Nothing's Gonna Hurt You, Baby (Read 2,522 times)

[wildheartashley]

Such a great chapter. You really captured the nurturing relationship that Kayla has with Tripp. I loved how Kayla has accepted that Tripp is going to do all that he can to make her better, yet Kayla is trying to keep him at bay as to him not being all consumed with her illness. Can’t wait for more.

[misfit]

Author's Note- Please forgive the delay and the shorter length to this chapter. My writing schedule's been all over the place lately (sigh), but I'm planning to post the follow up installment to this by Friday and be back on track with consistent updates after the holidays. Thanks for sticking with me if you have!

Chapter 12

Seeing Kayla's attention turn to the door and seeing the anxious look on her face, Tripp frowned.

"Kayla, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, I… it's nothing, really."

Arching a brow, Tripp looked at her skeptically.

"I just thought your dad would be back by now," Kayla admitted, but after hearing the words, she wanted to kick herself for saying them, knowing her stepson already had enough reasons to worry.

"He's probably just out on a walk, though, getting some air. I mean, he knows I'm in good hands, right?"

"You're still worried about him, though," Tripp said knowingly, getting a nod.

"It's not an easy habit to break."

"I figured," he said. "And leave it to you to be worried about everyone else when you're-"

Trailing off, unwilling to finish that sentence, he shrugged and got to his feet.

"Like you said, he's probably getting some air after talking to Joe and Stephanie. Speaking of talking, though,"

Wanting to avoid awkward silence and genuinely curious about it, Tripp bent down and picked up the storage bin, setting it on the coffee table.

"Mind telling me about this?" he asked as Kayla smiled, then shifted so she was closer to the books.

"If it's some new idea of Dad's to keep intruders out, it's a good one. I almost broke my foot on it when I walked in here."

Apologizing for it being in the way, Kayla shook her head.

"I asked him to get it out of the closet the other night. It's got some of my old notes and publications from when I was in med school and completing my residency."

"You think there's something here that could help?" Tripp asked, getting a shrug.

"Steve and I started going through it, but I think it might just be a dead end. The textbooks are completely outdated, and I know some of those notes are from Basic Human Physiology and Biochem."

"Wow. Talk about a throwback," Tripp laughed.

"Yeah, think I'm too much of a packrat for my own good."

"Well, can I take a look? I don't think there'll be much in the textbooks, but the notes-"

"Are also going to be pretty dated."

"So, JAMA editions first, then?"

Flipping to a bookmarked page, Tripp started skimming the infectious disease article.

"Steve started going over that last night. He was reading it out loud, and I was trying to translate, but we barely got through the first chapter before I fell asleep," Kayla admitted as Tripp arched a brow.

"Nothing against you guys, but maybe pulling all-nighters right now isn't the best idea?"

"Hey, at least ours wasn't accompanied by a six-pack of Red Bull," Kayla retorted. "Like the one I had to pry from your shaking, over-caffeinated hands the night before your boards," she recalled as Tripp rolled his eyes.

"You're never going to let me live that down, are you?"

"You had three and were about to down a fourth that probably would've thrown you into AFIB. And with how fast you were talking, I was already about to admit you for a manic episode."

"You know I've done weirder and worse to get out of taking a test," he smirked as Kayla rolled her eyes.

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that."

Putting the journal aside, reaching for one of the notebooks, Tripp shook his head.

"Let me guess, outdated and so scribbly they're illegible."

"No, they're legible," Tripp said. "Too legible for a med student, though."

"Your father said the same thing, and I'm sorry, you're both wrong," Kayla insisted. Getting to her feet, she started poking through the storage bin.

"I'll prove it. The anatomy notes I know are total chicken scratch-"

Trailing off, wincing, Kayla gripped the side of the bin with one hand while the other went to the side of her head.

"Kayla. What-"

"Head rush," she said through clenched teeth, squeezing her eyes shut as Tripp moved to hold her upright.

"Pain, dizziness?"

"Both."

