Hard Choices
      Chapter 2
 

 
Danny walked into Millennium and spotted Jesse at the table in the corner. He walked over quickly and sat down.

Jesse leaned forward. "What's going on, man? Did something go wrong with Michelle's release? Why couldn't you tell me on the phone?"

"This is something I need to discuss with you face-to-face. Michelle's out, she's fine. Or at least, she's as fine as she can be, considering," Danny said. He motioned to a waiter and ordered a scotch. He and Jesse were both silent until the waiter was out of earshot.

"So I take it you told Michelle you were marrying Theresa?" Jesse asked.

"Yeah, I did. It was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. She slapped me, she argued with me, she cried ... I was telling her all of these lies, and all I wanted to do was hold her and tell her everything would be alright. God, Jesse I hate hurting her like this."

"Is that what this is about? Are you trying to figure out a way to back out of the deal with Bernardo and Theresa? Because you know what they'd do to Michelle -- and to you -- if you did, Danny."

Danny grimaced. "I know, believe me. As it turns out, there's more at stake now. Michelle told me she's pregnant."

The waiter returned with Danny's drink. Danny handed him a twenty dollar bill and told him to keep the change. If he was going to have to live with Theresa, at least he'd get to enjoy wasting her family's money.

As Danny gulped down his scotch, Jesse spoke in an urgent whisper. "She's pregnant? I wish I could say congratulations, Danny. What did you do when she told you?"

Danny smiled ruefully. "I used every ounce of strength in my body to restrain myself from jumping for joy at what should've been the happiest moment of my life. Then I looked the woman I love in the eye and told her that it was 'unfortunate' that she's carrying my child, but that it didn't change anything."

"Danny, I'm sorry. Michelle must be a wreck right now. What are you going to do?"

"Well, that's where you come in, I hope. Listen, Jesse, if Theresa or her father find out Michelle's having my baby, I don't know what they'll do. Knowing that Michelle's pregnant with my child would pose a pretty big threat to this sick fantasy of happily ever after that Theresa's trying to orchestrate for herself."

"What do you want me to do, Danny? Take Michelle out of town until the baby's born?"

Danny sighed. "I don't think that would work. Michelle wouldn't want to be away from her family at a time like this, and there'd be no plausible way to convince her to go without tipping her off. But I have an idea that might work." Jesse raised his eyebrows in expectation. "I want you to marry Michelle, Jesse."

Jesse sank back in his seat. "That's crazy, Danny. Why would you want me, of all people, to marry Michelle?"

Danny finished off his drink and ran the back of his hand across his lips. "Just think about it, Jesse. You marry Michelle and claim the baby as yours. Theresa and Bernardo will obviously suspect that I'm the father, but they're not going to force the issue if someone else is claiming paternity and I don't contest it. And it'll make sense -- you and Michelle are both on the rebound, you were each other's first love, you'll just have found your way back to each other."

"This will never work! First of all, Michelle knows I'm still in love with Drew --"

"But she also knows you've broken up, and that Drew wants nothing to do with you right now."

"Okay, fine, but you know how stubborn, and independent, Michelle is. How am I supposed to convince her to marry me? She turned me down even when she was supposedly in love with me, remember?"

"You go to Michelle, tell her you want to marry her for the sake of the baby, to protect it from growing up as a Santos, from my mother ever getting near it. She trusts you, you can make her see it's the right thing to do. You can do this, Jesse. You have to do this."

"This is a lot you're asking, Danny."

Danny twirled his empty glass idly on the table. "I know it is. But you owe it to Michelle. She gave up everything to protect you and Drew when she married me. And besides, it's not like being married to Michelle would be a hardship for you. You're friends, you care about each other. It doesn't have to be forever, just long enough to convince everyone that the baby is yours."

Jesse sighed. "Alright. I'll do it. Or at least I'll try. I'm still not sure Michelle will want any part of this."

"Thank you. Jesse, you can't tell anyone the truth about this. Not even Drew ... especially not Drew."

Jesse laughed bitterly. "Are you kidding? Drew's not ever going to speak to me again when she hears Michelle and I are getting married."

"Michelle's life, and my child's life, are in your hands here, Jesse. I do realize what I'm asking of you, and I will owe you my life if you can pull this off." He glanced at his watch. "Okay, Michelle should be home by now. You should go over there and get the ball rolling."

"Yeah. Are you gonna be okay, man?"

"I don't know if I'm ever going to be okay again, but if Michelle and our baby are safe, I can live with that."