Chapter 12

True to her promise, Carly took four days off and flew to New York City via Tony's cooperate jet, with Melanie. Tony met them at the airport accompanied by his son, who was as good looking as his father but had his mother's intense blue eyes. Despite being crazy about Dario, Melanie kept eyeing Gianni appreciatively as he exchanged warm greetings with Carly after they were introduced. 'Italians are so hot.' Melanie sighed as the two men saw to the luggage.

'Dario's Spanish; they aren't bad looking too.'

'I know but still...' Melanie directed another burning look at him. Gianni caught her eye and grinned, winking. Shaking her head at them, Carly looked her boyfriend, watching him intently. She was mature enough not to kid herself, while her love for Tony wasn't and could never be the white-hot feeling she had for Bo; loved Tony she did. And how could she help it; he was very kind to her, solicitous and obviously loved her very much. He didn't treat her like a possession and made it plain she was his one and only. Based on that knowledge, common sense firmly overruled her heart. Bo didn't love her, not like he once did, unconditionally and, oh... so passionately. Too much time had passed since they went their separate ways that it was far too impossible for him to let go of Hope and his feelings for her. But what she couldn't forgive him for was making her believe they had a future but yearning for his wife the whole time. It hurt regarding Bo that way but it was the cold why the hell should she feel guilty about being with Tony Delfino; she was his woman, not his "other woman."

'Something on your mind, Manning?' Tony broke into her thoughts.

'Just thinking.'

'Happy thoughts I hope.' Tony said, taking her arm as they walked out of the airport, Melanie and Gianni deep in conversation behind them.

'Happy, cheery thoughts.' Carly assured him. 'I'm glad to be here with you.'

Tony stroked her hair. 'Ditto.'

Tony's apartment was on Fifth Avenue, luxuriously decorated, very spacious with three guestrooms.

'This place is amazing!' Melanie exclaimed, going from one room to another. 'And check out this view!'

'This is New York, Mel;we're rich in views.' Gianni said, amused by her enthusiasm. ' They're scattered everywhere.'

'Well maybe I should move here then!' Melanie took another turn round the place, making Tony and Gianni laugh. Carly merely smiled. It was the first time she and Melanie would take a trip together and she was glad that Tony didn't mind she'd come along. 'The more the merrier,' he'd said. 'Gianni and Uncle Vito should meet her too.'

'Not too pretentious, I hope.' Tony said as Gianni joined Melanie at the balcony.

'The place is charming, like its owner.'

Tony kissed her thoroughly. 'Glad it meets your approval.'

'Well, Mr. Delfino; you should know that everything about you meets my approval.'

Tony smiled down at her, black eyes warm and loving. It's now been two months since they've been dating and although they were yet to actually have sex; he felt completely connected to Carly, who was different from any woman he'd ever known. Because of everything she's been through he'd vowed not to scare her by making a move. They'd almost made love the last time he was in Salem; going as far as taking off her blouse but then she'd been paged by the hospital. But he was still resolved to give her time. They had all the time in the world.

::::::::::::

From then on, Bo and Hope didn't bother making love; the only reason they still shared a bed was for appearance sake; Ciara would immediately ask questions if they began sleeping in separate bedrooms.

But it didn't take long for the family to discover something was wrong between them. When they'd reconciled, they were all over each other. Now, anything they did in public, including talking to each other, apparently involved a lot of effort.

Kayla, who was in town on a quick visit, naturally questioned Bo about it over coffee at the Pub. 'What's this coldness between you and Hope?' she asked without warning.

'What coldness are you talking about?' Bo replied.

'You can't fool me, Bo.' His sister pressed on. 'You and Hope are overly polite with each other these days, it's almost like you can't stand being around each other. What's going on?'

Bo was silent.

'Oh God... have you started something with Carly again?' Kayla demanded sharply. 'What are you doing, doesn't your marriage mean something to you?'

'I barely even know myself!' Bo retorted. 'Andleave Carly out of this; I absolutely forbid you to blame her for anything because she's done nothing wrong!'

'She's coming between you and Hope... again, and you are telling me she's not done anything wrong!' Kayla spat, really angry. 'So whose fault is it?'

'I don't know Kayla, why don't you open your eyes and find out for once, instead on passing blame!' Bo's pent up rage and pain at losing Carly to Tony Delfino bursting forth at last. The few patrons present turned to stare at them.

