They had just finished eating brunch and were now having a somewhat normal conversation. Or at least, as normal as a conversation could get between any member of the Hanley family.

"So, when do I start at the office?" Eric asked, referring to the fact that he had just received his grandfather's shares in the family company. "Oh, how big is my office?"

"You're not starting anywhere," Michael said. "You're hardly qualified to work at Hanley."

"And everyone else who works there is?" Eric demanded. "I mean, when you're employ ex-drug addicts, I don't think you should be picky — sorry, mom."

Leslie forced a smile, gripping her fork and imagining herself plunging it into her step-son's neck. She had only been living with him for less than two weeks, and already she had imagined several hundred ways to murder him and get away with it.

"So, how's the gay sex out in England?" Vince asked.

"Just excellent," Eric said. "Why, you interested?"

"That will be enough," Michael snapped. "We are not going to discuss Eric's...sexual orientation...at the breakfast table."

"Brunch table," Eric corrected.

Michael gripped his own fork just like his wife had done earlier, which caused Leslie to smile when she noticed it. Soon after, Akilah's cell phone rang.

"I told you to turn your phone off," Leslie said.

Akilah rolled her eyes. "What? We're done eating."

She stood up and exited the dining room, speaking on her phone.

"Well, that was fun while it lasted," Leslie said.

"Still, a rather relaxing Sunday," Michael said. "For us, at least."

At that moment, everyone in the dining room was startled by the sound of the front door flying open and someone shouting Michael's name.

Michael sighed loudly. "I spoke too soon."

"Michael!" Valerie Holden screamed, storming into the dining room. "I am going to kill you!"

"I guess someone made bail," Eric said. "I'm outta here."

Eric said, standing up. He tapped Vince on the shoulder.

"Let's leave the children alone, shall we?"

"Seriously," Vince said.

"Hello Vince," Valerie said. "Eric."

"Aunt Valerie," Eric and Vince both replied in unison before exiting the room.

"Valerie, what do you want?" Michael demanded.

"To kill you for turning me into the police," Valerie said. "You were behind all of this, weren't you?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Michael said. "You're the one who's apparently a serial arsonist."

"I burned down one building!" Valerie shouted. "Allegedly!"

"Get out. We're having brunch."

"Oh, screw your brunch," Valerie said, grabbing the table cloth and pulling it as hard as she could, sending the entire table's contents crashing to the floor. "And screw you, Michael!"

"I have phone calls to make," Michael said. "Leslie, can you make sure that this...beggar woman gets thrown out?"

"With pleasure," Leslie said.

Michael left the room as Leslie rose and approached Valerie.

"Valerie, you should leave," Leslie said. "You're not thinking straight."

"Oh, I'm thinking just fine," Valerie said. "You're the one who's an idiot."

"Excuse me?"

"You honestly think that Michael wasn't behind all of that money going to Vince and Akilah?" Valerie demanded. "If you don't think that he's planning some way to get all of that money to himself, then you're even dumber than I thought."

And with that, Valerie strode out of the dining room on her own terms.

"I think Valerie's gone," Akilah said. "I don't hear screaming anymore."

"Either that, or your mother knocked her out," Julia said.

Akilah smiled. "Or that."

"Looking forward to school this week?"

"No, not at all," Akilah said. "I'm just glad we're graduating. And that we didn't have to start before Labor Day like my brother did."

"That's nice," Julia said softly.

They remained silent for a moment, neither of them was quite yet willing to bring up the elephant in the room.

"Aren't you going to ask me about Morris?" Akilah asked, breaking the silence and taking the plunge first.

"I wasn't planning on it," Julia said. "I don't really care."

"I don't want things to be tense between us anymore."

"Why would they be? You're dating my ex-convict, ex-boyfriend, who probably had something to do with my mother's death," Julia said.

"He swears he wasn't there when those people broke into your house," Akilah said. "He didn't do anything."

"So I've heard," Julia muttered. "I still don't believe it."

"He's sorry. You should talk to him," Akilah said.

"I don't want to talk to him, so just stop fucking bringing it up!"

Akilah's phone began to vibrate. Her ringtone, "Something to Talk About," began to play.

"Oh, how fucking apt," Julia said, heading for the door. "Did Morris pick that out?"


MICHAEL HANLEY'S STUDY

"Yes," Leslie said. "It's always so much fun when she stops by."

"I've been thinking we should get a moat."

"With piranhas instead of crocodiles?" Leslie suggested.

Michael burst into laughter. "Yes. Absolutely."

"What are you working on?"

"Just some contracts that need to be signed," Michael said. "Our honeymoon is officially over, it seems. Back to the grind."

"Don't I know it," Leslie said. "I've got a lot of work at the office to take care of tomorrow."

"Not too much that you can't stop by and say hello, I hope."

"More than hello, I'd hope."

"Good," Michael said. "By the way, there is one thing I wanted to talk to you about."

