~ Chapter 26 ~

Curled up on her sofa, Kate was savouring her third cup of coffee of the morning. She'd returned from her massage and gotten straight to work arranging her date with John. Everything needed to be perfect – and, with all of her preparation, she knew it would be. She was about to call to confirm a last detail when she was interrupted by a loud pounding. Looking through the peep hole, she was astonished to discover John standing in the hall. Eagerly, she opened the door to admit him.

"John! What a pleasant surprise. I was just finalizing the menu for our dinner tonight…"

Her voice trailed off as she took note of the ghastly paleness of his face, as well as the suitcase at his side. Without waiting for an invitation, he brushed past her and headed straight for the in-room bar. Pouring himself a large, stiff drink, he gulped it down, grateful for the burning sensation it left in its wake. A few more of these and he'd be numb – which was exactly the result he was seeking. Before he could refill his glass, Kate was at his side. Grabbing the bottle, she held it out of reach.

"Kate, I'm not in the mood for games. Give that to me."

He lunged for the alcohol, determined to drink himself into oblivion as quickly as possible.

"John, you don't really want to do this. Talk to me. Tell me what's happened."

"I don't want to talk. I just want to drink. Now give me the damn bottle."

Reluctantly, she handed it over, knowing she'd be no match for him if he decided to fight her for it. She watched with dismay as he downed two more shots with barely a pause for breath in between. It had been ages since she'd seen him this upset, and she was quite certain she knew the cause of his foul mood. He'd been perfectly fine when he'd left her suite that morning. His intent had been to go back to the penthouse, and she assumed that he'd done just that. Kate's mind whirled as she conjured up various scenarios to explain the dark cloud that was currently hanging over him, but they all pointed to one source – his beloved Marlena. Had he found her cozying up to North? Were they actually in bed together? Had she made some speech about not loving him anymore? Had she asked for a divorce?

A glance towards the door brought the suitcase into Kate's field of vision. There was a clue there, she just knew it. Whatever had gone on, John was clearly moving out, and while it was obviously killing him, she had to admit that it was welcome news for her.

Maybe he'll even consider staying in my guest room on a more permanent basis.

Before voicing that suggestion, she had to figure out a way to get him to ease up on the booze.

At least he's not drinking on an empty stomach.

Although grateful that he'd consumed a large breakfast a few hours ago, she also recognized that, at the rate he was going, a distinctly messy outcome was entirely possible. Putting on her best smile, she squared her shoulders and strode towards him.

"John, why don't you sit down? I'm sure you'll be more comfortable."

He looked like he was about to object, then thought better of it and allowed her to lead him to the sofa. A wave of dizziness caused him to stumble and he sat down hard, the drink he held spilling onto his shirt in the process.

"Damn it," he cursed, as the cold liquid came into contact with his skin.

Kate gently pried the glass from his hand.

"Let me help you," she urged, as she reached over and began to unbutton his shirt.

He sat quietly, the fight temporarily drained from him, and offered no resistance as she eased his wet clothing off. He shivered involuntarily.

"Wait here. I'll go get your robe."

Staring blankly into space, John tried to absorb what had happened since his earlier departure, but he couldn't get his brain in gear. All he could focus on was the wave of nausea in his gut – whether from the alcohol he had just consumed or from the shock of Marlena throwing him out of the penthouse, he couldn't decide. Hanging his head in his hands, he quickly reconsidered the move when his stomach roiled in protest. He stretched out, his weary body grateful for the rest, as Kate returned.

"Here you go."

She covered him with the garment she'd retrieved from the guest bedroom closet, then set about massaging his temples. Within moments, he started to relax, and his insides settled.

"Care to talk about it?"

John winced, as if her words had stung him.

"I don't want to talk about it," he muttered, repeating his previous assertion. "I don't even want to think about it, but it's whirling around and around in my head like some damn, never-ending merry-go-round. She might as well have ripped my heart out."

"I noticed you came with a suitcase. Does that mean…"

He cut her off abruptly, overcome by his hurt and anger.

"It means she kicked me out. Doc actually kicked me out of our home because of that damn quack, North. Said I was undermining her recovery."

He couldn't keep the bitterness from his voice as he continued.

"She says she needs to be alone with him so that she can make more progress in her sessions. That's a crock! He's brainwashed her. The guy wants my wife for himself, and she's falling for it. I can't stand to think of what he'll do to her, now that there's no one to keep him in line."

His agony was evident in every syllable he uttered, and hearing it broke Kate's heart. Realizing that words would be of little comfort, she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him close. John was quiet for a moment, then resumed his tirade.

"After all the years we spent together… I don't understand how she can trust him more than she trusts me. I know she's forgotten us, but he's a total stranger. It's as if he's cast a spell and she's powerless to think on her own."

"Is that what you said to her?"

"Well, yeah."

"Honestly, John! Of course, she got upset. She has amnesia, but she's not stupid. I'm sure she was offended at your suggestion that North is pulling all the strings."

"But he is!"

"Even if you believe that, it's not what she wants to hear. You won't make any progress with her if you keep badmouthing her doctor and insisting that she's being manipulated. Like you said, she trusts him. You need to find a way to transfer those feelings to you, if you ever hope to get her back."

"How do I do that, Kate? Unless I can find some concrete proof that he's a fraud, she won't even consider the possibility that he's anything other than the upstanding citizen he pretends to be." He grunted in frustration. "Even a child could see through the guy's act. Why is she so blind?"

"Obviously, he only shows her his good side."

"Please, don't you start defending him. He doesn't have a good side, you must know that."

"I'm not defending him, but you've got a one-track mind where Dr. North is concerned. In your opinion, he's the villain in the black hat. I don't trust him any more than you do, but even I can tell that he's helping Marlena."

"What do you mean?!" John sputtered. "She's no closer to getting her memory back than she was when he got here. His treatment has been a colossal failure."

"But she's happier now, John. I can't put my finger on it, but it's as if she's calmer, somehow. That's a positive change."

"It's not nearly enough. With all those hours they've supposedly been in sessions, she should remember everything at this point. A little bit of calm is not worth getting excited about, and if she's happy in that fog of hers, that's just plain wrong."

"Don't you want her to be happy?"

"Not like this. Not without me. If she's comfortable the way she is, she won't fight to piece together her memories of the life we shared. I could lose her forever."

Despite knowing that such an outcome would be devastating to the man she loved, Kate couldn't help the small smile that crept across her face. Maybe, just maybe, there was hope for her yet. All she had to do was remain supportive, and eventually, John would see that she was far more suited to him than Marlena ever would be. If she played her cards right… Without hesitation, she chose her next course of action.

"You could probably use some time to yourself."

She placed a cup of steaming black coffee in front of him, then walked towards his suitcase.

"I'll just put this in the guest room," she announced, heading down the hall quickly so that he'd have no opportunity to argue.

His head pounding, John leaned back on the sofa, content to let Kate take charge and grateful, once again, for her unwavering friendship. Suddenly, he became aware of the emotional toll the last few hours had taken on him. His eyelids fluttered shut as, overcome by alcohol and misery, sleep claimed him.