CHAPTER 27

After locking up, Carly turned off the lights and hobbled upstairs; stopping to check on Olivia first. Olivia was already asleep; Phoebe too, perched on the window seat.

Looking down at her only daughter, Carly thought about Nicky. She'd loved her son dearly; had done her best to be a good mother but she'd always sensed something was missing. At first she figured it was because he seemed more of Lawrence and Vivian's son than hers since he was hardly at home but after regaining her memory she'd realized what it was.

When she'd been pregnant with him, she'd loved him intensely and fiercely and mourned him when told he'd died at birth. After finding out the truth years later, she'd tried to make up for lost time and gradually he'd responded to her. She'd loved him because he was a part of her; her baby and if Vivian hadn't stolen him, he would have eased her loneliness just like Shawn Douglas had done for Bo. But then Olivia had been born and from the moment those tiny green eyes had peered up her, she knew that her darling little baby girl was closer to her heart... closer by far than Nicky but hadn't known why until after the night she'd found the old photograph of Bo and Shawn Douglas. It was because her father was Bo.

All those years of lies and suffering, she'd had a part of him the whole time... their long awaited child... Olivia; meaning "peace-of the olive tree".

'What if I can't conceive again? Will you still love me?'

Bo, holding her from behind, stiffened. 'Excuse me?'

She turned in his arms, looking at his stunned face squarely. 'I know how much you want to give Shawn Douglas a brother or a sister.'

'Carly, listen to me...' Bo placed his large hands on either side of her face. 'I love you no matter what; regardless of whether or not we can have children together, okay? And if we can't, there are other alternatives...'

She cringed, remembering Dr. Alvarez's words. 'Bo, my chances of conceiving a child by any method are none existent.'

'We can always adopt, princess.' He said softly.

'I know... we have Shawn Douglas and I love him very much.' She shook her head sadly. 'But he's not my flesh and blood, Bo. Every time I look at him I see you and Hope and it's wonderful... but I want that too; I want to be able to do that, I want to be able to look at a child of ours and see the two of us... I want to be able to have YOUR baby, love.'

Bo held her tightly in silence, doing his best to give her the solace and comfort she needed.

Touching Olivia's hair, Carly reminded herself that her main priority was Olivia and Bo making up for lost time; rather than her trying to relieve the past. She loved her sailor more than ever, always would. But this time... her love will be unspoken.

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

Bo got back to the Salem Inn two hours later, exhausted and angry. Not because he and Carly's lovemaking had been interrupted but because he'd freaked her out; she would now be on her guard and start avoiding him. God, what an idiot I am! He thought savagely, as he took his clothes off and stepped into the shower. And she even apologised for coming on to him, when it'd been him who'd initiated it, he'd been the one who'd lost control after promising himself he would take things slow with Carly; when the time was right... confess his love and they would take it from there. But one look at those beautiful crystalline eyes had sparked the fire in him and he'd completely lost his head. Now he would have to embark on some serious damage control or simply tell her the whole truth. He vetoed the latter immediately; her reaction to what they'd almost done already told him she would blame herself for the failure of his marriage- she was very stubborn and will not listen to arguments on the contrary. No, he would wait the divorce proceedings out and then tell her.

Satisfied with that plan, he smiled. At least he knew now that Carly still loved him, not matter how hard she would try to pretend from now on. She wasn't the type of woman who would give it up if love wasn't involved; she never even slept with Victor during the course of their marriage. She belonged to him then and still did.

Turning on the water, Bo began to picture the ring he was going to give his princess.

Milan, Italy...

'Are the documents ready yet?' Vivian demanded, her fingers gripping the phone.
'It's a rather delicate procedure Madam... but the man assures me they'll be ready in two days' time.'
'Very well, then! Once I have them in my hands, I'll leave immediately.'
'With all due respect, Madam- I still think you're putting yourself at great risk, returning to that town. You don't know what Dr. Manning's lawyer must have told the Commissioner; you may end up arrested... or worse.'
'Bo Brady cannot touch me; I'm more than covered Gus, so don't you worry about anything. Just make sure you come to Salem when I tell you and not before. This plan of mine cannot fail; I'll get my own back on that murdering brat- make no mistake. Everyone has an Achilles' heel and Olivia's her precious mother. I can't wait to see her cry tears of blood!' Vivian said savagely.
'Deliver those papers to me as soon as possible, understood?'
'Yes, Madam. Good night.'
Vivian lit another cigarillo. Everything was now set. And although he didn't know it yet- Victor was going to play a major part of the plan, without his co-operation it would fail. They hadn't parted as friends but he was bound to help her. He just had to. And when all was said and done; Carly and her little bastard will be dead.