"Yes?"

"What would you think of me officially adopting Vince and Akilah?" Michael asked.

Leslie was floored. Part of her was ecstatic that Michael wanted to make being a father to Vince and Akilah official. But another part of her could hear Valerie's nagging voice — and now Leslie was wondering if Michael had ulterior motives for wanting to adopt Vince and Akilah.

"Well, what do you say?"


VINCENT MOORE'S BEDROOM

"No problem," Eric said. "You know, when I first saw you, I thought you were gay."

"You mean when we were kids?"

"No, I mean last week," Eric replied. "I was kind of disappointed. You're pretty cute."

"Um, thanks?"

Uncomfortable, Vince tried to find something to busy himself with in his room, but he found nothing. He awkwardly sat on the edge of his bed and folded his arms.

"Don't worry, I'm not gonna try and have sex with you," Eric said. "You act like you don't know any gay people."

"My roommate's gay," Vince said. "Blake Thomas."

"Blake's gay? I remember his twin brother, Michael," Eric said. "We were in the Boy Scouts together."

"That sounds exciting," Vince muttered.

Thankfully for Vince, there was a knock at his door. He quickly stood up and went to the door, where he found his mother standing in the doorway.

"Mom, what's up?" Vince asked.

"Can we talk?" Leslie asked.

"I've got to meet a friend anyway," Eric said, winking at Vince before he left the room.

"I'm glad I don't live here," Vince said. "And I'm going to stop coming home on the weekends."

"Don't say that," Leslie said. "I'd miss you too much."

"What's going on?"

"I wanted to ask you something...about Michael," Leslie replied. "He just mentioned to me that he'd like to officially adopt you and Akilah. What do you think about that?"

"I don't know," Vince said. "I don't know if I'm ready for that. Sorry."

"No, I just want you to be honest," Leslie insisted.

"Then, to be honest, I love Michael. He's great," Vince said. "But even with everything...if he officially adopts us, then…it's like Dad is gone forever. But for what it's worth...I trust Michael. He definitely cares about us."


MARQUETTE COVE COUNTY PRISON
VISITATION ROOM

When Quentin Blood was finally cornered by the police, he was presumed dead — but all of his records were recovered. And in those records included evidence incriminating Ric in Erin's death.

Though the jury thought he hadn't been actually responsible for her death, the fact that he'd hidden it for over two years was abominable to them. His twelve month sentence had been based entirely on that. He hadn't even been able to graduate from high school.

And now, Ric could not possibly imagine who would be coming to visit him. No one ever did. Everyone that had been in his life before — his mother, Sara, even Chris Server — they had washed their hands of him.

Ric sat down in the booth and stared at the girl facing him.

"What are you doing here?" Ric demanded.

"I need your help," Julia said.

"That's a first," Ric said.

"My best friend is dating Morris Anderson," Julia said. "And I know that he used to be involved with Quentin Blood before he died. I just need to prove it...I think he was involved in my mother's death."

"And what do you want from me?"

"Don't you still have connections?" Julia asked. "I need to talk to people, find out what they know."

"I'm not your liaison to the underworld," Ric snapped. "I barely even know you."

"We hung out once or twice!" Julia insisted.

"Like I said."

"I'm really worried about Akilah," Julia said.

"I'm sorry, but I can't help you," Ric said. "I'm not about to anger Quentin by giving someone information about his operation."

"Quentin is dead," Julia said. "I saw the news reports. I know they never recovered a body, but —"

"Exactly," Ric said. "He's far from dead. Which means that Morris is probably still working for him, and the last thing you'd better be thinking of doing is pissing off either of them."


HANLEY HOME

"No," Michael said. "I don't need to worry about Sean any longer. I'll deal with this problem without him...I think that ship has pretty much sailed anyway, don't you think?"

"What if Derek resurfaces?"

"Trust me, that won't be a problem," Michael said. "At any rate, we need —"

"Michael..." Leslie's voice trailed off as she opened the door. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt."

"It's fine," Michael said. "Riley was just leaving."

"Hey, Leslie," Riley said, exiting.

"Goodbye, Riley," Leslie said, closing the door behind him. "I talked to Vince about what you said."

"And?"

"We'll both have to think about it for a while," Leslie said. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry, honey," Michael said.

"What were you and Riley talking about?"

"You, actually," Michael said. "I've got a new job for you at Hanley. It might involve a lot of traveling, though."

"Oh, really?" Leslie asked.

"Yes. New York and Los Angeles at first," Michael said. "Are you okay with that? Traveling? You'll be even busier."

"No, it sounds fine," Leslie said. "I love traveling. And I enjoy working. You know that."

"Perfect," Michael said. "I knew I could count on you."

Michael kissed Leslie and gave her a long hug. That had been much easier than he'd imagined...he was going to keep Leslie out of his hair while he took care of business in Marquette Cove. Everything was going just as planned.