“The Lifeline”
“Heaven’s not beyond the clouds, it’s just beyond the fear.”
John Black was a man not used to waiting. In fact, if his wife had been asked if there was just anything that marred her image of the man she adored, she could have said that waiting was something that he did NOT do well.
Glancing at the assorted family and friends gathered for word on not just Marlena, but also Shawn-D and Hope, he whispered to Eric, who had his arm protectively around his small sister that he would be back.
With a nod, Eric turned his attention back to a sleeping Isabella, covering her with his tuxedo jacket and making sure that her little feet were covered.
While that was going on, John noticed that Maggie and Mickey had a worried Brady, who kept asking for his momma.
Eric’s voice called out, breaking the silence of the family.
“Light a candle for me too please John?”
John’s blue eyes shimmered with unshed tears. “I will.” Walking quickly past a still silent Bo who watched him with haunted eyes. John went to the chapel. The angry words that had been exchanged between the men, who were once brothers still rang out in the air amongst the shell shocked family.
His thoughts were on someone who truly didn’t deserve what had happened to her.
Images from earlier that night flooded his senses, exploding against the inside of his brain. As he closed his eyes to pray, what he saw behind his eyes could only be described simply as from when he was younger and had pressed his fists against his closed eyelids, creating patterns of no set arrangement that still were there like a faint mist as the lights came back when he opened his eyes.
Checking his watch to see what time it was, John knelt down and silently for a moment glanced around the hospital chapel.
“I haven’t been back here to do this in awhile, so I’m probably a little rusty. But I’m here to ask a favor for someone else. Someone far more worthier than I to be in God’s good graces.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“Oh Lexie, is there any word?”
Wearily, Alexandra Carver came out of the Operating room to face a room full of friends. Glancing around and finding Bo first, she stepped towards him. “Shawn-D is fine, we managed to get his broken leg set and the concussion is mild. But while he’s acting very brave, I think he’d like to see his Daddy.”
Bo nodded as relief became etched on his handsome face, only to be taken away suddenly. “Hey Lex, What about Hope?”
She shook her head. “Bo, Craig’s still operating. Hope lost a lot of blood.”
Shawn nodded. “Your girl is a fighter, she’ll be fine.” Wincing at that comment, Caroline asked about the third injured family member. “Lexie, what about Marlena. Is there any word?”
Lexie hesitated and took a deep breath. They had all been hurt tonight and had their faith shaken by someone they loved, what she had to tell them could help, but it was complicated by Marlena’s other medical condition.
“John needs to hear this before everyone.” Eric handed Belle to Caroline. “I’ll get him.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Eric’s eyes took a moment to get accustomed to the dimness in the Chapel. Crossing himself in force of habit, he found his prey deep in prayer.
“Please don’t let me lose her now.” As his head sunk against his hands, John froze when Eric laid his hands on his step-father’s shoulders.
“You couldn’t lose Mom if you tried. She loves you so very much.” John turned and let his son sit beside him. “I had to come and get you.”
John’s eyes widened. “Your mom?” Eric nodded. “She said that she wouldn’t tell us anything without you there. So here I am.”
Allowing himself the luxury of a weak moment, John’s eyes filled with tears. “Eric, I can’t lose her.”
Speaking with a confidence that he wasn’t feeling as a memory of Lexie’s eyes came back to him, Eric whispered as he glanced to the cross on the wall. “We won’t.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“You cannot save me John.” He never believed, had never SEEN hatred in anyone’s eyes as he did in Hope’s so strong as she glanced sideways at Marlena, who seemed made of stone, but her hazel eyes were pleading for him. “And you cannot save her.” As if in slow motion, he relived the shooting again.
“John?”
He glanced up at the person who laid the hand on his arm. “Abe, this isn’t happening. It just isn’t real. It can’t be.”
Abe came to sit with his best friend. “It can and it has. You have to face this buddy. She’s going to need your love and support in the next few days until the final tests are in.”
He ran his hand through his hair and glanced down at his shirt, still stained with Marlena’s blood.
“Abe, she’s so strong. But this, this is going to kill her.”
Abe nodded. “She’s surprised us before. Lexie did say this may not be permanent. It could go back to normal as the swelling goes down.” John bit the inside of his lip to prevent himself from crying again at an image of vivid hazel eyes being forever shadowed. He remembered Lexie’s announcement.
