Society Hill – By Alexis

“And in local news tonight, actress Marlena Evans has come to Society Hill to

begin filming on a new movie called ‘A Fighting Chance,’ co starring with-“

 

John Black shut off the TV, throwing his remote at the screen. He ran his

hands through his dark brown mane and signed, watching as the remote

shattered in pieces onto the rugged carpeting in his living room.

 

“Ugh, I hate TV,” he exclaimed getting up, noticing the flashing light on his

answering machine. He pressed down on the play button and hopped up onto the

counter, taking a water from the fridge.

 

“John, it’s your mother! You haven’t called me in 24 hours and 15 minutes,

I’m getting worried! Is everything all right? Anyway, I went to the doctor

and my foot is still swollen. I’ll sue that doctor, if it doesn’t reduce the

puffyness soon! Oooh you know who I ran into at the supermarket the other

day? Remember Allison from high school? That cute little girl I always

wanted you to date, well I ran into her mother and Allison just got a divorce

and her mother said she is looking for-”

 

At that moment the machine cut off, sounding off an annoying beep that drove

John nuts. The next message began to play and he groaned, rubbing his

temples with his index finger.

 

“Johnny, you’re stupid machine cut me off again, you need to get that fixed.

Anyway, maybe you should call Allison and see how she is doing. I hear she

won a lot of settlement money from that divorce and you aren’t making much

working in that video store for $5.00 an hour. You’re almost 30, you need to

get a real job . . .”

 

“Uuuugh,” John screamed, “if I break my answering machine too, that just

makes more to clean up,” he mumbled. His mother was always known for her

mouth and it was the one thing John despised about his mother. She was

always in his business whether he asked for opinions or not and it drove him

crazy. “I need to get out of here,” he said grabbing his house key and

walking into the fresh spring air.

 

                                   *********

 

“Stefano, you’re my agent, I’ve been in some of the hottest movies in America

with some of the hottest stars! Yes, Dennis Quaid is big, whatever, but

Society Hill? No one has ever heard of this place, it’s like a a dot in the

middle of no where,” Marlena Evans complained as she walked down the street

with an iced mocha latte in her right hand, her cell phone clutched in

between her head and her shoulder.

 

Her shoulder length blonde hair was blown perfectly, just hitting her

shoulders, a chic black spring dress fitted on her body perfectly. Marlena

Evans was a known name everywhere you went. She had starred in movies with

Hollywood big timers like Meg Ryan, Tom Hanks, Michelle Pfiffer, Julia

Roberts, and made almost a million a picture with all the designers clothes

she would have ever wanted or needed for that matter.

 

“Middle of no where?” Stefano laughed, leaning back in his leather chair,

“Honey, it’s in Philly, I’m pretty sure everyone has heard of it! Okay

listen, I know that ‘A Fighting Chance’ isn’t exactly what you had in mind

but the directors *begged* for you sweetheart. Look, Dennis Quaid is in it,

he plays the guy Lucky, who is your love interest, just give it a shot, I

promise you, it’ll all be okay,” Stefano said.

 

“I know, but there is no Rodeo Drive here or no 5th Avenue,” Marlena whined.

“Where am I supposed to get my designer clothes or my makeup? I mean . . .”

Before she could continue, she felt the cold sensation of her iced latte

against her skin, a scream escaping her mouth. “What the hell is wrong with

you?” she asked looking up, to find the most captivating blue eyes staring

back at her. “Stef, I’ll call you,” she said angrily hanging up the phone.

“Well?” she asked annoyed, her hand firmly on her hip.

 

“Are you-“

 

“Yes, I am Marlena Evans, the great actress, but right now I am more

concerned that you ruined my $300 dress from an expensive boutique on Rodeo

Drive.”

 

“Um, I know who you are Ms. Evans, no need to clarify it. I was *going* to

ask, if you were all right, maybe if you weren’t busy talking on your cell

phone and discussing how much your clothes cost, you would have seen that I

was directly in front of you and for your information, I don’t care if you

*are* Marlena Evans, because if you want my complete honesty, I don’t think

you deserve a million a picture,” John said snidely, wiping her coffee

remains off his arm.

 

“What the hell does that mean? Who do you think you are?”

 

“John Black, but do you even care? Of course not, the famous Marlena Evans

only cares about herself. Now if you’ll excuse me, I am going to wash *your*

mess off of myself. If you’d care to follow me to get cleaned up then please

do so. If you want to walk around this *nothing* town as you seem to call

it, then have fun,” he replied coldly, turning around and going back towards

his apartment.

“Conceited bitch,” John mumbled under his breath as he strolled angrily into

his apartment, and stormed straight for the kitchen in search of a towel to

clean up his mess.

 

“Whoa, what the hell happened to you?” Bo Brady, John’s rebellious roomate

asked as he came downstairs in search of food, clad in a pair blue jeans, and

wife beater.

 

“Marlena Evans! That’s what happened!” John yelled in reply, as he grabbed

a dishtowel, damped it, and then attempted to remove the stain from his

clothing.

 

“Okay, are you being sarcastic, or have you *totally* lost your mind!

Marlena Evans is one of the hottest actresses in Hollywood, why the hell

would she be in Society Hill?”

 

“Filming her new movie, a Lucky shot or something along those lines. With

one of the Quaid brothers, Randy, Doug? Something. I dunno.”

 

“Yea, but why in Philly?”

 

“I think the ‘Sixth Sense’ started a trend, Bro. Why don’t you ask me the

easy ones?” he sneered.

 

“Christ, this one really pissed ya off, didn’t she?”

 

“Ya think? She is one rude, arrogant, ugh! I can’t even explain it!”

 

“Hey I’d be like that, too if I had killer legs and a smile like hers.”

 

“Sure, take her side!” John smiled.

 

“Aww, I’m sorry baby, don’t worry, your legs are ten times sexier,” Bo

joked, as he grabbed his leather jacket and slipped it on as he reached for

his keys. “But, duty calls! Gotta go see my gal! Later, Man.”

 

“Bye.”

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

* * *

 

After changing into a pair of faded jeans and white t-shirt, John plopped

down on his sofa. Beer in one hand, remote in the other, he channel surfed

until he came across the tail end of the Phillies game.

 

“Here’s the wind up, the pitch, right down the middle! McGwire swings,

connects it’s going, going, gone! I think that one might hit the Liberty

Bell, folks! Here we are at Busch Stadium, and the Cardinals have just come

back with a Big Mac grand slam off of Randy Wolff to beat the Phil’s 5-4.”

 

“Bums…” John muttered, as he sipped his Bud, and reached for the TV guide,

just as the doorbell rang.

 

“Dammit Bo, I told you to start carrying an extra in your wallet!” John

yelled as he opened the door to find the *last* person he expected staring

back at him.

 

“Good to know you boys in Philly are so precautious,” the blonde smiled, as

she removed her sunglasses from eyes to her forehead, and she folded her arms

across her chest.

 

“You again,” he grinned, as he leaned one arm against the doorway, “What’d

you come back for? Do I owe you a dry cleaning bill or something?”

 

“Actually no, but I do think you could be courteous enough to show a tourist

around your hometown.”

 

“This comming from the woman who, less than an hour ago told me to go to

hell, not in so many words.”

 

“I’m an actress,” she replied with assurance, “I can say something one

minute and change character the next.”

 

“Yes, you showed your incredible acting ability in Mary Jo VS. Mars. Lemme

just say, I was pissed you didn’t win the Oscar for that one. That had to be

*the* movie of all time.”

 

“Ya know what, forget I even came back and *tried* to be civil with you. I

don’t need you judging my career thank you, I have Gene Shalit for that.

Later, Mr. Black.”

 

Watching as she turned to continue on her way, John rushed to stop her,

ashamed of his blatant, rude critque of her talent. “Hey look, I’m sorry.

That was wrong of me, please let me make it up to you. I’d be honored to

show you around Philly, as well as share my positive reviews on your

illustrious movie career.”

 

“Okay Black, but only if you’re paying.”

 

“Fair enough,” he said as he went back to the house, grabbed his keys and

bomber jacket.

 

“So, tell me Ms. Evans, have you had a Philly cheesesteak yet?”

 

“Hmm Le Bec Fin I have tried, umm Kristian’s, The Saloon, nope, can’t say I

have tried the infamous Philly Cheesesteak yet!”

 

“Then you haven’t lived!” he exclaimed as they walked towards his small red

corvette. “First stop, Geno’s!”

_____________________________________________________

 

“So, what’d you think?” John asked as he tossed the remnants of their food in

a nearby trash can.

 

“I think I need to make a few more appoinments with my personal trainer for

that, but it was *definitely* worth it.”

 

“Good, I am glad it lived up to it’s expectations,” he smiled, as he turned

to gaze in her gorgeous hazel orbs and she herself was entranced in his deep

sea of blue eyes that held so much depth and mystery to them, she couldn’t

help but get lost in them.

 

“So, what’s this new flick about?”

 

“Boxer, manager, love story. My typical thing.”

 

“Your usual, huh? I definitely gotta check this out!”

 

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

 

“It means your usual, usually has you parading around in tight little

dresses, and sometimes less…”

 

“So that’s what my acting is to?” she asked angrily, “Watching me parade

around as a little whore, is that what you like? Dammit, I was trying to get

away from that image!”

 

“Hey, I was just kidding!”

 

“No John, I was kidding!” she yelled back at him, extremely upset by his

joke. “I was kidding myself for thinking some lowly asshole like you would

be the kinda guy to show me a good time! Thanks for the cheesesteak, I’ll be

sure to send you an autographed picture to show my gratitude and I’ll even

wear something skimpy for you!”

 

“Marlena, wait-!” John pleaded, but to no avail.

 

He watched sadly as she got into a taxi, and rode off. There he stood, having

just lost the opportunity of a lifetime, by falling pray to his own stupidity.

“Bo, why are we here? Neither of us are celebrities and I hate clubs, come

on, there’s gotta be something good on cable right now,” John whined as him

and Bo made their way through Club Egypt, the hottest club for celebrities in

Philadelphia. Strobe lights blazed from every corner, loud music vibrating

each and every wall as a pounding headache became embedded in John’s head.

 

“Because I am a cop and I need to bust a drug operation that is supposed to

be going down here tonight and Hope left for Italy tonight for a modeling gig

and you’re my second choice,” Bo smiled.

 

“I’m only your second? Man, I am so hurt,” John joked. “Look man, I need

some air, if I inhale any more smoke, I might die of second hand smoke.”

John walked out into the cool summer night’s air, inhaling the smell of

lilacs mixed with red roses. He was about to walk towards the car when a

slim brunette ran right into him.

 

“Watch where the hell you’re going,” she screamed, looking up at him.

 

“I seem to recall that voice yelling the same exact thing to me earlier,” he

smiled.

 

“Oh no,” she moaned, “Not you again. Well I’m sorry Mr. Black, as you can

see I’m in a pair of capri’s tonight, I’m sorry I’m not dressed trampty

tonight but look at it this way, A Fighting Chance will be out in about a

year and you always have my video rentals until then,” she replied snidely

about to walk away.

 

“Oh stop it, Marlena. It was a *joke.* Look, I’m really sorry and I can see

you’re having about as much fun as I am here so what do you say we go to a

cafe, I’ll even give you great critiques on your movies, please just join me.”

 

Marlena thought about it for a second, a smile forming on her lips. “Only

because I am dying for a coffee and because you are paying,” she said walking

off as he chased after her.

   

                                       ****

 

“Okay, what about Heat?” Marlena asked as she sipped her hot coffee as her

and John sat alone in Xando, a small cafe, just inside Philly.

 

“Totally the fact that Deidre Hall and Drake Hogestyn made a cameo! Those

two are the best,” John laughed, playing with his croissant. “No seriously,

the chemistry you had with Ben Affleck. You could really feel the emotion

and I must say, when I thought you had died, I did cry a little bit. You

grew on people, they began to love you and when you died, it really affected

people,” John stated honestly. “My mother called me up after she saw it and

was like ‘Oh Johnny, that Marlena Evans girl is so cute, you need to marry

someone just like her.'”

 

Marlena burst out laughing and took a piece off his croissant. “Oh my God,

that is so funny. My mother calls me up and tells me ‘Marlena dear, you’re

29, you’re gorgeous, you’re rich, you’re famous, why do you not have a

boyfriend yet?’ I feel like calling her back and telling her to shove it you

know where,” Marlena joked. “I know she is just looking out for me and I

appreciate that, but it’s like sometimes I just wish I lived a normal life.

If I date someone for a day it’s all over the news, if I don’t date for a

couple of months, the tabloids print that I am a lesbian. It really sucks

not catching a break sometimes. I mean what do you do for a living?”

 

“I . . . um . . . I work at a video rental store, not great money, but I do

see a lot of movies,” John blushed.

 

Marlena laughed, pushing her hair behind her ears. “You know sometimes, I

wish that is what I did for a living. I love acting, don’t get me wrong, I

don’t know what I would do if I couldn’t but for once in my life I’d love to

go to a club without being dressed in a brown wig and green contact lenses

and I’d love to go to the movies like any normal person and eat at a

resteraunt without a million people coming up to me asking for a autograpgh.

