Premise:
With
Melanie, Frankie and Nicholas’ love and support, Carly managed to move on with
her life; especially after she discovered she was pregnant. But in the later
stages, Carly kept feeling ill and sleepless night thinking of Bo didn’t help
as he’d left Salem for parts unknown four months after their breakup.
Melanie let herself in Carly’s house, closing the
door behind her. ‘Mum?’ she called, walking into the kitchen to put down the
groceries she’d brought for Carly, hoping she’ll be able to persuade her to eat
more. Carly’s appetite has been rather poor lately, which worried her. Her
obstetrician had given her some multivitamins but Carly’s eating was yet to
improve.
‘Mum?’ Melanie called out again, going upstairs
and entered Carly’s room. ‘Oh my God!’ she screamed, rushing to her mother.
‘Mum, Mum?!’ Carly was sprawled across the bed, as though she got up and
then fell back in a faint. Her face was sweaty and as pale as death, her lips
bluish.
After checking for a pulse, Melanie pulled out her
cell and with shaking fingers called for an ambulance.
‘Don’t worry, Mum...’ Melanie sniffled, kissing
Carly’s hand as the tears ran down her face. ‘You’re going to be fine, you and
the baby. You’re going to be fine.’ She sobbed, unable to control herself.
‘Please, you have to be fine.’
She stayed with Carly, stroking her hair until the
paramedics arrived and rode with her to the hospital. Dr. Long, Carly’s
obstetrician, immediately took charge and Melanie waited anxiously for the
diagnosis. Daniel, alerted by one of the nurses that Carly had been brought in,
hurried to his daughter’s side to wait with her.
‘I’m afraid it’s Eclampsia.’ Dr. Karen Long told
Melanie after the examination, her tone grave. ‘The baby’s due in two weeks but
we have to operate now.’
Melanie gulped, Daniel’s arm coming round her
shoulders. ‘Sure... of course... but... but I can’t sign the consent papers. My
uncle Frankie’s the one to do it and he’s in D.C.’
‘Well you have to get him here fast, Carly doesn’t
have much time. We can stall the surgery for 24 hours, no longer than that.’
‘I’ll call him right now,’ Melanie wiped her damp
eyes, inwardly praying he will arrive on time. Eclampsia was dangerous to both
mother and child. Even if the baby was saved, Carly could die. If she died...
‘She’s not going to die, honey.’ Daniel said,
clearly reading her thoughts.
‘She put up with so much because of us,’ Melanie
sobbed. ‘And we were...’
‘Shush...’ Daniel hugged her tightly.
‘How could she still find room to love us,
especially me?’
‘Carly never questioned her love for you, she just
kept loving you. And you’ve done all you can to make it up to her. You stood by
her when she was hurting over Bo; you’ve been taking care of her.’
‘I don’t think I’ve done enough,’ Melanie shook
her head. ‘Maybe Mum’s forgotten everything I said and did but it’s hard for me
to, Dad. I keep imaging how she must have felt when Lawrence had them take me
away from her arms.’
Daniel’s lips tightened, going back to the fateful
evening Carly had told him the truth. In his fury, he’d accused her of not
letting him have the chance of being a dad, choosing to live a life of luxury
with Lawrence after “giving away” their daughter and really furious she’d told
Bo before him. He’d been unkind as well, more so than Melanie, refusing to let
Carly defend herself. And then blaming her for keeping Chloe’s adultery with
Phillip from him and Melanie, when she had no idea the other man was Phillip.
‘We’ll be there for her even more when she wakes
up,’ he assured Melanie gruffly. ‘Don’t beat yourself up, honey. Carly loves
you, unconditionally. What you should do right now is call Frankie.’
‘Yeah, sure.’ Wiping her eyes yet again, she
walked away.
Daniel Jonas entered the private room Carly was,
staring down at her. She was hooked to monitors-she and the baby being
stabilised- and she was breathing through an oxygen mask. He took her hand,
holding it between his, inwardly praying for her recovery.
:::::::::::::
‘I’ll be there as soon as I can, Mel.’ Frankie’s
brusque voice hiding his own anxiety.
‘I’ll be waiting. Please... hurry.’
‘I’ll charter a private plane to get there on time.
Please look after her, Mel.’
‘Okay.’
Melanie hung up and then dialled Nicholas’ Paris
number, informing him about their mother’s condition. Nicholas promised to come
to Salem on the first available flight.
