Chapter Six

Let the Party Begin

A party had been planned and the invitations sent out to several key people in Salem. Calling one, calling all to come to the Rinascita (an Italian restaurant) in celebration of ... well that was just it no one really knew what this celebration was for.

The first guests to arrive in the appointed dining hall for the night were Dr. Marlena Evans and John Black. They were immediately taken to a private dining area where tables had been set for with place cards for every seat.

"John, look there must be enough placement settings here for at least sixty or seventy people. I wonder what on earth Philip has planned."

John arched his fine iron gray brow as he looked around the room before he answered. "I don't know Doc. But, I have a bad feeling about this."

Across town in the Kiriakis Mansion, Philip was just coming out of the shower. Stepping out of the black tiled stall he grabbed a towel and wiped the excess water from his body then wrapped around his hips. He grabbed another towel and began to dry his hair as he walked out of the bathroom and headed to his closet to pull out his suit for the night.

He pulled on a pair of boxers and placed the towel in a hamper. Then, he grabbed his charcoal gray suit with the cream shirt and azure tie and went back into the bathroom. Removing the towel from his neck he wiped the steam from his mirror. To his surprise once the mirror was clear, Lily was standing in back of him just watching his every move. He jumped slightly before turning toward her. "Lily, what are you doing here? You almost scared me to death."

"Sorry, Daddy. I thought you heard me. I knocked. I'll just leave." She turned to leaved and walked out to the bedroom.

Philip swore under his breath and pulled his pants on as fast as he could before he headed out after her. "Liliana Jade Kiriakis get back here." The last thing he wanted to do was make his daughter feel unwanted or alienated. He caught up with her just as she was about to leave the room and picked her up. "Was there something you wanted?"

"Not really, I just wanted to watch you shave. You know do guy stuff." She shrugged.

"You wanted to watch me shave?" Philip asked incredulously slowly. He found that somewhat hard to believe if not a little odd.

"Well, yeah," she pushed her hair behind her ears. "I've never seen you do that 'fore. My friend Melissa said she watches her Daddy shave all the time. He even lets her mix the foamy stuff. I just wanted to know what it was like watching my Daddy shave." Lily knew her request sounded off but she was running out of time. Her mother would come looking for her soon and if she didn't hurry she'd miss her chance in trying out the new maneuver that she learned from Melissa. She wasn't stupid; she knew that she would never get a baby brother or sister if her parents weren't sleeping in the same room.

So she had enlisted the help of her bestest friend in the whole world, Melissa to get her parents together. Melissa had told her the first thing she could do was get her Mom and Dad to catch each other coming out of the shower. Melissa being the older, wiser eight year old had told her this would let her parents know how each looked clean. Because that's how she got her brother - she had caught her parents taking a shower 'getting clean,' as they told her and nine months later she had her brother Joshua. So Lily was taking special measures to follow Melissa's advice to a T. She added her puppy dogface for good measure because her father was always a sucker for that.

"Oh okay you can watch me shave," Philip said as carried her into the bathroom and sat her down on the sink. He turned for a moment to get his shirt. "Sit tight for a sec."

"Wow, you have a tattoo!" Lily exclaimed as she saw the tattoo on Philip's right shoulder blade. "Oo let me look at it for a second." She beckoned him back to her; Philip sighed and backed up for a few seconds so Lily could see the tattoo. "What do those little symbols mean?" She asked staring at the tattoo.

Philip's tattoo was a picture of a heart broken in half by the stem of a red and white rose between the broken halves of the heart were four Chinese symbols. "They mean love, pain, faith, and trust." He slid his shirt on and turned back around. "Don't tell your mom."

"I won't; I liked it. Do you think I can I get a --,"

"Not even when you're thrity munchkin." Philip said tapping her nose. "Now, let's get down to business." Although, Philp had found Lily's request somewhat odd he enjoyed his time with his daughter as he proceeded to shave. Somewhere through the laughter and the shaving cream he found that he had bonded with his daughter in yet another way.

