"Philip, wait!" Chloe exclaimed.
Turning away from the front doors of St. Luke's to look at his wife, Philip asked, "What's wrong? According to my watch, we got here with a minute and a half to spare."
Chloe took a long look at her pink gown and its faint wrinkles before asking, "Do I look all right?"
Sweeping Chloe into his arms, Philip huskily answered, "As always, you look stunning."
Philip felt his heart warm when he saw a light blush creep into Chloe's cheeks. He loved that he still had the ability to bring that shade of pink to her face. Releasing his hold on her, Philip said, "Come on, let's get in there. One wedding down, one to go."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"Oh, Daddy, where could they be?"
John's face was lit up by a genuine smile as he whispered to his daughter, "Well, if I had to guess, I'd say that they were standing right behind you."
Belle jumped out of her father's arms and spun around to find herself facing Philip and Chloe. Both of her friends wore a guilty expression unsuccessfully masked with a weak smile.
Every ounce of anger that had formerly controlled Belle faded away. It was her wedding day, and Philip and Chloe were alive and well and there to share it with her. Of course, both looked a little rough and their clothing appeared wrinkled, but for the sake of her wedding day, Belle was willing to overlook almost anything. That included Philip and Chloe's attire and tardiness.
Pulling two of her best friends into a hug, Belle said, "I'm so glad that the two of you got here. I was so afraid that something horrible had happened."
For a moment, Chloe felt guilty for allowing Belle to worry while she was having the most magical day of her life. However, the moment Chloe's eyes locked with Philip's, the guilt was washed away and happiness took complete control.
Belle backed away from Philip and Chloe. Now that she knew they were safe and sound, they were in big trouble. Harshly slapping Philip's arm, Belle squealed, "You nearly missed my wedding! Where were the two of you?"
"He was donating one of his kidneys," supplied Jason as he stepped through the double oak doors to the comforting sight of both Philip and Chloe. Jason was slightly surprised when he saw Chloe smile at his comment. Chloe never smiled at anything he said. There had to be something in the air.
Turning her recovered temper on Jason, Belle demanded, "What? What did you say?"
Several feet away, John and Mimi were keeping a safe distance. As much as they both loved Belle, they weren't willing to tangle with her at the moment.
Sheepishly, Philip muttered, "He said I was donating a kidney."
Belle roughly slapped Philip's arm for a second time and responded, "I heard what he said!"
"Then why did you ask me to repeat it?"
"Jason Masters, don't you dare try to be witty. You can be witty on your own wedding day. This is mine."
An instant hush overcame Jason when he and a wedding were mentioned in the same sentence. He was never going to be the guy standing at the end of that dreadful altar. Never. Stealing a peek at Mimi, who looked just as uncomfortable as he did, Jason thought that never was an awfully long time - especially when Mimi looked so completely adorable in that pink gown.
Having successfully silenced Jason, Belle turned to her father and asked, "Daddy, what time is it?"
"You have forty-five seconds, sweetie."
Smiling forcefully, Belle turned to Chloe and said, "That gives you forty- five seconds to explain why you weren't here hours ago like you were supposed to be." Tapping her foot impatiently, Belle prompted, "Well?"
Chloe took a nervous glance around the room. John and Mimi were looking at her expectantly, but offered no assistance. Her eyes quickly drifting behind Belle, Chloe's gaze rested on Jason and his amused grin. Hurriedly, Chloe glanced at Philip, only to find him barely suppressing a smirk. Giving Philip and Jason each one more look, Chloe hesitantly answered, "I was donating a lung?" The comment earned Chloe a genuine laugh from Jason. Despite all the pressure currently placed upon her, Chloe could not help but think that Jason Masters never laughed at anything she said. There had to be something in the air.
Before Belle could respond, A masculine voice stated, "Of course, you were."
Philip released an unhappy sigh at Brady's appearance. He instinctively tightened his grip on Chloe's hand when he saw Brady approaching her.
Giving Chloe a quick kiss on the cheek, Brady warmly greeted, "Hey, pal, long time no see." Turning his attention to his uncle, Brady added, "Hi, Philip. It's good to see you."