‘Melanie,’ she turned to see Abby Deveraux walking
up to her. ‘Hey... I’m so sorry about Carly. Mum’s with her right now.’
Melanie’s heart hardened. As far as she was
concerned, Jennifer had not being a good friend to her mother- glaringly siding
with Hope. But in spite of her anger, she couldn’t take it out on Abby; the
older girl looked genuinely concerned. Instead she nodded.
‘Who were you talking to just now?’
‘My brother, Nicholas. He’s coming in from Paris.’
Melanie slipped the phone back in her pocket, not noticing the look on Abby’s
face at the mention of Nicholas. ‘I called my uncle to, he has to get here real
quick to sign the consent papers.’
Abby shook her head. ‘If only...’
Melanie looked at her sharply. ‘If only what?’
Abby hesitated then said slowly, ‘if only things
had worked out between him and Carly, if they’d gotten married... he would sign
the papers right now, wouldn’t he?’
‘Well, we don’t always get what we want.’ Melanie
said coldly. Last year she was married to Phillip, even though at the back of
her mind Nathan Horton was the true love of her life and Carly was very happy
reunited with her own true love. She remembered how they were during Victor and
Vivian’s sham of a wedding, Bo clutching Carly’s hand as they walked across the
room and the talk she had with him about how even closer they seemed to be. If
she’d sensed it was all a lie she would’ve warned Carly. But she was no better,
she’d loved Nathan yet married Phillip- she should’ve done the right thing by
admitting her feelings to Nathan instead. But at least she and Carly had each
other now, after the long period of unfairness and misjudgement and Carly had a
part of Bo she would never have to lose to Hope.
‘Don’t you think he should know about this?’
‘No, he doesn’t.’
‘Why not? He’s the father...’
Melanie exploded, ‘so what? So fucking what? He
left her standing there; he went back to the woman who tried to kill him, after
pretending he loved my Mum!’
‘Melanie, quit being childish about this,’ Abby
chided. ‘From what I heard, Carly was the one who gave him up.’
‘Oh... and she was supposed to wait for him to
tell her the obvious, that he was still in love with Hope the whole time.’
Melanie fired back harshly. ‘My mum’s not a fool, Abby- she saw it all too
well! Tell me, was she supposed to wait? Was she supposed to stay with him and
keep letting him touch her but thinking about that woman the whole time? And
then pretend what happened between them never did... all because it was so complicated?’
Abby had to admit Melanie had a point. She was with Carly when Bo came by the
hospital months back, and she’d listened at the door at the brief but emotional
conversation, wincing at the pain in Carly’s voice. She still didn’t understand
it herself, how could Bo be so devoted to her, then have a sudden change of
heart but still came by to see her? Was it possible he loved them both the same
way but simply chose to be with the woman he’d been with longer? Jennifer was
rather tight lipped about it, but the old photos Abby had found in an old album
which told her a lot more about Bo and Carly. She recalled how she’d gasped at
the young couple in the photos. Bo was a handsome man but on seeing his younger
self in tight ripped jeans, leather jacket and longish hair, the word hot had popped in Abby’s mind. And
Carly, longer hair in 90s styles and spotting elegant tops and dresses; posing
with Bo. In the photos Bo had his arm or arms around her, his cheek pressed
against hers, smiling down at her, kissing her. Others had them posing with the
family, some with Shawn Douglas, one of Carly holding her during her
christening, one of her posing with her parents
on their wedding day. But the ones with just Bo and Carly were the real
ones of interest; they looked so cute and happy together and so much in love.
How
could a great love like that become weak then fade away? Abby
had thought, tracing their smiling faces with her fingers. It just didn’t make
sense to her at all.
‘Please... just drop it, Abby.’ Melanie said,
breaking into her thoughts. ‘Bo doesn’t care about Mum, ever since he got your
cousin back. None of the Bradys do
either. Mum has her own family; her children, Dad and my Uncle. We don’t need
the Bradys, especially Bo Brady,
wherever he is.’
Abby watched Melanie walk back to Carly’s room, at
a loss of what to do. No matter what he’s done, Bo was still the father of
Carly’s baby. Didn’t he have the right to know what was happening, Carly and
the baby could die. What would great grandma Alice do in this situation, keep
silent or tell him?
Abby decided to consult her mother about it.
