Keeping the Faith (Read 12,592 times)

[fluffysmom]

Poor Chloe. I am worried about her and about Philip.

[DancingDays]

Nice touch with the "Just Kidding." You would've had a lot of angry viewers if you'd left it there.

[gapeach]

Okay - just got caught up. Couldn't read it on Friday (well could have but chose not to....) Anyhow, I digress. GREAT story girl!! Can't wait to have Phillip come home soon. Also, love the name of the TV station (SNit).

[Kpatch]

THE LAKE HOUSE

Later that night, they received confirmation from the Marine Corp that Philip was among the missing. Daniel prescribed a mild sedative and Chloe was too weak to protest, so she took it. The next afternoon, Chloe wearily padded into the kitchen where Hope was giving Wesley his lunch.
Hope: Honey, you’re awake already. Why don’t you try going back to bed? Bo and I are here for you. We’ll take care of Wesley.
Chloe: I don’t want to go back to sleep. Every time I close my eyes I see Philip ... getting ... tortured. Or worse. I hear him screaming.
Bo: He might not be a hostage, Chloe.
Chloe: But he’s missing.
Hope: That doesn’t mean he’s been captured. Right Bo?
Chloe: But the longer we don’t hear from him, the more sure I am that he’s being held captive. What other explanation is there for him not being home? Not calling?
Bo: Could be a lot of things. The news said communication is down. Flights are restricted. You can’t let yourself think the worst.
Hope: He’s right, honey, you have to focus on the positive.
Chloe: Positive??? What positive?
Hope: Your family, your children.
Chloe: Without Philip, we’re not a family.
Hope looks over at Bo.
Hope: I understand how you feel.
Chloe: I keep thinking about that journalist who was beheaded a few years back -- the one who worked for the Wall Street Journal. ... And Jack Deveraux. The things he went through when he was held captive. Those people are barbarians. I just can’t bear the thought of Philip being hurt. In pain. He’s endured so much already.
Bo: I know. But making yourself sick isn’t helping anyone. I believe Philip is going to come home to you, Chloe. And when he does, you want to be healthy, right? You and your baby, and Wes.
Chloe: I just want Philip to come home. I just ... I feel so lost, so disconnected without him.
Hope: Oh honey, I know.
Chloe: The thought of raising our children without him ... I don’t think I can do it. We had so many plans for the baby, Hope. We spent hours and hours talking about him ... or her. Did you know that Philip wanted to know the sex of the baby, and I didn’t.
Hope: No kidding.
Chloe: Oh god, now he might never know. I should have let him find out. I shouldn’t have stopped him.
Hope: Shhh, he’ll find out. He will.
Chloe: I didn’t tell him.
Hope: Tell him what?
Chloe: I didn’t say “I love you” before he left. He said it to me, but I didn’t say it back.
Hope: Why not?
Chloe: I was too emotional. I just couldn’t get the words out. And now I may never get to tell him.
Hope: Oh honey, don’t you think he knows you love him?
Chloe nodded.
Chloe: Yes. He knows.
Hope: Yes he does.
Chloe: Oh Hope, please tell me this is just a bad dream. Please tell me this isn’t really happening, that he’s not really gone.
Bo: Listen to me, Chloe. Don’t give up hope. Not until you have to.
Chloe looked at Bo with surprise, knowing he’s someone who deals in facts. She was grateful to see the sincerity in his eyes.
Bo: Philip is smart, he’s resourceful, he’s a Marine. And he’s with other Marines. They’ll know what to do.
Chloe: Thank you Bo. I needed to hear that. I need to keep the faith.
Bo: No problem. Hey ... Come here.
Bo took Chloe in his arms and rubbed her back as her tears dampened his shirt.
Bo: We’re here for you, Chloe, and I’m not just saying that. I made Philip a promise and I’m going to keep that promise until he comes back and can take care of you himself. We’re family, okay? We’ll always be here for you.


To be continued ...

[djm]

So touching. Glad that Bo and Hope are there for Chloe. What is happening to Philip? Thanks Kpatch.

[sportsgirl]

I also am optimistic about Philip! I won't believe that kpatch would ever really hurt him like that... all will be ok!!

[MrsM]

You got me crying again!!!

[Minako98]

I really need to stop reading from work...

[DancingDays]

dammit

[fluffysmom]

I'm so glad that Bo and Hope are there for Chloe and Wesley. I liked the mention of what happened to Jack. And Chloe mentioning that she needs to Keep the faith.

