Post by rsafan on Oct 27, 2006 5:36:51 GMT -5
Chapter 17
A brand new day in Salem...
Victoria woke up the next morning in Max’s arms, as promised there had been no sex, only sleep. She studied his face, running her fingers gently down it. He opened his eyes and smiled at her, “Good Morning.”
She smiled back, “Great morning.” Then pouting her lips, “but we have to get up.” She tossed the covers aside and got out, the longer she laid in bed, with him especially, the harder it would be to get out.
He turned on his stomach and watched her get up, studied her behind. He certainly loved her behind, reaching over and slapping it lightly he suggested a cup of coffee would be nice.
He saw the flash of anger in her eyes as she turned to him, “Would that be in bed or out?”
“While I’d love to lounge in bed whole morning, I’m afraid it’ll have to be out. I have got a business to run you know.”
She went downstairs to make his coffee, he could hear her stomping angrily around the apartment and muttering to herself. He grinned to himself, as he climbed out of bed and pulled on his pants. Waking up with her every morning was something he could definitely get used to.
They ate breakfast in silence. Pancakes, she’d proclaimed not to have any bagels and that he’d just have to settle for what he got. He didn’t mind one bit; bagel, pancakes, bacon and eggs, it was all the same to him. Her attitude hadn’t changed after her shower and he made a mental note not to peeve her off so early in the morning again, she didn’t forget or forgive that easily.
Chelsea glanced at her confused, “Seen who?”
“You mean you haven’t heard? Hope was on the phone with my mom last night.”
Chelsea shrugged, picking up her drink, taking a sip. “If this has something to do with Hope, there’s no way anyone would tell me.” She pointed out.
Abby shook her head, “But it has something to do with you too.”
“How?”
She placed her own drink down and whispered rather dramatically, “Well according to my mom, the Brady’s met their newest addition last night. Apparently you have a half sister.”
“A half sister?”
Abby nodded, “It’s true, Bo and Hope have a daughter. I don’t know all the details, but I do know that they met her last night and tonight we’re meeting her.”
“And I’ll probably never meet her, they wouldn’t want me contaminating their precious new daughter.”
“Oh Chelsea that’s not true, maybe they’re just waiting for the right time.”
“The right time, when’s that Abby? When I run into her on the street? I wonder what she’s like.”
“I don’t know, but from what my mom’s said, she looks like Hope.”
“That’s fantastic, just what I needed. Another Hope in my life.”
Mimi sighed, she’d been expecting this, but not this early in the morning. “We wanted to keep it a secret till the doctor okayed us. I didn’t want to tell everyone and then lose the baby so we kept it private.”
“But still, I had to find out from Sami when you’re right across the hall.” Belle moaned.
“I know but we got in late last night, I’m sure Sami already filled you in on all the details.” Belle nodded, “Then you can understand why we didn’t tell you, by the time we got home it was late and we didn’t want to disturb the two of you. I was going to come over and tell you as soon as I’d gotten dressed but obviously you couldn’t wait.”
Belle dropped herself onto the sofa, “I can’t believe Shawn has another sister, and I can’t believe you didn’t tell me that too. Meems, we’re supposed to be best friends. Best friends tell each other everything and you’ve kept two major secrets form me.”
Mimi laughed at her friend’s little tantrum, she knew Belle was trying to make her feel bad for excluding her from her life for so long, but Mimi wasn’t falling for it. “I’m sorry, really I am but can you imagine what my life has been like lately? I haven’t had time to do much of anything never mind pick up the phone for a gossip. You’ll get to meet Victoria later if you want, we’re having lunch together and I’m sure she won’t mind if I invite you along.”
“I wouldn’t want to intrude.”
“Belle, you wouldn’t be intruding and besides I’m not going to beg you to come, if you don’t want to meet her that’s fine.”
Belle thought about it, “I’ll come, I have to find a sitter for Claire, but I’ll be there.”
Mimi shook her head, “You can bring Claire along. I’m sure she’d love to meet her cousin of a sort.”
“Okay then we’ll see you at lunch.” Belle got up from the sofa and saw herself out, Mimi let out a relieved breath. Now all she had to do was give Victoria a call.
She sat up in bed and smiled at him, “Morning Brady, I had the most wonderful dream, only it wasn’t a dream. Did we really meet our daughter last night? Did I get to hold her in my arms for the first time?”
Bo sat down and placed the tray over her legs, “You sure did and she’s beautiful isn’t she? Just like her mother.”
Hope smiled at that, she’d always wanted a daughter and now she had a full grown one, “She does look a bit like me doesn’t she?” she asked proudly.
“Not only does she look like you but according to Shawn she’s a lot like you personality wise too. I’m not so sure that’s a good thing.” He jumped off the bed to avoid the pillow she swung his way.
“But still, she doesn’t know us. Last night though she tried to hide it, she was uncomfortable, she stuck to Max and Shawn. She stayed glued to their sides, I don’t want her to be uncomfortable around me. It felt so right when I held her in my arms and I’m afraid she didn’t feel the same way.”
“Give her time, this is all so new to her. She’ll get used to us and she’ll come to love us as her own too.”
