Chapter 25
The vibration of his cell phone woke Bo the next morning, far before the alarm clock had a chance to accomplish that task. Grabbing the phone and squinting in the early-morning light, he saw that he had a text message.
Coming into town tonight. Meet me at The Cheatin Heart at 7:00. You and I have to talk – Shawn
Bo wasn't quite sure what to make of his son's message. But if he and Belle had been in Greece when Chelsea talked to him yesterday, then he had to have taken a plane in order to reach Salem today. Somehow Bo doubted it was because Shawn wanted to offer his congratulations.
Lying in bed next to Carly, who was still sleeping peacefully, Bo made the decision to meet his son alone. He knew Carly would balk at the idea, but Bo didn't want Shawn around Carly until he got a feel for his son's emotional state.
Shawn had been a little boy when Carly had left. He'd grown into a rebellious teenager and a troubled young man, only settling down when he learned the truth about Claire's parentage. Bo had shared all this with Carly, but he'd been keeping one important fact of Shawn's past behavior from her.
Bo had yet to tell her about how devastated Shawn had been when they all thought Carly had died. Their little sailor had been inconsolable over the loss of the woman who had been a mother to him for three years. Bo had been helpless to comfort his son, being such a wreck himself, and many nights they would lie together in Bo and Carly's bed on the boat, crying themselves to sleep.
When Shawn had learned that Carly was alive, he'd been ecstatic. Until Bo had to tell his son that Carly wouldn't be returning to her life with the two of them. When he realized that Carly was leaving Salem to be with Nicky, Shawn had clammed up and refused to even speak her name to anyone again. Bo, sympathetic to Shawn's feelings and nursing his own broken heart twice over, had quickly found that the pain was not as brutal if he, too, didn't think on or speak about Carly.
It would be better for all involved if he met Shawn alone tonight. He'd just have to convince Carly of that fact. He also knew that he'd have to come clean about how her leaving had affected Shawn. The only reason he'd kept it from her was to protect her. She'd been such a mess when she came to him that Bo didn't think she could bear any other burdens. Maybe once he talked with Shawn, man to man, he could convince his son to at least come and see Carly. But if Shawn was in one of his moods, Bo didn't want him anywhere near Carly.
Shawn had a quick temper that burned hot and black. He'd rage out his anger, sometimes without thought as to how it would hurt others. Carly had been on the receiving end of enough male violence at the hands of Lawrence Alamain, and judging by her reaction when Doug had grabbed her arm that day in the Pub, she was not going to take kindly to any further aggression. A defensive Carly against an angry Shawn would likely not end well.
The alarm clock sounded, putting an end to Bo's internal debate. He quickly silenced it. Carly didn't move; a fact which made Bo smile. He was grateful that her bout with all-day-long morning sickness seemed to have passed and that she was able to rest comfortably. He slid from their bed and went into the bathroom to shower.
He'd meet Carly for lunch, maybe at the park if it wasn't too hot. Then he'd tell her about Shawn. Once he explained to her his reasons for not wanting her to go with him, Bo thought he could make her understand. If things went well between him and Shawn, well, he'd just have to see how it played out. No point in getting ahead of himself.
Stepping from the shower, Bo quickly finished up his morning routine and walked back to the bedroom to get dressed. Carly was still sleeping, or so he thought. He had just pulled on his jeans when her arms slid around his waist. She kissed his tattoo and rested her head over the spot.
"Morning, baby," she whispered, sounding half asleep.
"Morning, Princess." Bo turned in her arms and gave her a proper good morning kiss.
"How did you sleep?" he inquired when they separated.
"Like the dead," she murmured against his chest. "I'm not sure I moved after my head hit the pillow. I think I'm going to stop by and see Anne this morning."
"What? Why? Are you all right?" Bo's hands went to the mound of her belly. "Are you hurting?"
"No, baby, it's okay. I'm fine," Carly rushed to reassure him. "I'm just so tired that I'm afraid my iron may be low. I don't want to wait until my appointment next week to have it checked."
"I'll come with you."
"No, I'll just stop by her office before my shift. The test is only a finger prick. It's no big deal."
"Are you sure?"
"Really, it's fine, I promise."
"Okay," Bo said. He pulled on the shirt he'd been holding, and Carly helped him button it.
