Grandparents – By Karoline

“Honey, would you get that please?” Marlena shouts from the living room floor, where she is laying on her back, playing airplane with her granddaughter. “And the plane goes brrrr! Yes that’s right darling. One more time! Brrrr…” The curly haired 1 year old desperately tries to repeat her grandmothers Brr-sound, without much success. “That’s right curly, one more time. Brr!” Marlena balances the tiny girl on her feet, swinging her legs and arms from left to right.

 

At that moment John enters the living room, leaning against the door frame, smiling at the picture in front of him. “John, the door! Aww, honey look at Claire. Look at those moves. Girl is a natural, I tell yah! Within 3 years this little one is going to be the most promising little ballerina in all of Salem.” Marlena keeps swinging her legs and arms from one side to the other, causing her granddaughter to scream from excitement.

 

John plops down on the floor, lying on his side next to his fiancé and granddaughter. “Well, if this isn’t a Kodak moment, I don’t know wha…”

 

“John, honey, baby THE DOOR!” The only male present in the room jumps to his knees, kissing Marlena`s forehead on his way up, and jogs towards the front door.

 

“Good afternoon Mr Black. I have a delivery for Doctor Evans. If you would sign right there please.” The delivery man points at the sheet of the paper and hands John a pen. “Right there please.” John signs the paper, hands the young man some money, and closes the door. Balancing the rather heavy box in his arms, he stumbles towards Marlena and Claire; who’s still brrr`ing and oooo`ing at the living room floor. “Marlena, what’s this? Did you take pity on the poor tele-marketer again?”

 

John winks, but receives a somewhat offended look from the blonde on the floor. “NO! And for your information, that only happened once. And don’t tell me that you haven’t gotten tremendous joy out of those Russian-English dictionaries!” Marlena pulls Clair down from her feet, moves herself upwards in a sitting position, and tucks her granddaughter safely against her chest. “Uhh, Uhh,” tired of sitting still for more than a split second; Claire kicks her tiny feet against her grandmother’s thighs, ready for some more air plane action.

 

“Oh come here you!” Claire starts to giggle as John takes the little girl from Marlena`s arms and “throws” her up in the air. “Are you trying to send your poor grandmother into an early retirement baby girl? `Cause kid, if that is the case, you can just give it up right now. I have been working on a project `Let’s get the wife to spend a little less time doing work stuff, and a little more time doing her husb`…”

 

“John Back! What on earth do you think you’re doing!? You cannot talk dirty in front of our barely one year old granddaughter!” Giving her fiancé a look of utter disbelief, Marlena gently covers the baby’s ears with the palms of her hands. Claire, in the stage where everything is a game, starts to laugh at her grandmother’s actions. Marlena can’t help but grin at the adorable giggle that escapes the little girl, and bends over to give the baby a kiss on her heart shaped mouth. “Don’t listen to your grandpa Curly. He has no reason whatsoever to complain!”

 

“Oh! No no no, I am not complaining! Not complaining at all. I am probably the most satisfied man in…” “John, Honey; as much as I appreciate the compliment, I don’t want our granddaughter’s first words to be something that is related to our B-E-D room habits. Surely you must agree with me on that one?” John gives her one of those smiles that one only reserves for that special someone that knows all of you. “Ok, ok. Ok. Point taken. Will shut up on one condition…”

 

“And on what condition would that be Mr. Back?” Hazel rewards blue with a look that would make any man without a granddaughter in his arms, throws the hazel eyed beauty on the nearest couch, table or floor for that matter. “Oh, I think I’d rather show you.” With that he captures her lips with his own. A slight moan escapes her mouth as his tongue parts her lips. Marlena moves her palms to the back of John’s head; wanting and needing to feel as close to him as possible. Claire, obviously feeling neglected chooses that particular moment to throw her arms around her grandmother’s neck, and nuzzles her tiny nose against John’s chin, interrupting her grandparents loving embrace. The grandparents part their mouths as John pokes Claire’s nose. “That’s proof right there! She really is a Evans/Black baby! Remember that little incident when Belle walked in on us in the bathroom?” John laughs at the memory of his wife franticly grabbing a towel in desperate need to cover up her upper body, when their four year old daughter came barging into the bathroom, interrupting their very private moment.

 

Marlena picks up Claire’s stuffed rabbit and throws it at him. “John, that is still not funny! Remember the talk we had to have with her that night? Trying to get a 4 year old to knock before she enters a bed,- AND bathroom, really is much more difficult than one would think!” Tucking a loose strand of blonde hair behind her ear, he just stares at her, amazed by the fact that she can still take his breath away. Still make him smile just by walking into a room. Still awaken a desperate need to just hold her, and feel her close to him. “Do you know that I fall more and more in love with you with each day that goes by?” She moves from her position on the floor, and places herself on his lap, making sure not to harm the precious angel in his arms. He puts one arm around her waist, making sure that both his girls are comfortable. “No, I didn’t know that” She whispers, barley auditable as she gives him that particular smile that she only smiles at him. She gently blows at his neck before she softly kisses him on the corner of his mouth. “I just love you so…” Caressing her left temple, he looks into her eyes. “And I love you” he whispers, trying to memorize every spot of gold in her hazel orbs. She rewards him with a soft “thank you,” and gently takes his mouth with her own, poring all the love she feels for this amazing man into that one soft, gentle kiss.

 

“She does have your eyes you know,” Marlena turns her attention towards their daughter’s daughter that is nestled in John’s arms. “She might have my eyes, but her ability to fall asleep anywhere and everywhere is all Black blood. We should put her down.” John kisses the top of his sleeping granddaughter’s head, before moving his mouth to his fiancés lips, giving her a tender smooch. “Are you tired baby?” he whispers, as Marlena`s eyes closes, blocking out the bright light that’s streaming through the living room windows. She carefully untangles herself from John’s arms, rising to her feet, waiting for her two loves to get up. “Why don’t we let her sleep in our bed?” She asks in a soft voice, careful not to wake the sleeping child in John’s arms. Hand in hand they climb the stairs. John locks his left arm around her waist, as she kisses his cheek.

 

When they enter the master bedroom, John puts Claire down in the middle of their bed, tucking her in, making sure that she is warm and comfortable. “Honey, why don’t we take a nap with her? We should sleep when they sleep remember? And something tells me that we are going to need all the sleep we can possible get when this darling little one wakes up.”

 

Marlena stifles a laugh, smiling at him. “I guess you’re right. Playing airplane was never this exhausting with the twins, Brady, OR Belle.” John lifts the covers and motion for her to lie down next to their sleeping grandchild. Marlena lies down in the comfortable bed, as John pulls the covers up. He kisses her forehead, and moves his lips down to her mouth, giving her a taste of the love he feels for her at that particular moment. “Are you comfortable? Want me to get you a pair of pajama pants? He smiles down at her, gently stroking her cheek. “No thank you, I am just fine. Just perfect.” He leaves her bedside, and walks over to his side of the bed. He positions himself next to the sleeping child that his soon-to-be wife and he are already so very much in love with.

 

Marlena pulls Claire closer to her body. She kisses her cheek and whispers a sweet “I love you” to the newest addition to her family. John reaches over to capture a single tear that travels down her left cheek, giving her a heartwarming smile. Marlena smacks her lips, and mouths the words “and I love you” to her fiancé. John carefully places one arm over Claire’s tiny body, placing his palm on Marlena`s hip, pulling her shirt slightly up, caressing the soft skin that adores her body. She closes her eyes, letting the warmth from John’s hand lull her to sleep. For what seems like the hundredth time that morning, John can’t seem to take his eyes off of them. “Sweet dreams my angels” he whispers before sleep overtakes his body.

”Ao-o-o…ao-o-o! Upp…upp!” The tiny curly haired beauty strokes her hand softly down her grandmother’s cheek, desperate to wake her from her peaceful slumber.

 

John adjusts his eyes to the bright light that streams through the bedroom windows. After blinking his eyes a couple of times, he is finally able to focus. He can’t help but chuckle at his granddaughter’s innocent attempts to wake up her sleeping grandmother. Marlena on the other hand is still sleeping soundly. “A-o-o-o…..a-a-aoo, ma ma ma!” Claire keeps stroking Marlena`s cheek, her utter an adorable attempt to pronounce “hello” and “up” lost on the sleeping beauty in the master bed.

 

“Come here baby girl. I think grandma’s still feeling a little tired, let’s let her sleep some more, ok? Want a cookie sweetheart? And some milk? You hungry?” John; careful not to wake his sleeping fiancé, untangles Claire from Marlena`s loving arms. He pulls her to his chest, kissing her downy curls and whispers a soft “Want to blow grandma a kiss? Let’s blow her a kiss. Kiss, and blow!” Claire puts her hand to her mouth and kisses it, making an adorable smacking sound. “Ma ma ma!” The little girl gives her sleeping grandmother an adorable smile, waving her hands towards the sleeping beauty underneath the covers. John walks silently towards Marlena`s side of the bed, bending down to kiss her hair, whispering a soft

“I love you” before he walks through the door, carrying his granddaughter close to his body.

 

Two generations of Blacks enters the kitchen in search for milk and cookies. “Now baby, you better cross those adorable fingers of yours, and you should probably cross those legs as well…You think we’ll find some milk?” Claire shakes her head towards her grandfather, and John can’t help but laugh at the precious creature in his arms. “So you already have your grandparents food habits all figured out huh?! I bet your mama has spilled the beans.” John tickles Claire’s tummy and nuzzles his nose to her tiny one. “You know what babe, regardless of what some people might tell you, food is about more than nourishment. Take Strawberries for instance…Yes, strawberries are relatively healthy, but that is NOT the only reason as to why you should eat them. Your grandma and I have always…”

 

“JOHN BLACK! Didn’t I just tell you to behave yourself around our girl? I can’t leave the two of you alone for ONE minute can I?!” John twirls around, trying desperately to hide a grin. “Well, it’s not like I was going to give her all the magnificent details!”

“Well, that’s comforting…” Marlena rolls her eyes at him, she places one hand in front of her mouth, but is still not able to cover up the adorable giggle that is threatening to escape her lips.

 

John crosses the floor, and stops mere inches from her face. “You are supposed to be asleep.” He smiles down at her, caressing her neck. “I have slept. I was sleeping, but then I woke up. And I was lying there, all alone in that big empty bed, and I was missing my handsome fiancé, and my darling granddaughter. So here I am, all rested and ready for some milk and cookies I presume? John moves his hand from her face and down to her lower back, pulling her against Claire and him. Claire bends forwards blowing Marlena a kiss. Marlena takes the baby from John’s arms, kissing her tiny mouth. “Did you sleep well in grandma and grandpa’s bed baby? Or did grandpa’s snoring keep you up?” Marlena winks at John, smacking her lips at him.

 

“Oh oh oh! Watch it pretty lady! I do not snore! And for your information, last night, after we…mm, -You know.” John points at Claire, as Marlena rolls her eyes at him for the second time that afternoon, but still can’t seem to hide the flirtatious smile that has taken over her entire face. “You were moaning in your sleep! So if I am snorer, you are most definitely a moaner! Not that I mind or anything.” John closes the short distance between the two of them, and places his lips on hers. Marlena opens up her mouth and allows his tongue to enter her mouth, as slight a moan escapes her lips. Still in a lip lock with his soon to be wife, John can’t help but chuckle at the moan that escapes her. Marlena pulls away from his lips, as she smacks the left side of his chest, and pokes one finger into his rib cage. “Oh, you’re such a …” John puts his palm in front of her mouth before the word slips through her lips. “Watch it Evans, there are children present!”

 

“Well you really are…!” Marlena turns her head to the right; losing eye contact with him, as John places his index finger on her chin, forcing her to look at him. “But you still love me right? You still find me utter adorable, and you cannot WAIT to spend your rest of your WONDERFUL life with me!” John grins, much like a 13 year old girl in love for the first time. “Well, I did say I would merry you, so on some level I must at least like you…”

 

Tired of feeling left out of the conversation, Claire softly touches her grandmother’s hair with one hand, as she puts her other hand inside Marlena`s mouth. “Aa-o-o-o!”

“HELLO darling! You hungry?!” Marlena walks towards the refrigerator as she bumps Claire on her hip. “Honey, do we have milk?! Now, let’s cross our fingers baby. Milk, milk…milk. Where’s the milk? John, honey…There is no milk!”

 

“What do you say Claire, want to go for a ride in grandpa’s cool car?!” John makes car sounds as he pulls Claire over his head, running from the kitchen and into the living room, a smiling Marlena close behind. “John, would you get her coat from the closet? I’ll get her hat from the nursery.”