“Are you sure that’s all she needs? Time?”
Bo nodded and gently stoked the side of her face, “I’m not worried about her relationship with us, it’s her relationship with Max that bothers me. They seemed pretty close last night, in fact too close, I won’t have him hurting her the way he did with Chelsea.”
“Bo the last thing she needs now is an overprotective father. When the two of them decide to move in together, then you can step in but till then just let them be.”
Bo smiled at her, “You’re just worried that if I interfere it’ll take her only that much longer to accept us.” He patted her leg reassuringly, “Now eat up. I didn’t go to all the trouble of making you breakfast just to have you stare at it. I’ll see you at the station.”
She frowned at him and pushed the tray aside, getting out of bed, she followed him downstairs. “Wait a minute Brady, where are you going? You can’t go without me, if this has something to do with Victoria.”
At the door Bo turned around and gave her a sound kiss, “I’m going to see Victor. I’m going to tell him about his granddaughter. See you later.”
“Victoria, we were just talking about you.”
She got up and smiled at the two men, “Mr. Brady, Mr. Kiriakis, its wonderful to see the both of you.” Could they hear the tremor in her voice? Did they know how nervous she was?
“Mr Brady? I thought we’d agreed that you would call me Bo, until you were comfortable with calling me something else.”
“Oh no I couldn’t, it wouldn’t be proper and it would be extremely disrespectful.”
Victor smiled, “It seems Shawn was right when he said she had proper manners.”
She blushed, “With all due respect, I believe that Shawn has already said too much.”
Bo laughed, “I couldn’t agree with you more, but you’ll learn that’s the way he is. He speaks out of turn and he tells you like it is, a lot like his mother.”
“A lot more like his father.” Victor corrected him, “Bo if you’ll excuse us, we have a meeting to conduct.”
Bo nodded, “Of course.” And made his way to the elevators leaving her alone with her grandfather.
“So Victoria, it seems you’re to be welcomed to the family.”
A brand new day in Salem...
Victoria woke up the next morning in Max’s arms, as promised there had been no sex, only sleep. She studied his face, running her fingers gently down it. He opened his eyes and smiled at her, “Good Morning.”
She smiled back, “Great morning.” Then pouting her lips, “but we have to get up.” She tossed the covers aside and got out, the longer she laid in bed, with him especially, the harder it would be to get out.
He turned on his stomach and watched her get up, studied her behind. He certainly loved her behind, reaching over and slapping it lightly he suggested a cup of coffee would be nice.
He saw the flash of anger in her eyes as she turned to him, “Would that be in bed or out?”
“While I’d love to lounge in bed whole morning, I’m afraid it’ll have to be out. I have got a business to run you know.”
She went downstairs to make his coffee, he could hear her stomping angrily around the apartment and muttering to herself. He grinned to himself, as he climbed out of bed and pulled on his pants. Waking up with her every morning was something he could definitely get used to.
They ate breakfast in silence. Pancakes, she’d proclaimed not to have any bagels and that he’d just have to settle for what he got. He didn’t mind one bit; bagel, pancakes, bacon and eggs, it was all the same to him. Her attitude hadn’t changed after her shower and he made a mental note not to peeve her off so early in the morning again, she didn’t forget or forgive that easily.
*****
“So have you seen her yet?” Abby sat opposite Chelsea at Dotcom and placed their drinks on the table.Chelsea glanced at her confused, “Seen who?”
“You mean you haven’t heard? Hope was on the phone with my mom last night.”
Chelsea shrugged, picking up her drink, taking a sip. “If this has something to do with Hope, there’s no way anyone would tell me.” She pointed out.
Abby shook her head, “But it has something to do with you too.”
“How?”
She placed her own drink down and whispered rather dramatically, “Well according to my mom, the Brady’s met their newest addition last night. Apparently you have a half sister.”
“A half sister?”
Abby nodded, “It’s true, Bo and Hope have a daughter. I don’t know all the details, but I do know that they met her last night and tonight we’re meeting her.”
“And I’ll probably never meet her, they wouldn’t want me contaminating their precious new daughter.”
“Oh Chelsea that’s not true, maybe they’re just waiting for the right time.”
“The right time, when’s that Abby? When I run into her on the street? I wonder what she’s like.”
“I don’t know, but from what my mom’s said, she looks like Hope.”
“That’s fantastic, just what I needed. Another Hope in my life.”
*****
Mimi opened the door to Belle shortly after Shawn had left. Before she could even get a word out, Belle stormed into the apartment and accused Mimi, “You’re pregnant? Why didn’t you tell me?”Mimi sighed, she’d been expecting this, but not this early in the morning. “We wanted to keep it a secret till the doctor okayed us. I didn’t want to tell everyone and then lose the baby so we kept it private.”
“But still, I had to find out from Sami when you’re right across the hall.” Belle moaned.
“I know but we got in late last night, I’m sure Sami already filled you in on all the details.” Belle nodded, “Then you can understand why we didn’t tell you, by the time we got home it was late and we didn’t want to disturb the two of you. I was going to come over and tell you as soon as I’d gotten dressed but obviously you couldn’t wait.”
