~ Chapter 38 ~

A cacophony of sights and sounds rose up to greet Alex and Marlena as they walked the last few feet to the entrance gate. They'd parked quite a distance away, but she hadn't minded in the least. The crisp fall air was invigorating, and she felt as giddy as a school girl. The abundance of joy inside her refused to be contained, and a small giggle escaped her.

"What's so funny?" he couldn't help asking.

"Nothing. I'm just absurdly happy, and I can't hold it all in."

At her words, the grin on his face stretched from ear to ear.

"I feel exactly the same way."

He reached for her hand and drew her towards him. His nearness sent warmth flooding through her as their lips inched ever closer. Before they could meet, he pulled back. In her fog of wanting him, it took her a moment to regain her focus.

"What's wrong?"

"We're out in public, remember. We have to be discreet."

She heaved a sigh of disappointment. They'd discussed that very topic on the drive over.

"You're right, I know, but it's hard."

"Because I'm just so irresistible," he teased, as he winked at her.

Inwardly, she had to agree. It was increasingly difficult to resist the attraction she felt for him, and he was struggling with the same temptation. Despite her earlier declaration to the contrary, maybe they really did need a chaperone. She immediately dismissed the idea. It had been years since she'd been able to share a home with Alex – just the two of them – and she wasn't about to relinquish the opportunity. Turning to him, she directed what she hoped was a sincere-looking smile his way.

"I'll be on my best behaviour."

"If you can be, so can I. Come on, let's head in!'

With a brief touch to the small of her back, he eased her forward. After paying their admission, they strolled side by side into the chaotic space that was the Salem Fall Fair.

All around them, vendors hawked their wares, while seasoned carneys urged passers-by to attempt one of the many games of chance.

"Oh, Alex, this looks like fun. Can we try it? Please?"

She'd stopped in front of a ring toss game. Stuffed animals large and small hung from the walls of the stall, just waiting to be won. The look on her face was one of pure excitement, and her enthusiasm was infectious.

"Sure. Why not?"

He parted with the requisite amount of cash, and the attendant proffered three rings. Grasping the first one, Marlena aimed, but her toss was wild and the ring landed with a thud on the ground. She fared no better with the second.

"Let me show you how it's done."

Alex positioned himself directly behind her and, reaching around, placed his hand over hers. Moving slowly, he demonstrated how to flick her wrist to improve her precision, giving her a far greater chance of having the ring meet its mark. She couldn't resist leaning into him as she felt his warm breath on the back of her neck. He snuck a quick kiss to her temple before helping her let loose with her final throw. The ring landed squarely on its target, and the sound of their delighted laughter floated across the fairgrounds. They were so engrossed in the game, and in each other, that they failed to notice that someone was watching their every move.


Sami's eyes widened as she observed the closeness between her mother and Alex. Lucas, who'd been checking his phone, suddenly realized that Sami was staring off into the distance, and had become unnaturally quiet. He turned to see what had attracted her attention.

"Hey, isn't that your mom? She looks like she's having a great time."

Sami's voice was petulant as she responded.

"Yeah, she does. Too bad it's with that quack of a shrink that John brought to town. She should be with my dad. He still loves her so much. When I heard that she threw John out of the penthouse, I thought she was finally coming to her senses, and my parents would be getting back together. No such luck, obviously. It seems that, for once in his life, John Black might be right about something. This guy must be brainwashing Mom. It's the only way she'd be out here like this, with him."

When Sami finally paused for breath, Lucas attempted to reason with her.

"Maybe they've just been working really hard trying to cure her amnesia, and they're here for a little break. I doubt it's a date, or anything like that."

"Are you blind? Can't you see he's all over her like a cheap shirt? I've got to put a stop to this."

She began to head in Marlena and Alex's direction, but Lucas grabbed her arm.

"Leave them alone," he hissed. "How long has it been since you heard your mom laugh like that? Doesn't she deserve some happiness?"

"Not with him. This isn't right."

Sami's whine was rising in volume. Eager to avoid a scene, Lucas dragged her towards the exit.

"Calm down. I'm sure it's not what you think. I mean, he's her therapist. It would be unethical."

Sami's eyes lit up, and she threw her arms around Lucas.

"You're right. It is unethical. I'm going to report him to the APA first thing tomorrow. Lucas, you're a genius!"

Grateful that he'd managed to diffuse the situation, Lucas heaved a sigh of relief.

"I've had enough of this place," he declared. "Can we go home?"

Wheels turning, Sami acquiesced in silence. She was already plotting the call she would make the next day, which would unquestionably lead to the downfall of one Alex North.


