Chapter 22

[Mimi]

“So which one of you is going to tell me where we are and what’s going on?” Marlena asked as she cuddled in John’s lap. She brought the blanket up and tucked it under her chin. John absentmindedly stroked her back. She leaned back into the sensation, wanting nothing more than to cuddle with him under the covers on the bed, but at the same time needing answers. “Well…” John began, not sure of how much to divulge to Marlena. “John, I just want the truth…Please.” “Okay, we’re heading to the Mediterranean, Greece actually.” “We are?” Roman and Marlena said at the same time. They looked at each other and started laughing. “Don’t you even say jinx,” Marlena warned him. John felt a twinge of jealously at their closeness. After all these years, Roman and Marlena had a still had a connection and probably always would. “Why Greece?” Roman asked. “I own a small island…It’s not on any map and not registered in my name…no one knows I own it except for Marlena…We should be safe there…I’m fairly certain that North won’t be able to find us.” “I didn’t know you owned an island?” Marlena stated and then remembered that she did have amnesia, “Oh…. I forgot.” She blushed in embarrassment. “How does Roman fit into this?…Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad to see a familiar face John…I just didn’t think that you two liked each other enough to go on a vacation together.” “Roman and I get along fine.” “Since when?” Marlena asked. “Since about five minutes ago,” Roman offered. “Oh…so why is he here?” “Honey, Roman is the only person on this earth that I trust with your life…Whatever differences I have had with him in the past, I know deep down that he would never hurt you.” “You act like my life is in danger…is Stefano alive…is that what you’re telling me?” Marlena sat up and started to panic. John could feel the muscles in her legs tense up against him. “Doc, it’s okay,” John said as he stroked her back. “He’s not alive…not that we know…the danger right now is from Alex North. “Alex?” she asked. “Why would he hurt me? He’s an old friend of mine.” “That’s what you said in the hospital, but in the hotel at times you seemed fearful of him.” “Alex would never hurt me…. Alex only wants to protect me.” Marlena said as she stared out the small plane window. Roman looked on in fascination, watching as Marlena’s facial expressions seemed to change by the second. “I know that you think that North wants to help you….I just don’t trust the man…something about him…” “What? You don’t think he’s providing appropriate treatment for me?” “Yes…yes, essentially I don’t think that he’s helping with the return of your memory.” “What do you think Roman?” Marlena asked. “I don’t know…I just never trusted the man,” Roman admitted as he got up from his chair and went to the bar to pour himself another drink. “John, would you like some more?” “Sure,” John said as he handed the glass to Roman. “Marlena, would you like something to drink?” “I’ll take a cold beer, if you have one?” “A beer?” Roman said, as he looked incredulously at her. “Since when do you drink beer?” John laughed out loud, “Don’t ask pal, seems to be an acquired taste as of late.” “Please don’t talk about me like I’m not here…It’s rather offensive.” Marlena said. “Sorry princess, “ John teased her as he grabbed her sides and tickled her. “John,” she screamed as she writhed in his lap trying to get away from him. He loved to hear the sound of her laughing. “John Black, stop tickling me,” she warned him. He ignored the warning and continued. She tried to get up off his lap, but he held her firmly in place. Roman watched their obvious closeness and affection from a distance. “I’m going to pee if you keep it up Sailor,” she warned him. “Don’t you dare,” John said as he continued tickling her, moving his hands under her shirt. “John…don’t do that,” she pushed his hands away. What started out as a tickle soon became a caress. She felt his hands move up and caress her bare breasts. Marlena ground her bottom into him, feeling his erection. Her head automatically leaned back as she allowed John to place small kisses along the side. “Earth to John and Marlena…Please don’t do that in front of me…. Take it to the bedroom.” Roman said as he returned with their drinks. He placed the drinks on the glass table next to them and sat down. He noticed out of the corner of his eye that John appeared to be caressing Marlena’s breasts underneath the blanket. “hmmm…..” Marlena moaned, eyes closed in pleasure. “If you two keep this up, I’m leaving,” Roman warned them, trying not to look. John stopped sucking on her neck long enough to reply. “Okay, we’ll be good. Marlena…stop doing that…. Marlena stop it…. I’m serious…If you keep doing that I’m going to have to take you back to the bedroom and have my way with you…Woman, stop it….ohhhhhhhh” “Alright…that’s enough,” Roman said as he got up. He stooped down in front of Marlena and attempted to pull her out of John’s arms. “I have absolutely no desire to see this…if you can’t keep your hands to yourselves then I’m going to have to separate you…God, I sound like my father.” “Spoil sport,” Marlena said as she sat up in John’s lap. “You my dear are going to sit over here,” Roman said as he pulled Marlena up and moved her to the couch. Marlena grabbed the beer bottle on the way and took a swig. “Where the hell did your sense of modesty go Doc…out with your amnesia?” He asked as he motioned to her bare legs. He grabbed the blanket from John’s lap and threw it to Marlena. “Sorry Roman…sometimes I just get carried away…hell you were married to her, you know how it is….” John admitted. “Uh, yeah…” Roman said uncomfortably as he looked over at Marlena. She was lying against the cushions, feet tucked under her, bottle in hand. “Before your little love fest began we were talking about Dr. North and his psychiatric treatment of Marlena…. What’s your game plan when we get to the island?” “You’re going to help me keep Marlena safe and help me get her memory back.” Marlena laughed, “Right… The two of you…The two of you who have absolutely no psychiatric training are going to treat me…no way.