Belle dropped herself onto the sofa, “I can’t believe Shawn has another sister, and I can’t believe you didn’t tell me that too. Meems, we’re supposed to be best friends. Best friends tell each other everything and you’ve kept two major secrets form me.”
Mimi laughed at her friend’s little tantrum, she knew Belle was trying to make her feel bad for excluding her from her life for so long, but Mimi wasn’t falling for it. “I’m sorry, really I am but can you imagine what my life has been like lately? I haven’t had time to do much of anything never mind pick up the phone for a gossip. You’ll get to meet Victoria later if you want, we’re having lunch together and I’m sure she won’t mind if I invite you along.”
“I wouldn’t want to intrude.”
“Belle, you wouldn’t be intruding and besides I’m not going to beg you to come, if you don’t want to meet her that’s fine.”
Belle thought about it, “I’ll come, I have to find a sitter for Claire, but I’ll be there.”
Mimi shook her head, “You can bring Claire along. I’m sure she’d love to meet her cousin of a sort.”
“Okay then we’ll see you at lunch.” Belle got up from the sofa and saw herself out, Mimi let out a relieved breath. Now all she had to do was give Victoria a call.
*****
“Morning Fancy Face.” Hope opened her eyes to find Bo standing by her side of the bed with a tray of delicious smelling foods.She sat up in bed and smiled at him, “Morning Brady, I had the most wonderful dream, only it wasn’t a dream. Did we really meet our daughter last night? Did I get to hold her in my arms for the first time?”
Bo sat down and placed the tray over her legs, “You sure did and she’s beautiful isn’t she? Just like her mother.”
Hope smiled at that, she’d always wanted a daughter and now she had a full grown one, “She does look a bit like me doesn’t she?” she asked proudly.
“Not only does she look like you but according to Shawn she’s a lot like you personality wise too. I’m not so sure that’s a good thing.” He jumped off the bed to avoid the pillow she swung his way.
“But still, she doesn’t know us. Last night though she tried to hide it, she was uncomfortable, she stuck to Max and Shawn. She stayed glued to their sides, I don’t want her to be uncomfortable around me. It felt so right when I held her in my arms and I’m afraid she didn’t feel the same way.”
“Give her time, this is all so new to her. She’ll get used to us and she’ll come to love us as her own too.”
“Are you sure that’s all she needs? Time?”
Bo nodded and gently stoked the side of her face, “I’m not worried about her relationship with us, it’s her relationship with Max that bothers me. They seemed pretty close last night, in fact too close, I won’t have him hurting her the way he did with Chelsea.”
“Bo the last thing she needs now is an overprotective father. When the two of them decide to move in together, then you can step in but till then just let them be.”
Bo smiled at her, “You’re just worried that if I interfere it’ll take her only that much longer to accept us.” He patted her leg reassuringly, “Now eat up. I didn’t go to all the trouble of making you breakfast just to have you stare at it. I’ll see you at the station.”
She frowned at him and pushed the tray aside, getting out of bed, she followed him downstairs. “Wait a minute Brady, where are you going? You can’t go without me, if this has something to do with Victoria.”
At the door Bo turned around and gave her a sound kiss, “I’m going to see Victor. I’m going to tell him about his granddaughter. See you later.”
*****
Victoria wasn’t angry at Max, she’d just used him as a convenient excuse to deny why she was really in a horrible mood. She’d remembered shortly after waking that she had an meeting with Victor Kiriakis that morning. Of course she’d had meetings with him before, but then she hadn’t known he was her grandfather and she only hoped that she wouldn’t give herself away. She was waiting outside his office, she’d been sitting there for almost twenty minutes and the longer she sat there the more nervous she became then she got the shock of her life when Bo Brady walked out of the office, Victor had walked with him to the door, they didn’t notice her sitting there, but Victor must have been aware that she had an appointment with him. Max and herself had marvelled about the fact that she had inadvertently been named after her paternal grandfather the night before, what were the chances of that happening? She glanced at Victor, he’d intimidated her from the moment she’d met him, now that she knew he was her grandfather, he scared her ten times more.“Victoria, we were just talking about you.”
She got up and smiled at the two men, “Mr. Brady, Mr. Kiriakis, its wonderful to see the both of you.” Could they hear the tremor in her voice? Did they know how nervous she was?
“Mr Brady? I thought we’d agreed that you would call me Bo, until you were comfortable with calling me something else.”
“Oh no I couldn’t, it wouldn’t be proper and it would be extremely disrespectful.”
Victor smiled, “It seems Shawn was right when he said she had proper manners.”
She blushed, “With all due respect, I believe that Shawn has already said too much.”
Bo laughed, “I couldn’t agree with you more, but you’ll learn that’s the way he is. He speaks out of turn and he tells you like it is, a lot like his mother.”
“A lot more like his father.” Victor corrected him, “Bo if you’ll excuse us, we have a meeting to conduct.”
Bo nodded, “Of course.” And made his way to the elevators leaving her alone with her grandfather.
“So Victoria, it seems you’re to be welcomed to the family.”