It just gets really aggrivating sometimes, I guess it’s why I don’t date

much, I can’t stand the media in my personal life.”

 

“But don’t you want to date?” John asked curiously, “I mean there has got to

be a part of you that wishes you could love.”

 

“Sure there is, but when I was little, I always promised myself that I would

become an actress no matter what the cost was. And my dream came true and if

I can’t date and I can’t fall in love then in ways it’s worth it because I

got what I want. I am famous, loved, well known . . . I guess that’s all I

could ask for, I have a lot more than a lot of people, I should be happy.”

 

“If I say something, promise not to get mad at me?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Marlena, a lot of fans don’t love you because they don’t *know* you. They

love you because you’re beautiful and because you act well and because they

think they know you because they think you’re the characters you play in your

movies but they don’t. You need more than love of your fans because it isn’t

love it’s obsession, it’s infatuation, it’s admiration, that won’t hold you

for life,” John said sincerely.

 

“You don’t know whether they love me not,” she shot back. “I never said that

their love would hold me over but at least I know what it’s like for people

to admire me! I have a successful career, I have money, I love fame, I know

what it’s like to be admired but can you say the same thing John?”

 

“Whoa, you said you wouldn’t get mad and I didn’t tell you that to start

anything with you Marlena! Geez, all I’m trying to prove is that you need

more than fans! And excuse me but where the hell do you get off critisizing

me? Yes, maybe I have a pathetic job, I won’t try to deny that! But I’m

also not going to deny true love because of what some damn tabloid says. You

know it’s ironic, you may be the rich, gorgeous successful one and I may be

the pathetic video store worker making low income but at least when it comes

to being *myself* I’m not pathetic, I can’t really say the same for you,” he

said snidely.

 

John watched as tears started to form in her eyes and she swiped them away,

quickly grabbing her bag, looking deep into his eyes. “That hurt,” she

replied quietly. “And you know what, maybe I am pathetic but it sure as hell

keeps the pain away. Goodbye.”

 

John watched as she left, a feeling of guilt washing over his body. “Bye,”

he whispered, putting the tip down and walking out of the cafe.

“There’s nothing to keep you here anymore, so go! Just go!”

 

“The hell there’s not!”

 

“What’s keeping you here?”

 

Storming across the room, he grabbed her by the lapels of her jacket,

looking her over thoroughly before he replied.

 

“You!”

 

With that, he pulled her close to him and caught her lips with his in a

passionate kiss.

 

“Cut!” World reknowned director, Wolfgang Peterson called out through his

bullhorn on the set of ‘A Fighting Chance’. “We’ll do lunch, and then come

back and shoot the fight scene.”

 

“Wolffy!” Marlena called out, as she pulled away from Dennis and stormed

across the set.

 

“Yes my little Starlet?”

 

“Wolffy, I am 29 years old and I look 24. If you wanna give me a 5 year

old, that’s fine, hell even a 7 year old, that’s ok, too. But how the *hell*

do you want people to believe I am the mother of a 16 year old played by

Devon Sawa?”

 

“Lot’s of tacky lighting and shots of your bad side, gorgeous!”

 

“I don’t have a bad side!”

 

“It’s shining through right now, Marlena.”

 

“Ya know, I don’t need this shit from you!” she exclaimed, she walked over

to her seat, and reached for her bottled water. “It’s not too late for me to

request Elliot Porter!”

 

“Good, let him put up with you! Save Wolffy here a headache. If you’ll

excuse me, I’m gonna go grab something to eat. See ya in an hour with the

fight scene and I’m sure it won’t be any trouble at all for you to slip into

bitch mode.” With that, he walked away, leaving a very unhappy leading lady

fuming that she hadn’t had the last word.

 

“Dammit!” she complained, as she took a sip of her water, spitting it out

the moment it touched her lips. “What the hell is this shit?”

 

“The water you asked for, Ms Evans.”

 

“No no, I asked for *chilled* Fiji, this is lukewarm Evian! How am I

supposed to work under these conditions with such *incompetent* help!”

 

“Relax, Marly. It’s just water!” Dennis Quaid commented, as he sat down in

his seat and flipped through lines.

 

“Oh don’t take your agression out on me cause you got divorced and now your

wife is with that Crowe guy And by the way, *never* call me Marly!”

 

“Christ, I shoulda listened to Devon when he warned me what a hell it would

be putting up with you on the set.”

 

“Oh please, save your sob stories for some one who gives a damn, Dennis.”

 

“Not telling sob stories, just expecting you to act *somewhat* civil towards

me, instead of being childish and taking cheap shots at me.”

 

“Aww, I’m sorry Dennis! How silly of me. Next time, I’ll pretend I’m

Deidre Hall and and swoon over you!”

 

“Christ Marlena, your character’s name should be *Lucky* in this film not

mine!”

 

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” she questioned angrily.

 

“Cause your *lucky* everyone puts of with this primadonna attitude you do so

well. I dunno if you’re in character for our fight scene or just a plain

bitch. But I do know I am gonna go get something to eat now, while I still

have my appetite. So if you’ll excuse me.”

 

Watching as he left the set, Marlena stood alone, a situation she’d become

all too familiar with.

____________________________________________________

 

“All right, that’s a wrap!” Wolfgang announced after a long and grueling day

of shooting. “See you all tomorrow, 9 Sharp, unless Miss Evans objects?”

 

“I’ll be here and ready at 8:30, just to spite you Wolffy,” Marlena replied

snidely, as she slipped on her sunglasses, and headed to her Mercedes for the

ride back to the hotel, and the long, lonely night that was waiting.

Montage~Lucky by Britney Spears

 

Early morning, she wakes up

Knock, knock, knock on the door . . .

 

Marlena was broken from her sleep by the sound of knocking on her hotel room

door. She stumbled out of bed, tripping over a heel that she had left in the

center of the floor, a few choice curses flowing from her mouth. She opened

the door to find room service before her, a tray of bottled water in front of

her, alone, almost as if the water before her mirrored her life. Alone,

dull, lifeless . . .

 

It’s time for makeup, perfect smile

It’s you they’re all waiting for

They go

“Isn’t she lovely, this Hollywood girl?”

And they say . . .

 

She pulled the water off the tray and walked back into the room staring at

the vanity next to the window. Over a hundred makeup products laid on the

small table, between MAC, Ultima, Cover Girl, Clinique, and every other

makeup product known to man. She rolled her eyes and threw herself onto the

bed, flipping through the newest issue of Cosmo that she had bought last

night. She opened to a page and saw her face staring back at her, her golden

blonde hair, hung half up, curls illuminating her face.

 

“She’s been in movies such as Heat, Bloodstream, Music of my Heart and acted

with stars such as Meg Ryan, Tom Hanks, and is now currently working on a new

movie with actor Dennis Quaid, but who is Marlena Evans? She’s the girl

Hollywood speaks about non stop, she has the look all girls yearn for and all

men want for their wife, but is she the sweet, innocent person, she portrays

on screen?”

 

Marlena shoved the magazine off the bed and looked at herself in the mirror.

“Everyone thinks I’m a bitch, not innocent and definetly not sweet,” she

muttered.

 

She’s so lucky, she’s a star

But she cry, cry, cries in her lonely heart, thinking

If there’s nothing missing in my life

Then why do these tears come at night . . .

 

She was about to go shower when a knock on the door brought her back. She

opened the door to find John Black standing before her, large bags under his

eyes, a pair of grey sweats hanging loosly on his body.

 

“What are you doing here?” she asked leaning up against the door. “I have to

tape in about four hours and it takes me about an hour to get ready.”

 

“So that gives me three hours,” John said pushing himself into the room. “We

need to talk Marlena. I came here to apologize for last night and believe me

it took a lot of convincing for them to let me in here. I was wrong to say

that about love and you being pathetic and all that . . .”

 

“You were right,” she interrupted him. “I woke up this morning and started

to cry because I was alone. I always thought that I had something that every

girl always dreamed up. I was famous, I was a role model, everyone admired

me, I figured nothing was missing but after our conversation last night, I

knew why I woke up all those mornings crying. It was because I was missing

something that no one can live without . . . I was missing love,” she said

sadly, as tears fell from her eyes.

 

Lost in an image, in a dream

But there’s no one there to wake her up

And the world is spinning, and she keeps on winning

But tell me what happens when it stops? . . .

 

“Yeah but Marlena, you can’t just wake up one day and say I want to love and

then find the love of your life. It doesn’t work like that,” John said

gently. “Just because you don’t have someone lying next to you in bed, wake

up you to go to work, kiss you goodnight, doesn’t mean it will fall into your

lap. I know a lot of people who would love to be you . . . you’ve won an MTV

Movie Award, a Golden Globe but what happens when all the winning stops.

What’s left besdies memories and a few trophies sitting on top of a mantle

collecting dust?”

 

They go

“Isn’t she lovely, this Hollywood girl?”

And they say

She’s so lucky, she’s a star

But she cry, cry, cries in her lonely heart, thinking

If there’s nothing missing in my life

Then why do these tears come at night . . .

 

“You don’t think I don’t know that?” she asked, moving to the vanity, “I know

one day everyone is going to be sick of Marlena Evans and that I’ll be

remembered as ‘Blonde Beauty who made a few major movies and won some

awards.’ I know, I’ll be washed out, that’s why I fight so hard now to keep

what I have going! And I’ll admit, I always loved being the star, I loved

being known as lucky and until I met you I didn’t care about love, I didn’t

care about being alone, now all I do when I am alone is cry and I hate you

for making me feel like I need someone to be okay,” she yelled, as her

sincerity turned into frustration.

 

She’s so lucky, she’s a star

But she cry, cry, cries in her lonely heart, thinking

If there’s nothing missing in my life . . .

 

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry for coming into your life, for making you feel this

way, I’m sorry we bumped into each other, I’m sorry for everything, is that

what you want me to say?” he asked, standing up. “Look Marlena, I’ve gotten

to know you for who *you* are . . . I know the frustrated, stubborn, annoying

women you can be but I also know a side of you which you don’t let surface

that often . . . the kind, gentle, free spirit that you have when you think

no one is paying attention. But lady, I *have* been paying attention to you

and as much as this hurts me, I’m going to leave now, before we start to

argue or whatever we go through on a daily basis. You know it’s weird, who

would have thought that me, a nothing movie store owner, would be living in

his own movie with one of Hollywood’s leading ladies, I just wish life was as

simple as the movies,” he shrugged, standing in the doorway. “Bye Marlena, I

must say it was an honor to know you. Good luck with everything.”

 

He looked at her one last time, tears streaming down her cheeks as his heart

felt pained and he closed the door, leaving her alone, a feeling she was all

to used to, as her tears continued to fall.

 

Then why do these tears come at night . . .

“Good morning, Philadelphia! I am Wally Kennedy coming to you from Channel

6, Action News, WPVI-TV.”

 

The sounds of the morning broadcast echoed through John Black’s bedroom, as

he woke up to find his television still on, and the morning sun shining

through. Moaning, as he buried his head in the pillow, he jolted back up as

soon as the first guest was announced.

 

“Today we have with us, a nationally renowned or should I say world renowned

actress, currently starring in Wolfgang Peterson’s new flick ‘A Fighting

Chance’, please welcome the very talented, and very beautiful, Marlena Evans!”

 

“Christ, she haunts me *everywhere*,” John muttered as he sat up, and rubbed

the sleep from his eyes.

 

“Hello, Marlena. Thank you for joining us so early this morning.”

 

“Thank you for having me Wally. I must say, I have grown to adore Philly in

the short while I have been here and I couldn’t be more pleased then to have

the opportunity to take some time off from my shoot today and come dish with

you,” she replied with a bright smile, as she brushed several stray curly

tresses from her face.

 

“Well, Philly is just as glad to have you here. So tell me, have you tried

a cheesesteak yet?”

 

“Actually, I have,” she said with a laugh, “a umm, *friend* of mine was good

enough to buy me one the other night and it was delicious.”

 

“Ha, friend,” John mumbled as he moved closer to the television.

 

“Good to know, but, we’re not here to talk about food, we’re here to talk

about this new flick,”

 

“Allrighty, ask away!”

 

“Well, it costars Dennis Quaid and Devon Sawa, who play your love interest

and teenage son respectively. Speaking of which, aren’t you a little young

to have a teenage son?”

 

“Ahhh, yes, but those incredible make up artists at Paramount haven taken

care of all that. Actually, I am only 38 in the movie because I had my son

at a young age.”

 

“I see,” Wally nodded, as he continued to flip through his index cards. “And

it says here you play a daughter who’s father has just died and you inherit

his boxing ring, only to fall head over heels with his prize fighter and

there’s a lot of conflict there, but overall, this is being called the

romance movie of the decade. What are your thoughts on that?”

 

“Yea Mar, tell us how high you are on yourself and you use self-praise to

hide your feelings for others. The whole world wants to know!” he yelled

snidely, as he walked into the bathroom to grab his toothbrush.

