Episode 1

Salem University Hospital –

Hope and Bo Brady joined hands as Dr. Willis walked into her office. She had told the Bradys to wait in the office while she went over the test results.

“Doctor, please tell me I’m okay,” Hope said, her eyes watering.

“I can’t tell you that, sadly. You are very sick. I hate to say this but you have malignant cancer.”

Bo gasped and bile rose up in Hope’s throat, making her feel like she was going to throw up.

“How could this happen?” Bo asked. “She takes excellent care of herself.”

“Cancer sometimes happens even in people who take of their bodies. If Hope had come in for her yearly breast exam we could have helped her then.”

“Are you blaming Hope for getting caner? Bo asked.

“No, of course not,” Dr. Willis said. “But the cancer has spread to all of your wife’s major organs.”

Hope held back her tears. “Am I going to die?” she asked, dreading the answer.

Dr. Willis didn’t reply at first. She cast her eyes down. Then looking up she said, “yes, I’m afraid so. Probably in the next 3 months.”

***

Sami’s Apartment –

“Just think, Lucas, we’ll be married in two days!” Sami said excitedly. “And just think both of our children will be in attendance.”

“Both?” Lucas asked.

“Yes, Will, and the baby I’m carrying.”

Lucas smiled, touching her flat stomach. “I cannot wait to see her.”

Lucas and Sami had decided that their new baby was going to be a girl.

“Me either,” Sami said.

They curled up together on the sofa. Sami rested her head on Lucas’s strong shoulder. “We should get to bed,” she said.

“Oh I like the sound of that,” Lucas said.

Lucas helped her up and pulled her into his arms. He gave her a long, slow kiss. Then he picked her up and carried her to their bedroom.

They were making love when a picture of EJ Wells flashed into her mind. She saw him naked, then pushing his lips to hers. Then he raped her – or maybe it wasn’t rape at all, she thought.

She jumped up in bed and Lucas asked what was wrong. “Sami, are you okay?” He asked.

“I just had a bad feeling all of a sudden.”

“What kind of bad feeling?”

“About our wedding. You know me and weddings. I always mess them up somehow.”

Lucas smiled at her. “Everything’s going to be okay as long as there are no secrets between us. We promised to always tell each other the truth, right?”

“Right,” Sami agreed. But she was keeping the biggest secret of her life from Lucas. How will he ever forgive me if he finds out the baby I’m carrying could be EJ’s? She thought.

***

Max’s Autobody garage -

“Abby, are you here?” Chelsea Brady called out, walking into the garage.

“She left,” a familiar voice answered. Max rolled out from under a sports car. Chelsea had no idea what is was called.

“I needed to talk to her,” Chelsea said.

“About yourself, I’m sure. Why don’t you just leave the poor girl alone?” Max asked. “Abby can’t always come at your beck and call.”

“Shut up, Max Brady,” Chelsea screeched. “You don’t know anything about me. You never did.”

“I know you probably better than you know yourself. You’re selfish, rude, vengeful, ungrateful, and thoughtless about anyone’s feelings but yours … and the list goes on …”

Those words hurt Chelsea though she would never admit it. “That hurt, Max,” she said, smirking to cover that she cared what he said. She didn’t understand this new found hostility of his.

“Too bad it didn’t make you mad enough to leave,” Max said.

“Why are you being such a bully?” Chelsea asked. “We used to be friends.” The smirk was gone.

“Because I’m tired of your [!@#$%^&*]. I don’t like how you use people – especially you so called ‘best friend’ Abby, “ Max said.

“Why do you care? Are you in love with Abby or something?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Max was now smirking.

“So it’s true?”

“I never said that, did I?”

“Well it’s plainly obvious to me. It’s the way you say her name. And this light comes into your eyes when you talk about her. That light used to be directed at me. Or maybe I was fooling myself to ever think you could love me.

“But you’re with Mimi now, right?” She continued. “You will have to choose between them. So who will it be, Max? Mimi or Abby?”

“You’re not getting anything out of me,” he said. “Why don’t you just leave?”

“I’ll go, okay?” Chelsea said, walking to the door. “Did you ever care about me at all?” she asked, turning back to Max.

Max looked at her. “I did.”

‘I did’ is past tense. It means that he doesn’t care for me anymore, Chelsea thought.

Seeing there was no point in arguing anymore, Chelsea left the garage. She reached the parking lot before she burst into tears. I don’t need Max anymore, she told herself. I have Shawn Patton now. If only I could find him.
***

Billie and Chelsea’s Apartment -

Chelsea got home and went straight to the refrigerator. She wanted a beer so badly. She just wanted to forget everything. But there was no alcohol to be found.

She grabbed her purse and went to the door.

“Where do you think you’re going? Billie Reed asked.

***

Switzerland
Airplane Flight 2351 –

Carrie Brady tried to relax in her seat as the plane raced along the tarmac.

Once the plane was in the air, she relaxed a little. She really hated flying but it was a necessity this time.

She had to get back to Salem and make things right.

Preview for the next episode of “Salem Fantasies”:

• Bo wants Hope to tell the family about her illness
• Carrie reaches Salem with important news that could ruin Lucas and Sami’s wedding
• Bo breaks down
• Billie has a special request for Chelsea