Gloomily, I looked out onto the beautiful night from the terrace of our hotel room. The Italian countryside could have been part of a painting, so silent and still, the green landscape lit by stars. Yet, what good was romantic scenery and stars when Tony was so silent and sullen?
I could no longer stand the tension between us.
"You're mad at me, aren't you?" I asked.
"Why on earth should I be mad at you?" Tony snapped, downing his sherry in a vicious gulp. "You did a commendable job today. Stefano promised your safety. And that was the goal, was it not?"
I shrugged, bewildered.
"You just seem so tense..."
Tony shook his head as he walked into the bedroom from the terrace, slumping into an easy chair by the bed.
"I apologize," he sighed. "I suppose Stefano always knew how to bring out the worst in me. He still has that ability, dying or no."
"I'm sorry that you had to go through all of that."
I felt myself starting to cry and hated myself for it. But in my condition, I tended to cry at the drop of a hat these days.
"I suppose you wish you'd never gotten mixed up with me..." I sobbed.
"What?!" Tony rushed over to my side and held me. "You know that you and the baby mean everything to me. What nonsense is this?"
"You had a happy life, all secluded and safe from Stefano. You were free of him at last. And then I came along and messed everything up..."
"I was living the life of a coward," he said. "You must never say such things..."
We sat together on the bed, cradled in each other's arms. Sniffling, I calmed down a little. How would I ever be able to take care of a baby when I was being such a child myself?
"But you seem to have made an excellent impression on Stefano though..."
I couldn't help but smile proudly through my tears.
"I did, didn't I?"
Tony chuckled a little at my response.
"And if nothing else, Stefano values family," he nodded. "He could not possibly look at you, all swollen and pregnant with his great-grandchild and not be moved to help you."
"Best of all, he promised me that he would talk to EJ and make him leave us alone."
"Yes."
The tone of Tony's voice was doubtful.
"You don't believe him?" I asked.
"Well, we all know what Stefano's promises are worth..."
I began to worry again.
"Oh, Stefano will talk to Elvis," Tony assured me. "Of that, I have no doubt. But I wonder what price we will have to pay for his help. I suppose that is what is really bothering me."
"A price?"
"Even where Stefano's family is concerned, there will be a price to be paid. I should know."
I shouldn't have been surprised at Tony's attitude.
Even after our meeting with Stefano had proven successful, Tony could not wait for us to escape the hospital, racing down the narrow streets in the car like a demon. The entire time that we were on the road, Tony constantly looked over his shoulder as we sped along, certain that we would be followed. Since we were both exhausted after several hours on our journey, we decided to stop at this remote inn somewhere on the outskirts of the Italian countryside.
"But for the moment, it seems that everything went according to plan," Tony conceded. "And tomorrow we'll be going home again. Now you must rest. Your newly sealed deal with Stefano will be useless if you fall ill from exhaustion."
"Speaking of which," I moaned. "I am pretty darned tired."
"Do you have everything you need?" Tony asked.
"Yes, Tony," I answered. "For the hundredth time..."
"Well, as an expectant father, I have a duty to worry."
"I know...and you're worrying enough for the both of us."
The horrible days of the morning sickness were over. And now I was in that middle trimester that was supposed to be the best part. My stomach was starting to get hard and stretching out. The weight of the baby was starting to cause an annoying pressure on my back and bladder. And I wanted to sleep all of the time.
Lying down on my side on the small bed, I went through my ritual of putting one pillow between my knees and another on the side of my stomach to ease the pressure on my back.
"Ohhh!" I cried out in surprise.
"What's wrong?" Tony rushed to my side, eyes wide with anxiety.
"Oh, well, nothing...really..."
"You didn't sound like it was nothing!"
"Come here..."
I pulled Tony next to me on the bed and put his hand on my stomach.
And there it was again.
Tony exhaled his breath sharply at the feel of our child kicking from inside of me. The moment was such a cliché. Both of us clutched on to my stomach as if we never knew such a thing were possible. Even so, it felt so incredible. We both laughed in excitement and then waited for a long time, hoping to feel the baby kick again.
"Maybe he fell asleep..." Tony said softly.
"He?" I teased. "And how are you so sure this child is a boy?"
"Only a boy can kick that hard."
"Oh, what a chauvinistic thing to say!" I exclaimed. "If we have a daughter, I'm going to tell her you said that!"
