Promises
         Chapter 21 
 

Two months later:

Danny threw the phone against his office wall. Then went the stapler. Then went the rolodex. His secretary Diane busted through the door to see what had happened.
"I'm fine Diane," he snapped. "I'll call you if I need you. Hold all my calls."
Without a word, she quickly closed the door behind her. She knew better than to press him when he was like this. She ran interference for him and instructed anyone who needed to see her boss that he was unavailable at the moment. However, when Michelle called she told her she thought it would be a good idea if she stopped by to pay a visit to her husband.
Worried, Michelle quickly got dressed and ran downstairs to tell Carlos she wanted to go to Danny's office. Within thirty minutes, Michelle was standing in front of Diane's desk.
"What happened?" Michelle asked.
"He got a phone call from Frank Cooper and the next thing I know he's throwing the phone and anything else within reach," she explained. "I went in to see if he was okay and he said he was fine, but obviously he isn't."
"Well, thanks for letting me know," Michelle said, looking at Danny's closed office door. "I think I'll go in and see what's going on."
"Good luck," she sighed.
"Carlos," Michelle turned to him. "I think it would be best if you wait out here while I go in to talk to Danny."
"No problem," he smiled sympathetically.
Michelle gently knocked on the door and slowly opened it. "Diane, I thought I told you I would call you if I needed anything," he yelled.
"It's not Diane," she said softly as she entered his office.
"Michelle," he shouted. "What are you doing here? Where's Carlos?"
"He's waiting outside. I called in to talk to you and Diane said there was something going on," she explained, crossing the room to sit in the chair facing her husband. "And now that I'm here, I agree with her. What is it?"
"It's just business Michelle," he snapped. "Don't you have school?"
"No and you know it," she snapped back. "You have my entire schedule on your calendar and you know that today's an off day for me. Would you like to tell me what's going on with you?"
"I told you," he stood up, avoiding his eyes. "It's business. Just drop it."
"Don't shut me out," she stood up to walking to stand in front of him. "Danny, look at me. I haven't seen you this upset since I was in the hospital. Please talk to me."
He looked into her pleading brown eyes and he knew he had to tell her. She would find out sooner or later anyway. "Michelle, sit down."
She followed him back to the chair she had just vacated and he sat down beside her. "Danny, you're scaring me. Just tell me what's going on."
He took a deep breath and began. "It's about my mother. She's being released from prison today."
"What?" Michelle gasped. "How can that be possible? After everything she's done. Danny, she tried to kill me!"
"Don't you think I know that," he snapped, but then felt guilty about it. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you."
"When did all this happen?" she asked.
"Frank told me a couple of months ago that Ben was trying to get her released by claiming she wasn't evaluated by a proper psychiatrist at her trial," he explained.
"Wait," she began. "You've known about this for a couple of months and you never said a word to me about it."
"You were just getting out of the hospital and then you started back to school," he said. "I didn't want you to worry anymore than you already were. Besides, I wanted to see if he could actually get her released before I said anything."
Although she didn't like him keeping things from her, she had to admit she understood his reasons, so she let it go. "Okay, then, what about the psychiatrist at the trial? Didn't he say she was mentally competent?"
"Yeah," Danny laughed. "Funny thing about that doctor. His license was revoked two months ago for undisclosed reasons. So the judge allowed another psychiatrist to examine her and submit his findings. The judge reviewed the report and decided that my mother did have mental problems at the time. However, since her incarceration she has shown great remorse and progress with her treatments. He feels given her fourteen months of jail time, she has served enough time without having to be detained in a medical facility."
"What do you think?" Michelle asked.
"About what?" he asked confused.
"Do you think she's changed?" she asked. "I mean you said yourself when you went to go see her a couple of months ago that she was different."
"I'm not sure what to believe," Danny sighed, running his hands through his hair. "All I know is that she tried to kill you. I can't forgive her for that."
"I know," she whispered. "But if she has changed, she has a right to know she's going to be a grandmother."
"What?" he exclaimed. "There's no way I'm letting her near you or our baby."
"That's not what I meant," Michelle defended. "I don't plan on letting her near our baby either. But we've already told everyone else that I'm pregnant. How long do you think it will be before she finds out, if she doesn't already know?"
"There's no way she could know," he shook his head. "Pilar promised not to say anything and Ben wouldn't know. They're the only visitors she's had."
"She's going to find out sooner or later," Michelle explained.
"Maybe, but I would just as soon make it later," he said. "Frank also told me he has a lead on who poisoned you."
"Who?" she asked quickly.
"There was a drug dealer arrested last night," he began. "He had a vial of the poison used on you in his possession. Frank questioned him about it and he said he got it from someone a few months ago."
"Who gave it to him?" she asked.
"They're working on finding that out," he explained.
While that was true, he didn't tell her that he had made some phone calls of his own after Frank called him. His first call had been to Bernard, who assured him he would check out his sources and get back with him. Despite Bernard's warnings, Danny called a few other former associates. He threatened to go to the FBI with everything he knew about them if they didn't give him the information he was looking for and they in turn reminded him of who he was dealing with. If he wanted to threaten them, he better be prepared to face the consequences. Danny didn't back down an inch, on the phone at least. When he hung up the phone he noticed his hands were shaking. What had he just done?