“Sure thing babe!”

 

“Maybe we should stop by the park? It’s still warm, and we still have a few hours before we have to get this little one down for the night.” John smiles at Marlena, stroking her thigh in slow lazy circles. “Yeah, she’ll love that! “ She smiles back at him, turns around in her seat and gives Claire a smile as well. “What do you say Curly, want to go to the park with grandpa and grandma?!” Claire giggles as she looks at Marlena. She might not understand some of the words that are coming from her grandmother’s mouth, but is still thrilled by her enthusiasm.

 

Marlena, sitting comfortably at a park bench; her gaze locked at her fiancé and granddaughter playing in the sand. “Want to build a castle for grandma? A big one, with golden walls and eleven swimming pools!?”

 

“Calm down sailor, I’ll settle for the golden walls.” Marlena joins her family in the sand, kisses Claire’s cheek, and settles down in between John’s legs. As she rests her back against his chest, he nuzzles her cold neck, and blows some warm air down the back of her sweater. “You cold baby?” She turns her head around, captures his lips in a sweet kiss as she replies. “No, I’m fine thank you. You OK? She smiles at him, strokes her hand down his temple, as she snuggles even closer to him.

 

“Never been better! What do you say we quit our day jobs and file for the position as Claire’s nannies?” “I say, that’s the best idea you’ve had all day!” On queue, Claire starts to clap her hands as she starts to giggle. “Well, looks like she’s OK with It,” John lifts her up from the sand, as Marlena tries to get some of the sand off of her behind. “Come on Curly, let’s get your grandpa home, he needs his sleep, or else he’ll be mighty cranky in the morning, and we don’t want that do we? Marlena starts to walk towards their car, as John comes running after her, Claire bouncing on his hip “Watch it Evans!” he shouts as he runs even faster, slapping her butt when he passes her.

The room is bathed in candle light, as soft music fills the room. One often hears that it is important, from time to time, to lock the doors, close the windows and pull down the curtains in order to forget that the world exists. The curtains in the penthouse living room are indeed pulled down, the windows are closed, and the door is most definitely locked! A blonde woman is lying comfortably on the couch, safely tucked underneath a rather heavy navy blanket. With her glasses randomly positioned on her nose and the book resting on her chest, she is the definition of relaxation. When she hears the key in the lock, she slowly turns her head towards the front door. “Finally…” she whispers as a smile forms on her lips.

 

“What did I tell you about not waiting up!? You need your sleep baby! We only need one insomniac in this marriage!” He puts down his briefcase, places his keys on the table, and walks towards her; all the while smiling at the beauty that he is, once again, allowed to call his wife. He reaches the couch, bends down, and takes in the beauty of the angelic creature comfortably resting in between heavy cushions.

 

“But I told you on the day we were married, AGAIN…That I would never go to sleep without you, and I do attend to keep that promise.” She gives him one of those smiles that makes him believe that surely she must be the most beautiful creature ever created. “John honey, are you OK? You look tired. You need anything?” She puts one hand to his forehead, as the other one places itself at the nape of his neck.

 

“I just need to be close to you.” He whispers as he places his lips on her forehead. “I think that can be arranged.” She whispers as she makes room for him on the couch. He takes off his shoes and throws his jacket on the coffee table. “Honey, not on the table…” She points at his jacket now lying on the table. “Mood killer!” He replies as he picks up the jacket and throws it on the couch opposite to the one that Marlena is lying on.

 

He lies down on the couch, and immediately pulls his wife’s body closer to his own. “Two questions…Maybe three” he smiles at her, raising his right eyes brow in his very John Blakish way. “Yeeess…” She replies as her left palm places itself on his abdomen, underneath his black sweater. “How can someone look that hot wearing glasses? I mean, it is glasses for crying out load! Women wearing them, walk around my office all day, and NOTHING! Nothing nothing nothing! And then I come home to you, and you are wearing yours, and I just get this tremendous need to rip every single piece of clothing off of your gorgeous body, BUT leaving the glasses on, and consummate our marriage for the 700th time! So doc, how do you explain that? Think I need a shrink? She just stares at him, no reaction evident on her perfect face. “Well, first of all, I am going to cut down on my laundry expanses!” and then the giggle starts, that adorable giggle that he can’t get enough of. The adorable sound that keeps playing in his mind over and over again when he’s away from her.

 

“Well, I don’t even know what to say about your glasses fetish, but remind me to wear them to bed more often!” “Not needed…” he chuckles as he plants his lips in her neck. She turns her head so that her lips find his, capturing his mouth with hers. His hand slowly unbuttons her pajama top, and his left hand strokes her bare stomach. “Before you move that hand of yours to other parts of my body…You had two more questions for me!” John removes his mouth form her chest and looks directly into her eyes. “I am busy Marlena. A little less talk, a little more lovin`!” She can’t help but laugh as he covers her mouth with his hand, and continue kissing her neck.

 

“John, no! I want to know what you were going to ask me!” “John grunts and again removes his lips from her body. He pulls her body a little further down, so that they are at eye level with each other. He looks at her, without saying anything and she waves her arm. “Ohh, the question! Honey, the second question!” But he just keeps starring at her, confusion written all over his face. “Don’t tell me that you forgot! Honey you always do that! You did that last night as well. You were brushing your teeth, and you kept trying to talk to me from the bathroom. And I couldn`t make out what you were saying…”

 

“Speaking of making out…” He hovers over her, pinning her body underneath his own, kissing her senseless, her tongue immediately entering his mouth. Determent to prove her point, she pushes him away from her, hitting his chest. “Don’t do that!” She whispers, catching her breath. “You do know that it takes two to tango don’t you?” he replies, and grins back at her. His captivating smile draws her in, and she can’t help but fall back into his arms. Her hands pull his face closer to hers, as their mouths lock together. As her hand travels from his abdomen to his thigh, he abruptly pulls back. “What were you were saying about the bathroom? I was brushing my teeth? Something about you not being able to hear what I was saying…?”

 

Marlena blinks her eyes, trying to focus on the man in front of her. “Wha? …Huh?I was…You was, you were. I was in…You were in bed brushing your teeth…” John can’t help but laugh at the stuttering blonde trying desperately to hide the fact she’s as affected by the passionate moment as her husband is.

 

“Ok ok ok, point taken!” She pecks his lips and tries desperately to untangle herself from John’s arms, finding the task impossible. Her pajama top is tucked in between the couch cushions, her hair is stuck to John’s watch, and for some reason she can’t make out what leg is hers and what leg is her husbands.

 

“John, Sweetie…HELP!” John laughs as he carefully tries to loosen her hair from his watch, while trying to pull her pajama top from the cushions. “Where are you going?” He asks, as he is finally able to loosen her hair from his watch. “I am going to make my darling husband some hot chocolate.” She is finally able to remove herself from the couch, and he hands her the pajama top. “Better put this one on, or I will not be responsible for my actions…” She puts the top on, kisses his head and start walking towards the kitchen.

 

Shortly afterwards she returns to an empty living room, two cups in hand. “John, I know I said I was going to make something in the kitchen, but that is still no reason for you to run away! Get back down her!” She places the two steaming cups on the coffee table and finds a comfortable position on the couch. “You do make a mean cup of hot chocolate, I’ll give you that much!” John walks down the stairs, wearing pajama pants and a white T–shirt. He joins his wife on the couch, sitting behind her, pulling her close to his body. He hands her one of the cups of hot chocolate, blowing some cold air into it, making sure that she doesn’t burn herself on the hot liquid. Marlena presses “play” on the remote, soft music again filling the candlelight room. “So doctor Evans, how was your day?” Her head places itself comfortably on his broad chest, as he softly massages the knots in her shoulders. “At this moment, I can’t even remember what I do for a living” she replies as her heartfelt laughter fills the penthouse living room.

”Good morning, Liz! Is my husband in his office?” Liz, John’s secretary, welcomes her boss’s wife with a sweet smile, silently wondering how the stunning blonde can manage to look like a ray of sunshine even after a long day at the hospital. “Good morning, Dr. Evans. Yes he is, just go right in. Speaking from experience, I know he’ll be pleasantly surprised.”

 

“Thank you, Liz.” Marlena gives the woman one last smile and walks towards her husband’s office, amazed by the fact that she’s able to miss him after being away from him for one day.

 

“Surely that cannot be normal…” She whispers to herself as her hand reaches the doorknob. “But when were we ever normal…?”

 

She walks through the door, noticing that John is on the phone, his back turned away from the door, his eyes focused on something outside the office windows.

 

“Yes, sweetheart! Of course we don’t mind. Don’t worry about a thing; we’ll take care of everything. You just do whatever you have to do and get back when you are ready to get back. Stay for the entire weekend if necessary. And call me as soon as you get there, ok? I love you, baby, and BE careful!”

 

“Talking to your mistress again, John? You know, you really should start to lock your door when you’re on the phone with her, because you never know when your wife is going to stop by for a short afternoon visit.” Marlena closes the door behind her and walks towards her husband, tossing her turquoise silk scarf at a random chair as she passes it. As she reaches her husband’s desk, he swings his legs over the large table, sitting at the edge of the wooden desk, signaling with his index finger for her to come closer. She closes the short distance between them and places herself between his legs. Marlena hooks her arms around his neck as John places his arms at the small of her back, his palms dangerously close to her buttocks. “Hi” they both whisper at the same time as she abruptly captures his mouth with her own. His hands travel the short distance towards her backside, and she edges even closer to him.

 

He pulls away from her lips, looking into her hazel orbs. “You really should come with a warning, you know that? Sirens, lights: the whole package! I am too old to have such a gorgeous blonde walking into my office unannounced.”

 

“Maybe I just like the look on your face when you realize that I am your rather rude `why would I bother to knock` guest.” She rewards him with a sweet yet flirtatious smile.

 

“And what look would that be, Mrs. Black?” Marlena moves her mouth closer to John’s, the air leaving her lips when she speaks, traveling from her mouth to his.

 

“Oh, I don’t know. When you turn around you look somewhat annoyed, but when you realize that I am indeed your rude guest, you first look a little shocked, then surprised. But when I smile at you…that is the moment you realize it’s really me. You look…Mmm, what’s that word again?!” She puts one finger to her right temple, pretending to be in deep thought.

 

“Relieved? Pleasantly surprised? Make that extremely pleasantly surprised. Happy? Optimistic? Hopeful? In love?” He moves even closer to her, his breath tickling her lips as he utter those last two words. “That would be the one…” she replies as their lips meet for the third time that afternoon. A soft moan escapes Marlena’s mouth and she pulls away from his lips as his hand travels underneath her black suit jacket.

 

“You know what? As wonderful as this feels, it’s not the only reason I came by your office.” John moves his other hand up to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her left ear.

 

“Are you sure about that?” He whispers as his hand travels underneath her white shirt, his lips working their magic on the sensitive skin of her neck.

 

“Oh, honey, that feels good. And ohh! Yeah, I mean, no…No, I mean YES! Yes, yes it’s not the only reason!”

 

“But you have to admit that it is a pretty good reason!?” He rewards her with one of his famous John Black smiles, and his hand travels from her bare stomach, ending its journey on her left breast. “I am not complaining! You just go right ahead and show me that this was a good reason to come by.” He uses the hand that is still resting on her buttocks to pull her even closer to him as he moves closer to the edge of the large wooden desk. “…Good reason,” she whispers as her tongue tickles his bottom lip.

 

Before her mind has a chance to register what is going on, John puts his hands underneath Marlena’s arms, lifts her up, and places her in his lap, her legs landing on one side of his desk. “What are you doing?” she manages to utter between heartfelt giggles. “I am working on your reason for stopping by my office!” He speaks matter-of-factly as his hand once again starts its journey underneath her suit jacket.

 

“No, John, why?? No! Make it stop, honey, make it stop!” She shakes her head and points towards her briefcase, now tossed on the floor. “Honey, I swear that we both have radars that tell people when NOT to call, and they just decide to call anyway!” Her mouth places itself on his, her tongue again entering his mouth, the annoying ringing long forgotten. Her right hand struggles to open the small buttons on his shirt, as the left one pulls his shirt from his suit pants.

 

“NO! Who are these people and what do they want? Can’t they take a hint?” She speaks between kisses as his hands caresses the soft skin underneath her now-open shirt.

