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Sonny reached for Arianna and said to Will, "Why don't you guys catch up, I'm just going to take my daughter out to the beach."
Will was standing next to Paul and Derrick, who'd both just come out of the water, and were drying off. Paul hadn't expected to see Will and Sonny there. Sonny had been surprised, too. Will hadn't.
Arianna held out her arms for Sonny and he drew her close; her tiny body breathing against his chest, and her soft baby arms grabbing at his neck.
Will said, "I can come with you."
Sonny said, "We won't be long. You stay here and hang out for a while with the guys. Relax." As if Will, Paul and Derrick had ever had that kind of relationship. But that shouldn't bother Will. Will liked to pretend that a lot of things never happened the way they actually did.
Sonny strode off down the beach. He didn't wave goodbye.
The sand on the way to the shore was prickling hot, but the burn on the soles of his feet was a welcome distraction from his thoughts. He was putting some distance behind him now, as he reached the wet sand and strode with Arianna bouncing in his arms, her round curls tickling his neck and her soft fingers squeezing his skin.
After a while he stopped, and they stood at the shoreline, staring out at the water. A cool breeze played on his warm skin. It lifted up a curl of Arianna's hair. She laughed. It made Sonny relax a little and smile.
"Do you want to make a sand castle?" Sonny asked her. She didn't understand the question, but she clapped wildly, and he thought they might try building one together.
From behind him Abigail said, "Hey, Sonny!"
He turned around to see his cousin walking towards him, dressed for summer in a decorative sarong, Ben following behind.
"Hello, Ari, you gorgeous thing," she said. "Can I hold her, Sonny?" Abigail reached for the baby, holding her and cooing, and fussing with her hair. Arianna stared at her with wide eyes.
"You look very natural holding a baby," said Ben.
Abigail's smile slipped a little and her body went stiff.
"Hi Sonny," said Ben.
Sonny said hello. It wasn't Ben's fault that his father, Clyde, was an asshat.
Ari began to fuss and fidget in Abigail's arms.
Abby said, "It looks like she wants to go - whoa!" Arianna over-reached whilst stretching for Sonny, almost falling out of Abigail's arms. Sonny quickly scooped her up and Arianna latched onto his neck, settling back against his shoulder.
"So, where's Will?" said Ben.
"He's bringing our stuff out of the car," Sonny lied smoothly.
He wondered if this is what it felt like to be Will, always reaching for the quick easy answer, and never the awkward truthful one.
"Does he need any help?" said Ben.
"No," said Sonny, and the next words slid out of his mouth as easy as butter. "He's just gotten caught up talking to some gay friends of ours."
"Okay, then," said Ben.
Sonny relaxed.
"Do you guys want to join us?" said Abigail. "We're here with Chad and Theo." She pointed up at the trees.
Sonny said, "Is that Will's boss in the black swimsuit?"
"Yes," said Abigail, neutrally. Ben looked at her sideways.
Sonny didn't like Zoe. She walked into his apartment - his home - like she had a right to be there, and told him that his husband's affair with Paul was great press for the magazine.
Some people thought they had the right to behave as badly as they wanted.
"I'd love to join you," Sonny lied. "But Ari is here to meet up with some of her play group friends."
"Okay," said Abigail. She looked over to where Zoe and Chad were relaxing, laughing. Sonny didn't think that she wanted to go back there herself, either.
Sonny said, "Tell Zoe I think that Will wanted a word with her." He added, "I don't know what about."
Sonny took Ari's hand and let her wander on the wet sand for a while under her own power. Mostly. She laughed when the water came in and soaked her feet. As the wave drained back into the lake, the sand shifted beneath her feet and she wobbled. Sonny helped her upright again and held her hand as they walked a little way down the beach.
A young girl in pigtails started following them.
She hovered nearby, walking with them silently for a while, always keeping at least five metres between them.
"You're not going to say hello?" said Sonny.
"Mom says I'm not to bother you," said Ciara. "But I'm not bothering you am I, because I am over here, and you are over there, and you spoke to me first. I really want to play with the baby, can I, Sonny?"