Philip felt a calmness settle over his body as he registered the sincerity in Brady's voice. After several years of coexisting as enemies, he and Brady were now at a point where they could build a possible friendship. Out of the corner of his eye, Philip could see Chloe staring at him - not Brady. And, the love was evident in her eyes. In that moment, Philip knew that his days of jealousy were over. The childish games of the past were no longer an option for him. He had played them and gotten nowhere. As an adult, Philip refused to behave as he had during his teenage years. Chloe loved him, and he knew it. And, that's all he ever needed to know.
"It's good to see you, too, Brady."
"Anyway, Tink," began Brady as he turned his gaze to his baby sister. "I just came to see if everything was set to go. That groom of yours is looking more nervous than Jase over there when marriage is mentioned."
Jason wisely decided to keep his mouth shut and not respond to Brady's remark. Besides, he was far too busy considering the possibilities his future held. Marriage. Could he survive it? Glancing once more at his girlfriend, Jason smiled, knowing that he was lucky enough to have someone who was willing to wait until he was really ready for the ultimate commitment.
Throwing Philip and Chloe a teary-eyed glance, Belle quickly pulled them into another hug. In her softest tone, she said, "I'm sorry that I blew up at you guys. It's just that today's my wedding day and I'm so emotional."
Chloe lightly squeezed Philip's hand and responded, "I know what you mean."
Suddenly, Belle was snapped back to the situation at hand and realized that it was time to finally walk down the aisle to meet the man of her every dream. Returning to her panic mode, Belle instructed, "Okay, Philip, get over there and let Jason tell you exactly where to stand after you walk down the aisle. Chloe, Mimi can fill you in on the exact details of when to begin walking and where to stand." Turning to face Mimi, Belle squealed, "Meems, the hem of your dress is turned up!"
With Philip receiving his instructions from Jason and Belle fussing over Mimi, Brady and Chloe were given a brief moment alone together. Sparing her former lover a brief smile, Chloe began to walk away to join Belle and Mimi when Brady grasped her left hand.
Brady used his thumb to gently caress the gold ring gracing Chloe's finger, a confused expression playing on his face. As though a great fog had been lifted, Brady slowly moved his head to look at Philip. His eye was immediately caught by a gold band on his uncle's left hand.
Returning his gaze to Chloe, Brady gave her a knowing smile and whispered, "You and Uncle Phil, huh?"
Chloe barely withheld her excitement as she answered, "Yeah." Overcoming the urge to giggle like a school girl, Chloe smiled and added, "That's actually why we were late."
Nodding, Brady moved closer to Chloe and said, "You know how I always said that you and Philip were completely wrong for each other? Well, I was wrong."
"I know you were. But, I must admit I'm surprised to actually hear the Brady Black admitting that he was wrong."
"Yeah, well, if you ever let it slip to anyone, I'll tell the entire town that you sing the Backstreet Boys' greatest hits in the shower."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Through the efforts of multiple decorators and no less than an entire team of workers, the Penthouse Grille had been transformed into a magical wonderland in honor of the marriage of Shawn and Belle. From the floor to the star-covered ceiling, the entire restaurant was a stylish dedication to a lifelong love.
In the center of the room, Belle was wrapped in Shawn's arms, a crowd of family and friends were surrounding them to offer congratulations. Their larger than life smiles were obvious proof of their happiness.
The best man and maid of honor, however, were doing their best to stay hidden from the crowd. In an isolated corner of the restaurant, Jason held Mimi close to his chest and slowly swayed with her to the soft background music. After some wild times, Jason and Mimi had found a comforting peace together.
Romance seemed to practically radiate from the room, but there were two people absent from the festivities - Philip and Chloe.
On a lower floor of the building, where many of Titan's offices were located, Philip led Chloe off the elevator and into the darkened hall. He was more than ready to have a quiet moment alone with his wife. Other than the few stolen seconds in front of the church, he and Chloe hadn't truly been alone since she had fled to the garden following their own wedding ceremony.