"Philip have you seen Lily?" Chloe called out as she walked into Philip's bedroom taking a few moments to survey the room where her husband slept. She'd hadn't been in the room before, though looking at it now it reminded her of her New York home very much. She had decorated it herself with Nancy's expert taste of course. Chloe, you're not here to look in his room. You're here to get Lily, she reminded herself silently.

Lily came out of the bathroom giggling in her father's arms. "Sorry Momma, I was helping Daddy shave." She told her mother as Philip placed her on her feet. Once he had Lily on the ground Philip finished buttoning his cream dress shirt.

Chloe nodded as she noted Philip impressive sculpted physique. His chest was as muscled as his arms. It was clear that Philip kept himself very fit. He was perfectly ripped and hard to touch. The years had been good to him.

Philip although, his gaze was on Lily, could feel Chloe's eyes on him. Running over his body anew. He almost smiled but he didn't want to let on that he knew what she was doing. So he slowed the process of buttoning his shirt to give her a real look. Things were definitely starting to look up.

"Mom," Lily called out snapping Chloe's stare from Philip to her.

"Uh, yes sweetie. I was just coming to get you. Melissa and her mother will be here in an hour. So we need to pack your bag." Chloe held out her hand. Hoping to get out of Philip's bedroom fast as it was having an adverse affect on her. Besides that she still needed to get dressed.

"Oh yeah I forgot." Lily replied. "Well I'll say goodbye to Daddy first." Chloe nodded. Lily turned and walked back to her father. Standing before him she beckoned him down. Once he had kneeled down before her she gave him a hug and a kiss. "See, Daddy I told you your face wasn't hairy. I got no prickles." Philip merely smiled as Lily and Chloe left the room.

Chloe and Lily walked down to Lily's bedroom. When they got there, Chloe saw that Lily had already packed her bag.

"I thought you told me you wanted me to pack your bag."

"Nope, Marie and I did it. But, I thought that I could help you get ready for your party and you would braid my hair." Lily replied plucking the small bag off the bed and onto the floor.

"Alright, let me take a shower and then you can help me pick something out to wear. And I'll do your hair as well."

"Okay," Lily said as she watched her mother leave the room. Once she was sure that Chloe was gone she skipped over to her desk and pulled out her check list -"How to get a baby brother or sister," and checked off the first box. Shower.

Back at the restaurant ...

Several tables were starting to fill up at this point. The party was merely an hour away. All the prominent families were there, in particular the Brady's and the Blacks.

Bo Brady sat at the table alongside his wife, son and older brother. "I wonder what Philip has planned for tonight." Hope said.

"So do I Hope, but I have no idea. It's a complete mystery to me." Bo replied.

"Can I take it then that you haven't heard from Philip since the will reading." Roman added.

"Nope not a word but after what happened at Tuscany I didn't expect to."

Across the room John and Marlena were talking to Brady and Mimi.

"Oh Mimi it's so good to see you. That is a beautiful dress. So how have you been?" Marlena asked Mimi.

"Thank you Dr. Evans, I'm good." Mimi answered lightly. Philip had sent her ahead of himself and Chloe to ensure that everyone on the guest list arrived. Stefano wanted all the key people there when he remerged from his "death." As Mimi was amerced in her own thoughts, Shawn and Belle arrived immediately heading to her parents.

"Mom, Dad you got an invitation as well. Brady, too?" Belle questioned surprised that everyone that was here for Philip's dinner party. "Oh Mimi, I'm sorry I didn't see you there. So are you standing in for Chloe?" she asked assuming that Mimi couldn't get an invitation herself.

Mimi bit her tongue deciding it was best to not say anything about Belle's obvious insult. Pasting a smile on her face she replied. "No, I'm not here with Brady. We rode up in the elevator together. I received an invitation as well."

"Oh I wonder why Philip would send you an invitation to a family affair I mean you're not exactly--," Brady interrupted his sister before she could say anything else insulting to Mimi.

"Belle, this is not a family affair. If you'd bother to notice the Wesleys, as well as Tony Dimera are also present here. So whatever is going on here it isn't a family affair." He said glancing around the room at the other people.

