Chapter 2
The next day…
John paces the room, still not believing what he just read. He never thought when Eliana handed him the letter addressed to him, that it would be a goodbye letter from the woman he loves the most. He can't believe Marlena left Salem, he still can't believe that Marlena has loved him all this time and he didn't know it. How could he have been so blind? How could he have committed himself to Kristen? He loves Kristen, but he loves Marlena more. If he would have known how Marlena felt about him, he never would have allowed her to leave, he would have told her how he felt.
John reads the letter again as the tears well up in his eyes and blur the words on the page. He wipes the tears away and realizes what he has to do. He is going to go to Kristen and tell her everything. Tell her how much he loves Marlena and how he always has and always will, tell her that he can't stay with her feeling the way he does about Marlena, tell her that he will be there for their baby in every way he can, and tell her how sorry he is for leading her on for so long and only being with her because he couldn't be with Marlena. She will be shocked and hurt and that is to be expected. It will be for the best in the end.
John folds the letter up and puts it in his pocket as he goes to look for Kristen.
Meanwhile in San Francisco…
"Thank you James, for all your help. " Marlena tells her driver as she hands him a nice fat tip.
"Will there be anything else, Dr. Evans?"
"No, that will be all for today. Have a good day and take care."
James tips his hat and turns on his heels as he walks away. Marlena closes the door behind her as she begins setting things down. Belle is asleep in her arms, the trip from the airport made her tired. Marlena looks around the living room of her new townhouse and can't believe how well the movers did on getting her things moved in so quickly. She is quite pleased.
She carries Belle to her bedroom and lies her down on her bed. She kisses Belle's forehead and then looks around the room. There is still some work to be done in this room, but she will worry about that later. She is exhausted and needs a cup of coffee. She heads to the kitchen and looks to see if there is any coffee. She opens cabinets and much to her surprise, she finds the coffee. She makes her coffee and waits for it to finish brewing. Before long the house is filled with the scent of fresh coffee. She can't wait to savor it.
While she waits for the coffee to get done, Marlena grabs her bag with her patient files in it and sits down on the couch and begins looking through them. Before long, her mind begins to wander to thoughts of John. She wonders what he is doing now and if he has read the letter. Tears well up in Marlena's eyes.
"Oh John, I do love you so. I miss you already."
Marlena's thoughts are distracted by a knock at the door. Marlena comes to her senses and gets up to answer the door. She makes sure to wipe any trace of tears from her eyes and cheeks before she answers the door. She opens the door and can't believe what she is seeing.
"What are you doing here?" she asks.
"Well, it's nice to see you too, Marlena."
"Sorry, Laura I was just surprised to see you. I wasn't expecting any company today since I just got here."
"Well, surprisingly enough I had a medical conference here and decided to stop by and see how you and Belle were settling in."
"As you can see, we are doing just fine." She replies as she lets Laura in the house and closes the door.
Laura looks around the room.
"Wow, the movers have really done a good job getting all your things moved in."
Marlena smiles.
"Yes I am very pleased with their work, although Belle's room needs some work."
Marlena goes to the kitchen and pours herself some coffee.
"Would you like a cup of coffee, Laura? I just made it."
Laura stops what she is doing and looks at Marlena.
"Sure, I would love a cup."
Marlena grabs another cup and pours Laura some coffee. She grabs them both and joins Laura in the living room.
"Here you are." She says as she hands Laura her cup.
Marlena sits on the couch and tucks her feet underneath her.
"I was just going over some patient files, it seems I already have a heavy workload and I haven't even begun work yet."
Laura notices Marlena's nervousness and how uncomfortable she is.
"Marlena, are you all right? You seem distracted."
Marlena looks up at Laura with a shocked look on her face, almost spitting out her mouthful of coffee.
"I'm fine, why do you ask?"
"Ever since you saw me at your door, you have been acting strangely. Is there something going on, Marlena?"
Marlena sets her coffee cup on the table in front of her.
"You know me too well, Laura. I can't hide anything from you."
Laura walks over and sits down next to Marlena.
