One Wild Night

Sonia felt quite differently towards Desmond and Evelyn as she sat across from them to eat breakfast that morning. Perhaps it was because of her conversation with Desmond the previous evening, or her conversation with Lucy concerning them that morning, but she suddenly felt very endeared to them, and comfortable in their presence.

She had a bright smile on her face as she watched them, "Evelyn, is it true that you can't sleep if Desmond is not there to cuddle you?" She asked, making both Desmond, Bryan, and Matt to chuckle, while Evelyn glared at her husband.

"Where did you hear that?" Evelyn asked with a slightly raised brow.

"There is no need to deny it, mom. Everyone knows about it, even Matt knows about it," Bryan said in his father's defense.

"I think it's cute that even someone as strong as you loves being babied," Sonia said, and Desmond grinned at his wife.

"It's not a big deal. It's more out of habit for me than necessity," Evelyn said in embarrassment, and Desmond raised a brow.

"Really? Then I guess it's time for us to break out of that habit. Matt are you spending the night today?" Desmond asked, and Matt shook his head.

"Nah. Got a night scene to shoot," Matt said, and Desmond nodded.

"I guess I will be using the guest bedroom then," Desmond said, and Evelyn frowned at him.

"Why? Can't you share a bed with me without cuddling me?"

"No, I can't. It's a bad habit I need to break. I can't seem to fall asleep without cuddling you," Desmond said, and the others grinned as they watched them.

"I never complained about it. Why do you need to break the habit?" Evelyn asked her husband with displeasure.

"It seems to embarrass you, and you know how much I hate to make you feel embarrassed. So let's just stop sharing a room, okay? We are too old for all that anyway," Desmond said, and Evelyn hissed at him.

"Stop saying nonsense. Nobody is sleeping on a different bed. Since you can't fall asleep without cuddling me, you should just keep cuddling me," Evelyn said with a slight blush, and they all laughed.

"What have you been up to lately, Matt? Are you dating anyone now? Or are you still busy being a playboy like Bryan used to be?" Evelyn asked, wanting to change the subject.

"And who said Bryan is no longer a playboy?" Matt asked with a snort.

"He has Sonia now. So definitely he has changed," Evelyn said confidently.

"How do you know it's not a fake relationship 2.0? You shouldn't trust your son or Sonia so much. Once a crook is always a crook, you know? And I can assure you that these two are crooks," Matt said, and they all laughed.

"It can't be a fake relationship. I can tell a real relationship when I see one," Evelyn said, and Matt scoffed.

"Yet you couldn't tell their engagement was fake," Matt said dryly.

"We would have known had we stayed with them before their confession," Desmond assured Matt, and Sonia nodded in agreement. She believed that Desmond was the type to see through people, and he definitely would have been hard to deceive.

"Don't get your hopes up. Don't say I didn't warn you," Matt said as he took a bite from his pancake.

"That's why Candace rejected you," Bryan said, and Matt glared at him.

"Candace? Are you talking about our Candace? Matt knows her too?" Evelyn asked curiously.

"Don't listen to Bryan. We used to be friends, but not anymore," Matt said dismissively, and Evelyn looked at him with interest.

"Why not? She's such a sweet girl. That girl always looks like she has the weight of the world on her shoulders. I think you both would make a good pair," Evelyn said thoughtfully.

"Why? Because you love Jamal?" Bryan asked suspiciously, and Evelyn smiled.

"There is that too," Evelyn said with a fond smile as she thought of the kid.

"If you really do like her, don't let her go. She seems like a really decent girl," Desmond advised, but before Matt could respond, the doorbell rang and they all glanced at the door.

"I think it's Simon. I should get the door," Bryan said as he stood up and went to the door.

Once Bryan opened the door, he saw Simon standing there with a cheerful smile on his face, "Good morning, Bryan!" He greeted, and Bryan felt a stab of hurt in his heart as he looked into the face of the thirty-three years old man he had come to think of as family.

"Good morning, Simon. It's been a while. How have you been?" Bryan asked as he stepped aside for Simon to get into the house before shutting the door behind him.

"Not bad. I was surprised to receive your call last night. I wasn't aware you were back from your trip else I would have come to clean..." His words trailed of when he saw the others at the dining.

"Good morning, Mrs. Hank, Mr. Hank. I didn't realize you were both visiting," Simon greeted cheerfully before turning to greet Matt and Sonia.

"It's been a while, Simon. How have you been?" Evelyn asked with a cool smile that didn't reach her eyes.

"I've been well. You both look very healthy. I think you look younger than the last time I saw you Mr. Hank," Simon noted with a wide smile.

"I've been taking my yoga classes seriously," Desmond said with a small smile as he observed the traitor.

"Join us for breakfast, Simon. I hope you haven't had breakfast? I reserved those pancakes for you," Evelyn said, jerking her head to a set of pancakes in front of the only empty seat on the table.

Simon smiled as he sat down to eat, while the others watched him as they continued to eat. Once he took the third bite of the pancake Evelyn cleared her throat, "I hope Bryan is treating you well?" She asked, and Simon bobbed his head as he beamed a wide smile at her.

"Yes, he is. He treats me very well," Simon said, and Evelyn smiled back.

"I'm glad to hear that. You know you are family to us. And it is important that family take care of one another," Evelyn said, and he nodded.

"Thank you so much, Mrs. Hank. I and my family will forever be grateful to you and your family for your help," Simon said, and Evelyn nodded once again.