After talking for a little while longer with Michelle, Danny decided to call it a day and go home with her. He told Diane he was going home and to hold his calls until tomorrow. Carlos was in the waiting room as they walked out arm in arm.
"I'm going to take Michelle home, so if you want to call it a day too, that's okay," Danny said, giving Carlos a look he knew.
"Sure thing," he nodded at Danny to let him knew he understood. "I will see you in the morning."
Carlos took the back steps and waited until Danny and Michelle were in their car before he got in his car. As they pulled out, he quickly followed. Danny had called him just before Michelle had come downstairs. He filled him in on the events of the afternoon and asked him to stay with Michelle around the clock. Even when he was with her, he wanted Carlos there too, just as added protection, but he didn't want Michelle to know that he was there. Danny knew it would only worry her and that was the last thing she needed right now.

Danny checked his rearview mirror and was relieved to see Carlos keeping a safe distance behind them. Michelle was quiet on the ride home and Danny knew she had a lot going through her mind right now because he did too.
He thought about taking her for a walk through Laurel Falls to get her mind off of things for a while. Despite his worries about safety, he knew that Carlos would be close behind and he had protection himself. He cringed when he thought of what Michelle would say if she knew he was carrying a gun, but he had to do what he had to do. He wasn't going to be caught off guard again.
"Hey, are you feeling okay?" he broke the silence.
"Yeah, I'm just thinking," she mumbled.
"Well, how about a walk through Laurel Falls?" he asked. "I think we could both use some fresh air to clear our heads."
"That sounds wonderful," she smiled. "It's been a while since we've been there."
"It's been too long," he sighed. "But I promise we'll come here more often from now on."
After a few more minutes, Danny pulled down a dirt road that led to the spot where he and Michelle had renewed their vows. He checked his rearview mirror to make sure Carlos had followed and was relieved to see he had. Danny pulled over to the side, so Michelle wouldn't see Carlos' car when she got out. She opened the car door and walked around to his side of the car. He grabbed her hand and followed her down the path to the waterfalls. He stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her growing belly.
"It's so peaceful here," she sighed. Danny leaned down and kissed her neck, holding her tight. "We should definitely come here more often. It's so nice to get away from everything."
"Everything is going to be okay Michelle, I promise," he whispered in her ear.
They spent another hour, holding each other, enjoying the peaceful scenery. Michelle suddenly turned to face Danny and they locked eyes. She placed her hands on either side of his face and reached up to place a soft kiss on his lips. Momentarily forgetting that Carlos was nearby, Danny turned their kiss into a more passionate one and gently eased her back to the ground. They were lost in each other when Michelle's stomach growled. Danny sat up with a laugh.
"Talk about spoiling the moment," she frowned.
"It's okay," he said with smile. "It's getting late and we should be getting this little one something to eat."
"I wish we could stay here forever," she said as he helped her to her feet. "We'll come back soon, I promise. Now let's get you two home."
Michelle laughed as her stomach growled again. They were walking back to the car when Michelle stopped.
"What is it?" he asked her.
"My earring," she cried, rubbing her naked ear. "It must have fallen off over by the waterfall."
"Are you sure you had it on?" he asked, following her.
"Yes," she said. "Danny, it's the earrings you gave me last Christmas. Look over there by that rock."
"Michelle, I'll buy you another pair," he groaned.
"No, these are special," she cried. "We have to find it."
"Okay, okay," he sighed, getting on his hands and knees to search the ground.
They spent several minutes searching through the grass and around the rocks with no luck.
"Sweetie, this is like looking for a needle in a haystack," he stood up. She stood up and looked at him with tears in her eyes. "I'll keep looking," he said.
After many minutes later, Danny gave up. "Look Michelle, I don't think…"
Danny stopped as he heard a noise through the bushes behind her. She turned to look at him when he stopped talking.
"What…" she began.
"Shh! Don't move," he demanded, as his eyes danced all around them. He was about to say something to her about his imagination running wild when he saw it.
The gun was pointed directly at Michelle's head. Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion as he dove on top of her to push her out of the way. The next thing either of them heard was the explosion of a gun.