XXI

Second chances

"Hey," Rebecca seemed surprised as she noticed Lizette standing in the bedroom, "I didn't hear you come in," She walked over to her grabbing her by the waist, they kissed. "My assignment ended earlier than I expected so, I'm home," She smiled breaking away from Rebecca, "Are you upset?" Rebecca shrugged, as she asked, "No I'm fine, actually you've been in my thoughts, what we talked about," She brought it up front and center, Rebecca grinned, "You've made a decision?" She firmly asked not taking her eyes from her, "I have," She remained serious, "I love you Rebecca and I want more than anything to marry you but there are so many things about me, things we've never really discussed," Lizette became sullen. "I love you too and I wouldn't have asked if I thought we wouldn't be great together," She embraced her tightly, "My past isn't the greatest," She wept, "Obviously you have a past with someone with whom your in close contact with," Lizette continued with caution, "Marlene is not up for discussion, yes she is my past and I can't change the fact she's part of my life Lizette and she always will be," She spoke sternly, "I just don't trust the situation with her, I think as I have before that she's after you," Rebecca's heart pounded erratically, "Why would you think that?" Lizette grimaced, "Because you had something together and I think she's wanting to rekindle what you had, that's all I'm saying Rebecca," She worded strongly. "Lizette be reasonable she's just my therapist and nothing more," She became guarded. "You may not realize it but she has feelings for you Rebecca," Rebecca thought momentarily she knew exactly what Marlene's feelings were.

Marlene quietly sat at her desk filling out the last of her reports for the day she checked her cell phone for any messages from Mark but there wasn't any she sighed tossing her phone down to the desk. Marlene's office phone began to ring she answered. "Mrs. Blair a Lizette Marlow is here to see you," Marlene swallowed hard, "Yes have her come in," She sat back in her chair, Lizette entered, "Marlene," She walked up to her desk, "And what can I do for you today?" She asked smugly, "Rebecca," She arched her brow sitting down, "What about her?" She played on her words, "I guess she hasn't told you she asked me to marry her," Marlene groaned under her breath, "Uh no, why would she?" She asked pretending not to know. "Marlene, I know all about you and Rebecca," She voiced with an impish grin, "Know what?" Marlene questioned clearing her throat. "I know about your past with her she told me," Marlene just stared, "Yes its true we were in love, together once but that was a longtime ago, I'm married and she has you," She smiled with sarcasm, "Marlene somehow I don't think you care about who she's with or the fact your married," Marlene stood up and turned looking out the window, "I wouldn't do anything to hurt Rebecca or ruin my marriage," She could feel the angst of lying creeping up on her, "What is it that you want Lizette?" She further asked. "I want you to back away from Rebecca find her someone else to do her therapy, leave us alone," Marlene cocked her head back and stared blankly at her. "Well?" Lizette smirked, "I think you should ask Rebecca how she feels about it," Marlene put the ball in her court.

Mark quickly left the board meeting room, "Well I'm glad we were able to resolve those issues," David spoke noticing Mark was preoccupied, "Mark," David slapped his hand to the top of his shoulder, "What's wrong? You've been distant since you've been here," They walked outside onto the steps in front of the hospital, Mark sighed deeply, "There are things, things about Marlene and our marriage," He stopped talking and appeared upset, "Is everything alright, Grace hasn't mentioned a thing," He started to speak, "I need a drink," Mark voiced they walked down the street to a bar and sat down ordering whiskey. "Mark, are you not happy? I mean when we left everything seemed normal," He looked at him strangely, "Marlene wasn't truthful about certain things, her past, especially about her marriage and her life after her divorce," He began taking a swig of the whiskey in his glass, "I don't understand what you mean, your married now and her life is with you," Mark gave him a sharp look, "Rebecca," He spoke her name his throat tightened, "What about her?" He asked, "Marlene and Rebecca had a life together at one time," David grunted, "Well I'm sure they were good friends she was married to her brother, surely they were close," He gave Marlene the benefit of the doubt. "They were in love and lived together as a couple," He snidely laughed taking another sip of his drink, "What?" David appeared shocked, "Why would you say that, Marlene is not a lesbian," He responded Mark flagged the waitress down for another drink, "I asked her David and she didn't deny it," David was at a loss for words. "I wished she would've been honest, why did she lie, cover it up? Do you think she was to embarrassed to admit to me or anyone here that she had an affair with a woman?" Mark asked twirling the ice in his glass.