:::::::::::
Melanie went back the house to put together what
Carly might need. She stopped to look at the nursery, all ready for her baby
brother or sister. The walls were painted a pale yellow, with expertly drawn
murals and there was the crib, changing table and the rocking chair by the
window. Closing the door, Melanie brushed back a tear and went to Carly’s room.
First things first, she thought,
regarding the unmade bed. She pulled off the sheets and then picked up a
pillow, noticing something. Her heart beat fast as she picked up the two thick
notebooks.
I
didn’t know Mum kept diaries, she thought.
Feeling a little guilty, she opened one. From the date of the first entry, she
began it the night she fled Alamania.
I’m
on my way home, the only home I’ve ever known.... Salem. Looking back I can’t
understand why I left it in the first place. I never imagined I would leave it
after arriving there back in 1990. But with what happened with my memory...
first I thought I was 18 again and in love with James again next thing I knew I
found out I have a son and a fiancé I’ve been in love with for 3 years... Bo.
But it was too late for us and I said goodbye to him; my place was with
Lawrence and Nicky. But I never forgot Bo and every day I hoped he’d moved on
with his life without hating me.
Lawrence
promised me the day we left; that things would be better between us, all the
mistakes of the past made up for. But he lied. For years, everyday was a living
nightmare... after he got ill. I was a punching bag and his personal rape
victim as his paranoia and madness grew. When it did finally sink in that I’d
made a mistake leaving Bo? I still don’t know. But it was too late to do
anything about it, I couldn’t leave Nicky behind and Lawrence would’ve killed
me before he allowed such a thing and he could kill Bo as well. Just like how
he almost killed me after that one drunken night stand with D. But I never,
ever imagined I would get pregnant. Bo and I tried so hard to have a baby but
Dr. Alvarez had said it was near impossible after the tissue damage from
Nicky’s birth.
I
will never forget the day Lawrence had his lawyer take her away. My beautiful
blonde baby girl. I had to promise to stay with him or he would’ve killed her
in front of me... he already had his hand wrapped around her poor fragile little
neck, ready to snap it...
Melanie shivered, loathing Lawrence Alamain from
the bottom of her heart and unable to help herself, sat on the bed and
continued reading.
I
did what I had to do tonight. It was bad enough Lawrence took my baby away but
to order her murder after all these years and telling me about it... I snapped.
I’d taken all the beatings and violations he inflicted on me because I wouldn’t
name my daughter’s father but not this, never this. It was time to free myself
from the prison I walked into years before. Lawrence followed Bo’s life for
years; it was like he was obsessed with him like he was obsessed with me. It
took a while for me to digest the news of Hope’s sudden return from the dead
five years after I was gone. But maybe fate did me a sick favour... what would
Bo have done if I’d still been with him? But that’s not important anyway. I
have to make sure my child is safe. I have a feeling Vivian will come after me
but as long as my baby girl is safe, I can face that old witch. I’ve had
nothing but a one baby picture of her. She must be such a beautiful young woman
now. I hope she will understand I didn’t give her away voluntarily. She has to
know the kind of man Lawrence was. He was going to kill me too... I saw the
madness in his eyes when he tried to stop me from leaving. The whole time, like
when I was still Katarina, I’d loved an illusion and by falling for the
illusion again, I ruined my life.
God
willing, this time I will get it right.
‘Oh Mum... Mum...’ Melanie sobbed quietly, her
shoulders shaking; so ashamed of how childish and bratty she’d acted with
Carly, long before she found out the truth. All because of a stupid accident
involving spilled coffee! And she’d been beaten and raped because she wouldn’t
name Daniel! Dear Lord...
Sniffling, she kept reading. Carly wrote about how
she contacted an old friend and patient, a man called Omar and how he took her
the rest of the way, her fears at being apprehended before she could get to Bo
and ask for his help. How two thugs from Alamania tried to grab her and a
mysterious man saved her but then fainted. She’d gone, over Omar’s protests, to
the hospital to steal some meds.
I
just got back from the hospital, it’s gone through some changes but it’s great
to walk back in there, like back in the day.
I
saw him! I saw Bo! God... after all these years the sight of him and the sound
of his voice made my heart pound. I watched him hug a sweet looking little boy,
apparently he’s Lexie and Abe’s son; he was always so paternal with Shawn D.
