Chapter Twenty-Three

The Arrival of the Kiriakis Children

Six Months Later… Kiriakis Mansion (Philip's Home)

It was a cold, December night in Salem outside the glorious Kiriakis Manor. Chloe was a restless nine months pregnant and still patiently awaiting the birth of her children. She was expecting twins' one boy and one girl; ironically it was just what Devon had predicted. The pregnancy had been fairly easy for her with no problems or anything to affect her children.

Chloe sighed as she released the curtain and turned away from the window moving her hand to her stomach. One of her children kicked her. "Well, it seems that you aren't motivated to come out and grace us with your presence, little ones. But, I wish you would reconsider because I can't wait to see you … raise you … love you." She said looking down and talking to her stomach.

"What are you doing?" Philip asked as he leaning against the doorway watching his wife. He was smiling as he began to walk towards her. Chloe turned at the sound of his voice, her long hair swinging after her. Once she saw that he had been watching her she smiled.

"Oh, I was just trying to talk to your stubborn children into making the their appearance into the world. That's all." Philip stood in front of her and leaned down to kiss her stomach, which is something that he had made a practice of doing over the past couple of months whenever he walked into the room. As he stood back up he lovingly rubbed her stomach.

"My children, as you put it, are not stubborn. They are just waiting until they think the time is right before they come out to say hi."

"Well, I am almost a day over due and I would really like it if---," Chloe couldn't not finish her statement as she gasped feeling the water flow down her legs. Her water had broke.

"I guess your pep talk worked, come Mama Kiriakis, it looks like it's time to say hello to our children. Let's get you to the hospital." Philip said as he wrapped his arms around Chloe and they began the trek to the car. They didn't need to grab anything but the car keys because after hearing numerous stories about forgetting things for the hospital to give birth, Chloe had packed a bag and placed it in the trunk of the car. And she never took it out fearing that Philip would forget something she needed. As they walked out the door Philip realized this was the last time they would leave the house without having to take anyone else and although he was going to miss that freedom, he knew that he was too excited about the birth of his son and daughter to care.


Eighteen hours later at Salem University Hospital Room 2324 …

Chloe was just awaking from her very restful sleep, she looked down and saw Philip slouched in a chair clasping her hand his even as he slept. Then on the other side of her were two baby bassinets. One a pale blue color, the other pink. She started sit up so she could see her children. As she eased into a sitting position she pulled the bassinets closer to the bed. But just as she leaned down to look at her babies, she felt Philip's hand move. She looked toward her husband.

"Hey what are you doing up?" Philip asked as he stood up and stretched to remove the kinks in his back from sitting in the chair so long and then he moved to stand next to Chloe on the bed. "I thought that you were sleeping."

"I was," She responded softly. The birth of the twins had been a very long and grueling experience for her but Philip had been with her there all the time it took for them to be born. Hell, even Nancy had been with her when Philip had left to take a break. All of her family had been with her during some of the time trying to help her relax as the hours passed. But, it was Philip that was in the delivery room with her getting insulted by her and holding her hand as the she gave birth to their twins. "I did sleep but I woke up and saw you. What are you still doing here?"

"You didn't think that I was going to leave you here did you?" He pushed her long hair behind her as he caressed her cheek. "I'm not leaving you here alone. I would be lonely without you."

"Philip, you should of at least gone home and got some rest. That chair hardly looks comfortable. I don't want you to be here with me, while I stay if you're going to sleep in that chair." Chloe grabbed his hand and looked into his eyes.

"I did rest. And don't worry about me; I'm not about to fall down. Craig offered to let me sleep on the couch in his office if I wanted to. But, I decided to stay with you. So I could be with you when you woke up again. Anyway someone had to be here to accept all of flower arrangements, baskets and things that you've been given. There was some from Maria, Kay, and Liz who all sent their love and want you to call them when you get a chance. Not to mention several other people. There were so many here that Nancy had to gave them to other departments of the hospital so the babies wouldn't be affected by the scent."

"Did she get the cards so that we could sent thank you notes?" Philip gave her an amused look.