“It appears that the bullet has done some damage. But we can’t know for certain.” John blinked. “What do you mean can’t know for certain, Lexie?” She sadly smiled. “John, she’s pregnant.”
“Abe, I’ll never forgive Hope for this.”
He paused, watching Bo in his grief. “I know he’s hurting just as much as me. But I came this close to losing not just Marlena but our baby. She did everything short of standing on her head and screaming not to marry her. But Bo did, he KNEW she wasn’t back completely.”
Abe shook his head. “John, at least you KNOW that she’s going to live and you have a baby on the way.” He glanced to his other friend. “Bo is very close to losing it all.”
John leaned forward. “I don’t care.”
Wincing as he hadn’t meant for it to be so callous, John glanced to Abe. “She’s been a friend for as long as I can remember my life here in Salem. I don’t want her to die, I couldn’t wish the loss of the other half of your soul on anybody but this could have all been prevented. The final person who could have warned him, junior refused to listen to. So right now, between you, me and the walls here, I’m holding them both
responsible.”
Abe looked away at the bitterness in John’s voice and his voice dropped to a whisper. “This doesn’t have anything to do with the memories you’ve been having about Hawaii is it?” John’s eyes widened. “YOU said that you’d not discuss that again. Don’t make me regret coming to you for help.”
Abe shook his head and called it as it was. “You only came to me because you couldn’t talk to either one of them. Somehow I don’t see it coming up for dinner conversation at your house. “Honey pass the peas and oh by the way, when you thought that I died in Hawaii, I was actually having sex with our ex-sister in law.” He gestured to Bo, who was leaning against the Nurses desk, with Caroline by his side. “As for him, to bring it up would have pay per view promoters billing it as the fight of the century.”
John held up a hand. “I didn’t ask you to be my conscious.” Abe shook his head. “Yes you did. You couldn’t go to her. You had no choice but to talk to a friend. I’m glad you did.”
John nodded. “So am I.” He looked at his hand, running his finger over the cool smoothness of his wedding ring. “As this ring encircles your finger, know that your love encircles my heart.” Abe blinked. “John what did you say?”
He checked his watch. “Just remembering a promise remade on a beach in Hawaii.” He glanced around. “I’m going to take a walk. If we get any news.” Abe nodded. “I’ll come find you.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
She was seemingly asleep as John crept into her room, he had waited for several minutes while the nurses switched over before making his move.
Settling down quietly in the chair beside her, John’s mind crept back to all the other times she had been lying just like this. Too eerily still, he thought as he picked up her hand to bring it to his lips.
“Hey beauty, it’s me.” He watched for any movement, knowing that she wouldn’t be. Thanks to the sedatives that Lexie gave her to sleep. “God, it should be me in this bed not you. I never meant for you to be hurt and yet again, I’ve helped to bring you pain.”
He paused as she shifted and let out a soft whimper. “Sssh.”
Caressing her cheek, John let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding as she drifted back to a sounder sleep.
“Lady, I can never let you find out just what went down in Hawaii. I can’t lose you. Not now.” His hand drifted to her stomach and a smile came to his face. “A baby.” He glanced back up to her, tears casting a sparkle in his bluer than blue eyes. “That is so amazing, I can’t believe we never saw this. It makes sense now that I have a chance to
sit and thank back the past few weeks.”
Lexie’s voice broke into his happy thoughts. “You’re not to be in here yet John. I know that you’re worried for her, but she’s going to be fine.”
He brushed a tear from his eye. “You’re sure?”
Lexie came to stand behind him. John turned slightly. “Have you gotten tests back?”
Lexie shook her head, causing him to look back to Marlena. “No, but I have learnt from being this lady’s friend, NEVER count her out.”
He smiled. “No, no we can’t.” Lexie draped her arm around his shoulders.
“How bout we get a cup of coffee, grab Abe and get breakfast. Her medication should have worn off by then and we can see better what’s going on?”
John nodded and leaned over to kiss his wife’s cheek. “Okay.” Lifting his lips from Marlena’s cool cheek, he paused by her ear. “I love you, always.”
They were rewarded by a smile of such sweetness that John broke down..
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
There was something in darkness that had always terrified Marlena, she thought that it had been addressed and dealt with during her ordeal in the pit. Where she faced off with the cause of her fear. But it was easy to face off with an angel. Hold a grudge and it was obvious where you’d spend the rest of your immortal life.
But now as the darkness crept in around her like an octopus with its tentacles raised to lower you to your doom, Marlena found herself wanting to scream and cry out.