"Let me think," said Sonny.
Arianna stared back at him solemnly, pursing her lips.
"What do you think?" he asked her. Arianna tossed her head.
He saw a man he thought might be Will, laden with beach supplies, walking down the beach. He heard Zoe call, "Will!" and wave him over. He looked like he might keep going for a moment, but then he gave up and trudged up to the trees carrying their gear. Of course, Will wouldn't ignore Zoe.
"Please, cousin Sonny!" said Ciara. "Please!"
"Ciara!" called Hope. She was standing next to Rafe, who had just appeared beside her.
Rafe waved him over.
Sonny supposed he had to obey. If he didn't, Rafe would subtly threaten his custody of Arianna again. He waved back.
Then he leaned down, and said to Ciara, "If you want to play, the game starts now."
"What game?" said Ciara, instantly intrigued.
"As soon as someone says the words 'Where's Will?' you scream as loud as you can," said Sonny.
"How is that a game?" Ciara looked doubtful. "What if nobody says it?"
"They will," said Sonny. "You can bet on it."
"This is a betting game?" said Ciara, suddenly keen. "What do I get if I do it?"
"I will owe you a favour," said Sonny.
"Why would I want that?" said Ciara. The child.
"You will be owed a favour by a Kiriakis," said Sonny as if that explained everything. "I would be in your debt."
Ciara suddenly looked very sharp. She wasn't Victor's grand-daughter for nothing.
"You would have to do what I asked?" said Ciara. "I could ask for anything?"
"I would feel very obligated to pay back the favour," said Sonny. "One way or another."
"All right, I'll do it" said Ciara, suddenly feeling very adult.
He gave her instructions.
"Will I get in trouble?" she asked.
"Yes," he said. "Probably."
They went up to the trees where Hope was setting up a picnic.
Rafe was standing with his arms crossed, casual in a tshirt and jeans; He who would take Sonny's child away, if Sonny and Will's marriage wasn't settled enough to please Him.
"You're not dressed for the beach?" Sonny asked Him.
"It was a last minute thing," said Rafe, flicking a glance at Ciara.
"I asked him to come," she said.
"Someone wanted to say hello," said Sonny glibly, tipping a sleepy Arianna towards Rafe. She tried to hold onto Sonny, but she finally loosed her grip and let her uncle take her, looking very grumpy.
Sonny tried not to laugh.
"She's beautiful," said Hope.
Rafe swelled with pride at the compliment. "She's perfect."
"I didn't expect to see you and Arianna at the beach today," said Rafe, cop-questioning Sonny.
"It was a last minute thing," Sonny said.
Touché!
"I'm surprised to see you here alone," said Rafe as Arianna fidgeted in his arms. "Where-"
"I'm not by myself," interrupted Sonny, plucking Arianna from Rafe's hold. "I'm with my little girl." Arianna went with him easily.
Ciara gave Sonny a mutinous look. She sensed a double cross in the making.
Hope said, "Where's Will?"
Ciara started screaming and flailing.
Sonny had to hand it to her. Her voice really had volume.
Arianna started crying and Sonny slipped away with her, past the car park and into the children's playground, as behind them, Hope and Rafe tried to calm Ciara down.
"But I saw a scorpion," he heard Ciara insist.
He had to hand it to her. She was going to get away with it.
It was pleasant in the park. The smaller children clambered on the play equipment whilst their parents watched from the sidelines.
Sonny rocked on the swing with Arianna until she settled down.
After a while she saw two children playing, and Sonny let her climb off his lap. She wobbled over to them and stood staring at them before squatting down and digging in the sand pit next to them. They didn't seem to mind.
Sonny watched from a nearby bench.
This is where they should have started out, with the beach and children close at hand for Arianna to play with, instead of sitting near the tennis courts as half-naked men strutted by. Sonny had tried to talk Will out of settling there. He'd thought that Will probably didn't know the spot he'd picked was a gay pick up spot.
As a good-looking half-naked man wandered in front of them, Sonny had thought, Oh Lordy, I really do have to tell him…
Then Paul and Derrick had arrived and Sonny knew exactly why Will had chosen this section of the beach.
