Brandon came back to his room frustrated. His legs were totally weakened as well as still injured. He got very tired of doing physiotherapy and didn't see any results.
"Brandon," Kelly told him helping him settle down in bed, "you have to be patient, it takes time, you've had a serious car accident."
Kelly knew her husband very well, especially how he suffered from the situations that led him to need the help of others.
He was nervous, irritable. Kelly knew she had to be the one to keep calm because they could easily slip into frustration and anger.
"I just wish I could go to Dylan's, talk to him, figure out what happened. Matt will come later"
"Is Matt coming here to talk to you?" Kelly asked.
Kelly's tone caught Brandon's attention.
"Is that a problem for you?" He asked.
"No, of course not," she replied, "it's just a little weird"
'Why?' Brandon asked in an unusual tone "because as soon as I left did he become your boyfriend?"
Kelly couldn't decipher Brandon's irritability if it was because of his lack of ability to move, the fact that he was stuck in the hospital, or because Matt was able to help Dylan, or because he had been her boyfriend as soon as Brandon left. A kind of substitute. Kelly remembered how Brandon's gaze was hurt. How scared he was that she had managed to go further. But, she had never gone any further, after Brandon's departure, she had told herself another truth because the idea of him far away shattered her heart.
Kelly feared that any response he gave would irritate him even more.
"You know what happened after calling off the wedding" Kelly looked down "you had that great opportunity and I didn't want to keep you tied to me when I knew you had big dreams."
Brandon didn't answer. He knew he was unbearable and regretted the tone he had with her.
"Listen to me, I'm sorry for the tone I have, it's just that ..."
Kelly looked for the best of smiles and said not to worry.
When Brandon had the car accident, the last thing he had seen about her, was her angry face, they had quarreled, and the idea of losing Brandon had torn her apart inside, almost canceled her.
Matt knocked on the door of Brandon's room at that moment.
"Is this a bad time?" He asked still standing on the threshold of the room.
"No" Kelly shook her head, turned to Brandon "I'll be back in the afternoon" she whispered to him kissing Brandon on the lips.
Matt witnessed the scene and then saw Kelly walk away and Brandon's face repented for the impatient tone he had used with her.
"If you want I'll come back later" matt said to Brandon
"No, come" Brandon motioned to him with his hand to sit down.
"I'm glad to see you're better"
"I wish I could say that too," sighed Brandon, "it takes longer than I thought."
"The injuries were serious. Not to mention the inamovability of these months"
"Yeah i Know.." Brandon sighed.
Matt tried to distract him and bring the speech about exactly why he had gone to him.
"Dylan gave me consent to tell you about his situation," Matt said, handing Ashley's photographs of how she had been found on the night of the rape.
Brandon's eyes looked the pics and then at Matt's.
"I listen to you," Brandon said.
XX
Brenda arrived at the television studios rather early. Working at that time was something that helped her a lot, playing a character cut off the power on her life. About her husband wrongly accused. On a hearing that was slow to arrive. SHe hoped that in the next one Dylan would be allowed to go home.
Their meeting in that room had given her a hint of something dark hovering over her husband.
It was in his eyes. While making love to her Dylan kept his eyes open and behind his eyes was something extremely unknown and painful.
That's why Brenda had let him do what he wanted, she feared that interrupting him or spending time talking would make that shadow worse. She would have magnified it.
She made his body what he wanted, it was as if Dylan was hiding without being able to hide.
There was anger, there was enthusiasm, there was passion, there was bewilderment.
Brenda had the script in her hand but she wasn't really reading, she saw with the eye thing a fast passing presence. She smelled it. The doubt.
She turned around and saw Ashley rush away from the study administration.
She tried to follow her even though she knew it was the wrong thing but she couldn't get back.
"Ashley" she shouted behind the girl.
She didn't stop, on the contrary, she hurried the pace trying to get away as quickly as possible.
"Ashley," Brenda repeated that managed to grab her by the arm and turn her around.
Ashley wore a pair of big sunglasses.
"I don't think the two of us should talk"
Brenda was in the thre of a mixture of anger and the search for truth.
"Do you believe? That's my husband"
"Your husband is a rapist"
Brenda shook her head without ever taking her eyes off Ashley.
"No," Brenda said calmly, "he's not and you know that too."
Ashley did not find an adequate answer at the time.
"The fact that you want to live with a monster is not my problem Brenda," Ashley replied.
"Ashley, I've known Dylan for a long, long time, and I know him very well, I know something happened to you, I also saw the photographs the police took of you but I'm just as sure it wasn't my husband."
Ashely seemed to be in a hurry and want to get away l.
Brenda insisted.
"I can help you," she told her.
