Chapter Eighteen

The Dinner Party

At the Evans Home...

The men were all waiting for their wives in the living room. They were all dressed to the nines in suits. Philip and Brady were wearing dark suits that brought out the color of their enigmatic blue eyes. Miguel, Shawn, Michael, and Max were also wearing suits, yet theirs seem to bring light their beautiful brown eyes. Michael and Max were playing with their sons' on the floor when the first couple of wives entered the room.

Belle walked into the room, immediately heading towards to two small children. Shawn watched as she walked in and took a deep breath. She was beautiful with that certain glow that only a mother can have. She was wearing a black two-piece suit. The shirt was a strapless tunic maternity top with slits on both sides. It suited her eight-month pregnant figure perfectly with her hair in a sleek chignon. She was an absolute beauty.

"Azarian, Gabriel your mothers would like to see you. Come with me and I'll take you to them." She said as she held out her hands for the children to grasp.

"Look, why don't I take the children to the room, while you sit down and take a rest." Max suggested before Shawn could say the same thing himself.

"Max, you don't have to do that. I can take the children back myself. I am not an invalid, besides that it's not too strenuous." Belle said as Shawn interrupted her.

"Belle, honey, I think that he just wants to take his son back himself. And I would actually like a chance to talk to you myself. I mean, I haven't exactly got a chance to speak with you all day." He helped to ease Belle back into a chair where he could sit next to her to talk.

"Okay, but Maria wants the kids brought back to her. She's in their room with Devon and Paloma (Miguel's younger sister)." Belle said as both Michael and Max headed out of the room. Kay and Mimi entered the room from a different direction talking and laughing about something.

"Did you see that guy?" Kay asked.

"Yeah, he was hot." Mimi stopped talking as she entered the living room and saw her husband in a black suit his blue eyes and blonde hair gleaming. His brow was arched as he stood. "Hi babe!" She said brightly.

"What were you talking about?" Miguel asked as he walked up to his wife and kissed her. She placed her hands on his suit to straighten his tie.

"Nothing, for you to worry about, believe me. Now tell me, do you like?" She moved away from him and twirled about so he could see her outfit. She was wearing a blue snake skin, shoestring, V-neck top that neatly went over her sleek black skirt that had a thigh-high slit on it. Her hair was in a neat some up and some down style that was curled delicately at the ends.

"You look good, all of you guys do." Miguel said as he brought her back up to stand in front of him. He looked over at Belle at the couch with Shawn's hand on her stomach and Mimi who stood a few feet behind Kay.

"Well, at least someone thinks we do." Mimi said as she walked to her husband. "Don't you have anything to say, Brady?" She asked him, coming to stand in front of him.

Brady watched his wife. Man, she looked good in her cerulean shoestring-strapped dress with a plunging neckline. It was a short dress that ended mid-thigh. It was sexy however totally inappropriate for his wife and mother of his child. "You know you look good. You don't need me to tell you that. Too good in fact. I think that you should go," Mimi interrupted her husband knowing exactly what he was going to say.

They had this argument several times before. "Brady Black, you may be my husband but you don't tell me what I can or cannot wear. Besides, there is nothing wrong with what I am wearing. I am a grown woman."

Before Mimi and Brady could continue this argument, Philip asked a question. "You guys chill out. Mimi looks fine. Brady, you're overreacting. So stop arguing about it and tell me where is my wife?"

"See Philip agrees with me." Mimi turned to Philip. "She was in the children's room watching Devon so Maria could finish her make-up." As Mimi said the last word Philip started down the hallway.

(The children's room...)

"Devon, sweetheart, come here for a second." Maria said as she walked into the room putting on her earring.

"Oh Momma, you wook pretty." Devon said looking at her mother from her seat by the table.

"Well thank you, sweetie." Maria responded as she kneeled down next to her daughter careful not to ruin her black floral print slip dress. "Now Momma wants you to be a good girl for Paloma. And behave yourself while your Daddy and I are gone. So that means no using your 'talents' and changing things colors, young lady. You understand?" She asked her small daughter as she smoothed down the child's flyaway blonde curls.

"I'll be very good, Momma. I won't change colors on anything or 'Zarian's hair, I prwomise." Devon answered her mother with a noble, innocent, and trusting face. Liz, Chloe and Paloma entered the room.

"Hey where's Gabriel?" Liz asked as she entered the room looking for him.

"Here I am Momma." Gabriel answered happily from his father's arms. As both Max and Michael walked into the room carrying their sons.

Liz looked at her husband and son and had a flash of another time when Max and she were in Las Vegas together. She shook her head to loose that memory and reached for her son. "Come here, Gabe." She said taking the small child out of his father's arms. "I want you to be a good boy for your cousin Paloma."