Clutching the small, furry stuffed bear that had been her prize, Marlena smiled brightly at Alex. Her face was flush with excitement.

"Isn't he cute? I told you the game would be fun. And I won. I actually won!"

He raised his eyebrows in mock indignation.

"You won? You won?! Don't you mean we won? You wouldn't have come close to winning without my help."

"I beg to differ. I was just getting warmed up."

"Your first two throws were so off-target, you might as well have been playing a whole other game."

"Oh, really? Maybe I missed on purpose. Ever think of that?"

"Hmm… And why would you want to do such a thing?"

"Can't you guess?"

Her voice had become a husky whisper that sent shivers up his spine. His willpower was rapidly ebbing.

"Maybe I wanted an excuse for you to put your arms around me," she confessed softly.

"You call this your best behaviour? Keep it up, and I'll be forced to take you on a ride through the funhouse."

"Oh… I like the sound of that! You're on!"

She raced across the fairgrounds to the rides area. When he caught up to her, she was already at the ticket booth. He gazed in surprise at the long string of tickets she held.

"I have a feeling we'll want to go around more than once," she explained.

Her meaning was instantly clear to him. Recklessly, he reached for her hand, and together, they sprinted towards the funhouse.


A few feet away, John stood stock still, his mouth open in astonishment. He couldn't believe what he'd just witnessed. Kate, although inwardly jubilant, remained outwardly solemn.

"Did you see that? Did you? That son of a bitch was holding her hand! I told you he wanted her for himself. There's the proof. You can't deny it. The minute I moved out, he moved in on her. Look at them."

Kate wisely chose not to argue with him, knowing it would be a losing proposition. Instead, she gently rubbed his back as he continued to stare at Alex and Marlena, who were now waiting in line to board their ride. Their ease with each other was apparent, but there was something else… something he couldn't quite identify, but it was deeply disturbing. John stammered as he tried to put it into words.

"They look like… like…"

"Lovers?" Kate offered helpfully.

The word hit John like a punch to the gut, but he had to concede that Kate was right. That's exactly the sense he got from watching them together. If he'd had any doubts before, they'd all been banished. Alex North had designs on his wife, and he'd manipulated the situation to his advantage. The charlatan had twisted things so that Marlena, in her vulnerable, amnesiac state, had turned to him. Of course, she was grateful, but he'd obviously brainwashed her into thinking it was something more. John seethed.

"That unscrupulous bastard is abusing his position of trust with Marlena. I could kill him!"

Kate put a restraining hand on his chest.

"You won't accomplish anything by flying off the handle and confronting him here. Remember, if she's truly under his control, she won't hear a word you have to say against him. There are other ways to deal with this."

"Yeah? Name one!"

"Well… if you believe he's being unprofessional, you could file a complaint against him."

"Unprofessional? Hell, that doesn't even begin to cover it, but I like the way you think. I'm going to call the APA tomorrow. They'll yank his licence so fast, it'll make his head spin. Once he can't practice, there'll be no reason for him to hang around, and I can finally work on getting my wife back without his interference."

Although Kate suspected it wouldn't be that easy to remove Alex from Marlena's life, she murmured her encouragement. Hopefully, Jeff was expediting the divorce proceedings, and with Alex and Marlena clearly moving towards some sort of personal relationship, she still had a shot with John. Now, if she could just find a way to redirect his attention to her for the rest of the evening…

"We came here to have some fun and relax, remember?"

"Yeah. Sorry, Kate, but my heart's not in it anymore. Do you mind if we leave?"

"No, not at all."

With a beer or two, and a soothing massage, she was certain she could still salvage the night. Placing her arm around his waist, she guided him towards their waiting car.


Oblivious to the gathering storm, Alex and Marlena took their seat on the funhouse ride. Reaching over, he made sure she was safely buckled in. She shivered as his hand brushed her thigh.

"I don't think you're on your best behaviour either," she teased, not the least bit distressed at the thought.

"Well, I did say that I would be if you were. Seems to me you broke that promise first."

"Are you objecting?"

"Definitely not."

Their voices were low and intimate, and a sexual undercurrent pulsed strongly between them as the string of cars moved into the dark tunnel. As soon as they'd slipped from view of the crowds, their arms stole around each other. Ignoring the loud noises and special effects that surrounded them, they kissed with wild abandon.

"I've been wanting to do that for hours," he admitted.

"Then what took you so long?" she shot back.

"Just trying to preserve your reputation, ma'am."

"Right now, I don't care about my reputation. I want you to kiss me again."

"What the lady wants, the lady gets."

As their lips came together once more, they revelled in the love they felt for each other, and they vowed that nothing, and no one, would separate them again.