CHAPTER 15

Paris, some hours later...

Carly slowly opened her eyes when she felt a cool, trembling hand on her forehead. She blinked at the face hovering over hers.

'Mummy.' Olivia whispered, tears falling down her cheeks. 'It's me, Olivia. I'm here now.'

Carly said something she didn't catch. 'What was that, love?' Olivia asked, moving her head closer.

'You haven't ... called me that... since you were ten...' Carly whispered.

Olivia laughed, pressing Carly's unbandaged hand against her cheek. 'It's so good to see you up at last!'

'What... happened to me? Where am I?'

Dr. Simpson had explained to them that when Carly got agitated after being told Olivia wasn't there, he was forced to give her a sedative that allowed her to doze off for a long while.

'Paris. You're in a nursing home... Lawrence threw you off the balcony. You've been in a coma all this time.'

Carly stared at her. 'Does he know... where we are...?'

'No, No... He can never hurt us again, Mummy.' Olivia squeezed her hand. 'He's dead. I stabbed him.'

'Dead?' Carly's eyes widened. 'Truly... dead?'

Olivia nodded her head vigorously. 'It's finally over. Everything's fine now... Lawrence's out of our lives forever.'

Carly closed her eyes, a huge wave of gratitude and relief enveloping her.

'Ma... someone's here with me and he so wants to see you.' She turned her head towards the door then back at her mother. 'You'll never believe who...'

Carly blinked as the man standing near the door moved to her side. He smiled down at her, his handsome brown eyes misty. 'Carly...'

I'm dreaming again, Carly thought to herself, refusing to believe he was real. He couldn't be right there; standing next to her... she was imagining his voice.

'It's really me, Princess.' Bo said, reading her thoughts.

Carly's eyes widened. 'Bo...' she whispered. 'It's... is it... really you?'

Bo took her bandaged hand. 'Yeah, it's me.'

'Oh, God...' Carly gasped.

Tears falling, Bo kissed her cheeks and forehead several times, holding her hand to his cheek. Olivia watched them, sniffling, brushing back her own tears.

'I... never thought... I'd ever see you again.' Carly sobbed. 'Bo... I've missed you so much.'

'Not as much as I've missed you!' Bo choked. 'All this time I thought you were dead; that I'd lost you forever! I could hardly believe my eyes the first time I saw Olivia... saw you lying here. All I could think of was wishing I had the chance of killing that sick bastard!' He stroked her cheek, the bruises almost faded. 'You're a sight for sore eyes. And you're even more beautiful.'

Carly chuckled quietly. 'You're... such a liar, Bo Brady... more... like something the cat... dragged in...'

Olivia laughed. Carly turned to her. 'Where were you anyhow, kitten?'

'I was with Dad, in Salem.' Olivia replied. 'Mr Naveen's idea.'

'We both agreed she needed a fresh new environment, get some rest...'

Carly nodded in agreement.

'I met the whole family and they've been so wonderful to me, Ma... Shawn Douglas said to tell you he loves you.'

'Shawn D...' Carly's eyes filled with tears again as she thought of the beautiful boy she'd loved and raised with Bo. 'How... is he?'

'He's great. He's married now, with a daughter of his own.'

Bo noticed a faint mischievous twinkle in Carly's eyes as she smiled. 'You're... a grandfather? Actually... Grandpa Bo?'

Olivia sniggered and Bo gave her and Carly a mock glare. 'I'll let you have that, this once.'

'What's her name?'

'Claire.' Bo reached for his wallet, pulled out one of Claire, Belle and Shawn Douglas and held it close to her face.

'Oh... she's beautiful... and Shawn D, he's grown so handsome...' Carly said and began to cry, emotions getting the better of her.

'Carly, it's okay... '

'I'm sorry... I don't even know why I'm crying...'

Bo held her face between his palms while Olivia hurried out to get the doctor.

'Shh, it's okay, honey. I know there's a lot to process right now; but we have more than enough time to talk, to catch up.' He wiped her tears with his thumbs. 'But in the meantime, you gonna have to concentrate in getting better. Don't think of the lost years. Think of getting back on your feet.'

Carly closed her eyes, nodding.

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

Rather than make numerous explanations over the phone, Shawn Douglas called another family meeting at the Brady Pub the next morning. Everyone exclaimed with joy at the wonderful news.

'Thank God, Thank God!' Caroline wiped her tears with a hanky. 'Finally!'

'She's actually awake now?' Marlena demanded.

Shawn Douglas nodded. 'Dad called before I got here.' He blinked back sudden tears. 'I spoke to her... I couldn't believe I was hearing her voice; she said my name and said she loved me. Oh, Grandma...' He and Caroline exchanged an emotional hug.

Roman cleared his throat, keeping his own emotions in check. 'Well, now that Carly's awake, we need to come up with ideas regarding get well gifts, right?'

'Flowers of course,' Kayla said immediately. 'And anything everyone wants to send.'

'How 'bout this,' Steve 'Patch' Johnson, Kayla's husband, said suddenly. 'A way of sending our greetings to Carly, in a group.'

'How?'

Steve turned towards John's direction. 'You still got that camcorder, man?'

By redialling the number, Henderson was able to get the address of the nursing home in Paris. Victor immediately swung into action; if he was to avoid getting cut from Olivia's life, he would have to go all out and hide all hostility towards Carly; she was the girl's mother after all and would most definitely side with Bo about keeping Olivia away from him. With the gesture he was about to make, Bo would surely overlook his slip of tongue. Picking up his silver fountain pen, Victor began making a list...

London, England...

'Jennifer. Hey, Jennifer!'

Jennifer Deveraux turned to the direction of the tall brunette walking towards her, waving.

'Billie, hi.'

Billie Danvers, formerly Reed, couldn't help but notice Jennifer's air of suppressed excitement. 'Has something happened?'

'Yes... but not a bad thing,' she added hastily at the frown on Billie's pertly pretty face.

Billie asked, 'What then ... you won the lottery or something? You look like you're about to burst!'

'No, nothing like that, Billie. Something absolutely wonderful...' Jennifer choked, 'it's Carly...'

'Who?'

'You know who I mean! Carly Manning!'

Billie looked baffled and as well as she might; why was Jennifer excited over her best friend who'd died so long ago? 'What are you babbling about?'

Jennifer let out an exasperated noise. Spotting a tea shop nearby, she grabbed Billie's arm. 'We'll talk in there. Honestly, you're not going to believe it...'

Washington D.C...

After washing the day's journey off his body, Frankie Leuschner stepped out of the bathroom and sitting on the bed, switched on the answering machine on the nightstand. He blinked in surprise on hearing Roman's bellowing voice: 'Frankie, where the hell have you been? This is my sixth message in a row; for the last time call me the soonest you get in, PRONTO!'

Bewildered, Frankie picked up the phone and dialled Roman's number from memory...

Los Angeles, California...

'That's wonderful news!' Kimberly Brady Donovan exclaimed. 'Patch suggested what? Yes, Yes... I'll fly to Salem soon as I can! Thanks for letting me know, Mum!'