David appeared perplexed, "Grace didn't say a thing, I wonder if she even knows," He retorted wanting to get to the bottom of it, "Does it matter? Grace is her best friend they have secrets I'm sure," Mark recanted. "What will you do?" He questioned, "I don't know, I have to return to Düsseldorf tomorrow and I'm sure she is anticipating what move I'll make," David frowned, "Surely you'll forgive her, not telling you about something that was very private and part of her past," Mark abruptly cut in, "That's only part of it, you know I want to have a child with her she's put me off and is non committal about it, well she lied about that too, she's been taking the pill and I found out by mistake, she wasn't truthful David and I just can't abide by her lying," David could see the redness in his face begin to surface, "Wow, seems maybe your really not happy after all that everything you thought you had with her was a big mistake," They ordered another whiskey, "I love her and this has been hard on me, I don't know what else she's lied about and it will be difficult to trust her again," He shook his head, "Do you want to work on your marriage or come back here and live in depression?" He quizzed frankly. Mark raised his eyes to him, "I have a lot to think about," He finished his drink, "I don't think I'll be good company, if you'll excuse me I think I need a hot shower and some sleep," David followed him out they walked back to the hospital, "Grace will be disappointment," Mark rolled his eyes, "You understand?" He questioned firmly, "I do," He grinned. Mark called a cab to take him back to the hotel.

David entered the apartment Grace sat relaxing on the sofa, "Hey where have you been and where's Mark?" She became curious, "Back at the hotel he's not feeling well, we had a few drinks, talked," David placed his arm around Grace as he sat on the sofa with her, "Can I ask you something?" He started off, "Yeah, sure," Grace seemed amused at his strange gaze, "Mark told me he and Marlene are having problems," Grace grimaced, "Have you talked to her?" He further asked, "Not in a couple of days, what did Mark say?" She fished for an answer, "He said Marlene admitted to him that she had a love relationship with Rebecca," He furrowed his brow, Grace rubbed her hands together, "Did you know?" He asked in a probing manner, "Marlene has been through a lot, school, job a new marriage and then to be faced with returning home where things weren't so good, yes she shared with me about Rebecca but only when we visited there, I knew something was up between them," David groaned interrupting her, "Why didn't you tell me?" He felt left out. "Marlene was feeling the stress and she hadn't shared that part of her past with him, she just wanted to forget Rebecca and the reasons things didn't work out for them," Grace responded truthfully, David rubbed his face with his hands, "You knew that Mark and Marlene were trying to have a baby," He relayed continuing, "Mark discovered she was taking the pill and had been lying to him, I think he's angry and hurt enough that this marriage won't last," He voiced sadly. "I knew Marlene wasn't ready to have a baby, I told her several times she needed to be honest with Mark but she said he continually pressured her and she didn't want to hurt or anger him," She stated, "I think our friends are in trouble," David remarked embracing Grace.

Marlene sat quietly at her desk deep in thought, "Mark will be home this evening," She spoke under her breath startled by the ringing of her desk phone, "Ms. Von Lahnstein is here, shall I have her wait in the therapy room?" The receptionist asked, "Yes, I'll be down in a few minutes she collected herself and slipped on her lab coat she picked up Rebecca's chart and met her in the therapy room, "Hey," she tried to be cheery, "Hey," Rebecca spoke back they began her stretching exercises, "I guess your husband hasn't returned," Rebecca felt her out, "This evening and I can only imagine his mood," She slightly trembled, "I'm sorry, sorry he didn't take it very well about you and I," Rebecca versed staring her in the eyes, "I should have been truthful, I love you and there was absolutely nothing for me to be ashamed about, you were my whole life and a very important part of my past, I'm not ashamed of you, I want you to know that," Marlene spoke sensibly, "I wish things were different," Rebecca mentioned her expression intense as they did her therapy, "We can't continue to play this game," Marlene finally spoke, "Lizette came to see me again," She added Rebecca curled her lips, "What?" She seemed miffed, "She confronted me and threw it in my face about your proposal and relationship, I, just can't do this with you anymore," She placed her face in her hands, "Marlene," Rebecca moved closer touching her, "Please don't Rebecca," Rebecca in an instant of sorrow pulled her hands away from her face, "You are so beautiful, I, I," Marlene interjected, "Don't say anything, don't say things you don't mean and then can't back up," She became curt removing Rebecca's hands from hers. "I have to go," Rebecca hurried feeling the strain of the work out nagging at her leg, Marlene said nothing she just watched as Rebecca gathered her things and left without looking back at her.