 

“Well, I do know it’s a very touching movie. It’s actually my favorite work

to date. I truly love the character I play and I hope everyone else will,

also.”

 

“I’m sure we will. Well, we’re running short on time here, but I have to

ask you just one last thing.”

 

“Okay, shoot,” Marlena said as she sat up.

 

“You’ve got a Golden Globe for Heat, an Emmy for when you worked on The

Practice, a People’s Choice Award for Bloodstream, do you think this movie is

the one that can help you bring home the final piece of icing on the cake?

Is this your Oscar Caliber performance?”

 

“Oh Christ,” John complained, as he walked back into the bathroom to rinse.

 

“Wow, I’m not really sure how to answer that,” she fidgeted, as she

contemplated a response, “I mean, I really do feel a connection in this

role, but Oscar or no Oscar, doing something I love is rewarding enough. As

well as having so many loyal and devoted fans who cheer me on. As a matter

of fact, a very wise person just told me, you have to take time to enjoy life

and love. Acting hasn’t exactly given me much of an opportunity to do that.

That’s why I decided not to get so involved in my career and stress winning

awards, instead just focusing on pursuing something I love, as well as

experiencing life.”

 

Spitting his listerine all over the bathroom mirror in shock, John rushed

back into the bedroom, making sure his ears had not just deceived him.

 

“Well, that’s a very inspirational response from a very classy act,” Wally

nodded, “and, we’re all out of time for now. I’d like to once again thank

our guest, Marlena Evans for being such a treat this morning.”

 

“The pleasure was mine, Wally,” she smiled, as she shook his hand and

allowed him to kiss her cheek lightly.

 

“Tune in tomorrow when we talk to Devon Sawa, who plays Marlena’s son in the

film. Until then, Good morning, Philadelphia!”

 

As the theme music was cued up, and the credits started to role, John stood

there, staring blankly at the screen, absolutely amazed at what just

happened.   Marlena Evans, America’s Sweetheart had just taken his advice.

Racing across the room to grab his cordless phone, John frantically dialed on

the keypad and waited patiently for the other line to pick up.

 

“Hey Los! It’s John, listen man, I want 2 dozen of your best red roses

delivered to the Sheraton Society Hill, Suite #1624. Yea, and I want the

card to say, “To Marlena, here’s to life and all it has to offer. With love,

John.”

John was laying down watching the Yankee game when the phone beside him

started him out of this reviere. He picked it up, his eyes never leaving the

screen as Derek Jeter hit one out of Yankee Stadium. “Whoever, this is Jeter

just hit one out of the park and if this isn’t important, call me back, okay?”

 

“I’m sorry, I’ll talk to you later.”

 

The sound of her voice sent chills down John’s spine and he sat up, clearing

his throat. “No, don’t go, I’m sorry, I thought you were my mother or

something,” John laughed, muting the TV. “I’m really glad you called

Marlena.”

 

“How could I not,” she smiled, as she leaned back on her bed, closing her

eyes, as his voice kept running through her mind. He had such a deep voice,

yet it was so soft. His eyes was what always amazed her though. From the

moment they had first run into each other, his eyes were blazing with a blue

fire, a small diamond embedded in the center. “I wanted to thank you for the

flowers and I wanted to apologize for the way I have acted. You know, you

really taught me a lot John and on the set today, Wolffy even told me he

appreciated me not being a bitch,” she laughed. “And what do you know,

Dennis and I were actually civil to each other. Look I was wondering if

maybe tonight if you wanted to maybe . . . umm maybe we could . . .”

 

“Aw, is Marlena Evans asking me out on a date?” John teased. “Well I’ll make

it easy on you . . .”

 

“Oh my God, you’re going to say no right? Wow, I was such a bitch that

you’re just going to turn me down, I’m gonna go . . .”

 

“Whoa, stop it,” John interrupted. “I was going to make it easy on you and

ask you out so you didn’t have to feel nervous. So gorgeous, wanna be my

date tonight?”

 

A smile formed on her lips and she let a breath escape her that she didn’t

realize she was holding. “I’d love too. So what do I wear? Where are you

taking me?” she questioned.

 

“That my dear is a surprise, but do me a favor and don’t wear one of thise

dresses you buy on Rodeo. Jeans will be fine, now I’ve got to go, I’ll pick

you up in about an hour and a half, be ready. Bye.”

 

“Bye,” she whispered, hanging up, thinking that what she felt for John Black

could very well be love.

 

                                       ****

 

“John, where are we going,” Marlena whined as the wind blew her hair in

John’s red corvette.

 

“Shhh, you’ll see soon, I promise,” he said slyly.

 

“Uggh, how annoying. So this is a really nice car but isn’t it a little . .

. I’m sorry I mean . . .”

 

“Isn’t it a little too nice for a movie store owner?” John laughed as Marlena

blushed. “Yes, it is. It was my father’s. He’s had it ever since I was

younger and when he died he left it to me in his will. He knew how much I

loved Sweet Suzy and he left me her.”

 

Marlena burst out laughing as she leaned her head back against the cold

leather material. “Sweet Suzy?” she laughed. “Oh my God, you named your

car, that is the *cutest* thing I have ever heard, aww I think I l . . .”

Marlena realized what she was about to say and cleared her throat, closing

her eyes in embarrasment. “I love that idea,” she covered. “So um, when

will we be there,” she replied, trying to change the subject.

 

John smiled and pulled the corvette to a stop. “We’re here.”

 

She looked to her right, her eyebrow raising in question as she turned back

to face him. “Mini golf? You want *me* to play mini golf? Do you know that

in high school, I got a doctors note out of gym because I was afraid of

breaking a nail? Well, some things never change! I’m gonna have to sit this

one out.”

 

“Oh come, stop being such a wuss, Evans. For once, just be yourself . . .”

 

“Oh believe me I am and this little lady is not into sports.”

 

“Well tonight you are,” John replied, getting out of the car and pulling her

out after he opened her door. “One game, I promise you, you’ll have the time

of your life. Please for me,” he begged, a pout forming on his lips, his

blue eyes lost like a little puppy.

 

“Uugh, those eyes, I can’t resist those eyes,” she smiled, “Okay *one* game

and if tonight works out between us, *I* choose the place next time, deal?”

 

“Deal,” he smiled, pulling her onto the soft astroturf.

 

                                   ****

 

“John!” Marlena screamed laughing, as she held a club in both hands, “Make

the wheel stop spinning, the ball won’t go through if the wheel is spinning,

stop it, get on top of it, I don’t care but let my ball go through,” she

begged.

 

“Mar, sitting on the wheel will break it!”

 

“I know and when it breaks it stops spinning and Marlena’s ball goes right

through and in the small hole!”

 

“Small hole?” he laughed, his eyes wide, a smile forming on his face.

 

“Ew pervert,” she laughed, “You know what I mean.”

 

“Marlena, where is your mind? I was just gonna say the hole wasn’t that

small but whoo, I can see you and I aren’t on the same page!”

 

She laughed and held the club tighter in her hand. “Okay if I make this

shot, what do I get? I mean, it’s pretty hard and I want some type of reward

if I get this.”

 

“If you get this in, I’ll strip for you,” he teased.

 

“You’re on!”

 

She held the club tightly and estimated the speed of the wheel, preventing

her from making the ball in. She counted the seconds for about a minute, her

eyes glued to the floor below her. She gently swung the club as the ball

made it’s way underneath the wheel, placing itself right where it belonged .

. . in the hole, making it a hole in one.

 

“Oh my God,” she said quietly, “I did it, I really did it,” her voice

escalated as she jumped up and down. “I made a hole in one, ahhhh!” she

screamed running into his arms as he lifted her up in the air. “Oh my God, I

love this game,” she giggled as John put her down. “Now I think *you* owe me

a stripping,” she teased.

 

“No way,” he laughed, “On the first date you want to see me naked? I don’t

want to scare you off that fast. Come on it’s almost one in the morning and

you have taping at eight, I think I better get you home.”

 

“Yes daddy,” she smiled as they walked out, his arm around her waist.

 

                                   ****

 

John stopped outside Marlena’s hotel room as she opened the door with her

key. She was about to walk in, when she turned around looking at him, her

hand moving to carress his cheek.

 

“Thanks for tonight,” she whispered. “I’ve never had that much fun. I

really hope that we can do this again, maybe even go golfing again,” she

smiled.

 

“I’d love to see you again. Goodnight Marlena.” He leaned down gently,

placing his lips over hers. Their mouths parted, their tongues meeting each

other as their bodies slowly became molded together. What seemed like

minutes later, they released from their grip, their eyes glued on one

another, their lips still parted slightly from their kiss.

 

“Goodnight John,” Marlena whispered as she walked inside her hotel room,

falling back against the door. She closed her eyes, a warm sensation taking

over her entire body as she still felt his lips on her own. Her hand moved

up to her mouth, touching her lips, his saliva still lingering there. “I

think I’m falling in love with you John Black and that scares me more than

anything,” she said a loud, closing her eyes once more.

“Hello?” Marlena called out groggily, as she reached to grab her phone from

the bureau.

 

“Mornin’ sunshine, how was shooting yesterday?” John’s elated voice

questioned on the other line.

 

“Umm, tiring. Why are you calling so early?” she asked as she rubbed the

sleep from her eyes, and stretched her arms in the air.

 

“Early?” he asked confused “My clock says it’s noon, sleeping beauty…”

 

“Umm, I’m still on LA time. Would you still buy that one?”

 

“Nope, considering you’ve been in Philly for several weeks now.”

 

“What can I say?” she laughed, as she sat up, and reached for her water on

the nightstand. “Love scenes with Dennis Quaid wear me out.”

 

“Is that what you were shooting yesterday that was so grueling?” he asked

sarcastically, a slight bit of jealousy running through his veins.

 

“Mmm Hmm. Kissing those tall, dark and handsome leading men, while wearing a

tube top and bikini underwear while Jim, the light guy, shines a bright bulb

in your face on one side and Christine, the choreographer, tells you which

way to kiss and shift on the other. Very romantic stuff those love scenes,

nothing mechanical about them. Au naturale,” she said snidely, as she

reached for her robe and reluctantly crawled out of bed.

 

“Hmm, I can tell,” he said, trying to get the subject off of her scenes with

other men, especially good looking ones with seven figure salaries. “I

didn’t call to talk about that though, I called to ask you out tonight, that

is unless, you’re too tired?”

 

“Hmm depends, where are you taking me sailor?”

 

“I thought maybe dinner at Bistro Romano, then go down to Penns Landing with

Sweet Suzy, enjoy the view. A little hugging, a little kissing..”

 

“Do I get my strip?” she asked with a chuckle.

 

“No not yet,” he replied laughing.

 

“Damn, that would have really have been the clincher!”

 

“Then is that a no?”

 

“No, it’s just a little disappointment,” she teased, “I’d love to go to

dinner with you. Pick me up around 7?”

 

“I’ll be there sharp.”

 

“And I’ll be fashionably late,” she smiled, as they said good-bye, both as

giddy as young teenagers falling in love for the first time.

 

_______________________________________________________

 

“You look *amazing*,” John noted with a smile, as Marlena sashayed to the

door, dressed to kill. Her curly tresses sculpted perfectly around her

gorgeous face, as a white tube dress, with a slit on the right side

accentuated her body’s every curve to perfection. Her matching purse and

shoes were just the right touch to make her appear as the bright, shining

star she truly was.

 

“You don’t look too bad yourself,” she smiled back, as she took notice of

just how handsome he looked in his tux, which was fitted beautifully, and his

short hair brushed back neatly, a clean shaven face, and those gorgeous baby

blues twinkling in the glow of the moon.

 

“Shall we?” he asked as he held his arm out to her, and arched his eyebrow.

 

“My pleasure.”

 

__________________________________________________________

 

“So, did you enjoy dinner?” John questioned, as he and Marlena strolled

along side the river, watching the Spirit of Philadelphia ride by and the

lights shine brightly along the night skyline.

 

“Dinner was delicious,” she said, as she rested her head on his shoulder

contentedly.

 

“Good,” he smiled proudly, as they continued to walk along, completely happy

in just the mere company of each other.

 

“Mmm, who’d have ever thought I’d be on a date in Philadelphia with Marlena

Evans, star of the silverscreen?” John asked with a laugh after a few moments

of silence.

 

“The same person who’d thought I’d be on a date with a random guy from

Philly who worked in a video store and drives a car named ‘Sweet Suzy,'”

Marlena giggled.

 

“Hey! I thought you liked my car’s name!” he teased.

 

“I love the car’s name and I adore it’s honor,” she whispered as she placed

a light kiss on his cheek. “Thank you for dinner, for this walk, and most of

all, for showing me how to open up to people. I owe you a lot.”

 

“Nope, we’re even, on one condition…”

 

“What’s that?”

 

“I don’t have to strip,” he chuckled.

 

“Oh fine!” she said as she rolled her eyes and feigned disappointment.

