Chapter Nine
Chloe sat in her car thinking about what had happened today. She was in shock, disbelief. She couldn't believe that she had gotten put on a leave of absence. It was just too unbelievable for words. She replayed the morning in her mind…
Chloe walked directly to Dr. Brice's office. She was a few minutes early for the meeting. But, that was a good thing because then she could prepare for her first appointment early.
"Dr. Kiriakis, you're here early. Good." Anne Mercury, Dr. Brice's secretary said. She was pleasant woman, who was just a few years younger than Chloe. "Dr. Brice asked me to send you right in once you arrived. So you can go on in." She gestured to the doctor's office.
Chloe adjusted her purse strap and continued on into the office. As she came thru the door, she saw that Dr. Brice was sipping a cup of coffee. She looked up when she saw Chloe at the door. She waved with her in.
"Ahh, Dr. Kiriakis, please come in. Have a seat." Chloe closed the door behind her then moved to sit down in the chair in front of the desk. "I'm sorry to have to get you in so early today, but this meeting shouldn't take too long."
"Oh it's no problem, Dr. Brice. You sounded fairly serious on the telephone this morning. Is something wrong? "
"Yes, well this problem must be dealt with now."
Chloe frowned. "I'm sorry I'll help you if can but I have no idea what you are talking about."
Dr. Brice looked confused. "Dr. Kiriakis, I am referring to your current situation." Chloe still looked confused. "With your son," she paused thinking for a moment. "Jarod, yes, that's his name correct?" Chloe nodded as her frown disappeared. "I feel due to the publicity this is getting, well … let me be blunt. All of this controversy about the father of your child is prohibiting a normal workday here. And it's my responsibility as Chief of Staff to see that this hospital runs smoothly."
"What exactly are you saying, Dr. Brice that I am unemployed? Are you firing me?" Chloe asked now more concerned than she had been before.
"No, no of course not." Dr. Brice raised her hands and waved no to Chloe. As she secretly thought, ~Fire Chloe Kiriakis, you must be kidding and get a lawsuit from one of the richest families in Salem. I think not. It would tie the hospital up in court for more years than I can count. ~ Dr. Brice inwardly shuttered at the thought of all the trouble that would come to her if she fired Chloe.
"If I'm not being fired then what?" Chloe asked bringing Dr. Brice back to the problem at hand.
"While I am not firing you, I have no choice but to place you on an indefinite leave of absence until this matter has settled down a bit."
"What about my patients?"
"They will be referred to other doctors until a time when you are able to resume your work. At your discretion, you may refer your patients to the other doctors of course." Dr. Brice answered in a professional not at all demeaning manner. "I fully expect you to return to work in a matter of days. It's simply a matter of doing what us best for the hospital and for the good of the patients. You understand that don't you? It's nothing personal."
"Yes, yes I understand perfectly. I'm going to go gather a few things from my office." She said with great aplomb. Chloe rose from the seat, with the sudden urge to get away from the office. "If you'll excuse me." She said imparting not waiting for a response.
"Of course." Dr. Brice stood ….
Chloe had gotten a few things, clearing things with her secretary making sure all her patients were referred to the right doctor and left. She had spent the past few hours reflecting on what had happened and she still couldn't believe it. She needed to talk to someone, but who? Philip was long gone in an airplane; he was obviously out of the question. She could try Nancy, but she was liable to go ballistic when she found out. No, she was definitely out. "I know I'll go to Belle." Chloe said as she turned the key in the ignition and started the car heading toward the Brady household.
*~*~*~*~*~@~*~*~*~*~*
"Mom–Mom I don't want to talk about this anymore. You've kept this a secret from me for years so excuse me if I don't think your apology is truly genuine." Belle said into the phone as she watched Chloe pull up into her driveway, "Mom, look I appreciate you taking the girls today. But, I am still mad at you. I have to go now. I'll call you later." Belle said as she hung up the phone. She replacing it on the hook; she went to the door and opened it as Chloe walked right in.