"Philip, you do realize that the reception is being held upstairs, don't you?"
"Yes, dear, I realize that. I also realized that I was in physical need of being alone with you."
"Physical need, huh?"
Gently pushing Chloe's body against the wall beside the elevator, Philip kept one arm wrapped around her waist while the other rested on the wall to brace his body. Lowering his lips within mere centimeters of Chloe's, Philip answered, "Oh, yeah. It's definitely a physical need."
With no one around to hear her, Chloe allowed herself to giggle at Philip's antics. Forcing the smile off her face, Chloe seductively replied, "I think I just might be able to help you with those needs."
Pressing his body even closer to Chloe's inviting curves, Philip responded, "Oh, I'm sure you can."
Philip captured Chloe's lips in an immediately passionate kiss. There were no light brushes between their ravenous lips, only an attraction that forced them to hungrily seek the passion only the other had to give.
Just as Philip's hand began to roam down from Chloe's waist, there was the sound of a man clearing his throat behind Philip. Reluctantly separating his lips from their newfound home, Philip hesitantly moved his arm from the wall and forced his body to turn away from Chloe.
Chloe's cheeks reddened with embarrassment when she saw just who had discovered her and Philip. She was only glad that Philip's hand remained on the small of her back. After that kiss, Chloe was fairly certain that she actually needed Philip's profound touch in order to live.
Grinning wildly, Bo remarked, "I see the two of you aren't having any problems catching up."
At Bo's comment, Chloe felt her face turn an added shade of red. She knew that Philip was barely hiding a smile as he watched her blush. He found her modesty quite endearing.
Using his free hand to wipe Chloe's lipstick from his mouth, Philip greeted his brother, "Hi, Bo. Uh, sorry I didn't get a chance to talk to you at the church."
"I understand. You obviously had more important things on your mind." Swinging his gaze to Philip's companion, Bo cheerily said, "Chloe, it's good to see you again. How have you been? Or, do I even need to ask?"
Chloe forced herself to not blush as she answered, "I'm fine Mr. Brady."
Smirking, Philip tilted his head toward Chloe and said, "I think it's okay to call him Bo now that he's your brother-in-law."
Looking back and forth between the two smiling faces in front of him, Bo felt his own grin widen. He softly pulled Chloe away from Philip and into a hug. Releasing her, Bo said, "I'm not quite sure how this all happened, but welcome to the family. Now, let's get upstairs and get all those pictures snapped before somebody sends a search party for us."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The photographs of the happy couple and the wedding party had all been taken, and Shawn and Belle were enjoying their first official dance as husband and wife when Jason and Mimi finally noticed the new jewelry Philip and Chloe were sporting.
Grabbing Chloe's hand, Mimi brought it up to her face and carefully inspected the ring. Her eyes wide with surprise, she asked, "Is this what I think it is?" Elbowing Jason harder than she intended, Mimi ordered, "Jason, look what Chloe is wearing."
Jason nearly laughed with nervousness when he spotted the gold metal on Chloe's hand. The urge only increased when he noticed that his old pal Philip, who had been attached to Chloe from the moment they finally arrived for the photographs, was also wearing a gold band. He had a feeling that before long, he's have a similar piece of metal on his own ring finger.
When Jason sent Philip a questioning glare, he could only smile and nod. Words weren't necessary when you had friends like Jason and Mimi. Of course, Mimi didn't necessarily agree.
"Oh, my god!" Mimi screamed, the realization that Philip and Chloe were actually married settling over her. "Philip and Chloe got married!"
Lowering his head as half the restaurant turned to stare, Philip answered, "I know, I was there."
As Shawn and Belle's song came to an end, they joined the crowd that had quickly surrounded Philip and Chloe after Mimi's loud revelation. The moment she heard the news, Belle began to literally jump with joy.
Wrapping her arms around Philip and Chloe, Belle felt a tear slip down her cheek as she said, "I am so happy for you guys. I guess that excuses you for nearly being late!"