 

The ringing continues and he pulls away from her mouth. Looking directly into each other’s eyes, they simply smile at each other. “I’ll make them go away. Sit tight!” She pecks his lips one last time. “Tight, being the key word…” John mumbles, and Marlena can’t help but laugh at the desperate look on his face. She moves her legs from the wooden desk and jumps down from his lap, starting to button up her shirt as she walks towards her briefcase.

 

“Don’t bother, baby, that thing is coming right off within five minutes anyway!” She turns around and rolls her eyes at him. Marlena takes one more step, but before she reaches the source of the ringing sound, she stops with her back to her husband. “Well, if it is indeed coming off in a few minutes, I might as well save us some time.” She pulls her shirt down slightly, exposing her shoulder to him. Tilting her head to one side, Marlena gives him a devilish look as the shirt leaves her body. She takes one last step, bends over, and picks up her briefcase, pretending not to hear the muffled sounds coming from the man behind her.

 

“Doctor Evans!” She walks towards a chair and rests her behind on the back of the chair, her legs crossed, her arms folded at her bare stomach. “Belle! What phone are you calling from? I didn’t recognize the phone number! Yes, I was ehm…I was talking to a colleague of mine. But I’m here now. Is everything all right, sweetheart, you sound upset?” Upon hearing the serious tone in his wife’s voice, John walks towards her and sits down in the chair that Marlena is leaning against. “I am sorry, sweetie! And of course we’ll take care of her; you know how much we love having our granddaughter around.” Marlena smiles at John, gently stroking his temple. She walks around the chair and places herself in his lap. “Oh, no, no, you don’t have to call your daddy one more time, I am with him now and I’ll tell him. Oh, mm, Yeah! I must’ve misspoken; I was talking to a colleague of your daddy’s, not one of mine…Yes, that’s right! I was talking to Liz and I didn’t hear the phone! Sorry about that.

 

John tries to hold back a laugh, but finds the task impossible.

 

“Sure, babe, she’ll believe that…Try a little harder!” Marlena slaps his arm, sticking her tongue out at him. “No, Belle, we really don’t mind! You just go ahead and do whatever you have to do, and call us when you get there. And we love you, baby! Yes, I will give your daddy and Claire a kiss from you. Bye, sweetie.”

 

Marlena puts her phone back into her briefcase and turns her head towards her husband. “So, what did my mistress want? She’s calling you as well now? John leans towards her, capturing her lips with his own. “So THAT was your mistress. I must say that I am actually a little disappointed. I was actually looking forward to punishing you for your indecent behavior.” He rises from the chair, lifting her in his arms, holding her close to his body. “In that case, I never talked to our daughter, and I have no idea what she asked you about. It looks like I must be punished.” John crosses the floor and stops when he reaches the couch, throwing Marlena down before lying on top of her. “Honey, as much as I would like to punish you right here, right now, I am afraid we have to leave. Caroline and Shawn have Claire with them at the Brady Pub and we have to pick her up. Tomorrow is St. Patrick’s Day and Belle didn’t feel right about them taking care of Claire for more than a few hours when they’re that busy. Are you ready to leave? Or should I just pick her up and meet you at the penthouse later tonight?

 

Still lying on top of her, John looks down at his wife, finding it rather difficult to concentrate with her trapped beneath him, half naked! “I am ready on so many levels…”

 

“John, honey, we have to go! Are you all done here? Or do you have some more work to do? She looks into his eyes, giving him a brilliant smile. “I do have some more work to do, but if it’s either that or spending time with two of my three favorite girls, I can be out of here in three minutes!”

 

“But, honey, since when do you spend three whole minutes collecting your things on a Friday afternoon? She looks into his eyes, caressing his naked skin underneath his dress shirt.

 

“Oh no, I’ll need one short minute to gather my things. The two remaining minutes I plan on spending right here, on the couch, makin` out with my gorgeous wife.” Marlena can’t help but laugh at John’s corny choice of words but is still intrigued by his proposition. “I’m game…” She replies between giggles as he closes the short distance between them, taking her mouth with his own.

 

“Honey…Honey…Sweetie…We have to go…” She manages to mumble between kisses as she tries to push him off of her. “I know, I know…” John eventually pulls away from his wife, lifting her from the couch and placing her legs on the floor. He walks towards the chair as he picks up her white shirt.

 

“Really is a shame to cover you up, you know that?” He mumbles as he helps her into the shirt. “Sure, sweetie, I don’t mind walking around town half naked, and I am sure that you would love it as well.” Marlena pecks his lips and starts to button her shirt. As she passes him she slaps his butt and tells him to hurry up and get his things.

 

“You all set?” She asks as she puts on her suit jacket and picks up her briefcase. “Yup! All set! He walks towards her, putting her turquoise silk scarf around her neck and taking her hand in his as they walk through his office door.

 

“Liz, my wife and I have to pick up our granddaughter, so we have to leave a little early. If there’s a life and death situation just call me on my cell.”

 

“I’ll take care of everything, Mr. Black; you just go ahead and enjoy your wife and granddaughter. I’ll see you on Monday.” John gives the elderly woman a sweet smile. “Thank you, Liz, and enjoy your weekend as well.” Marlena walks over to Liz’s desk, giving her a brilliant smile. “Have a wonderful weekend, Liz, and give our best to your husband and family.” Marlena takes her husband’s hand and together they walk towards the elevator. John presses the elevator button and gives Marlena a sweet kiss before looking into her eyes. “I just love Friday afternoons…” he whispers as he smiles at her. “I just love you” she replies as she kisses his cheek.

 

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

 

John and Marlena enter the Brady Pub and are greeted by Caroline at the front door. “Marlena, John! It’s so nice to see you! Come on in, dears. Can I get you anything? Coffee? Tea? Some food? Cake? Apple pie? Hot chocolate? Caroline, ever the warm and welcoming woman, walks the couple into the pub. “Thank you so much, Caroline, but we should probably get Claire home. It’s getting a little late and John promised to make dinner. Not that I am holding my breath on that one.

 

“Marlena winks at Caroline and receives a slap on her arm from her husband. “You just shut that gorgeous little mouth of yours, doctor! The girls will be fed, Caroline, not to worry!” Marlena pulls her husband by the hand towards the counter, looking for her granddaughter.

 

“There she is!! Hi, baby girl. Are you having fun??” Marlena lets go of John’s hand as she walks towards Shawn and Claire. She kisses Shawn’s cheek and strokes the baby’s chin with her palm. Claire immediately reaches her tiny arms towards her grandmother, wanting to be held by the woman that is so obviously thrilled to see the little girl.

 

“Did you behave yourself for your great grandpa, Curly? Did you keep him busy? I bet you did! Yes, I bet you did!” Marlena bumps Claire on her hip, pulling the little girl closer, kissing her tiny mouth.

 

“So she found you, huh? Brace yourself, baby girl, your grandma is going to spend the rest of the weekend kissing, hugging, squeezing and smooching your precious face.” Marlena kicks John’s leg before uttering the words, “Like you can keep your hands and lips away from this gorgeous creature!” Marlena rolls her eyes at him, giving her granddaughter one more kiss. “Oh I never said I could. And I can’t seem to keep my hands and lips off her grandmother either,” he replies as he captures her lips with his own.

 

“It’s so lovely to see that the two of you can’t seem to get past that ‘all over you’ phase,” Caroline interrupts the tender moment between the two lovers and their precious granddaughter. “I guess some things never change.”

 

“So, Claire, you ready to go home with your grandma and grandpa?” Caroline pokes Claire’s tiny nose. Claire giggles and nuzzles her little face against Marlena`s hair. “Thank you so much for taking care of her, Caroline, Shawn. Belle wanted us to thank you as well and to tell you that she owes you big time. Those were her exact words, and I am sure that she means every one of them.” Marlena kisses both Caroline and Shawn as she puts Claire’s pink wool coat on her tiny body.

 

“Is Belle’s friend ok? We didn’t get a chance to talk to her when she dropped Claire off. She was in a hurry, and she spent the few minutes she had to spare saying goodbye to Clair. We didn’t want to interrupt.” John takes Claire from his wife’s arms and answers Caroline’s question as Marlena gathers the baby’s things. “Yes, physically she is fine, but she desperately needed someone to talk to. Since Belle has been through a miscarriage herself, she wanted to at least be there for her. We think it’ll be good for Izzy as well, and hopefully the two young women will be able to help each other.” John kisses the top of Claire’s curly head before Marlena puts the pink hat on her.

 

“So, we ready?” John asks as he lifts Claire above his head, causing her to scream with excitement. “Yes, all set! We have to stop by the grocery store. And you, mister, have to get the ingredients for my seven-course dinner.” She winks at him and motions for him to walk towards the front door. “Oh no, no, I never said seven courses! I said I would cook for you, but that is it! No numbers! So you just behave yourself, young lady, or I might have to skip the dessert!” He pinches her chin and ruffles her hair, and she pushes his hands away from her.

 

“You, me, US skipping dessert?! Yes, like that is ever going to happen! I still believe that this dinner will end up being made by Mr. Shang Hui, and delivered by our buddy Thomas.” Marlena tells her granddaughter to wave bye bye to her great grandparents as the three of them leave the Brady pub.

“Of course you need eggs when you bake bread! Since when do you not need eggs when you bake bread?! All pastries have eggs in them, John!” John can’t seem to contain his laughter as his wife, ever the diplomat, tries to convince him that she really does know how to bake bread. “Darling, trust me on this one, bread does not contain eggs! Waffles do, pancakes do, and even muffins do, but bread? Noooo!” John shakes his head and gives her a teasingly mocking look as he strokes her cheek.

 

“And how long have you been the reincarnated James Oliver?” Marlena pinches his cheek, taking Claire from her husband’s arms.

 

“Don’t listen to your grandpa, Curly. He really doesn’t know what he’s talking about. When you turn six, you and Grandma are going to sign up for the most advanced cooking class in all of Salem. And we’re going to show them! They will never know what hit them!”

 

Marlena walks towards the cashier, her granddaughter safely tucked in her arms. “Hey, Martha Stewart, you coming?” She turns around, winking at her husband. “Oh, zip it, Evans!” John closes the distance between himself and his girls, eggs, milk, and steaks in hand. “Doc, what more do we need, honey? Something for Claire, or did you stop by Salem Place before you came to see me at the office?” He smiles at her, noticing the way she tries to hide her smile as she glimpses the eggs underneath his left arm. “I think we have everything we need. No, wait—popcorn! Hold on a sec, I’ll go get it.” Marlena hands Claire over to John and start jogging towards the back of the store. “That, kid, is a woman on a mission!” John points towards Marlena. Claire, laughing at her grandfather’s chuckles, points towards Marlena, desperately trying to form the word “grandma” in her tiny mouth. “k-k-k maa ma ma ma!”

 

“That a girl, baby! One more time, you can do it! Graand maaaa. Grand maaa!”

 

Finding the task quite impossible, Claire decides to show her grandfather what she can say! “mamaama”

Kissing his granddaughter’s soft cheek, John whispers in the baby’s ear, “We’ll practice more tomorrow morning before your grandma wakes up, OK?” John kisses Claire’s forehead and puts the groceries on the counter.

 

“What are you two whispering about? Are you keeping secrets from me now?” Marlena walks up to her family, smiling at them. She hooks her arms around her husband’s neck, pecking his lips. “If your grandpa is letting you in on one of his secrets, Claire, you have to tell Grandma when he’s not around, OK? It is girls against boys, remember?” Marlena whispers in the little girl’s ear, causing Claire to giggle at the tickling sensation created by the air leaving Marlena’s mouth. Letting go of John’s neck, Marlena puts the popcorn on the counter. “Now pay for my popcorn, hubby!”

 

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

 

You’re such a good girl, Curly! You ate your peas and everything.” Marlena points at the empty plate in front of Claire, smiling at the one year old. “Of course she ate her peas; those were very, very good peas!” John smiles at Marlena, waiting for her response. “Yes, John! The peas were very good, very, very good peas! You did an amazing job with the peas, honey, and an amazing job with the peas!!” Marlena leaves the kitchen table and walks towards the refrigerator, bringing a bottle of water back with her to the table. Instead of going back to her own chair, she places herself on her husband’s lap. She turns around, kisses him, and whispers in his ear, “The peas really were outstanding, honey, thank you.” She pecks his lips one more time before taking a sip of water from the water bottle.