"Thanks, for letting me come over." Chloe said.
"It's no problem, Chloe. You sounded like you really needed to talk on the phone. What kind of friend would I be if I weren't there for you? So tell me, what's up?" Belle said as she took a seat on the armchair across from Chloe.
"Are you sure, you don't mind my being here? I know you probably are really busy with things and all. I just need someone to talk to."
"Chloe if I had a problem, I would have told you. So tell me what happened?"
"You remember the meeting I had with Dr. Brice this morning, I told you about that right?" Belle nodded yes. "Well, she wanted to talk to me, scratch that, to inform me that because of the controversy surrounding Jarod's arrival and his true paternity, I've been placed on an indefinite leave of absence."
"Whoa, wait a minute, you mean you've been given your notice or like fired?" She asked, not believing what had happened to Chloe it was horrible. Chloe loved her job so much. "Have you told Philip yet?"
"I'm not fired Belle, I'm on leave." Chloe was caught off guard by Belle's question. But she answered it anyway. "No, I haven't gotten a chance to tell him yet. He left on a business trip this morning, his flight only took off a couple of hours ago."
"Yes, I know about the business trip." When Chloe looked as she were going to ask a question Belle continued on. "Shawn told me," she paused. "Before he left with him."
"Oh I didn't know Shawn was going on the trip. But then he did say much of anything this morning." Chloe said almost quizzically. "Or last night for that matter."
"Last night? You mean Shawn was at your house last night?" Chloe simply nodded. "Why didn't you call me last night and tell me?"
"I … I thought you knew. Last night, Shawn came by after I had gone to bed. Philip answered the door. But, Shawn wouldn't tell him what was wrong. That's all I know. Belle, I never thought that you didn't know. Here I am thinking about my problems, when I didn't realize," she paused as she watch Belle began to pace the floor. "Look tell me what happened between the two of you."
Belle turned and faced her, and then she pushed back her hair. "So now you want to know what happened between Shawn and I. Well, here it goes it was a secret, a secret about a child." Looking directly at Chloe she continued. "JT is my brother, my father is his biological father. And last night Shawn found out about JT and that's why he left."
"Oh my god, Belle that's unbelievable. But why would Shawn leave for something like that. I mean you had no way of knowing JT was your brother too,"
"That's not necessarily true. I found out about JT a week ago. And because I didn't tell Shawn he found out by accident when Hope told Bo. He then came home too tell me. Only to find out that I already knew JT was our brother. When I found out last week and Hope asked me not to say anything so that she could tell him herself. Only, he inadvertently found out when she was telling Bo. So you see Chloe, secrets can ruin your life. Especially, when you think it's for the best to keep them."
"I know Belle, believe me I know." She said with sincere understanding.
"Do you, do you really? I mean if you know that, then why aren't you being honest?" Belle was staring intently at Chloe as if she expected her to say something.
"Belle, what are you talking about? I'm afraid you've lost me?" Chloe clearly couldn't understand what had gotten Belle so mad.
"You know what I'm talking about. Does the secret about Jarod's father ring any bells? I have just one question, why didn't you ever tell Brady that the two of you share a child?" Chloe gasped in shock and rose from her seat.
"Belle, I don't know what's wrong with you. But, you know that Brady couldn't be Jarod's father. It would be impossible, there is no way he could be Jarod's father.
"How do you know? You claim not to remember being pregnant or even delivering him. Besides, look at him, he has blonde hair and blue eyes just like Brady."
"Newsflash, Belle that proves nothing. My husband, Brady's uncle, has the same blonde hair and blue eyes. I really don't see where you're going with this. I have never been unfaithful to Philip. While I may not know who Jarod's father is I can tell you who it isn't. And Brady is definitely not his father. I can guarantee it. I am sorry about what happened with Shawn and you finding out that JT is your brother. But, that is no excuse for taking it out on me." Chloe said and then she turned to leave the house, door slamming in her wake.
"Yeah, well everyone I love is capable of lying to me so why should you be any different." Belle asked to the empty room.