~ Chapter 5 ~

Holed away in his room as he prepared for the evening, Alex paused to reflect. Although he had absolutely no interest in spending time with Kate, the fact that his being with her seemed to bother Marlena had made him consider that this dinner might well serve as a trigger to unlock some of her memories of their past. As he donned his jacket and straightened his tie, he went over various options for cutting the date short. No need to endure Kate's company for any longer than strictly necessary.


Down the hall, Marlena examined the dresses in her closet. Even though she couldn't remember buying them, or wearing them before, she realized that they each likely held a memory for John. She hoped fervently that the one she chose wouldn't possess some great significance, as she definitely didn't want to give her husband the wrong impression.

Having settled on a knee-length black cocktail dress, she sat at her makeup table and re-applied her lipstick. A frisson swept through her as her mind flashed back to a time long ago.

Her hands trembled slightly as she replaced the cap on her lipstick. After double-checking her handiwork in the mirror, she took a deep breath to steady her nerves. "Relax," she admonished herself. "You've been out with Alex hundreds of times. This one's no different." Oh, but it was, and she knew it. Her feelings for her classmate had been growing by leaps and bounds, and although they'd be sharing this movie night with several other med students, she was especially looking forward to the end of the evening. Since she and Alex lived in the same building, he was always the one to walk her home. Maybe, on this night, she'd have the courage to lean in for a kiss. She pictured his lips mere inches from hers…

The sound of a chime broke into her daydream. As she opened her door to admit Alex, she felt her face flush, which she hoped he didn't notice. If he did, he was gentlemanly enough to keep it to himself.

"All set?" he inquired, as he helped her with her jacket.

"I am. Let's go."

His crooked grin sent her heartbeat racing. He casually laced his fingers through hers, and led her out into the clear night. With the moon shining brightly overhead, Marlena revelled in the joy she felt at simply being in Alex's company.

A brisk knock brought her back to the present.

"Doc, are you ready?" John's voice called to her from the hall.

"Coming."

After hurriedly running a brush through her hair, she grabbed her purse and her wrap, and headed downstairs.


It was a fairly slow night at Chez Rouge, which had made it easy for John to reserve his preferred table. He couldn't keep from smiling, even though Marlena had flinched at his touch on the way in. He and Kate had decided that it made sense for both couples to end up at the same restaurant. That way, when Alex fell prey to Kate's considerable charms – as they were certain he would – Marlena would be there to witness it. In a matter of minutes, if all went smoothly, the psychiatrist's hold on his patient would be shattered, and Marlena would realize that John was the man she should trust.

Marlena swallowed a gasp as she noticed Alex and Kate seated a few feet away. In spite of the fragments of memories she was beginning to recover about Alex, she didn't have any real claim to him in the here and now. They had a doctor/patient relationship, and she certainly couldn't object to his dining with Kate. Still, the sight of them together made her stomach roil and, not for the first time that evening, she prayed that this meal would be over quickly. Faking a smile as best she could, Marlena draped her napkin over her lap and turned her attention to the menu. She was ready when their server approached, but before she could utter a word, John spoke.

"We'll have the usual."

As the waiter scribbled on his notepad, Marlena glared at John.

"I'd like to order for myself, if you don't mind."

"Of course, Doc. I just…"

She didn't let him finish, but rather turned to the waiter with her choices. Once the man had left, she found John staring at her, mouth agape.

"What's the matter?"

"You've never… I mean, you don't even like those foods," he sputtered.

"Well, they're what appealed to me today, so I'm glad I didn't go with the usual, whatever that is. I'm sure I'll enjoy trying something new."

Sensing there was no point arguing with her, John remained silent. He stole a glance at the nearby table, trying to gauge Kate's progress with Alex. From his vantage point, John observed that the doctor appeared deeply fascinated by his companion.

Not much longer now.

As Alex forced himself to laugh at Kate's inane comments, he surreptitiously assessed Marlena's reaction. Noting the tension on her face, he decided that her torture had gone on long enough. As if on cue, his cell phone rang. Checking the screen, he grimaced.

"I'm sorry, Kate, but I have to take this."

"Of course, go ahead," she responded graciously. In her opinion, their outing had been a success so far, so she could certainly spare him a few moments to answer a call.

While heading for the restaurant's lobby, Alex managed to catch Marlena's eye. With a barely perceptible nod of his head, he motioned for her to follow him.

"John, if you'll excuse me," she murmured, picking up her purse as if she intended to use the ladies' room.

Watching Alex as he slipped out the front door, Marlena quickly did the same. A fit of giggles overtook her as she reached his side, followed immediately by a series of shivers. Having left her wrap behind so as not to arouse suspicion, she found herself chilled by the night air.

"Here," Alex whispered, as he gently placed his jacket over her shoulders.

"Thanks," she smiled in gratitude, hugging the coat to her, and inhaling its somehow familiar masculine smell.

His heart skipped a beat. She still had that effect on him, after all these years. They moved together towards the window and gazed inside, barely able to suppress the laughter that was bubbling up in both of them.

"I wonder how long it'll take them to notice we've gone," Alex mused.

I hope it's a good, long while.

Marlena slid her arm trustingly through Alex's. With their path bathed in moonlight, he led her towards his car.