"Scale of 1 to-"

"7," she cried.

"Shh, okay. It's okay, it's gonna be okay," Tripp said, hoping he'd believe it if he said it enough.

[André DiMera]

Glad Tripp volunteered to take a second look over Kayla’s notes.

[wildheartashley]

Loved the back and forth banter between Kayla and Tripp. The Red Bull comment had me laughing out loud. Can’t wait to see what’s next.

[misfit]

Author's Note- Evening folks! As promised, here's the latest installment. Thanks so much to everyone reading/your feedback and kind words. I hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday weekend! 

Chapter 13

"Shh, okay. It's okay, it's gonna be okay," Tripp said, hoping he'd believe it if he said it enough.

"Here, I'll get you back to the couch; we'll call-"

When Kayla shook her head and clasped a hand over her mouth, taking that and her face going green as a sign the couch wouldn't be the best location, Tripp rushed her over to the master bath.

Holding her hair back, he rubbed her upper back until she was through vomiting, then got up to get her a glass of water.

Exhausted, Kayla slumped back against the bathroom wall and let out a slow breath, only opening her eyes when the room finally stopped spinning.

"Tripp," she choked out. "I'm sorr-"

"Don't," he interrupted, handing her the water. "Don't even think about it."

Once she rinsed and cleaned up, after helping her up, Tripp considered carrying her the few feet to the bedroom but, knowing that would mortify her more, offered her a sturdy shoulder instead.

Curling up against the bed pillows, her eyes half shut, Kayla went to pull the throw blanket around her but found it was out of reach, and she was too damn tired to move and grab it.

"Here...let me help," Tripp said, draping it over her as Kayla murmured a thank you.

"You take after your dad," she said softly. "He's always been a good tucker-inner."

"I'll tell him you said so," Tripp laughed.

"No need. He knows it."

His face going serious, Tripp perched on the foot of the bed.

"Look, you rest. I'll tell Dad when he gets back about-"

Shaking her head no, Kayla moved to sit up.

"Kayla-"

"No," she said as forcefully as she could.

"There's no need to tell Steve."

"But-"

"You know your dad. He'll start taste-testing my food."

"Kayla, if we don't-"

"He'll feel guilty," she cut in, her voice cracking as she did so. "He'll find a way to blame himself for something he didn't even do and will just worry more. About an isolated incident that's not even connected to this... nightmare."

"Isolated? How do you even..." Tripp asked. "For all we know, Marlena and Kate could be presenting with gastrointestinal symptoms, too, and-"

"They're not," Kayla insisted. "Not unless the cafeteria's started serving takeout."

"What?"

Pulling the blanket tighter around her, Kayla slumped back into the bed pillows again.

"For lunch, Steve ordered all my favorites from the deli we like down the street."

"The place with the cookies?" Tripp asked.

"Yeah, the ones I requested by name," Kayla groaned. "By the time I woke up and the food was here, I didn't have that much of an appetite. Just a headache that had gone from bad to worse."

"And eating just aggravated it?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "Should've skipped the jumbo black and white and stuck to the soup."

When Tripp's eyes clouded over, Kayla frowned.

"What?"

"Nothing...just, you saying that about dessert. Guess you're not faking this just to get the whole family under one roof," he weakly joked, getting a sad smile in return.

"I wish this was all a big fakeout," Kayla grimaced. "I hate...refunding."

"Refunding?" Tripp repeated. Getting a nod, he fought the urge to laugh.

"For what it's worth, I'm no fan of it either," he said.

Feeling her forehead before handing her the thermometer, Tripp reached for her wrist to take her pulse.

"You still feeling queasy?" he asked as she shook her head, uncapping the thermometer.

"What about the headache? Dizziness?

"Not dizzy. Just tired. The headache's not as bad now either."

"How bad's not as bad?"

"7 to a 4."

"The refunding helped?"

"Mmhmm," Kayla nodded. "Tell me why."

"Vagus nerve stimulation, the release of endorphins, change in blood flow reducing pain and inflammation."