 

“So, what should we do for dessert?” Marlena puts down the bottle, excitement written all over her beautiful face. “You want out of your chair, baby girl? She lifts Claire out of the high chair and turns around in John’s lap, straddling his legs, Claire tucked between them. “With you in that position, a few ideas come to mind. But obviously we can’t do that, so I’ll settle for…WAFFLES! With eggs in them and everything!” Marlena pokes one finger into the side of John’s stomach, causing him to jump in his chair, the sudden movement making his granddaughter giggle. “You really are the cutest little thing ever created, aren’t you, Curly?! Yes you are! Kiss??” Marlena bends forward and the little girl meets her half way, planting a sloppy wet kiss on her grandmother’s lips. After giving Marlena a kiss, the little girl turns her head and plants her lips on her grandfather’s left eye. “Why, thank you, angel!” John replies as he wipes his eye, kissing the little girl’s downy head. “You have your grandmother’s eyes, and you seem to have inherited her loving affection as well. Just make sure that you don’t go around spreading that love and affection to people outside this family until you turn 42!”

 

“So what do you say, girls, waffles for desert? Waffles with vanilla ice cream, chocolate sprinkles, and m&m`s? Marlena rises to her feet and starts clearing the dinner table, putting the plates in the dishwasher. “First of all, honey, we have to get you some more male friends. Your food habits have me worried.” She walks towards him, capturing his face in her palms and pecking his lips. Trying his best to look offended, he replies, “Does that mean that I have to leave the house more? Because I for one happen to like spending nights eating waffles and watching sappy prime time shows with my wife. I don’t see anything wrong with that! And for your information, I eat wood and drink beer every day when you’re not around!”

 

Marlena pulls away, standing over them, looking down at her two loves. “Then how come I don’t notice the wood/beer taste when you kiss me when I get home in the afternoon, mister manly man?” She gives him a flirtatious smile, licking her lips to emphasize her point. Smiling at his wife’s choice of words, John pulls her towards him by her collar, capturing her lips with his own his tongue finding its way into her warm mouth. “Mmm yum,” she whispers as their lips part. “I guess you skipped both the wood and the beer today?” Smiling at him, Marlena takes her granddaughter from his arms and pulls her husband by the hand, leading him to the kitchen counter. “Now get your apron, darling! And let’s make those waffles!”

 

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

“Oh, honey, we are never going to get this little one to sleep after feeding her waffles! What were we thinking? We have been parenting for 25 years; we should know these things!” Marlena sinks down on the living room floor, resting her back against the couch. Positioning himself next to his wife, John puts a heavy cushion behind her back, making sure that she is comfortable. “Honey, look at her! She is like a little spitfire.” Marlena points at the adorable girl, crawling around on the living room floor, playing with her stuffed rabbit. “Marlena, we are her grandparents, not her parents. We are allowed to feed her anything we want, put her to bed way past her bedtime, and let her eat waffles all day long if she pleases. That is the thrill of being grandparents!” John starts chasing his granddaughter around on the floor. Claire screams from excitement, crawling as fast as she can towards her salvation: her grandmother.

 

“Watch out, Curly! He’s right behind you! Right behind you!” Claire reaches her destination and crawls into Marlena’s open arms as her grandpa jumps all over his girls, trapping them underneath his body, making sure not to harm them in any way. “You know what, baby girl, escaping the Grandpa Monster would be so much easier if you just gave in and decided to use those pretty little legs of yours for walking and not crawling.” John takes Claire from his wife’s arms and lifts Marlena from her back and into a sitting position.

 

“She will walk when she’s good and ready, honey. It’s not abnormal for kids who are barely a year old not to walk. I didn’t start walking until I was fifteen months old! And Belle was a slow walker as well.” Marlena gently caresses her granddaughter’s soft hair and bends forward to kiss her forehead. “Stubbornness,” John mumbles under his breath, hiding a grin from his wife.

 

“What was that? What did you say?” Marlena closes the distance between the two of them, her mouth close to his.

 

“Would you repeat that please? I didn’t quite hear you.” Obviously affected by his wife’s presence, John coughs and tries to look away. Not satisfied with her husband’s response, Marlena puts her index finger beneath his chin, turning his head back so that she is eye level with him. She moves even closer and locks eyes with him. “Stubb…” before he’s able to finish the word Marlena captures his mouth with her own, her tongue immediately seeking entrance. She pulls at his collar, making sure that she feels all of him, loving the feeling of his lips on hers, her tongue dueling with his, one of his hands caressing her neck. Their lips part only when they lack oxygen. “You were saying?” Marlena pulls away from him, caressing his temple. “I want Y–…!”

 

“Watch it, babe!” Marlena slaps his thigh and points at the little girl nestled in her husband’s arms. “Not going to happen! But look at her, she’s down from her waffle high,” she whispers as John kisses the top of the little girl’s head. The little curly-haired angel is resting her head against her grandpa’s broad chest, sucking her thumb with heavy eyes. “Let’s take her upstairs. Where’s she sleeping, in our bedroom or in the nursery? John asks as they walk towards the staircase. “I want her close to us. She hasn’t slept in the nursery for weeks. I don’t want her to wake up and not know where she is.” John walks up the stairs, a now-sleeping Claire in his arms, his left hand caressing Marlena’s lower back. “Sounds reasonable. I guess you’re just going to hold back on your moaning as I…”

 

“John Black!” Marlena whispers, pretending to be shocked. Walking the two steps between them, he stops when he’s only mere inches away from her. “Well, we could always DO IT in the bathroom, she would NEVER know,” he whispers as he passes her. “Oh, don’t go get any ideas, Mr. Black. We’re babysitting our granddaughter; that’s serious business! No time for playing.”

 

“We’ll see about that,” he murmurs as he walks the remaining distance to their bedroom.

“Was that Izzy on the phone, sweetheart?” John asks as Marlena walks into the large bathroom and closes the door behind her, making sure that their voices don’t wake their sleeping granddaughter in the master bedroom. She walks towards her husband and stands behind him, massaging his shoulders.

 

Standing on her tiptoes, she kisses the nape of his neck before standing beside him, in front of the large mirror. “Yes, her plane landed two hours ago. Elizabeth picked her up, and when I talked to her they were about to have dinner at her apartment. So all things considered, everything is fine with the girls.”

 

Marlena reaches for her toothbrush as John hands her the toothpaste. “Did Belle say anything about Elizabeth coming back to Salem with her? Wasn’t she thinking about spending a few days with Belle and Claire at the loft?” John splashes some water on his face and locks eyes with his wife in the mirror in front of them.

 

“Yes, she’s planning on flying back with Belle on Sunday, and she’ll be staying in Salem for a few days. She just needs get away, recuperate, and relax.” Marlena starts brushing her teeth as John unbuttons his shirt. “We should have them over for dinner on Sunday, when they pick Claire up,” he suggests. She simply nods her head, toothbrush in her mouth.

 

“Yeah, I think they would like that. Are you cooking again, or are you all cooked out after preparing dinner for your darling wife and granddaughter this afternoon?” She winks at him as she wipes her face with the white fluffy towel that John hands her. “I’m thinking that we should probably give our dear friend Mr. Shang Hui a call. What do you say?”

 

John walks away from the sink and stands behind his wife, placing his hands around her waist, kissing the top of her head. “Considering the fact that Belle will be bringing Elizabeth with her, I have to agree with you. We don’t want to scare the poor girl away, do we? I will stay as far away from the kitchen as humanly possible, and you will obviously stay close to me, so no cooking for either one of us.”

 

Marlena turns around, locking eyes with her husband, and smiles back at him. He closes the distance between them and captures her lips with his own. With great vigor, he plunges his tongue into her mouth, tasting the fresh mint on her lips. Pulling back slightly she can’t help but chuckle at the desire reflected in his eyes.

 

“What do you think you’re doing?” She asks as he lifts her into his arms and places her on the counter, her legs instinctively wrapping around his waist. “I am helping you change into your comfy PJ`s!” His right hand travels from her hip and starts unbuttoning her blouse, pulling at the soft fabric, exposing her naked shoulders. “Of course you are!” Marlena replies, a soft giggle escaping her lips

 

John plants tender kisses along her throat, ending at the point where her neck and collarbone meet, nuzzling his lips there.

 

“Mmm, you taste good!” He murmurs against her neck, tickling her sensitive skin with his mouth.

 

She reaches down and tugs at his shirt. Pulling it from his pants, she removes it from his body and runs her nails gently over his bare chest and stomach. “And what are you doing?” He pulls back, his playful smile and very John Blackish inquisitive eyebrow echoing his question.

 

“What does it look like I’m doing? I am helping you change into your comfy PJ`s! She replies before pulling his face towards her yet again, their naked upper bodies melting together. Their lips part and he places a series of kisses along her jaw, moving towards her chest.

 

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

 

“Ma, ma ma ma ma!” Marlena abruptly jolts back, jumping a few inches from the bathroom counter. “No no no no no…” Marlena can’t help but chuckle at the desperate look on her husband’s face. “You didn’t hear that! I didn’t hear that. No one’s there! She’s just talking in her sleep. Taking after her grandmother, you know. She is sleeping peacefully in our bedroom. Listen! Not a sound, she is SLEEPING!”

 

Removing her legs from around John’s back, Marlena slightly pushes him away from her. “Just shut that gorgeous mouth of yours, I can’t hear her!” She puts her index finger to her husband’s lips, silencing him with her movement. Parting his lips he takes her finger into his mouth, gently biting it, making her giggle. “Stop that! Or at least save it for some other time,” she whispers between giggles.

 

“Ma ma ma. Geh maa Geeema ma! Gemma!”

 

Marlena jumps from the bathroom counter, almost causing John to fall as she pushes him away. She picks up his black shirt from the bathroom floor and desperately tries to put it on, finding the task quite tricky.

 

“Baby, it’s upside down.” John can’t help but laugh at Marlena`s desperate attempts to cover her naked upper body. “But, honey, didn’t you hear her!? She said my name! Our granddaughter said my name, she really did! She said grandma!” Finally succeeding in putting on the shirt, Marlena pecks her husband’s lips and pulls him by the hand, leading him towards the bathroom door. Tiptoeing towards their granddaughter’s crib, they are careful not to wake the child in case she was indeed just talking in her sleep.

 

When John and Marlena reach their granddaughter’s crib, they find themselves eye-to-eye with a very much awake one-year-old. Claire sits in her bed, clapping her tiny hands and waving at her grandma and grandpa. “Gahmaa! Aaa-ooo! Alo!”

 

“Sweetheart! What are you doing up? You should be asleep, baby girl.” Marlena walks all the way over to Claire’s crib and strokes her granddaughter’s cheek. “Gehmaa!” Claire reaches her arms towards her grandmother, wanting to be held. Unable to turn down the little girl’s request, Marlena picks her up and pulls her close to her chest.

 

John closes the short distance between himself and his girls, wrapping them in his arms. “Can’t sleep, baby?” He whispers as he strokes his grandchild’s curly hair. “Did grandma wake you with h-…”

 

“John Black, don’t you dare! “ Marlena pokes her elbow into her husband’s stomach. “I wasn’t going to say a thing!” He replies as he walks towards their bed, removing the bedcovers. “Sure you weren’t!” Rolling her eyes at him, she walks to the edge of the bed.

 

“What are we doing?” She asks as John fluffs their pillows and climbs into bed. “Speaking from experience, we both know that she will never be able to sleep in her own bed with the two of us sleeping in this bed. But if we put her in our bed with us, she’ll eventually fall asleep and then I’ll take her back to her OWN bed.”

 

Pulling the bed sheets aside, John climbs into bed, patting the mattress next to him, signaling for his wife and granddaughter to join him. “You really are a smart one, aren’t you? No wonder I keep marrying you over and over and over again.”

 

Positioning herself next to her husband, Marlena places their granddaughter between them. John pulls the covers over Marlena and Claire and tucks them even closer to his body.

 

Lowering her voice, Marlena whispers, “As much as I would have loved finishing what we started in the bathroom, I must admit that this is quite satisfying.” She gives him an adorable smile and reaches over her granddaughter’s head to give her husband a good-night kiss. “Sure is!” He replies as he kisses Claire’s soft cheek.

 

“But remember, honey, there are always afternoon naps! And this penthouse has a lot of rooms, rooms that are pretty far away from this bedroom and Claire’s crib. AND we have a baby monitor!” Trying to stifle a laugh, Marlena can’t help but giggle at her husband’s never-changing behavior. “Ohh, you!” She whispers as she pecks his lips one more time and nuzzles her face into her granddaughter’s soft hair.

 

“Good night, sweetheart,” she whispers and kisses the little girl’s tiny mouth. “Gehma…” Claire softly replies before closing her heavy eyes.

