Post by Mimi on Aug 18, 2006 9:59:34 GMT -5
No sooner had John hung up his cell phone than it rang again. He hit the talk button, “Victor, you already figured out what the cost would be?” John asked. “Victor?” The voice on the other end replied. “Marlena?” John asked softly into the phone as he looked at the caller readout on the screen. The word DOC was staring back. “Are you busy? Is this a bad time? I’m sorry I shouldn’t have called.” Marlena said in a hurry. “I have all the time in the world for you. What’s up?” John asked toning down his true feelings considerably as to not frighten her. “Do I like opera?” She asked. “Yes, why?” He was curious as to what brought about this particular question. “I found a ticket stub to an opera in the pocket of the coat that you packed for me. It is my coat, right?” “Yes.” “Did we go to the opera together often?” “We had season tickets to the Salem metropolitan opera. You used to joke that it was the one place you could go without running into a former patient.” He laughed nervously. “What was I like as a person?” She timidly asked. “You were a wonderful person. Is there anything specifically that you’d like to know?” He asked. “That’s what everyone keeps telling me, but I honestly don’t feel it.” “What kind of person do you think you were?” “I don’t know. My mind is telling me one thing and my heart another.” “I’d go with what your heart is telling you. It’s my experience that your mind can play tricks that your heart won’t.” “That sounds like good advice. Are you sure that you aren’t a psychiatrist?” “Nope, just your regular run of the mill business man.” “Obviously a pretty good one, judging by the helicopter. What kind of business do you run, if you don’t mind me asking?” Alex had made comments about John’s wealth and what her private treatment was costing him. She had to admit that she was curious about this aspect of her life with him. “Basic Black.” “The clothing company?” He couldn’t be serious. “Yes.” “Seriously. You own Basic Black?” There was no way she was married to someone who owned a large and prestigious clothing company. She thought maybe he owned an engineering company or something like that. “We. We own Basic Black.” John said as he emphasized the word we. “Why didn’t you pack me any clothes that are from there?” “I didn’t want you to think that I was pressuring you to remember me. I thought if you saw the labels you would think it was a ploy.” John replied honestly, for the thought did occur to him to make sure that every article of clothing in her suitcase was a Basic Black original. Everything from her lingerie to her shoes. He thought about the line of lingerie that Basic Black carried that he had designed with Marlena in mind. All the way from the colors to the private label. A smile came to his lips as he thought about the labels’ name “Delicious on Contact”. Belle and the rest of the designers thought that it was a cool and unusual name for a line of lingerie. Marlena laughed in surprise when John presented her with a pair. “John, Delicious on Contact? DOC? Isn’t that a little obvious?” Regardless, Marlena had worn nothing but John’s lingerie ever since. “Could I ask a favor of you?” “Sure.” “Could you maybe send me….” She was too ashamed to finish her sentence, for she didn’t want to appear to be too needy to him. “Send you what?” He asked as he finished her sentence. “It’s nothing.” “It’s obviously something. Name it. You want ice cream, I’ll fly some up to you. You want a gourmet dinner, I’ll fly in Emeril.” “Emeril, as in the TV chef?” “The one and the same. The last time you had a craving for some authentic French cuisine he flew in to prepare it for you. He seemed to have a little crush on you. I don’t think he’d mind flying up to Green Mountain.” John’s mind took him back to that day a couple of years ago, before everything had started to fall apart. “Emeril cooked for me?” She asked in astonishment. Just who was this man everyone said was her husband? “Yes. So name what you want and I’ll try to get it for you.” He knew that she didn’t remember anything from her past, at least she wasn’t letting on that she did. He would go to the ends of the earth to get her whatever her heart desired. “Could you maybe send some other clothes?” She finally asked. “Other clothes?” He asked, not sure of what she meant. “I don’t really like all the clothes you packed. They aren’t really my style.” She didn’t want to offend him, but she really didn’t like the clothes he had packed. “What kind of clothes would you like?” “Something simple, tasteful, not to grandmotherly looking. Did I really wear these clothes before?” She said looking down at her brown corduroy slacks and cream colored turtleneck. Everything in her suitcase was so conservative. “Yes, although I admit I was always trying to get you to show a little more skin.” John said before he realized it. At the mention of the word skin Marlena suddenly was overcome with a flashback of kissing John in a pond somewhere. She vividly saw herself approach John with lust in her eyes. She grabbed him around her neck and pulled him to her. John’s one hand reached under the water and pulled her nude body closer to him. She opened her mouth to allow him access. “What’s wrong Marlena?” John quickly asked after he heard her gasp for air. “Are you okay?” “I’m fine.” Marlena replied her voice a little shaky. “I’ve got to go. Bye.” She said as she hung up the phone without waiting for his response. The feeling of uneasiness that she usually felt when his name was mentioned returned. She ran into the living room, clutching her hands to her throat. “Alex, I can’t breathe.” She said as she fell to her knees on the floor hyperventilating.