"Good job," she praised before placing the thermometer. After seeing her fever hadn't gone down, though it hadn't spiked back up, she sighed.

"Was hoping that number would've gone down, too."

"Hey, the symptoms are still manageable from here," Tripp reminded. "We can tell Dad that when he gets back. Give him a little less reason to worry," he said as Kayla sniffled, shaking her head.

"Steve's not going to stop worrying, and neither will Stephanie and Joey after they see me. And see their pop."

"Look, I know Dad's gonna worry, and I admit, he was pretty ragged when I talked to him before, but you know he's gonna hold it together for you. And Stephanie and Joe know that, too," Tripp reassured, handing her some Kleenex.

"I still don't want him to know. He'll get all worked up and that's the last thing-"

"Kayla, Dad would be worked up if you had a hangnail," Tripp scoffed. "I think he'll be more worked up though if he finds out he's being kept in the dark."

"Look, if it happens again or some new symptom develops, I'll notify the lab and I'll tell Steve. But I'm not going to upset him over something that I know is unrelated. He's already..."

"What?"

"He's not sleeping. He can't even take a catnap now without tossing and turning, and since my fever spiked, he's done nothing but guzzle coffee so he can keep his eye on me 24-7."

"Hey, he agreed to let me fill in for him here once he told me what was going on. That's a good sign, right?"

"It's not a good one that he's been gone this long," Kayla said warily.

"He promised he wouldn't tell Joe and Stephanie over the phone. He...he should be back by now."

Seeing the fear in her eyes, which were starting to well up, Tripp swallowed hard and reached for his phone.

"I'm texting him now and telling him to head back. If he doesn't reply in five minutes, I'll go track him down. Okay?"

Nodding, thanking him, her tears falling faster now than she could dab them away with the tissue, Kayla bowed her head, biting her lip.

"C'mon, if he walks in here and sees you crying on my watch, he's gonna pull his knife on me again," Tripp joked as Kayla managed a watery smile, shaking her head before apologizing.

"Kayla, you don't-"

"I can't help it. I didn't want to tell you guys anything had happened until I was better," she admitted.

"I know you needed to know, and I'm glad you're here for Steve, but I hate that you're stuck seeing me like-"

"Like what?" Tripp asked, shifting closer to her.

"Look, all I see you as is my boss, my friend, my mom," he emphasized as she choked back a sob.

"And someone who's gonna beat this thing at its own game."

"That's your official diagnosis?" Kayla asked as she wiped at her eyes, lightly laughing to keep from crying more.

"You bet," Tripp choked out, hiding his face in her shoulder after she pulled him into a tight hug.

[André DiMera]

So glad Tripp is there for Kayla. I get not wanting to worry Steve more, but Tripp has a point. He’ll be more upset if he finds out he was kept in the dark.

[wildheartashley]

Tripp has a great bedside manner with Kayla. I do hope that he tells Steve the newest development with Kayla. Better to be honest.

[misfit]

Author's Note: Evening all, I apologize that this update was so delayed. It's been a little tough getting this/the next few chapters where I want them – with the eps we're in the thick of now I'm really trying to make sure I'm doing my faves justice – but I've got Ch. 15 mostly drafted and am planning to have it up and running here midweek to get back on schedule. Thanks for bearing with me/reading if you are. More to come soon.  

Chapter 14

After reading a JAMA publication aloud until Kayla went to sleep, ready for a nap himself but knowing that wasn't an option for the foreseeable future, Tripp made his way out to the living room for some coffee. Right as Steve burst through the door holding a bouquet of yellow roses.

"How is she...where-"

"Dad-"

"Kayla!" he called. Setting the flowers on the desk, he looked toward the couch where he'd last seen her.

"Sweetness? Where-"

"Shhh, Dad! She's in the bedroom."

"Well, why aren't you in there with her?" Steve asked angrily.

"What?"

