~ Chapter 62 ~
Ever since their return to the penthouse, Alex and Marlena had been unwilling to let each other go. Once they'd collapsed on the sofa, she'd moved into the warmth of his embrace, and only then had she felt secure enough to allow the full extent of her earlier fears to wash over her. He held her tightly as her tears overflowed for the second time that night, and he silently berated himself for not having been home to protect her. Sensing his dark mood and correctly determining its cause, she kissed him softly before leaning back, so that she could capture his gaze with her own.
"It's not your fault."
"Realistically, I know there was nothing I could've done. But that doesn't change the fact that I feel as if I let you down. If I hadn't dragged you to the fair…"
She was quick to interrupt.
"You hardly had to drag me. I was as eager as you were to be out together, and to have some fun."
"It put us in a vulnerable position, though. I should've known we'd be incapable of hiding our feelings in public. Why did I have to borrow trouble?"
"In spite of the consequences that flowed from that night, I don't regret one minute of it. I'd ride the Ferris wheel with you again in a heartbeat," she declared, a seductive note to her voice.
"Mmm… and that funhouse ride wasn't half bad," he quipped, enjoying the flush that was creeping up her cheeks.
Their mood lifted noticeably as they relived the events of that night – which, given all they'd gone through over the past couple of days, already seemed light years away. After a few moments of companionable silence, they spoke simultaneously.
"So, what happened...?"
"How did you end up...?"
Their laughter echoed in unison.
"You first," Marlena urged Alex. "Tell me how things went with the APA."
"At my command performance, you mean?"
His tone was light, which immediately lessened her concern.
"If you can joke about it, I'm guessing that it wasn't too bad."
"You're right. The doctor assigned to my case was fair-minded, and totally willing to hear me out. She even had a sense of humour, which made the process that much easier."
"I'm sure you appreciated that. I had visions of you being submitted to an unrelenting grilling by some snarling, bad tempered woman with an inflated opinion of her own worth."
"Thankfully, nothing could be further from the truth. Dr. Sadick was thoroughly professional, but she was also kind and compassionate – even though I did give her a fright or two."
"How so?"
"Well, as you might expect, I figured the best way to explain the situation was to let her in on our past history, but I couldn't do that without getting clearance. She was a little miffed when I said that things were complicated, and that I couldn't actually tell her anything."
"I'll bet she made some comment about having heard that before, huh?"
He chuckled at the accuracy of her assessment.
"Gee, how did you know? Yes, she assumed that I was making excuses, but you should've seen her face when she heard my side of the conversation with the Agency gatekeeper."
"What were you saying?"
"The jerk on the other end of the line thought it would be amusing to indulge in a bit of a power trip, so he informed me that Dr. Sadick would have to be vetted first. I replied, rather snarkily, that I was certain they already had dossiers on everyone who worked at the APA. She tried to hide it, but her shock was evident."
"So, it threw her somewhat to realize that she was interrogating a bona fide spy?"
"I think she was wondering what she'd gotten herself into. Anyway, once I'd received the clearance I needed, things got rather intense. I told her..."
Alex's face paled, as it usually did when he recalled these particular moments from their past, and Marlena clasped his hand. He entwined his fingers with hers, drawing comfort from the contact.
"I told her everything – the entire story, from beginning to end. I'm not sure she knew quite what to make of it, but, to her credit, she didn't dismiss me as being a raving lunatic. Although I expect she's heard some wild tales in her time as an ethics officer, I highly doubt that anything's come close to the one I spun for her today."
"But she believed you?"
"She did. In addition to being compassionate, she was clearly an astute judge of character. She'd have to be, in her position, right? Well, she took some convincing, but ultimately, she recognized that I couldn't possibly be making this stuff up."
"So, she let you off with a warning?"
Hope was evident in her voice.
"While that would've been nice, it wouldn't have been realistic. I'm quite certain it's the way she would've gone if she'd been able to, though. She really did understand the circumstances, and was sympathetic. But, considering that two complaints were filed against me, the consequences needed to be more severe than a mere slap on the wrist."
Marlena's mouth tightened as she thought back to Sami's visit earlier that day, where she'd discovered that her own daughter bore some responsibility for the emotionally gruelling interrogation Alex had been subjected to. The latter, misinterpreting the change in her expression, endeavoured to reassure her.
"Really, it's okay. My punishment's not that bad, all things considered."
"Oh, no, that's not what's upsetting me. It's that I found out who filed one of the complaints."
Curious to see which of his two accusers she knew about, Alex opted to keep his knowledge of both identities to himself.
"So, who do I have to thank for my delightful little sojourn in Washington?"
"Sami!" Marlena practically spit the name at him. "Can you believe it?"
"Let me guess. She saw us at the fair."
"She happened to be watching when you helped me with the ring toss."
"Ah. When I got a little closer to you than professional ethics would dictate. I'm assuming Sami didn't take kindly to her mother having such a good time with a man other than her father."
"You know Sami. Since she'd heard that John was no longer living here, she assumed it was because I'd 'come to my senses' and decided to reunite with Roman."
