Author's Note: So here's the next chapter guys, thank you for the feedback and I hope you like it. Chapter 7 of SR is almost ready to go so expect it in a week or two. School starts again next week so I don't know how often I'll be able to post but be assured that I will continue writing the story.
Chapter Forty-Four – Repercussions
The Expedition came to a stop in the garage Jarod and his parents arrived home twenty minutes later after leaving the school. He had said nothing in the car during the ride home, neither had Chloe or Philip for that matter. They did however; keep shooting looks at one another as if he couldn't see. Any other time it would have struck Jarod as being funny. But, at this particular point nothing was funny to him. Eventually they were going to say something to him and ultimately they would find out what the fight had been about so Jarod figured he might as well enjoy the silence while it lasted cause it most likely wouldn't last long.
Jarod opened the door and climbed out of the SUV. He immediately headed to the side door in the garage and used his key to let him into the house.
Philip watched as his son hightailed himself out of bounds without saying a word. He sighed shaking his head as he walked around the car to help Chloe out of the car although she was already starting to get on her feet. "He certainly got out of here fast." He grasped her hand as she stepped down from the SUV and shut her door.
"Well, he's going to have to talk to us eventually, unfortunately for him that time is now." Chloe added as both she and Philip followed their son's prior footsteps into the manor. After closing the door they walked down the corridor, catching up to Jarod within a matter of seconds. "Jarod Lorenzo Kiriakis, I'm not about to chase you up those stairs. So I suggest you get your tail back down here right now." Chloe sternly ordered as she stood alongside Philip at the bottom of the staircase.
Jarod had been on his way up to his room when he heard his mother order him back down. He'd known the silence in the car wasn't about to last in the house. But, boy did he wish he wasn't going to have a talk with his parents. Given his current state of mind it would only take one thing to make him completely lose his cool and go off the deep end. He'd stopped his progression up the stairs turning back to face his parents knowing that neither were very happy with him at the moment. He couldn't think of any plausible way to stall the talk so he simply followed his parents into the library, other wise known as the den of torture.
"Sit down Jarod." Philip said as he closed the door behind his son. Then, he moved to stand by his wife's side. "Alright, so let's hear it. Let's hear why you got into a fight today." At Jarod's blank stare, Philip continued on hoping that something he said would induce Jarod to tell them what the fight was about. "Your mother and I both want you to understand that we aren't mad at you. We are concerned that you got into at fight today but we aren't mad at you for it. We only want to know how you got into the fight, we are both very much aware that another child may have provoked you into the fight and even if that's not the case we'd still like to know at least why."
Again Jarod said nothing so Chloe thought a different approach was needed. "Sweetheart, we need to know why you got in the fight. Frankly, I'm a little disappointed that you would resort to violence of any kind to resolve your problems at school. Don't you know that you can come to us whenever something like this happens? It's not like you to fight at all and I know you're know better than that but what I can't understand is why you would start a fight. So please explain to us, how someone who can't even get provoked into a fight with his younger brother could get provoked into starting a fight with a classmate."
Jarod looked away seeing the pleading look in his imploring blue mother's eyes. "Like father, like son." He mumbled under his breath.
"What does that mean?" Philip asked confused not entirely sure he'd heard Jarod correctly.
Jarod returned his gaze to his father's, piercing him with a look of outright contempt. "Nothing."
Philip glanced Chloe who seemed just as surprised at he was to hear the tone of disdain for his father in his voice. "Clearly, you're upset about something other than this fight, Jarod. So why don't you just lay it all on the line for me."
"Fine you wanna know why I got into a fight. Fine! I'll tell you I got in this fight because of you, because I was defending Mom, something which you obviously know nothing about if your history is any reflection."
Before Philip could respond Chloe stood placing a calming hand on his chest before she spoke. "Wait a minute, Jarod what are you talking about? What are you defending me from?" Jarod remained silent quietly refusing to give real reason for the fight.
"Jarod, you obviously have something on your mind or know more than you're willing to tell us considering you're accusing me of not defending your mother. So out with Jarod, tell me because I would like to know what crime I'm being accused of." Philip demanded mindful of his son's defensive nature.
"It's that dance you know the one where you thought Mom posed naked on a website to make money." Jarod's eyes burned with anger as they changed from stormy blue to icy grey. "How could you think she would do something like that?"
Chloe gasped in surprise that he knew about the dance. Composing herself as best she could, she asked Jarod where he'd heard about that.
"Is it really important how I heard about it. I'm more inclined to think that the horror of the event would matter more. But, since it's [i]so[/i] important to you, someone at school told me and then Grandma confirmed it."
"She told you what happened?" Philip asked.
"She didn't have to. All she did was verify what I already knew to be the truth. Conrad checked the papers and got the whole story. So were you ever planning to tell me or Ana or Dommy that our father doesn't even trust you? That he actually thought you would pose naked on a website for money? Cause I'd really like to know."