"You should've been keeping an eye on her when I wasn't...why do you think I freaking called you first, man?!" he scoffed, brushing past him towards the bedroom before Tripp grabbed him by the arm.

"Jesus, Dad. She's asleep! Kayla's asleep," he hissed.

"And I came out here two seconds before you walked in to get some coffee and make sure you got my text! That's all!"

After Tripp released him, backing up, Steve nodded and adjusted his patch, letting out a slow breath to try and come to grips before apologizing.

"I went out to stretch my legs but wound up over at the church garden."

"You walked all the way to St. Luke's?" he asked as Steve nodded.

"I saw your text, but Stephanie and Joe had me on Facetime with them. If I'd tried to respond when I was on the call they'd know that something was-"

"Yeah, makes sense," Tripp said, turning to the coffeemaker.

"They on their way over now?" he asked, pouring the last of the coffee into a mug for himself.

"Little Sweetness had something to finish up at the office and Joe had some errands. I told them though to be here no later than an hour from now and they agreed."

"Still can't believe you walked all the way to the church."

"Yeah, my feet just kinda led me," Steve shrugged. "And once I got there, seemed as good a place as any to grab these."

Picking up the roses, he put them in a vase with water.

"Don't think the big dude'll mind that much."

"You know there's a florist two doors down, right?"

"Two doors down wasn't where I married Kayla," Steve said gruffly, arranging the flowers. After getting the bouquet to his liking, he walked over to the coffeemaker and rolled his eye.

"You know if you're gonna finish it, could at least put on a fresh pot," he muttered.

"I'll put some more on when Steph and Joe get here. Til then, you go lie down," Tripp said, sitting at the kitchen table with his coffee and flipping open one of Kayla's notebooks.

Met with a light laugh, looking up, he looked Steve square in the eye. 

"You serious right now?" he scoffed. "Telling me what to-"

"Yeah, I'm telling you to sleep so you don't crash and burn in front of my brother and sister."

"What are you talking about? Crash and burn. I took a walk, dude! I didn't go and run a freaking 5-K."

"You took a long walk on I'm guessing not enough sleep," Tripp said matter of factly. "What we're dealing with right now is rough enough without you getting laid up, too."

"Tripp, you and Stephanie and Joe don't need to waste any of your worry on me. Right now, Kayla's-"

"Literally worried sick about you," he cut in. "Same as Steph and Joe are gonna be once they see you in person and not over a screen. You can't-"

"You know, you keep saying you," Steve scoffed. "Don't you get it? I don't matter here."

"Dad, c'mon," Tripp said warily, trying to hide the knot in his stomach starting to form at the deadly serious look in Steve's eye.

"You can't just say something like-"

"Again, you telling me what to do. I'm saying it 'cause it's true, Tripp."

"But-"

"No, there's not gonna be a debate. We're not putting it up for a little family vote!" Steve snapped, turning around and putting on another pot of coffee. 

Forced to wait on it to brew, gripping the round of the countertop with one hand, he drummed his fingers on it with the other as Tripp got to his feet, walking up to stand beside him at the counter.

"Dad-"

"The only thing that matters in this house right now is Kayla and making her better," he said roughly.

"Well, what makes you think Kayla will be okay seeing you like this when she wakes up?" Tripp argued as Steve laughed mirthlessly.

"She's seen me looking a hell of a lot worse than this, buddy."

"Doesn't mean she needs to see you looking like hell now," Tripp said firmly. "Look, what's it gonna hurt you to skip the coffee, grab a shower, then go in and lie down with her? When she wakes up and sees you looking after yourself, trying to get some rest, it'll make her feel better, too," he reasoned.

Frowning, Steve started grumbling about all that med school training at least amounting to something, when a text came in from Stephanie, then Joe in the family group chat.

"And if you can't do it for Kayla, what about for them?" Tripp asked, waving his phone at his father.

"You know, you're really living up to that full name of yours today, son."

Met with a confused look, Steve smirked. "Guilt-tripp Dalton Johnson, M.D."

