Chapter 7

Freshly showered and dressed in a bright green tank top over a pair of hip hugging jeans, Olivia bounced down the stairs then stopped short.

'Good morning, Kitten.'

'Good morning Dad. Good Heavens; what is all this?' she asked, staring at the baskets of flowers in the living room. Purple gloxinia, tulips, lilies, orchids and pink roses. 'Who on earth sent these?'

'From Victor and my guess is, he raided his precious greenhouses,' Bo said with wry amusement. 'They're for you.'

Olivia moved forward, examining the fragrant blooms. She pulled off the card attached to one of them.

'Looking forward to meet you, Victor.' she read. 'He and Uncle Justin must have talked far into the night.'

'Trust me baby girl, it takes a whole lot to shock your grandfather. He probably found it hard to believe at first.'

Olivia crumpled the card, turning to Bo. 'Can I ask you something, Dad?'

'You know you can ask me anything.'

'How come you never told Hope about Mama?'

Bo sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. 'Oh, that.'

' "Oh that?"' Olivia's voice was suddenly cold. 'Is it something I'm not meant to ask because I might hear something I won't like?'

'No, of course not!' Bo said quickly, rubbing her arm. 'I didn't mean the way it sounded.'

Her face relaxed a little. 'So, why?'

Bo took her hand and led her to the couch, taking a seat next to her. 'if you want to know the truth, Olivia- the night Naveen came to see me, was the first time in years I actually said your mother's name, something I never thought I'd do again. The same goes for the family.'

Olivia's eyes widened but she was silent, waiting for him to continue. Bo squeezed her hand, as painful memories flooded in. How could he put together words describing the agony he'd felt that faithful day. But he made an effort...

'It's not true; tell me it's not true!'

Tom Horton's kindly face held a mixture of sadness and pity as he touched Bo's arm. 'Carly's gone. We did everything we could, we really did... but her heart gave out. I'm so sorry, Bo.'

Bo shook his head, still in denial. Carly couldn't be dead, not his princess- she couldn't be. But Neal and Marcus also shook their heads. Marcus' cheeks were already wet with tears. Marlena was weeping in Roman's arms, Jennifer was being supported by Jack, her face deathly white.

Shawn shook his head, tears falling as well. 'Son, I... I don't know what to say. She was such a bonny lass...'

'No, pop,' Bo shook his aching head. 'Don't refer her in the past tense. She can't be dead.'

'Bo...' Alice Horton pleaded, her voice shaking. 'I know this is a big shock, it's a big shock for all of us, but you have to face the facts.' She held his face with both hands. 'She's gone, Bo. Gone.'

Bo shut his eyes. Four years ago, he'd lost his wife and first love. Carly had made him whole again and now she too has been taken away from him.

'Where is she?' he asked, brokenly.

'Her body... I mean, she's still in her room.' said Marcus, wiping his eyes with his knuckles. 'They'll come for her soon.'

His feet feeling like lead, he walked into the private room where Carly lay. He knelt beside the bed, pushing back her silky hair. Even in death she looked serene, no trace of pain or suffering. For a few minutes, he stared hard at the beautiful face, willing for her to wake up and look up at him out of the vibrant green eyes he loved so much.

'Princess!' he suddenly cried in a low voice, raw with pain and grief. 'You can't leave me! I have nothing without you, I'm nothing without you!' Scalding tears fell on the fingers holding her hand. 'Why, why did you have to die? Carly... why?'

Wracking, heartrending sobs shook him as he buried his face against her still warm neck. A few weeks ago, they'd been making love in every room of the large house they'd rented for themselves, making plans for their postponed wedding. The light that had brightened his darkness was suddenly burnt out, leaving him in the dark again. He'll never hear her infectious laugh again, see her green eyes dancing up at him, kiss her, hold her soft body in his arms, listen to her read to Shawn Douglas. She'll never walk down the aisle and be joined with him as man and wife. Never, Never, NEVER! The word tormented him as he cried his heart out for the woman he'd loved, loved so much and cruelly taken away from him.

He stayed there with her until Alice and Roman came and gently led him away.

Bo sighed, closing his eyes for a minute. He opened them, turning to Olivia, her hand still clasped in his.

'I loved your mother more than life itself, kitten. It wasn't easy seeing her lying in that casket, watching her being lowered into that damned grave. After the funeral, I got on my bike and just rode for a long time until I got to the woods and I let out my grief. I asked God why the hell he'd taken my princess from me when I needed her the most, what the hell was I supposed to do without Carly now? Just what exactly?' his voice was low and angry at the memory of that night of torment.

