Author's Note: Hey all, I hope everyone had a great 4th of July I know I did. I don't want to bore everyone with apologies for the lateness of this chapter but real life has just been so busy that I'm just happy to finally have this part out. For those interested, Chapter 13 of Sweet Revenge is almost finished and if everything goes as planned I hope to have it out next week. As always if you're wondering what I'm doing or where I am at in posting the story for latest updates just check my website. Without further ado …
Chapter Forty-Nine
A Brand New Day
"Do you really think Chloe will want all of us here when she gets home Belle?" Mimi asked as she watched the blonde dynamo fluff the pillows on the white and black sofa.
"Of course she will." Belle replied as she stood up looking around at the tastefully decorated living room with multicolored balloons and a sign that said, 'Welcome home, Chloe & Caryn!' "Why wouldn't she?"
"Oh no real reason, just she might have wanted to come home and rest." Mimi answered. "I mean after all she was just in an accident just a few days ago."
Belle sighed. "Maybe you're right. We'll just make this a short party then and won't stay long." She compromised.
"Good." Mimi said nodding as she checked her watch. "They should be here in a few minutes."
As if on cue, Paula entered the room seconds later wiping her hands on a cloth. "Mr. K just called, he and the Missus should be here in a few. Wow, you ladies did a great job here."
"See I told you it wasn't too much Meems."
"No not at all, Mrs. Brady."
Rubbing her hands against the sides of her charcoal gray slacks Belle remembered that she needed to check her messages. Since only just recently returning to work part time she was anxious to get her summer line started. She was awaiting a call from a vendor who had the particular material that she wanted to test out for her new line. "I'm going to put in a call to the office to see if Mario returned my call yet."
"I thought you weren't going back to work until after the New Year, Belle."
"I'm not full time, just part time anyway. But, Mario has this gorgeous new fabric that I think would just be too good to pass up for my new summer line." Belle answered as she dialed the number to her private answering service.
Mimi sighed, "Some people just don't know how to enjoy a good day off, Paula."
"Ain't that the truth?" Paula chuckled heartily as she turned to back to the kitchen to prepare Jarod some chicken noodle soup.
Philip glanced in the rear-view mirror at Chloe as he stopped at the red light. "Are you sure you're comfortable?"
Chloe arched a brow, looking at her husband. "I am absolutely fine, Philip. As I have told you at every red light, you know this isn't the first time I've been in an accident. Nor the first time I've given birth to a child." She raked one hand over her wavy locks pushing them out of her eyes. "I feel perfectly fine. Really."
The light turned green and Philip got the car back in gear. "Well it never hurts to check."
"No it doesn't. So tell me who planned the welcome home party?" Chloe asked as she leaned kissing her sleeping daughter.
"Belle why?" He answered as he absently turned onto the street that led to their house. He pulled in front of the driveway and waited for the garage door to open.
"I'm just trying to figure out what to expect. If my mother didn't have a hand in it then this means that we'll just have cake. With Nancy it would be a suitcase hidden away in our guest bedroom. Need I remind of when we brought home Ana and Dominic?"
As Philip turned off the car and pocketed the keys, he grimaced. "Ah, yes the point is completely taken. I don't think I could handle Nancy moving in for a month."
"Exactly."
"No offense though." He added as an afterthought.
"Oh please Philip. I was the one who went crazy when she stayed last time. Believe me I don't think I could handle it this time either." She added as she unbuckled her own seatbelt and then turned to the baby.
"Wait a minute. Let me do that you're not supposed to be doing any heavy lifting." He was out of his seat and by her before she could say a word of protest.
"Philip I hardly think our daughter would qualify as heavy lifting." She protested as he helped her out of the car and then took her position unbuckling their daughter from her safety seat. Seconds later, he returned with their bundle of joy securely snuggled in his arms.
"Oh believe me she is. No one this precious could be so light." He answered smiling down at the baby then glancing up at Chloe. He offered her his arm, "My dear wife, May I offer you my arm?"