"Wow. Yeah, even calling that a dad joke would be too generous," Tripp snorted. Replying to the text chain, when Steve's phone lit up with the messages, he couldn't help but notice the background image on his lock screen.

"When's that from?" he asked.

Grabbing his phone off the counter, Steve lightly laughed at the selfie of him and his wife that he'd opted not to delete.

"Couple of days ago," he said before he cleared his throat, wiping at his eye with the back of his free hand.

"Kayla wanted it gone. I told her though she beats this thing or I'm making this our Christmas card."

"Well, the whipped cream does make it pretty festive," Tripp grinned before his smile went softer. "Make it the card even when she does get better, alright?" he encouraged as Steve nodded, running his thumb over Kayla's playful, pouty face in the photo.

"Sweetness..."

[wildheartashley]

Tripp is really trying to look after everyone here. Love the one liner of Guilt-Tripp Dalton Johnson, M.D. Can’t wait to see what happens once Stephanie and Joey arrive.

[André DiMera]

Steve is as stubborn as ever. Glad Tripp is trying to look after him.

[misfit]

Author's Note- Well, finally have an overdue update to this fic. I apologize, no excuses. The next chapter will be up and running no later than Sunday, as scheduled! 

Chapter 15

"So, did you come across anything in those notes and journals of Kayla's yet?" Steve asked curiously, sitting across from his son at the table.

"Not yet, but there's still a lot to go through," Tripp answered.

"You're telling me. I had to lug that box of them out of the closet."

"Wait, didn't you just throw your back-"

"I had my spotter," Steve cut in. "And we managed just fine."

"Well, good. Just, seriously, next time you guys have heavy lifting to do-"

"We managed just fine," Steve repeated. Sitting forward in the chair, he grabbed one of the notebooks and started thumbing through it.

"Well, speaking of managing, Kayla's symptoms, the fever, her headaches, the dizzy spells. They're all still treatable from here. From home," Tripp said as Steve looked up from the notebook warily.

"You're sure about that? That from home she's still-"

"I'm sure, Dad. Trust me. If I thought differently, or if Kayla did, we'd be at the hospital. For now, though, her getting some rest here where she's comfortable, it's the best thing for her," Tripp said as Steve nodded.

"I know when I talked to Rex and Roman, they had the same thought. Or at least Kate bullied them into having it," he snorted. "The last I heard, she's still at home, too."

"What about Marlena?" Tripp asked.

"She's at the hospital. John said she's done nothing but sleep since she was admitted."

"Well, fatigue tracks with all the other symptoms. Kayla said just the walk from the bedroom out here took a lot out of-"

Trailing off, seeing the guilt and grief creasing Steve's face, Tripp bit his lip.

"Anyway..."

"No, no anyway," Steve said sharply. "If something's happened or Kayla's feeling any differently than she was before I left, I need you to tell me right now."

"I..."

Needing a way not to break Kayla's confidence and, at the same time, not outright lie to his too-perceptive dad, Tripp racked his brain for a response right before he and Steve heard a loud cry from the bedroom.

Racing to the back, they found Kayla with the sheets kicked off her, tossing and turning mid-nightmare and begging for help.

"Kayla, baby?!"

Joining her on the bed, Steve lay down next to her, smoothing her damp hair back to try and rouse her.

"Shh, I'm here. I'm right here, Sweetness. You just gotta wake up. Open those eyes for me now, Kayla. C'mon, baby," he begged. Sitting up, he stroked the side of her face, then lightly shook at her shoulder until she woke with a start.

"S...Steve?"

"Sweetness..."

"What happened?" she asked nervously. "W…why are you looking at me like that?"

"You had a nightmare, baby," Steve sighed, reaching for her hand to kiss it. "We were in the kitchen and heard you screaming, so we came running back here and-"

"We? I…."

Frowning before she spotted a nervous-looking Tripp standing by the door, Kayla bit her lip as tears sprang to her eyes.