"You know, I have always wondered how Jesus felt, sitting down on the same table with Judas and sharing a meal with him despite knowing he was going to be betrayed by him. Have you ever thought about it?" She asked, making Simon's smile falter.

Desmond and the others on the table said nothing as they all let Evelyn handle it while they watched the drama.

"What do you mean?" He asked as he struggled to swallow the food which was now stuck in his throat.

"If you were told I poisoned those pancakes in front of you, what would be the first reason for my action that would come to your mind?" Evelyn asked, causing Simon to choke.

"Here, drink," Desmond said, offering him a glass of water.

Simon took the glass from him and sipped from it, unable to look any of them in the face as he drank.

"How many times have you sold information regarding Bryan's private life to the press?" Evelyn asked, and this time the glass slipped from Simon's hand and shattered on the floor while he choked on the water he had just swallowed.

"Something must be wrong with the food. You keep choking," Desmond murmured sympathetically, glad that he wasn't the one on the receiving end of his wife's anger.

"I have never done that," Simon said in a shaky voice, and Sonia noticed as Bryan's hand balled into a fist. She reached out a hand and covered his fist.

Evelyn said nothing as she rose from her seat and approached Simon's seat, "Never? So we are to assume that the cameras you planted was a one time thing?" Evelyn asked once she stopped in front of him, towering above him in an intimidating manner.

Simon didn't know whether to remain seated, to go on his knees or stand up, but his entire body was shaking now and he couldn't raise his head to look at Evelyn.

"Since you seem to have trouble answering all my other questions, how about you answer this one? Who is Anita Miller, and what is your relationship with her?"

"I... I don't know know who that is," Simon said, his hands shaking as he pushed away from the table.

"Simon," Evelyn called calmly, "I'm trying hard not to hurt you. If you are truly thankful for everything I have done for your family, then you will be honest with me. We know how much she paid you. We have evidence of it. We also have evidence of you placing cameras in the house to spy on Bryan. Whether or not you tell me the truth, you will be punished, but your punishment will be determined by how remorseful and honest you are," Evelyn said, and immediately Simon fell on his knees.

"Please, Mrs. Hank, I'm sorry. I was greedy, please forgive me, Bryan!" Simon cried, and Bryan stood up and walked away from there to the living room, putting some distance between him and Simon since he was trying his best to hold back his temper and not beat him to a pulp. He felt more pained than angry by Simon's action and he knew he now that he wouldn't feel better even if he hurt Simon.

Sonia rose and ran after Bryan, and Matt rose too, "I'm very disappointed in you, man," Matt said with a shake of his head as he walked away.

"As you can see, no one is interested in your apology, Simon. What I want is honesty. Was that amount of money worth it? Could you not have asked me or Bryan for money? Have we not given you more than that amount? Who took care of your mother's hospital bills? Who got your brother a lawyer and took care of the legal fee? Who was there for you when you got married and had your child?" Evelyn asked, her voice and temper rising with each word.

"I'm so sorry, Mrs. Hank. I had a lot of debts I needed to take care of and I couldn't..."

"Debts? Didn't I take care of your debts already? Don't Tell me you are back to gambling," Evelyn cut in before he could finish, and she shook her head in disappointment when he couldn't respond to her question.

"It is one thing to be greedy and sell information to the press to cater to your gambling addiction, but to side with an enemy against Bryan? To know that someone means Bryan harm, yet you go along with it? That is something I will not forgive!"

"Please forgive me. I was wrong. I shouldn't have done that. She promised to help us get Chris out of prison, and to set up a business for us. I shouldn't have been greedy. Please I'm sorry," Simon pleaded tearfully, and Evelyn raised a brow.

"She said she was going to get Chris out of prison?" Evelyn asked calmly, and Simon nodded.

"That was what she said when she approached me. She said no harm would come to Bryan since he was a celebrity and she was after Sonia not Bryan. I didn't know they were in a real relationship. I would never do anything to hurt Bryan deliberately," Simon pleaded, and Evelyn exchanged a look with her husband who simply shrugged.

"Do you have any evidence of your conversation with her and her promises to you?" Evelyn asked, and Simon nodded.

"Yes, I do."

Evelyn walked away from there and went to meet Bryan in the living room, "You are free to do whatever you want to him. You can hit him if it will help you feel better. We can also get him arrested too if that's what you want," Evelyn offered, but Bryan shook his head.

"Neither of that will make me feel better, and I know you won't feel better either. He did what he did for his brother. I probably would do the same for Tom. Let him go."

"He also sold information to the press, remember? That wasn't for his brother," Matt reminded Bryan, not wanting him to let Simon go just like that.

"Just ask him to get his stuff and leave. I no longer want anything to do with him. I need to leave for Golden Star now," Bryan said as he walked away to the bedroom with Sonia, who was holding on to his hand.

Matt sighed, and Evelyn frowned as she returned to join Simon, "We are not going to forgive you for this. Needless to say, you are fired. I and my family will have nothing to do with you anymore. And because we once considered you as family, and for the sake of your mother and your wife, I won't do to you what I had in mind. I want every detail of your conversation with Anita, and every evidence you have that can be used against her. After that, you can get lost," Evelyn said, and gasped in shock when Matt suddenly appeared by her side and viciously kicked Simon's side making him fall to his side as he cried out in pain.

"That is for hurting Bryan who has been nothing but kind to you. You don't deserve my fists," Matt spat out.