"You know, I think I like it better when you unbutton my shirt."
"Me, too, but that wouldn't get us very far."
Bo glanced at the bed behind him and waggled his eyebrows at Carly, making her giggle.
"You're out of luck this morning." Then she kissed him again before heading to the bathroom to get ready for her own day. Freshly showered and make-up applied, she walked back into the bedroom to dress only to find it devoid of Bo. She chose a green knit dress that flirted somewhere around her knees. The material was butter soft and felt wonderful next to her skin. Maternity fashions had certainly come a long way.
Sliding her feet into brown sandals, Carly grabbed her bag and headed downstairs to wake Ciara and help her get ready. Ciara was sitting on the side of her bed blinking sleepily when Carly got to her room.
"You're already awake," she said.
"The sun was bright and it woke me up. You look pretty this morning, Mommy."
"Thank you, Munchkin," Carly sat down on the bed and tugged Ciara onto her lap. Ciara snuggled into her, and Carly inhaled the sweet scent of her little girl.
"Did you sleep well, baby?"
Ciara nodded. "No bad dreams."
"I'm glad. Now, what would you like to wear to school today?"
Ciara wrapped her arms around Carly's neck and asked, "Do I have to go to school today, Mommy? Can't I go to work with you?"
"Munchkin, you missed most of your school day yesterday. School is important and it's okay to miss sometimes, but you really don't need to miss two days in a row."
"But I want to spend the day with you again." Ciara pouted and Carly almost gave in. The kid was hard to resist when she turned on the puppy-dog eyes. Too much like her daddy, Carly thought.
"Not today, Munchkin. But I'll make you a deal. Tonight, we'll read two stories instead of one. How does that sound?"
Ciara thought a moment and then held up her pinky. "Pinky promise?"
Carly obligingly hooked her pinky through Ciara's and gave their joined fingers a little shake. "I promise."
Smiling now, Ciara scampered to her closet and pointed to a green top, much the same shade as Carly's dress. "I want to wear that shirt, please, Mommy." Carly joined Ciara at the closet and removed the top from its hanger.
"How about these to go with it?" Carly held up a pair of striped capris. Ciara nodded and took the clothes from Carly. Ciara quickly dressed herself while Carly made up her bed. Then they sat down at Ciara's dresser so that Carly could fix her hair. In no time at all, Carly had Ciara's thick mane of hair secured into two French braids. She felt a quick twinge of regret over having missed these moments with Melanie, but she shoved the emotion back down. There was no need to dwell on what couldn't be changed. You're going forward, Manning, not backward.
"Run and brush your teeth and then we'll go have breakfast." Ciara obediently went to her adjoining bathroom and returned a couple of minutes later. Carly handed Ciara her backpack and together they made their way to the kitchen.
Bo was gathered around the kitchen counter, surrounded by Chelsea, Carys and Melanie. Chelsea looked as though she'd much rather be in bed, but she was nonetheless listening intently to what her father was saying.
"So can you three handle all that?" Bo asked the trio of girls. They nodded, and Chelsea, who was facing the open doorway, saw Carly and Ciara coming and kicked her dad in the shin.
"Ow! Hey, what's the big idea?"
"We've got company," Chelsea said and the others swirled around to look. They hastily gathered up papers just as Carly and Ciara made it to the kitchen, a fact that did not go unnoticed by Carly.
"Don't worry, Bo," Melanie was saying. "We've got it covered."
"Thanks, girls." Then Bo scooped up Ciara and deposited her in one of the bar stools.
"Good morning, Little One," he said to his baby girl.
"Hi, Daddy. What are you doing?"
"Oh, your sisters and I were discussing something. They'll tell you about it later." He leaned down closer to Ciara and stage-whispered, "It's a surprise for Mommy so keep quiet about it, okay?"
Ciara's eyes lit up at surprise, and she whispered back just as loudly, "I won't tell Mommy."
Carly smiled at Bo and Ciara and made a big show of getting the little girl's breakfast together. Once Ciara was munching on toast and eggs, Carly filled her own plate. She took Bo's coffee cup from him and inhaled the rich aroma.