"I am sure this is a boy," Tony taunted. "Care to make a little wager?"
"With you?" I giggled. "You'd find some way to sneak off an ultrasound in my sleep and make sure I lose the bet somehow!"
Tony laughed loudly.
"My wife knows me so well..."
For a while, we were a normal couple again, relaxed and happy. I hadn't felt this way since...well, ironically not since before we got married.
But even the calm moments did not last long.
"Stefano's taken everything that I've ever loved..." Tony said sadly. "I can't let him take this from me. I won't."
His words caused me to shiver.
"Tony, why on earth would Stefano want to do that?" I asked, recalling the old man we had just left. "He wouldn't want to hurt me or the baby. I'm sure of it. And you said yourself that he liked me."
"I'm sure he does," Tony nodded. "But I also know that I have spent some time thwarting Stefano from his goals
"But that won't stop him from trying to hurt me, nevertheless."
"But why would he hurt you now?"
"Oh, didn't you see how we were at each other's throats today?" he sighed. "I was always a disappointment to him. When he found out that I was not really a blood relation of his, that only made everything worse. He's tortured me and tormented me for not being truly of his blood. And for not being willing to commit the atrocities that he wanted me to. And he's not through with his revenge against me. I've thwarted him for too many years. I only wish I could predict what his next move is. Alas, I was never the master at chess that he was."
"Oh, stop talking this way..." I said, snuggling against him. "Once we're back in Salem, we'll feel better."
"I hope so, Leigh. I hope so."
---------------------------------------
And for a while, we did feel better.
Tony again occupied himself with working with various business ventures and charities, attempting to restore his own good reputation despite all of the prejudice and suspicion that he battled every day. The bombing at our wedding only set his cause back further. No one in Salem trusted anyone with the last name of DiMera.
As for myself, I put all of my efforts into decorating and preparing the nursery for the baby. There was a lot that needed to be done and not much time left to get it done in. I had to admit that nothing quite brightened my day as the sight of Bart assembling the newest bouncy chair or baby stroller. Seeing the tough guy walking around with pastel-looking stuffed animals always made me crack a smile. He didn't seem to mind though. I think he was almost as excited about 'Baby D' as we were.
When I wasn't working on the nursery, I was constantly buying new maternity clothes as I was starting to balloon into a whale. Tony said he didn't mind how big I was getting, that I was pregnant with his baby and that I was beautiful. He could whisper sweet words like that all day long; but I still looked and felt miserable, waddling around all over the place. I would be so happy when this baby was out of me!
As soon as Jennifer had fully recovered, she started talking about throwing me a baby shower. I was reticent about having another party after all that had happened at the wedding. But she insisted, assuring me that the shower would be a small one. I insisted that if there was to be a shower, that we at least hold it at the mansion where I could be sure that everyone would be safe.
My worries were groundless.
The baby shower turned out to be quite pleasant. Besides my faithful three friends, Alice and Maggie Horton were there...as was Caroline Brady, Julie Williams, Celeste Perrault, Belle Black and Kayla Johnson. We actually had a good time, playing silly little games for prizes and wrecking our diets with amazing food.
Maybe life could somehow resemble a normal existence after all.
"Mrs. D?" Bart called out, interrupting us in our gaeity. "This gift came, special delivery."
"Really? Who's it from?"
"Don't know. There's no card."
I could feel the tense silence in the room. All of the women looked at each other nervously.
"It's not ticking, is it?" I joked, although I was only halfway kidding.
Just as seriously, Bart shook the package.
"Nah, don't be silly! This is too light to be a bomb."
"Just the same..." I said, looking around at all of the guests nervously. "Maybe you should open it outside."
"Sure, Mrs. D."
A few moments, Bart returned.
"It's just a music box, Mrs. D. Kinda pretty too, ain't it?"
The word 'pretty' did not describe it. It was absolutely gorgeous, ornate and golden with jewels encrusted in it. There was a beautiful etched depiction of a bird on the lid. The image made my heart beat frantically.
"Oh, my gosh, that must have cost a fortune!" Jennifer gasped. "It's so beautiful."
"Yes," Hope agreed, looking a little envious. "Why don't I ever get any music boxes like that?"
"It helps if you're married to Tony," Jennifer answered. " I'm sure he's the one who got it for her!"
"You think so?" Hope asked.