"Help me?" Ashely asked "you lived in wealth, what do you know about people's real problems"
"It's not like that I wasn't born in Beverly Hills but in Minnesota. Is it a matter of money? Anyone blackmailing?" Brenda had become quite insistent.
"I don't know what you're talking about. Your husband took me by force, forced me into penetration and beat me because I refused."
Brenda sighed continuing to hold her eyes on those of Ashley who had meanwhile taken off her sunglasses.
"Is it a matter of money?" Brenda asked, raising the tone a little too much "Dylan is rich and now you want money? How much do you want? A million dollars, five?"
"You're mean," Asheley said, "you deserve your husband to rot forever in prison."
Ashley snapped to leave but Brenda stopped her once again by an arm "if you need help, if you ended up in something bigger than you, I can help you."
With a quick gesture, Ashely took her arm out of Brenda's grip and left quickly waving to the guard at the entrance.
Brenda watched her until she had moved away for good.
She bit her lip and made her way to study 152 for her workday. Before she entered she was stopped at the door by Perla, the study assistant.
"Brenda they want to talk to you in production"
"But we have to start and I hate being late."
Perla smiled at him "don't worry, furniture supplies for the new set have yet to arrive"
Perla snorted "they are on my way but you have an hour"
"Okay," Brenda replied, smiling.
The producers' office was a bunch of people going back and forth, many secretaries sitting in front of the front door, busy people walking quickly through the corridors holding sheets, projects, scripts, and scenario hypotheses.
Brenda had always liked that moment, from the first moment she joined it, she knew by heart every single gesture, of the seers, of the writers.
The Masters Production secretary introduced her and let her in with an aseptic smile.
"Brenda.." Mark Simpons took it in.
"Hi Mark," Brenda smiled.
He was alone in his office. On the right side were a stack of scripts proposed by new storytellers, a bit like it had been for her when she wrote Beverly Hills, which became a huge hit for Fox, but was born for the theater.
"Come, take a seat"
Brenda took her seat on the armchair in front of the desk.
"They told me you wanted to talk to me," Brenda said with a serene look.
"Yeah" Mark seemed embarrassed and tried to find the words he had mentally prepared the same morning "you see, I'm very sorry for what's happening to you..."
Brenda had a confused look "..what's happening to me?"
"I mean, your husband in jail with that nasty accusation."
"My husband is a good person, come on Mark, you know him very well, you know he didn't do such a thing"
Mark nodded "I'm sure, but Brenda, unfortunately Masters Production doesn't want bad publicity and..."
"What are you talking about?" Brenda asked.
"Your contract with Master Production is concluded because it is detrimental to the image. We can't launch a new TV series with you as a loving mother of five girls, social media and the media would massacre us. I'm sorry Brenda but I have to fire you."
Brenda was shocked by what Mark had just told her and that she hadn't actually fully understood. It took her a few more minutes."
"Does Jackson have to do with it?"
Mark's gaze did not reveal any truth.
"I couldn't do anything Brenda. I couldn't really do anything."
Brenda jumped up. .
"It doesn't end there, I'll drag you to court, Dylan is innocent, and when the truth comes out you'll pay, everyone, you can say this to Jackson."
Brenda walked out opening the door wide under the eyes of the secretary and everyone who was passing through the offices.
At that moment Brenda realized that the news of her dismissal would come out in a short time and that she had to protect her family and especially Dylan.
XX
Emma tried on the dress she bought for the prom, a black dress without straps and that fully enveloped her long figure.
"It looks great on you, you're wonderful," Blanca told her. She walked up to her friend in front of the mirror and tried to pull up her blonde hair. Then she dropped her hair on her shoulders.
"You look happy," Blanca said.
Emma hinted at a shy smile.
"I am. I don't think I've ever been so happy in my life."
She took a step back and adjusted her dress.
"I know Samuel can't dance because of his leg, just the idea of going to the dance with him."
"You're in love with him, aren't you?"
Emma turned to Blanca and her expression took on serious nuances "for a long time" she replied "for a long time"
"Why didn't you ever tell me?"
"Because he preferred you," Emma replied, shrugging her shoulders, "he preferred you and I saw him, and I didn't want to lose both. I guess the same thing happened to Nate."
Blanca perfectly understood the effort of love that Emma had had towards her and surely Nate's situation and having seen him so closely helped her to fully understand Emma.
"You two have..." Blanca asked vaguely.
Emma understood that Blanca was referring to sex.
"No" she shook his head "I mean we did a lot of things but not that because he's not yet he wasn't physically healed and I wanted something special. At least that's how I imagine it."
Blanca nodded.
"What about you two?" Emma asked, raising her interlocutory eyebrow.
