CHAPTER 53

'You got all that, Henderson?'

'Yes sir. Your instructions will be carried out.'

Justin, just entering the study, overheard the tail end of Henderson's statement.

'What instructions?' he asked after the butler closed the door behind him.

'I'm throwing a dinner party for Carly and Olivia, just family and a few friends they might like to be there. I trust you'll invite Adrienne?'

Justin brushed aside the tactless mention of his estranged wife to ask bluntly, 'Are you kidding me?'

'You seem surprised.'

'More like shocked. Where did this sudden warm gesture come from, Victor? Since this whole thing happened, you showed no concern for Olivia.'

'I'm tired of explaining over and over to you about that- I wanted to obtain information from Vivian.'

'That was my theory to Phillip and Brady. By the way, Brady still doesn't believe that was your reason, neither does Bo.'

'Brady's being ridiculous and as for Bo, he's been paranoid I might hurt Olivia ever since I found out about her. For God's sake, she's my granddaughter!'

'Old wounds run deep,' Justin reminded him, 'and I'm not talking about you, I'm talking about Bo. He doesn't forgive or forget easy and he doesn't trust you. You still hate Carly's guts and you've given him more reason to want to keep Olivia away after this weird behaviour of yours.'

'I did what I had to do.'

'Letting that old cow stay here besides sticking up for her and showing no concern for Olivia, I would call that carrying things too far. Much as I'm prepared to give you the benefit of the doubt, don't expect Bo or Carly to honour your invitation. You haven't even been in to see her or Olivia.'

'It's not like I would be welcome over there,' was the dry reply. 'Carly especially will enjoy slamming the door on my face if I dared. That's why I'm throwing this party; not just to celebrate her rescue and Olivia's recovery... but to mend fences once and for all. She's going to be my daughter-in-law soon and I still want to be a major part of Olivia's life. I'm pretty sure she'll understand the reasons for what I did and let bygones be bygones.'

Before Justin could say anything, Victor added, 'oh... and I'm inviting Hope too.'

The old man's finally going senile, thought Justin incredulously. 'You what?'

'I meant what I said about mending fences. She and Carly have to learn to be in the same room together if they want Shawn Douglas and Ciara to continue getting along with Olivia.'

'The kids already get along very well, Victor. There's no need to force an encounter between Carly and Bo's ex-wife!' Justin exclaimed, really appalled. 'Bo's not going to like this and Hope's going to feel humiliated. You're asking for trouble here.'

'I've already made up my mind. Since I'm inviting Shawn D and Belle, not inviting Hope would be more humiliating than her being in the same room with Carly. She saw it fit to leave Bo in the first place; she might as well live with it and Carly's perfectly capable of standing up for herself.'

All of a sudden, he was no longer sympathetic towards Hope and now on Carly's side... or so it seemed. Justin was beyond baffled. What was his angle? He couldn't be trying to buy Carly and Olivia's affection, they'll see right through it in seconds. And the thought of a Hope and Carly face-off in front of the family, in front of the children, made him shudder. Hope's adjusted to the divorce but as far as he knew not to Carly; whom she still resented. What if she forgot herself again and the party turned out to be a repeat of what happened at Mickey's wake?

'This is not a good idea and I'll have no part in this.' He said bluntly. 'Don't count on me being there. Mending fences my ass... the whole town knows you hate Carly; you never had anything good to say about her since the annulment and as for Olivia, she's not just your granddaughter, she's your dream child- the child you and Carly would have had if it'd worked out between you two. It's an obsession and frankly I can't stomach it.'

'I'm sorry you feel that way.' Victor said coldly. 'Nevertheless, this party is holding for the best of intentions whether you think so or not. You don't have to show up if you don't want to but I rather you did.'

'The whole scenario's an accident waiting to happen and frankly I think you're crazy.'

'You'll show me proper respect, Justin.'

'Sue me.' was the rude reply he got accompanied by the door slam.