"Come on," Jennifer answered. "Who else could afford to buy a gift like that? Except maybe Victor Kiriakis...and he would have left a card, right, Leigh?"
I was only halfway aware of that conversation. I was transfixed on the image of the bird with the emerald eyes on the music box. The ladies were not aware that the bird on the music box represented the legendary Phoenix. And I was not about to tell them.
"Leigh, are you okay?"
"Oh, yes," I answered. "You're right. Victor actually already got me a present. A baby blanket..."
"Engraved and fur-lined no doubt..."
"Of course."
As I opened the music box, a haunting melody played. What was that song? I knew it. And yet somehow I couldn't place it. I narrowed my eyes in concentration, trying to recall the melody.
Suddenly, a splitting pain ripped through my head. I dropped the box and clutched at my skull, screaming in agony.
The women cried out in alarm as I doubled over. Well, as much as I could double over in the state that I was in.
"Leigh, my God!" Jennifer cried. "Are you okay?"
I could barely answer, but only flinch through the sharp pain.
"Let me look at her..." Marlena insisted. "Maybe I can help. Leigh?"
I heard the voices, but I could not see them. The pain was literally blinding me.
"Maybe we should call Tony...?" Hope suggested.
"Marlena, help me upstairs..." I panted. "It's just a weird migraine, that's all. I just need to lie down."
"Are you sure?" she asked worriedly.
Jennifer and Marlena both helped me up to my room.
"We should call Tony..." Jennifer insisted.
And then another wave of nauseating pain came along, causing me to cry out.
"That's it, Leigh," Marlena said. "We should take you to the hospital...now..."
"No, Marlena. Please...I hate hospitals..." I gasped.
"That's too bad. You're going."
Suddenly, Bart was in the room with us.
"I got you, Mrs. D..." he soothed, picking up and carrying me like a rag doll. "We'll get you to a doctor. Don't you worry about nothin'."
"Get Tony..." I begged. "I need Tony."
"Sure, sure..." he promised. "As soon as you get to the doc, I'll get the Boss."
I was barely aware of the ride to the hospital or what people were saying around me. I just kept trying to breathe through the pain.
At some point, I was on a cold hospital bed. The nurse was talking to me, but I couldn't seem to hear her.
I could only hear one thing.
That melody playing over and over in my head...driving me mad. I tried to concentrate on the musical notes, biting my lip until it bled...
And then all was dark...
And there was nothing but the music...
--------------------------------------------------
"Rolf, you idiot! You promised me she would not be harmed!"
"She is perfectly fine, Stefano. A little minor side effect, but..."
"Minor! The poor child was screaming in agony an hour ago. Are you certain the baby is unharmed?"
"The baby is perfectly safe, Stefano. You have my word."
Baby? I thought, confused. What baby ? I was pregnant?
And what was Stefano talking about? Had I been ill?
Not ready to face reality just yet, I laid still with my eyes closed, trying to remember what had happened to me. And yet there were just random images...of Tony and of Stefano, of Marlena and of Anna. I remembered being a little girl in Georgia, of being the perpetual outsider...only to become a DiMera. Bits and pieces of random crazy memories crashed through my psyche like a kaleidoscope.
"Stefano?" I called out weakly.
"Ah, my princess..." he soothed, being so sweet to me as he held my hand and stroked my hair. "How are you, my dear heart?"
"What's happening to me? What's happening? I don't understand."
"You've just had an accident, my dear. As a result, you're suffering from a slight memory loss, but you'll be fine."
"I feel so strange..."
Placing my hand on my stomach, there was no question about it. I was going to have a baby...and pretty soon too.
"I'm having a baby?"
"Yes. Don't you remember?"
"No..."
"You don't remember your husband? David? David Banning?"
"David?" I repeated in confusion.
An image as clear as day came into my mind of David. And I knew everything about him. His scent and his touch. Our first date. The first time we met. Our wedding day. Everything.
I also remembered that I did not love David.
Tony.
I needed Tony. He would explain things to me, just as he always had. He would help me.
"Tony?" I called out. "Where's Tony? I need him..."
"Don't you worry about Tony," Stefano soothed. "You are with me now. And I shall take care of you. Haven't I always taken care of you, my lovely daughter? My beautiful Renee...come back to me at last. You are safe now. I shall never let anyone hurt you ever again."