Although, caught off guard by the undercurrents of anger in Jarod's voice, Chloe wouldn't allow him to insult his father. "That's enough Jarod. I understand you're upset about what happened to me because it was horrible. But, honey, it was a different time for both your father and I, he was going through—,"
Jarod interrupted her disgust as evident in his face as it was with his tone. "I don't care what he was going through. Why are you defending him? I don't get it why would you defend him after what he's [i]done-did[/i]?"
"Because I love him. That's why Jarod, you can't understand this but when you get older—,"
Jarod jackknifed out his seat in a fit of anger. "No, I'll never understand, what he did," He pointed to Philip accusationally. "Was unforgivable. And I'll never forgive him for it. Never." He stared Philip dead in the eye. "I hate you and I wish you weren't my father." He turned, opened the door and ran out of the room.
Chloe waddled after him. "Jarod, Jarod wait." She started but didn't get very far as Philip grasped her arm. "What are you doing Philip? He's getting away."
"No, let him go."
"Philip, we just can't let him go not like this."
"Chloe he's right. It doesn't make sense for me to say I love you when I could hurt you like I did."
Chloe frowned in disbelief. "Philip, tell me you aren't seriously taking this to heart. Jarod was just venting, he's confused, and he didn't know everything that was going on then. It happened over 15 years ago and while I'm not going to say I got over it easily, I did get over it and resolved those issues. I had to for my own piece of mind and you should have as well."
"I know that, Chloe. And despite what you might like to think I have resolved the situation enough to know that just like we worked through our issues on this alone, he has to before either of us can really talk to him and make him understand what was going on." He ushered her back in the direction of the library and back into a seat.
Chloe huffed but sat down anyway. "I have to say Philip, although I'm glad you're taking this well, it's somewhat surprising to me."
"Why is that?" He asked going around the desk to pick up the phone.
"Because normally you're not so insightful with Jarod." He arched his brow in mild amusement at the comment. "Anyway, I'm glad you're not freaking out over this because I sincerely doubt I have the patience to have handled both you and Jarod having issues. Who are you calling?"
"Brady, I figure that he and Meems would probably like a heads up about the reason for the fight. Because if Jarod wants to disown me, I can only imagine how Conrad is feeling about Meems."
Chloe grimaced. "Good thinking." He nodded as he waited for someone to answer the phone.
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Across the way at the Black household, Brady was just ending a very enlightening phone call with his uncle as Mimi entered the kitchen.
"Thanks for the heads up. I'll get back with you later."
"Who was that?" Mimi questioned putting her purse down on the table.
"Philip. It seems Jarod and Conrad were told about the Last Blast."
"Oh well that's just great." She said slapping her hand down on the table. "Really, it's just great. So I'm going to take a leap and guess that was the reason for the fight?"
"Definitely. Anyway, Jarod has apparently disowned his father and hates him accordingly."
"I'm not looking forward to having this talk with Conrad, now."
"Well, I told you not to put it off." Brady added to which he was the recipient of his wife's frowning glare. "What? I did tell you to talk with him sooner. You're the one who decided to wait."
"Yes, I know that but that doesn't mean I have to like that you were right and I was wrong. But, getting back to the issue at hand how long is he suspended for?"
"Just a day. He was trying to break-up the fight not get himself involved so the VP decided he didn't need to be out of school as long as the other boys. She said he could return to school in a day and his attempt at peacemaker would be noted on his record."
"That's a relief."
"I agree." Brady said pouring himself a glass of juice before taking the seat next to her. "So how do you think we should handle this with a simple grounding or the usual restriction of privileges?"
"I'm thinking we do something a little more than that. What do you think about us separating Jarod and Conrad for a while?" Mimi was attempting something to see how effective a brief period of separation from her son's apparent partner in crime.
"You mean telling him that he can't see Jarod outside of school for a while?" Brady asked already warming to the idea.
"Exactly."
"I think it could work. I like it—,"
"I don't. I hate it. It's a stupid idea." Conrad said from the doorway of the kitchen. Both of his parents turned to see him standing at the door neither seeming particularly surprised to see him there.
"Well unfortunately you don't have a vote Conrad. This isn't a democracy. Obviously, you and Jarod need a break from each other."
"But, why the fight wasn't even our fault." Conrad argued.
"Be that as it may Conrad fighting in any circumstance is not the answer. You need to learn to handle your problems in a different way and that's that."
"But, I wasn't fighting. I was just trying to stop it." Conrad protested looking at his father for support.
"At this point Conrad it doesn't matter. You and Jarod will take a hiatus from each other for a week. You can work on your assignments together at school but that's it. There will not be computer chats, no IMing, and no phone calls for one week."
"Dad," Conrad pleaded hoping his father would help.