The visions of this night of torture were calling for her, unwilling to let her have peace.
As she became more awake, she felt the familiar dampness of tears trickling against her skin.
Her hands went instinctively to her face, to dry her eyes. But they paused at the rough material that lay over them. Fear clutched at her heart. Sitting up, she called out.
She heard Lexie’s calming voice at her right side. “You’re supposed to be asleep for at least another hour. I gave you enough sedatives to make sure of that.” Marlena shook her head. “I wish that I could. But I don’t like the choice of dreams I’m having.”
When the silence in the room became too much, she called out worriedly.
“Lexie, are you still here?”
She felt Lexie’s hand cover hers and heard the chair scraping the floor as she drew it closer to the bed. “I’m still here. I won’t leave you.”
A hesitant smile came over Marlena’s face. “Lexie, why are my eyes covered?”
Alexandra’s face dimmed slightly and she thanked whoever watched over her that Marlena couldn’t see the worried look in her dark brown eyes. “Don’t you remember?” When the golden blonde head shook in the negative, Lexie continued. “Anything at all of what went on?”
Marlena’s smile faded and the voice grew icy.
“Would I ask you why their covered if I remember? Stop being my doctor and just tell me. WHY are they covered?”
She suddenly paused and her voice became it’s normal pitch. “I’m so sorry.”
Lexie shook her head. “Don’t be. You’ve been through an ordeal. It’s understandable that you’d strike out at someone.” She smiled, hoping that would give a sign of positivity. “Besides, since John’s not here, at least it’s someone who loves you very much.”
Marlena smiled and her voice broke. “Lexie, why does my head hurt so bad.”
Glancing behind her, Lexie prayed that John would come in to spare her having to explain this alone.
“Honey, Hope shot you last night at the wedding reception. Do you remember that?”
Marlena was about to say that she didn’t, when a hazy memory shimmered behind her eyes. It was of her fighting for the gun, struggling with a woman who she had once called a dear friend.
As the gunshot rang in her ears, Marlena’s voice became tearful once again.
“She shot me.” That statement was almost childlike in it’s simplicity.
Lexie’s voice ached for her friend. “Yes. Bo fought her for the gun and it went off a second time.”
Marlena was about to answer when the door opened. “Who’s that?”
She felt herself relax when a certain voice answered. “I could have sworn Lexie said that you would still be out with all those sedatives.”
Marlena slid back in bed. A petulant air surrounded her that brought smiles to the two others in her room. “Now I’m stuck with Doctor Freudian Black again.”
John glanced at Lexie and laughed. “Doc, I thought you liked my bedside manner.”
She began to fidget, reaching for her bandages. “I do, but not when I’m not getting answers.”
Catching her hands in his own, John leaned forward. “What do you want to know?”
Lexie interrupted. “I’m going to leave you two alone, but John don’t tire her out.”
His eyes never leaving his wife’s face, John nodded. “The moment she starts to fade out, I’m going to pass out in the chair beside her bed.” Lexie smiled. “Marlena, if you need anything, you.”
Marlena shook her head and smiled. “I know, I just press the magic button.”
John rolled his eyes, amused at this side of his wife. “I guess the pills are kicking in Lex?”
Lexie softly chuckled. “Yeah, I think they are. Be gentle John.” Marlena mimicked her friend. “Yeah be gentle with me.”
Once she left, John turned around. “Okay, you want answers. What are the questions?”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“I can’t understand this. How could Hope even think of taking her own son’s life, much less Mom’s?” Maggie listened as Sami asked the one statement everyone wanted answers for.
“I don’t know honey. But hopefully we’ll have answers for all these questions soon.” Maggie glanced to Bo, who stood vigil over the ICU doors.
“I hope so too. Because there’s no turning back now.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
John stared fascinated at his wife’s hands. A smile slowly crept over his face as a conversation that he had once with someone about Marlena came back to him. “You can see in most people’s eyes if their upset, not MY wife. Watch her hands and they’ll tell you more about her heart.”
“Doc, that blanket didn’t do a thing to you. Why prolong it’s torment, stop picking at the sheets and talk to me?” Her hands paused in mid flight and she turned her unseeing eyes to him. “Because I can’t. I can’t talk to you about this.”
He caught her hands in his own. “Try sweetheart.”
He glanced down worriedly at their intertwined hands. “Doc?”