Chloe had just freed herself from Belle's grasp when another emotional woman pulled her into a hug. Chloe kept her grip on Philip's hand as her mother tightly held her.
Pulling away to look at her daughter, Nancy said, "I'm not quite sure what happened between the two of you, but I'm happy for you, Chloe." Nancy's eyes hardened just slightly when she moved her gaze from Chloe to Philip. Pointing her finger at her newly acquire son-in-law, Nancy warned, "Don't you ever hurt my baby, Philip. Because, if you do, I will hunt you down."
Philip smiled softly and placed a gente kiss on Chloe's temple, responding, "Don't worry, Mrs. Wesley. I am never going to hurt Chloe. Not ever."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
After what seemed like an eternity to the young couple, Philip and Chloe were left in peace. Neither had expected such a reaction to their marriage. It seemed that once Mimi knew, the entire city of Salem knew. Worse, every single person felt the desire to give them some type of advice or to share some grand wisdom.
At last given a moment away from their family and friends, Philip and Chloe sat in a comfortable silence on a love seat near the elevator.
Working up the courage to ask a question that had been worrying her since the moment she and Philip boarded the plane to Las Vegas, Chloe said, "Philip, I know that we should both be celebrating not only our marriage but Shawn and Belle's, but there's something that's been bothering me, and I really hope that you can help me with it."
Tightening his arms around Chloe's body, Philip responded, "You know that I would do anything for you. If you have a problem, then it affects both of us."
"Well, before we ran into each other this morning, we were both living our own independent lives in different parts of the world. But, the moment we landed in each other's arms in Boston, that and everything else changed."
"It's hard to believe that it was just this morning that we were reunited. It already seems like a lifetime ago."
"I know. But, Philip, don't you see the problem? I have a life in Italy, while you have a life in London. It's not exactly like I could move in with you and commute to work. And, it would be selfish of me to ask you to give up your life to move to Italy."
Several minutes passed before Philip answered Chloe's question. He knew that whatever he said would be detrimental to his life with Chloe. Though he had not said anything, Philip had been pondering the same subject. And, he thought that he just might have a solution. "I suppose you're right that it would be wrong for one of us to keep our life while the other was forced to give everything up. But, I think that I may have a compromise."
"Oh, really?"
"Yes, really," Philip replied playfully. "What if we both let go of the life we were living and agree to start over together?"
Chloe pushed herself off Philip's chest and stared into his eyes. When she had first found herself in love with Philip as a teenager, she had always adored gazing into his eyes and allowing herself to see all the way into his soul. Now, looking into those same eyes, she found that she could still see a part of him that the rest of the world would never know, a part of him that belonged to her. "What exactly do you have in mind, Philip?"
After a deep breath, Philip gushed, "Let's stay in Salem - permanently."
Searching Philip's eyes for her own answer, Chloe's entire face lit up with a smile, and she answered, "Sounds like the perfect idea. I'm not surprised since I obviously have the perfect husband."
"Nah, I'm the one with the perfect spouse."
The relaxed silence settled over Philip and Chloe once more. When a couple loved each other that much, words just weren't something that was needed. They had each other, words were inconsequential.
The silence was broke by Philip remarking, "There's still one thing that I have to know."
"What's that?"
"Well, earlier today, you told me that I'd never have to worry about Brady because he was head over heels for someone else - someone that I would never guess. I just gotta know, who is she?"
Chloe tossed her beloved a mischievous smile as she stood. "Follow me."
Leading Philip through the maze of people there to celebrate Shawn and Belle's wedding, Chloe stopped when she was only a few feet from the balcony. She pointed through the glass doors to where Brady was apparently offering a woman an exquisite bouquet of flowers. Philip was surprised to see the nervousness that was stated from each and every move Brady was making.
In a whisper, Chloe announced, "I think that she's almost ready to give in to him."
Philip couldn't quite see the mystery woman's face, so he took a few steps forward until her identity was revealed. His mouth hanging agape with shock, Philip turned to Chloe with wide eyes and questioned, "Brady and Jennifer? There's got to be something in the air."
