Chapter 11

Early the next morning, Mimi found Stefano in his office before she left for work. She wasn't sure how to broach the subject of her newly realized parentage, but she knew there was neither time nor need for decorum in this situation. She dove right in after they had exchanged greetings.

"Stefano, I need to ask you for yet another favor and this may be the most important one."

His eyebrows rose sharply as he took in Mimi's anxious expression and rattled appearance. "What's happened?"

Mimi smirked and replied, "You know? You're not the first person to ask me that."

Stefano frowned in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"Well, last night, I was coming back from my visit with my mother at the prison and I ran into EJ in the hall. He asked me the same thing. You Dimeras definitely are perceptive, that's for sure."

As if on cue, the youngest Dimera male appeared in the doorway of the office. He looked first to Mimi, then to Stefano, and back again to the young woman standing before his father. "Have you told him yet?"

"I was getting to it. You act like I've committed some crime here and you're making sure I make my confession to your liking. Relax."

"That's not what I meant and you know it. Contrary to what you may think, I'm not out to get you, Mimi."

Tired of his two prodigies' constant squabbling, Stefano abruptly interrupted what was sure to quickly become another never-ending sparring match. He cleared his throat with emphasis before Mimi could retort to EJ's last statement.

"Ah-hem! Miriam, what is it you need to tell me?" He bowed his head to the side with an inquisitive expression, letting her know she had his full attention.

"Well, Stefano, it's come to my attention that the child conceived through in vitro fertilization from my egg and Philip Kiriakis' sperm was in fact not terminated by the surrogate, thanks in no small part to my mother's conniving ways. When I visited my mother, she told me she'd paid off the surrogate on the condition that she did not abort or tell anyone, including myself or Phillip. Mom claims she did everything because she knew I'd regret signing away the baby, but I'm pretty sure she planned to extort Phillip for money after the child was born as is true Bonnie Lockhart fashion."

Stefano, leaning against the front of his desk, smoothed his chin thoughtfully, before asking the question on everyone's mind.

"Where is the baby now? If my calculations are correct it should be approximately six or seven months old at this point. Has your mother had any further contact with the surrogate since she's been incarcerated?"

Mimi shook her head wearily as EJ and Stefano looked on. "She says she hasn't spoken to her since she was arrested. I assume Phillip doesn't know about this or he'd have laid claim to his son long before I came back to Salem."

Nodding in agreement, Stefano responded quickly. "Very likely. Then again, Phillip only knows what Victor Kiriakis and Kate Roberts want him to know. If there was ever such a coddled future crime lord, I haven't seen it yet. I'll have some people look into the matter. In the meantime, Miriam, don't say anything to anyone, especially Phillip. He'll know soon enough. He'll have to be notified if you want to reclaim your parental rights and no doubt there'll be a custody battle. The Kiriakis' are formidable foes, but thankfully you have the Dimeras on your side, the epitome of formidable."

Nearly wilting with relief, Mimi rushed to Stefano to give him a quick hug before stepping back to collect herself. "Thank you! You'll never know how much this means to me, Stefano. Your kindness, despite your motives, never ceases to amaze me."

EJ watched the encounter as Stefano hastily returned the hug and chuckled at Mimi's remarks. "You make me feel kind, Miriam, a sentiment I have not often been familiar with in my line of work. I'll let you know what I find out about the surrogate and your son. Now you shouldn't you be off to work? You have to be swamped with planning Fusion's annual Winter Gala, you are planning to attend, aren't you?"

Confused, but not surprised at the elder Dimera's sudden topic change, Mimi responded with the humility and bit of sarcasm she always felt in regard to the job Stefano had so graciously blessed her with in her time of need.

"Swamped, yes. Attending, I don't believe so. Even if I weren't going to be exhausted by the time the Gala actually rolls around, I don't have anything remotely formal enough to wear. I figured I'd let Salem's elite enjoy the evening I and everyone else in P.R. so painstakingly planned. It's the least I could do." Mimi shrugged for emphasis at the end of her apparent status report.

Having been seemingly forgotten in the background, EJ let a loud chuckle loose surprising Stefano and Mimi into re-noticing his presence in the room. Thinking quickly, Stefano voices a new idea, silently astounded by his own brilliance. These two will get along if it's the last thing I do, he thought to himself slyly.

"Ah, Miriam, that will not do. As the newest promising executive, you must be there to represent Fusion's star staff to the public. As for something to wear, may I point out, we don't pay you room and board. If I recall, your last paycheck was quite handsome, no doubt reflecting all the overtime you've been, what was it? "Painstakingly" putting in? You're going to the gala, period."