'And I wasn't the only one. Everyone felt the loss- our family, our friends- Carly had left her mark everywhere she touched, she did do much, GAVE so much. At first, all I wanted to do was just pine away and die and join her. But I had Shawn Douglas to consider and besides, I learnt from my first mourning experience, about the heartbreak of looking back. Your mother taught me just how painful it was, looking back, that was why I was finally able to close the door and move on with her. She healed me. But then she was taken away from me and it was much harder because I kept thinking of the married life we would never have. So, this time the door didn't close slowly; it was forcibly locked. I couldn't think of her without crying and throwing things, I couldn't bear hearing her name mentioned and I made Shawn Douglas and everyone we knew to stop talking about her. They had to anyhow, because they too were hurting. Slowly I picked up the pieces, then Billie and I became more than friends. You know the rest.' Bo's brown eyes locked with his daughter's. ' So you see honey, why your mother's been unspoken for so long.'

Olivia nodded, soberly. 'I'm sorry, Dad, I just had to ask, after Hope's reaction...'

'Don't be sorry at all. It's all in the past and Carly is alive.'

'Breathing through a machine, no thanks to Lawrence Alamain.' was the bitter response. 'If it hadn't been for him and that bitch...' Bo put his arm around her, resting her head against his chest.

Another nagging question was on the tip of her tongue but Olivia wisely decided not to bother. All they could do now was move forward; why ponder on what would have been and so on? She now knew her real father, she and Carly were free and God Willing; Carly was going to wake up and start life afresh. Yet, thinking over at how her mother had first appeared during Bo's dark period and then resurfaced just after his marriage hit the rocks, Olivia couldn't help but wonder if Fate still had something else in store for her parents.

Bo's cell rang just as they were in the middle of breakfast. The caller ID indicated it was Victor.

'Did she like the flowers?' was Victor's greeting.

'Good morning to you too, Victor.' Bo replied.

'When are you bringing her over here?' Victor continued, ignoring the sarcasm. 'I want to have a look at her.'

Bo was long used to his biological father's arrogance but this piece of it really infuriated him. '"Have a look at her?" you make it sound like she's some new horse you just acquired.'

'Fine! Since you choose to be fussy over words, I want to meet her. She's my granddaughter after all.'

'Aren't you even going to ask about Carly, who just happens to be her mother?'

A pause at Victor's end. 'Bring Olivia over to the house and you can fill me in on Carly's situation.'

'I'm not your errand boy, Victor. Olivia's my daughter- I'll decide whether she can meet you or not.'

'Be that as it may, either bring her over or I'll send a car to pick her up.' Victor hung up.

'Sounds like a real git, ain't he?' Olivia remarked, sipping her coffee.

'A complete understatement. He wants me to bring you over.'

'I gathered as much. I suppose this means an excursion to the dragon's pit?'

More like the criminal's lair, Bo thought. It was bad enough that Ciara was living there, the last thing he wanted was Olivia to set foot in that damned house. Victor had once plotted against Shawn Douglas by trying to help Phillip wrestle little Claire from him. Although Shawn Douglas and Belle finally got their daughter back, Bo never really forgave Victor for his action; which was why he didn't trust him around Ciara or Brady for that matter, as he and Brady's father, John Black, have never really gotten along either. Victor also never forgave Carly for leaving him, Heaven knows what traps he was setting for Carly's daughter. Olivia may have been able to defend Carly but he was determined to protect her with everything he's got. Victor was not going to harm his daughter in any way. Not while he was still around.

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

Shawn Douglas arrived a while later, bearing a pink cardboard box with a white rose attached to it. 'From grandma,' he explained, handing it to his sister. Opening it, she saw it was a chocolate covered cake.

'One of her special homemade cheesecakes, she wasn't kidding about adding more fat to that scarecrow frame of yours.' he ducked as Olivia took a swipe at him with her free hand, giggling.

'I suppose I'll have to eat this all up to put Grandy's mind at rest then. I'll just pop this in the fridge.'

Shawn Douglas waited until she disappeared into the kitchen before turning to his father. 'Mum came by grandma's a while ago.'

Bo sighed. 'I take it she let it rip?'

'She was furious, kept asking over and over why we'd all kept Carly a secret all this time- as well something about living a lie... I left grandma to explain everything to her.' He suddenly noticed the flowers. 'Where did these come from?'

'Victor sent them to Olivia. And he wants me to bring her over.' Olivia came back, overhearing the last bit.

'So, are we going, then?'

'If you really want to, kitten. But I have my reasons of not approving of this, at least for now.'