Her voice shook slightly, but he mistook it from the medications she was given. “She did this out of love for you. She shot me because I tried to protect the people I love from her.” She slid her hands out of his. “And because, how did she put it. Because you chose me over her.”
His blue eyes grew foggy as he relived that moment, watching his wife being held at gunpoint, not knowing how to react as he listened to those words.
“You cannot save me John, and you cannot save HER.”
“Baby, it’s going to be alright.” She turned her head. “How is it going to be alright, I can’t see. Shawn is hurt and Hope.” She paused. “Hope is Hope.”
Her voice turned icy. “John, I give up on this. I thought that I did what was best, I warned them.”
John leaned forward and laid his hand on her cheek. “Listen to me, you did nothing wrong. You did what you were trained to do. No friend could have asked for more than that.”
His hand slid around her neck and pulled her to him. As he rested his forehead to hers, he softly made a promise they both knew could very well be impossible to keep. “As for the bandages, they aren’t permanent. You will see our babies again, including the newest miracle you’ve graced my life with.”
It took her a moment to realize what he was saying. “I’m pregnant?”
Lifelines Chapter 2: Of Wishes, Hopes and Dreams
“I’m sorry, John she’s still not seeing anyone.” He lowered the flowers and looked at Lexie. “What is wrong with being pregnant?” Glancing sideways at the door, she led her friend away to avoid Marlena hearing him.
“John, there’s nothing wrong with being pregnant. What is wrong is that she may not be able to SEE this baby when it’s born. That she may never SEE your smile again as you lay in each other’s arms. May never SEE Belle dance her first recital.” They both turned around to find Marlena sitting up, a raised eyebrow the only indication of her amusement over this.
“Just to let you both know, I may be blind, but I’m not deaf. A Tip for future reference, If you’re going to talk about me like I’m not here, the least you can do is CLOSE the door?” Exchanging glances, the friends came inside Marlena’s room and apologized to her.
“Can I at least give you a kiss or are you still sulking?”
Marlena shook her head. “I’m not sulking. Just not happy. How can we be happy about this. John, admit it. My being blind and this baby are not exactly the best news.”
He leaned over to kiss her cheek. “This baby is the best news, as for your sight. It isn’t gone. We won’t know that until the swelling and damage to your optic nerve finally goes down. So lets be positive until we HAVE something to be negative about.”
Marlena began to cry. “Just go, please?”
As he and Lexie left, John turned at the door. “You’ve been so many things to all of us. Honey, I would have never thought a quitter was one of them.”
He smiled at her angry retort. “You go to hell!” He paused and allowed a moment of honesty to shine through. “When I saw you lying in my arms, your blood on my shirt. I was in hell. I was in hell because I thought my heart was broken.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
A couple of hours later, Marlena was just falling asleep when she heard the door open. “Hello?” as she turned around, she heard scuffling. “Who’s there? I said Hello.”
She was reaching for the alert button when she felt something drop at her feet. “I would have said hello, but had a mouthful of balloon strings.” She fell back against her pillows. “John, why did you come back.”
She smiled at the chuckle he let out. “Because I know that you can’t live without me.”
She let out an unladylike snort. “Says you and that overinflated ego of yours.”
John came to sit on the side of the bed. “Well my overinflated ego as you called it decided that it was time for operation smile part 2.”
She shook her head. “Oh John, no.” He leaned in and gently grazed her lips with his. “Oh yes.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Bo stretched and gently reached up to brush a stray hair off of Hope’s forehead. “Wake up fancy face. You have to be alright.” He grimaced. “You have to help me make things right.”
He looked away and remembered his argument with Marlena. As the family stood there, in shocked silence as he unleashed his frustration and anguish over Hope on one of the dearest friends he had, Bo had crossed over the line of reason into momentary insanity.
He ignored John’s ominous rumble of “that’s enough Bo.” He continued at her, ignoring her protective gesture of holding her hands to her head. Only when she piteously whimpered for John to help her did he clue in, that he had gone way too far.
She stumbled away, the bandage becoming stained with scarlet and didn’t get far before collapsing into John’s arms.
Marlena had been taken back into emergency where they learnt of the severity of her injury.
It took Eric, Abe, Roman and Shawn to keep the two men apart. But John’s words rang out very loud and clear.