And, there was something in the air - love.
THE END
Turning away from the front doors of St. Luke's to look at his wife, Philip asked, "What's wrong? According to my watch, we got here with a minute and a half to spare."
Chloe took a long look at her pink gown and its faint wrinkles before asking, "Do I look all right?"
Sweeping Chloe into his arms, Philip huskily answered, "As always, you look stunning."
Philip felt his heart warm when he saw a light blush creep into Chloe's cheeks. He loved that he still had the ability to bring that shade of pink to her face. Releasing his hold on her, Philip said, "Come on, let's get in there. One wedding down, one to go."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"Oh, Daddy, where could they be?"
John's face was lit up by a genuine smile as he whispered to his daughter, "Well, if I had to guess, I'd say that they were standing right behind you."
Belle jumped out of her father's arms and spun around to find herself facing Philip and Chloe. Both of her friends wore a guilty expression unsuccessfully masked with a weak smile.
Every ounce of anger that had formerly controlled Belle faded away. It was her wedding day, and Philip and Chloe were alive and well and there to share it with her. Of course, both looked a little rough and their clothing appeared wrinkled, but for the sake of her wedding day, Belle was willing to overlook almost anything. That included Philip and Chloe's attire and tardiness.
Pulling two of her best friends into a hug, Belle said, "I'm so glad that the two of you got here. I was so afraid that something horrible had happened."
For a moment, Chloe felt guilty for allowing Belle to worry while she was having the most magical day of her life. However, the moment Chloe's eyes locked with Philip's, the guilt was washed away and happiness took complete control.
Belle backed away from Philip and Chloe. Now that she knew they were safe and sound, they were in big trouble. Harshly slapping Philip's arm, Belle squealed, "You nearly missed my wedding! Where were the two of you?"
"He was donating one of his kidneys," supplied Jason as he stepped through the double oak doors to the comforting sight of both Philip and Chloe. Jason was slightly surprised when he saw Chloe smile at his comment. Chloe never smiled at anything he said. There had to be something in the air.
Turning her recovered temper on Jason, Belle demanded, "What? What did you say?"
Several feet away, John and Mimi were keeping a safe distance. As much as they both loved Belle, they weren't willing to tangle with her at the moment.
Sheepishly, Philip muttered, "He said I was donating a kidney."
Belle roughly slapped Philip's arm for a second time and responded, "I heard what he said!"
"Then why did you ask me to repeat it?"
"Jason Masters, don't you dare try to be witty. You can be witty on your own wedding day. This is mine."
An instant hush overcame Jason when he and a wedding were mentioned in the same sentence. He was never going to be the guy standing at the end of that dreadful altar. Never. Stealing a peek at Mimi, who looked just as uncomfortable as he did, Jason thought that never was an awfully long time - especially when Mimi looked so completely adorable in that pink gown.
Having successfully silenced Jason, Belle turned to her father and asked, "Daddy, what time is it?"
"You have forty-five seconds, sweetie."
Smiling forcefully, Belle turned to Chloe and said, "That gives you forty- five seconds to explain why you weren't here hours ago like you were supposed to be." Tapping her foot impatiently, Belle prompted, "Well?"
Chloe took a nervous glance around the room. John and Mimi were looking at her expectantly, but offered no assistance. Her eyes quickly drifting behind Belle, Chloe's gaze rested on Jason and his amused grin. Hurriedly, Chloe glanced at Philip, only to find him barely suppressing a smirk. Giving Philip and Jason each one more look, Chloe hesitantly answered, "I was donating a lung?" The comment earned Chloe a genuine laugh from Jason. Despite all the pressure currently placed upon her, Chloe could not help but think that Jason Masters never laughed at anything she said. There had to be something in the air.
Before Belle could respond, A masculine voice stated, "Of course, you were."
Philip released an unhappy sigh at Brady's appearance. He instinctively tightened his grip on Chloe's hand when he saw Brady approaching her.
Giving Chloe a quick kiss on the cheek, Brady warmly greeted, "Hey, pal, long time no see." Turning his attention to his uncle, Brady added, "Hi, Philip. It's good to see you."