"Wanna try some this morning?" Bo asked, but Carly shook her head. Coffee seemed to be the only thing left that triggered her nausea. But just the smell of it made her feel somewhat better so she frequently seized random family members' and friends' coffee cups just to get her fix. Finished with her hit, she passed the cup back to Bo.
"Thanks, Baby. I needed that. Where are the boys?"
"Up and gone," Carys replied, wiping down the stove.
"Who's taking me to school?" Ciara asked.
"I'll take you," Melanie volunteered. "Let me grab my shoes. When I get back, the three of us can work on that…thing."
"Right, the…thing," Chelsea repeated. "I'm gonna go for a run while you're out."
"I'll do a bit of research on the…thing while I wait for you two," Carys said, already heading out of the kitchen behind Melanie and Chelsea. That left Bo, Carly and Ciara sitting at the bar.
Ciara sat between her parents, feet thumping rhythmically against the counter. Carly sipped her orange juice and stared at Bo out of the corner of her eye. "What are you planning, Mr. Brady?"
"Who, me?" Bo was the picture of innocence. "Nothing really, just a little surprise for my bride-to-be."
"Bo, you know I don't like surprises," Carly protested. Bo rose and carried his dishes to the sink without reply. Then he kissed the top of Ciara's head. "Bo, did you hear me?"
Pulling Carly from her stool, Bo drew her into his arms and fused their mouths together in a gentle yet thorough kiss. Just as Carly got lost in the sensation of Bo's lips on hers, Bo withdrew from the temptation of her mouth and smiled at the woman he loved. "Princess, you'll love this surprise." He kissed her quickly once more and dashed out the door to the garage, calling out over his shoulder, "I'll call you for lunch later! Bye, Little One!"
Shaking her head over her fiancé, Carly carried her own dishes to the sink just as Melanie came back to the kitchen. "Ready, Ciara?" Melanie asked.
"Yes. Bye, Mommy, I love you."
Carly crouched down to Ciara's level and hugged her. "I love you, too, Munchkin. Have a good day at school."
Once at the hospital, Carly headed straight for Anne's office to have her iron level checked. Anne ran the test after Carly voiced her concerns and instructed her lab to rush the results.
"I don't know how you're walking around, Carly," Anne said once the blood work was back. "Your iron was 32 last month and it's down to 21 today. Are you eating right?"
"Yes, I'm never sick any more, but I'm tired all the time. Some nights it's been a struggle just to sit up with the kids and talk. Is there any particular reason that there would be such a sharp drop?"
"Not really. The baby is obviously taking everything you have. So we'll just give you a little more to feed this ravenous kid you're carrying." Anne smiled and didn't seem too concerned so Carly relaxed, too.
"I want you to take an over-the-counter supplement called Slow FE. It's a little easier on the stomach and provides a steady stream of iron. I still want you to keep your appointment next week, and we'll check the levels again to see how the iron pills are working."
"Okay, thanks, Anne. By the way, Bo and I have set a date. We're getting married on July 10th, and I'd love it if you'd come."
"I wouldn't miss it for the world, Carly. Where and what time?"
"I don't actually know yet," Carly replied laughing. She then told Anne about Chelsea's arrival and the kids' plans for her and Bo. "So we're waiting on them to tell us the details. I'll make sure one of them gets in touch with you."
"I think that's about the sweetest thing I've heard. Your children must love you and Bo very much to go to such great lengths to see the two of you happy."
"Anne, sometimes I think this is all a dream and that I'll wake up next to Lawrence, trapped in the hell that my life had become. I just don't know what I did to get so lucky."
"You deserve it, Carly," Anne said, knowing what her friend had gone through. "I'm so happy for you and for Bo."
"Thanks, Anne, you're a very good friend."
"So are you. I've missed you all these years, and I'm so glad that I took the job here in Salem. You were the best friend I ever had, Carly."
Carly dabbed at her eyes which were beginning to tear up. "Damn it, Anne. Don't make me cry! You know I love you, and I'm so grateful you're here to take care of me."
"All right, all right," Anne scoffed, though she was crying as well. "Look at us! Two grown women blubbering like a couple of teenage girls. Come on, Manning, get yourself together."
"Me? You're as much of a wreck as I am, Snow."
"Okay, enough is enough. Get out of here. Go get your pills and take one before you fall out in the operating room."
