Post by Mimi on Aug 18, 2006 10:08:47 GMT -5
“You bastard,” she reached up and slapped him hard across the face. “He is the last person I want messing with my head.” “What the hell is your problem, Marlena” John demanded as he lightly rubbed his face where she had hit him. “You, you’re my problem. How dare you bring in someone to mess with my head without consulting me first.” She was going to fight him on this issue. “Did it ever occur to you that my being an psychiatrist has some advantages. Namely, I could have recommended who I wanted to treat me.” “What you just said there makes no sense Doc. When you woke up you had no idea who you were, let alone what you do for a living. How the hell do you think you could rationally made a choice for your treatment plan.” He tried to explain. “When did this happen?” she asked. John looked at her confused. “What?” he asked. “I said, when did this happen?” “When did what happen? Dr. North treating you?” He hated when she got like this. She was just too confusing and unstable for him right now. He desperately wanted the old Marlena back. “Yes.” “Marlena, he’s been treating you for two months. Don’t you remember?” Her face paled and she gasped, “Two months?” “You don’t remember?” he asked gently, noticing the tears forming in her eyes. “No, the last thing I remember was waking up in the hospital.” What was wrong with her? She was having flashes of events she assumed had occurred but couldn’t be sure. What was a memory and what was fantasy? “What do you remember before that?” he probed. “Being in the pond with you,” she admitted. “Oh, Doc,” John started as he took her in his arms. She looked crushed and he truly felt bad for her. He knew what she was going through right now. The feelings she was having right now were most likely the same feelings that he felt everyone morning when he woke up. The utter desperation of not remembering who you are completely. “John, you said I had dissociative amnesia. I’d like you to be completely honest with me and tell me how I got it.” “I can’t” he moaned softly. “Can’t or won’t,” she said as she pulled herself out of his arms and went into the sitting room. John followed her and sat at the other end of the couch, “Both,” he admitted. “Look, you’re a psychiatrist, you know that it’s not in your best interest for me to tell you about the past.” “I know, I need to remember the events in my own time. I’m used to telling people that bullshit and I know on some level that it’s true. But this is my life we are taking about John. I’m not some patient. This is me. I need to know.” She would beg him for the information if she had to. “I know what you are going through Doc, but I can’t tell you,” he said softly. “Oh John, I’m so sorry if I sounded insensitive. You probably know better than anyone on this earth does what I’m going through. That’s why you have to help me. Please John, I’m begging you.” “I love you too much to jeopardize your treatment Marlena.” “God dammit, what the hell is your problem John,” Marlena turned on him and yelled. “I am not an invalid and I don’t appreciate you treating me like on. I asked you to tell me the truth and I expect you to. I’m not a fucking child that you need to protect. I’m an adult who is quite capable for making decisions for myself. I don’t need you or anyone else assuming that they know what is best for me. Got it,” she said as she poked a finger into his chest. “Now fucking tell me why I have amnesia.” “Marlena, stop it. You’re being irrational.” John grabbed her hands to stop her from poking him. She laughed, “Ha, I’m the irrational one. Why wouldn’t I be? You won’t tell me a damn thing about my past other than the fact that Alex is supposedly treating me. Why the fuck wouldn’t I be irrational. Tell me this then, what year is it? Don’t fucking bother lying to me or I’ll call the front desk.” “Alright, it’s 2005,” he admitted. “I can’t remember 12 fucking years of my life.” She screamed at him. She was beyond upset. “Twelve years? Who loses 12 years of their lives? What the fuck happened to me that I can’t remember?” She got up from the couch and started pacing back and forth in front of the large picture window that overlooked the ski slopes. “Marlena, please stop cursing.” He could have sworn that she used more curse words in one day than in their entire time as a couple. He wasn’t sure if he liked this new aspect of her personality. First her beer consumption, now cursing, what was going to be next? Tattoo’s? “Why, cause it’s unladylike,” she laughed. “Nice try John, but stop trying to change the subject. “I have every right to be upset. I can’t remember 12 years of my life,” she screamed at him. “Try not remembering more than twenty years, Doc,” John yelled back at her. He knew that he should have been the bigger adult in the relationship, but she knew how to push his buttons like no other person ever had or would. “Look, us yelling at each other isn’t going to solve anything Marlena. I know you’re upset. I do. I know that you want to remember and maybe you will. Screaming at me and acting out isn’t going to make you remember anything.” “I don’t want to be calm,” she yelled back at him, “I don’t want to be rational. I want my memory back.” She turned to face him. “I just want my memory back,” she said softly as her hand came to a rest on his arm. “I appreciate the fact that you are trying to protect me, John, I really do. You know better than anyone else does what the not knowing does to your mind. You said earlier that Stefano didn’t take me. Was I in an accident?” “I guess you could say that.” He took her hand in his and led her back to the couch. “A car accident?” She asked wondering if he was going to make her play twenty questions to get the information that she needed. “No, look Marlena, I told you before that I wasn’t going to fill in the blanks in your memory. Stop asking me these questions.” Yelling at him, physically attacking him and threatening him hadn’t worked so far, so Marlena decided to turn on the tears. “You are my best friend John, you know that,” she said as her eyes welled up with tears. “You have been the only person in my life that has ever been completely honest with me. You understand me. You complete me as a person. What I feel for you I have never felt for another and never will. I trust you completely. I trust you like I