Marlena often rode out and sat under the tall oak tree that sat out in the middle of the open field on the property she had inherited when her grandparents died five years ago. Her inheriting the land couldn’t have came at a better time in her life. Leaving Salem was one of the hardest things she had to do, but a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do. And the second hardest thing she had to do was, leave the man she had loved with all her heart, mind, body and soul. Her soulmate.
She was staring out over the wide open field. The tall grass was growing and needed to be cut she thought to herself. Tall tress shading parts of the land making safe haves for those hot summer days. Much like today. Her life has changed so much over the past five years. So much has happened. She rides out and sits under the tall oak and thinks about her life. Maybe how could she changed things, Made better decisions. But on most days, watching those two kids run through the tall grass, chasing after the Labrador retriever running fast in front of them, she don’t know why she would ever want to change the life she has lived for the past 5 years. Everything in that moment was perfect.
The static from the walkie talkie on the ground beside her brought her out of her day dream.
“Ms. Marlie” The young voice spoke through the walkie talkie.
“Yes Billy?” Marlena stood gathering her stuff.
“The guest have arrived.”
“What?!” She quickly ran over to her horse. “Come on kids!” She yelled. “CRAP, they are early!” She mumbled under breath.
“What is it?” The little blonde boy asked.
“We’ve got to go, sweetheart. The guest have arrived!” She sat each child up on the tall horse. She mounted the horse and slid on the saddle behind them.
“What about Dusty?” The other child asked. They all turned to see the dog running towards them.
Marlena whistled and the dog followed after them as they took off through the woods.
Marlena quickly dismounted the horse handing the reins to the young man that had summoned her through the walkie talkie earlier.
“Thanks Billy. Can you make sure these little people get on up in the house and wash up for supper?”
“Sure thing Ms. Marlie.” He stood each child on the ground as Marlena ran through the barn.
The tall, long legged blonde exited the black shinny limo. She waved her hand in front of her face. “Gawd this place smells awful.”
The dark haired, crystal blue eyed gentleman stepped out of the limo behind her and breathed in the fresh air. “Ahh..I could get used to this.” He stretched his arms out and turned his face towards the sun.
“What?! Honey, are you crazy this place smells like a farm.” She wrinkled her nose in disgust.
He chuckled a bit. “Well sweetheart, take a look around. This is a farm.” He shook his head.
“Why couldn’t we have just stayed in a big city? Maybe in a nice warm hotel with room service? Stored for shopping? Why did you have to bring me all the way out here?” She whined.
He rolled his eyes cursing himself for even thinking of trying to have a romantic getaway with this high maintenance, spoiled brat standing next to him. Sometimes he wonders what he even sees in her.
Marlena quickly ran through the barn swiping the dust of her Levi’s and running her fingers through her long blonde hair. Tucking some stray hairs behind her ear.
The barn doors go flying open and caught the man and women’s attention.
He blinked his eyes and swallowed hard. The sun was casting this glow on the figure that was emerging from the barn. The way she moved. The sway of her hips. Her hair blowing in the wind.
“No, it can’t be.” He said softly still trying to focus on the person walking towards them. The way the sun shown down on her made her look like a angel that had fallen right out of heaven.
Everything around him stopped except for the shapely blonde quickly walking towards him. It was like she walking towards him in slow motion. He felt himself getting a little weak in the knees with every step she took towards him.
She finally looked up after she finished adjusting her clothes and noticed the two people waiting on her for the first time. She hesitated for a split second that no one had even noticed.
‘Oh gawd.” She thought under her breath. ‘That can’t be him. I can’t do this I won’t be able to do this’ She stepped up in front of the couple and stuck out her hand. ‘I’ve got to do this’ she thought as she approached them.
“Hi. I’m Marlena Evans. Welcome.” She shook the woman’s hand who looked at her hand like Marlena had some kind of disease before taking Marlena’s hand and gently shook it.
“Hi, I’m Kristen Dimera.” Marlena flashed her a million dollar smile. The man get weak in the knees. He could smell her perfume.
“Dimera you say? As in Dimera Industries?” Marlena questioned Kristen.
“Why yes? You’ve heard of my fathers company out here?”
“Honey, I’ve haven’t lived out here all my life. I did live in civilization before moving out here. Actaully I was married to a business man myself, well until he became married to his work and I was playing second fiddle to it.” Marlena smiled and looked over at John. He could see the fire that burned in her eyes still. He quickly looked away. “So be careful your man here isn’t a workaholic like the one I had.”
Kristen linked her arm in John’s. There was some major tension filling the air. ” Oh..how rude of me. Marlena this is my fiancé, John Black. John, this is Marlena.”