“I hope your happy. Said that if Hope dies you’d never forgive her. Well LITTLE BROTHER, it’s going to go both ways. Marlena dies or there’s any sort of complication as a result from this lovely little display of family love you showed her tonight, you’re going to wish you died too. Hope you choke as you remember everything that you said tonight Bo.” He looked to his restraints and hissed. “I’m FINE!”
As Bo watched John walk away, the memory faded and he was back alone in Hope’s room, the beeping of the monitors the only sound.
“I have to make things right Hope. I can’t lose her friendship.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“So?”
Marlena chuckled as her hands wandered over the fuzzy softness of the teddy bear. “So what?” He clicked on the tape player. Marlena began to laugh. “Oh no, don’t
sing Honey, please.”
He helped her out of bed and gently gathered her up in his arms. “I can’t do this honey.” He nuzzled her neck. “First off, I’m not singing. Hurt that the one time I open my heart and sing for you, your still teasing me about it.” She tilted her head. “That is a moment I cherish forever, I’ll have you know.”
He rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah. whatever.” He nipped at her lips. “Secondly. You can dance. Just listen to our hearts beating and move to the rhythm.”
The verses of the Clint Black duet suddenly made her feel claustrophobic and she began to push at John. “Please, let me go.” Worried, John asked her what was wrong.
She couldn’t tell him of the images, the mind play that Hope had begun with her. Being a siren leading Marlena’s happy life to crash against the rocks and so she continued to struggle, acting out the image of a moth trapped in silk. “Please, please.”
He had seen variations on the look in her eyes since she agreed to take Hope on as a patient. She never spoke of this, saying that she owed it to Hope to be professional. But something was making sure that slowly she was beginning to slip away from him. He didn’t like it that a most precious promise of never keeping secrets was being broken by them both.
The time he had spent waiting for word on Marlena ensured that he could go over things in his mind. The more he did, the more he was positive. Marlena had some idea of just what he had been doing while she spent time mourning for what was lost.
Before he could ask her, she made a quiet plea. “Would you help me back to bed please?”
His blue eyes softened as he wrapped his arm around her waist. “I will.”
As they headed towards her bed, Marlena softly murmured something that he couldn’t quite hear. “Doc?”
She turned her head slightly. “I said thank you.” John blinked. “For what?” She grinned. “For loving me, making me see sense.” She crinkled her nose. “BAD choice of words.” She gestured to the door. “You may want to lock that.”
He grinned. “I beg your pardon?” Marlena grinned a mischievous smile. “You gave me a gift, now it’s my turn to reciprocate.”
As he saw her waggle her eyebrows, he went to do as he was told.
“Okay, now what?” The expectant tone in John’s voice brought giggles to his wife, that soon erupted into a belly laugh that seemed to have no beginning and no ending.
She soon straightened up and held out her hands. As she stepped towards him, John stood still as she began to gently explore his face. “Now, I get to reacquaint myself with a face that has haunted my dreams and a heart that has loved me forever.”
He caught her hands and brought first one and then the other to his lips. “Will always love you.”
She shivered. “Doc?” Shaking her head, she was about to speak when there was a knock on the door. As it grew more insistent, John made sure that she was safely in bed before answering it.
“Time for your medication Marlena.” Lexie’s timing for some reason struck Marlena as funny and so she began to laugh again. “Sweet dreams honey.” She nodded and as he hugged her and told her that he would be back in the morning, she smiled. “Visions of my handsome husband always are sweet dreams.” As John leaned over again to kiss her, she whispered in his ear. “Promise me that you’ll be back.” While he whispered his
promise in her ear, her hand came to rest on his cheek for a moment.
As she asked Lexie to take him out, they heard in her sweet voice something that had been lost in the first few hours after the ordeal began.
Hope..
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“John!” He turned around. “Yeah Lex?” She came to meet him in front of Marlena’s door. “She’s not in there.” His eyes grew bewildered. “What do you mean she’s not in there?” Lex smiled. “She’s gone to see Hope.”
Sudden irrational thoughts of his life falling apart went through his mind. “She is?”
Lifelines Chapter 3: As Long As I Live
“She’s gone where?”
Lexie nodded. “She’s gone to see Hope. Maggie took her.” She scratched her nose. “She seemed very insistent that she was taken to her.” John clenched his teeth and prayed that somehow he’d be able to find a way to salvage this.
“Ah, Mr. Black.” Lexie and John turned to find a nurse heading towards them. John nodded. “Is everything alright?” She shook her head. “Dr Evans asked me to find you and bring you to Dr. Young’s office.”