Paul politely introduced Derrick to them, as if Sonny didn't remember the guy who had tried to hit on him (twice), revealed that his husband was cheating on him (albeit unwittingly), and deliberately sold the information about the affair to the newspapers, making his private pain a matter of public record. Yeah, Sonny remembered Derrick.
When Sonny glanced at Will, Will was watching him, and he smiled. And Sonny knew that Will had wanted him to see this - to see Paul going out and having fun with another gay man. It didn't seem to bother Will that this particular man had revealed Will's affair to him just before he was almost fatally stabbed, and then revealed the details of the affair to the press, costing Will his journalistic reputation and almost costing him his job. (But no, Zoe had given Will a free pass on that).
Free passes for everybody. Everybody but Sonny.
Arianna, seeing that Sonny was no longer at the swing, looked around worriedly. When she finally found him sitting on the bench, she waved her arms, and Sonny obeyed the command.
"Let's get something to eat, would you like that?" Sonny stood up and Arianna held onto him again, happy to be up and moving.
He walked quickly past the spot where he had been stabbed (memories everywhere), and they lunched in Horton Square. Afterwards, Arianna dozed in his lap.
Paul saw them from inside the Brady Pub and came out.
"I'm sorry, Sonny, about before," Paul said.
"I take it Will already knew that you were playing tennis with Derrick today."
"No, no," lied Paul. He was a terrible liar.
The silence stretched out.
"Did Will find you? He left us to look for you," said Paul.
"Yes, he found us," said Sonny. He just chose to go meet up with Zoe instead. He missed his chance.
"Good," said Paul. He smiled at the picture of Arianna made, sleeping on Sonny's lap.
"She is just so adorable," Paul said.
Sonny smiled back.
That was when Will arrived.
"Hey," said Sonny, seeing Will.
Will looked flushed and unhappy. Somewhere along the way he had dumped the beach tent, beach blanket, towels, food and stroller.
Paul said, "Derrick is waiting for me. I gotta go?"
Sonny said, "Why don't you both join us for lunch, or drinks if you've already eaten?"
Will stared at him. Paul was trying to think of a polite way to get out of it.
"I'm sure they don't want us horning in on their date," said Will.
"It's not a date," said Paul, automatically. "We're just friends."
"Then it's settled?" Sonny added, "Please."
Paul caved in immediately. "I just need to check with Derrick."
Sonny smiled at him and Paul went back to the pub.
In a low tone, Will said, "I want us to go home now."
He was angry.
Sonny said, "You look tired. Sit down and have some lunch. You can't have eaten yet. I'll order up drinks for the rest of us." He waved at the waiting staff with his free hand.
"Sonny, you ditched me!" Will whispered furiously.
"I didn't mean to take so long," Sonny said, "but all our friends kept stopping us, wanting to see her. I couldn't be rude. Did you know that Paul and Derrick were going to be at the beach?"
"No!" said Will.
"So it was just a coincidence?" he probed. Be honest with me. Just this once.
"Sonny, I swear! I didn't know that they were going to be at the beach," he said.
He was just hoping they would be. Perhaps he was only expecting to see them come past from the tennis courts instead. Technically not a lie. Semantics.
Paul and Derrick came back just as the wait staff arrived.
"What would you like to drink?" Sonny asked. "It's on me."
Sonny kept the conversation going smoothly, talking about sports and popular Salem hot spots, and asking Paul about famous people he knew. When Paul dropped a particularly well-known name Derrick said, "You've actually met him? He's a superstar."
"He's a really nice guy," said Paul.
"Not gay," Paul added, seeing the look in Derrick's eye.
"As far as you know," Sonny said.
Paul laughed. They were actually having a good time. Everybody except Will. Will seemed to become quieter the more Sonny drew Paul out about all of the famous people he'd met and places he'd been.
Sonny said, "Paul, tell Derrick the St. Moritz story."
"No, no," said Paul. "That was so embarrassing."
"Oh, I have to hear this now," said Derrick.
"I'm sorry but we need to go now," said Will. "Arianna needs her nap. Sonny?"