 

“Good, I feel better already.”

 

“Me too,” she said as she inhaled deeply, and sighed “I don’t think this

night could be anymore perfect,” she said as she let herself be enveloped in

the crisp night air.

 

“I think there’s one thing that could be added.”

 

“What’s that?” she asked curiously

 

“This…” he whispered, as he moved his hands to either side of her face,

brushing away any fallen tendrils, as he leaned in, and pressed his lips to

hers for a passionate kiss underneath the heavens that were shining down on

this starlet and her real life leading man.

“John Black, where are you taking me,” Marlena laughed as John led her

somewhere, a blindfold tied tightly around her eyes.

 

“Well, we’ve already gone out for a fancy dinner, had a little fun with

sports, but tonight . . . tonight is to truly get to know each other, to

spend a night with the milky sky above us, the stars twinkling in the

moonlight, tonight my darling, we’re going to just sit in the park and watch

the sun rise,” he said lovingly as he released the blindfold, pulling her to

a soft patch of grass in the center of the park.

 

“Aw, that is so sweet,” she whispered, sitting down, placing her head in the

center of John’s lap. “You know, no one has ever done this for me before, I

thought I never wanted it to happen but now that I have you and I’m learning

what love is, well it’s the most amazing feeling, thank you.”

 

I can show you the world, shining, shimmering, splendid.

Tell me princess, now when did you last let your heart decide? . . .

 

“Don’t thank me, I’m glad to be the one to show you what life really is,

without all the glamour, without the press, just what having fun is really

all about. I mean think about it, in the past months I’ve had you try a

cheesesteak, made you love mini golf, taught you that jeans were definitely

more of a necessity than little black dresses . . .”

 

“You forgot one,” she replied quietly, staring up at the stars.

 

“What’s that?”

 

“You taught me to fall in love,” she said looking up at his eyes. “For the

first time, my heart is making decisions. Not my mind, not my directors, not

my agent, but my heart and I was afraid to fall in love with you, I mean I am

famous, everyone knows me, I thought maybe that’s why you wanted me and I was

petrified of getting hurt and then I remembered the first time we met . . .

you didn’t care who I was, in fact you hated who I was,” she laughed,

recalling their first meeting. “But because of you and your persistantness

and ability to always come back, you’re mine and now that you are, I can’t

see my life any other way,” she stated honestly.

 

I can open your eyes, take you wonder by wonder,

Over sideways and under, on a magic carpet ride . . .

 

“I’m glad,” he smiled, wrapping his finger around a blonde curl. “You know

Evans, when I first met you it wasn’t so much that I hated you. Sure, I

thought you were an obnoxious, snotty, stuck up actress but there was

something about you that I wanted to get to know. I saw you were the kind of

person who was so into her work that nothing else mattered, that you only had

one focus in life and that was acting. I wanted to show you there was more

to life than lights, camera, action . . . that a whole world existed outside

the movie industry.”

 

A whole new world, a new fantastic point of view

No one to tell us no, or where to go, or say we’re only dreaming.

A whole new world,

A dazzling place I never knew

But when I’m way up here, it’s crystal clear

That now I’m in a whole new world with you . . .

 

“That you did,” she said sitting up, as he placed her in his lap, his lips

brushing her neck as she spoke. “I’ve never seen this side of life before.

The side where I can have fun and not worry about anything except maybe

getting a hole in one or what to order for dinner. When I used to date

before, Stefano would always tell me what time I had to be in, I had a curfew

and I was in my 20’s! When all of this started between us, I felt as if I

was dreaming but I know, being with you here, this isn’t a dream, it’s better

than that. It’s a world I had never experienced before now and now that I

have, my life is better than any movie I have ever starred in, better than

any romance I ever had on screen and it’s just . . . it’s just amazing,” she

finished.

 

Unbelievable sights, indescribable feeling

Soaring, tumbling, freewheeling through an endless diamond sky . . .

 

“Amazing isn’t the word to describe it,” John whispered in her ear. “The

first night I picked you up for our date, you were in a pair of jeans and a

black tank top, but I had never seen you looking more beautiful than right

then. You were just so natural and you had this smile, I can never forget

that smile. It brightened up your whole face, it made your eyes shimmer with

light and this feeling started to churn inside of me, I can’t describe how

you made me feel, how you *have* made me feel since then. I guess I just

feel free and spirited, something I’ve never felt before, despite past dates,

you are the one love of my life, I learned that now,” he stated lovingly,

kissing her lips softly as she turned in his lap.

 

A whole new world,

Don’t you dare close your eyes,

A hundred thousand things to see.

Hold your breath it gets better.

I’m like a shooting star, I’ve come so far,

I can’t go back to where I used to be

A whole new world,

With new horizons to pursue

I’ll chase them anywhere, there’s time to spare

Let me share this whole new world with you . . .

 

“If I tell you something, promise not to laugh,” Marlena asked, playing with

a gold ring on her finger.

 

“Of course, what is it?”

 

“I’m still scared,” she said honestly. “I’ve never felt this way before and

I don’t know, it’s like, I feel as if I am falling and it’s not a bad fall

but I just can’t control what I am doing and I feel that if I close my eyes

maybe I’ll stop feeling like this but if I do close them, then I’ll miss out

on all life has to offer, do I make any sense?” she asked, her eyes

vulnerable.

 

“Of course,” he said, wiping the hair away from her eyes. “But like you

said, if you close them, you’ll miss out on all the good stuff. When we

first met, we hated each other . . . I guess you could say we’re like your

character and Lucky in A Fighting Chance, no matter how hard we tried we came

to each other.”

 

“I know and I can’t go back to the person I was, the person who didn’t know

how to love. Now that I do love, there’s so much I want to experience, do

you know that . . . that I’ve never actually . . . I’ve never had sex, John,”

Marlena blushed. “I know you’re probably laughing at me inside but even

though I could basically make love to anyone I wanted too . . . I’ve never

had the desire because how can you make love with being *in* love? I guess I

have just been waiting for the right person . . .”

 

A whole new world, a new fantastic point of view

No one to tell us no, or where to go, or say we’re only dreaming.

A whole new world,

Every turn a surprise,

With new horizons to pursue every moment red-letter.

I’ll chase them anywhere, there’s time to spare

anywhere, there’s time to spare

Let me share this whole new world with you . . .

 

“Have you?” John asked curiously, getting lost in her eyes.

 

“Have I what?”

 

“You know . . . have you found that person?”

 

“I think I have,” she replied, smiling, as a few tears made their way down

her cheeks.

 

A whole new world

A whole new world

That’s where we’ll be

That’s where we’ll be

A thrilling chase

A wondrous place . . .

 

“I think I have too,” he whispered.

 

“You mean you’re a?”

 

“Virgin?” John laughed. “Yeah, I am for the same reasons you are. I’ve had

girlfriends, few, but I’ve had some but I just was brought up to believe that

you have sex when you are in love and I never have been until now, until I

met you. But I know you’re that person Marlena and I want to make love to

you, more than anything but if you’re not ready, then I’ll wait for as long

as I have too, forever if nessicary . . .”

 

“I don’t want to wait,” she whispered, “I don’t want to wait anymore,” she

said bringing her lips up to his as their mouths connected along with their

mind, body, and soul.

 

For you and me . . .

“Ms Evans, may I have your autograph?” a fan asked, as John and Marlena

tried to exit from the park, eager to take the next step in their new found

love.

 

“Of course,” Marlena replied, not wanting to be rude, as she mouthed John a

‘this will just take a second’ and reached for the pen and paper.

 

“Who should I sign this to?” she asked, as she prepared to write.

 

“Philadelphia magazine, thanks for giving us the chance to get this scope

first! ‘Hollywood Starlet’s Sizzling affair with local man! Smile!” the

conniving young reporter said, as she quickly flashed a photo of them with

her camera and ran off into the night.

 

“Dammit!” Marlena screamed as she through her pen and paper down, “I should

have saw that coming! This is going to be all over the national news by

tomorrow! Ugh!”

 

“So what if they know,” John shrugged “I mean, we are in love, aren’t we?”

 

“Yes, but, do you have *any* idea what this could do to my reputation?”

 

Cringing as her words pierced right through his heart and tugged at his

soul, he felt obsolete, inadequate. Everything they’d confessed just a short

while ago was tarnished and broken by her selfish remark. *Her* reputation.

Ironic words from a woman who claimed she’d finally learned to love someone

other than herself. The truth is, she still hadn’t completely let go of

thinking that she was numero uno and that’s *all* that mattered.

 

“*Your* reputation? That’s what you care about?”

 

“This is my career that could be falling apart, John!”

 

“And this is my *heart* that your selfishness is breaking, Marlena!”

 

“Excuse me?” she replied defensively, as she folded her arms across her

chest and glared at him. “Selfish? All you’re thinking about is how this

hurts *you* and I am selfish?”

 

“Ha!” he laughed ironically, “Leave it to a *great* actress to turn the

cards in her favor. Make it look like everyone else’s fault and America’s

sweetheart gets all the sympathy. Tell me something, do you *like* that

control you have over people?”

 

“You son of a bitch!” she screamed, as tears brimmed her hazel eyes, “How

*dare* you suggest everything I do is an act! Ya know? You were the *one*

person in my life I actually trusted enough to open up to and show my

feelings, and now you say this to me and I am all of a sudden hit with this

*rush* of remembering exactly *why* I kept things to myself in the first

place! To avoid getting hurt this way!”

 

“Obviously I didn’t do a very good job if some sleazy tabloid can make you

regret falling in love with me,” he replied sadly, as he sniffed back tears.

 

“I guess it’s funny, the things you realize when push comes to shove.”

 

“Yea, or when you have to choose between being rich and famous or happy and

in love. To tell you the truth, I think I am a better person for believing

in the latter of the two.”

 

“That’s right,” she said as she shook her head, “and I am the conceited,

inconsiderate *bitch* for caring about something I’ve had a passion for as

long as I can remember.”

 

“Hey you said it, not me,” he commented snidely, “but that’s not what makes

you inconsiderate.   It’s that you choose the wrong thing for all the right

reasons, and not the *right* thing for all the wrong reasons.”

 

“What the hell does that supposed to mean?” she questioned with a firm tone.

 

“The fact that you don’t realize what I just said, is all the more proof

that you aren’t *truly* ready to love someone other than yourself.”

 

With that, he reached for his car keys, and inhaled deeply.

 

“Come on, I’ll take you back to the hotel.”

 

“I guess this is it then, huh?” she asked, as she bit down on her lower lip

to contain her tears.

 

“Yea, I guess so.”

 

“I’ve never been really good with goodbyes,” she wept, as she wiped several

stray tears from her eyes.

 

“I’ll make it easy for you,” he said as he slipped on his jacket. “Pretend

I’m Bogey and your Bergman, and no matter what, we’ll *always* have Society

Hill. So, here’s looking at you kid.”

Marlena sat on the set, watching out the window as the rain poured down,

tears forming in her bright hazel eyes. Thunder clapped loudly in the

distance as bolts of lightning shot through the sky every few moments. She

sat in her chair, her knees pulled up to her chest, new tears falling as the

seconds passed. It had been almost three days since her and John had broken

up and as the days passed she seemed to be more miserable than the one

before. She had learned to depend on him, trust him, most importantly, she

had learned to love him and because of what she *needed*, it had ended almost

as quickly as it had started.

 

“Marlena?” Dennis Quaid asked, coming up behind her, “Wolf wants us to shoot

Ben’s death a little earlier than he had originally planned. He told me to

tell you, he would have told you himself but he was off doing something, so I

guess you need to go to wardrobe and makeup.”

 

“Whatever,” she replied quietly, her eyes never leaving the outside world.

 

“Look, Marlena, if you need to talk, I’m always here,” he said gently.

 

“I don’t need to talk,” she snapped, “I need you to leave me alone.”

 

“Listen to me, Evans. In the past month you have become a totally different

person, you’ve become someone who I *love* working with, I never thought that

I would admit that but I have and I have grown to love you like a sister! I

know what you’re going through, just talk to me, you need to let it out, if

you need to scream do it, if you want to cry go ahead, just don’t do what

you’re doing, it doesn’t help . . .”

 

“So what the hell does help?” she screamed, tears falling endlessly from her

eyes. Some of the crew started to stare at her and she continued to scream,

not giving a damn what anyone thought anymore. “Damn it Dennis, I loved him!

I *love* him! I gave my heart to someone and because of my ego and because

of what *I* wanted, I lost it all! How am I supposed to make this stop

hurting? How can I forgive myself?”

 

“Honey, first of all this isn’t your fault,” Dennis said, taking her in his

arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck, finding comfort in him as he

held her, rocking her gently back and forth. “Look, he broke it off with

you, you can’t blame yourself. Relationships are the hardest thing in our

lives that we have to deal with and sometimes they just don’t work out. And

you can’t make it stop hurting, you just have to let time pass and day by day

it will get a little easier. Mar, maybe you should go back to the hotel, I’m

sure Wolfgang would understand if I told him why . . .”

