Baby Now That I've Found You
by aprilhope
Ch. 14 - Doesn't Mean Anything
"Mrs. Corinthos?"
Carly looked up from where she sat playing with Michael on the floor by the ottoman, to smile at Johnny standing in the doorway. "Yeah, Johnny?"
"Your mother is here."
He ushered Bobbie inside, and then just stood there, a look on his face like he wanted to ask a question.
"Johnny? If you're waiting for a tip, you're gonna be there for a while," Carly joked.
"No, I was just wondering…"
"What?"
"Why you didn't tell me to call you Carly."
He's right, I didn't. She smiled slowly as she contemplated the reason. "I guess I really like my new last name."
Johnny couldn't help but smile back. "Good, that makes things a lot easier for me!"
Carly and Bobbie both giggled at the adorable bodyguard as the door closed. Bobbie hugged her daughter, and then reached out to ruffle grandson Michael's hair as she took a seat on the sofa.
"I was going to call you," said Carly, excited to share the news Sonny had surprised her with that morning.
"Well, surprise! You don't have to," laughed Bobbie. "So, what did you have to tell me? It must be good news, because somehow you're even more aglow than you were yesterday. Speaking of yesterday, how's married life treating you?"
Carly blushed, recalling Sonny's similar question of how she was enjoying married life so far… last night, just after pleasuring her so intensely she nearly passed out.
"That good, huh?" winked Bobbie, going by her daughter's far-off eyes, blissful grin, and crimson-flushed cheeks. "Sorry I asked," she added with a chuckle.
"Oh hush," Carly replied, as her mother's teasing snapped her out of it. "But, yes, that good… Better than that good."
"I'm happy for you, honey."
"Don't tell Sonny, though. I'm trying to keep his ego so that it's at least smaller than the state of New York."
"So where's your handsome hubby now? The warehouse?"
My handsome hubby? She smiled to herself. Yup, that's who he is. "Yeah, he's just taking care of some boring business stuff so he'll be free to… go away for a while."
"Go away? But you two just got…"
"Let me clarify. I should have said, so we'll be free to go away for a while."
"Ohh! He's taking you on honeymoon?"
"Shocked?"
"No, no, of course not! You just hadn't mentioned it…"
"It's okay, I was shocked. And I didn't mention it because I didn't know until this morning. For a man who hates surprises himself, he sure is big on throwing them my way."
"So, where are you going? How long?"
"You think I know??" Carly laughed, rolling her eyes. "What did I just say about surprises? I'm guessing we'll be gone a week, maybe two. But I have no idea where we're going. All he told me was I could get away with packing light."
"I'd say that implies a warm climate."
Carly mulled that over, an idea springing to her brain in moments. "Warm as in tropical, perhaps? I bet I know exactly the place! He took me there once before, right after we went to the Dominican Republic to get my divorce from AJ. Did you know Sonny has his very own island?"
Bobbie raised impressed eyebrows. "You're kidding."
"Nope. I mean, he owns it, the whole thing. And the casino on it. We went and Sonny gave me some silly lecture on quitting while you're ahead."
"That tends to be pretty good advice, you know," Bobbie pointed out, Carly rolling her eyes again. "Well, did you like it there?"
"The island? Oh, it was fabulous, Mama! The sun, the white sand, that deep blue-green water… The smell of the salt air and those tropical flowers… And at night there were so many stars in the sky. I remember Sonny and I sitting outside just taking it all in. I mean, we still didn't even like each other very much then. But I think there's something magical about that place, because we actually started to talk to each other, and listen, you know? We talked about taking Michael and the baby there someday. I started feeling like maybe we could get close and things could work out after all. Then…" Carly got quiet.
"Then what?"
Carly bit her lip, reluctant to bring it up. "That was when we got the call that Sorel had grabbed you. Sorry, Mama." She could see Bobbie's skin crawl at the memory. "Then came that oh-so-long week of him totally freezing me out over the whole letting you into his desk thing. I didn't think he was ever gonna trust me again."
"But he obviously does now. He married you." Bobbie took Carly's hand and squeezed it. Carly now sat next to her mother on the sofa, Michael content playing by himself.
"Yeah, he does. He trusts me like I trust him." Carly smiled, shaking her head softly. "It's just so weird, isn't it? I mean, you know how Sonny and I were not long back. Would you ever have guessed in a million years we'd be married, and having a baby… though not necessarily in that order… and trust each other, and even kinda like each other?"
"'Even kinda like each other'? Honey, please."
"What?"
"Carly, I'll admit I didn't think you marrying Sonny was the greatest idea at first. I thought it was for the baby only and that wasn't enough to build a marriage on. But I was at that wedding yesterday. Everyone who was there saw it. I understand now."
"Understand what?"
"That you two are in love."
Carly had not been expecting her mother to say that. And she had no idea what to say back. Her mouth fell open a little, no words came out, and she closed her mouth again. She looked at her son, who was conveniently starting to droop a little, and she had found a distraction. "I need to put Michael down for his nap. Be right back."
Bobbie kissed Michael's head before Carly scooped him up and made her way toward the stairs. "Okay… It'll still be true when you get back." Left alone, she smiled a mother's knowing smile and pulled from her purse what she had brought for Carly to see. She really doesn't know yet. She hasn't let herself. But maybe she'll see it now. As they say, a picture paints a thousand words.
After about five minutes worth of trying to sort out her emotions and debating herself in her head, Carly came back down the stairs in full denial mode, already spouting reasoned explanations for Bobbie's hastily drawn conclusion.
"I'm not in love with Sonny, okay? And he's not in love with me. We just… It's like I said before. I know we're pretty dramatically different from how we used to be with each other not that long ago. And I get how that could make you jump to the L-assumption. But, this is me and Sonny. We're never gonna get to a place that… normal," she tried to laugh.
Bobbie just looked at Carly, and Carly kept talking.
"I mean, we have feelings for each other, sure. We care about each other, a lot. And, okay, I can say without a doubt that he's the only man I've ever really made love with. But that doesn't mean we are in love… Totally different thing. And that's not why we got married. We got married so we could have our family." Carly looked down and slipped one of her sandals on and off, repeatedly, to avoid looking at her mother.
"Well… I have to get to the hospital now. But, here, I mostly came to give you these." Bobbie handed Carly what had been resting in her lap. "I did one-hour photo and got my rolls of your wedding pictures developed. They came out great. Very clear. In fact, some things are downright unmistakable." She hugged her daughter goodbye and walked to the door, turning back with her hand on the doorknob. "And, if you say I'm wrong about you and Sonny, I won't bring it up again. But, it seems to me… you want a family mighty badly with someone you claim not to love."
Then Bobbie was gone, leaving Carly to look at the wedding pictures. The very first was a picture of her and Sonny kissing just outside the church doors. They really did look good together. She could remember the feel of that kiss just by looking at it. She could feel the warmth pouring through her. Doesn't mean anything… Or does it? Damn it, Bobbie's got me all confused now! She flipped to the next picture, taken when they were talking to Emily and Juan… and Lila.
Yes, Lila! I need to talk to Lila. I need some of her wisdom. Maybe she can help me figure out how I feel. Because, if I really do love Sonny… this marriage could be in trouble.