As Liz spoke softly to Gabe, Max watched her. She looked striking with her hair down about her shoulders. She talked animatedly to Gabriel, he giggled at something amusing she said. He watched her carry Gabe over to his bed and sat him down on it. As she bended to place him (Gabriel) on the bed, Max got a good glance at the outfit she was wearing. The spaghetti strap black top made her olive tone complexion glow. The matching skirt had a tasteful slit on the side that made her look extremely sexy, too sexy to be someone's mother. Whatever it takes, I will do whatever it takes to get you back. I swear, whatever it takes.

Michael walked over to Max after leaving Azarian with his mother, sister, and Paloma. He automatically knew what Max was thinking. "Dude, don't worry about it. We will get her back for you. I promise you we will." Michael said tapping Max's shoulder.

While the others in the room were watching everyone else, Chloe reentered the room. Liz, Maria, and Paloma were all playing with the children and Max and Michael were watching them.

Devon looked up and Chloe at the door watching her. "Auntie 'Loe come here. Looka what Momma gave me." Devon said as she ran to Chloe who was standing at the door. Chloe leaned down and picked up her small body as she ran into her.

Chloe held the little girl in her arms as she showed Chloe the ring Maria had given her. "That's a pretty ring, Devon."

"Thank you. You prego?"

The question took Chloe by shock. At first not understanding what the child meant. "Oh you mean pregnant?" Devon nodded. "Yes, I'm pregnant just like your Momma is and Belle."

"Oh, you have a baby there?" She pointed to Chloe's stomach. "Can I touch?"

"Sure but it's too earlier for you to feel the baby move." Chloe held Devon's small hand against her stomach.

"Oh you have two babies."

"No, sweetie, I'm only pregnant with one child."

"Uh, uh, two babies one boy, one girl." Devon said shaking her head. Maria and
Michael looked up and over at their child at the same time. "Like 'Zarian and me." They looked at each other. Maria mouthed, 'Get her,' to Michael. He nodded and started to walk over to her. "Hey Twiddle Dum!" Devon said to Philip as he stood behind Chloe watching them.

All of the adults turned and saw him. They began to laugh at him.

Philip had just entered the room when he saw her standing with Devon. As his wife talked with the two-year old child, he imagined for a minute that it was their child she was speaking to. However, he snapped out of his daydream when the pixie-like, blonde-haired child saw him and smiled. "Hey Twiddle Dum," everybody looked up and saw him they laughed. He sighed, what did he expect she was Maria's daughter after all.

Chloe handed Devon over to her father and continued to laugh as her husband came over to her.

"I'm sorry Philip, she must have heard me say that." Maria said barely containing her laughter.

"It's fine, I was acting like an idiot before." He walked directly to his laughing wife. "It was only before right?"

"Yeah... yes, it was only before." Chloe stopped laughing and looked at Philip. He looked handsome in his suit, picture perfect. "Hey, I just heard some interesting news, you want to hear it?" She asked grabbing his hand to play with his wedding band.

"Sure," he responded.

"I'm pregnant with twins." She said it with a straight face. Philip stopped moving and froze completely. "Philip, Philip are you here?" She snapped her fingers in front of his face. He grabbed her hand.

"Are you serious? When did you see the doctor? What doctor did you see?" He immediately began his rapid-fire questions.

"Well actually, I didn't see a doctor. And don't worry as far as I know I only have one child here," she patted her covered stomach. "I just wanted to see how you would react." Philip released a breath.

"So who told you that you could be pregnant with twins?"

"Okay, promise you won't laugh?" He nodded. "Devon told me. She was touching my stomach and she said that the babies were one boy and one girl. Then I told her that I was only pregnant with one child. But she was very persistent about it." Philip had an amused look on his face.

"So you let a little girl tell you about our child. That's cute." He responded.

"Well, you would think so but she was so sure. Anyway, what are you doing back here? I thought you were going to wait in the living room until we were ready."

"I was but I missed you out there. Besides, I was the only one out there without a wife. And we do have reservations for dinner..."

"Oh well, you know it takes time to look like this." Chloe said as Philip's yes swept across her body form head to toe. From the spaghetti straps of her flowered maternity top (first trimester), to the silken radiance of her peach skirt. He glaze went back to his wife's beautiful long hair that lay against her shoulders.

"Well, are you ready to go now?" he asked as she tightened his tie around his neck and kissed him on the nose.

"Yeah, I'm ready. Maria, Liz are you ready?" She turned and asked the other women in the room.