 

“No,” Marlena interrupted, backing out of his arms, “being here is probably

the only thing that has kept me from not losing it completely. When I’m in

character, I’m not myself anymore and I like it that way and working with

you, well it comforts me, thanks Dennis, you really have become one of my

best friends,” she said, kissing his cheek.

 

“I’ll always be here for you, movie or no movie because believe it or not you

have become one of my best friends also,” he teased her. “Now what do you

say I take you into my dressing room and we can watch something until Wolffy

gets back to keep your mind off of things . . . you know I think The Parent

Trap is on cable,” he said as they walked into his room.

 

“Um, that’s great, but I work with you, I don’t need to watch you.” She

looked down at her watch and grabbed the remote on his desk. “Oooh Days is

on, Rolf is performing brain surgery and implanting new brain chips, I wanted

to see that.”

 

“Yeah, cause that never happens,” Dennis said rolling his eyes.

 

                                       ********

 

“Bo, give it a rest,” John said through the phone as he sat behind the desk

at the video store. “I’m really not in the mood to hear lectures on how I

dumped America’s Hottest Women and I am definitely not in the mood to deal

with any of your crap now . . . yeah well I’m being an ass, sue me,” John

said snidely. “And if my mother calls again, tell her I moved to Canada, I

am not dealing with her giving me guilt trips either.” The sound of the door

chimes startled him for a minute and went back to his phone conversation.

“Look man, I gotta go, bye.” John hung up the phone as he watched the man go

through certain movies, finally picking a certain one out. He walked up to

John and slid the movie over to him.

 

“Good movie?” he asked, as John looked down, tears ready to brim in his eyes.

 

“Yeah, if you like the type. The lead actress is a little, shall I say

pretentious?”

 

“Is she? Or is it just because you’re angry she’s not yours anymore?”

 

“How . . . how do you know . . . the tabloids won’t be out for another couple

of days,” John asked curiously.

 

“Let me introduce myself . . . I’m Wolfgang Peterson. Your girlfriend . . .

sorry your ex girlfriend is in my newest movie. You know, when I first got

word she agreed to do this movie I was thrilled. She was a gorgeous, young

actress that all of Hollywood wanted and I scored her for a role that I

always had her in mind for. But when Marlena Evans came to my set, I didn’t

actually like her. Sure, she had her charming moments but she also had a

side to her that was selfish, spoiled and bitchy. And then a couple weeks

after we started to film, it’s like she became a whole other person. Her

moodiness suddenly disappeared and she became so lovable because she finally

had something she never did . . . she had someone who loved her for *her*,

not for the actress, not for the money, but for who she was. I have never

seen her so happy and then all of a sudden it stopped . . . she came onto

the set one day, her eyes red and puffy, tears always falling from those

gorgeous eyes of hers and the bitchiness returned, not so much because it was

who she was anymore, but because she was afraid for anyone to get close

again. I don’t know you, Mr. Black and personally this is none of my

business but I have grown to love that women, like she is my daughter and I

hate seeing her like this.”

 

“So what do you want me to do?” John asked snidely, “She chose her career

over love and I said goodbye, life goes on.”

 

“And you believe that? Come on John, you and I both know that you didn’t

want to end things! She did what she did because she had no other choice . .

.”

 

“Stop defending her,” John screamed, frustrated. “She did have a choice! So

what if a tabloid knew she was dating? She’s a person Mr. Peterson, she’s

allowed to live her live, she’s allowed to love and if the media doesn’t like

it, why the hell should it matter? It’s her life, not theirs! Do you think

I wanted to end things with her? I *love* her, I love her so much that I

don’t even know what I feel anymore, I love her so much that everytime I move

it hurts, knowing she isn’t mine! I haven’t slept in three days knowing that

when I get up, I can’t call her.”

 

“I know she’s a person, you know she’s a person, but not everyone out there

does,” Wolfgang said gently, “To so many people she isn’t real . . . she’s

someone who lights up the big screen, who shines on their television screen

at home. When Marlena was on The Practice, she was in people’s houses once a

week. When you get into this business, you start to forget who you are, you

suddenly become the person people *think* you are. It’s not really our

faults, it just happens. Listen, what she did was wrong, she choose career

over love, but it isn’t her fault, she was scared, she just didn’t know how

to handle it and she panicked, but John, she’s miserable, you’re miserable,

you two need to talk things out, if anything just talk, it can’t hurt.

Marlena is at the studio, we have taping until about 11 tonight. You know

where to reach her,” he said, moving towards the door. “But John, you’re

doing what she did. You’re taking the easy way out over love because you’re

scared.”

 

With that he left, leaving John to make the hardest decision of his life . .

. whether to call the blonde that had stolen his heart or to keep things the

way it was, in fear if he tried any harder, his heart would be broken even

more than it already was . . . if that was possible.

John walked onto the set of A Fighting Chance, as though he were walking

through a dream. The lights, the camera, the action, all set right before

him. He had always wanted to go to Hollywood, see what it was all about, and

now, there it was smack dab in the middle of his hometown. In a way, this

situation was like his own melodrama. Boy meets girl, boy falls fights with

girl, girl and boy fall in love, and then, circumstances seperate boy and

girl. God, it was almost scary. It seemed like a storyline between one of

the couples he watched on daytime TV.

 

Finding a comfortable standing place, John watched attentively as Marlena

captivated the room with her dramatic portrayl of a grieveing mother. She

was amazing. Her poise, her tears on cue, her ability to show the pain and

angst was absolutely incredible. By the time the scene finished, there

wasn’t a dry eye in the whole studio, including John himself.

 

“Cut!” Wolfgang yelled as he got up from his director’s chair and walked

over to Marlena, taking her hand in his own. “Marlena, Honey, if you don’t

win the Oscar for this, I am shaving my head bald!”

 

“You don’t have much hair left anyway, Wolffy, not a big loss,” she teased,

as she ran her fingers down the path of his receeding hairline.

 

“True, but what can I say? I am gonna miss ya kid. You mighta started out

a little bitchy, but you truly are turning into one of the greatest actresses

of our time and it’s been my privelege to direct you.”

 

“No, Wolffy, I’m the lucky one,” she smiled, as she embraced the man who had

become such a dear friend.

 

“Okay, enough mushy stuff, I am gonna get an ego!” he announced kiddingly,

“Allright people, take 15 minutes, get your butts back here and then, we’ll

film the scene with Layla and that’s a wrap!”

 

“I gotta agree, you really were awesome today, Mar,” Dennis Quaid smiled, as

he placed a light kiss on her cheek.

 

“You weren’t so bad yourself, kid. Hey, maybe if Lex and Jess get they’re

stuff together and write a decent sequel, we might get to do this again some

time.”

 

“Just say the time and place, and I’ll be there,” he winked, as he walked

away to grab a quick bite to eat.

 

“You really were outstanding, Marlena,” a familiar voice called from behind

her, as she turned to see John standing there, a hopeful smile plastered on

his face.

 

“Thanks,” she replied as she picked up her script and ran over her last

scene one more time.

 

“I was hoping maybe we could talk after this. We went through a lot, the

least I could hope for is a friendship.”

 

“Yeah, well, I have a big publicity thing after we shoot, so maybe another

time.”

 

“Sure, whatever.”

 

“All right, places everyone!”

 

“Wow, that was a fast 15 minutes,” Marlena noted as she headed back for the

stage.

 

“Yea, good luck. I am sure you will do fine.”

 

“Thanks, I’ll try my best.”

 

________________________________________________________

 

“Yes Sweetie, that makes more sense than you could ever know,” she cried, as

she took her little girl in her arms, and held her closely, Lucky embracing

them both as the family found the strength to go on, knowing Ben had given

them a second *fighting chance*.

 

“That’s a wrap!” Wolffy yelled as he got up from his seat, and paraded over

to Marlena. “But before we close I just have to give my little starlet here

a round of applause for positively blowing me away in that last scene! I had

chills, Honey!”

 

With that, Wolffy lead the rest of the studio and a standing ovation, as

Marlena mouthed thank yous and worked away across the set to bid good bye to

everyone.

 

_______________________________________________________

 

“Okay, the press conference is in an hour at the hotel. See ya there!”

Marlena confirmed with Stefano over her cell phone, as she grabbed her

belongings, and headed for the door.

 

“Want my critique on this one?” John’s voice once called again, as he walked

up behind her.

 

Turning to face him, she took a deep breath and smiled.   “I think I have a

few minutes for your review.”

 

“Good, cause I think you’ll like this one,” he announced proudly, “That has

to be the most *phenomal* performance I have ever witnessed. I mean, don’t

get me wrong, the death scene was unbelieveable, but there was something in

that last scene, something about you that made it flawless, it was perfect.

And I *truly* mean that.”

 

“Thank you,” she said as she blushed, “But you really don’t have to say

that.”

 

“No, I really *wanted* to. That was absolutely spectacular Marlena, and I

consider myself lucky to have witnessed it. I guess I owe it to Wolfgang, he

told me to come down here.”

 

“I was wondering how you know,” she said with a grin.

 

“Yea,” he nodded, “But umm, I guess I better get going. Good luck with the

conference and everything. I am sure you, as well as the film will do

wonderfully.”

 

With that, he turned to walk away, as Marlena watched sadly, knowing that

letting him go would be the biggest mistake of her life.

 

“John wait!” she yelled.

 

“Huh?”

 

“It was you.”

 

“What was me?”

 

“You’re what inspired me in that last scene. When you showed up here, it

reminded me how I lost the most important thing in my life and how I was

empty. Just like in A Fighting Chance, I used you being here as my

motivation and I guess it worked,” she said admittingly, as tears formed in

her hazel eyes.

 

“I umm, wow, I don’t know what to say. I’m, I’m flattered, and I’m stunned,

and confused all at once.”

 

“Funny, you have that same affect on me, too.”

 

“Do I?” he asked with a chuckle.

 

“Yep,” she said as she wiped away a few straight tears . “Listen, do you

want to go with me to this press conference. I mean, it’s not exactly fun

and games but maybe, we could talk afterward?”

 

“I’d like that,” he replied with a smile.

 

“Good, cause I’ve missed riding in Sweet Suzy.”

 

“I knew you only used me for that corvette!” he teased.

 

“Hey! I just confessed I used you for good acting, too! It goes deeper

than a car!”

 

“Well, whatever it is, I am glad it happened.”

 

“You and me both, John.” she agreed “You and me both.”

“When do you have your press conference?” John asked pulling Sweet Suzy up to

Penns Landing. The corvette pulled to a stop and John opened Marlena’s door,

leading up to the water. The sun had started to come down in the small

suburb of Philadelphia, the waves crashing along the shore as the soft winds

blew gently in the nights air.

 

“In about an hour. They had to postpone it due to complications with the

networks. But I’m glad it was . . . we really need to talk,” Marlena said

softly as she intertwined her fingers with John’s. “Look John, a lot went

down between us the other night and since we broke up, I have become hell on

wheels. I had finally started to trust and to love and it got torn away from

1. I was so . . . so confused. I didn’t know what to do, who to talk to

and I just became so lost. I’m sorry, John, I have never been more sorry

about anything and I am asking you to give me a second chance. Maybe I don’t

deserve it, but I need you . . .” she said gently, as tears began to form in

her eyes.

 

“Mar, when we split up that night, I went to the video store, rented all of

your movies and just sat there watching them until the sun began to rise. I

was watching Heat, watching as you and Ben stood up there accepting a Soap

Digest award . . . I watched the way you looked at him, the way you cried

when you sat down next to Roman . . . and I started to cry because the way

you looked at Ben was the way you used to look at me and in that instance I

knew . . . I knew I wouldn’t be able to live without seeing that smile,

without seeing your eyes glaze over in excitement. I didn’t know what to do

so I just sat and mesmerized every feature on you, but it didn’t help because

it wasn’t you here with me . . . it was your character. But come on,

Marlena, think about the reality of all of this . . . you live in Beverly

Hills, I live in Society Hill. As much as I want you, as much as I *need*

you, our lives clash, maybe we should just think of this as a great love once

lost. And maybe in years, we’ll find a way back,” John added as pain shot

through his heart. He knew this wasn’t what he wanted, what *either* of them

wanted, but in that moment he didn’t see another way.

 

“That is such crap, John,” Marlena screamed, standing up, tears plummeting

down her cheeks. “You are going to sit here and tell me we’re over because

of location? You own a video store, you can pick up and leave anytime you

damn well please, you know you can! There is nothing holding you here.”

 

“Nothing?” John yelled, standing up. “My family and friends are *nothing,*

Marlena? Look, I may not be a world famous actress but I still have people

who care for me here and the last thing I wanted to do with you today is

argue. Damn it Marlena, you know I love you, if I didn’t, I wouldn’t have

come to the set today, I wouldn’t sit and watch over 15 hours of your movies,

I just can’t, I *won’t* let myself be hurt by all of this again but I don’t

know how I’ll be able to say good-bye to you . . .”