"I'm sorry. I….I don't remember it. I-"

"Baby, why are you apologizing? It's alright," Steve assured as Kayla shook her head and sat up, insisting it wasn't.

"Kayla, it was just a bad dream. Who cares if you can't remember-"

"I care if I sent you both into panic mode!" she snapped.

"Baby…"

Reaching with his free hand to hold her face, Steve tilted her chin up, forcing her to look him in the eye.

"Right now, your beautiful eyes are open, and you're here in our bed with me, giving me hell," he laughed, moving his hand to cup her cheek.

"The only mode you've got me in is grateful, Sweetness. Sitting here right now with you, I feel like the luckiest man alive."

"Steve," Kayla sighed. Going into Steve's arms, she draped hers around his neck as he rubbed slow circles on her back.

Unsettled, though, feeling heat practically radiating off her, shifting slightly, he brushed her hair away from her forehead before letting his hand rest there.

"You're still burning up on me, Sweetness. Where's that...I thought the ibuprofen was on the nightstand."

"No, it's too soon for another dose yet," Tripp said. "I'm gonna get you some tea, though, alright?"

"Yeah. Tea sounds good," Kayla rasped, managing a sleepy smile as she reached over and squeezed Tripp's hand, thanking him before he stepped out.

"Let's get you tucked back in here, baby. Alright?" Steve offered.

Shaking her head no, Kayla curled up against his chest. "Where were you? I thought you were going in the hall to call the kids and stretch your legs. You were gone over an hour, though."

Swallowing hard, Steve kissed the top of her head.

"I didn't mean to scare you, Sweetness."

"Did I say I was scared?"

"You didn't have to," he said. "You had no reason to be, though, baby. I just went for a little walk and Facetimed with Joe and Little Sweetness over at the church garden."

"At St Luke's?" Kayla asked, getting a nod.

"Couldn't get into much trouble there, now. Could I?" Steve smirked.

"I hope you couldn't," Kayla teased. "It explains what kept you, though. That's more than a little walk there and back."

"Just trying to keep the stems in shape, baby."

Lightly laughing, she rubbed at his thigh, cuddling closer to him.

"Hey! Don't go starting something you're too tired to finish, now," Steve teased, his smile not quite reaching his eye.

"You said you Facetimed with the kids. Do they have any idea-"

"No, baby. We agreed to tell them in person, right?"

"Right," Kayla sighed. "How are they doing?"

"They were having pizza at Little Sweetness' office when I called. Speaking of, we should try and get some food in you if you're-"

"No, I'm fine. I'm alright."

"Kayla, you need-"

"I need you to keep holding me," she interrupted in a small voice. Nodding, Steve held her tight to his chest.

"You're sure that Stephanie and Joey were okay? They were both alright?"

"They sounded just fine, baby, and they're both on their way over. But, I have to tell you, I'm not too happy about where we left things on the call."

"You're not? Why not?" Kayla asked, trying not to get frantic. "Steve?!"

Shifting so she could see him better, she frowned at the pouty look on his face.

"They kept busting on me for my garlic and jalapeño," Steve sulked.

Rolling her eyes, Kayla couldn't help but laugh.

"And that's why you're unhappy with your only daughter and youngest son? Because they don't order pizza like a crazy man."

"Crazy? I've got gourmet preferences, baby!"

"You do! For the most part," she smirked. "Unless you count a certain breakfast preference you once goaded me into trying."

"What in the hell did I ever goad you into-"

"You don't remember?" Kayla asked as Steve clued in, then grinned.

"Oh, you're not knocking our favorite high-protein option, are you, Sweetness?"

"No," Kayla said before her stomach rolled. Cringing, starting to regret opening up this line of conversation, she shook her head. "I just-"

"You know, you've really gotta keep your strength up, baby. How about I send Tripp out for a six-pack of beer for us, grab a couple of eggs outta the fridge-"

"Ugh, Steve..."

Dizzily shifting away from him, she moved to and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. Her stomach in knots, resting her head in her hands, she let out a soft groan that sent Steve into a panic.