"Sweetheart, this is your mother we're talking about. She will probably have a categorized list of what everyone sent and who they are by the time you're out of here." He laughed and Chloe couldn't help it she laughed too. Their laughter stopped as a cry came out from the baby boy. They looked at the bassinet at their son who was now starting to cry. Chloe leaned down and picked him up, he immediately stopped crying to look at his mother. Philip watched the interaction between his son and wife; he sat down on the bed.

Then, Philip was shook out of his thoughts as his daughter began to cry. "Philip, pick her up." Chloe ordered softly as she looked up from their son. Philip stood walked to the bassinet and picked up his small daughter, she quieted and looked at her father through her own hazy eyes. He moved back on the bed next to Chloe so he wouldn't fall down. Holding one baby in one arm and wrapping the other around Chloe, Philip eased back onto the bed. Together they sat on Chloe's bed looking at the two children they had created. Neither of them said a word as they watched their children fall slowly back to sleep.

When both of the children were sleeping soundly in their parents' arms, Philip spoke. "You know, they are beautiful just like their mother." Both children had her dark hair and they facially would probably grow to resemble her. Although, he knew that all babies are born with blue eyes, he had a feeling that they would have her blue eyes too. He knew that because Chloe's eyes were the first thing he saw that attracted him to her. "Thank you, for them Chloe. I don't think that I could love you more for being my wife and now the mother of my children."

"You don't have to thank me for them Philip. They are equal parts of both of us; a sign that are love is eternal because we are bonded for life through them. Don't ever thank me for that," she responded as placed a hand on his chin to turn him toward her as she leaned up in a kiss.

As Philip and Chloe kissed the door to her room opened, they broke away from each other. Victor walked into the room with a dozen red roses for Chloe. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

"No Dad, of course you aren't." And placed his sleeping daughter in Chloe's waiting arms. She now held both of children.

"Good, but I won't stay long. I just wanted to come and see the newest members of Kiriakis family and I wanted to give these to you." As he saw that she was holding both of the twins he handed to flowers to Philip who placed them beside the other arrangements that had arrived. He leaned over to look the sleeping babies in her arms.

Chloe attempted to lift her arms a little so he could see the sleeping children better. Philip who had walked back to the bed at this time took his seat again and lifted his daughter from her arms. "Do you want to hold one of them Victor?"

"No, he looks pretty comfortable in your arms. As does his sister in your arms Philip. Have you two picked out names yet?"

Chloe looked down at her son in her arms and then at Philip before she spoke. "We decided on Dominic Wesley and Ariana Caeden."

"Those are good strong names for my grandchildren. They are beautiful Chloe, just beautiful. I know that we've had our problems in the past. But, I'd like to put them behind us. These children represent everything that I wanted Philip to have, everything that I couldn't give him. I never wanted you to end up with my son, Chloe."

"Dad," Philip said attempting to interrupt his father. This was the last thing that he wanted his father to bring up old problems on this happy occasion.

"No, Philip this has to be said. Chloe what I'm trying to tell you was that I was wrong. You are everything my son needs. I've seen a better side of him. Someone I'm proud to say is everything that I hoped for him. That's all because of you. I'm proud that you are my daughter-in-law and now the mother of my newest grandchildren." From the look on Chloe's face he could see that he had shocked her by his announcement. "I think that it's time I left, you should be spending your time with your children." As Victor turned to go out the door, Chloe called to him.

"Victor," She waited for him to turn. "You didn't have to say any of that. But, I am happy you did. When I get out of the hospital, I'd love to have you visit me while I'm at home with the twins. I know that they will love getting to know their grandfather and I'd appreciate the company." She smiled as Victor nodded.

"I'd love to. Now, I really should to get going." And with that Victor left the room leaving a stunned Philip and smiling Chloe in his wake.


Chloe had left the hospital after a three-day stay. On her second week at home the Bradys and the Blacks came by to see her at home with the twins and Philip.

"So how are you enjoying motherhood?" Belle asked watched Chloe rock her daughter back to sleep. Belle, who had given birth to her own daughter four months ago, was already back to her slim figure.

"How do you think? I love it; there is something that is so fulfilling about being a mother. I mean it's like I have someone who depends on me to be there for them for everything. At first it was a little overwhelming. But, Nancy came over and stayed for a while to help then Kate came even Victor came over and helped for a while. It's been like nonstop visit central here. I love it."