"I'm sorry Conrad I agree with your mother on this, sport. " Brady replied.
Conrad threw his arms up in exasperation as he rolled his eyes in disbelief. "I can't believe this. It's not even Jarod's or my fault that the stupid fight happened. If you hadn't taken those dumb pictures in the first place I wouldn't be in this mess. How could you hate someone so much that you would do that?" He asked of his mother. "What's wrong with you?"
Brady rose from his seat. "Conrad, don't speak to your mother that way."
"Why not, she not the person I thought she was. I'm beginning to wonder if Mom really didn't have an affair with that Jason guy. Because if she could take pictures of Jarod's mother she isn't above cheating on her husband." Conrad declared and then stormed out of the room.
"That went well." Mimi added a few minutes later. "I guess I've just joined ranks with Philip in the parental unit hate club. Funny, I always thought it be you."
"Why is that?"
"Well you're a guy, the father aren't they usually the ones that everyone hates?"
Brady grinned sardonically. "You're asking me?"
"Okay so you're not normal. But, honestly, I never thought it was supposed to be like this. I thought everything I did, as a teen wouldn't matter because I'm a good mother, a good person now. I guess that's just not the case."
As he watched his wife is such distress over her past actions it tugged at his heart. While, he'd agreed that her past behavior wasn't exactly the best as a teen, he had been no angel himself. But, at the same time he was prepared for whatever backlash there may have been from his actions as a teen. He pulled his wife into his arms hugging her around the waist. "Hey, neither of us were saints when we were teens. We both have records and we've both made mistakes. We've paid our dues to society on both accounts, we've changed for the better, and we grew up. You have nothing to be upset about."
"Brady—,"
He turned her in the frame of his arms so that she faced him, lifting up her chin. "You don't need to apologize to me for anything you did then. I know you're sorry and if you had the chance you'd go back and change your actions. But, we can't change the past. The only thing we can do shape how it effects our future and our kids." Mimi nodded.
"I guess you're right."
"That's what I love to hear. So how about you so a little appreciation for my intellect." Keeping her eyes in contact with his, she leaned up and gently pressed her lips to his.
"I'd love to but I need to make a call." She pulled away from him taking the phone off the table.
"That's so wrong."
"I know but I'll make it up to you." Mimi promised raising the phone to her ear.
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Later that night Philip entered his bedroom and shut the door. Chloe was already in bed reading a book, or rather not read a book as he later found when he sat down. She had the book in her lap but it was upside down.
"Penny for your thoughts?" He asked drawing her attention to him.
"Just thinking about Jarod and …"
"And what he said today?" He finished for her as he pulled off his t-shirt. "Are you more concerned that he said he hates me or is it something else?"
"Actually, it's a little bit of both. I guess I just don't understand how you can be so laidback about this. He told you he hated you and that he wished you weren't his father and you just brushed it aside. If he had said something like that to me, I don't know how I'd react. But, I know I wouldn't be as calm about it as you." She said following Philip's movements around the room as he moved from one side to the next before finally stopping in the bathroom.
"I'm not exactly calm about this at all. I'm just more resigned to it. In this family, him hating me isn't exactly the worst thing that could happen. Hell, I'd say it's just about normal." The water was turned on followed by the sound of Philip brushing his teeth. A minute or two later the brushing stopped and the water was turned off.
Chloe settled back in the bed waiting for her husband to come back so she could question him more. "What do you mean you think this is normal for us?"
Philip turned off the light in the bathroom and reentered the bedroom before answering. "Not normal for you maybe but normal for the Kiriakis family. Lord knows how many times I said I hated my father when I didn't—,"
"Philip your father can be a royal bastard sometime. Besides that you are nothing like him."
"I think I am like him to some point Chloe. I hated a lot of things he did, but I loved him regardless of that, it's why I'm not upset about Jarod. I know that he is angry with me right now and he has every right to be what I did was horrible. I admit that obviously it would have been better for me if I wasn't such a little prick back then but I can't change the past. I can't change who I was back then. I have to deal with the repercussions of my actions on our child. The sins of the father will be revisited upon the son. Only this time we'll deal with it together."
Chloe nodded in agreement. "Well, I guess we'll just do whatever is necessary then to get him through this starting tomorrow. Which reminds me do you think we should sit the twins and Jessie down and tell them about it?"
"I'd rather not and let them come to us if they want to talk about it. Frankly, I've had enough rehashing the past for one month." He said settling down beside her in the bed. She had already placed the book on the dresser by her side as she flipped off the light switch.
"Alright, then we'll hold off on the talk." Philip pulled her next him in spoon fashion; her back to his chest and his hand resting on the mound of her stomach where their child resided inside her.
"Good now, let's get some sleep. I have a feeling tomorrow is going to be a long day." Philip said as he kissed her neck. Chloe relaxed against and drifted into a quiet sleep."
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