'Who else but hers...'

'Shut the hell up!' Bo shouted, making her shrink back in surprise. 'If you don't have any regard left for Carly, at least have some respect for my feelings! Come to think of it, no one gave a shit about my feelings when Hope walked out; all everyone cared about was me begging her to come home! She walked out and Carly wasn't even there at the time! Carly was the only one, the only person who knew how I felt; and she loved me enough to want to see me happy even if it was with Hope who'd left me in the first place!'

Kayla found her voice at last. 'The why did you reconcile with Hope if you feel that way?'

Bo bit his lip, staring up at the ceiling. 'I'm still waiting to the answer to that.' Bitterly, he turned away from his sister, slamming the door behind him.

'Fool!' Kayla muttered to herself. It was obvious to all and sundry; Bo was still in love with Carly. Or rather, he thought he was.

And she was far from right. Part of Bo hated Carly for giving herself to another man, the other part missed her agonisingly and blamed himself yet again for letting her go. Seeing her about town hanging on to Tony's arm and kissing at the park was bad enough, but now the whole world knew about their relationship; the current issue of HELLO! magazinecontained photos of them at some gala in New York. Carly looked breathtakingly beautiful in a teal evening gown, her hair upswept. And holding hands with Tony.

Bo continued walking until he got to the docks, staring down at the water.

'Excuse me ...if I can have everybody's attention please.'

Several pairs of eyes turned to him, Lawrence's included, full of curiosity. Carly raised her eyebrows, clearly inquiring what he was up to. Satisfied he had the whole room, he continued, ' I have a little announcement to make. First of all, I would like to thank our host ,Mr. Larry Alamain for his part in all this.'

Lawrence stared at him, perplexity written all over his arrogant face.

'Thank you Lar, we couldn't have done this without you.' He praised,knowing full well he was annoying him and it pleased him, considering the way he'd been bird dogging Carly all evening. Roman and Marlena stood near Carly, patiently waiting to hear what he had to say.

'This has been a very special time for me and there's been a very special woman who shared this time with me.' Carly's eyes glowed at him. 'And she was right there by my side the whole time down at Chichén Itzá; and together we climbed the Castillo and we pledged our love to one another.' Filled with tenderness and love for the woman standing across the room he went on, 'Right now, tonight... I would like to make it official for all my family and friends to see.' Now Roman and Marlena were smiling besides Carly, whose own smile was radiant. The happiness he felt was overflowing; he'd decided to do this to set Larry straight once and for all but there was another reason, he wanted to show to all and sundry just how happy and very much in love he was; never had he thought he could ever be this happy again. Carly was his light, the light who had kept him from sliding further into the darkness he'd lived in since Hope's death and he'll never ever let her go for anything.

'A month from tonight...' he kept his eyes on Carly, 'on February 7th, I would like you to become my wife.' Excited murmurs from the crowd now and Carly's smile growing wider.

'That is... if you'll have me.' He grinned, making everyone laugh. Without a word, Carly walked up to him, her lips fervently fusing with his replying to his proposal better than words ever could. They barely heard the sound of applause as they kissed and kissed some more...

Bo pressed a hand against his eyes but the tears came forth all the same.

'Seriously Bo, what am I going to do with you?'

Bo jumped, glancing sharply around him. There was no one about but him. Who had spoken? 'Who the hell's that?' he snapped, hand resting on his holster. Either someone was playing an elaborate trick on him or he was losing it because the voice sounded disturbingly familiar.

'Don't be a bigger idiot than you are already.' To his greatest astonishment and shock , a woman appeared before him from thin air; dressed in a glowing white dress, with curly hair falling down her shoulders.

'Oh my God...' Bo shook his head, trying to digest the fact that he was standing opposite the ghost of his long dead sister, Isabella Toscano Black. 'Are you... real?

Isabella's ghost regarded him coldly.

Bo swallowed and blinked rapidly, still unable to believe it. 'Wow... Izzy, I...'

'First you hurt Carly and let her go, again,' Isabella interrupted, 'now you're standing here feeling sorry for yourself. You love Carly yet you're still with Hope. No wonder she thinks you're a totally screwed up everything.'