Philip felt a calmness settle over his body as he registered the sincerity in Brady's voice. After several years of coexisting as enemies, he and Brady were now at a point where they could build a possible friendship. Out of the corner of his eye, Philip could see Chloe staring at him - not Brady. And, the love was evident in her eyes. In that moment, Philip knew that his days of jealousy were over. The childish games of the past were no longer an option for him. He had played them and gotten nowhere. As an adult, Philip refused to behave as he had during his teenage years. Chloe loved him, and he knew it. And, that's all he ever needed to know.
"It's good to see you, too, Brady."
"Anyway, Tink," began Brady as he turned his gaze to his baby sister. "I just came to see if everything was set to go. That groom of yours is looking more nervous than Jase over there when marriage is mentioned."
Jason wisely decided to keep his mouth shut and not respond to Brady's remark. Besides, he was far too busy considering the possibilities his future held. Marriage. Could he survive it? Glancing once more at his girlfriend, Jason smiled, knowing that he was lucky enough to have someone who was willing to wait until he was really ready for the ultimate commitment.
Throwing Philip and Chloe a teary-eyed glance, Belle quickly pulled them into another hug. In her softest tone, she said, "I'm sorry that I blew up at you guys. It's just that today's my wedding day and I'm so emotional."
Chloe lightly squeezed Philip's hand and responded, "I know what you mean."
Suddenly, Belle was snapped back to the situation at hand and realized that it was time to finally walk down the aisle to meet the man of her every dream. Returning to her panic mode, Belle instructed, "Okay, Philip, get over there and let Jason tell you exactly where to stand after you walk down the aisle. Chloe, Mimi can fill you in on the exact details of when to begin walking and where to stand." Turning to face Mimi, Belle squealed, "Meems, the hem of your dress is turned up!"
With Philip receiving his instructions from Jason and Belle fussing over Mimi, Brady and Chloe were given a brief moment alone together. Sparing her former lover a brief smile, Chloe began to walk away to join Belle and Mimi when Brady grasped her left hand.
Brady used his thumb to gently caress the gold ring gracing Chloe's finger, a confused expression playing on his face. As though a great fog had been lifted, Brady slowly moved his head to look at Philip. His eye was immediately caught by a gold band on his uncle's left hand.
Returning his gaze to Chloe, Brady gave her a knowing smile and whispered, "You and Uncle Phil, huh?"
Chloe barely withheld her excitement as she answered, "Yeah." Overcoming the urge to giggle like a school girl, Chloe smiled and added, "That's actually why we were late."
Nodding, Brady moved closer to Chloe and said, "You know how I always said that you and Philip were completely wrong for each other? Well, I was wrong."
"I know you were. But, I must admit I'm surprised to actually hear the Brady Black admitting that he was wrong."
"Yeah, well, if you ever let it slip to anyone, I'll tell the entire town that you sing the Backstreet Boys' greatest hits in the shower."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Through the efforts of multiple decorators and no less than an entire team of workers, the Penthouse Grille had been transformed into a magical wonderland in honor of the marriage of Shawn and Belle. From the floor to the star-covered ceiling, the entire restaurant was a stylish dedication to a lifelong love.
In the center of the room, Belle was wrapped in Shawn's arms, a crowd of family and friends were surrounding them to offer congratulations. Their larger than life smiles were obvious proof of their happiness.
The best man and maid of honor, however, were doing their best to stay hidden from the crowd. In an isolated corner of the restaurant, Jason held Mimi close to his chest and slowly swayed with her to the soft background music. After some wild times, Jason and Mimi had found a comforting peace together.
Romance seemed to practically radiate from the room, but there were two people absent from the festivities - Philip and Chloe.
On a lower floor of the building, where many of Titan's offices were located, Philip led Chloe off the elevator and into the darkened hall. He was more than ready to have a quiet moment alone with his wife. Other than the few stolen seconds in front of the church, he and Chloe hadn't truly been alone since she had fled to the garden following their own wedding ceremony.