"Yes, just a sec. Why don't you go ahead and head out?" Maria said at the bed where Azarian was sitting watching as she and Michael brought Devon and put her on the bed beside him.

"Okay, come on Philip lets go round up everyone else," Chloe grabbed his hand and led him out of the room.

"Aren't you going to get something else to put on with that?" Philip started to ask as he was dragged out of the room.

As soon as the Kiriakis' had left the room, Maria bend down once again so that she was eye level with her children. "Okay, you know the deal, no Czech stuff while Daddy and I are gone. That means no colorful toys, Devon; no animated object s that aren't naturally that way, Azarian. Daddy and I will be back in a little while. And tomorrow we are going to discuss why someone needs to tell his daughter not to repeat everything that she hears or envisions." Maria kissed both of the twins on their cheeks and turn to pointedly stare at Michael. He repeated the process with the twins and escorted Maria out of the room. "Bedtime at eight"

Liz kissed her son. "Be good. I'll see you later, call me if you have any trouble, Paloma." Liz said as she too followed the same path as Michael and Maria.

"Don't worry about it, Liz. I baby-sit for Luis and Theresa all the time. This is no different." Paloma reassured her cousin as Liz walked out of the room followed by Max a few minutes later.

At Zanzibar... a restaurant and jazz club

Dinner had just been finished when Philip was about to tell the ladies what they had planned for Saturday when they excused themselves to go to the bathroom.

"Man, why didn't you say anything?" Miguel asked Philip.

"I was going to say something but they went to the bathroom. What did you want me to do, make them sit here and hold it while I talked to them about the plan?"

"No," Max, Michael, Brady, and Shawn all answered simultaneously.

"I realize that you have not been staying with Chloe but, you NEVER ask a pregnant woman to hold it. That is liable to get you hurt." Michael, the voice of experience said.

"Or worse," Brady contributed.

"Guys, I know that you would like to think that you're the pros on this. But even I know that. I have been around pregnant women before." Philip responded as he saw them heading back toward the table. "Look, they're coming back now, everyone act normal. I will tell them as soon as they get back."

Meanwhile in the bathroom ...

"Okay, am I the only one wondering when they are going to get on with this?" Mimi said refreshing her makeup.

"I know what you mean. Even though, the dinner was great, I'd just wish they'd get to it already." Kay said as she combed her hair.

"Well, why don't we just tip their hands a little bit?" Belle asked from her seat on the couch next to Maria.

"Belle's right, we should tip their hands. I think I know just what we should do. Is everyone ready to leave?" Chloe asked as she stood waiting.

"Yeah," the women started to move to the door when Liz asked them to stop.

"I was wondering if you guys could gave me a few minutes alone to talk to Max." She nervously pushed her hair behind her ears.

"Sure, I could get Chad to put on a song and then we can all get up to dance to it." Kay said referring to the owner of the club.

"That's a good idea." Kay headed out of the door. "Ready?" Chloe asked. The women all nodded. "Alright then, let's do this." Chloe said as she and the other women left the bathroom.

As the women approached the table the men all stood behind their chairs to push the women in as they were seated. After the women were seated, they (the men) sat down, each one on the side of their wives.

"Thanks, "Belle said cuing Chloe to get the men into action. Chloe bowed her head slightly making the action of a nod.

"Philip, since you are going to be so busy, and we obviously can't go to New York this weekend, we thought that we could go to a spa or something. It would be the whole day but we'd try to be back on Sunday. Do you think that we could do that and still get back early Sunday morning?" She asked him as he sat with his arm around the back of her chair playing with her hair.

The men all looked at Philip with not so hidden 'tell them,' expression. He nodded his head and turned to Chloe. "Actually, I don't think that you can go away this weekend because we have something special planned for you guys tomorrow night." He released a breath.

Chloe looked at Philip with surprise on her face, "What are you talking about?"

"We planned on taking you to a charity ball tomorrow night, The Latin Sensation Charity Ball. The guys and I have spent all week planning this. We secured the limos, tickets, and even the dresses for you guys to wear. Everything is set; all you have to do is say 'Yes'. So what do you say?" Philip finished as he grasped Chloe's hand.

"I... I don't know what to say. This is such a surprise to me. I don't know. What do you guys think?" she eyed the other women to respond.

"Yeah, Kay what do you think? I mean you do want to go right?" Miguel asked as he turned toward his wife.

"As Chloe said this is quite a surprise. But, I would like to go. It sounds like you have everything already set. So my answer is yes, I want to go." Kay said playing her part to a T.

"So that's why you came here this weekend and didn't tell me. You came to help Philip and them,'" she gestured to the other men. "Plan this event?" Belle asked her husband.