 

Before closing her own eyes, Marlena smiles at her husband and whispers “`Night, darling…”

 

“Good night, baby…”

“No, honey, I am telling you…they’re not there. I have looked everywhere, and they’re really not there. I think…” The last two words are just a silent whisper underneath a frustrated breath. “But I put them there yesterday. How can they not be there!? Did you actually move and lift things this time while searching for them? Or did you just open up the drawer and come to the conclusion that they couldn’t possibly be there if you couldn’t see them?

 

Marlena walks into the kitchen, hands on her hips, a frustrated look on her beautiful face. “First of all, that look might be terribly sexy, but it kinda scares the heck out of me.” Trying desperately to hide a grin, she puts her hand to her mouth, camouflaging the smile that threatens to take over her entire face. “What look? There is no look!”

 

“Oh, baby, I know all your looks. I know the look that says feed me or I’ll kill you. The look that says kiss me, but don’t you dare touch me! The look that says hold me and never let me go. And the one that says you and me; right here; right now! I really like that one by the way and I also know this one—it’s the ‘Why couldn’t I just marry my housekeeper’ look.”

 

Unable to hold back her laughter any longer, and not really trying all that hard to hold it back either, Marlena lets out a heartfelt giggle, slapping her husband’s arm. “You are exaggerating! I am not that predictable. And for your information, most of the time I am actually quite pleased with my choice in husbands. Although I must admit that being married to our housekeeper does sound rather tempting.”

 

Marlena takes two more steps and stops when her face is mere inches from his. John tucks a loose strand of hair behind her ear and gazes into her hazel eyes, mesmerized by the golden twinkles that seem to draw him to her.

 

“But if you were to marry our housekeeper, where does that leave me?!” He moves even closer, his breath caressing her face.

 

“I guess I could turn into one of those rich, middle-aged women who take advantage of their poor innocent pool boys. You could be my pool boy—oh what fun!” She closes the distance between them and her lips hovers over his. John pulls back from her mouth and moves his lips to her neck, continuing his journey towards her earlobe, her collarbone, that tender spot just under her chin, then finding her mouth again and sucking gently on her bottom lip.

 

“Are you sure they’re not here?” Marlena breaks the kiss and points towards the open drawer. “Huh? What’s where?” John pulls her by the collar of her sweater and captures her lips with his own once again. He places his hands on her buttocks and pulls her lower body closer to his own.

 

“Honey! The candles. White candles! I asked you to go get them for me!” She takes one step backwards, unable to concentrate when he is that close to her, looking at her the way he does, and obviously thinking of anything but white candles.

 

“You are going to be the death of me, woman,” John mutters as he tries desperately to concentrate on what his wife is talking about, finding it quite impossible. “Why don’t you put on my very heavy, very non-formfitting winter coat? For some reason I cannot seem to concentrate when you walk around looking the way you do.”

 

“Honey, sweetie…just tell those blood cells of yours to travel back to your head—the head that is attached to your shoulders, not the head that is…you know! And find my candles!” Marlena walks past her husband. She opens up the drawer, moves away some old documents, and pulls out four white candles.

 

“Those weren’t there ten minutes ago! I swear! You must have been hiding them in your sleeves. I swear they weren’t there ten minutes ago.” John turns his wife around in his arms and gives her a surprised look. “Yeah, sure they weren’t there. And of course I was hiding them in my sleeve, all four of them, the six remaining ones in the drawer as well.” She winks at him and pats his behind as she passes him, walking into the living room.

 

“How do you do that?! I swear that you have supernatural powers. I searched that drawer from top to bottom! How do you…Remember when Belle and Brady were young and I spent the entire morning trying to locate their bags, coats, lunch boxes and jackets? And then you walked down the stairs and had everything under control within three short minutes.” Shaking his head in amazement, John walks towards her and starts lighting the candles on the coffee table. “Honey, you might be super spy and all that jazz, but you wouldn’t be able to find your own hand if it was dangling in front of your own eyes.”

 

“The nerve of that woman! Are you calling me a …Are you calling me a…a…a…Never mind!” John gives his wife a playful push. She stumbles backwards and plops down on the couch, pulling him with her. “Yes, that is exactly what I’m calling you!”

 

“Gehma! Up! Up!” The precious sounds are coming from the baby monitor on the table. John rises to his feet and tugs his wife by the arm. “Come on, Gehmma. The child wants up!” He pulls at her arm and starts running towards the staircase.

 

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

 

“John, can you change the baby’s clothes? I’m going to take a quick shower.” Upon hearing the word “shower” Claire starts waving her hands and reaches her tiny arms towards Marlena.

 

“Bath! Bath! Bath! Bath!”

 

“THAT word she knows, but grandpa? Noooo!” Kissing his granddaughter’s cheek, he hands the little girl over to his wife.

 

“Does Claire want to take a shower also?” Marlena nuzzles her nose with Claire’s and kisses her forehead. “Bath! Bath! Bath!”

 

“Sounds like this little one feels like taking a shower as well. Honey, will you get her pajamas from the top drawer in the nursery?” Marlena walks towards the master bedroom and bumps the little girl on her hip. “Your mama is coming home today, sweetie girl! Did you know that? Mama’s coming home! Yes, she is!” Smiling at the joyful reaction from the little girl, Marlena walks into the bathroom.

 

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

 

“Aren’t you two a picture?” John walks into the bathroom where Marlena and Claire are both tucked into identical white fluffy bathrobes. Claire is sitting on her grandmother’s lap as Marlena brushes Claire’s soft curls. “Belle just called, they’ll be here within an hour. I ordered dinner AND dessert.”

 

“And I love you,” Marlena replies as John walks towards the two of them. He bends down and kisses his girls. “You two have to get dressed. They’ll be here soon.”

 

“Come here, Claire, Grandpa is going to get you dressed so that your ‘Ghemma’ will be ready in time. Baby, get your cute little self-dressed, and we’ll meet you downstairs. And I strongly recommend that you wear my winter coat. ” Winking at his wife, John turns around and starts walking towards the bathroom door.

 

“Oh, I’m not worried! How on earth are we ever going to do whatever it is you want us to do with Belle, Elizabeth, AND Claire in the house?”

 

“Where there’s a will, there’s a way, and believe me, there is a will, and I will find a way!” John replies as he gives Marlena one last smile before closing the door behind him.

 

“Give it up, sweetheart! It ain’t gonna happen!”

“What happened to my winter coat? That fuzzy, very large, very long winter coat?” Marlena walks down the stairs, chuckling as her husband’s eyes drink in every part of her body. “I decided to take the risk. So you’re just going to have to focus your attention on something besides me and my body this evening.” She walks the two remaining steps and crosses the floor, swaying her hips for dramatic effect. The tight jeans and black turtleneck hug her every curve, the golden belt around her waist emphasizing her fine figure.

 

“You look like you’re ready for spy school! My sexy, vixen shrink of a wife.” John moves towards her and locks his arms around her waist, blowing gently on her neck. “I’ve already been to spy school with you. And you know as well as I do that our version of spy school really isn’t the appropriate way to entertain our one-year-old granddaughter.” Marlena points at the pajama-clad girl walking around the coffee table, holding onto the edge for dear life.

 

On cue the little girl turns her attention towards her grandparents. “AaaOo Ghemma! Pa pa pa!” Both hands let go of the table as Claire forgets for the moment that she normally can’t stand on her own. She waves at them, her tiny arms moving frantically as she sways unsteadily on the floor. John closes the short distance between himself and Claire and scoops her up in his arms, preventing her from falling and bumping her head on the edge of the table.

 

“You know what, baby girl, we should practice some more on that walk of yours.” John sinks down to the living room floor, his wife following his movement. They sit opposite each other, John balancing Claire on her feet while Marlena holds her arms open for her granddaughter to walk into. “Come on, sweetie. You can do it. Come to Grandma! That a girl! Come on!”

 

John lets go of Claire’s hands and the little girl takes two wiggling steps towards her grandmother’s open arms.

 

“Two more steps, baby! Just two more. You can do it. Almost there, you’re almost there!”

 

“She’s walking! My baby is walking!!” The front door hits the back wall and a young woman, the spitting image of her mother, drops her suitcase to the floor and runs towards her parents and daughter. Upon hearing her mother’s voice, Claire’s face lights up like a Christmas tree. Without really noticing what she is doing, she takes two more steps and is welcomed into her grandmother’s waiting arms.

 

Marlena cradles Claire’s tiny frame close to her body and kisses the baby’s chubby cheeks. “That’s my girl! You did so good, baby. Grandma is so proud of you, baby girl!” She turns the little girl in her arms so that Claire is facing her mother.

 

“Hello, angel.” Belle holds out her arms as Marlena hands her granddaughter over to her youngest daughter.

 

“Mommy missed you so much, sweetheart. Have you been good for Grandma and Grandpa?” Belle kisses her daughter’s face over and over again and cradles her to her chest, breathing in the soft baby smell.

 

“She really is her mother’s daughter, you know that?” John whispers as he moves to his wife, still seated on the living room floor. He slides behind her, one leg on either side of her body, Marlena resting comfortably against his chest. “What exactly do you mean, honey? Of course there is the obvious resemblance. She is blonde and brilliant.” Marlena turns slightly and gives John a radiant smile before she pecks his lips.

 

“Yes there is that. And don’t forget your modesty and wicked sense of humor.” Marlena slaps her husband’s thigh and pushes backwards, almost causing him to lose his balance.

 

“You were saying? And don’t tell me that you forgot. There is something seriously wrong with your short-term memory.”

 

“For your information, pretty lady, I do remember what I was going to say. I also remember what I told you in the kitchen about wills and ways.” Receiving yet another slap on his thigh, John tickles the side of her stomach, causing her to jolt back from his arms.

 

“At least try to control yourself, hun. She is like her mother because…?”

 

John bends forward and pulls Marlena back in between his legs, kissing the top of her head. “She is just you. The way she holds Claire so close to her body. The way she whispers into her ears. The way she nuzzles her nose into the baby’s hair. The way she loves her. Our daughter loves her daughter the way you love yours.” Marlena turns her head and places her palm against the side of John’s face. Her voice a barely audible whisper, she murmurs, “I love you.” He captures her lips with his own, whispering the words “I love you too baby” into her mouth.

 

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

 

“You two should write a book or something. Or pour whatever it is you have that no one else seems to have into bottles. You’d make millions for sure!” The dark-haired, hazel-eyed young woman places her purse on the floor next to her suitcase and walks towards her childhood best friend and the couple that made her believe as a young child that true love does last.

 

Elizabeth Adams and Isabella Black had been best friends since kindergarten, but lost contact when Elizabeth moved to England with her mother. Upon hearing the news of Claire’s birth, Elizabeth contacted Belle and they started rebuilding their friendship. Six months after Claire was born Elizabeth became pregnant, and shortly after she found out about the pregnancy her boyfriend left her. Heartbroken and devastated, the young woman experienced yet another emotional breakdown after losing her baby. Life had never been easy on Elizabeth Adams, and the last six months had left scars. So when Belle suggested that she should stay with Claire and her at the loft for a while, she welcomed the invitation with open arms.

 

“Lizzy! It’s so good to see you!” Marlena walks towards the brunette, wraps her arms around her, and kisses her cheek.

 

“How are you feeling, honey? I am so sorry about everything that has happened. You’ve been in our thoughts and prayers.”

 

“Thank you, Marlena. That really means a lot to me. I’m not feeling all that great, but you know…it’s just…it’s just really, really painful. But thank you so much for the beautiful card and the flowers.” Trying to hold back the tears that threaten to well up in her eyes, Elizabeth pulls her gaze away from Marlena, knowing from experience that she won’t be able to hold back her tears if she sees the love and affection in Marlena`s beautiful eyes.

 

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

“Welcome home, kiddo! We missed you!” John throws his arms around Elizabeth, swaying from side to side on the living room floor. “John, not so tight. Can’t. Breathe!” He wraps his arms even tighter around her and receives a muffled laugh from the girl trapped in his tight embrace. When he loosens his grip on her, he places his hands on her shoulders and locks his blue eyes with her young hazel ones. “You’ll be okay, kiddo. Things have a way of working out for good girls such as yourself.” Elizabeth gives the man that was always much more of a father figure to her than her real father a smile of appreciation.

