CHAPTER TWO

As Hope rode to the hospital with Steve and Kayla, Kayla explained what had happened to Carolyn. "Roman said they were on their way to the pub when Mom said she felt very weak and faint. I think it's just the stress of losing Bo, but Roman took her to the hospital as a precaution."

Hope's heart felt heavy for Carolyn Brady, the elderly lady who had just buried her youngest child after years of not knowing where he was. When Bo had returned to Salem, it was as if Carolyn had received a new lease on life. She was looking forward to making up for lost time. The stress of all the "what if's and maybe's" had to be weighing heavily on her mind.

At the hospital, the worried trio found Carolyn's oldest son, Roman, pacing silently. "Roman?" Kayla demanded anxiously as she approached him. "How's Mom?"

"They're running some tests," Roman explained. "All the stress of this is too much for her…I think she should move in with me. I know she's stubborn and independent, but this time, I think she'll have to listen to reason."

"Good luck with that," Kayla said with a sigh.

A half dozen cups of coffee later, the worried family finally got the news they had been waiting for: Carolyn would be ok; as Kayla had predicted, the stress Carolyn had been under had likely caused her dizzy spell and weakness. She was going to be admitted overnight for observation, but her condition didn't appear to be overly dangerous.

"I need to speak to her," Hope said.

"We'll wait for you, then take you home," Steve offered.

"No, that's all right," Hope insisted. "I'll call a cab."

"Are you sure?" Kayla asked.

"Yes. It may be a while."

"All right." Kayla wrapped her former sister-in-law in a close hug. "Call us if you need anything, ok? We'll be right over."

"Thanks. You guys are wonderful."

Once the couple had left, Hope called Shawn and asked him to take Ciara home and wait with her until Hope got there. "I'm not going home right away," Shawn told her. "I'll stay in Salem just as long as you need me to. You don't have to worry about anything. In fact, I'm sorry that I wasn't here all this time you needed me. I really am sorry, Mom."

"Honey, there is no need to apologize for anything," Hope assured him. "Your dad was very proud of you, and so am I. You provide for your family, and you put them first. No one could ever ask for more from you."

She could hear her son sigh heavily. "Thanks, Mom. Knowing you feel that way still doesn't make me feel any less guilty, though."

"I know," Hope said quietly. "I have a lot of guilt myself. I actually thought he had left me, that's why I married someone else. Why would I think that? Bo was always completely devoted to me. There's no way he would have just left me. He loved me too much. I was everything to him—his family was everything to him. All he thought about was us. He never gave a thought to his own needs." She felt her eyes beginning to moisten yet again, and she added, "I need to go now, ok? Just look after Ciara for me."

"I will."

"Thank you. I love you."

"I love you, too."

Hope slipped her cell phone inside her purse, then went down to see Bo's mother. Carolyn had finally been admitted to a room, and she looked exhausted. Hope lounged in the doorway for a few moments, wondering what she could possibly say. After several minutes, Carolyn finally opened her eyes and smiled briefly at Hope. "Hope…come in. I need to see you."

Hope approached the bed, then asked, "Can I get you anything?"

"Yeah. My son," Carolyn said wearily as she rested her head against the pillow.

Hope frowned. "I don't mean to sound rude, but that's really not very funny."

Carolyn sighed. "It wasn't meant to be funny. Hope…I don't want you to think I'm crazy, but…"

"But what?" Hope demanded. She clasped the older woman's hand as she softened her voice. "You can tell me. I won't make fun of you, and I don't think you're crazy."

Carolyn looked into her eyes as she confided solemnly, "I had another vision…I don't believe Bo is dead."

She expected to see disbelief in Hope's eyes, but the younger woman surprised her by whispering, "I don't believe so, either."

A long pause passed between them before Hope asked, "What did you see?"

"He's cold and hungry…and he's trapped…I feel it with every fiber of my being that he needs us! You have to find him, Hope! Before it's too late! He doesn't have much time."

Hope looked at her fearfully. "How much time does he have?"

"Less than twenty-four hours," Carolyn whispered. "He's been buried alive!"