Chapter 26

At sight of the Salem Inn…

The Salem Inn was cozy and warm on arrival. If it was not up to the usual standard that Victor Kiriakis would expect, the Brady siblings really did not mind. It felt more like home to Roman than the house he had been raised. The facilities were not fancy, but everything worked and was functional. It was clean and tidy and warm too boot. It was where they needed to be right then.

When they got to the Salem Inn, it had been under the cover of darkness. It had been beyond a long day. Roman was put in a single room, but since there was a twin available, the girls took that one.

Kim was mainly glad to go in together so she could keep an eye on Kayla. She had not been herself on the flight over. No wonder given how fast all of this had happened. The chances were, Kayla would be fine in the morning. But if she was not, then her big sister was going to be there for her.

So, on return to the states, they made themselves comfortable at the motel. And the first thing they did was get a good night's sleep.

When she awoke, the thought that was in Kim's head was, she could be in the same town as her dad. And that was a nice thought indeed.

Despite their long day before, all three of them were up and about early the following morning, having had a wash and got ready. It was time for the next phase…

As they sat down to their breakfast there was only one thought in Kayla's head and that was 'what now?'

At least they could talk freely. So that was just what they did.

"So…" she said, as they all begun to eat their pan cakes. A delicacy they had not had much before they had been at home but something which they all agreed was delicious. "Where do we think Pop is going to be?"

And it was said directly to Roman. For he was the one who had led the way home. He was the architect of their great adventure.

But the thing was, she had already noted he looked a bit pale that day. She had put it down to exhaustion. The problem was Roman had realised even before he had got to the breakfast table, he had been so fixated on them getting back that he had not really thought about when they got back.

What happened next. What happened now…

It was as if he had thought they would get back to town and their Pa would just know and be there waiting for him. Them. Which of course was ridiculous. Because how could he know?

No, all Roman had ever had was a wish and a pray. It had got them this far. But now he didn't feel as sure as he had…

And it was written all over his face for the girls to see.

"Do you remember what he did for a living or where we lived?" Kimberly asked, trying to prompt something within any one of them. She had a vague memory but nothing solid. But that was going to change now. She felt excitement go through her, for she knew it was not just their Pop who they were seeking but their whole family. This could be the start of a different way of life for them and it meant a lot.

Those to places seemed a good place to start.

But Roman, for the first time since he had left Greece, did not feel as if he was very free. He had longed to go back to his dad. But now he did not know who he was. Not really. He had now spent so long trying not to think of his fathers face due to the pain it caused him to think of it overly clearly… That now he wanted to recall his fathers face, he could not.

And it made him feel as if he had failed.

"I – I have no idea." He admitted and it was as if he felt some sort of shame. It was a terrible truth.

Both of his sisters could see it. And both wanted to help put him at his ease.

It was not like Roman to panic.

Kim reflected on the fact she had roomed with Kayla due to the fact it had seemed as if she was the one who was freaking out. Now, it felt to her as if her little sister had it together but her big brother was not doing so good now. And maybe they would all freak out along the way. If they did it was no surprise.

"Roman, it is all going to be ok," said Kim. She now wished they had had the foresight to do a bit more planning for their arrival. But the first priority had always been to get out of Greece.

Now they were here they could work out their next move.

"Sis, it is not going to be fine if we have come all this way and can't find Pop."

That as far as he was concerned, would be the worse thing as he knew it meant he would have raised his little sisters hopes up for nothing. That would be cruel.

And then there was what Victor was going to say if he found out. He did not know why that was worrying him now.

But it felt as if may be everything was a worry right then.

"But I know we are going to find him; brother you can't think we came all this way for nothing."

"Kayla, that is what I am scared of."

At that moment, it felt like a very real possibility.

It was then an even worse scenario entered his head.

Something which had never occurred to him before. What if their father was dead?

And for some reason he could not believe he had not considered this before.
So much time had passed and truly anything could have happened. He could have been hit by a car, or killed by someone else or got hideously ill. And he would never know the truth… never know what had become of his children.

The sensation of his sister's hand on his was enough to bring him back.

He shut his eyes and thought as hard as he could. "All I can tell you right now is he had blue eyes."

Kayla could see the fact that was all they had got was bothering Kimmie as time went on. The excitement which had flowed through her fizzled out. As she was younger than them both, she remembered even less.

It was time to take the emotion out of this. She felt as if through this whole thing she had been a bit behind them.

And now it was going to pay off. That she was pulling for them felt good to her.

"Ok – so we do not know where he lived or quite what he looked like right then – but he was a religious man, was he not?"

Religion was important to their mother, and she did not think there was much chance her mother would marry a man who that was not important too.

Roman did not think he had ever been so grateful for some cool, calm logic.

Thank God for Kayla.

"Yeah – yes he was." That was who his dad was, he could now recall. When he a small lad, he could recall all them getting ready to go to church together. The whole family in their Sunday bests and he had no idea why he had not thought of it himself.

"Then I say on Sunday we go to church. And before that I am going to go to the local archive." Her elder siblings looked at her blankly for a moment. "a pregnant woman and three kids go missing - there is no way that was not in the newspaper. And if we are right and mama and Victor left under the cover of darkness or something…"

She trailed off. Roman respected Kayla even more as he could see that concept was not a very easy one for her to get along with. But for them, she was trying to have an open mind even if it broke her heart.

Kim nodded along with what her sister was saying. It all rang true to her. There had to be a record.

"You're right. Sorry for-" Roman begun but she took his hand in her own.

"You have been waiting for so long for this day that it does not come as a surprise that now it is here you might be finding it tough. Me and Kim are here to help you, and you need to remember that no matter what."

He had carried this on his own for a long time. No more.

They were in it together. All of it. For better or worse.

"I do not know what I would do without you guys right now," they knew how serious he was right then.

"You are not going to find out," Kim said with a wink.

"The truth is you are the one who has always been there to look after us and now we are just paying you back." Kayla was so glad she found that she was there to do it. Now they had got this far she would not want to be any where else in the world.

"It turns out this baby sister of ours is not such a baby anymore," said Kim with a grin.

Roman agreed for he could see it for himself.

"Now let's go and find Pop."

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