 

“Thank you, John, Marlena. And thank you for including me in your family dinner. I’ve missed Sunday dinners at the Blacks. Such a shame that Brady has moved out of town. And it’s too damn bad that I turned down his marriage proposal. We might have been eight and ten at the time, but turning that poor guy down was the biggest mistake of my life.” Marlena closes the distance between herself, John, and Elizabeth. She wraps her arms around her husband’s waist, gazing at the young girl over John’s shoulder. “Oh, I’m sure that he meant it, Liz. Those Black men just love proposing marriage. Don’t you, darling?” Marlena kisses John’s cheek, and he repays her by sliding his arms behind his back, his palms squeezing her buttocks. Not about to let her husband win this round, Marlena presses her upper body into his back, causing him to squeeze just a little harder.

 

“Mom, Dad, please! You have company. And it’s obviously not safe to stand behind the two of you, so I am just going to move myself and the baby over here…” With Claire in her arms, Belle walks over to Elizabeth and gives her parents a look that she had given them so many times during her childhood and teenage years—the look that so obviously says: I love the fact that you’re still so much in love. BUT NOT NOW!

 

“Point taken!” John pulls his hands from his wife’s backside as Marlena loosens her arms around her husband’s waist. “You girls must be starving. We ordered Chinese. The food should be her any moment now. Why don’t you two go freshen up, and we’ll get everything ready.”

 

“OH! Belle told me that you two got married AGAIN! It’s no wonder that you act the way you act and look the way you look. You’re constantly on your honeymoon!” Elizabeth can’t help but chuckle at the couple in front of her.

 

“It’s not so much about the actual wedding. It’s more about the wedding night…” Acting on pure instinct, Marlena gives him a forceful push. Not prepared for his wife’s physical reaction, John stumbles towards the couch. “But, baby, it IS true!” Shooting him a devilish grin, she turns her back to him and faces the girls that are collecting their suitcases from the living room floor. “Why don’t you just stay here tonight? It’s close to Claire’s bedtime, and she has everything she needs here. Belle, you can sleep in your room, and Lizzy can either sleep in the guest room or in Brady’s room. What do you say?”

 

“That would be great. What do you say, Liz? Feel like being eleven again? I’ll even let you borrow my favorite Tinkerbelle pajamas. I think they’re still in my closet.” “Absolutely!” John, jumping from the couch, helps carry the girls’ suitcases up to their rooms as Marlena walks towards the kitchen.

“Marlena? Honey?” John walks down the stairs calling his wife’s name.

 

“In the kitchen,” she replies. John crosses the living room floor and walks towards the sound of her voice.

 

“What are you doing?” John walks through the kitchen door, his eyes taking in the incredible mess that his wife has managed to make within the last 15 minutes. He crosses the wooden floor, his steps coming to a sudden halt when he reaches the kitchen counter where Marlena has spilled something that looks like chocolate pudding.

 

“Honey. Baby. Are you sure that this is a good idea?” He takes one large step and manages to avoid getting his feet into the mess on the floor.

 

“You can just take that sarcasm of yours and shove it in…” Marlena flicks her head towards her husband, her eyes shooting him a devilish look.

 

“Hey, hey, hey! Relax, sweetheart. No need for the step away or I’ll kill you look.” John closes the short distance between them, his left hand hooking itself to the waist of her jeans. Taking in the absolute mess on the kitchen counter, he can’t help but laugh. “Now tell me, what are you making?”

 

Turning her face towards him, she tries to prevent her lips from giving into the smile that threatens to take over her entire face. “I wanted to make dessert. But it’s obviously not as easy as it looks. The chocolate soufflé ended up there.” She points to the floor, shaking her head in disbelief. “The crème brulé tasted like penicillin and looked like mashed potatoes. And right about now, I am this close to giving up and even closer to calling Maggie and ordering something!”

 

She throws the cream-covered spoon into the sink, turns around, and walks towards the kitchen table, jumping up to sit on top of it.

 

“You know what, sweetheart?” John walks towards her, his thighs resting against her knees, his arms locking themselves around her waist, pulling her closer to him.

 

“I already called Maggie. Our dessert should arrive any minute now.” He lifts her from the table, her legs wrapping themselves around his waist.

 

“Where are you taking me?” She manages to question between giggles. John speeds up his tempo, heading towards the kitchen door. “I noticed earlier today when we were playing hide-and-seek with our granddaughter that the closet next to the den could use a little upkeep. I think we should look into that matter right about now. What do ya say…?” He starts walking even faster, and when he reaches the closet door he pulls it open.

 

“Oh no, no, no! You are not taking me into some closet! No, no, no. Never gonna happen!” She loosens her legs from around his waist, her arms still wrapped around his neck. He secures his arms around her waist, pulling her body closer to his, and backs her up against the now-closed closet door.

 

“But I have been wanting to talk to you about the wallpaper in the den, care to join me?” Marlena whispers, her mouth almost touching his as she speaks. Before he is able to utter a reply, she pulls him by the hand, leading him towards the den.

 

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

“Honey, honey, a little faster, come on! Concentrate!” A female voice murmurs from the barely lighted den. On the large beige couch a couple is lying entangled in each other’s arms.

 

“Faster? I am doing this as fast as I can!” John almost yells from sheer desperation. “No, no, not like that. You have to pull it down and then a little to the left! Come on baby, it’s not that complicated. Down, and then left!”

 

“I hate Dolce and Baggana or whatever it is they’re called! Hate both of them. Why can’t they just design belt buckles that you are actually able OPEN?! This is ridiculous!” In between heavy breathing, John can’t help but curse the two designers that at the moment are preventing him from making love to his wife.

 

“First of all, it’s Gabbana. You should know that, being a hot shot so-called designer yourself. Second of all, just get it off!” She arches her back from the couch and presses her lower body towards her husband.

 

“Stop that! How am I supposed to concentrate when you do things like that?” He momentarily removes his hands from the belt buckle and places his palms on her buttocks, lifting her body from the couch and pressing it into his, capturing her mouth with his own.

 

“You do realize that it is impossible to do this when I still have my pants on, don’t you?” Marlena whispers against his ear before capturing his earlobe between her teeth. “In that case, just get it off!” John replies before sneaking his hands underneath her black turtleneck.

 

Marlena untangles herself from her husband’s embrace and stands in front of him with a look full of love, devotion, and lust. She removes the belt from her pants and casually throws it at a random chair.

 

“See, wasn’t as hard as you thought, was it?” She takes two more steps and reaches the couch, lowering her body to her husband’s and lying on top of him. Pressing her body even closer, her face mere inches away from his, she whispers,

 

“Speaking of hard…”

 

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

 

“MAMA! Dad?! Where are you?”

 

“No, no, no. This isn’t happening! Hurry, get up and put a chair or a bookcase or whatever in front of the door. Come on, honey. Get up, John!” Marlena pushes her palms against her husband’s chest while trying to control her irregular breathing.

 

“No, no! I am not getting up!” John replies before recapturing her mouth, his tongue seeking immediate entrance.

 

“Then you had better hurry and make this a quickie!” Marlena is able to utter between heavy breathing.

 

“Mom? Dad? Are you two in the kitchen?” Their daughter’s voice is getting closer. From some hidden place within her body, Marlena is able to gather enough strength to answer her daughter’s question.

 

“Sweetie, just go back upstairs, your daddy and I are working on something!”

 

“Now, finish me off baby…” Her last few words come out as a guttural demand as their bodies again join as one.

 

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

 

“John! My bra, where is my bra? And how on earth did you manage to get it off when my turtleneck is still on?” Marlena stumbles through the den, her clothing a complete mess. Crawling on all fours, she manages to locate her bra underneath the couch.

 

“I told you earlier, where there is a will there is a way!” John replies before lowering himself to the floor. Lying on his back he inches closer to her body, pulling at her arms, causing her to fall flat on her stomach and land on his chest. He pushes her turtleneck a little higher up and receives a moan from his wife as he nibbles on her chest.

 

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

“Mama! Daddy? What are you guys doing? The food just arrived, will you get in here!”

 

Reluctantly removing himself from his wife’s body, John locates his shirt underneath the table. “So this is how you got it off? You tore off the straps?!” Marlena holds up her ruined bra, dangling it from her pinkie finger. “Now what am I going to do?” She tries to hide a smile but finds the task impossible.

 

She walks towards the fire place and throws her bra into the roaring fire. “I always did admire the women who burned their bras in the 70s.”

 

John crosses the floor and walks towards his wife. Standing behind her, he places his arms around her waist, kissing the back of her neck. “That’s my girl, standing on the barricade!”

 

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

“There you are. What are you doing?” The young woman asks before walking up to her parents, Elizabeth close behind. John and Marlena abruptly jolt their bodies towards the door, silently thanking the girls for their timing.

 

“Uhm, we were…mm. Your daddy and I were…we were working on the, the…our Christmas list! Yes! We were working on our Christmas gift list.”

 

“You were working on your Christmas gift list, why on earth would you do that now?!”

 

Marlena turns around in her husband’s arms, staring into his eyes, begging him to get them out of the mess they have created.

 

“We wanted to ask you if there was anything in particular you and Claire want for Christmas. We figured that since you’re both here, we could do this now.” Feeling mighty proud of himself, John gives his daughter and her friend a confident smile.

 

“Dad, Mom, Claire and I visit you almost every day. And if we don’t stop by, we talk on the phone. Christmas is six weeks from now, and since when do you two buy Christmas gifts that far ahead? So now, tell me—what were the two of you really doing in here all this time?” Belle closes the distance between herself and her parents, her hand reaching out to fix her mother’s tousled hair.

 

Unable to look her daughter in the eyes, Marlena unhooks John’s arms from around her waist, and walks towards the large bookshelf. “OK, you got us! Busted! We came in here to get these photo albums. We thought that maybe Elizabeth wanted to see some pictures of the things she missed. You know, things like our wedding, I mean weddings! Brady and Chloe’s wedding and Claire’s baby pictures. The pictures from the trip we took with you and Claire last month. The family picture we took the last time that Brady and Chloe came to see us. OH! And the latest pictures of Will! And the adorable Halloween pictures of Sami, Lucas and Will. And the…”

 

“OK, OK, OK! Mom, we get you! You came in here to get the photo albums! It’s ok, it’s ok!”

 

Marlena gathers four large photo albums in her arms and walks towards her husband, handing the albums over to him. Closing the distance between their faces, John pecks her lips and mouths a silent “You’re good!” before rewarding her with a brilliant smile. She smiles back at him, winks, and mouths a silent, “So are you.”

 

Turning around, she smiles radiantly at Belle and Elizabeth before walking towards the door. “Now, what do ya say? Anyone up for Chinese?”

10A

 

”Shawn, will you get her!? No no! Get her before she tries to walk down the stairs on her own, -AGAIN!” Shawn runs towards his daughter, and scoops her up in his arms, and kisses her chubby cheeks. Walking up to her newfound family, Belle wraps her arms around Shawn’s waist, standing behind him; her head resting on his shoulder. “You’re turning into quite the little sputnik aren’t you?” Belle strokes her daughter’s dark curls, and receives a puzzled look in return. But it doesn’t take long before the confused look turns into a heartfelt giggle.

 

“When should we expect your parents to get home?” The three of them walk down the stairs leading to the penthouse living room. “They didn’t say, but they have been gone for hours, so I am sure they’ll be here any minute now.” Shawn puts his daughter down, and the little girl immediately takes off towards the coffee table, where she points at the silver framed picture standing in the middle of the large table.

 

“Gramma, Grampa. Want, want!” Belle can’t help but laugh at the desperate look on her daughters face, as the little girl stretches her tiny arms towards the framed picture.

 

“Do you want to look at the picture again sweetie?” Belle walks towards her daughter, lifts her from the floor, and places her on her lap after finding a comfortable position on the couch. She takes the picture from the table and holds it in front of Claire. “There ya go. Who’s that in the picture baby?” Belle points her index finger at the framed faces of her smiling parents. “Gemma!” Claire replies as her tiny fingers points at Marlena`s smiling face. The little girl moves her hand over the glass, her tiny fingers ending its journey on John’s face. “Gampa!”

 

“Yes, that’s right! That is grandma and grandpa. And they’ll be home real soon. Yes they will!” Shawn walks towards the couch and plumps down beside his family. “She looking at their picture again?” Smiling at the image in front of him, Shawn places Belle and Claire between his legs. “Yeah, she has been asking for them about a hundred times a day after we picked her up on Monday.” Belle kisses the top of her baby’s head, and blows some warm air on the child’s small neck.

 

“They are amazing with her! And it’s totally understandable that she misses them. I bet they miss her too now that the two of you don’t live with them anymore.” Shawn pulls Belle even closer to his chest, and looks his arms around her waist.