Victor cursed Vivian's soul to hell. Even in death she still had a hold on him, how could he ever tell Bo the truth? In case Vivian's goon did tell Bo anything, he was more than ready to deny it; besides he was as much of a victim as Carly and Olivia since Vivian had tricked him in such a terrible way. He should have remembered that once a liar, always a liar. That bitch... when he'd heard in the news she'd blown her own neck off, he's thought he hadn't heard right but after the first shock had passed, grim satisfaction. Neither he nor his son had needed to dirty their hands to kill Vivian after all; she had done it for them, and how. Now she was out of the way for good, she can never hurt anyone in his family again. Most especially his beautiful Olivia. It would be a long time before he could get rid of the guilt and shame he still felt for what almost happened but he was going to make it up to her in many ways. After the party, he would ask her to accompany him on his annual vacation to Greece, maybe even tour Europe together during spring break... finally get to know his granddaughter and vice-versa. As for Carly... maybe he could host her and Bo's wedding for starters and then convince her to be friends as they should be now. She was stubborn but for her daughter's sake, she would have to agree.

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

Lexie examined Carly's foot carefully. 'It's a light sprain, so it will heal up completely in a week or so.'

'Thanks.' Carly rolled down her jeans leg.

'I'm really glad you and Olivia came out of this well. That horrible woman...'

'Well it's all over now,' Carly said briskly. 'Neither of us has any more to fear from her ever again.'

Lexie regarded her silently before adding awkwardly, 'Carly, I... I'm really sorry about the day we first ran into each other. It was completely unfair on two counts; it wasn't your fault that Bo and Hope were estranged and I had no right to say all those things after everything you and Olivia went through all those years.'

'Lexie, there's no need for this...'

'It is necessary, it's been on my conscience for a long time and after what happened to you again, plus Olivia almost getting shot... I just hope you can forgive me and be friends like we used to. Please?'

In reply, Carly held out her arms and the two women embraced.

'Oh, thank you.' Lexie whispered, stroking Carly's hair.

'No, thank you.' Carly replied emotionally, pulling away to look at her. 'Now I feel I really have you back. I know Hope is your friend too and it's natural you'd want to look out for her.'

'Look out for her without acting the bitch, which is what I did to you that day.' Lexie insisted. 'She made her choice and I accused you to your face of something you had nothing to do with and it's not like I'm as white as snow myself.'

'What do you mean?' Carly asked, puzzled.

Lexie shook her head, her lovely face suddenly sad and bitter. 'Let's just say Abe and I had a lot of downs too, and it was mostly my fault. But Abe gave our marriage... gave me another chance when I didn't deserve it. Any other man in his shoes wouldn't be so loving and forgiving after all we went through but here we are.'

'Some things are jut meant to be, Lexie- we can't question them. When I first back... I swear I had no idea Bo was falling in love with me again, I really thought he and Hope would things out like always, that what we had was long over...'

'Carly, it's okay- I believe you. I think on some level I knew Bo was feeling that way and I said what I did to stop you from giving him any encouragement. Again I'm sorry about what happened.'

Carly squeezed her hand. 'Well, if you want to make it up to me, how about you and Abe attend our wedding, once we fix a date that is.'

Lexie smiled. 'We would love that. When exactly do you hope to get married?'

'Probably the first week of June.'

Lexie shook her head again. 'I don't think Bo 'll be ready to wait that long, not after what just happened. Can't you guys get married earlier than that?'

'I wish but we can't disappoint Olivia with a quick do at City Hall, she wants to plan the wedding. I don't know what she has in mind yet but it will definitely take some time.'

'What's going to take some time?' Marlena asked, as she came into the room with Kayla.

Carly explained and they agreed with Lexie.

'If you two hadn't procrastinated the first time you'd be married by now.' Kayla pointed out. 'And personally I can't stand it anymore, get on with it already. We've had more than enough incidents.'

'Seriously Carly, don't delay this any longer, not after what just happened.' Marlena added. 'Vivian's dead but... you just never know.'

Only sheer will power prevented Carly from telling them about her conversation with Izzy in the casket. Part of the reason she wanted to wait was because she still felt guilty at the idea of marrying Bo soon after his divorce from Hope. Even after what she'd heard from Izzy, the guilt over Hope was still there. On the other hand, her friends had a point. Olivia would just have to work some magic to make it happen soon.

'I'll talk to Bo then.'

'Good, the sooner you two finally get this over with the better.' Marlena smiled, hugging Carly. 'Lord knows it's long overdue.'

'The understatement of the year.' Lexie said dryly, causing the other women to laugh.

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

Carly hated leaving Olivia behind but Lexie and Kayla had assured her she'll only be at the hospital for three more days. When she and Bo said goodbye to her, she was chatting happily with Max and to her relief Olivia had more colour on her cheeks, making her look less waif-like.

