Chapter 12

They had been in Greece a week when Caroline got up and decided that she was going to take the kids swimming. It was going to be good exercise for her, and it would be good fun for the children. It was not as if they were going to have time to do that forever now, as it was not going to be so long now until Roman and Kimberly begun to go to school and nursery. Then the new normal would begin in earnest.

At the mere mention of going to the pool, it seemed to her as if the two kids had had their days made. Since they had got to Greece, Caroline felt as if she had been planning and setting up and the truth was, she did not know how much quality time she had had with her babies.

But this was the day that changed.

"Go and get changed for the pool," she said to the two older ones as she changed Kayla. It would be good for her smallest daughter to get in as well.

They were halfway through the house on their way to the pool when she saw Henrietta coming towards her. She had to say, so far she was one of her favourite members of the staff. The maid was kind and jolly and friendly and had made them all feel welcome. She did not feel as if she had to put on any airs and graces with her. That day the maid was walking through the house with someone who Caroline did not yet know which she had to say was odd, for she had thought she had met everyone here.

"Good morning madam," Henrietta said as they met.

"Good morning, Henrietta - it is a lovely day, isn't it?" said Caroline as she

"It is," she replied and there was a pause. It was not so at first, but it soon became awkward. It was as if Henrietta expected her to know what was going on. But she did not.

"Well, as it is so nice I am going to take the children to the pool," she said as a way to excuse them but Henrietta, it was clear, was not done – but before she had a chance to jump in the new girl did.

"Well, in that case why do I not come with you?" the new women smiled brightly, and Caroline felt, if anything more confused. The last thing which she wanted was a stranger to go to the pool with them when all she really wanted was time on own with the children.

It must have shown on her face.

"Oh, I should have said, I am Maria. And I am here to be the children's new nanny."

New nanny. Her confusion must have shown on her face. And then she felt anger. For she knew nothing of this and yet here she was employed.

And so, she knew who had done this. Who had arranged it.

"Henrietta, please can you watch the children for me while I go and talk to Mr Kiriakis," she said it in a very polite manner but everyone in the room could feel the fury in her soul as she gave Kayla to Henrietta and went to find the master of the house.

"Are we still swimming today?" Kimberly asked, and Roman shrugged.

X x x

Victor had been working in his office when the love of his life came storming into it.

She looked pale and angry and he did not like that one bit for he knew it could not be good for their baby.

"Now darling why on earth have you got your self all excited?" he asked as he got up, wanting to calm her. He did not mean to be patronising and he knew that was how it was going to come across but it was done. Her blood was up.

"How dare you appoint a nanny without my say so?"

He sighed. Once more, it was brought back to him that if the two of them had set off on this journey together without her having been married to Shawn first, then there were going to be plenty of things which were going to be different between them right then.

Plenty of things which were not going to cause rows.

"Caroline, we have got three small children and we have one on the way -of course, you need a bit of help my darling." Was that not the way of the world? It was the way of his world.

For a moment, he worried she thought he believed her to be a bad mother and that was far from the case. Ever since they had got to Greece and before that in America, he was well able to see that she was a fantastic one and he would never say anything otherwise.

All he wanted was to give her more time to rest.

"I have never needed help in the past." She said and wondered if that was the truth of it. She had had help in the past, but it had come in the form of family and community. Not staff.

And she didn't want staff, she wanted her mother.

She tore Evelyns face from her mind…

"You have never been pregnant with a fourth before, and you have never brought one into the world," he said, "without family to help." She felt as if she could cry out – 'well whose fault is that?'

But that she knew would not help. However, the next words she said did not do that either.

"But this is not the way that Brady's raise our kids!"

It was the first time he let out his own frustration as he returned - "But you are not a Brady anymore."

It felt as if he had slapped her. He couldn't have hurt her more.

If she had known he was going to say the words to her, then she would have had a bit of time to get ready for them. As it was, she felt as if she was completely unarmed for them. It hurt Victor to see how much they saddened her – but they were all getting used to this new reality of theirs and – and it wasn't easy. This sort of thing did not come easy. He had not for once thought it was going to be but he had always known how worth it was all going to be. He let her run hands through her hair and sigh before he begun again.

"All I want to do is help you! But you have to let me," he said as he looked imploringly at her.

There were so many things on the tip of her tongue right then, but she did not trust herself.

And she knew it would be better to say nothing rather than what she would regret.

"I do not need help," she hissed as she went to leave the room.

But she felt as if she could not. As if she had to make his understand. Damn any regret…

"Being a Brady meant we talked through decisions – especially when it came to the children…"

"Oh, please Caroline, as if you want to talk to me about anything to do with the children," so he did know the truth of it. And it felt as if the gloves were off.

"If I felt I was going to be heard I would."

"When have I ever not listened to you," he asked, and he regretted as soon as he saw the look on her face. He swallowed. If she was the type, she would give it to him straight.

You did not listen to me when I begged you to let me keep my life as it was.

And she was a straight talker. But she had no one but him right then…

"Well, listen to me now when I say we do not need a nanny."

Silence.

"You are caring for three kids with one on the way- I think you do," Victor told her.

"Well I do not," she said and for the first time her voice was raised.

"Mama," all of a sudden, her own voice was not the one she was trained on.

She spun about to see Roman in the doorway, his little hand curled round the doorway as he peaked into the room.

God only knew how long he had been there.

"Are you ok, my little man?" she said as she begun to wonder how much he had heard.

"Are we going swimming still?" he asked nervously, and she nodded as fast as she could.

She turned to him and went to her boy.

"Come on sweetheart," she said taking his hand and walking away. She did not look back at Victor, but he followed her for as long as he could before she vanished from view down the corridor.

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