 

“So don’t!” Marlena insisted. She looked out into the water for a minute,

her brain working a mile a minute and she turned to face him, her eyes

glazing in tears. “If you want . . . if you’d like, I’ll . . . I’ll stop

acting, I’ll move to Society Hill and that way we can be together. All I

know is I can’t be away from you. I used to think acting meant everything to

me and for so long it did . . . but I’ve been in successful movies, I’m a

well known name, I’ve won an MTV award, an Emmy, a People’s Choice, maybe

I’ll even be nominated for an Oscar, but you see none of that matters to me

anymore. What matters is *you,*” she said gliding her fingers along his

cheek.

 

“You would do that for me?” he asked softly, as he pulled her hair behind her

ear.

 

“I’m doing it for love . . .”

 

“For love,” John whispered, pulling her into his embrace as their lips locked

in a passionate hold.

 

                                       *****

 

John stood in the middle of a crowd of reporters as he watched Marlena up in

the front of the room. The press conference was about to take place and John

watched as Marlena was in deep conversation with her agent, Stefano Dimera.

He was a hefty man, very powerful, very demanding. He knew Stefano would

despise the idea of Marlena taking a couple years off evident by the look on

his face at the moment. But the one thing Marlena had always told John

seemed to be true . . . she knew how to coax Stefano into anything and the

frown suddenly became a smile as Stefano hugged his brightest star. As the

hug released she smiled at John, a smile that had never been as bright. He

smiled back and at that moment Stefano’s voice boomed in the microphone.

 

“The press conference will now start, first question.” Millions of hands

began to raise and Stefano chose the first person he saw. “You in the pink

shirt, ask your question.”

 

“Miss. Evans, Oscar nominations come out in the near future, are you at all

nervous?”

 

Marlena smiled and leaned into her microphone, clearing her throat. “No, not

at all. The way I see it is, if I’m nominated then that will be absolutely

wonderful and if I’m not . . . well I know in my heart how much A Fighting

Chance meant to me and nothing can ever replace that,” she said, her eyes

glancing at John every few seconds.

 

“Miss Evans,” a reporter yelled, right next to John, “Where do you plan on

filming your next movie? Rumor has it you were going to start filming in

Notting Hill in London, is that true?”

 

“Yes, it was . . . I was going to Notting Hill to star in a new movie

directed by Ron Howard but I’ve changed my mind. I’ve decided to take a

couple years off from acting. Learn to live my life a little bit before

going back, *if* I go back.”

 

“Miss. Evans, does this have anything to do with the young man who is living

right here in Society Hill?”

 

“No . . .” Marlena closed her eyes and inhaled, slowly exhaling, opening

them again. “Yes, as a matter of fact it does. I was going to sit here and

lie and say I was doing it for personal reasons, so the media would leave my

relationship alone. But to lie is to deny the fact of how much I love this

man and I won’t do that. So yes, the reason I am taking a few years off is

to stay in Society Hill with this man. Now, I hate to sound like a bitch,

but if you’ll all excuse me, I need to end this press conference early so I

can begin to start a life with the man I love,” she smiled, stepping off the

stage as she walked into John’s arms, kissing him with all her love as the

press started to snap pictures, neither of them noticing or caring because

their love had one out in the end and that was what was most important.

“Where you taking me?” Marlena asked impatiently, as she waved her hands

aimlessly in front of her face, unable to see with the blindfold John had

tied over her eyes, in order to orchestrate a grand reaction to his surprise.

 

“Patience is a virtue,” John teased, as he lead her by the hand, on the way

to their secret destination.

 

“Yes, that was not one God bestowed upon me,” Marlena retorted, out of

frustration. “John, I am an actress, which means I *always* know what’s

going to happen next and I do *not* deal well with suspense.”

 

“Well, their a first time for everything,” John insisted, as he reached in

his pocket for the key to their secret locale. “And tonight, is full of

firsts.”

 

With that, he slowly unlocked the door, as he lead Marlena inside, and then,

gently undid the tie, as she blinked her eyes open and gasped in awe at the

sight before her.

 

The grand room of the small bed and breakfast was elaborately decorated with

blossoming bouquets of fresh, flourishing roses and lilacs. Candles

illuminated every available crevish of the tiny suite, and right in the

middle of it all was a perfectly prepared strawberry shortcake, iced

beautifully and decorated with writing.

 

“Happy Birthday, baby.”

 

Close your eyes, make a wish

And blow out the candlelight

For tonight is just your night

We’re gonna celebrate, all through the night

 

“Oh my!” she sighed, “This is beautiful, no, this is *perfect*.”

 

“It’s all for you,” he smiled proudly, as he walked over to grab a small

gift wrapped box from the nightstand. “Including this.”

 

“John, you shouldn’t have…” Marlena said as she shook her head.

 

“Oh please, there’s no need to act with me, babe,” he teased, “I know your

*dying* to tear into that thing!”

 

“Maybe,” she winked, as she slowly undid the bow on the box, and then

carefully undid the wrapping paper, eager to see what it held.

 

“A charm bracelet,” she whispered, as she held the delicate piece of jewelry

in her hand, admiring it lovingly.

 

“Of course, after all, I am your Prince Charming,” he smiled, as he took it

from her hand, and proceeded to put it on her wrist. “When I saw this is the

store, I thought it was *perfect* for you and I,” he began as he fastened it

securely and then lifted her hand to his lips as he placed a light kiss upon

1. “You see, a bracelet is made up of links that close to form a circle,

which will never end. The charm on the bracelet is a heart, symbolic to the

love we share, which is a bond that can’t even be broken, which is why it’s

so fitting to sit in the circle. From now on, on every birthday of yours we

share together, I’m going to buy you another charm, which will symbolize

another part of our growing love, which will forever be safe in the circle

that will hold it.”

 

Pour the wine, light the fire

Girl your wish is my command

I submit to your demands

I’ll do anything, girl you need only ask

 

“Ya know, of all the movies I’ve ever been in, I think this is the most

romantic scene I have ever had,” she smiled, as tears of happiness glistened

in her hazel orbs.

 

“I’ve been practicing,” he smiled nervously. “After all, I’m competing with

guys like Ben Affleck and Dennis Quaid..”

 

“Whoa!” Marlena said, taken aback by his comment. “What I do with them is

acting, John. I get paid for that. Yea okay, it’s not the hardest job in

the world and it’s by far not the least enjoyable, but still, it’s all an

*act*. Nothing you do should feel obligated to compete with, because it’s

not like that with you. What we have is the *real* thing, and nothing can

change that,” she reassured, as she lifted her hand to gently caress his face.

 

“Sorry, it’s just, I dunno, I feel *inadequate* compared to them, I dunno

why.”

 

“John, I could have shared my bed with some of Hollywood’s hottest rising

stars, but I haven’t. Deep down I know, that’s not what I wanted. Now I

realize what I wanted all along was *you*, was *this*. And you don’t ever

have to fear anything taking me away from that. I love you, John.”

 

“And I love you, so much,” he replied, as he placed a light kiss on her lips.

 

“Then prove it,” she asked as she inched a few steps closer to him, draping

her arms around his neck and offering her mouth up to his as she whispered.

“Make love to me.”

 

“Are you sure?” he asked, not wanting her not to regret it later.

 

“Absolutely, I love you, and you love me. We’ve both waited so long for the

right person to come along so we could express love, and now that we’ve found

each other, there’s nothing more I wanna do than be with you.”

 

“That’s exactly how I feel,” he smiled, as he reached down and scooped her

into his arms and carried her to the bed.

 

I’ll make love to you

Like you want me to

And I’ll hold you tight

Baby all through the night

I’ll make love to you

When you want me to

And I will not let go

Till you tell me to

 

“I love you,” he whispered as he caressed her face lovingly and slowly eased

her back onto the bed, as he leaned down to catch her lips with his own, and

kissed her passionately.

 

“And I love you, so much,” she whispered back in between hungry kisses, as

she slowly ran her fingers through his soft hair, and down to capture each

side of his face, pulling him as close to her as possible, as the two

soulmates took the next step and made love for the first time.

 

Girl relax, let’s go slow

I ain’t got nowhere to go

I’m just gonna concentrate on you

Girl are you ready, it’s gonna be a long night

Throw your clothes on the floor

I’m gonna take my clothes off too

I made plans to be with you

Girl whatever you ask me you know I’ll do

 

“Ya know, if someone bet me million bucks six months ago that I’d be lying

in bed in afterglow with Marlena Evans in my arms, I’d be in a huge debt

right now,” John joked, as he gently stroked her hair, as she rested her head

contentedly on his shoulder.

 

“Don’t feel bad,” she laughed. “I woulda been out a lot of dough if someone

said I’d have a boyfriend with a corvette named ‘Sweet Suzy’!”

 

“Hey! Leave my baby out of this!”

 

I’ll make love to you

Like you want me to

And I’ll hold you tight

Baby all through the night

I’ll make love to you

When you want me to

And I will not let go

Till you tell me to

 

“Haha, I was just kidding, you know I love that car!” she smiled, as she

propped herself up on one elbow, and looked deeply into his gorgeously

captivating baby blues, “But not half as much as I love you.”

 

“And I know you mean that,” he replied with a grin.

 

Baby tonight is your night

And I will do you right

Just make a wish on your night

Anything that you ask

I will give you the love of your life

 

“What do you mean by that?” she asked curiously.

 

“I mean, you’re looking at me the way you looked at Ben in Heat, only this

time there’s a sparkle in your eye. Something I’ve never seen in them

before, and I was beginning to hope maybe I put it there.”

 

“Your eyes would sparkle, too, if God sent you an angel from heaven to teach

you the true meaning of love and fill an empty void.”

 

“I dunno about all that,” he blushed, as he lifted his hand to brush several

stray hairs from her face. “But I do know I’m the one who should be thanking

God. A star fell from heaven and landed right in my arms. I have to be the

luckiest man on the face of the earth right now. I love you, Marlena.”

 

“No, *I’m* the lucky one,” she replied, as tears of happiness once again

overwhelmed her. “And I love you, more than you could ever know.”

 

Kissing away her tears, John slowly eased himself atop Marlena, as the two

once again basked in the glorious love that they’d discovered for each other.

The kind of love only found once in a lifetime, but would last eternally.

And this was *only* the beginning.

 

I’ll make love to you

Like you want me to

And I’ll hold you tight

Baby all through the night

I’ll make love to you

When you want me to

And I will not let go

Till you tell me to

Marlena walked into the Beverly Hilton in California with John on her arm as

guests started to fill the large ballroom. Oscar nominations were being

announced that night and John and Marlena had flown in that morning from

Society Hill. John looked as Marlena greeted a couple of her costars and

gawked in amazement at her. Her golden blonde hair was pulled gracefully

atop her head, small curled tendrils hanging loosely in her face. Her hazel

eyes sparkled as she spoke, a bright smile electrifying her already bright

face. Her voice startled him out of his reverie and he looked at her,

intertwining his fingers with her own.

 

“Honey, I want you to meet Dennis,” Marlena said gently as she brought John

over to her co star who was standing with a young woman. “Dennis,” Marlena

said tapping him on the shoulder as he spun around a smile on his face.

 

“Marlena, I’m so glad you made it,” he said wholeheartedly as he embraced

her. “Mar, I’d like you to meet Jess, my girlfriend and co-writer of

Fighting Chance,” Dennis smiled as he wrapped his arm around Jess.

 

“Ahhh,” Marlena laughed, “the famous co writer who has stolen my co stars

heart, it’s nice to meet you. Look, Jess, I wanted to thank you and Lex for

writing this, this script really captured me, thank you.”

 

“It was our pleasure,” Jess replied, embracing Marlena. “Lex and I always

wanted someone like you to play our lead.”

 

“Thanks, that means a lot. Dennis, I wanted to introduce you to John. John

Black, this is Dennis Quaid.”

 

“So you’re the man who has gotten Marlena leashed huh?” Dennis teased as

Marlena gave him a dirty look. “No seriously man, I’ve never seen her so

happy, I’m really glad she found you,” Dennis said extending his hand to John.

 

“Yeah me too,” he smiled, wrapping his free arm around Marlena’s waist as he

gave her a kiss on the cheek. “I hate to cut this conversation short, but I

am famished after that long plane ride and run to the hotel, would you please

excuse us?” John asked sincerely.

 

“Sure, good luck tonight Marlena,” Dennis said, kissing her gracefully on the

cheek.

 

“You too.”

 

                                   *******

 

I don’t need a lot of things,

I can get by with nothing

Of all the blessings life can bring,

I’ve always needed something

But I’ve got all I want

When it comes to loving you . . .

 

“So, you nervous, my dear?” John asked, wrapping his arms around Marlena’s

neck.

 

“Nope,” she said honestly. “Months ago, I would have been but now . . . well

now none of it matters. I can be nominated, I can win but my one blessing in

my life is having you here with me, loving me, holding me . . . just being

there for me. John, you give me everything I ever could have wanted, ever

could have *needed* and for that I will never be able to repay you,” she said

as tears started to spring in her brightly colored orbs.