She smiled. "How could I resist such an offer, I'd be delighted." She took his arm and allowed him to precede her into the house.
An hour later, the welcome home party was coming to an end. Caryn was sleeping happily in her bassinet after being cooed over by Belle, Mimi, Paula, Nicolette and her older brother.
"I think we'll just take our leave, Chloe so you and Miss Caryn can get some sleep sweetie." Belle said as she leaned down to kiss Chloe's cheek before she grabbing her purse to leave. She passed by Philip patting his arm. "You take care of our newest addition to the family, Philip."
"I'm going to go as well. I've got JT tonight with my boys. So I better get ho me to wrangle him and Brady in." Mimi added as she patted Chloe's hand before she walked out of the room. "You rest up and enjoy your new daughter Chloe."
Chloe beamed down at the sleeping baby in the bassinet. "I will. Thanks Meems." The other woman nodded as she walked past Philip and she left the room.
Philip left his position leaning against the doorway. "So Mom how are you feeling really?"
Chloe sighed as she leaned back against the sofa cushion lifting her legs to lie fully on it. "Honestly, I'm tired; I'd like nothing more than to spend a week in bed. Where's Jarod?"
"Your son is in his room resting where you should and will be. I can take care of everything."
"Really? Have you managed to make our other children disappear? And how are you planning do this wonderful feat without me, considering that Caryn is being breastfed?"
He settled down onto the sofa by her feet, he lifted them onto his lap. "Okay so I can't breastfeed. But, I can make sure that everything else is less stressful, in general. I've decided to take paternity leave."
"What? Philip you can't do that." She protested. Although Philip had been vested in the twins from the moment they were born he hadn't taken any paternity leave for their arrival. In fact, he was barely home a week before he had to leave on a business trip.
"Actually, I can and I have." He replied. "After all I am one of VPs in Titan and I should set an example for the other men in my position. How can they be encouraged to take paternity leave if their own vice president won't? I mean what's the point of having the program their if no one is going to take advantage of it. Besides, its Christmas season and its not like I don't already take time off for the holidays. And let's not forget the most important factor of all."
"Which is?" She reached over and bassinet to check on their daughter.
"I want to spent time with my daughter. If they need me for something important than they can reach me here, I can work from home if need be. That's why computers and telephones were invented." He smiled and then at Caryn's thin whine left the sofa to lift the newborn out of her bassinet. "There's my girl," he said softly. "See she agree with me it would be nice to have Daddy home with her and Mommy." The baby waved an arm in agreement.
"Uh huh, how about you give your new Daddy's girl to Momma so that I can feed her." Chloe rose to take the baby from his grasp.
He sighed depositing the child in her mother's capable hands. "Are you taking her to the nursery?"
"Yes. Then I'm going to take my doctor's advice and get some sleep myself." Philip followed behind her, with his hand on the small of her back.
"Good, turn on the baby monitor when you leave. I'll listen for her."
Chloe nodded and then took off in the direction of the upstairs rooms as Philip went into his office.
Philip sat down in the rocking chair in the nursery soothing his daughter back to sleep after her latest meal. The newest member of the Kiriakis family had a very busy first couple of days getting adjusted to all the sights and sounds of her new home. His daughter blinked up at him sleepily. Although, he wasn't able to feed his daughter just yet, Philip enjoyed spending time with his daughter by changing her diapers and rocking her to sleep. He found that he relished the late night feedings as a time for him to bond with his daughter now.
Caryn reached up with a hand and grabbed his finger holding it tightly in her grasp. Adjusting the hold of his daughter against his bare chest so that she lay over his heart he set the rocking chair back into motion again laying his head against the padded headrest and closed his eyes.
Jarod opened his door, intending to go downstairs and sneak himself a bowl of ice cream when walked past the nursery. There was a soft glow of light peeking out of the doorway, he took a detour from his trip downstairs and went to see if his mother was still up with the baby. Pushing the door open quietly he was surprised to find that it wasn't his mother with the baby after all. It was his father sitting in the rocking chair with baby Caryn lying over his chest sound asleep.