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “Doc, it’s the only way.” “No…I don’t care if it’s the last treatment available on earth…there’s no way that I’m letting either one of you mess with my head…come up with a different plan…besides, I’m fine.” “You’re not fine Marlena,” John said as he sat forward in his chair. “I am too…I don’t need to talk to anyone.” “So what? Your memory is going to magically return.” “Well no, but gradually it should.” “Marlena, it’s been three months…shouldn’t you have remembered more by now?” “These things take time…Sometimes people never remember.” “That’s bullshit…The only reason why you haven’t remembered is because of Dr. North and his mind games.” “You don’t know that John.” “The hell I don’t…I know that the woman I love, my wife, was having some serious issues back in that hotel room…the common denominator is North…He’s the one that’s preventing your memory from returning.” “John you sound paranoid.” “No I sound realistic… I sound like a man who would do anything for his wife to help her memory return…anything…anything…Even take you out of the country where he can’t find you.” “All this is a little frightening to me…back to my original question, why is Roman here?” “I told you already…I’d like for you to talk to him.” “And I already told you…no way…I don’t need to talk to him…I don’t need to talk to anyone... I’m fine.” “You’re not fine Doc…you flipped out several times at the hotel…” “You’re just overreacting.” “No I’m not….there’s something inside of you, some issue that you won’t discuss and can’t move past…what if it’s the reason why you can’t remember….if you won’t talk to me about it I was hoping you’d talk to Roman.” “John, Roman’s not my shrink and neither are you… There are some things neither of you need to know…things that I don’t feel comfortable discussing with anyone…Please just drop this.” “Doc, you called for him in the middle of the night…you said you wanted to talk to him…If you won’t talk to me, please talk to him.” “No.” “God woman…you are so stubborn.” John said as he stood up and walked to the bar. How was he going to get through to her and get her to open up to Roman. “If you won’t talk to Roman, then you’re going to talk to me…you’re going to explain what the hell you were dreaming about and reliving that had you terrified and screaming out in your sleep…you are going to tell me why when I touched you, you recoiled in horror…” Marlena’s face paled and she gasped. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She lied. Roman looked over at her, seeing the tears start to slowly make their way down her cheeks. “You never were a good liar Doc…You told me over and over not to touch you…every time I got near you, you freaked out…several times you told me you wanted to see Roman… I can see on your face that you know what I’m talking about… Doc, I don’t want to hurt you…god, I don’t want you to cry… I hate that I am doing this to you…I hate this…I don’t want to be the bad guy… I don’t want to be the one that causes you pain…I fucking hate this… But, I don’t know what else to do… I don’t know how to get through to you…you won’t accept my help…you don’t want to talk to anyone…If you won’t do this for yourself, please do it for me…Please Marlena, Please…. For me.” John sat down on the couch next to her and took her small hands in his. Marlena silently sobbed beside him. John motioned with his head for Roman to get up and go to the other side of Marlena. Roman sat down on the couch next to Marlena and put his arm around her. “Marlena… You know I love you… You know that I would never hurt you… I want to see you well… I want to see that smile return to your face… Please talk to me… Please tell me what’s wrong… You know that I’d never betray your confidence… I haven’t yet and I never will… Please talk to me…Mar, there’s a reason why these memories are returning… If you don’t deal with this now, it’s going to eat you up inside like it did last time… Don’t let HIM win, don’t let HIM do this to you.” At the mention of HIM Marlena broke down sobbing. She leaned into John for protection. He put his arms around her and held her as she sobbed. “I can’t go through this again Roman, I can’t,” Marlena sobbed into John’s arms. “It’s okay,” Roman said as he stroked her back. “Oh god… You can’t know…You can’t, “ Marlena said as she pulled herself out of John’s arms. “I’d disgust you…you’d hate me,” She sobbed. “You’d never want to be with me ever again.” John was bewildered. He looked to Roman for guidance. Roman put his finger up to his lips, indicating for John not to say anything. “John would never hate you Marlena… He’s loves you.” “He can’t love me… no one can… I need to get out of here.” She said as she sat up. “Marlena, I know about HIM and I don’t hate you,” Roman said as he took her chin in between his fingers and turned her face toward him. Her face was red and puffy from crying, eyes bloodshot. “Please talk to me about this.” “Okay,” she said weakly, “But only you… Promise me that you won’t tell John.” Roman looked up at John. John nodded his approval, visibly upset and hurt that Marlena didn’t want to confide in him. “Sure.” “Why don’t I go back into the bedroom, I’ll leave the two of you alone,” John said as he got up from the couch. He bent down and kissed Marlena on the head and walked to the bedroom. “Marlena…you are the love of my life…there is nothing you could do or say that would ever make me love you any less… Remember that.” John shut the door behind him and laid down on the bed. He picked up the pillow that still held Marlena’s scent and breathed in deeply.