John shook his head, glancing to Lexie. “Dr Young?” Lexie smiled. “That’s one of the Doctors that are assigned to Marlena’s condition.”
Fear shone in John’s eyes as he headed for the Doctor’s office at a run..
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
As he came past the Nurses station, Bo intercepted him. “Wait.” John froze. “I have to get to Marlena.” Bo shook his head. “She can wait.” John’s eyes turned black. “Excuse me?” Bo nodded. “You heard me. We need to clear the air.”
John jabbed his finger in his brother’s chest. “No, we don’t. We both said all that we needed to yesterday. You blamed MY wife for this while we all know that it is YOURS that has brought us to this point.”
Bo held up his hands. “I came to you to clear this up.” John shook his head. “No, no you didn’t. You did this to delay me from getting to my wife. Tell me something Bo, do you want to come with me so that you can apologize to Marlena for your speaking first without thinking?” When Bo was silent, John nodded.
“Yeah, that’s what I figured. I’d once thought growing up would have given you compassion. You seemed to have it, but for some reason, you’ve lost it while everyone told you this was NOT your wife.” He saw the Nurse coming back for him. “Now if you’ll excuse me, My wife needs me.”
Bo grabbed his arm, spinning John around to face him. “Well MY wife needs me too. I let her down so many times before. I won’t do it now. Marlena deserves blame here as much as me.” John shook his head. “How so?” He yanked his arm out of Bo’s reach.
“She can only do so much when a patient ducks out of appointments, isn’t honest and has her fiancee inform the doctor that her services aren’t needed. That they’re going to someone else less involved?”
Bo turned to the desk and punched it in frustration. “This is NOT going right.” John shook his head. “You got that right. Do us both a favor Bo. Leave me and my family alone from here on out okay. You may have meant well, but as usual, it’s NOT coming across as good intentions.” John walked away in search of Dr Young’s office.
Checking his watch, Bo muttered something about how John was more Brady than any of the Brady’s as he headed back to Hope’s room.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The Princess Gina glanced at her daughter and grimaced. “Stop crying Greta.” She gestured towards the notepad in her child’s lap. “Have you finished it?” Greta nodded as her hair fell in front of her face, hiding her tears.
“Ah ma petite chou, do not cry. This is how it should be. I was never allowed to have what I loved most. So those who denied me, will be punished.”
Greta nodded and they heard Bo talking just outside the door. Glaring at her daughter, Gina told her to dry her eyes. “Mail that for me please.”
As she watched her daughter walk away, Gina smiled a weak smile. “Soon, you’ll hurt as much as you’ve made me.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“Okay Marlena, he’s here.” John came in, closed the door behind him and stood just behind his wife. “Sorry I was late.”
Marlena smiled. “Better late than never.” She began to fidget. “So what’s happening with my eyes Dr. Young?” Her voice became hopeful. “Will I be able to see my babies or when this baby is born, will I get to see her?” John interrupted. “Him.”
Dr Young smiled. “Well based on the tests run after we brought you in and also this morning, I’m positive that as the swelling goes down, you will be able to see again.”
John’s smile couldn’t get any bigger. “Do you hear that Doc?” Marlena nodded, a smile coming across her face as well when John took her hand in his. “So what can we do to get this swelling down faster?”
Dr Young blinked. “Well outside of the medication aspect which we can’t really explore as you said that in regards to the baby, you didn’t want to do, not much. Just time and rest.”
John hugged his wife. “This we can do.” She playfully gave him a shove. “What is this WE business.” As everyone laughed, Doctor Young continued to explain how to help Marlena get reacquainted with her house.
Listening to the doctor talking, it was as if someone had laid flannel over Marlena’s ears or she had gone underwater. In the doctor’s place was Gina’s voice. Menacing and full of innuendo as she began the game.
“Marlena?” With the worried tone in the Doctor’s voice, John turned to see his wife doubled over in tears. Laying his hands on her back, Marlena sat straight up as if by his mere touch he electrocuted her.
“Doc?”
She shook her head. “I’m fine.” John glanced to the Doctor, who asked if Marlena wished to take the bandages off. “Yes, yes I do.”
He listened as the Doctor explained just what was going on and how as everything healed, it would be at first blurry and then drift back to normal. Marlena shook her head. “I just need to take these bandages off. Its like a form of itchy house arrest.”
As John watched, he found that there was something rather unearthly watching Marlena looking at him, with the once lively hazel eyes clouded over. “Doc?”