As they drove off, Bo told her they were going to have the house to themselves as Max was banished to Caroline's for the night while Phoebe was still with Ciara and Hope. But in the meantime, they were going out to a romantic dinner and Carly rightly guessed, Bo refused to tell her where.

'I really wish you'd stop keeping me in suspense, I don't remember ever doing this to you.' she grumbled, pulling her jacket closer to her. 'One of these days Bo Brady, you'll use up the rest of my patience.'

Bo laughed; one had reaching out to squeeze her knee. 'Come on princess, don't be that way. Besides you like surprises.'

'Not too many of them and the worst part is I can't even use sex to make you give up a secret.'

Bo's grip on her knee tightened and she was pretty sure he was leering at her in the dark. 'You want to test that theory?'

'Coming from someone who can hold well under torture... right.' Carly slapped his hand away, giggling. 'You get some but you still won't tell me. I know you.'

Bo laughed with her. 'Guilty as charged.'

Before Carly could reply, her cell phone rang in her pocket. The caller ID on the illuminated screen revealed it was Frankie.

'Hi honey. Slow down... I'm fine, I just left the hospital. Olivia's fine too.'

Bo could faintly hear Frankie's voice over the phone, clearly agitated.

'If he didn't tell you, it's because he didn't want you to blow the investigation by going after Vivian... it was a perfectly good reason!' she raised her voice.

Bo almost jumped out of his skin when Carly's next sentence was in a language he'd never heard her speak before. 'Nein, hören Sie François!' No, you listen François!

Recovering fast, Bo realised she was speaking in her native tongue. She'd told him a long time ago that her and Frankie's country, similar to Monaco, was once annexed by Germany, hence German as the official language but in a different dialect. When they'd first met he'd quickly caught the faint intonation in her speech but now it was no longer there, nor in Frankie's. Right now she sounded like Katarina, not Carly.

She was still talking angrily. 'Verstehst du? Do you understand? She added after another stream of words. 'Gut.' Good. Switching back to English, 'No there's no need to fly in... We're fine and we're safe. Okay, I love you too. Yes, I'll tell him.'

'Wow, princess what was that all about? I don't think I've ever heard you yell at Frankie before.'

Carly pocketed her phone, shrugging. 'Frankie and I have always been tight but this is actually the first time we've had a real argument. He's furious because you didn't tell him what happened but I managed to straighten him out.'

'Maybe I should have...'

'Bo!' Carly snapped. 'Neither Frankie nor anyone else has the right to question your judgement. If you had told him, Frankie would have killed Vivian; in Paris he talked about revenge and I was afraid he might do something that could send him to jail so I talked him out of it, Olivia too.'

Bo wasn't surprised, his daughter was him all over and Frankie was more than justified. And Carly's faith further reminded him just why he loved her.

They drove to their destination in silence, holding hands.

The place was Gino's, a newly opened Italian restaurant; small, intimate and, to Carly's relief, informal since she was wearing jeans and one of Olivia's black T shirts with silver lettering across the front.

'It's been a while I had Italian,' she smiled at Bo before going over the menu. 'This was a good idea. Everything looks so delicious.'

'Better not order anything too heavy,' Bo pointed out with a glint in his eye. 'Or we might not have the stamina for the... after dinner part of the evening.'

Carly cleared her throat, her face bright red as she went over the menu. They both agreed on minestrone, veal and Cassata siciliana for desert and Bo ordered a bottle of their finest Chianti.

'Well?' he asked as they sipped the wine after the meal, while a thin boy serenaded them with a beautiful melody from his violin.

Carly smiled over her glass. 'A beautiful evening, as always. And I forgive you for keeping the suspense. It was worth the wait.'

'You're worth the trouble.' He reached across the table to take her hand. 'Every moment's been beautiful, magical and exciting since you came back to my life. And more so after what you told me... what Izzy said.'

Carly nodded, looking deep in his eyes. 'Yes. Being locked up in that casket was awful but at the same time we found out about this thing we have between us; scary the way things happen for a reason.' She sighed deeply. 'But at the same time, I'd like to believe we've had enough drama in our lives. I don't know about you but I'm all for relative peace.'

'I second that.' Bo clinked his glass against hers. 'Once we're married, we're going to be the average married couple. Old and boring.' He added, making them both laugh.

'Old, you? Never! And boring...' Carly leaned forward. 'That word isn't in your dictionary, Bo Brady. Some way or the other you'll find lots of ways to keep me on my toes.'