"Kayla? What-"

"No, it's alright," she muttered, taking some deep breaths. "I just-

"TRIPP!" Steve bellowed.

Moving off the bed, he dropped to his knees in front of his wife as Tripp came running into the room.

"Dad? What's-

"I'm fine, Tripp. Really," Kayla insisted.

Shaking his head, Tripp felt her forehead.

"I don't think your fever spiked, but to be safe-"

When he reached for the thermometer on the nightstand, Kayla grabbed for it first.

"Don't, I've got it, I've got it," she insisted, only to be on the receiving end of worried looks from both her stepson and her husband.

Looking down and away, hit with a wave of guilt that somehow felt worse than the nausea, Kayla let out another slow breath as she fiddled with the thermometer.

"I was just about to tell your dad how you looked after me earlier," she admitted, catching Tripp off guard.

"After lunch got in that disagreement with me."

"Disagreement?" Steve frowned before he caught on. "Oh, baby-"

"Yeah," Kayla nodded. "Tripp got a ringside seat. And you were just about to with all that protein talk."

"Kayla-"

"It's passed, though, Steve. I'm okay, and I-"

"I just watched you go deep green around the gills, Sweetness. You call that okay?!" Steve asked roughly as he got up off the floor. Cutting over to the closet, he pulled off his black muscle tee, then started rifling through a folded stack of his long sleeve shirts.

"Steve, what are you-"

"What's it look like, baby?" he scoffed, tugging a fresh shirt on before tossing a dark blue one to Kayla.

"This one might clash with your jammie bottoms, but it brings out your eyes."

"Steve-"

Grabbing his keys from his pants pocket, he tossed them to Tripp.

"Dad, what are you-"

"Go warm up the Bluesmobile. And make sure that siren of Bo's in the glovebox is on the dash."

"But-"

"And if you run into Stephanie and Joe in the lot, tell them they can ride to the hospital with us, Tripp," Steve said as Kayla's eyes narrowed.

"Tripp will do no such thing since we're not going to the hospital!"

Before Tripp could open his mouth to get a word in, the tea kettle let off a loud whistle. Saved by the bell.

"Tripp's actually gonna go to the kitchen and give you two a chance to sort this out," he said, then ducked out of the room before either of them could argue back.

[André DiMera]

Kayla really needs to stop being so stubborn. The discussion of food was amusing.

[wildheartashley]

Poor Steve! All the guy wants to do is care for his Sweetness. Hopefully he or Tripp can convince Kayla to go to the hospital. Looking forward to the next update.

[misfit]

Author's Note- Hi all! This chapter's a little shorter but brings some faces I haven't written for yet into the fold. Hope I managed to do them justice. More to come soon!

Chapter 16

After walking back to the living room, still able to hear muffled yelling from behind the shut bedroom door, rolling his eyes, sitting back down at the kitchen table, Tripp put his head in his hands and took a few deep breaths. He’d only been here a matter of hours, but it already felt like days, and he knew in his gut things would only get worse before they got better.

Looking at Steve’s phone that he’d left on the table, he thumbed it to life and swallowed back a lump in his throat, looking at the background photo. A lump that got worse when a text came in from Stephanie and Joe. “Leaving office now. Be there in twenty.”

Pushing the phone away from him, he started flipping through one of the notebooks but tried and failed to absorb any information and slammed it shut. Deciding that maybe new information would register in his brain better, he took his phone out of his pocket and called the hospital, asking to speak with the lab.

“You’ve got to be kidding, right?” he spat after ten minutes of hold time and two minutes speaking with a frightened-sounding lab tech named Brad.

“Dr. Johnson, I’m sorry but the results for Dr. Brady-Johnson aren’t pulling in our system.”

“Well, then unplug your system and plug it back in again!” Tripp snapped.

“Dr. Johnson-“

“No, there’s no way that lab work for the Chief of Staff hasn’t been processed yet. No way in hell. What about the other-“

“The results for Dr. Evans and Kate Brady aren’t showing up either, sir.”