"Philip, you do realize that the reception is being held upstairs, don't you?"
"Yes, dear, I realize that. I also realized that I was in physical need of being alone with you."
"Physical need, huh?"
Gently pushing Chloe's body against the wall beside the elevator, Philip kept one arm wrapped around her waist while the other rested on the wall to brace his body. Lowering his lips within mere centimeters of Chloe's, Philip answered, "Oh, yeah. It's definitely a physical need."
With no one around to hear her, Chloe allowed herself to giggle at Philip's antics. Forcing the smile off her face, Chloe seductively replied, "I think I just might be able to help you with those needs."
Pressing his body even closer to Chloe's inviting curves, Philip responded, "Oh, I'm sure you can."
Philip captured Chloe's lips in an immediately passionate kiss. There were no light brushes between their ravenous lips, only an attraction that forced them to hungrily seek the passion only the other had to give.
Just as Philip's hand began to roam down from Chloe's waist, there was the sound of a man clearing his throat behind Philip. Reluctantly separating his lips from their newfound home, Philip hesitantly moved his arm from the wall and forced his body to turn away from Chloe.
Chloe's cheeks reddened with embarrassment when she saw just who had discovered her and Philip. She was only glad that Philip's hand remained on the small of her back. After that kiss, Chloe was fairly certain that she actually needed Philip's profound touch in order to live.
Grinning wildly, Bo remarked, "I see the two of you aren't having any problems catching up."
At Bo's comment, Chloe felt her face turn an added shade of red. She knew that Philip was barely hiding a smile as he watched her blush. He found her modesty quite endearing.
Using his free hand to wipe Chloe's lipstick from his mouth, Philip greeted his brother, "Hi, Bo. Uh, sorry I didn't get a chance to talk to you at the church."
"I understand. You obviously had more important things on your mind." Swinging his gaze to Philip's companion, Bo cheerily said, "Chloe, it's good to see you again. How have you been? Or, do I even need to ask?"
Chloe forced herself to not blush as she answered, "I'm fine Mr. Brady."
Smirking, Philip tilted his head toward Chloe and said, "I think it's okay to call him Bo now that he's your brother-in-law."
Looking back and forth between the two smiling faces in front of him, Bo felt his own grin widen. He softly pulled Chloe away from Philip and into a hug. Releasing her, Bo said, "I'm not quite sure how this all happened, but welcome to the family. Now, let's get upstairs and get all those pictures snapped before somebody sends a search party for us."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The photographs of the happy couple and the wedding party had all been taken, and Shawn and Belle were enjoying their first official dance as husband and wife when Jason and Mimi finally noticed the new jewelry Philip and Chloe were sporting.
Grabbing Chloe's hand, Mimi brought it up to her face and carefully inspected the ring. Her eyes wide with surprise, she asked, "Is this what I think it is?" Elbowing Jason harder than she intended, Mimi ordered, "Jason, look what Chloe is wearing."
Jason nearly laughed with nervousness when he spotted the gold metal on Chloe's hand. The urge only increased when he noticed that his old pal Philip, who had been attached to Chloe from the moment they finally arrived for the photographs, was also wearing a gold band. He had a feeling that before long, he's have a similar piece of metal on his own ring finger.
When Jason sent Philip a questioning glare, he could only smile and nod. Words weren't necessary when you had friends like Jason and Mimi. Of course, Mimi didn't necessarily agree.
"Oh, my god!" Mimi screamed, the realization that Philip and Chloe were actually married settling over her. "Philip and Chloe got married!"
Lowering his head as half the restaurant turned to stare, Philip answered, "I know, I was there."
As Shawn and Belle's song came to an end, they joined the crowd that had quickly surrounded Philip and Chloe after Mimi's loud revelation. The moment she heard the news, Belle began to literally jump with joy.
Wrapping her arms around Philip and Chloe, Belle felt a tear slip down her cheek as she said, "I am so happy for you guys. I guess that excuses you for nearly being late!"