She just held out her hands. “Walk me back to my room honey please?”
He smiled and fought back the tears that came rushing up. Shaking his head, he thought to himself. “I helped to cause this.”
Worried, Marlena called out. “I’d like to go back sometime today John.”
Wrapping his arm around her, he nuzzled her neck. “I’m sorry.” Marlena smiled. “Instead of a seeing eye John, I’m going to look into a seeing eye Dog.”
Dr Young held the door open. “Dogs usually listen better than doting husbands.” Marlena laughed. “I’m beginning to see that. Ooops bad choice of words.”
John raised an eyebrow. “Should she be acting like this?” Dr Young smiled. “She’s making fun of her illness and you, yeah I think it’s a good sign.”
John smiled. “Just checking.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
They came into her room and found Shawn with Caroline. “Thank goodness your here.” John helped Marlena to climb into bed. “What’s wrong?”
Caroline glanced at Shawn. “We just wanted you to know. Gina passed away.”
John shook his head. “What did you just say?” Shawn nodded. “She told Bo the truth. It wasn’t Hope who shot Marlena.” John blinked. “Did she say where the real Hope has gone?”
Caroline nodded. “Yeah, she’s apparently locked up with Stefano of all people. But Bo is on the way to Paris to rescue them, Abe is with him and Shane is meeting them there.” She glanced at Marlena, who was lying with her back to him.
“Marlena?”
Worried, the trio looked at one another. “Are you alright?” She nodded. “My eyes are sore, I’m going to try to get some sleep if that’s alright?” Caroline nodded and Shawn spoke with love for the young woman he knew well. “We’re sorry, here we are talking about her and didn’t even ask how the tests went.”
John spoke for her when they got no response from her. “It went well. Doctor Young is hopeful.”
Caroline stepped forward. “Marlena?”
She turned around. “Honey, please don’t shut us out. The Brady’s are family.” Shawn came to stand beside her. “We’re so lucky. Lass we got you both back. We have you and Hope back and now in a few months, a new grandchild.”
Marlena felt the fear growing again and so she shook her head. “I’m tired.”
Worried over her, the trio left the room quietly as not to disturb her.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Hope looked at the letter that she had tried to write, had been trying to write for days. How in the world could she explain to the person that she had tried. Had fought, but the urge was beyond understanding. If she had to pinpoint what it was for a listener, it simply was like a compulsion that had no rational explanation.
But it was done to a person who had loved her for the simple reason that she was a friend. By loving Bo, Marlena had accepted her without question. Even after she had foolishly kissed Roman, Marlena was there. And now to have to say to her, that she had disgraced them both. She knew that Marlena would be so very hurt. To have not fought and allowed this to happen.
She glanced at this letter and crumpled it up. There would be time to explain it all when Bo brought her home to Salem. All she asked for was the chance to apologize..
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“Ssh.”
Marlena bit her lip so not to let the kids know that she was awake. It was her final day in the hospital and had fallen asleep while the release papers were signed. John had gotten permission from Lexie and the other Doctors for the children to be cleared to bring Mommy home.
“You no ssh me Bwady. I tell Daddy.” John knelt down. “Mommy’s asleep. You two keep it down. Remember what I told you.” Belle draped her arm around John. “Mommy no see us.” Brady shook his head. “No but she can hear us. We being loud.” He bit his lip. ‘Sorry Daddy.”
Before they could go in, John heard a crash from inside Marlena’s room. Quickly asking Alice and Maggie to watch the kids for a second, he went inside.
Marlena was crying and he found that she had knocked over a vase of flowers. “I can’t go home! John how in the world am I going to function at the penthouse if I can’t see?” Coming to her, he gathered her up. “We’re going to do this. You will come home for the simple reason, that’s where you belong. Chelsea and I are going to be there to help.”
Brady’s soft voice piped up. “Mommy, Belle and I help too.”
Breaking into a fresh round of tears, she knelt down and held out her hands. “Oh Brady.” As the little boy came to her, he gently reached up and did something that had him stealing his mom’s heart again.
In the tiny exact gesture so like his father, he dried her tears with his thumbs. “Smile Mommy.” She cuddled him close and inhaled his sweet little boy scent. “Momma!” Belle came running in followed by Alice and Maggie. “Are you ready to go home?”
Marlena nodded, cuddling her babies close. “As ready as I’m going to be.”
The Jarlena Journal 