Chrysalis

Chapter 81

Kim and Shane Donovan Residence

Sami came out of the bedroom on the prowl for breakfast. She could smell it. Well, she could smell bacon, and for Sami bacon was all she needed. Skipping down the hall in distraction, she came around the corner, and bumped headlong into Rebecca's rounded belly. Sami stopped, staring at her. Tipping her head to the side, she said, "Carrie said you're having my little brother or sister."

Rebecca was taken slightly aback, unprepared for such a direct question from an eleven year old. "I–I am."

"Are you going to get breakfast? 'Cause I smell bacon," Sami said, reaching for Rebecca's hand. Tugging on her, Sami continued, "I love bacon. My daddy John used to make bacon and pancakes on pancake Saturdays. We'd have dance parties too."

Rebecca followed behind the chatty girl in bewilderment, as Sami continued to talk. "Daddy Roman doesn't do dance parties. He yells a lot, and he gets mad, and says I talk too much. Personally, I think he's got stick up his butt–"

"--Samantha Gene Brady!" Kim said loudly, coming out of her bedroom with Jeannie in tow.

Sami jumped in surprise, and laughed at the look on her Aunt Kim's face. "You know he does," she said without regret. To Rebecca she said, "He's no fun at all. I mean, Uncle Bo says he used to be, but I think Stefano DiMera broke him, and took all the fun out of him."

Rebecca's eyes caught Kim's sad ones. Softly she said to Sami, "Your dad can be funny. He just needs to remember how."

"Do you think so?" Sami asked her, looking thoughtful. Roman had never made enough of an attempt to get to know her that she would be invested enough to care. He was in and out of the house so often, and most of the time she only knew he was home by the sound of his loud booming voice yelling about Bo or his job. With a shrug, she said, "I don't know about that, but if you say so."

Rebecca allowed herself to be led down the stairs, remembering the night she'd gone out drinking with Roman. He'd loosened up after a few beers, and he was funny. He was funny, and he was charming, and she'd enjoyed his company. The problem was that Stefano really had done serious damage. Stefano had broken Roman, and his brokenness had affected every aspect of his life. He may have had the opportunity to grow and change over time, but instead he'd been trapped and traumatized. Maybe his brokenness was why she was pregnant. But it was possible that this child was an opportunity for him. A chance to try again, and do it right. Could this baby bring a light back to Roman? And why did she care?

Just as they reached the bottom of the staircase, Rebecca was brought back to the present when Sami said, "You know, my mama told me how babies are made. I asked her once, and she told me. I think it's gross. Why would a woman want a man to put his penis inside her? That doesn't sound fun at all, but she said that when I get older I'll understand." She was quiet for a moment, and then she asked, "Did you like it? Sex, I mean. That's what happened right? You had sex with Roman, which means he put his penis–"

Three things happened simultaneously. Kim shifted Jeannie on her hip, yelling, "Samantha Gene!"

Rebecca moaned, "Oh, my G-d! This is not happening!"

And Carrie started laughing hysterically as she walked out of the living room into the foyer.

Sami kept walking as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. She stopped in the living room, looked around with wide eyes, "What? It's true right? Isn't it? Roman had to put his penis in Rebecca's–"

Carrie couldn't stop laughing, pulling great gasps of air into her lungs, as Rebecca turned a vibrant shade of crimson, and Kim yelled, "Oh, for the love of G-d, Sami stop talking!"