Chapter Six

Written by AngelsInstead

Chloe Black was shaking as she walked out of Kayla Brady's office at University Hospital. She couldn't seem to grasp the news that she had just been given. Pregnant? With Brady's baby?

Yes, all of the signs were there, but she didn't want to be pregnant, not now... not with Brady and his addictions. Alcohol, drugs. You name it- and her husband was addicted to it. But she loved him. How she loved him and she could not help but love their child, too... their sweet, innocent child who was relying on her for love and protection. How could she possibly care for a child under the same roof as Brady when he was constantly high or incredibly drunk?

She placed her hand on her belly as she walked passed a man who was not clean shaven and wearing scruffy-looking clothing. She paid no mind to the man. She had to hurry home and figure out what to do about her pregnancy and her husband.

XxxxOoo

Patrick had just walked passed a woman in the hospital who looked pale and shaken. He thought that he may have recognized her from the past, but he couldn't be sure. Everything in Salem had changed so much since he had been incarcerated. Now everything was so much different. It was like a whole new place.

He entered the exam room at the nurse's instruction. He took a seat on the edge of the exam table, feeling a wave of nervousness. Prison had been a horrible place. He hoped he hadn't picked up anything while behind bars, but now he could find out if he was in good health. He wanted to be healthy and lively when he finally found Chelsea. He wondered how much she had changed since he had last seen her. She had only been 16 or 17 the last time he saw her. She was always looking at him all moony-eyed as though she adored him, but he had been obsessed with her stepmother Hope. Why hadn't he given Chelsea the attention she had deserved? Why hadn't he -?

Suddenly the door opened and a beautiful woman walked in. "Dr. Brady I presume?" he said as he looked up, expecting to see Dr. Kayla Brady, but that is not who he saw.

"Chelsea? Chelsea... is that you?" he asked in a gasp.

"Patrick," she said as she stared at him in shock. She had a hell of a hangover from her wild night before, but even so she was doing her best to do her duties at the hospital as a physician. Now she was seeing Patrick?! Was this only a dream?!

"Chelsea, I can't believe it's you... all grown up...and you're- you're a doctor.'

"Yes, I am...and apparently, I am here to give you a check-up," Chelsea said as she glanced over his chart. "Patrick, will you please take off your clothes? I need to examine you."

The truth was she'd always wanted to get Patrick Lockhart naked.

XxxxOoo

After Sydney and Johnny were busy playing with their toys in the playroom, EJ discreetly made a call to one of his henchman. "What information can you give me?" he asked. "About Samantha."

"I've been following her all over Salem," said Jennings, the henchman.

"She hasn't seen you?"

"No, I stayed at a distance. She has no idea I've been following her..."

"Good, because Samantha is very astute. If she figures out I had her followed..."

"She won't."

"Alright then, what's been going on with Samantha? Tell me everything," EJ insisted.

"She took the children to the Fish Market, then she went to the DiMera mansion..."

"And after that?"

"She went to the florist and bought some flowers."

"Flowers?" EJ said in surprise.

"Yes, she took them to the cemetery and placed them on the grave."

"Grave?! Who's grave?" EJ asked.

"It was the grave of a child... a baby by the name Grace."

EJ felt his heart fall inside his chest. Grace. All this time, he had feared she was pining away after her ex ~ Rafe, while in fact, Sami had been grieving for little Grace, the infant she had raised as her own. For a few months, Sami had believed that Grace was her child with EJ, but Nicole had switched the babies and taken little Sydney as her own. Now Sami had little Sydney back, but Grace had died of meningitis. They had both cried over her little body. In fact, they had buried the baby girl together.

"Mr. DiMera?" Jennings said on the phone as EJ had gone silent.

"That's all for now, Jennings," EJ said as he placed the phone back on it's cradle.

He stood in the doorway of the playroom, watching Sydney and Johnny as they were happily playing with their various toys. His little ones were healthy and full of mischief, just as little Grace should also be. Sami was still grieving for a baby she had cared for and loved. Why was she keeping it all in and hiding her pain from the world? Why didn't she come to him with her sorrows? After all, they had mourned for little Grace together.

*Samantha, you must stop hiding yourself from me,* EJ was thinking, wishing he could find a way to reach her.

XxxxOoo

Nicholas James Alamain arrived in Salem and moved into the mansion of his father. He brought plenty of servants with him to get the place spruced up. He was planning a large party so he wanted everything perfect for the festive occasion. He was working on the numerous invitations as a man walked into the room and sauntered over to the refreshment table to pour himself a drink.

"Do you think she followed us?" Nicholas asked.

"If she does show her face in Salem, we will find a way to make her pay for all her sins," responded the man. "She's an evil woman and a murderer. She deserves EVERYTHING she has coming to her."

"I almost have all the invitations done. We can send them out tonight."

"Very well," said the man. "A party will be the perfect place to announce my return to Salem."

XxxxOoo

Justin met Hope in the park so they could talk about what had transpired the day before. "So Bo has both of his exes, Carly AND Billie staying at your house?" Justin asked.

"Yes, he does, and he is refusing to make them leave."

"That - that is insane," Justin said.

"You're telling me. His daughter Chelsea is a hellion. Poor Ciara - she doesn't understand any of this and what is going on."

"I think that you and Ciara should come to stay with me and Victor at the mansion... for the time being... until you get things settled with Bo. Chloe and Brady live there, too, but they have their own wing of the mansion... and we don't see them very much."

"Ohhh Justin, I wouldn't want to impose."

"It's not imposing. You're family, Hope - you and Ciara... and Victor wants what is best for you and his granddaughter."

Hope was tempted...REALLY tempted...after all, her husband definitely had his hands full with his wild oldest daughter and all of his exes. He had no time for Hope and little Ciara.

Meanwhile, back at Bo and Hope's house, Ciara had a shiny pair of brand new scissors. She went into the guest bedroom and unzipped Carly's suitcase. "My mommy hates you... and I hate you, too," said the little girl as she ripped Carly's clothing to shreds.

She then looked up to see someone staring at her at the door. "Ciara, what are you doing?" Billie asked. "What did you do to Carly's clothes?"

"This is OUR house - me, Daddy's and Mommy's and YOU and Carly have to leave!" Ciara insisted. "WE don't want you here!"

"Ciara, it wasn't nice for you to cut up Carly's clothes. Your daddy is going to be very disappointed when he finds out what you did," Billie said to the child.

"When I find out what?" asked Bo as he approached Billie.