 

You’re my only reason,

You’re my only truth

I need you like water

Like breath, like rain

I need you like mercy

From heaven’s gate

There’s a freedom in your arms

That carries me through

I need you . . .

 

“You never have to repay me for that,” John whispered as he wiped her tears

with the pad of his thumb. “Because you may need me but the God’s to honest

truth is lady, I need you more than you will ever know. When we broke up, I

suddenly felt as if I was drowning and you were my float, I couldn’t breathe

because you were my respirator but when I am in your arms, Marlena, I feel as

if I am floating, as if some angel sent from above is carrying me through and

in a way it’s true because you are my angel. I love you Marlena, I love you

so much,” John whispered. As he leaned in to kiss Marlena, he was

interrupted by the sound of someone in the front of the room.

 

You’re the hope that moves me

To courage again,

You’re the love that rescues me

When the cold winds rage

And it’s so amazing . . .

 

“Ladies and gentlemen can I please have your attention please,” Roger Ebert

said stepping up to the podium. “As you all know, tonight’s nominations for

the 2000 Oscar Awards are being announced in just a minute. I would just

like to congratulate all nominees and I wish you all the best of luck come

Oscar night. And tonight’s nominees for Best Actor are . . . Matt Damon in

Summer in Chicago, Tom Hanks in Antelope Pretty, Michael Douglas in What

Floats Above, Ben Affleck in Winner and Dennis Quaid for A Fighting Chance.”

 

Marlena smiled as she glanced towards Dennis who was absolutely overjoyed.

She bit down on her lower lip knowing it was time for her category and she

gripped onto John’s hand tightly, knawing gently at her lip.

 

“And tonight’s nominees for Best Actress . . . Courteney Cox Arquette for

Summer in Chicago, Michelle Pfiffer for Death is Ugly, Angelina Jolie for

Boy, Appreciated, Gwnyeth Paltrow for Winner and last but not least . . .

Marlena Evans for A Fighting Chance.”

 

Marlena gasped as she felt John’s lips on hers and fell into his arms,

shocked, surprised and honored at her nomination. “We did it,” she said

quietly, still in shock.

 

“No,” he whispered, “*you* did it.”

 

‘Cause that’s just how you are

And I can’t turn back now

‘Cause you’ve brought me too far . . . .

 

“No I didn’t,” she smiled as tears started to build in her eyes, “The scene

they nominated me for . . . it was the last scene in A Fighting Chance. The

scene where you were watching me and I worked my hardest. You brought me to

where I am now and I owe you everything, John, you took me here and I can

never go back, I don’t *want* to go back.”

 

I need you like water

Like breath, like rain

I need you like mercy

From heaven’s gate

There’s a freedom in your arms

That carries me through . . .

 

“You know when I fell in love with you I was scared. You became my crutch

and I hated depending on people. My whole life I was just independent and

now . . . you are my entire world, I don’t know how to separate my heart from

yours anymore, my mind from mine . . . promise me something ok?”

 

“Always,” she smiled.

 

“Promise me, you’ll never leave me and that you’ll always need me in your

life,” John asked vulnerably.

 

“I’ll always need you John, always . . .”

 

I need you . . .

“The Right Kind of Wrong”

Sung by: LeAnn Rimes

 

“Hello?” a groggy Marlena called through her telephone, having just enjoyed a

few hours of sleep after a night of publicity shooting.

 

“Hey there, Miss Oscar nominated actress,” John exclaimed over the other end.

 

“What do you want?” she teased from the opposite line.

 

“I wanna take my gal out to celebrate her award nomination.”

 

I know all about,

Yea about your reputation

And now it’s bound to be a heartbreak situation

But I can’t help it if I’m helpless

Every time that I’m with you, ah . . .

 

“Hmm I’m tired, that’s why you’re not here celebrating with me, remember?”

she joked, as she reached for her glass of water on the nightstand.

 

“Ah come on, I promise to make it fun and worth your while,” he pleaded, as

he grinned.

 

“All right, fine. But get this Black, I am *holding* you to that promise.

See ya at 11?”

 

“I’ll be there.”

 

“Hmm, you better.”

 

You walk in and my strength walks out the door

Say my name and I can fight it any more

Oh I know, I should go

But i need your touch just too damn much

Lovin you, That isn’t really something i should do

I shouldn’t wanna spend my time with you

Well I should try to be strong

But baby your the right kind of wrong

But baby your the right kind of wrong

Ya, baby your the right kind of wrong . . .

 

____________________________________________________________

 

“A noisy bar?” Marlena questioned as she and John walked hand in hand into

Mako’s. “This was your idea of a night on the town?”

 

“Well, what did you think I had in mind when I asked you to changed into

black leather pants and red halter top?”

 

“Because you’re a pervert. One of the first things you said to me was that

you wanted to see me in something skimpy, remember?”

 

“Hmm true. But I still wish you woulda caved on the cowboy hat,” he grinned.

 

“Nah, looks better on you anyway,” she said with a smile, as she moved it

farther towards his face.

 

“No way. Besides, I think it’s *sexy* on you,” he said with a wink.

 

“Well, since we’re here, you gonna buy me a drink or what?”

 

“Ohh, I am gonna buy you more than one,” he acknowledged.

 

“Really?” she asked as she folded her arms across her chest. “If I didn’t

know any better, I’d say that sounds like a ploy to get me drunk and take

advantage of me, Mr. Black.”

 

“Damn,” John said as he snapped his fingers. “Beauty and brains, I can’t

win.”

 

“Very funny,” she replied with a smirk.

 

“I was just kidding. I would never do that to you. But I guarantee, this

will be a night you’ll *never* forget.”

 

It might be a mistake

A mistake I’m makin’

But what your givin I am happy to be takin

Cuz all that will make me feel

The way I feel when I’m in your arms

 

_______________________________________________________

 

“Johnny! Where have you been, bro?” A burly bartender called out, as he and

Marlena took a seat at the bar.

 

“Here, there, everywhere,” he said as he extended his hand to the man,

“Blaze, I want you to might somebody…” he began as he wrapped his arm

around Marlena.

 

“Oh my God, I can’t believe it, you’re…” he began stuttering, as he

glimpsed over at Marlena.

 

“Yes, yes I am,” she smiled bashfully, as she buried her head in John’s

shoulder.

 

“You’re the chick from Coyote Ugly!”

 

“What?” Marlena asked in shock, as she quickly pulled away from John.

 

“The boss! I’d recognize you anywhere! Hey, whattaya say you give us a

show?”

 

“Umm, actually, I’m not-” Marlena tried to explain before being interrupted

by John.

 

“She’d love to!” he announced.

 

They say your somethin I should do without

They don’t know what goes on

when the lights go out

There’s no way to explain

All the pleasure is worth all the pain

Lovin you, That isn’t really something i should do ya-hey

I shouldn’t wanna spend my time with you ya

Well i should try to be strong

But baby your the right kind of wrong

Ya, baby your the right kind of wrong

 

“Fantastic! Allright babe, have one on me, and then I want you to blow the

roof off this joint!” he smiled, “So, what will it be?”

 

Glaring at John for deciding for her, she inhaled deeply before replying.

 

“One shot of tequila, slice of lemon, shaker of salt.”

 

“Coming right up!” he replied as he walked away to fetch her order.

 

“I should *kill* you for that.”

 

“Oh come on, Mar, live a little! I personally thought you would’ve been

great in that character!”

 

“Yea well I wasn’t, Maria Bello was! And that’s who he thinks I am, so!”

she yelled.

 

“So what? Marlena if you can get nominated for an Oscar in a movie like

Fighting Chance, you can sure as hell get on the bar and sing karaoke. Do

what you do best, be a great actress, have some fun doing the thing you love

*most*.”

 

I should try to run but i just can’t seem to

Cuz every time I run your the one i run to

Can’t do with out what you do to me,

I don’t care if I’m in to deep yeaaaaaaaa-yea-ay-yhea

 

“Here ya go!” Blaze replied as he slid her the shot glass. “Tequila for the

star!”

 

“Thank you,” she smiled, as she took the drink.

 

“Do what I love most, huh? Ya know, this is actually doing the thing that I

love *second*,” she grinned, as she inched closer towards him, taking hold of

the salt shaker, as she lifted his arm up, and sprinkled some on his hand.

 

“You’re a real ego boost, ya know that?” he replied, as he kept his eye on

her every move.

 

“I know,” she winked as she brought his hand to her mouth and licked the

salt off slowly.   Then quickly reached for the shot as she downed it

quickly, and grabbed the lemon, slurping the citrus to chase the hard liquor.

 

“Watch closely, Johnny. This one’s for you,” she winked.

 

I know all about,

yea about your reputation

And now it’s bound to be a heartbreak situation

But I can’t help it if I’m helpless

Every time that I’m with you, ah

 

“Ladies and gentlemen, for tonight and one night only, we have a special

treat for you,” Blaze announced over the mic, as Marlena reached for John’s

hand to help her up on the stool.

 

“Hey sailor,” she called out, as she hopped on the bar.

 

“Yea?” he questioned as he leaned over to her.

 

“I might be needing this,” she whispered, as she reached down to grab his

cowboy hat, and placed in on her head. “Thank you, Blaze,” she accepted

graciously as she took the microphone after he finished his intro, pulling

the hat over her eyes just in case someone realized she really wasn’t Maria

Bello after all. “Ya know, I think I’d like to dedicate this little

impromptu performance to a man who is the *reason* I am standing here in

front of all of you right now.”

 

You walk in and my strength walks out the door

say my name and i can fight it any more

Oh I know, I should go

But I need your touch just too damn much

Heyyyyyy-yayaaaaaaaa

Lovin you, yea, isn’t really something i should do

I shouldn’t wanna spend my time with you ya

well I should try to be strong, I should try to be strong

But baby your the right kind of wrong (right kind of wrong)

Baby your the right kind of wrong

Baby your the right kind of wrong

 

Smiling at John across the bar, she never broke eye contact as she continued

her praise. “Ya see, if it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t have gotten this far.

He gave me some of the best advice I ever had. And the one thing that stands

out to me the most was when he said that loving him was right, even if it was

for all the wrong reasons. Until a little while ago, I didn’t understand

what he meant. Now that I do, I wanna sing this one for him. Because if

loving him is wrong, the last thing I want to be is right. So wrong for

right reasons, or right for wrong reasons, baby, you’re the *right* kind of

wrong.”

 

Yea baby your the right kind of wrong

It was nearly 4AM when Mako’s finally cleared out. The only two left inside

were John and Marlena, enjoying each others company after her little bartop

performance. They were completely oblivious to the fact that everyone else

had called it a night, and they were the only two left in joint.

    

“Hmm, got quiet in here,” John acknoweldged, as he nuzzled Marlena’s neck.

    

“Guess you’re right, but I really wasn’t paying attention to what everyone

else was doing,” she smiled devilishly, as she licked her lips, and ran her

hands along his masculine chest. “I’m kinda sad the night’s over, I mean I

kinda liked letting go for a change.”

    

“You mean you liked driving me crazy with all those moves, as you sashayed

across that bar?” he said with a grin, as he pulled back to stare into her

eyes.

    

“What can I say?” she began as she got up from her seat, and straddled his

legs. “I *like* being in control.”

    

“Good,” he replied, as he lifted his face within mere inches of hers. “Cause

I like you in control, too.”

    

Lightly brushing his lips to hers, he pulled from the kiss just in time to

leave her wanting more, as he lifted her, and then got up and headed for the

door. Saying good night to Blaze, as he shook his hand, Marlena watching

them both as they waved good-bye.

    

“Now, we’re *really* the only ones left,” he assured, as he sat back in his

seat, and once again pulled her onto his lap.

    

“You planned this didn’t you? Get me drunk, get the keys to your friends

bar, and take advantage of me?”

    

“Me? Never!” he said, pretending to be hurt with her accusation. “I just

thought it would be safer to stay, ya know, being as how we were drinking and

all. Neither one of us should drive..”

    

“Well, I guess you have a point,” she agreed as she nodded her head, and

slowly trailed her hands to the waistband of his jeans, inching her nails

along his abdomen, as she felt the way to her destination, stopping when she

reached her goal of his back pocket, teasing him as she lifted out his car

keys, and tossed them across the room.

    

“We won’t be needing those tonight..”

    

Put your car keys down, you’d better stick around

You’re the only one to get this done

Close and lock the door, Drop down to the floor

Forget the phone until you see the sun

    

“So are you saying you’re going to take advantage of me, Miss Evans? I can

jst see the tabloids now. ‘Maria Bello, takes charge in bar as she seduces

her boyfriend. Pictures enclosed,” John teased as he ran his lips over her

neck.

   

“I wish I was Maria Bello. That woman is gorgeous, I worked with her on a

couple episode of ER.”

   

“You’re more beautiful than she can ever imagine,” John whispered as he

brought his lips to hers, the passion igniting.

   

John pulled away as Marlena raised her eyebrow, her hands placed firmly on

her hips. “Honey, you took me here to get me drunk, take advantage of me and

you’re pulling away? I’m hurt,” she frowned.