Chloe had just freed herself from Belle's grasp when another emotional woman pulled her into a hug. Chloe kept her grip on Philip's hand as her mother tightly held her.
Pulling away to look at her daughter, Nancy said, "I'm not quite sure what happened between the two of you, but I'm happy for you, Chloe." Nancy's eyes hardened just slightly when she moved her gaze from Chloe to Philip. Pointing her finger at her newly acquire son-in-law, Nancy warned, "Don't you ever hurt my baby, Philip. Because, if you do, I will hunt you down."
Philip smiled softly and placed a gente kiss on Chloe's temple, responding, "Don't worry, Mrs. Wesley. I am never going to hurt Chloe. Not ever."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
After what seemed like an eternity to the young couple, Philip and Chloe were left in peace. Neither had expected such a reaction to their marriage. It seemed that once Mimi knew, the entire city of Salem knew. Worse, every single person felt the desire to give them some type of advice or to share some grand wisdom.
At last given a moment away from their family and friends, Philip and Chloe sat in a comfortable silence on a love seat near the elevator.
Working up the courage to ask a question that had been worrying her since the moment she and Philip boarded the plane to Las Vegas, Chloe said, "Philip, I know that we should both be celebrating not only our marriage but Shawn and Belle's, but there's something that's been bothering me, and I really hope that you can help me with it."
Tightening his arms around Chloe's body, Philip responded, "You know that I would do anything for you. If you have a problem, then it affects both of us."
"Well, before we ran into each other this morning, we were both living our own independent lives in different parts of the world. But, the moment we landed in each other's arms in Boston, that and everything else changed."
"It's hard to believe that it was just this morning that we were reunited. It already seems like a lifetime ago."
"I know. But, Philip, don't you see the problem? I have a life in Italy, while you have a life in London. It's not exactly like I could move in with you and commute to work. And, it would be selfish of me to ask you to give up your life to move to Italy."
Several minutes passed before Philip answered Chloe's question. He knew that whatever he said would be detrimental to his life with Chloe. Though he had not said anything, Philip had been pondering the same subject. And, he thought that he just might have a solution. "I suppose you're right that it would be wrong for one of us to keep our life while the other was forced to give everything up. But, I think that I may have a compromise."
"Oh, really?"
"Yes, really," Philip replied playfully. "What if we both let go of the life we were living and agree to start over together?"
Chloe pushed herself off Philip's chest and stared into his eyes. When she had first found herself in love with Philip as a teenager, she had always adored gazing into his eyes and allowing herself to see all the way into his soul. Now, looking into those same eyes, she found that she could still see a part of him that the rest of the world would never know, a part of him that belonged to her. "What exactly do you have in mind, Philip?"
After a deep breath, Philip gushed, "Let's stay in Salem - permanently."
Searching Philip's eyes for her own answer, Chloe's entire face lit up with a smile, and she answered, "Sounds like the perfect idea. I'm not surprised since I obviously have the perfect husband."
"Nah, I'm the one with the perfect spouse."
The relaxed silence settled over Philip and Chloe once more. When a couple loved each other that much, words just weren't something that was needed. They had each other, words were inconsequential.
The silence was broke by Philip remarking, "There's still one thing that I have to know."
"What's that?"
"Well, earlier today, you told me that I'd never have to worry about Brady because he was head over heels for someone else - someone that I would never guess. I just gotta know, who is she?"
Chloe tossed her beloved a mischievous smile as she stood. "Follow me."
Leading Philip through the maze of people there to celebrate Shawn and Belle's wedding, Chloe stopped when she was only a few feet from the balcony. She pointed through the glass doors to where Brady was apparently offering a woman an exquisite bouquet of flowers. Philip was surprised to see the nervousness that was stated from each and every move Brady was making.
In a whisper, Chloe announced, "I think that she's almost ready to give in to him."
Philip couldn't quite see the mystery woman's face, so he took a few steps forward until her identity was revealed. His mouth hanging agape with shock, Philip turned to Chloe with wide eyes and questioned, "Brady and Jennifer? There's got to be something in the air."
And, there was something in the air - love.
THE END