'You know me so well, princess.' Bo's handsome eyes sparkled. 'And just for that, I'll let you in on a little secret; I want us to go to Cancun for our honeymoon...' Carly's eyes widened with joy, 'and... We'll take a trip to Chichén Itza and maybe look up Professor Moore and Soledad how does that sound?'

The crushing kiss and hug he received from her answered his question far better than words ever could.

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

As soon as Bo unlocked the front door, he lifted Carly up in his arms, kicking the door shut behind them. 'Welcome home, princess.'

Carly kissed him as he carried her across the foyer into the living room. 'Alone at last.'

'The evening's not over yet.' Depositing her on the couch, he went to the fireplace and started the fire before disappearing into the kitchen then returned a few minutes later with two mugs of cocoa, marshmallows swimming on top. Handing her one, he took her hand and led her near the fire, both of them sitting crossed legged on the rug, sipping their hot drinks.

'To us.' He toasted after a while, 'And to the future. No one can take that from us. Larry, Vivian... no one can ever hurt you or Olivia ever again.'

'To the future,' Carly replied. 'And to you... my protector, the love of my life. You know what I think whenever I look at you?'

'What?'

Carly's hand reached out to stroke the side of his neck. 'That there can never be another you.'

'Or you.' he whispered emotionally. 'I sure do you love you.'

Carly moved closer, pressing her lips against his cheek, her warm breath grazing his skin as she whispered, 'Ich liebe dich.'

Bo didn't have to understand German to know that she'd said, ''I love you.''

Taking her mug from her hand, he moved away briefly to place it and his on a coffee table before returning to her, wanting her so bad that he could barely curb himself. Taking her in his arms, he whispered against her neck, 'Tell me that you love me again... the way you just said it.'

'Ich liebe dich,' was the breathy reply as he kissed her neck, moving his lips up to her soft cheek.

'Again.'

'Ich liebe dich...' Carly planted her lips against his. His hands reached up to brush back errant strands of her hair and massage the back of her neck as he kissed her back.

Carly pressed herself hard against her lover, feeling the heavy beating of his heart as the kiss intensified, almost brutal in passion. Bo's hand closed on her breast, kneading it into swelling sensitivity as he left her lips to plant several sensual bites on the side of her neck. Breathing heavily, Carly tugged Bo's shirt off, slowly running her fingers over his chest and stomach, lips following her hands.

It was more than Bo could take; the urgent, greedy pressure of her mouth and warm breath on his skin was driving him crazy. Pulling her T-shirt over her head and casting it aside, he captured her mouth again, lowering her onto the rug. Within tense seconds the rest of their clothes were ripped off and cast aside; two warm bodies finally entwined.

Like the night they'd first made love, so many years ago Bo took his time, caressing and kissing every part of her body with tender reverence. She tried capturing his lips with her own for a kiss but Bo moved from cheek to neck to chin to nose then finally her mouth. Parting her thighs with his knee, Bo guided himself into her hot, pulsing body; both moaning as flesh melded with flesh. Carly gripped his biceps as he thrust hard; the sounds coming from him almost inhuman. She strained against him, her thighs gripping him tightly as she met his thrusts, raking her nails across his shoulders and back, exchanging feverish kisses. Their passion was richer, more intense than what they'd shared when they were younger; kindled by the fire that sprang from their sixteen year long separation.

'I love you princess,' Bo rasped against her lips as they rose and fell as one, consumed in the inferno of their love making.

Carly whimpered an incoherent reply, turning her face against the side of his neck as he plunged in deeper, bringing her to the brink of ecstasy.

'Bo...' she gasped out, feeling a quickening in her stomach.

He was close as well. His fingers digging in her hips, they climaxed together; hard.

Their breathing heavy and ragged, they held each other in a tight embrace; hearts hammering in their chests. Carly rubbed Bo's back, sighing when she felt his lips on the side of her neck.

Carly lost count of how many times they made love that night, not that she cared. After several hours of being locked in a casket she revelled in the hot intimacy, making love with him over and over again and exchanging soft words of love. And she felt something different about him, an almost fanatical fear she might disappear again. Every aftermath, he would cradle her close in his arms and kiss her tenderly, running his hand over her face as though made of fragile porcelain. In the firelight she saw the love in his eyes, which moved her. Kissing him, she rested her head on his shoulder, rubbing his chest. Like always, they needed no words at all.