She turned to John. “Nice to meet you, Mr Black.” Hazel met blue and the world seemed to stop. Marlena held out her hand for the man to take. “As in Basic Black?”
It took him by surprise that she is acting like she doesn’t even know him. John gave her a look.
“Honey, don’t be so rude.” Kristen said nudging John to shake Marlena’s hand.
“Yea sugar, don’t be so rude. I don’t bite, well at least not to hard. “Marlena joked with John causing Kristen to bust out in a very annoying ear piercing laugh. John rolled his eyes and focused his attention back on Marlena.
“Oh sorry. It’s nice to meet you too..Marlena is it? And yes it is, Basic Black.” John slowly extended his hand and took her in his.
Her skin felt so soft against his. Her hands were so warm. John gazed into her eyes. It was Marlena’s turned to swallow hard. She got warm and fuzzy feelings running from her hand and bursting all throughout her body causing her hands to start sweating. She sure hoped John couldn’t see or feel the effect he still had her. He did and he even gave her a half grin. She quickly yanked her hand from his.
Marlena was getting uncomfortable by the minute with the way John was looking at her. The love that he seems to still feel for her, even after all these years, is piercing her harden heart. She cursed herself for still having very strong and deep feelings for him even after he broke her heart. She turned her gaze from his and noticed her nanny walking up to her. The children were asking for her.
She turned her attention back to John and Kristen. “I’ve got to get going. I’ve got some more chores to get down before I can head out to the festival tonight.”
“Feeling a little like Cinderella?” John asked giving her a half smile.
“Yea, but I don’t expect my Prince Charming to come riding up on a white horse to sweep me off my feet and then we live happily ever after. I’ve been there, done that and I didn’t get my fairy tale ending.” John noticed the sad, hurt look in Marlena’s eyes as she looked between John and Kristen. “I hope you story has that happy ending.” She said to Kristen. She quickly glanced over at John. “Welp, I got to go. Billy here will show you over to your cabin. You’ve came at a great time. It Strawberry Festival Week. There is something to do every day and every night. I hope guys will enjoy your stay here. If there is anything you need, just give me a ring or billy here can help you out.”
“Thanks!” Kristen said as Marlena walked away.
John watched her walk away. His heart swelled with so much love for his ex-wife. He knitted his brows together when he saw the two little kids go running up to Marlena and wrapping their arms around her. Marlena stooped down and picked them both up. She turned back to see if John was watching, and sure enough, he was. ‘Crap!’ She walked up on her porch and disappeared into her house.
John stared at the closed screened door. ‘No..she wouldn’t have done that to me no matter how bad I had hurt her’
“Honey?” Kristen waved her hand in front of John’s face.
“Uh yeah.”
“She seems…well she was like telling us her life story and we just met.”
“Well Kristen, some people are just friendly like that. That’s something your not. You need to work on that, whatcha think?”
Her mouth gaped open with the rude comments John has just made. He took gathered their things and headed on over to their cabin across the lawn from Marlena’s huge two story house.
Gretchen Wilson’s ‘I’m Here for the Party’ was playing when Marlena walked in the barn. How fitting for her on a day like the one she had. Running into her ex-husband and meeting his fiancé. Oye she needed a drink.
Marlena stood over by the jukebox sipping on some ice tea. The barn was packed with the towns people. They were all decked out in their cowboy and cowgirl best. The music was blaring Country’s top hits and everyone was dancing and having a good time.
The mayor had made his announcement officially starting Strawberry Festival week. And then the party really began to get started.
Marlena was chatting with the local doctor when John walked in. She choked her tea and excused herself and made her way over to the bar.
“Jack on the rocks, please?” She leaned up against the bar.
“That’s such a harsh drink for such a classy lady.”
She slowly turned on the hell of her boot.
“I don’t think you know what a classy lady looked like if she walked up and smacked you in the face..”
“Ouch..okay, I deserved that.”
“Oh..you deserve way more than that buddy.”
John smiled. “I love it when you get all mad and feisty.”
“Just shut up and leave me alone.” She grabbed her drink and became to walk away. He grabbed her arm. She looked down at his hand grasped around her arm. “Let go and find your arm piece, leave me alone and please..just stay out of my life. I’ve moved on and evidentially you have too.”
John watched as Marlena walked away.
A cute little blue eyed, dark curly headed little girl came walking up to John after watching Marlena walk away..
“Hey Mister..why you keep staring at my mommy” She knitted her eyebrows and placed her hands on her hip.