Blanca smiled and no more words were needed.
"I've never tried anything like this, I didn't even know it existed and that it was hiding inside Nate."
"I had thought of getting a room in the hotel after the dance," Emma said shyly.
'Seriously?'
"Yes, I know that maybe he's a little bold but the truth is that now he's off the cast, he's starting to do rehabilitation" Emma shook his head fast "eh I don't know... do you say it's too much?"
"I say you're wonderful" Blanca smiled "and that Samuel is an extremely lucky guy."
Blanca heard her mother's car open the gate and re-enter the driveway. She saw her come down quickly and slam the front door.
She went down along with Emma and saw Brenda grab a bottle of wine, uncork it and pour a little into a glass.
'Mom?' Blanca called her in a whispered and surprised voice.
Brenda put down the glass and noticed Emma who was immediately behind her daughter.
"Hello girls" she smiled without joy.
"Are you okay mom?"
Brenda sighed, her eyes passing from Blanca to Emma. SHe noticed at the time that Emma was wearing an evening dress.
Brenda smiled with greater conviction.
"You look beautiful in that dress"
Emma thanked with a discreet smile.
"Mom, what happened? Didn't you have to be at the studios?"
Emma realized that she had to leave that room, tried to apologize and said that maybe it was better if she went to change but Brenda stopped her.
"No, stay Emma, so much the matter will become public knowledge and Blanca also needs you and your support" Brenda looked at the daughter who was meanwhile watching her with lost eyes "they fired me. I'm not part of the cast anymore."
'Why?'
"Your father was arrested for aggravated sexual assault and they don't think I can play the loving mother of five teenage girls."
Brenda didn't say anything else, Blanca understood immediately.
The girl got up and went to hug her mother tightly while Emma witnessed that intense, strong and desperate moment at the same time.
XX
Philip the Indian spent his days praying to the spirit of the sun and praying to him staring at that little bit of light that filtered through the small window at the top of the cell. A window with armored glass and no bars. A window that seemed very far away. Dylan spent his days lying on the bed reading or thinking or writing. He tried not to leave the room, he feared the BULL who had momentarily ended up in isolation for beating another inmate. Yet Dylan knew that sooner or later the Bull would come back and that he would ask to pay the bill that had already been asked of him.
The singing of Philip's prayers didn't bother him. It was the background of those very long hours.
Philip suddenly interrupted the singing and Dylan turned to him.
"I'd like to watch television there's my favorite soap opera," Philip said with a look between the serious and the grotesque.
He prayed to the sun and liked soap operas. Philip was nice to Dylan, he was a person he liked.
"I don't think you'll be able to watch television in here."
"I can imagine the stories," Philip replied.
Dylan finally closed the book.
"What do you mean you imagine them?"
"I imagine the stories of the characters and they always end up as I want"
"An easy game," Dylan smiled.
Philip, on the other hand, did not betray any emotion, for him it was a very serious matter.
"There is a man who has been unjustly accused of revenge. In revenge against his family" began to tell Philip and the more the story went on, the more Dylan recognized himself in the words of the Indian.
"And who wants revenge?"
"Another man. A businessman."
"And what else do you know about this story?" Asked Dylan in the deeds of a strong emotion.
The Indian looked at him "he will have to make difficult decisions to protect what he loves most in the world because this world is very bad."
The Indian lay down on his bed and said no other words. He closed his eyes under Dylan's wide eyes.
XX
Brandon had listened carefully to every point Matt had made to him. He knew that Matt would never tell him anything, that he owed him nothing, and that they certainly weren't friends, but he also knew that Dylan wanted Brandon to know the story.
Brandon settled better on the pillow. Any movement was almost impossible and extremely painful to him so he made a grimace of pain.
"Are you okay? Maybe it's a little too much for today," Matt said sincerely.
"C'on Matt," Brandon smiled, "don't treat me like I'm incapable like everyone else does."
Matt smiled honestly.
"Listen," Brandon said, "I know you don't need any help, but I'm stuck on this bed and I hate feeling helpless as I feel right now."
"I think you and I look a lot like each other," Matt said.
'Seriously?'
"Yes"
Brandon watched him for a few seconds, so this was the guy "his Kelly" had been with for so long, maybe it was true that he was with him because he was actually trying to replace Brandon, who was far away by now, who would never come back. The mechanisms of the mind are always so mysterious. They protect us, they look for a solution.
"Maybe you're right," Brandon replied, telling himself this truth.