[Kpatch]

THE LAKE HOUSE

Chloe drifted through the next few days in a fog. Every time the phone rang, she jumped a mile. But there was no word from Philip, and the military didn’t have any new information for her at all. Nothing. Communication into and out of the area was still spotty and the intelligence coming out of the region was unreliable. Chloe mumbled to herself half the day, cursing the military, cursing the President, cursing Philip, saying I love you to his photographs, and holding on tightly to his son.

She stopped going to rehearsals and she started to resent the nearly constant stream of visitors who came over to see how she was doing. It started to feel like they were waiting for the other shoe to drop, waiting for bad news, waiting for her to crack under the pressure. She didn’t want their company. She only wanted Philip. And if she couldn’t have Philip, she wanted to be alone. The only one who could convince her to keep her strength up was Henderson, who had taken over all the cooking and household chores. The only chore Chloe handled was taking care of her precious Wesley. He was her only source of comfort.

She watched Wesley sitting on the floor building his Tobbles tower, laughing as the tower grew taller. She marveled at how much like Philip this little boy was. Philip often said that Wesley looked like his mother, but every time she looked at him, Chloe saw the image of his father. Sandy brown hair, strong jaw, oval eyes framed by perfect brows. His light olive complexion gave him a Mediterranean look, a Greek god like his dad. He was definitely Philip’s mini-me, copying everything his father said and did, even when he cursed. Wesley would watch Philip intently and mimic his mannerisms, like licking his lips in anticipation or running his hand through his hair in frustration. Chloe got such joy watching her little angel. The little boy looked up at her and his eyes sparkled when he smiled, dimples erupting on his cheeks. His hair was coarser and wavier than Philip’s, and his eyes were a deeper blue, more like Chloe’s. There was definitely a resemblance between Wesley and his mother’s side of the family, but not nearly as pronounced as there was with his dad's side. Even if there had never been a paternity test that revealed Philip as Wesley’s father, by now it would be obvious to the world that Wesley was a Kiriakis.

Chloe went through the different stages of grief, as the days stretched into weeks. Denial, anger, profound sadness. But among the stages of grief she had gone through, there was one that was missing. She had not gotten to the acceptance phase and she knew she never would. Bo told Chloe to keep the faith and that’s what she was trying to do. She was keeping the light on, keeping the hope alive. She would not accept that Philip was gone for good. He was coming back. He promised he’d be back.

Chloe found herself falling into routines, starting with a phone call she made every morning.

Chloe: Colonel Hudgens? Hi, it’s Chloe.
Colonel: Good morning Chloe. How are you today?
Chloe said the same thing every morning.
Chloe: That depends on what you have to tell me. Do you have any news for me?
And the Colonel said the same thing he said every morning.
Colonel: Unfortunately, no. Still nothing. I’m sorry.
Chloe: Me too. Well, I’ll talk to you tomorrow.

When she first starting calling Colonel Hudgens, she was angry ... angry as hell. She yelled at him for forcing Philip to take this assignment, unloaded about her husband maybe never meeting his new son or daughter, cursed and hurled insults at this stranger. Those insults turned to tears as Chloe cried to the Colonel. The Colonel told her to feel free to call him any time she’d like. So she started calling him daily, at the same time each day, almost like a standing appointment. By now, she didn’t expect him to have any new information for her, but there was always hope. At least she felt like she was doing something by calling him, which made her feel better than doing nothing.

After her morning phone call, Chloe got herself and Wesley dressed, and they headed out to the same place they went every day.


To be continued ...

[gapeach]

Oh poor Chloe. I hate that she is going through this!! After all she and Phillip have gone through, I am anxiously awaiting his return so they can be together. Pleeeeeeeeeeeease don't make this separation last tooooooooooo long!!

[MrsM]

[djm]

Thanks for the chapter Kpatch. Glad that Chloe left the light on to show Philip the way hame. Hope Philip makes it home in time for the birth of his child. (You wonld not let him miss that would you Kpatch?) I am going to say the same thing my niece said when she asked where my Mom was after she died.We told her she was in heaven with her Sister Paula. After a few weeks she told us that Nanny had been with Paula long enough and it is time for her to come be with us now. Philip has been missing long enough and it is time he come be with us now.

[sportsgirl]

This has to be so hard for Chloe, not knowing yet trying to be positive. She is definitely being strong for her children! I hope we find out some good news soon!