“Well, unless you want me showing up there in about ten minutes to rearrange-“

His threat met with static and muffled voices, frowning; Tripp took his phone off the speaker. Only to hear a familiar voice on the other end.

“Rearrange what, Dr. Johnson? Because if it’s my fellow lab tech’s face, you can come down here and go through me, first.”

“Sarah?”

“You know, my MD didn’t go away because the acting Chief gets his kicks confining me to the lab.”

“Sorry, Dr. Horton, I didn’t-“

“It’s alright,” Sarah sighed. “I know you’re worried about Kayla. We are, too. But chewing out Brad for her results inexplicably not being here won’t help her, or you.”

“That doesn’t make any sense, though. Why wouldn’t her labs be on high priority rush and processed in our own damn-“

“You think I’m not asking myself the same thing?” she asked. “I’m in the system right now though and there’s nothing coming up for her, Kate or Marlena.”

About to respond right before his phone beeped, Tripp bit his lip, his thumb hovering over the decline call button before he thought better of it.

“Okay. Just let me know if anything changes or if they miraculously come through.”

“Of course. And if anything changes with-“

“You’ll be the first to know when we head to the hospital,” he assured.

After thanking Sarah, then bracing himself, Tripp took the incoming call, declining the FaceTime option in favor of a phone call.

“Hi, sorry, I’m in the middle of something. Is it cool if we just talk over the phone?”

“Sure, it’s cool. I’m cool,” Ava shrugged, forcing a smile and hoping she was managing to sound at least somewhat cool with it.

“I just wanted to say hi. Make sure you got back from that camping trip of yours okay.”


“Yeah, I hit some traffic but nothing crazy,” Tripp shrugged, running his free hand over his face.

“I am a little wiped though, Mom. Is it okay if I call-“

“You sound more than a little wiped, baby.”

“Mom, I swear. I’m fine, I just-“

“Hey, don’t do that.”

“Do what?”


“Swear to something when it’s not close to being true. That’s not like you.”

“Why, because it’s too much like you?” Tripp snapped, regretting the words as soon as they left his mouth. Running his hand over his face again, he sighed.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t-“

“Oh, I think you did,” Ava laughed mirthlessly. “And you have a right.”

“No, you’re my mom, Mom. Talking to you like that is just, not-“

“Look, you want to make it up to me? Tell me what’s going on.”

“It’s hard to explain.”

“Well, it sounds like you’re either coming off a fight or looking to start one,” Ava noted. “Am I getting warm?”

“I’m just waiting for some important test results for a patient and there’s some kind of issue at the lab. A backlog with processing or something.”

“So go down there and give them hell.”

“I can’t,” Tripp sighed. “I mean, I would but I can’t leave right now. I’m at Dad and Kayla’s.”

“And you’re on the phone with me?” Ava frowned. “I’m sure neither of them are thrilled about that.”

“Well, I-“

“Look, I’ll let you go but do me a favor. Tell your dad, and Kayla, for Christmas….and I’m not trying to compete, as if I could with whatever Martha Stewart level Brady- Johnson brunch Kayla’s probably prepping for as we speak, but Christmas Eve, I was thinking you could stop by?”

“Mom, I-“

“No, I talked Angelo into finally giving me his cuccidati recipe. They’re these fig cookies that my mom used to make and I thought maybe we could try and make them together, start a tradition that’s just-“

“Sure, Mom,” Tripp interrupted. “I’ll ask but I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

“You sure about that?” Ava scoffed.

“Mom-“


“No, it sounds like you’re trying to pick a fight with me, now and-“

“I’m not!” Tripp shouted before he let out a slow breath. “I’m not. There’s just-"

“What?”

“There’s just a lot going on, Mom,” he said in a much smaller voice.

“Well…” Ava said after a beat. “Lucky for you, baby, I’ve got a lot of time.”

[André DiMera]

Yeah, I don’t think Ava coming on Christmas Eve, or any day, would be fine.