Chapter
9
John, Marlena and Brady are all in the cafeteria eating their
lunch waiting for Mike to call them to go back to Belle's room.
Marlena and John are feeding each other as Brady watches them and
laughs his food untouched on his tray. John accidentally dribbles
some food on Marlena's chin and leans over to lick it off.
"Let
me get that."
As John is licking the food off of Marlena's
chin, the closeness causes them to forget where they are as John's
mouth moves from her chin to her lips. Marlena's hand goes up and
around John's head as she pulls him in closer as they continue to
kiss. Brady just watches them with a huge toothless grin on his face.
Lexie walks up behind Brady and hugs him from behind.
"Are
you watching mommy and daddy kissing?"
Brady looks up.
"Aunt
Lexie!"
He jumps up into Lexie's arms and gives her a big
hug. John and Marlena are totally oblivious to everything around
them; they are so much in love.
"Have you even touched your
lunch, sweetie?"
Brady nods his head.
"No."
"Would
you like me to help you eat it?"
Brady nods his head
again.
"Okay."
Lexie sits Brady down in front of his
tray and then she sits down beside him and grabs his fork.
"What
you like to try first? Some chicken?"
Brady just shrugs his
shoulders as Lexie picks up some chicken with his fork.
"Here
you go Brady. Open wide."
Brady opens his mouth and Lexie
puts the chicken in it. Then Brady decides to play around a little
bit and won't give Lexie the fork back by biting down on it. She
keeps pulling on it and laughing and finally gets it loose through
one of the holes in Brady's mouth. Brady is laughing so hard that he
chokes on the chicken. This alerts John and Marlena and they stop
kissing and get up to help Lexie with the Heimlich maneuver. Brady
chokes it up so Marlena gives him his milk to help his throat.
"Here
drink this sweetie; it'll help you feel better."
He takes it
from her.
"Thanks, mommy."
Lexie continues to rub
Brady's back as he drinks his milk. Marlena chimes in.
"Thanks
for saving Brady's life, Lexie."
Lexie smiles and looks at
Marlena.
"It was no trouble, I love this little boy and I
love you guys, I don't know what I would do if anything happened to
him."
Just then Marlena's pager beeps. She stops to check
it.
"It's Mike, it appears that he finished the tests on
Belle and we can go see her now."
John smiles.
"Great,
I can't wait to see our little girl awake and talking. Let's
go."
Brady hops down off the bench and grabs Marlena's hand
as she grabs John's hand.
"See you later, Lexie."
"Yes,
you too, Marlena, John."
They all head towards Belle's
room.
Meanwhile
in Belle's room...
Belle is sitting up with a smile on her face
holding a book and pointing at the pictures while Mike sits with her
and talks about the pictures. She is off the ventilator and can talk
a little bit, she was given some mild painkillers for her stitches
and is happy as can be considering. John, Marlena and Brady open the
door and walk in. Belle and Mike both look up when they hear them.
Belle is ecstatic to see them.
(Hoarsely)
"Mommy, daddy,
Brady!"
Her arms go up for a hug but she reaches up a little
too far and grabs her stomach where she had her
stitches.
(Hoarsely)
"Ow."
Marlena walks over to
her daughter.
"Oh, sweetie girl. You just had surgery; you
need to be careful that you don't pull your stitches out."
Then
she leans over and puts her arms around Belle's head and kisses her
curls. John walks over.
"Are you in too much pain to hug
your dear old dad?"
Marlena lets go of Belle's head and she
sits up and grins her daddy. Belle shakes her head no.
"No
daddy."
John leans over and hugs his daughter as she wraps
her arms tightly around him.
"I love you, daddy."
"I
love you too, Izzy."
Marlena begins to cry as her hand goes
to her mouth.
Brady tugs on her leg.
"Mommy, can I see
Belle, too?"
She looks down at her stepson.
"Of
course you can."
Marlena takes Brady over to see his
sister.
"John, could Brady say hi real quick?"
John
stands up.
"Yeah slugger come here."
He grabs Brady
and props him on his leg.
"Hi, sis, how are you?"
"I'm
feeling better, but my tummy is still a little sore."
Mike
motions to Marlena to come over.
"Marlena, I just wanted to
let you know that Belle is going to be okay. I have a list of
treatments that she will need to receive as a result of her cystic
fibrosis; I also have a prescription for pain medication. Other than
that she is fine and should be released in the next couple of
days."
"Mike that is the best news."
They look
over at John, Brady, and Belle who are talking, laughing and looking
at the picture book. Marlena smiles and thinks to herself.
"I
have my little girl back and a baby on the way, things are definitely
looking up."
She places her hand on her stomach where she and
John's baby is growing. John looks over at her and they smile at one
another, the look of pure love and happiness in their
eyes.
Chapter 10 coming soon...