"Yes ma'am. I'll see you later." The two shared a brief hug, and Carly left the office in search of her much-needed iron pills. Just getting herself and Ciara ready this morning had taken nearly every ounce of strength she'd had.
She spent the morning reviewing case files and checking on patients. Bo, rather than calling her for lunch, showed up at noon to collect her in person. "What did Anne say?"
"My iron was low, just like I thought. I'm taking a supplement, and she'll check my blood again at my regular appointment next week. So stop fussing over me."
"Right, you like my fussing."
"Well, maybe just a little," Carly replied with a smile. She looped her arm through Bo's and let him lead her to the elevators. "What are you feeding us? Your child and I are starving."
"I thought about the park, but it's a little warmer than I thought it would be. Want to go to Taziki's? We could eat on their patio." Taziki's was a little Greek restaurant located next to the hospital, and it had quickly become a favorite of theirs.
Carly's eyes glazed over at the lure of a Greek chicken salad. "That sounds divine."
The restaurant was crowded, but the hostess showed them to a table out on the patio and automatically brought Carly water with lemon and Bo, an iced tea. Perhaps they frequented this place a little too often. They gave their orders to their server who brought them out in just a few minutes. That was one of the reasons the little café did so well with the hospital crowd – it was good food and the service was speedy.
"So are you gonna tell me what's bothering you?" Carly asked as she poured dressing on her salad.
"Nothing's bothering me," Bo shot back, stuffing extra slaw inside his pita.
Carly laid her fork on her plate and leveled a gaze at Bo. "I know you like the back of my hand, Bo Brady, and something is eating at you. What gives?"
Bo sighed, knowing he couldn't delay telling Carly about Shawn any longer. He showed her the text message and told her how he wanted to meet him alone. To his astonishment, Carly agreed with him.
"Bo, the last person that Shawn needs to see right now is me. I imagine he's fairly angry with the both of us, and though I hate for you to have to face all that anger alone, I really think I'd just make things worse."
"You sure keep me on my toes, Princess. I figured I'd have to handcuff you to the bed to keep you at home."
"Well, you don't have to handcuff me to keep me in bed, baby, but if it tickles your fancy…" Leaving the rest of her thought unspoken, Carly went back to innocently eating her salad, knowing that Bo was now imagining her in just such a position.
"You are evil, woman," Bo said, taking a long drink of his iced tea.
"You brought up the cuffs," Carly casually remarked.
"You're bringing up other things, and we're in public," Bo all but growled.
Dark lashes fluttered coyly at him and Carly said, "I'll behave…for now."
"Back to what we were discussing," Bo said, though he'd really rather continue down the path Carly had led them to. "What should I say to Shawn?"
Carly shrugged. "I think you're going to have to let him do the talking, at least at first. And take it from a parent who has loads of experience dealing with an irate child – you probably won't like what he has to say at all."
"I'm not going to let him trash you, Princess. I won't put up with anyone bad-mouthing you, especially my own son."
"Baby, that's very noble of you, and I appreciate it, but…"
"But you think I should just let him rant."
"I do. Look, he's been gone a while, right? When he left town his parents were together. Then he finds out that they've gotten divorced, his mother has given up his sister and left town, and his father is engaged and expecting another baby. That's a lot for a kid to take in."
"Shawn is not a kid, Carly. He's a grown man, a husband and a father. He needs to accept that the world doesn't revolve around him."
"It's still a lot to swallow about your parents, no matter how old you are. Please, promise me that you'll listen to him at first. Maybe he'll surprise you."
"You always look for the good in people, Princess. That's one of the things I love the most about you. You're always giving people the benefit of the doubt, even when they've hurt you."
"Well, Shawn hasn't hurt me." Not yet, anyway. "And no matter what, I'll always see him as the little boy who stole my heart, right along with his father."
"He hasn't been that little boy for a long time, Princess. I don't want your expectations to be too high."
"Look, we have so many people behind us. We have Ciara and this baby and our other children. Look at how far we've come, Bo. We can survive anything as long as we're together."
Bo leaned over and kissed Carly, wanting to show her and everyone else on the patio of Taziki's just how amazingly wonderful she was and how much he loved her. Then putting aside thoughts of anything unpleasant, they finished their meal.