"I know when Conrad was a baby, everybody wanted to be there to help Brady and me. It was a great relief to me to have them there because the first few days were nerve racking." Mimi said as she looked at Ariana who was in Chloe's arms. "She is so beautiful Chloe."

"Hey, her brother is a looker too. I'm telling you Chloe when these two grow up they you and Philip are never going to be able to get on the phone because the lines will be tied up with people calling them and asking for dates." Belle said she laughingly.

"That is so true." Mimi responded agreeing with Belle.

"I don't know what you guys are talking about. Besides that you two both know that your son and daughter are also going to have to beat people off with a stick. Mimi, you should already know that considering how adorable Conrad is now. And Serena already has admirers Belle. My children aren't the only ones who are going to be getting calls." Chloe said as she spotted Philip coming down the hallway with Dominic in his arms. He along with Brady and Shawn had taken their son down to show Shawn and Brady something.

"You know, I'd never thought I'd see the day when Kiriakis would be married with children." Shawn said sitting down next to Belle and handing her their four-month old daughter.

"Why would you say that, I told you when we were in high school that I was going to marry Chloe." Philip sat down next to Chloe and held his baby son who was holding on to Philip's forefinger.

"What he means is that he never thought you were serious. And besides that Philip you weren't exactly the most mature guy in high school so he didn't take you that seriously. " Brady held his three-year old son as he went to sit next to Mimi on the couch, she took their son and held him in her lap. He wrapped his arm around his wife and looked down at her kissing the cheek of their three-year old son.

Philip placed his arm around Chloe as she took her son into her other arm and began to rock him to sleep. "I knew that he was serious, I always knew that we had something special." Chloe looked up from their children to look into Philip's blue eyes that were shining brightly with pride. "Even when I didn't think we would survive all of our problems, I knew that if he could have faith in us than I could too."

"I always knew that one day we would be together like this. You would be the mother of my children, the light in my life, my wife." Philip brushed his mouth across her cheek as he leaned down.

"Well, I'm happy one of us knew that we'd end up together." Belle held their daughter and watched as she reached up and grabbed her father's finger. Belle looked at Shawn who was watching them.

"Who cares what we thought about when we were younger. All that matters now is that we are here together as friends and family. Our lives have brought us all here now, to bring in the next generation of Bradys, Kiriakis', and Blacks." Mimi stated looking around at the children in the room; her son, Belle's daughter and Chloe's twins.

"That was eloquently put Meems." Shawn said.

"Yeah, well what can I say, my wife is a writer putting words together brilliantly is her job." Brady said smiling down at her.

"Black, I hate to burst your bubble but," Mimi leaned up so that she was level with Brady's ear. "I'm a reporter, there's a difference." She whispered to him.

"Writer, reporter, it's all the same. You write." Brady replied back to his wife in his own nonchalant way.

As Brady and Mimi began to bicker a little the scene in the Kiriakis' house stuck out in Philip's mind as he looked around the room. Remembering himself, as a teenager lost in the world not thought of as an adult who could have feelings of love as deep as his went for Chloe. And now as a married man with a beautiful wife and two gorgeous children. His best friend in the world was married to his other best friend and they had a beautiful daughter of their own to cherish. His gaze then went to the bickering couple across from him, as teenagers their lives had been a world of emotional turmoil. For her it was the turmoil of never fitting in with the right group always being overlooked for her other popular friends; for him it was the anger that had been allowed to grow and fester until it became a destructible hate. But, now they had each other and that was all they needed. Finally his gaze rested on his wife, who had gone through Hell as a teenager but she too had risen above her fears and became the strong woman she was today that not only give birth to his children but also was able to master her fear to say 'I love you.' She had come very far from the girl he once childishly referred to as 'Ghoul Girl' to the woman he now lovingly referred to as his wife.

"Philip," Chloe called out to him bringing him from his own thoughts.

"Yeah," He looked at her beautiful face and questioning blue eyes.

"Are you alright, you looked a bit dazed. What were you thinking about?"

"Just about … how much I love you." She smiled.

"I love you too." Chloe leaned up and kissed him on the mouth softly. "Now, how about you help me put our children to bed, I think they have had enough excitement today." Philip nodded and took his daughter from Chloe's arms and then helped her up as she got up from the couch with Dominic. Together, the happy family left the room.