Bo brushed his tears away. 'Yeah, I did.' He mumbled. 'She's the one woman in my life who never changed, who really loved me. I screwed up big time; you don't have to tell me that. I still don't how this happened.'

'It's because you let it happen Bo; you. Come on, after finding each other again after all this time, how could you?'

'I... it all started with helping Hope; I had to get her out of that hellhole. And... things just happened.'

'Yeah; you forgot about Carly and not for a minute pause to consider her own feelings.' The ghost admonished him. 'She loved you enough to understand why you had to help Hope, not breakher heart in the process.'

'I allowed my history with Hope to cloud my judgement, I see that now.' Bo admitted miserably. 'And I've lost her for good, Izzy. She hates me;and she's moved on... it's more than I can bear watching her with him.'

'She's letting go of you; and that'sthe hardest she's ever been called to do. Did you actually expect her to keep waiting for you after making it crystal clear where she stood? What the hell was she supposed to think of you after that?'

'I went to her.' Bo protested, 'I asked her to give me another chance; she practically threw me out...'

'Because she's totally given up on you!' Isabella snapped. 'because she feels you betrayed her. Bo, you're my brother and I'll always love you but I'm so mad at you right now. Carly's my best friend; I would do away with anyone who hurt her, you know that.'

Bo bit his lip, turning away.

'You stay here now; all wrapped up in your self-pity.' She went on, 'but Carly's pain was far worse than yours. It tore her apart and she had to fight her demons and get over what she lost.'

Something in the way she spoke made Bo turn back to her sharply. Melanie had said almost the same thing and her explanation hadn't convinced him. 'What do you mean?'

'You're the smart detective; figure it out yourself. But I'll say this... you and Carly became spiritually allied up there at El Castillo. No matter what everyonein Salem thinks; that bond's unbreakable, forever. And no matter how long it takes, two souls will eventually have to return and become one like they are meant to be. So it's up to one of you now to put things right.'

'How?' Bo cried. 'How?!'

Isabella shook her head as she turned and walked away, vanishing like she'd appeared.

'Wait!' he begged, but he might as well be crying to the moon. He was alone again.

Unbreakable. Years ago, he and Carly had pledged their love in a symbolic Mayan wedding at the top of the ancient Kukulcán Pyramid, also known as El Castillo in México; with loving words and promises. Their host Professor Hank Moore; an archaeologist and scholar of the Mayans had first suggested it; explaining that the ceremony joined two people as spiritual partners. It made complete sense... Carly coming back into his life the very night Hope moved out; feeling so drawn to her immediately despite several years apart... like it was only yesterday they'd seen each other last. He'd told her and himself that a lot of things had changed but it wasn't true; from the moment he'd looked into those eyes for the first time in years he knew the connection was still there and unchanged. It was what had caused him to kiss her, to make passionate love to her in her hotel room, what had caused his old love for her to resurface. And why he can never stop loving her; they were spiritual partners... bound forever. Which meant somehow or other, Carly will come back to him. Which also meant...

'She still loves me.' Bo said softly. Carly wasn't trying to punish him, she was trying to forget him... let go of him, like Isabella had said. But one of them had to put things right now. Well the answer was obvious; it was up to him. He will talk to her again once she got back from New York; really make her listen this time and convince her of his love.

'Bo.' He turned, glaring at Kayla as she walked up to him. 'I've been looking everywhere for you.'

'For what, to trash Carly again?' he snapped.

'Everything I'm saying is for your own good!' his sister said defensively. 'You and Hope belong together, how else have you been able to work through your problems? You're acting like an idiot over a woman who never looked back after she left Salem, not even a phone call!'

'So that's your excuse for hating her so much?' Bo asked angrily.

'I don't hate her. But after all the years you've spent with Hope, she doesn't have a place in your life; or the family's! She's a complication we don't need and look at the evidence; we're fighting over her and your marriage's slowly cracking... once again!'

'It's been cracking for years and newsflash sis... I'm the one who's been gluing it back on!' Bo informed her. 'Me, all me... because I loved my wife and wanted to keep my marriage. But Hope gave it one major hit before running off and leaving me to glue it back one more time; but Carly made me realise I deserve better than being the damned repair man! I deserve a woman who'll never leave me over every rough patch; a woman I'm really in tune with! I loved Carly, I still love her and this reconciliation was a huge mistake! A mistake I'm going to do something about.'

