CHAPTER 4

Hope Brady felt happier than she'd been in several weeks, thanks to Shawn-Douglas' presence but she had a nagging feeling that there was more to her son's unexpected visit than his wanting to see her and Ciara. For one thing, he seemed to be holding back something akin to excitement. And the timing itself; he'd shown exactly up a day before Bo returned from wherever he'd taken off to, without so much as a text message to her. He'd sounded rather emotional during the phone conversation with Bo and kept rubbing his eyes as if holding back tears. She'd demanded to know what was troubling him but had gotten a vague reply about how badly he'd missed his father. Even Victor and Justin couldn't get anything out of him.

At first Hope wondered if her son's secretive air was based on resentment towards her for filing for a divorce but Shawn Douglas' behaviour towards her was loving and respectful as always and he and Ciara spent the whole day together; playing and laughing with her and reading stories to her from of her favourite book. But then he acted odd again. When she went up to look in on Ciara, she saw Shawn-Douglas seated on the window seat in her room, slowly turning the pages of a book Victor had given Ciara but hadn't gotten round reading to her yet. Alice in Wonderland & Through the Looking Glass. Every flip of the page, Shawn-Douglas' face tightened, his expression almost angry.

He's upset with me, Hope thought miserably, but would rather die than admit it.

She entered the room and instantly the odd look on her son's face was discarded, replaced by a bright cheerful smile that illuminated his handsome face.

'Hi, Mum.' He said in a low voice so as not to awake Ciara. 'She's already out. I better take off now.' He put the book down.

'Why don't you stay here for the night?' Hope suggested.

'Mum, you know this place makes me uncomfortable, grandpa and Phillip more so.'

He and Victor had never exactly been close and he and Phillip were just starting to tolerate each other after Shawn Douglas had won the battle over Belle and their daughter Claire. 'I'd rather crash with grandma.' He walked out and Hope followed, closing the door softly behind her.

'I want us to sit down and have a long talk.' Hope insisted as they went down stairs. 'Something's bothering you and I want to know what it is.'

'Nothing's bothering me.' Shawn Douglas protested.

'The hell there isn't. You've been acting weird since you got back and I can guess why. The divorce; you're angry with me over that.'

'First of all,' Shawn Douglas said, picking up his jacket. 'I don't want to get between you and Dad. Yes, he told me you moved out with Ciara and that you filed, but I figured it's something you two could thrash out, like you always do. But on the other hand, I don't get it. Why did you do it in the first place?'

'Shawn Dee, I...' Hope faltered. 'I wish I could make you understand...'

'The only thing I understand is that you're hurting a man who did all he could to get his daughter-my little sister- back to you both and the only way you could repay him was move out with her and then telling him your marriage is over.' Shawn Douglas said flatly. 'Other than that, no I don't understand, I don't understand a lot of things.' He shrugged into his jacket and went to the door.

'Shawn D, sweetheart... please wait...'

'Mum, it's been a long day and I'm not in the mood to argue with you. Like I said before, I don't want to be in the middle of this and it's only because I'm trying to avoid being forced in taking sides, not because I'm angry, I'm not angry at all.' He went to her and kissed her on the top of her head. 'G'night Mum.'

'Will I see you tomorrow?' she asked, hopefully.

'Actually, Dad's coming back tomorrow and we've made plans ... it's a guy thing.' Shawn Douglas replied his face odd again. 'I'll see you soon, Mum.'

Hope stared after him as he slammed the door behind him. What the hell was really going on here?

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It was 9:45 pm when Bo and Olivia finally got back to his house. Bo had had to practically tear her away from the family, especially Caroline.

'The night is still young!' Caroline had protested, unwilling to let Olivia out of her sight.

'Relax, Ma- she's going to be here for a while; you'll have loads of time together.' Bo had assured her. 'Right now, Olivia needs to get some shut eye; it's been a long, emotional day for her.'

Caroline couldn't argue with that. Hugging her granddaughter hard she said, 'one of the things I'm going to do is put some meat in these bones, you're thinner than a rail,' making Olivia laugh, to Bo's relief; it was the first laugh his daughter had given voice to since he'd met her. Previously, she'd managed only smiles; mostly shy and faint. Now her face was illuminated with wide, happy smiles and she was actually laughing. Everyone took turns hugging her before Olivia reluctantly followed her father out, Shawn Douglas promising to call on her in the morning.

'I have to say that this was the best day of my life.' Olivia took off her jacket before sinking into the couch, all smiles. 'I felt I've known my family all my life, Dad- they're so nice, every one of them.'

'I told you they'll love you.' Bo said, sitting beside her.

'And I love them too, especially Grandmother and Shawn-Douglas.' Bo smiled, ruffling her hair.

'But when am I going to meet Ciara?'

Bo hesitated then replied, 'Tomorrow. I'll bring her over here.'

Olivia sensed something weird in her father's tone. 'You haven't told Hope about me, have you, Dad?' she shrewdly guessed.

'No, kitten, I haven't. It's rather complicated to explain right now but I want you to trust me on this.'

'Can I do otherwise?'

Bo chuckled. During the great trouble with Victor when he'd urged her to trust him to prove her innocence, Carly had said the exact same words; can I do otherwise?

He sobered, thinking of her miles away- hooked to a machine. She's been in a coma for six weeks now and he'd gone out of his way to hide his worry from Olivia. Discovering Carly alive after all these years had been a shock and while he was still confused as to what his feelings towards her were, he also knew if she'd suddenly died for real was something he wouldn't be able to bear, especially now that she and Olivia were finally free of Lawrence Alamain. The demon who had decided to play God with their lives. How he wished he'd had the chance to waste the son-of-a-bitch!

A yawn from Olivia brought him back to the present. 'Might as well turn in... Oh, shoot!'

'What is it?'

'My purse, I must have left it at the pub. And my cell phone's in it.'

'No problem, I'll go back and get it.' Bo rose.

'No no, you don't have to do that, besides it's late!'

'Sweetheart, I'm the Commissioner of Police- I've been out later than this.' Bo said, amused at her concern. 'Go to bed, I won't be long.' He left the house.

Olivia lay on the couch, shutting her eyes. Meeting her family was like tasting a slice of heaven; far more precious than anything she'd had, besides her darling mother. The Bradys were obviously a close knit family, fiercely loyal to each other and their closeness beyond blood ties. Her father had already explained that she, Shawn Douglas and himself weren't Bradys by blood- his biological father being Victor Kiriakis. From the way Bo spoke of him, he sounded just like Lawrence, so Olivia had no interest in meeting that gentleman- as far as she was concerned, he was only her grandfather by the unfortunate case of default.

She must have drifted off to sleep because she jerked awake at sound of the front door opening, followed by a gasp and an angry voice demanding: 'who are you? And what the hell are you doing in my house?'

Olivia jerked up, sleepiness gone. In front of her stood a tall brunette woman, with a menacing look on her pretty face.

'I asked you a question, who are you?' the stranger repeated harshly.