Mimi glanced around the room, mentally checking off the people who were there. If Brady only knew who was family he'd be shocked. I can't wait for the fireworks to erupt when he finds out. I'll just be sure to stay out of the way. She thought with a small smile.

Meanwhile, Chloe and Philip were in the limo heading toward the restaurant. They were both elegantly decked out in clothes for the party. Philip wore a designer charcoal gray suit with an azure tie and the shocking addition of his jewelry - his white gold wedding band of course, and a diamond stud in his left ear. Chloe matched him well in her blood red spaghetti strapped gown that clinged to her every curve without bluntly doing so, class and sophistication with none of the effort. She wore a pair of black scandals and her wedding ring. In her ears she wore a matching pair of diamond stud earrings that Philip had asked her to wear. Her hair was in its naturally wavy form down her back.

Chloe watched in fascination as Philip stubbed out a cigarette. He was so very different from the boy who had been her beloved Philip. This was a man with rich dark blonde hair rakishly longer than any man in the corporate world should have. He had piercing blue eyes that at sometimes could look straight through you or be so icy that you could feel a chill. He was dangerous. The father of her child and now her husband was mysteriously dangerous and that was utteringly fascinating.

Philip had felt her eyes on him the minute he sat in the car. She was watching him, examining him as if she had never seen him before. It unnerved him to think she had this power to see right through him. "What? Why are you staring at me like that?" He asked exasperated wanting to know what she found so bloody interesting about him.

"I'm trying to figure out what's changed about you the most. The fact that you smoke or that you now have body art--,"

"So Lily told you about the tattoo."

Chloe was surprised. "You have a tattoo?" Philip nodded. "I want to see it, show it to me." She requested moving closer to him to help him take of his jacket.

"Unless you want me to strip right in front of you and embarrass you, I suggest you stop." Philip smirked as Chloe jerked her hand off his arm.

"Well where is it exactly and what is it?" Chloe questioned her gaze suspiciously looking downward.

Philip leaned forward, caressing her cheek with one finger. "That's for me to know and for you to find out. And you can tonight, if you're lucky."
He laughed as he moved back into his seat at Chloe's annoyed expression.

She sighed and moved back to her seat. Philip lit another cigarette. "I was actually referring to earring earlier by the way. When did you get it pierced? I don't remember seeing it at all before now."

Philip shrugged. "I got it the same time I got the tattoo. I've had both for about fourteen years. But, I never wore the earring around my father, he didn't care too much about the tattoo since it could be covered. But he hated the earring." He took another puff from his cigarette.

"I don't remember seeing your tattoo when we ..." she left the rest unsaid.

"I had it covered. Remember I was on a business trip then."

"You know you really shouldn't smoke it's a disgusting habit."

Philip smiled. "Yes I know, Lily said the same thing. She gave me the 'smoking is bad for you' talk a while ago."

"Well, I'm sure she did. But, really Philip you shouldn't smoke. It could ruin a very vital part of your body system."

"And what would that be my dear wife?"

"It could lower your sperm count." Chloe added with perfectly straight face but fell out laughing when Philip begin to cough being caught off guard. Then he through his cigarette out the window as well as the remainder of the pack he had in his pocket.

"You certainly know how to kill a need for a smoke. It's a bad habit anyway, I've been meaning to stop." Philip added calmly as he placed a breath mint in his mouth. "So exactly when are we going to start trying to give my little angel a sibling?"

Chloe smiled wickedly. "Probably when you're darling little angel locks us in the bedroom and demands we make a baby. Or I could jump you right now." Chloe said as she moved over to Philip and pulled his head toward hers for a kiss.

"I'm game if you are," Philip replied as he started to lean forward to meet Chloe's lips. The limo had come to a stop and the driver came over the speaker.

"Mr. Kiriakis we've arrived," was all the man said.

But for Philip it was like a cold shower. "Talk about bad timing." They separated and readied themselves to leave the limo. The door opened. Philip easily slid out the limo before turning to help Chloe out.

"Thank you, Luca." Philip said softly not taking his eyes off of Chloe.

"No problem sir." Luca said as he watched his boss and wife head into the restaurant.

