to smooth some things out.  It won't be easy but I might have to suck it up for a while."

Alex crossed her legs and stubbed out her cigarette.  "And that tramp is back living in the house, I hear," she said.  "Honestly, I don't know what your father is thinking.  Hasn't he learned anything from the past?"

"She's having his baby," Stormy said.  "She's through with Ethan and it looks like they're going to be getting remarried in a few days."

Alex couldn't help but feel pangs of jealousy.  Parts of her still yearned for her ex-husband.  They'd come a long way since their bitter divorce, and were finally at a point in their lives where they could be friends.  It hurt her to see him with someone else - especially Brooke Taylor.  The fact that he was having a child with another woman was a hard thing to accept.

Heather steered through the gates of Will Thomerson's estate and parked in the long driveway.  She got out and went inside where the butler greeted her and took her coat.  She made her way into the study where Will Thomerson was busy with a stack of paperwork and his nose buried in a laptop.

"Hello Princess," he said with a smile and got up to greet her.  “You look very pretty today.”

Heather offered a faint smile as he put his arm around her and led her to the cognac leather sofa across the room.   She wanted to make her visit quick and to the point.  She had to end it with Will, and the sooner the better.  Being with him for the past few months had made her feel like she was nothing more than a whole.  Sleeping with a movie producer to get a part in a movie was one thing, but sleeping with him to steal movie deals out from under him was far worse. 

But now she’d given Brett what he needed to outdo