"Exactly, Belle. That's why we, that is Brady and I came here." Shawn said as he moved to place his hand on the swell of Belle's stomach.

"That's so sweet, of you to do that Shawn Brady. So of course I'll go and I'm sure the rest of the ladies will too. Won't you?"

"Yes, it sounds like fun." Mimi said.

"Ditto," Maria said.

"What about you Liz, are you willing to go?" Max asked as the background to Here With Me began to play.

"I love this song. Come on, Michael dance with me." Maria said as she rose from her chair and grabbed his hand to pull him out to the dance floor. After Maria and Michael left, the other couples followed them minutes later, except for Max and Liz.

"Well, that certainly was convenient. Can I assume from this mass evacuation that you wanted to talk to me alone?" Max asked.

"Yes, I did. I wasn't expecting you guys to plan anything. But, I asked them to give us some time alone in the bathroom. I have something that I need to explain to you."

Max looked hesitant as he waited for her to continue.

"I was really hurt by what you said to me. I never for a second thought that what I did before was on your mind so much. I don't know that I can completely forgive you because I did what I thought was right and after all that's happened I don't regret it at all. It destroyed our relationship for sometime, I know. But, it helped to shape who I am today."

"No matter what happens between us Max," she reached for his hands. "I want you to know that I love you. I need you in my life. So what I am saying to you is that even though, I am not be able to forgive you completely, now. I think that over time I may --- we maybe able to understand and forgive each other, completely." Liz moved her eyes from Max's hands to his eyes as she searched for some response. After a minute Max still hadn't said anything. Liz stood and started to remove her hands from his, her eyes filled with unshed tears.

"Are you asking me to come home?"

"Yes, I am asking you to come home." She responded quietly. Max stood and pulled Liz to him, wrapping his arms around her waist, he hugged her.

"Liz, I've missed you so much. I am sorry, so sorry." As he hugged her he realized that he would go through with this plan even though he didn't have to now. Because tomorrow night after the performance, she would forgive him completely.

While Max and Liz were having a private moment, the other couples were all dancing. Mimi and Brady were off to the side engaged in a private conversation of their own.

"So my dear wife did you tell the ladies about the plan?"

"Now, Brady, how can you ask me that? You know I can keep a secret. Besides, that what makes you think that they knew anything?" She asked as he twirled her around the dance floor.

"Oh, I don't know it could be that I saw a look pass between you guys at the table. Or it could be something else."

"That look, as you call it, was to get away from the table so Liz could talk to Max privately." Mimi responded, as she looked passed Brady's broad shoulders at Liz and Max embracing each other. "And it worked. Look at them." He turned and saw them. "Well, my job is complete. So how about you tell what's really going on tomorrow?" Mimi asked as they continued to move around the dance floor.

Chloe and Philip were off on another side of the dance floor when they saw Max and Liz.

"I knew that all she needed to do was talk to him. Now, they can get back to normal."

"What do you mean normal?" Philip asked pulling her closer into his arms.

"I meant that he should move back into the house and all of us can get out of Liz's hair. Now there's something I wanted to talk to you about."

"Well what is it?"

"Let's go outside for a minute." She pulled out of his arms, grabbed his hand and led the way out to the terrace. Once she got there she pulled him behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. After a second she spoke. "I wanted to tell you that when Belle and Shawn and Mimi and Brady leave on Monday, I want to go back with them. I want to go home." Philip went still. Then he placed his hands on Chloe's waist to turn her around.

He pushed her hair back from her face so that he could look at her. "You want to go home?" He asked as if he were making sure he'd heard her right.

"Well, yes. I want to go home. Besides that I have to get back to work." She placed her hands on his shirt. "Even though, my father is Chief of Staff at the hospital, I think that a month is a little long to be gone for. Considering I'll have to take maternity leave in a little while."

"That's all you want to go home for?"

"Yeah, I mean what else is there? What am I missing?" She paused as if she was thinking about it. "Oh, there is one more thing."

"What?"

"Well, I've decided to go home with you tonight." She slid her hands up around his neck. "I've missed waking up in arms in the morning. So I'd thought, I'd remedy that small problem by going home with you, staying with you until we leave. So what do you think about that?"

"I think that my wife is ..." He never got to complete his statement because Chloe brought his head down to hers so she could kiss him. As their lips touched Philip thought, Finally everything is falling into place. Thank God. "

Author's Note: As of 4/29/05 Ihave taken out the lyrics to Here with Me by Dido, as per the request of the management anywhere the lyrics appeared there is now an . So please take note if you wish to see the chapter in it's entirety with the lyrics please check my website.