   

John got up and walked behind the bar pulling out a bottle of tequila.

“Actually Miss Nominated Actress, I’m here to take even more advantage of

you,” he winked as he turned on the radio, sliding the tequila across the bar.

   

Baby it’s all right

Because you know I’ll make this fun

    

Bringing two glasses over to the bar, along with several lemon slices and a

salt shaker, Marlena looked at him strangely, watching as he set the items

down.

   

“What?” he asked, taking notice to the way she was watching him.

   

“John honey, have you learned *nothing* from those movies at the video

store?” she asked as she took one glass in her hand and leaned over the bar

to put it back, making sure his eyes was on her every move.

   

“We’re only gonna need *one* of these,” she explained, as she winked at him

and slowly began to pour the tequilla.

   

“Why do I get the feeling *I’m* the one that’s gonna be taken advantage of?”

he asked, as he arched his eyebrow.

   

“Because,” she answered in a low and raspy voice. “You *like* it when I’m in

charge.”

   

With that, she slowly lifted his shirt above his head, smiling at the

luscious site of his perfectly sculpted chest, and reached for the salt and

tilted his head to side, slowly letting the substance fall on the curve of

his shoulder.

   

“Hold this for me,” she insisted, as she slipped the lemon wedge in between

his teeth, and then moved back to his neck.   Inching down, she slowly licked

off the salt, driving him insane with desire in the process, as she blew her

hot breath over the moisture, then pulled back long enough to down the shot.

Smiling as she gulped down the liquor, and then went straight for the lemon,

still inside his mouth. Lapping up the citrus, and then letting the fruit

sail to the floor.

   

“Okay,” Marlena said as she pulled back from their kiss and licked the excess

remnants of juice from her lips. “Your turn.”

   

When we see the morning light

We’ll be right back, where we started from

    

“Not yet,” John smiled as he turned the music louder on the stereo. “I need

you to do something for me first.”

  

“And that is?” she asked curiously.

  

“Well, I just think this whole experience would be a lot more . . . I guess

you can say *erotic* if you would get on the bar and give me a show. I mean

sure you gave one before but I want a different kind a show . . .”

  

“Hmm are you asking me to dance naked up there,” she asked slyly as she

hopped on top of the bar, slinking down as she pulled the strings on John’s

cowboy hat.

    

“Not naked, just strip down,” he laughed as he leaned up to kiss her as she

pulled away.

  

“Ooooh, sexy. I can do sexy,” she smiled as she took the bottle of tequila

and poured it down her chest, driving John wild with desire.

  

Cause this could take all night

And it’s a dirty low down job

When you do it right

You can turn it off, you can leave it on

I don’t care about the light

‘Cause this could take all night

 

Instinctively heading for the liquor, John let out a groan, only to be

stopped halfway by Marlena, who shook her head.

 

“Uh uh, first, I’m gonna make you *suffer*,” she promised, as she quickly

hopped on the bar, and moved her body to the sounds echoing through the

jukebox.

 

Watching her move was enough to send him over the edge right then and there.

Every step, every sway, every move she made only added to his desire. As the

song drew to a close, Marlena strolled over towards him, and with one swift

motion of her index finger, she let him know she was ready for whatever he

intended to happen next.

 

I hope you’re in good shape, ’cause you’ll be working late

Don’t watch the clock, don’t try to stop this time

Just keep on going strong, work it all night long

I’ll make you glad it’s in the stars you’re mine

    

“First,” she whispered seductivly, “I want you to get a fresh bottle of

tequila and bring it over here.”

 

John quickly obeyed and brought the bottle over to her and she opened it. “I

want *you* to pour it on *me,*” she whispered seductivly. “So pour baby,

pour.”

 

Marlena leaned back on the pour as the cold liquid slid down her body and

John’s tongue began to ravage every crevise. She moaned in ecstacy, her head

back in pleasure as his tongue pleased her body. She brought her head up and

pulled him to her, kissing him passionatly.

 

“Now, I want you,” she moaned, “I want you bad.”

 

Baby don’t be afraid

A little work won’t hurt your back

But just in case I’m wrong

You’ll be smiling

When they pronounce you dead

    

“I saw this once on a soap opera,” John said with a wicked grin, as he lifted

Marlena onto the bar, and then once again started to devour her neck.

 

“Honey,” Marlena whispered, as she pulled his head up so she could look

straight into his eyes. “John and Marlena are hotter than *any* soap couple.”

 

“Hmm, That’s a fact!” he grinned, as he continued to kiss her intensely, and

inched them both back onto the bar, making the most of what was left of that

fateful night.

   

I hope you’re in good shape, ’cause you’ll be working late

Don’t watch the clock, don’t try to stop this time

Just keep on going strong, work it all night long

‘Cause this could take all night

“These two stars are best known for their portrayl of one of daytime

televion’s greatest supercouples,” Amanda Peet announced, as she and George

Clooney stood side by side, hosting the greatest night of the year for the

silver screen. “But, their cameo in Heat last year has made them

unforgettable as a dynamic duo in the world of film, as well as soaps. Here

to present the Academy Award for Best Lead Actor, please welcome from Days Of

Our Lives, Deidre Hall and Drake Hogestyn!”

 

“We’ve come a long way, baby!” Drake acknowledged with a grin as he arched

his eyebrow and adjusted his tie, leading Deidre to the mic centerstage.

 

“Yes we have. After 20 years, we finally got our break in Lex and Jess’

second smash movie hit, the one that touched our hearts and made us realize

you don’t know what you’ve got til it’s gone.”

 

“That’s a fact! Tonight, their third hit is up for several statues and

they’ve already cleaned up well with Best Director, Song, and Screenplay

nods. But now, it’s time for the big ones.”

 

‘Let’s see if Dennis and Marlena can pull together for a clean sweep

tonight.”

 

“It’s gonna be some tough competition with those all around actors of our

time like Michael Douglas and Tom Hanks, not to mention the fresh talent of

the young Damon and Affleck.”

 

“But no matter who the winner may be, all of them have shown their talent

with just a mere nomination is this prestigious category.”

 

“So, before we make this show an extra four hours long, the nominees for

Best Actor are Matt Damon in Summer in Chicago, Tom Hanks in Antelope Pretty,

Michael Douglas in What Floats Above, Ben Affleck in Winner and Dennis Quaid

for A Fighting Chance.”

 

Marlena winked over at Dennis, who held Jess’ hand tightly out of

nervousness and excitement.

 

“It’s in the bag Quaid. You in those boxing shorts are Oscar material.”

Marlena kidded, as she leaned her head on her co-stars shoulder.

 

“I second that,” Jess said with a smile, as she lightly kissed her

boyfriend’s cheek.

 

“And, the Oscar goes to….” Deidre said as she took a deep breath, and she

and Drake both glanced over the envelope anxiously. “Dennis Quaid for a

Fighting Chance!”

 

Looking in shock, Dennis slowly rose from his seat, as did his co-stars who

appluaded him vigorously. Leaning in for a quick kiss from Jess, and then

Marlena, he headed for the stage to accept his golden statuette.

 

“Wow, incredibly unexpected, but absolutely welcomed,” Dennis joked as he

stared at the small trophy in disbelief. “Where to start where to start.

First of all, I wouldn’t be up here without the help of my parents and my

son, I love you guys. Thanks for everything. To Marlena, for being the best

co-star a guy could ask for.   Her talent and professionalism is what I

played off of and it’s because of her that I am standing here right now.

Love you, Honey. To Devon, you’ve grown like a son to me. You’re an amazing

young actor and you deserved that supporting award you got tonight for your

excellent performance.   To Dee and Drake, you guys made working on the

wedding so much fun. Thanks for the laughs. Wolffy, for directing to

perfection and keeping us on our toes. To Lex and Jess for their great story

that was so easy to sink your teeth into. And to Jess on a personal note, I

love you more than anything. Thank you all,” Dennis finished graciously as

he blew a kiss to his fiance and co-stars, then headed backstage to the press

room for questions and answers.

 

                                       ****

 

“Here to present our next award is the most talked about writing team since

Affleck and Damon,” George said, as he smiled over the crowd.

 

“Starting out as mere soap fans writing FanFics, the numerous awards their

creation has one tonight proves that dreams really do come true. Here to

present the award for Best Actress are Jessica Dallow and Alexis Marsella.”

 

“Thanks babe, ya know I love ya,” Jess smiled to Amanda as she and Lex stood

centerstage to half of the world.

 

“Well Duchess, can you believe we’re here?”

 

“I can’t believe Dennis said he loved me more than anything, but this is

beside the point,” she laughed, as the audience joined with her.

 

“Tonight is a night for dreamer’s. People who as children wished upon a

star, asking for the lights, the camera, and the action Hollywood has to

offer. For all of us sitting here, that dream has come true, and everything

else is merely icing on the cake.”

 

“You know it, Lex. All of us grew up in front of the mirror holding our

hairbrushes, and thanking the litle poeple that made our ‘fame and fortune’

possible. Okay, maybe not all of us, but I did,” Jess said proudly, as Lex

smiled at her writing alter ego.

 

“You weren’t the only one babe, all of us did at one time or another, but

tonight, these 5 women nominated for best Actress get to see that dream come

true and one of them will get to bring home that golden hairbrush, uhh

*Oscar*.”

 

“The nominees for Best Actress are, Courteney Cox Arquette for Summer in

Chicago, Michelle Pfiffer for Death is Ugly, Angelina Jolie for Boy,

Appreciated, Gwnyeth Paltrow for Winner and last but not least . . . Marlena

Evans for A Fighting Chance.”

 

Biting down on her bottom lip nervously, Marlena gripped John’s strong arm

for support as chills began to trickle down her spine and nervous trembles

raced throughout her body.

 

“Shhh, no matter what baby, win or lose, I’ll always love you,” John

reassured, as he placed a light kiss on her lips.

 

“That’s the greatest gift of all and I love you, too,” she smiled brightly,

“But that Oscar really *would* be a nice consellation prize..”

 

Shaking his head in laughter, John pulled Marlena closer to him, as both

anticipated the destiny written on that envelope, and the magnitude of it’s

revelation.

 

“And, the Oscar goes to….”

John pulled Marlena closer to him, as both anticipated the destiny written on

that envelope, and the magnitude of it’s revelation.

 

“And, the Oscar goes to…” Alexis opened up the envelope and smiled handing

it off to Jess who laughed to herself. “And the winner is, Marlena Evans,”

they both screamed in unision as Marlena sat there playing with John’s hand.

The revelation didn’t even occur to her as she sat there.

 

“You know, I’m glad Courteney won, I’ve always loved her,” Marlena noted as

John let out a laugh.

 

“Umm, honey, you won,” he whispered as Marlena let out a scream, finally

comprehending the situation.

 

“I won,” she squealed as she kissed John, standing up, feeling as a dizzy

sensation fell over her body.

 

She walked up on stage, her long golden dress trailing behind her as she

wiped the tears quickly from her eyes. She took the award from Jess’s hand,

kissing both her and Lex on the cheek as she made her way to the microphone.

 

“First of all I would just like to say thank you,” Marlena laughed, catching

her breath. “I could stand here and thank everyone who was ever in my life,

my parents, my friends, Jess, Lex, but there is one reason why I am up here

with an Oscar and I would like to ask not to be interrupted because what I am

about to say is very important,” Marlena said as she found John in the crowd,

licking the tears that started to fall onto her lips. “Almost a year ago, I

came to Society Hill, Pennsylvania to start work on a movie written by two

girls, who I honestly didn’t think had it in them. I did the movie as a

favor but that favor turned out to the be the best decision of my life. My

first day in Society Hill, I met this arrogant man who I hated. But as I

spent time with him, as I got to know him, I found myself falling in love,

faster and harder than I had ever imagined. He taught me that although

people may have thought our relationship was wrong, it was right to the two

of us and that is all that really mattered. I’ve always had an amazing life.

I started modeling when I was 5, started commercails when I was 12, and have

been doing movies since I was 17 but in all that time I never had love. I

would play all these characters in movies who would fall in love, get

married, be so happy, but I never knew that feeling until I met John. He

gave me everything I ever could have wanted, ever could have needed and

that’s why tonight in front of most of the world, I am about to do something

I never thought I’d be able too.”

 

Marlena wiped her tears and looked at John, her hazel eyes burning into his

darkly lit blue ones. “John Black, you have been my entire world for the

past year and in front of all of America I am asking you to marry me. Big

lavish wedding, bridesmates, ushers, flowers, garters, a cake, all of it.

Will you marry me?”

 

John smiled and stood up, walking slowly up the stage as he felt all eyes on

him as he wiped the tears from this own eyes. As he reached the stage, he

pulled Marlena to him, leaning down into the mic. “And in front of all of

America, I’d like to say, Yes, baby, I will marry you.”

 

Applause was sounded throughout the entire room as John pulled Marlena to

him, sealing their engagement with a passionate kiss as all of America

watched as a world renound actress and a small time movie owner sealed their

fate after meeting in a small town called Society Hill.