"We can't take her home now," said Sonny. "I got a message from my Mom wanting to see her. She's going to meet me here. What did you do with the stroller?"
"I left it with Abigail," said Will. "She's going to drop it back for us."
"Would you mind getting it for me?" said Sonny. He looked down at his lap where Ari was still dozing.
Will trudged off.
Sonny excused himself from the conversation to check his phone messages. He wrote a quick text to his mom.
Derrick said, "We should go out to dinner sometime. The four of us."
Paul rolled his eyes, but Sonny said, "Where would you like to go?"
Derrick said, "I heard that Edge of the Square was pretty hot."
"Uh Oh," said Paul. "The competition."
"I'm sorry, I forgot," Derrick said to Sonny. "You own that place - what's it called? We could go there, instead."
"TBD," said Sonny. "But we can't go there, it's too much like work. What about The Spot?"
"I love The Spot," said Derrick.
"What's The Spot?" said Paul.
"You've seriously never been?" said Derrick. "I go there all the time."
"He only came out quite recently," said Sonny.
"This would be your first gay bar? For real?" said Derrick.
"I've been to a gay bar before," said Paul.
It was overseas, in Amsterdam, with Sonny. They were not very big into baseball there, Sonny remembered. Paul could walk around unrecognised. They could touch each other, hold hands, make out on the dance floor. Nobody commented. It had been one of Sonny's favourite weekends.
"Let's go tonight," said Sonny. "How about it?"
"I don't know," said Paul.
"There's nothing to be afraid of," said Sonny. "You're out now. And honestly, if you don't like it, we can all just leave and go somewhere else."
"That's right," said Derrick. "It's up to you, but I think it would be fun. You'd like it."
"All right," said Paul.
Sonny was now committed to going to a gay bar with his cheating husband, the man he cheated on him with, and the man who told him about it. Who said you couldn't have fun in Salem?
Will came back with the stroller. Sonny gently strapped Ari into it. She opened a bleary eye, once, then closed it again. He slipped down the top of the stroller to shield her face from the sun.
Sonny told Will, "We're going to The Spot tonight, with Paul and Derrick."
"The Spot?" says Will. "I don't know, I think I might have to do something tonight, for work."
"Ditch work and come," said Sonny, "I know how much you used to like it there."
To Derrick and Paul he said, "Will used to go there by himself all the time when he first came out."
"I didn't go there all the time," said Will.
"Now that Paul has just come out, I think we should introduce him around, get him acclimated with the Salem gay scene," Sonny said. After he said the words, they just felt right. If he could manage to get Will to come, he would benefit from it too.
Super Sonny, gay crusader. Out, and proud of it.
"Someone has to look after Arianna tonight," said Will. "All of our usual sitters will already be booked. It's Picnic Day."
Sonny's mother arrived just then, as if on cue.
"Hi, Honey," she said, giving Sonny a kiss. "Who is talking about sitters? Do you need someone to look after my precious angel, tonight?" Adrienne peeked under the hood of the baby stroller and withdrew when she saw that Arianna was sleeping.
"Hi, Mom," said Sonny. "You know Paul. This is a friend, Derrick."
"Hello Mrs Kiriakis," said Paul. Derrick echoed the greeting.
"Hello Derrick, Hello Paul," said Adrienne.
Sonny offered his mother a seat.
"Oh no, I don't want to intrude," she said.
"You're not," said Sonny. "In fact, you may be able to help. Are you doing anything tonight?"
"Not yet," she asks. "Are you planning on a night out?"
"We're taking Paul to The Spot."
"A wild night then. Of course I'll look after Ari."
"You don't need to," said Will. "I can take care of her."
"No, no no," said Adrienne. "You boys go and enjoy yourself, and let me have my quality grandmother-time."
"Thanks Mom," said Sonny.
"So we're really doing it?" said Paul, sounding pleased but nervous.
"Holy shit," said Derrick. "We're going out partying with the famous Paul Narita. The Spot is going to go ape-shit."
Sonny laughs, a light carefree laugh that bubbles up out of his throat and peals into the Square.
He's coming out.