Philip and Chloe had not said a word to each other since they'd got into the elevator. Standing side by side they watched as the elevator went up several floors, their playfulness forgotten. Seconds passed before the ring announcing their floor and the doors opened. They walked out side by side till they got to the entrance of the restaurant. Just before Philip walked ahead into the restaurant Chloe stopped him grabbing hold of his arm. He turned back to look at her.

"Philip, whatever happens in there ... I'm on your side. I trust you." She said staring directly into his eyes making sure he knew that she would never betray him as his family had. He gave her a small smile and squeezed her hand before he returned his face its stoic expression and heading into the restaurant.

As the door to the executive dining room opened every person turned expectantly to see who was the latest arrival. The people were all gathered in the little groups among their families respectively. The Brady's and Blacks stood side by side in a protective front. The Wesley's were standing near the Blacks off to the left, Tony Dimera stood next to his sister, Lexie and her husband Brandon Walker, and finally Mimi and Gene Briscoe stood next to the back door awaiting the moment to bring in Stefano.

"Good, I see everyone is here." Philip said grinning cockily as strolled forward.

"Yes we're all here Philip but would you mind telling us why?" Bo asked knowing the question was on everyone's mind.

"I wanted to introduce everyone to my wife."

"You're married?" Belle gasped as everyone looked around at each other quizzically.

"Yes, I am. In fact I think you might even know her." He walked back a few steps to bring his wife forth.

Chloe was slightly nervous about facing everyone she had come to recognize as her family. Although, she had already decided to stand by Philip no matter what she had a little trouble making herself rationalize it. "I'm doing this for the life I could have had with Philip. The life that was taken from me." She placed her hand in Philip's now extended one and walked to out everyone.

Everything was done in slow motion as Chloe entered the room and revealed herself as Philip's wife. The shocked gasps were heard from nearly everyone in attendance excluding Mimi and Gene Briscoe.

"May I present my wife and mother of my child, Chloe Lane Kiriakis," Philip said as he brought Chloe to stand beside him. He kissed her cheek before returning to face his family he added, "What no congratulations? I would have thought you'd be happy for me."

"This is a joke. Chloe is not married to you and Lily is not your child. I don't know what kind of game you're playing at Kiriakis, but this is sure as hell is not funny." Brady said as he stepped forward and took Chloe's hand attempting to bring her to him. But Chloe resisted and jerked her hand away. He finally looked toward her. "Chloe come on stop playing around. I know you've never be married to him."

Chloe looked Brady in the eye and replied. "You don't know anything Brady. Because you are wrong. Philip is my husband in every sense of the word. And he is Lily's father." Philip moved to stand behind her.

"Yes, you see Brady, Chloe and I share a child, a bond, and not even you can break that."

"You son of a bitch," Brady said as he attempted to knock that cocky grin off Philip's face but had his hand caught by Philip.

"Now, I don't think you want to do that nephew or you'll miss my next surprise." He looked past Brady to John. "Would your get you son." He requested and released Brady's hand as John came up and moved between the two of them.

"What next surprise?" John asked arching a brow.

"Oh I think I'll let Andre handle that, Andre." Everyone turned to the Dimeras.

"Andre?" Lexie questioned. "Tony what is Philip talking about?"

"I'm not Tony, Alexandra. I'm not your brother, I'm your cousin Andre. Tony is dead." Again shocked gasps rang through the room. The men moved into protective positions around the room.

"What the hell is going on here?" Bo asked taking a protective position in front of Hope.

"Well dear brother I'll tell you. You see years ago Tony Dimera died but not before he impregnated a young girl. A girl who later would give birth to a little girl and put her up for adoption. It would be fifteen years later when she would meet that child again--,"

"Chloe is not a Dimera." Brady said as he tried to side step his father and attack Philip yet again. But this time it wasn't John who stopped him; no it was someone else whose deep voice rang through the room and sent shivers down everyone's back.

"That my dear Brady is where you are wrong. Chloe is my granddaughter." In that moment everyone in the room froze and turned around once again in slow motion to see Stefano Dimera in all his glory. "The Phoenix has once again risen from the dead."

Please tell me what you think.