"Jarod, what are you doing up?" Chloe called out as she entered the room. Her long hair was tousled about her robe covered shoulders.
Jarod turned around surprised to see his robe clad mother entering the room. "Hey Mom, I was going to get a glass of water when I saw the light on."
His mother nodded with a small smile as she observed her husband and daughter sleeping in the rocking chair. "Ah, your father was supposed to put Caryn to bed, I guess she wasn't ready to go to sleep." She leaned down and carefully lifted the baby off her father's chest. Cuddling the child to her she carried her over to the bassinet. "Sweetie, you can go ahead and get your water, I'll just put Caryn to bed." She said as she placed the child in the bassinet.
Jarod nodded and then went on his way out of the room. After her son left, Chloe pulled the spare blanket from the baby's walk-in closet and covered Philip's prone body. Ensuring that her husband was promptly covered she kissed his cheek and left the room checking to make sure that the baby monitor was on she left the room.
The next morning Philip was talking on the phone to his secretary when Jarod appeared at the doorway. "Yes, Seth, just reschedule all of my meetings for next week at the earliest convenience. And have Joseph Tucker call me when he gets back from the Kenyon meeting." Seeing his son in the doorway, he waved him in. "That will be all; I'll talk to you tomorrow. Goodbye." He hung up his phone. "Jarod, what can I do for you?"
The boy dropped into a seat across from his father's desk with a bored sigh. "I'm tired of being at home. When can I go back to school?"
Philip leaned back in his chair in amusement. "You've only been home for three days."
"I know but I'm missing all these days of school, it's almost been a whole week."
"You are your Mother's son. If I were you I'd be happy to miss a couple of days of school."
Jarod frowned. "What's so great about missing a few days when all it means is that I will have tons of homework to do when I actually do go back."
"Good point. Well, maybe if you're check-up goes well tomorrow you can go to school on Friday. That's only four days so it's not so bad. Besides, I thought you liked being at home with your sister."
"I do," he plucked at a piece of lint on his dark green sweatpants. "But, all she does is eat, sleep, and use the bathroom. And honestly Dad there is no appeal in changing dirty diapers, none at all."
Philip chuckled as he shuffled some papers on his desk. "Well that's all babies do at this age. Once your Mom starts expressing milk then you'll be able to feed her, which can be fun sort of."
"Sure, Dad." He sardonically said. "So can I ask you something?"
"Of course," Philip said absently as he collected a bunch of folders and placed them in a bin on desk. "You have my full attention."
"So are you happy about the baby? I mean I know you're happy about the baby but are you happy that Caryn was a girl instead of boy?"
"Why do you ask?"
Jarod shrugged. "I don't know I'm just curious."
Philip paused in the shelving of files to give his son his attention. It was a rather weird question to be asked even by Jarod's standards. "Honestly, I don't think about it too much. I have a beautiful baby girl who I love with all my heart. And if she was a boy, I'd love her just the same. That's all the matters."
Jarod nodded as he rose from the seat. "I'm going to lie down for a while."
"Hey Jarod," Philip called out as the boy reached the doorway, Jarod turned. "If you wait I second for me to put this work stuff away, I can play a video game with you if you like."
"Sure, I'd like that." Jarod agreed waiting for his father to clear up his desk. His father put away the last file and rose from his desk. With that father and son headed to the family room to play some video games.
Kate Roberts had been on her way to Italy for business when she had got word that her daughter-in-law had given birth. Instead of rushing back, she decided to finish her business in Rome and return home later thus giving Chloe and the new baby time to get out of the hospital and reacquitant themselves at home. As she pressed the button for the doorbell, she observed the neighborhood her son lived in. She never understood why Philip hadn't moved into a gated community once he and Chloe had married. After all her son was the heir to the Kiriakis dynasty and he had a history to uphold and appearances to keep up.