"So what's going on, my friend?"
"I can't stop thinking about John. I am so pathetic. I came here to move on with my life, without John and yet I find myself thinking about him all the time. You know how much I love him Laura and will always love him."
"Yes, I do and you know I support you in whatever decision you make. That's why I didn't argue with you when you said you wanted to move here and put John in your past."
"I have to do that because John is with Kristen and they are expecting a baby, I won't interfere with that."
"That is very unselfish of you and in the end it really is the right thing to do."
"Yes it is, Kristen makes John happy. They will be a family. I am happy for them but at the same time, my heart is breaking. That should be me Laura, not Kristen! John and I have our daughter, our beautiful little girl and yet Kristen is with him and is having his baby! It's just not fair."
Laura wraps Marlena in a hug as her body is racked with sobs.
"John should be able to be with his daughter any time he wants, Belle wants her daddy and I together and it hurts so much to tell her that her daddy and I won't be together. I can't deprive my daughter of her father. "
They pull out of the hug as Marlena wipes her eyes.
"You made arrangements for Belle to see John, didn't you?"
"Yes, my driver will take her to Salem with her nanny to see John. That way Belle can see her father and she can see him, without John or I having to see each other, its better that way."
"You have thought of everything, haven't you?"
Marlena nods.
"Yes, I have."
"Mommy?"
Laura and Marlena are distracted by Belle, who is awake and rubbing her eyes with her hair and clothes all messed up.
Marlena gets a smile on her face when she sees her daughter.
"Come here, sweet girl." Marlena tells her daughter with her arms open.
Belle comes over and climbs into her mother's lap and lays her head on her chest.
"Did you have a good nap?"
Belle nods.
Laura leans over and caresses Belle's hair.
"Hi, Belle." She says with a smile.
Belle buries her face in Marlena's chest, acting all shy.
"Are you hungry?"
Belle nods.
"Would you like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich?"
Belle nods.
"Okay, I'll go make you the best peanut butter and jelly sandwich you ever ate." Marlena tells her daughter lovingly as she kisses her head. She stands up and places Belle back on the couch to go make the sandwich. Belle climbs down off the couch and runs to her room and comes back carrying her teddy bear and a book.
"Will you read this to me, Aunt Laura?" Belle asks in her three year old voice.
"Sure, I will read this to you." Belle climbs up on the couch and sits next to Laura.
"The Cat in the Hat, oh what a great book! I read this to Abby all the time, it's her favorite."
Belle looks up at Laura.
"It's my favorite too."
Laura begins reading the book to Belle as Marlena makes Belle's sandwich. Marlena is glad that Laura is keeping Belle distracted. She has been asking for her daddy ever since they left Salem, and Marlena keeps telling her that she will see her daddy soon. It breaks her heart to do that to her daughter, but it's the best thing right now under the circumstances.
Marlena finishes making Belle's sandwich, and as Belle eats at the table Laura and Marlena continue to talk about work and life.
Meanwhile back in Salem…
John has just told Kristen everything and of course, she is shocked and devastated as he knew she would be.
He tries to comfort her as best she can and will be there to support her in every way he can as a friend and father of her child.
John gives Kristen some time alone to think and to deal with what he told her, he takes this as an opportunity to call Abe and talk to him about finding out where Marlena went. He knows she told him not to go looking for her, but that has never stopped him before.
He picks up the phone and dials Abe's number.
Abe answers.
"Abe Carver."
"Hey, Abraham it's John. It's important, we need to talk."
Meanwhile in Kristen's room…
Kristen has just been dealt a devastating blow. John is breaking up with her so he can go be with his "precious Doc". She will die before she let's Marlena have John. Suddenly Kristen is racked with a debilitating stomach cramp and she falls to the floor in pain. She grabs her stomach and crawls to the bathroom still racked with pain. She tries to stand up, but another cramp hits her and she lies back down on the floor holding her stomach.
"No, I can't lose my baby!" Kristen cries as she loses consciousness, as the blood flows from her body and onto the floor…
Chapter 3 coming soon…stay tuned!