"Then" resumed Brandon "there are two hypotheses: Dylan is guilty and then it would mean that I do not know my brother, that my sister does not know him, that he is a kind of monster who has been hiding for years behind a sensitive boy, sometimes too hard on himself, or there is the second hypothesis: he is innocent and someone is building all this to destroy him. I only believe in the second hypothesis. And if I'm right the next question is: who wants to destroy him?"
"There would be a third one"
'Which one?' Brandon asked.
"Dylan and Brenda are extremely rich and popular. I did some research and found out that Ashley's family is non-existent, she grew up in a caravan with her grandmother. She excelled in her education and used all the cards she had at her disposal to try to make it in life. And when I say she's used all the cards available, I mean she's done several jobs, including the stripper at Las Vegas night clubs."
"Ashley knows the way so.."
"Ashley knows the desperation of those born with less chance"
"You mean she staged everything because she wants the money?"
Matt closed the flap in front of him.
"It's a hypothesis, but we'll find out soon, tomorrow I have a meeting with her lawyer. I have to figure out what s he wants"
"But if she wants money to withdraw her charges for Dylan to pay it would be an admission of guilt, he will never do it."
Matt shook his head "I know, but things get bad, there are the numerous phone calls Dylan made on Ashley's cell phone"
"He stated that Ashley was not answering the phone because it was malfunctioning."
"Yes, now she has changed version, her phone was working and he harassed her but this is the lesser evil, there are video surveillance images of the house from which you see Dylan climbing over the fence of the house, on the night of the assault, and you see Dylan entering the back of the house using a hidden key."
" ...and in those shots Ashley you can't see her..."
"No, Dylan says she stayed under the canopy of the house until he opened the door for her, but that canopy is out of the camera frame."
Brandon sighed.
"Then I'll ask you a question," Brandon asked, "why is the video surveillance of that house positioned so that you don't see the front door of the house but only a small portion of the back? Just the one where Dylan climbed over? Why isn't there also internal surveillance?"
Matt bit his lip.
Brandon cleared his voice "Let's go back to hypothesis two or if you prefer hypothesis three, who wants to destroy Dylan MckaY?"
Kelly arrived at that moment, knocked on Brandon's door and walked in.
"Did I interrupt anything?"
They both smiled at her.
"No" Brandon beckoned her to come in "we're done, aren't we Matt?"
"Yes" he sighed "I have to go, I'm going to Dylan" Matt took a quick look at Brandon. A nod of understanding that had not escaped Kelly anyway.
Matt went out leaving the two alone.
"Is there anything new about Dylan?" Kelly asked, placing Brandon's clean clothes on the chair.
"Yes, in my opinion someone wants to destroy him and I think he is innocent"
Kelly stroked his hair gently.
"Samuel and Grace?"he asked.
"Jim and Cindy will be with them in a couple of hours so I brought you a change of clothes, a new Gym suit and I thought you wanted to cool off a little bit."
"I would give anything to be able to take a shower"
"That's exactly what I had in mind. I told the nurses that they can stop looking mischievously at your body" Kelly winked "and that I could be the one to help you."
"That's a really good idea..." Brandon smiled.
Kelly kindly closed the door to Brandon's room.
"I know that the time is difficult for everyone and I know that you are angry because you hate being powerless and that your body is struggling, but I wanted to tell you that you can get as angry as you want, I will always come back, I will always be here."
Brandon gave Kelly a deep kiss, touching her face with his hands.
"I'm sorry about this morning," he said.
Kelly smiled.
"We have a couple of hours," she said, "no one will come to disturb us while we take care of us."
Brandon was helped to position himself in the wheelchair and they went to the private bathroom.
Kelly opened the hot water and began to gently undress Brandon who left it to her to touch him gently, he always felt the pain but was mixed with the excitement of seeing Kelly loving him that way, observing the marks on his body that the accident had left and that still hit him hard and loving him that way,. Kelly undressed and walked into the large walk-in shower with him. She began to run her hands and sponge over Brandon's bruised body as he closed his eyes under the jet of hot water. It was an immediate relief. Kelly soaped his back gently, chest , face, hair, legs, then came to his most intimate parts, which he left to her pleasure and which immediately turned on Brandon. He opened his eyes. Kelly was in front of him, Brandon raised his arm and took her gently behind her neck, while with his other free hand he stroked her hardening nipples, he was happy to know that that part of him still worked and that Kelly knew how to wake her up just by stroking it. They kissed deeply and intensely, exchanging open smiles, he cursed himself so as not to be able to have her at that moment, her body in that shower, he desired her in a very sweet and atrocious way. Kelly continued to caress him, stroke him and massage him, she was turned on too, she kept touching him with her lips bending her to his pleasure, taking control of it, until the intensity reached such a point that it was inevitable to Brandon's climax, close his eyes, smile. Under the water. In spite of everything.