But what a shock I got when I heard that nurse call him ‘Commissioner Brady’.
My motorbike riding sailor now the top brass of Salem P.D? Even he would’ve
laughed at the very idea years ago! But it changes everything; I can’t go to
him now. I won’t let him risk his job for me, he’ll be accused of lack of
objectivity once they find out I’m his ex fiancée. No... I’ll go to Justin
instead... he’s a lawyer after all.
Bo’s
gone to fetch Justin, so I can take this down while I wait. It’s strange being
in Bo and Hope’s house; it used to be Jack and Jennifer’s and it was the last
house I sat in before I left Salem.
Since
Justin wasn't at Victor’s, I decided to go to Bo after all. From what I heard
from Victor’s conversation over the phone, Bo and Hope had had a fight so she
wasn't there and apparently Justin was involved in between. I’m glad it wasn't
Henderson who answered the door, he would’ve recognised me.
I
broke in and Bo wasted no time tackling me onto the ground, hissing in that oh
so familiar biting tone, ‘you just made a big mistake.’ In the moonlight I saw
the shocked look on his face when he realised who it was and I guess the shock
made him forget his knee was on my back so I had to tell him to get off me.
I
didn’t expect him to welcome me back with smiles and open arms and he didn’t,
he was tight lipped and angry; no doubt over the fight he’d had with Hope. I
still wonder what Justin has to do with it.
I didn’t waste any time telling him everything. He listened, those
piercing hazel eyes of his on my face the whole time.
I
saw a photo of his little girl, Ciara. A beautiful name for a beautiful little
girl and for a moment I thought over what might have been....
I
thought the police was finally on to me but it turned out to be Hope Brady. I’d
seen a picture of her years ago and the years have favoured her. She was mad to
see me lying on her bed and from the blank look on her face when I introduced
myself, Bo never told her about me. Not sure how I feel about that.
I
wanted to leave after she stormed out but Bo made me stay put, assuring me Hope
won’t turn me in. Justin said he would do his best for me but I sensed his
antagonism towards me.
I
asked Bo how my little sailor man was, my Shawn Douglas. It was so funny
hearing Shane D was now a father. ‘Grandpa Bo!’ I teased him and he gave me
that glare, a smile tugging the corner of his mouth. It was nice to laugh for a
bit, with the fear of being arrested hanging over my head. I saw a picture of a
little boy. He’s very cute but he looks more like Hope than Bo. Bo’s face
clouded when he told me his name was Zach but he’d died in a car accident. Poor
Bo and Hope... to lose a five year old child so tragically. My heart almost
broke at the pain in Bo’s voice.
:::::::::::::::
Bo’s
arguing with the Interpol agents. I’m grateful he brought my journal along with
him after I was arrested. I should’ve known Victor Kiriakis would report me to
Interpol; he’s never forgiven me for ending our marriage. I caught a glimpse of
him when I was led in here, his hair’s completely white and he looks even more
forbidding. Did Hope tell him I was at her house?
Before
I was arrested, I had a nightmare... I dreamed Lawrence stabbed Bo and Bo lay
dead at my feet, my hands stained with his blood. I screamed and Bo rushed over
to comfort me. I never could bear the idea of Bo dead... after he joined the
force, I always nursed the fear he might not come home one night. I know Lawrence is dead now but that dream was so vivid. What have I
done? I should’ve gone to look for Jennifer or Frankie instead. If I cost Bo to
lose his position, I’ll never forgive myself. I came here to find my daughter,
not destroy Bo’s life in any way.
Bo’s
coming back to talk to me...
Melanie closed the journal, reaching for a Kleenex
to wipe her eyes and nose. She’d been reading Carly’ inner thoughts and soon
she would read about their first encounter; no doubt filled with pain. Again
she felt some guilt about invading her mother’s privacy but by reading the
journal, she was getting to know Carly exactly like she was supposed to from
the very beginning. On the day Carly had told her the whole truth, she’d been
angry and upset that a man had died because of her, refusing to listen or
understand anything Carly had to say. But now... she was wiser and more
remorseful. Carly had done nothing to be forgiven for. She’d suffered under
Lawrence and the suffering itself had been an act of love. Lawrence knew the
type of man Trent Robbins had been, no doubt about that- his way of making sure
she suffered without her mother.
Burn
in hell, you son of a bitch, Melanie Jonas whispered.