"That's no great surprise. It's what she's wanted since… well, since you and Roman split up."
"You're right. And, in spite of how annoying her obsession is, it truly saddened me to see her so unhappy. She's never gotten over the breakup, and I believe it's influenced many of the choices she's made in her life, especially when it's come to men."
"You couldn't have stayed with Roman simply because she wanted you to. You had your own feelings to consider, and you fell in love with John. You didn't deliberately choose to hurt Roman or Sami."
Marlena gazed admiringly at Alex, then leaned over to give him a tender kiss.
"It amazes me that you can be so understanding. I mean, you should've heard some of the names she dreamed up for you."
"All extremely flattering, no doubt."
His eyes twinkled with barely concealed amusement.
"Oh, absolutely," she responded, grateful as always for his ability to raise her spirits in an instant.
"I'm aware that your daughter isn't one of my biggest fans, but I expect to win her over, in time."
"Just like you won me over."
"She might take just a wee bit longer, since I can't very well use the same persuasive methods with Sami that I can with her mother."
He cocked an eyebrow suggestively at her. She dissolved into a fit of giggles, before composing herself and aiming a warning glare in his direction.
"You'd better not."
"Wouldn't dream of it. Persuasion of that nature is reserved only for you."
His hot breath tickled her ear, and made her stomach flutter. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she pulled him close and began kissing him with abandon. Having no desire to stop her, he simply allowed his passion to take over. Minutes later – or maybe merely seconds, neither of them knowing or caring which – they loosened their grip on each other ever so slightly, and sighed contentedly.
"Thanks. I needed that," he quipped.
"Anytime."
The smile that lit up her face revealed the true depth of her joy, and his answering smile was equally brilliant. A sudden thought struck her.
"Do you realize that, with all this talk of Sami, you never told me what the outcome of your hearing was?"
"Guess I got distracted."
"Yes, you did, and there'll be no more of that until you tell me what I want to know," she threatened playfully.
"Yes, ma'am." He offered her a mock salute before continuing. "It's nothing, really. My licence to practice has been temporarily suspended."
"How temporarily?"
"For two years."
"Two years! That's more than just a slap on the wrist. I thought you said this Dr. Sadick understood."
He lay a hand on her cheek, and his touch calmed her instantly.
"She did understand, but not only does she have bosses to satisfy, she also has to justify her decision to both Sami and John."
"So, she confirmed that John filed the other complaint?"
"Not verbally. That would've been unethical."
The irony of his statement wasn't lost on either of them.
"Then how do you know for sure?"
"I offered her an educated guess. Her involuntary reaction to John's name gave it away."
"I'm sorry," she murmured, her eyes downcast.
"Why are you apologizing?"
"Members of my family are responsible for you not being able to practice. I feel guilty by association."
"In all honesty, it's our own actions that got us into this mess. But, like you, I don't regret them in the slightest," he rushed to add.
"But… your job… You've worked hard to get to where you are today. She's taken away your livelihood."
"In case you hadn't noticed, the only patient I've treated since arriving in Salem is you. You're my first priority. As I've mentioned before, I specialized in the treatment of amnesia specifically so that I could one day help you regain the memories you lost. I don't care about anyone else."
"What about money? As idyllic as it might sound, we can't actually live on love."
"I daresay I wouldn't mind trying," he suggested teasingly, chuckling as he watched her cheeks turn an appealing shade of crimson.
"Stop it! I'm being serious. I'm concerned that you'll end up restless, bored and broke, and that you'll eventually come to resent me," she finished quietly, her anxiety evidenced by the catch in her voice.
Crooking a finger under her chin, he lifted her face and caught her worried gaze with his clear, confident one.
"Not a chance. I've loved you practically from the moment we met, and given all the time we've been apart, I'm ecstatic that I can spend the next two years devoted to nothing, and no one, but you. You're my world. As long as we're together, there's no possible way I could be anything but deliriously happy."
Her eyes glistened with unshed tears at the absolute sincerity of his declaration.
"Okay, so you've convinced me that you'll be content during this forced vacation, but you still haven't addressed the financial side of things."
"As I told Dr. Sadick – the Agency, for all its drawbacks, has one very significant perk. It pays really well. And, since I spent years living a monastic lifestyle, I was able to put a tidy sum away for my… retirement."
The worried lines on her brow disappeared, and her eyes sparkled with mischief.
"Hmm… you mean I've found someone who can afford to indulge my every whim?"
"Perhaps not your every whim, but I'm pretty sure I can indulge a fair number of them."
His murmured response sounded wickedly suggestive and she blushed furiously, while his fingers, trailing absently up and down her arm, made her shiver. Aware that she was fast losing the capacity for coherent thought, she struggled to refocus on their unfinished conversation.
"Are you too… tired… to continue our talk?"
He winked at her, and colour bloomed across her cheeks yet again.
"I'm not the least bit tired. In fact, I suspect I could stay up for hours, and I still want to hear about everything that happened to you today. I sense it's going to be fascinating."
"And you don't know the half of it! So, where should I begin?"