Sighing, she pulled her fur coat closer together from the cool night air. She was going to have to suggest that her son get a butler. Really, she had been waiting for someone to answer the door forever. As she raised her hand to push the button again, the door suddenly opened to reveal the children's nanny. Now, what was her name again?
"Hello, Ms Roberts." The young woman said as she smiled at the older woman. "I was just leaving for the day. Please come in, it's cold outside." The girl stepped to the side to allow her entrance.
"Ah, yes, it is cold," Kate's mind ran as she tried to remember the girl's name. It always reminded her of Victor's current trollop, Nicole-something, Nico, Nicolette, that was it. "Yes, thank you Nicolette."
"No problem, Ms Roberts. May I take your coat?" The young woman offered.
"Oh yes, of course." Kate shrugged out of her fur coat handing it to the young woman who took it and hung it in the coat closet taking out her own winter coat at the same time. "So how is school going for you?" Kate asked as she recalled the young woman was a sophomore at Salem University.
"Quite well, actually but I have a Physics exam tomorrow morning so I have to get going." The woman pulled on her winter hat and gloves. "It was nice seeing you again, Ms. Roberts." She nodded leaving the coat closet to head for the front door.
"Yes, have a good night. Study hard." Kate called to the girl as she went out the front door. She took off in search of her son and grandchildren. She found them in the kitchen. Jarod was sitting at the kitchen island with one arm in a cast and the other holding a spoon of what looked like ice cream. The twins and Jessica were all sitting around the table decorating Christmas cookies. "Hello all."
"Grandma," Ariana and Jessica called as they both dropped their tubes of icing to run over to her.
Kate leaned down and kissed both of the girls. "Hello my darlings, how are you?"
"We're great Grandma. Did you hear we got to name our new baby sister?" Ariana replied as she went back to her seat.
"No, I didn't hear that. So tell me what name did my brilliant grandchildren come with?"
"Caryn Kamiana Kiriakis," Dominic proudly announced.
The smile on Kate's face would have faltered were it not for the slight nudge from her son as he entered the room behind her.
"Mom, what are you doing here? I thought you were going to be in Italy for another week." Philip said from behind his mother with his hands in his pocket.
"Oh darling, now you know I couldn't honestly stay in Italy after I heard about my new granddaughter, Caryn Kamiana is it?" Kate turned and hugged Philip and then stood back to look at her son.
"Yes, the children came up with it." He replied reaching around his mother to steal a cookie from Dominic's plate.
"Hey," Dominic called. "Dad this is for the Christmas party."
"I know I won't take anymore."
"That's what you said earlier." Jarod pointed out with his spoon.
Philip ruffled Jarod's hair. "Whose side are you on, Jarod?"
"Mine. Besides, Jessie promised me some cookies when she finished, Dad." Jarod smoothed his hair with his uninjured hand after dropping the spoon in the bowl.
"Oh Jarod, what happened to your arm?" Kate asked looking horrified.
"I was in the car with Mom when we got hit. But, it totally looks worse than it feels. Besides, I have this cool cast so it's not too bad." He asked mindful of his head when Kate came over and kissed his cheek.
"Well, I do hope you're all right." Kate said as she caught Philip mouth the word 'Later' to her.
"He's perfectly fine. And has the doctor's seal of approval to go with it." Philip answered nodding to his son as he saw his wife come into the kitchen with the baby in her arms.
"Someone wanted to be apart of the Christmas festivities." Chloe said as she entered the room with the baby in her arms. "Oh, hello Kate, I didn't know you were here."
"Well, I just got back in town. Is that my granddaughter?"
Chloe smiled nodding. "Yes, would you care hold her?"
"May I?" Kate asked hesitantly.
"Of course, Mom." Philip answered taking his daughter from Chloe's arms and transferring her to Kate's.
As the baby opened her big blue eyes staring at the person holding her, Kate cooed. "Welcome to the family."
Please tell me what you think; feedback is always appreciated good or bad!