'Bo, you are not divorcing Hope! You're a family...'

'Don't you dare tell me what I can and can't do!' Bo shouted, fiercely. 'It's my life, it's my decision; don't you dare interfere, Kayla. Just mind your fucking business!'

Turning his heel, he walked out on her.

Kayla swallowed her anger and frustration. Something had to be done and fast. Hope should be home right now; she needed to talk to her.

:::::::::::

Meanwhile at Queens, Carly, Melanie and the other patrons were applauding Tony's Uncle Vito, who after serving them his mouth watering pasta, homemade ice cream and Barolo entertained them with an aria.

'You missed your calling Vito,' Carly remarked as he bowed. 'You should've been on the stage.'

'Ah, how come women doctors weren't as beautiful as you in my time?' the old man said forlornly, making everyone laugh loudly. 'Or nurses for that matter?' he continued, winking at Melanie who giggled and blushed.

'Stop coveting my ladies, Uncle Vito.' Tony said, squeezing Carly's shoulders. 'He's pretty smooth, so watch out.' He whispered in her ear.

'If he's anything like you, I best be on my guard.' She smiled. 'One cute Italian's more than enough.'

'Hey,' Gianni raised a hand. 'You forget me, Carly.'

'Then two.' Carly laughed while Melanie wrinkled her nose at him. They were having the best time; Vito's restaurant was packed full thanks to the food and entertainment and everyone had made her and Melanie more than welcome. Carly felt more relaxed here than at the gala Tony had taken her to; she'd felt like she was under scrutiny the whole time but didn't say so to Tony, not wanting to hurt his feelings. But here she felt more herself.

'Come Mel, let's dance.' Gianni pulled Melanie to her feet and lead her to the middle of the room.

'So how do you like New York so far?' Tony asked. Before coming to Queens, they'd taken a long tour of the city.

'It's different.' Carly replied. 'Salem's my home but New York has a special charm.'

'That's because it never sleeps.' Tony squeezed her hand. 'You think maybe you might live here one day?'

Carly tensed. 'Why do you ask?'

Tony hesitated. They'd been a couple for two months now and while he didn't want to scare her off, there were times he couldn't bottle up some things. Like this one.

'Because... no, forget I said anything.'

'No, no... tell me.' Carly insisted.

Tony looked at her intently. 'Because... there's going to be the time when I ask you to marry me.'

Carly drew in her breath.

'I'm sorry; I promised to give you time and space,' Tony said, taking her hand. 'Please don't feel pressured, it's just that I want to have the chance to really make you happy, as your husband. I know you're still hurting, especially over the baby. I want to do more than be there for you, I want to comfort you every day, every night for the rest of your life.'

Carly was silent, not looking at him.

'I shouldn't have said anything.' Tony said, upset at her silence. 'Just forget I said anything.'

'There's no need to apologise.' Carly said quietly, looking back at him. 'It's just after a long period of disappointment, this is sort of a shock. You really want to marry me?'

'I knew the moment I saw you, Manning. I love you, very much.' he said softly. 'And I'd do anything to make you happy with me.'

'I... l love you too.' Carly replied quietly. Not the way she loved Bo, she reminded herself. But Bo was beyond her reach and Tony was more or less offering her a future. And she deserved to be happy.

'Oh babe...' Tony grinned, kissing her. 'That's so great to hear!'

Carly smiled faintly as he cupped her chin. 'Then I'm not afraid to ask this...Carly Manning, will you marry me?'

'Yes.' Was the soft but firm answer. 'Yes, I will.'

Tony laughed softly, kissing her hand. 'My God... this is so great! But listen, we don't have to get married right away, you need more time, you got it; I mean that.'

'Bottom line, you have my promise.' Carly touched his face, telling herself she was doing the right thing, stepping further away from the past.

Planting another kiss on her mouth, Tony rose; pulling her to her feet. 'Drinks for everyone!' he yelled. The music stopped and everyone turned to their direction.

'This beautiful lady's just agreed to marry me!'

The cheer was loud and delighted, accompanied by a thunderous round of applause. Carly found herself hugged tightly by Melanie, Gianni and then lastly by Vito who kissed her on both cheeks.

'Welcome to the family, bella.' He said warmly.