Olivia hesitated then shrugged. 'Well, I'm not that all anxious to meet him. Anyhow, Shawn D and I've already made plans; he's going to show me around town. And he's taking me sailing.' she grinned at Shawn Douglas. She had no way of knowing as he ruffled her hair, how much Shawn Douglas already loved her, in spite so short a meeting. Roman's revelation had stunned him and he'd cried bitterly over Nicky's untimely death but the knowledge that his beloved foster mother was alive after years of blocking her memory from his mind and the added bonus of a sister who reminded him so much of her had gradually consoled him. As he lived so far away, he was determined to spend a lot of time with Olivia for the rest of his short visit.

'Yes, you two go on. We'll meet at the pub for lunch later.' Bo suggested.

'I'll just go freshen up and get my coat.' she bounced up the stairs again. Shawn Douglas looked sober again. 'And Carly? What's the story?'

'If she pulls out of the coma, the doctors are sure she'll be able to walk. Her spine narrowly escaped permanent damage, three cracked ribs and both legs were in a cast when I saw her.'

'Vivian knows Larry's dead right?'

'Yeah, Olivia sent her his ashes- out of spite. If it hadn't been for Carly and Naveen's careful planning and the court's ruling, that bitch would have filed a petition for guardianship in the possibility of Carly's death. Naveen's a very trustworthy guy, he'll take care of the conglomerate on Olivia's behalf. I can't thank him enough for everything he's done.'

'Sounds like a very dependable chap. How much is Olivia worth?'

Bo told him and Shawn Douglas whistled. 'That much? Wow, considering how Larry was forced to hand over John's rightful share of the estate.'

'Apparently Larry acquired some companies going under and more than trebled what he was left with. It's all in a trust though; until she's eighteen, Olivia will be getting yearly allowances.'

'Mmm.' Shawn Douglas said thoughtfully, already thinking ahead. 'John's in a position to help Naveen out with the administration and Frankie will want to help as well. Does he know about Carly?'

'He's still not answering his phone, we don't know where the hell he is. Probably on a business trip or a safari. Roman said he left several messages on his machine.'

Shawn Douglas was silent and Bo noticed that his eyes were forming tears. 'Son...' he touched his arm.

'It's... just so painful. I mean, all these years we buried our grief and all the while she and that poor kid upstairs, brutalized by that s.o.b...' Shawn Douglas wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. 'he just never accepted the hard fact that Carly loved us both, that she'll rather live on a boat than a damned castle, ride with you on the Harley than in a limo with him, that she was a selfless, WONDERFUL woman who honestly cared about people!' His voice shook with anger. 'He and Vivian stole her from us! She was ours! What gave them the right to mess with our lives like that?'

It was a question Bo would never have an answer to, just like he'll never have the pleasure of inflicting revenge on Lawrence Alamain for his evil deeds.

' Larry's frying in hell for what he did to us.' he assured Shawn Douglas. ' The important thing is that Olivia is here with us now and will always be. Carly is alive and she will get better.'

Shawn Douglas nodded, his handsome face relaxing at his father's assurance.

Olivia appeared, her hair combed and wearing a black leather jacket. 'Alright, I'm ready.' She kissed Bo on both cheeks. 'We'll see you later then.'

'Have fun, you two.'

Bo stared after his son and daughter as they walked down the path; arm in arm. His first borns from Hope and Carly. Two children raised differently and yet already possessing a deep rapport between them. It was like looking at Carly and himself. The biker and the aristocrat. Ying and Yang. Different but a perfect foil to the other.

Carly opened her eyes and wondered where she was. Everywhere was dark. Where am I? She thought. She tried to get up but couldn't move around, she was wedged tight in some enclosed space.

What the hell? She distinctly heard a noise. The sound of stone and dirt hitting whatever's above her. Raising her hands, she felt something soft, like silk. The noise grew louder. A horrible realisation hit her.

'Good Lord! I've been buried alive! She shrieked, filled with abject terror. She pounded uselessly at the casket's lid. 'Help, somebody help me, please!'

The sound of more dirt and pebbles hitting the casket continued. Carly screamed at the top of her lungs. 'Stop! I'm alive, I'm alive... Bo, where are you, help me! Help me, PLEEEASE!'

Dr. Simpson, in the middle of checking Carly Manning's chart looked up in alarm as the monitor beeped erratically. He hurried to her side, a nurse and a younger doctor at his elbow. His examination gave him disturbing news. 'Cardiac arrest!'

A nurse hurriedly pulled down the sheet, while the second doctor pulled down Carly's hospital gown to expose her chest. As fast as lightning, CPR was administered. The sounds grew louder.

Dr. Simpson saw that there was no other option and barked some instructions. The prepared defibrillator paddles were hurriedly placed on Carly's chest.

'Charging 200...Clear!' Carly's body jerked under the jolt of electricity.

'Come on, Dr. Manning...' Simpson muttered. 'FIGHT!'