 

“Thank you. And thank you for spending Christmas with my family.” Turning around in Shawn’s arms, Belle gives him a

warm smile before lightly pecking his lips with her own.

 

“Thank you for wanting me to spend Christmas with you, our daughter and your parents, it really means a lot to me.”

 

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

 

“HO HO HO! And merry Christmas!” The door busts open, a grinning John bursting through the front door, a laughing Marlena following close behind.

 

“Don’t sing dad, oh please don’t sing!” Belle gives her father a pleading look, as she locks eyes with him. “What do you mean don’t sing? It’s Christmas, of course I am going to sing! -JOY TO THE WORLD the Lor…!”

 

“Honey, honey, honey! You’ve been caroling all the way from Salem place, don’t you think you should rest your voice. Or at least let your wife rest her ears?!” Marlena removes her leather jacket and scarf, before walking towards her husband, pinching his behind and smacking her lips at him as she passes him.

 

“Watch is Mrs! I seem to recall a curtain gorgeous blonde telling me that my singing turns her on!” Taking two large steps, John closes the distance between himself and his wife. He secures one arm around her waist, the other one resting on her back. Before she has a chance to register what’s going on, he dips her, and captures her lips with his own. When he feels her tongue against his lips, he breaks the kiss, moves his lips away from her mouth, and whispers a soft Saaaanta`s helper baby….“See, I told you that my singing turns you on!”

 

“First of all, Santa’s helper baby is not a song.” Lowering her voice, Marlena adds in a barely audible voice. “Second of all; don’t talk about what turns me on in front of our daughter, granddaughter and son in-law. Now, kiss and let me go. I need my granddaughter!”

 

John can’t help but laugh at his wife’s determined facial expressions as she mentions Claire’s name. Closing her eyes, she tries to round her lips, but finds the task quite impossible when her mouth is turned into a brilliant smile. She moves her mouth a little closer to his, still unable prevent her lips from turning upwards.

 

“You ready?” he asks between giggles.

 

“Just kiss me and get it over with!” She tries to escape his embrace, but quickly realizes that it’s no use. “John! Just kiss me! Come on, kiss and let me go!”

 

“So demanding…” John closes the short distance between their mouths before recapturing her lips with his own.

 

“Gemma!!” “Gemapa!”

 

John and Marlena abruptly pull apart, their faces turning sideway towards the source of the adorable sound.

 

Part 10b

 

“Shawn.Sleep.Now! I can’t take this anymore. I am falling asleep here. Mom, please, take the cards away from him.” The young blonde leaves her boyfriend’s side, takes three quick steps, and falls down between her parents, laying her head in her mother’s lap. Marlena kisses her daughter’s tussled blonde hair, while her hand is stroking her back in lazy circles.

 

“Bullshit!!” John shouts as he throws his cards at Shawn, before using his right arm to bring his wife and daughter closer to his body.

 

“Honey, you have made the family proud. Now, quit the game so that your daughter and wife can get some much-needed sleep.” Marlena lets her body fall into her husband’s lap, her daughter cuddling her face comfortably into her mother’s side.

 

“OK young Brady. I have a wife to tend to. You take care of my daughter. She and Claire will be sleeping in her room. The guestroom, where you will be sleeping, is the second door to the left.” John states matter-of-factly as his lips brush the side of Marlena`s face.

 

“Dad! Shawn is not sleeping in the guestroom; we have a baby together. Did you think that the stork brought Claire? Loosen up. Mom, please tell him that Shawn is not staying in the guestroom.” Belle looks at her mother with innocent, pleading eyes, begging her to back her up.

 

“John, sweetheart. I know that you have a hard time coping with the fact that Belle is not seven anymore, and that she no longer runs around the house pretending to be Cinderella all day long. They have a baby together. Don’t you think your granddaughter would like to have both her parents in the same room when she wakes up?” Marlena, her upper body still safely tucked in Johns lap, gazes up at him, her hazel eyes convincing him to see things her way.

 

“Ok, ok, for Claire’s sake. But if you’re not good to my girls, Brady, I will hunt you down and…and…”

 

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. You’ll hunt him down and kick his ass. We get it, honey. Now let’s get some sleep!” Marlena rises from the couch, taking a hold of her husband’s hand, encouraging him to get up. Marlena starts collecting their cups from the coffee table, her daughter assisting her in the task.

 

“No, no sweetie, your daddy and I will get that. You just go get some sleep. Shawn, if there is anything you need, Belle will get it for you. Now, to your room kids!” She motions them up the stairs, her actions coming to a sudden halt. “Wait, I need my kiss, come here, baby girl.” Belle walks down from the third step, her arms falling around her mother’s neck.

 

“Good night, sweetheart, sweet dreams” Marlena kisses her daughter’s cheek, her slender hand caressing Belle’s fine hair.

 

“Night, baby.” Belle relaxes into her father’s strong, familiar embrace, barely capable of keeping her heavy eyes open.

 

“Good night, Dad” She replies as he brings her even closer into his embrace, before whispering softly in her ear, “I know you’re all grown up, sweetheart, but you’ll always be my little girl. Sweet dreams, Izzy.” Belle lifts her head from her father’s shoulder, as two sets of the same blue eyes share a knowing look. “I know, Daddy,” she whispers as she smiles lovingly up at him. She kisses his cheek as her small hand releases his larger one, her right palm welcoming Shawn’s outstretched arm.

 

Marlena closes the distance between herself and John. Standing behind him, she lets her arms fall around his waist, her chin resting on his shoulder. “She is just fine, honey. He loves her, he wouldn’t hurt her,” she whispers as her lips rest on the back of his neck. Turning around, he slides his arms around her body, finding comfort in the arms he has known and loved for as long as he can remember. He kisses the top of her head as he watches his little girl walking up the stairs, knowing that something has changed, yet everything will always stay the same.

 

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

 

“Are you tired, Marlena?” John asks as they walk over to the couch, their arms still wrapped around each other. As sits down on the couch with her in his arms, he gazes at her, gently brushing away a strand of her from her eyes. “Not really. What did you have in mind?” She asks, her head resting on his broad chest.

 

John entwines his fingers with hers and pulls their locked hands up to lay against her ribs, just beneath the steady beat of her heart. He places a soft kiss against the pulse at the side of her throat and nuzzles his lips in a slow path towards her ear. Marlena tips her head back into his shoulder as she relaxes fully into his warm embrace.

 

“Do you wanna go for a walk? Just a short one,” he asks into her hair, his hands caressing her stomach underneath the soft material of her blouse. Turning her head towards him, Marlena smiles up at her husband before replying, “I would love to.”

 

She rises from his lap and walks up the stairs. “I am just going to tell Belle that we’re leaving, and get my coat. Want me to get you anything?” She asks behind her back. “Do you know where my gloves are?” She stops walking for a moment, her body turned towards him. “What gloves, honey? The black ones? You gave those to Brady, insisting that you never wore them,” she replies as she smiles down at him.

 

“Oh. I’ll find another pair. And if I can’t find one, I’ll just put my hand in your pants pocket. Come to think of it, don’t worry about the gloves, Doc. ” Smiling up at her, he walks towards the coat closet, as she shakes her head and walks the remaining steps upstairs.

 

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

 

“You cold, baby?” he asks, pulling her body even closer to his own as they stroll down the street. “No, I am fine” she replies, smiling up at him before standing on her tiptoes, kissing his lips. “Your lips are cold,” she whispers as she moves her body, facing him. Draping her arms around his neck, their eyes meet. His hand moves to tuck a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. He circles his arms around her waist and pulls her closer to him, her feet rising slightly from the cold asphalt.

 

“Come here…” she whispers softly as she directs his lips to her waiting ones. “Let me warm them up.” With one single motion, they meet for a soft kiss. He moves his hands inside her coat, stroking her back through the silk of her blouse. He can feel the heat from her body under the palms of his hands. Slowly parting her lips from his, Marlena nuzzles her nose into the crook of his neck as their tender caresses continue. Tracing a path of kisses along the side of his throat, she breathes huskily in his ear;

 

“Merry Christmas, my love.”

 

“Merry Christmas, Marlena.”

 

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

 

They don’t speak, but their eyes alone speak volumes. Her hand is caressing his face as her lips cover his skin with soft kisses. Their gentle, tentative caresses soon turn into more purposeful stroking as they find themselves locked in another passionate embrace.

 

“Marlena, honey! We can’t do this here.” John manages to utter between clenched teeth, as his wife’s manipulation of his skin is driving him into frenzy. Once again, all coherent thoughts disappears from his mind as his instincts to love her take over. Marlena slides her hands up under his shirt, bringing the piece of clothing up over his head. As soon as the discarded material hits the floor, her small hands trail down his bare chest, her tongue following the path her palms have left on his skin.

 

“There is no one here John…The kids are asleep,” she whispers, her lips attaching themselves to his. Feeling her tongue enter his mouth, all rational thoughts disappear from his mind. Marlena’s blouse is soon removed from her body, revealing soft, creamy skin. John kisses his way up her bare stomach, pausing at her chest before continuing up to her neck. She wraps her arms around him as he nestles himself between her legs. Her hand reaches down between them as she looks up at him her through hooded, hazy eyes. “I need you…”

 

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

 

With hands entwined they walk through their bedroom door, the entire room bathed in moonlight, a sight they have seen countless times before, yet one that never loses its appeal.

He lifts her into his arms and walks the remaining steps to their bed, lowering her body into the soft fabric. In complete silence he slides her pants down her legs before kissing his way up her calves. After discarding their remaining pieces of clothing, John lowers his body to hers. The feel of their naked bodies melting into each other puts a smile on her face. “I love you” she softly whispers as he joins their bodies as one.

Finding Happiness

 

”…Baby, it’s only fair that at least one of our kids even slightly resemblance me. That golden appearance has completely taken over this Black household. If I hadn’t known better, I would think that you had done research on what position to use when one wants to make babies that look like the child’s mother.” With a sneer firmly planted on his lips, John walked past his wife and towards the open balcony doors.

 

“So demanding…” Marlena mumbled, as she tried to swallow the laughter that threatened to escape her lips. “Honey, your daughter has your eyes; she even has your crocked toes. Doesn’t that count for something?” She replied as she wrapped her arms around his waist, standing on her tiptoes and gently pressing her lips against the back of his neck.

 

“She might share my eye color, but the shape of her eyes is all you. As well as her nose, her lips, her eyebrows, her lashes, her cheekbones, her skin; her entire being is all you Doc. Not that I’m complaining, she is one lucky kid! Personally, I am little worried though. She already has two men following her every move. And speaking from experience…” he whispered as he turned towards her smiling face, his hands coming to rest on her hips, before his palms leisurely made their way into the back pockets of her jeans; “… that golden complexion doesn’t get any less golden as the years go by,” his lips pecking hers as he spoke the last few words.

 

“You’re sweet… What do you want?” She replied, trying to mimic his signature look by rising one of her eyebrows. “Can’t I compliment my gorgeous wife without wanting something?”

 

“Clearly not. And I can see that you’re hiding something. What is it?” She asked, her intense hazel orbs diminish her husband’s ability to focus on the task at hand.

 

“Did you forget to pick up the dry cleaning again? Or return those books I told you to take back to the library? No, you forgot to call Austin and wish him a happy birthday! Honey, I reminded you countless times last night.” Taking three swift steps from the railing, she plumped down in a comfy rocking chair, which was situated in one of the corners of their patio, her slender frame virtually disappearing between heavy cushions.

 

John closed the distance between them; as fingers, warm and impossibly soft, whispered across her cheeks, much like a soothing summer’s breeze. She could feel her limbs loose and relax as his hands kept working their magic on her skin, her cheeks slowly regaining some of the warmth the chilly winter’s night had stolen from her body. He pulled a strand of blonde hair behind her ear, as he smiles harmoniously at her now relaxed body.

 

“I picked up the dry cleaning. I returned those incredibly heavy, but probably extremely interesting books you borrowed to the library. Austin and Carrie both asked me to give you kiss for them, and they send you their love. They’ll be home for St. Patrick day, apparently Green day’s not biggie in Zurich. Go figure! Oh, and I vacuumed the den. Now, what do I win?” He asked with a beam, as his hands framed her relaxed face in his palms.

 

“…This…” she whispered, as she leaned towards him, her cold lips capturing his in a tender, yet fervent kiss. Her hands left their position from underneath her thighs, where she had kept them, trying to prevent the cold from invading her skin. Locking her slender arms around his neck, their kiss grew deeper as small moans drifted from her body.