He had to give the little girl a laugh. How adorable is she he thought. A little feisty thing at that too. “Your mommy?” He looked into the little girls crystal blue eyes and felt as if he was looking back into his own. “Well, I think your mommy is very pretty. Just like you.” He played with one of her soft curls.
“Do you want to marry my mommy?” She asked trying to climb up on the bar stool beside John.
Helping her get up on the stool without falling. “Why would ask me something like that?”
“Cause you always stare at my mommy and I see her looking at you too sometimes. I think you are in love. She smiled at him and he saw Marlena’s smile in hers.
“Why do you say we are in love? I just got here today and I have only gotten to talk with your mommy for a couple of minutes.”
“Cause I heard her talking to you today while she was getting dressed”
Confused. “You did? How..I mean, what did she say and how did you know it was me?” He crossed his arms across his chest.
“Cause your name is John, right?”
“Yea.”
“She was looking out her window, she was holding a picture. I think it was you and her from along time ago. I heard her saying that she loved you still so very much.”
John looked up over at Marlena. She was talking with a group of young girls. She was so beautiful standing there in her short denim skirt and cowboy boots. Her hair pulled back in a loose french braid. A far cry from the fancy business suits and tight french twist she always used to wear.
“Hmm..well maybe I should just have a little talk with your mommy.”
“Yea, maybe you can make her happy again.”
“Is your mama sad?”
“Yes, ever since that mean Mr. Roman left with the witchy woman Kate a few years ago.”
“Oh I see. So is this Mr Roman your daddy?”
“Nope..mommy said that my daddy lives somewhere far far away and maybe when we are all grown up we can go see him.”
“So you have never met your daddy?”
“No..but mommy says I look just like him.”
“Really?” John looked the little girl over. “Well he must be a handsome man cause you are a very beautiful little girl.”
She blushed a little. “Umm…will you dance with me?”
“Sure, but won’t your boyfriend over there get mad at me?” John motion over to the little sandy haired blonde boy.
She started giggling. “That’s my brother you silly. He can’t be my boyfriend.”
John led them out on the dance floor. “So that’s your brother?”
“Uh huh. We are twins. He’s older and he always rubs it in. He likes to boss me around when mama’s not around.” She stretches her arms up for John to pick her up. “You too tall, can you hold me please?”
Chuckling as he lifted her in his arms. “I’m sorry I’m so tall. Maybe you need to grow a little bit. So how old are you and your brother?” She showed him four fingers. “You sure are a smart little girl for your age.”
“Mommy says I get that from her and my brother is stubborn just like my daddy.”
“Really. I think your mother can be quite stubborn herself.”
Marlena was looking around for the children when she noticed John dancing with her daughter.
“Will you excuse me?” She said as she made a b-line over to John.
“What are you doing?” She snapped at John.
“Uh, dancing?”
“We’re dancing mommy.”
“Hasn’t mommy told you about talking to strangers?”
“But he’s not a stranger.”
“Avery Ann don’t you talk back to me young lady.”
She hung her head. “Yes ma’am.”
“We’re just dancing Marlena. Lighten up. I’m not going to run outta here with her.”
Marlena shot daggers at him. “Avery, why don’t you go find your brother and see if he’s ready to go.”
“Hey wait a minute, we didn’t get to finish our dance.” John whined as Avery wiggled out of his arms.
“Mommy will finish dancing with you. Won’t you mama?” She smiled up at Marlena.
“You will?” John asked.
“Sure. Why the heck not. Now you go find your brother for mama. Please.”
“Yes ma’am” She said as she ran off.
John held out his hand. “May I have this dance?” Marlena hesitated. “Just one dance, Doc. What can it hurt?”
“Please don’t call me that.” She said softly as she took his hand.
John led them out into the center of the dance floor. He slid his arms around Marlena’s waist. He took her other hand in his and brought it up to lay on his chest. She wrapped her arm around his neck. John leaned his face into hers. Marlena’s breath caught.
Marlena buried her face in John’s neck. The smell of his cologne brought back many years of memories.
“John, I I can’t do this.” She tried to pull out of his arms but he held her tightly against him. Tears started forming in her eyes. John gently rubbed her back trying to comfort her.
He heard her sniffles and pulled back to look in her eyes. He wiped away the tear that had fallen down her cheek. “I’m so sorry.”
“It’s a little to late for sorry now, dontcha think?” She stared into his eyes.
“Doc, I can still make all your dreams come true. Please, just give me another chance to prove to you..”
She cut him off. “Your engaged John.” That music stopped. “Thank you for the dance and I hope you and your fiancé enjoy your little vacation.”
She wiped her tears as she walk away gathering the children up to leave.
The Jarlena Journal 