Mark picked up his luggage at the baggage claim and fetched his cell phone from his pocket he felt tired from his trip but desperately wanted to see and talk to Marlene, he dialed her number. "Hello," She sweetly answered, "Hey, I'm at the airport and when I get back to the apartment we need to talk," He voices rationally, "I'll be waiting," They hung up. Marlene began to pace arranging in her mind just what she was going to say to Mark she heard the lock on the door click she stood motionless in the living room as entered the apartment. "Hey," He stated setting his luggage inside the door, "Long trip?" She plainly asked, "Too long," He attempted a grin. "You wanted to talk?" She asked sitting on the sofa and clasping her hands together, "I think we should," He joined her, "Marlene," He began his gray eyes narrowed his lips pursed as he massaged his jawline, "I love you, regardless of our arguments or your failures to tell me things," She groaned he raised his hand up to her, "Please let me say what I need to, I think after everything that's happened you owe me that at least," His eyes now keen on hers, "Ok," She murmured, "Lying is unacceptable in this relationship and I just can't deal with secrets or hidden agendas from you, I don't know what happened to you while you were here, I know that you floored me about Rebecca, your past with her, I knew you had been raped but why didn't you tell me you were pregnant and had an abortion?" He appeared melancholy to her as if he thought deeply about her being pregnant and giving up the child. "It was hard Mark, I mean I was raped and uncertain if the child was his or Tristan's, I struggled dealing with it all, the trial, his sentencing weighed heavy on me, there was a lot of fear and doubts and finding out I was pregnant worried me, what if got out of prison? Wanted parental rights?" She questioned aloud.

Mark sighed getting up and pouring himself a drink, "I just don't know if I can ever trust you again, I've asked you not to see Rebecca anymore but you won't," He sat back down, "I'm not going to stop her therapy and we've had this conversation, you can't control me or my life and I'm not going to be subservient because you think I should be as your wife, I don't see where we can work this out Mark," She finally got the gall to tell him, "Do you love me?" He asked upfront, "I do love you, you're my husband but I've always felt that things should be equal, give and take, things shared together and not apart, I was wrong for not telling you about my past and if I could do it over again then things would be different," She admonished, "Were you ashamed of her, your relationship?" He asked with some sensitivity, "Never, I loved her deeply, was it a struggle at first? Yes, finding out that you have feelings for a woman, denying them, her emotional state, my emotional state," She rehearsed honestly, "But no matter how hard we tried we just couldn't make it work, neither of us were happy, I've told you this and I've moved on and started a new life one without her, I married you but sometimes you just don't seem to reason it," She further added. "I can't just say everything between us is alright, it will take time and I don't want to be the talk of the hospital, rumors are annoying and I have enough to deal with learning this system, the Doctors but if you're willing to work on our marriage, I am," He became emotional as did Marlene.

Rebecca dressed for dinner, as Lizette came in quietly closing the door to the orangery, "Where have you been?" Rebecca announced walking from the bathroom, "Out, why?" She felt tested by Rebecca's questioning, "You went to see Marlene today?" Lizette moaned lowly, "Really Rebecca, Marlene has to know about us, your proposal," She walked into the bathroom, "Why does she need to know?" She arched her brow and rolled her eyes, "Do you think this is some type of competition between the two of you?" She placed her hands to her hips staring harshly at Lizette, "Leave Marlene alone and out of this she's not a threat and she doesn't need the stress," Rebecca added becoming guarded, "When will you be through with this physical therapy thing?" She complained like a child, "A few weeks why?" Rebecca asked sternly, "Because, I'm tired of this the angst the bullshit," She worded rudely, Rebecca sighed with contempt, "Don't make it a habit to visit Marlene every time you feel she's a threat or your afraid, you have absolutely nothing to worry about," She warned her knowing that eventually she would have to tell her the truth about their affair, Lizette crossed her arms, "Are you going to get ready for dinner?" Rebecca asked staring at her through the mirror's reflection, "I had a late lunch and I'm not really that hungry besides I need to make a few phone calls, my father for one," She relayed, "Suit yourself," Rebecca left her to contemplate their conversation. Lizette waited to hear the door closing before she quickly called Francisco, "Hey beautiful," He spoke on the other end, "Hello, I miss you," She whaled, "Come to Puerto Rico, I'm doing a shoot there this weekend, I could get you in just say the word," He offered in a sexual tone she sighed, "I don't know, I want to and I love Puerto Rico this time of year," Lizette mumbled sitting on the bed, "I want to see you," He enticed her, "Book me and text me when you get confirmation," She giggled, they hung up.

Rebecca yawned rolling over and facing Lizette, "Busy day?" She asked tracing the bridge of Rebecca's nose with her fingers, "Yes, I have to go in to LCL today and meet with the designers, we have work to do on the upcoming fall show," She climbed from the bed, "What's your plans today?" She looked back at her, "I haven't decided, I could go with you and work on the cat walk," She smiled sitting up in the bed and stretching, "Now that's what I want t hear, you by my side, working with me, have you thought anymore about my proposal?" She asked taking her by the hand, "I have and," They were suddenly interrupted by the chime of her text.