 

Parting their lips, before ending up on the frozen patio floor, John pulled away, his clearly effected body trying to gather his thoughts enough to say what he knew had to be said before their house was invaded. “…Grandkids are coming…”

 

Quickly leaving her aroused state of mind, Marlena removed her arms from her husband’s body, looking baffled at his somewhat apprehensive features.

 

“What do you mean `Grandkids are coming`? Is Belle bringing Claire by?”

 

Still positioned between her legs below the rocking chair, John shifted his weight from one knee to the other while trying to present the news to her as gently as possible. “…Ok, you see…You were kind of right, there is a small little fraction of a detail I might have forgotten to tell you about last night. But when you do the things you do to me in that bed up there,” pointing his finger towards their bedroom window, while bringing one of his hands to rest somewhere between her breast and her hip before replying: “…I kind of forget small, little, faction of details…” He bent forward, pulling aside the heavy fabrics of her black turtleneck. “Belle called me, and asked if Claire could spend the weekend with us. And I said yes, knowing that you would be delighted by the news,” the last few words merely a whisper against the velvet skin of her neck.

 

“Sure! I love having Claire here, we both do. But why do you still look like the cat that swallowed the canary? John….What are you not telling me?” She questioned, her hazel eyes practically forcing his lips to form the next words that came from his mouth. “The twins are staying with us also…”

 

“The twins?! Honey…I hope you mean Sami and Eric? Because taking care of a very active three year old and two new born babies could prove to be quite the task!” She looked at him puzzled, images of Claire running through the house, John following suit, one crying baby in the crib, the other one on her shoulder, as the she tried her best to avoid stumbling over an ocean of stuffed animals and dolls. Shaking her head to erase the image from her head she raised from the chair, causing John to nearly loose his balance.

 

“Marlena. Honey. Baby. Listen, It’ll be fun! It’s only for the weekend. The parents will be back by Sunday. We’ll have a blast!” Convinced that his somewhat fake enthusiasm would rub off on his wife, John gave her his greatest smile, trying his best to camouflage the very present anxiety that was threatening to shine through his fake brave demeanor.

 

“Sunday? Today is Friday! And how is it possible that this is the first time I am hearing about this?” Marlena questioned, before starting to pace the floors in the cooled winter air. Trying to prevent her from catching a cold, John closed the distance between them and walked towards her, wrapping his arms around her shivering body.

 

“Well, Belle called my office yesterday and asked if Claire could spend the weekend with us, she and Shawn where off to somewhere, doing something…with someone. Not exactly sure what it was. I am sure she’ll tell us when they bring Claire by. And then, right before you came home from work a few hours ago, Sami called; sounding only as dramatic as Samantha can be, begging us to baby sit the twin this weekend, because she and Lucas had to fly to Zurich to see Will. Apparently he fractured his arm ski boarding or something…”

 

Moving her body from her husband’s embrace, her hands flew to her mouth, apprehension written all over her face. “Oh my Gosh, is Will all right?!” Marlena`s maternal instinct kicked in, images of screaming infants, running toddlers, stuffed animals, bassinets, mashed carrots, and impossible husbands long forgotten.

 

“Will is just fine baby. Apparently he is more worried about the fact that his snowboard is broken, than his arm being broken.” John replied as he placed one hand around Marlena`s waist, leading her into the warmth of their inviting home.

 

“Of course we’ll take the twins, and Claire. I’m sure it’ll be fun. Busy, but fun. You can just forget about that baseball match tomorrow though! There is no way that you are luring yourself out of this one buster!”

 

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

 

“Mom, John!” Sami literally shrieked as she came stumbling through the door, diaper bags and other bags making it difficult for her to even get in the door, let alone doing it even remotely gracefully.

 

“We really, really, really appreciate you taking care of the twins! I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t been able to take them. I could of course ask EJ, bu..”

 

“Samantha! I don’t want you to even consider leaving those babies with that man! And if you ever need a baby sitter that desperately, I want you to call either John or me, and we’ll come pick them up! I don’t want my grandchildren anywhere near that family. It’s bad enough that they have to spend time with them when either you or Lucas is with them, but leaving them unattended with those….That’s just out of the question!” Marlena could virtually feel the blood running thought her veins, as she took her grandson from her daughter’s arms. It was bad enough that Samantha kept making one bad decision after the other, but she would not sit by and watch her grandchildren becoming a part of that horrendous family.

 

“I know how you feel about this mom, but there’s nothing I can do about it right now…”

 

Knowing how his wife felt about the situation, and also sharing her fears and apprehension, John decided that this was hardly the place nor the time to talk to Samantha about such a matter, not that she had ever listened to what they had to say about the situation in the first place. “Sami, Lucas, your plane awaits. Give Will a hug from us, and if there’s anything he needs, don’t hesitate to let us know. We’ll take good care of those babies over there, and we’ll see you Sunday.”

 

John took the different bags and equipment from the couple, before lifting Allie from her father’s arms, kissing her downy head as he placed her small frame against his chest. “Have a safe trip you two. The twins will be fine. Your mother will take care of us, so there’s really not even a slight possibility of any of us getting into trouble.

 

With the most recent addition to her family safely tucked against her body, Marlena walked towards her husband, using her free hand to pinch his cheek, before sticking her tongue out at him, “…Like I can keep you from getting yourself in to trouble…”

 

Marlena kissed her daughter and son in law goodbye before the parents said their farewells to their babies, whispering sweet words into their tiny ears. “Be good for grandma and Grandpa John…Mommy and daddy love you.”

 

“Bye Sami. Bye Lucas. Fly safely, and call us when you land. And tell Will that we love him, and that we’ll come visit him soon.”

 

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

 

“Can’t you see the resemblance? This little one is a Black! You might have Belle, Brady, Eric, Sami, and even Allie on your team. But this little one will help me kick your butt in every soccer game, every baseball game, basketball, handball, volleyball, softb…”

 

“Easy there tiger! He’s two months old; I don’t see him running around the field anytime soon.” Marlena replied as she placed a feather light kiss on the side of Johnny’s face that wasn’t hidden by his grandpa’s sweater.

 

“He might be two months old, but he has that Black charm going all ready. See, dark hair, blue eyes.”

 

“Sure honey. Sure. One question though, where’s the logic?” Marlena asked between giggles. Knowing fully well that Johnny didn’t have one Black blood cell running through his little veins.

 

“Logic, of course there’s logic. First of all I am married to his grandmother. I am his mother’s stepfather. I am his father’s brother’s half-brother, and his horrendous grandfather’s pawn. See, that’s logic right there. The boy is Black Doc. A Black!” He said with a triumphant grin plastered on his face.

 

“Ah. When you put it that way. Sure he’s a Black honey, sure.” She said as she planted a chaste kiss on his neck.

 

“If you’ll take him, I’ll put their things in our bedroom.” Marlena handed Johnny over to his grandpa, and started collecting the bags that Sami and Lucas had left on the living room floor.

 

“John, would you get Claire’s crib from the nursery and put it in our bedroom, and also get Belle’s old crib set up. Oh, and you have to get Brady’s old bed set up for Claire to sleep on. See honey, this is what happens when you forget to indulge your wife in your conversations with our kids. Work Work Work. Now, go and have those beds set up, and work on those mussels.” She said as she rubbed the mussels in his over arms, while capturing his lower lip with her teeth.

 

“Yeah yeah yeah. But where do you suggest that I put these two?” John replied, looking down at two wide eyed, wide awake Evans babies in his arms.

 

“GRANDPA!!!!” Claire’s ecstatic voice rang through the room, as she came running towards her grandfather.

 

“Hi baby! Where’s your mommy? Did you drive all the way over here by yourself? Or did you take the elevator on your own…again?” John asked, remembering a small incident from last week when Claire had outrun her mother, ran into the open elevator doors, pressed the button and proudly announced her presence to her grandparents as she stepped out of the elevator.

 

Claire hugged her grandfather’s legs, waiting for him to lift her up in his arms, the way he always did whenever she was around. “Wait a second baby. Grandpa has to put the twins in their cradle first.” John walked over to the white painted cradle, and positioned the babies next to each other between the white and green striped blankets.

 

“Where are my grandma?!”

 

The three year old asked, hands on her hips and head held high. Well, the apple doesn’t fall fare from the three after all… The proud grandfather thought to himself, as he watched the little girl present herself as nothing but a true copy of her mother, her grandmother, as well as her great grandmother.

 

“Your grandmother…” John replied as he took two large steps, before lifting Claire into his arms, cradling her in his strong embrace, “… will be right back. She’s just putting away the twin’s things.”

 

“So, where’s your mommy baby?!” John asked as the dark haired girl nuzzled her nose against her grandfather’s cheek, before starting to blow raspberries against his face. “Grandpa, you no tickle like Grandpa Brady.”

 

“Well, there you are! Sweetie I told you not to run up the stairs, its dangerous remember?” A heavy breathing Belle came stumbling in the front door, much in the same way her sister did merely minutes prior to her own entry, bags of stuffed animals, clothes, dolls, books and other necessities tucked underneath her arms.

 

“Mommy, me run very caefully.” Claire stated matter-of-factly, as her tiny hands squeezed her grandfather’s cheek against her own.

 

“Look who’s here! Hi sweetheart!” Marlena exclaimed as she came walking through the door, her entire face a brimming smile. Claire started kicking her little; however boot clad legs, against John’s lower area, and other areas…as she struggled to free herself from his arms.

 

“Careful baby. Careful.” Marlena whispered, as she watched her husband having a hard time containing the obvious pain Claire was causing with her tiny, yet extremely well targeted feet.

 

“Grandma!!” Claire yelled as she came running towards Marlena, and leaped into her grandmother’s outstretched arms. “Kiss” they both said in union as their lips met in a tiny peck, before Marlena pressed the little girl to her body, and covered her soft skin with tiny kisses.

 

“You ok?” Marlena mouthed, trying to hide the giggle that was threatening to escape her mouth. “I’ll be fine …Just fine.” John replied, as he tried to catch his breath, still obviously having some discomfort. “Wouldn’t want her to cause any permanent damage you know? I am rather attached to that area myself…” She said with a smirk as she walked past him to greet her daughter.

 

“Hi honey! Where’s Shawn?” Marlena asked as she maneuvered her granddaughter on her hip, so that she would be able to kiss her daughter’s cheek.

 

“He’s waiting in the car. We have to leave right away. Bo and Hope, Doug and Julie already left, so we should go too.” She said as she put all of Claire’s things on the nearest couch.

 

“Daddy said that it would be OK if we picked Claire up late Sunday evening. If she gets tired, just put her to bed, and we’ll carry her to the car when we pick her up.”

 

“But can’t she just stay with us until Monday? John and I will take her to school before we leave for work.” Marlena said as she smiled at her daughter, struck by the fact that her little girl had indeed become a mother herself. One would think that she would be used to it after three years, but she still had moments where she found the fact utterly unbelievable.

 

“Are you sure that’s OK with the two of you? I don’t want you to change any plans you might have. And you already have the twins. Are you really sure?” Belle looked from one parent’s face, to the other’s, making sure that they were really okay with the situation.

 

“We love having Clair here with us sweetie. She’s no trouble at all. And we’ll take her to school Monday morning. And call you when we drop her off. Now, go have fun with the Brady clan. And please, tell Julie Happy Birthday from your mom and me.” John said as he gave her a quick hug, and kissed her forehead.

 

“Say bye bye to mommy baby.” Marlena untangled Claire from her body, the little girl’s dark curls caressing her back as she ran into her mother’s waiting arms.

 

“You be good for grandma and grandpa okay? Mommy and daddy will be back soon. Be a good girl and help your grandparents with the babies okay? But you have to be careful, because they are really, really tiny. Daddy and I love you so very much.” Isabella hugged her daughter close to her body, breathing in the smell of what could only be described as perfection.

 

John noticed the tears welling up in his youngest daughter’s eyes, the sight taking him back to countless time when he had watched Marlena leave their children, only for a day, but still not being able to keep the tears away.

 

Turning his face towards his wife he saw what he had seen so many times through the years. Her fingers pressed against her mouth, one single tear tickling down her cheek, as she tried to keep her emotions unseen, but knowing fully well that she would never be able to do so.

 

John closed the distance between them, wrapped his arms around her waist, his lips planting featherlike kisses against her neck and ear, whispering, only for her to hear

 

“I love you.”

 

“…Love you too.” She whispered back, as she watched her little girl, embrace her daughter one last time before picking her up and handing her over to her parents.