"But, Stef-"

"No 'buts.' You're going. In style. In fact, take the afternoon off today to go shopping for a dress suitable for a Dimera."

"I can't do that. I have to-"

Putting on his infamous scowl, Stefano spoke sternly. "You can and you will. Take EJ with you, he'll help you find something appropriate. Now go, get to the office. If I call and you're there past lunch, I will not be a happy man, much less boss."

"Take EJ with—what?" Mimi's surprise was overtaken by utter confusion as she looked from EJ to Stefano and back helplessly.

"You heard me, Miriam. EJ can help you. I wouldn't want you to be distracted. Now, go."

Suddenly understanding Stefano's not-so-subtle reference to her seldom discussed assignment of helping EJ focus on matters related to the company, she shut her mouth on her latest retort and quickly gathered herself to leave.

"Al-alright. EJ, I'll see you at the office to decide when and where to meet this afternoon, I guess. Talk to you later, Stefano. Bye." She walked out of the room, still puzzled, nearly scratching her head in confusion over what had just happened. Had she really just agreed go shopping with EJ Dimera? Apparently so. God help me, she thought as she drove to Fusion's headquarters.

Once Mimi had exited, EJ took the chance to voice his own frustrations over his father's meddling.

"What are you up to, Father? Why don't you send someone on the staff, hell, even Bart with her? Why must I go dress-shopping with your newest Dimera 'project?'?"

Bristling at his son's tone, Stefano quickly turned from the paper's he'd been perusing to face EJ.

"Surely, I did not hear you correctly, Elvis. I would be shocked to think you are actually questioning my motives openly or otherwise. Despite what you and Tony may like to tell yourselves, I am still the one in charge here and you will do well to remember that when you speak to me."

"I'm sorry, Father, but really. 'A dress suitable for a Dimera?' Last time I checked our other associates were referred to as just that, associates, not actual Dimeras. What has Mimi Lockhart done to bewitch you so? If I didn't know any better, I'd think she's actually cracked the exterior no man, woman, child, or pleading Brady has ever been able to break? You don't show this much kindness to your own children, myself included. What's going on?"

"I'll tell you what's going on quite simply, Elvis. Miriam has indeed gotten to me, cracked whatever 'exterior' you'd like to imagine because I see something of myself, even you, in her. We Dimeras are certainly not the only ones the Bradys have hurt in the past, to have loved and lost at their selfish and thoughtless ways. Patrick Lockhart may have been an annoyance to this family, but Miriam is nothing less than an asset. If my instincts are correct, she will undoubtedly prove to be the true Dimera daughter where all others before her have failed, including Kristen and Lexi."

Shocked at his father's startling revelation, EJ couldn't help the volume in his next statement.

"But, Father, she is NOT a Dimera, by blood, or anything else for that matter!"

Shaking his head ruefully at his son's overzealous emotion, a trait he inherited from his crackpot mother no doubt, Stefano thought to himself.

"But she may be someday, Elvis. If I have anything to do with it and whether you like it or not, Miriam, and eventually her son, will be a part of this family for the rest of their lives. You had better get used to it now. That's all I'm going to discuss it right now. You will take her shopping this afternoon and I'll hear nothing else of the matter, understood?"

"Understood, Father." Unable to stop himself, EJ sulkily added, "Anything else I can do for our newest addition?"

Choosing to ignore his son's sarcasm, Stefano succinctly replied, "Yes, in fact, there is. While you are out shopping for a gown, make sure to purchase Miriam some new work attire. God love the girl, but if I have to see her wear that pinstripe pantsuit one more time this week, I'll scream. As attractive as it may look, we can't have the other executives thinking ill of her, or her fashion sense for that matter."

Smirking, EJ shook his head at his father's strange new outlook on Mimi Lockhart. "Yes, Father. I'll be sure to do that. See you later tonight, after the fashion excursion, that is."

"Very good. See you then, Elvis. Use the company account if need be. I don't want our girl to be shortchanged on a new wardrobe."

Again EJ responded, "Yes, Father."

Hastily exiting his father's office, EJ shook his head before running his hand through his hair in frustration. Father has finally lost it. He's officially cracked. That has to be it. I mean, seriously, "our girl?"

Grimacing, he made his way out of the mansion, through Salem to his office at Fusion. Little did he know, before the day was done, he would understand the devotion his father felt for Mimi more than he ever could have imagined.