trust no other.” John started crying at her tender admission. “I know that you would never hurt me. But, I have to know John. Please tell me? Don’t leave me in this state of not knowing. You’re holding almost all the pieces of the puzzle of 12 years of my life. I have nothing but the edge pieces. Don’t you know that if I had the answers to your past that I would tell you? I’d tell you everything because you deserve to know. Please do this for me.” She walked into his open arms, sobbing. Marlena clung to him in desperation. John was crying as well as he rubbed her bare back. “I love you so much Marlena. You’re my life, my everything,” he leaned down as kissed her tenderly on the lips. “Love you so much,” he kissed her again. “Need you like I’ve needed no other” he whispered before he captured his mouth with hers again. “Want you,” he groaned into her mouth. His towel dropped to the floor as did hers. They were interrupted by a knock on the suite door. John grabbed his towel to cover himself and gave Marlena hers. Once he saw that she had covered herself he opened the door. Lorna the desk clerk stood on the other side. “Mr. Black, sorry to interrupt you,” she said noticing his bare chest and towel that was wrapped dangerously low around his hips. Lorna always thought that he was an attractive man but had no idea that his physique was so developed. She blushed when John cleared his throat at her ogling him. “I’m sorry. This is Jennifer,” she said as she introduced the woman standing next to her. “Jennifer is one of our personal shoppers.” Jennifer stuck her hand, “Like she said, I’m Jennifer. Nice to meet you Mr. Black.” John reached out to shake her hand and lost the grip on his towel. “Mr. Black, if you have some time, I’ve brought several items that I think you and Mrs. Black will like.” John opened the door to the suite and let both Lorna and Jennifer into the room. “Finally,” Marlena said as she took one of the bags from Lorna. “I thought I was going to have to walk around in a towel for the rest of the day.” “I wouldn’t have minded,” John admitted, looking over at her bare back. “Of course you wouldn’t dear,” Marlena said almost too cheerfully. John was perplexed. Her emotions were all over the place today. He didn’t think that her inability to remember was causing it. “Mrs. Black, would you like for me to show your clothes?” Jennifer asked. She proceeded to open one of the large bags and pulled out a couple of pairs of underwear and bras. Marlena held up a skimpy pair of black underwear. “A thong John?” she asked as she shook her head. John shrugged his shoulders, knowing that he had been caught. “I’m sorry Mrs. Black, it was what Mr. Black asked me to get. If you don’t like it I can return it.” Jennifer apologized. “No, it’ll work. Please tell me that at least it’s the right size. She looked at the label and was pleased to see that it was a size 5. She smiled at the label ‘Delicious on Contract’. “That’s an interesting name brand,” she thought as she pulled off the tag and put the underwear on underneath her towel. She picked up a matching bra and also noticed it was by the same company. It was tasteful looking and amazingly the right size. She half expected John to get her something too small so that she would spill out of it. He may try to act nonchalant about it, but she frequently caught him staring at her chest when he thought she wasn’t looking. Jennifer handed her a couple of pairs of jeans to choose from. Marlena chose a pair of black velvet ones because of their soft feel. She dropped her towel and stepped into them. They were a perfect fit. She was amazed; it was as if the jeans had been made for her body. “These are wonderful,” she said as she rubbed her hands along the front of the jeans. John coughed, “Uh, Marlena, honey you may want to put a bra on,” John tilted his head, motioning to the two visitors in the room. John noticed that both young ladies were trying hard not to stare. Hell, he was trying hard not to stare. “John, when did you turn into a prude?” she asked, making no effort to cover herself. She took the tag off the bra and put it on. He had to admit that she was stunning. Wet curly hair, bare feet, black jeans and a black lace bra. “Are there any clothes for me?” he asked Lorna. “Sure Mr. Black,” Lorna said as she reached into the bag and pulled out a stack of clothes. He was pleased to see that they had managed to get him everything that he had asked for. Marlena was busy putting on a pink v-neck T-shirt. She noticed that the pants and shirt were from the same designer: Basic Black. “This bag contains all the other items you asked for,” Lorna said motioning the bag that she had placed on the sofa table when she entered the suite. “One exhibitionist is enough for this family. I’m going to change in the bathroom,” John said as he grabbed his clothes and went into the bathroom and shut the door behind him. Marlena watched him leave and noticed that both girls were staring after her husband. “You’re so lucky Mrs. Black,” Lorna said. “Your husband loves you so much.” “Husband?” Marlena asked. Lorna looked at her with confusion. She had assumed that they were married as they frequently came to the Biltmore on anniversaries and other special occasions. “Mr. Black isn’t your husband?” “Mr. Black is her husband. Thank you ladies,” John said as he walked back into the room. He was wearing black jeans and a white v-neck T-shirt. He took two hundred-dollar bills out of his wallet and handed them to Jennifer and Lorna. They quickly left the room, shutting the door behind them. “John, are we married?” She asked. “Yes,” he said smiling. Was she remembering the ceremony? “We are?” she was beaming. “How long have we been married? Where did we get married? Oh John, I dreamt of us being together for so long. It’s hard for me to grasp the fact that it may have actually happened.” She was so happy. “We’ve been married for a couple years,” he felt safe in telling her. “So about my accident, what happened?” She cornered him. “Marlena, please lets not go through this again. I’m tired of arguing with you.” Before Marlena could protest they were interrupted by a loud knock on the door. Marlena went over to answer the door. “Alex,” she said softly. “What are you doing here?” “Didn’t John tell you that I’m your doctor,” he said with an evil gleam in his eye.
