Every Memory Repeats

Chapter 5

John found himself knocking on the door to Isabella's loft early the next morning. He'd been consumed with his conversation with Marlena the evening before. Sleep had not come easy. He wasn't trying to dwell on why he was so upset with Isabella. It was too much to think about. 

A look of surprise came over Isabella's face as she slid the loft door open, quickly followed by a huge smile. "John! I wasn't expecting to see you!"

He stepped inside, saying, "I needed to speak with you about something."

"Do you want some coffee? I just made a fresh pot," she replied, walking into the kitchen area, and taking two mugs from the cabinet. He'd been so distant since their return from Mexico she was grateful to have him there at all.

"Yeah, a cup of coffee would be nice," John said, shrugging out of his jacket. 

"So," she said with a smile, handing him his mug, "what did I do to deserve this surprise visit? I thought we were meeting for lunch."

"Marlena said that you told Roman she was seeing me as a patient," John said, deciding to be direct with her. Isabella flinched almost imperceptibly, but she hid it well.

"Oh, I may have mentioned it in passing," she said casually. "I ran into him on the pier the other night."

He'd hoped that he'd been wrong. That maybe Roman was lying to Marlena to upset her, but Isabella was acknowledging it. With a heavy sigh, he told her, "Isabella, that's my business. Why would you tell him that?"

"I thought he knew already," she said quickly. "Honestly, John, I didn't realize she didn't tell him."

"Marlena doesn't discuss her patients with anyone, except her colleagues." He took the mug of black coffee that she handed him, and stared at her in silence for a moment. 

"I just assumed that her husband would know that she was seeing her ex-husband as a patient. It was an honest mistake," she said. "Would you like me to make you some breakfast?"

"That's the thing," he said, putting his mug down on the counter, and giving her a hard stare. "I'm not sure if it was an honest mistake."

Isabella was surprised that John had said that. Of course, she'd mentioned it to Roman to see his reaction. A shrug would mean he'd known. Surprise would mean his wife was keeping secrets. But she wasn't going to tell John that. Softly she said, "John, I was walking on the pier, and ran into Roman. I casually mentioned that you were back in therapy, trying to learn more about your past. That's all. He asked me who you were seeing, and I was surprised. I didn't think... I'm sorry."

Why didn't he believe her? What she was saying was plausible, and yet unbelievable. "But there was no reason to tell him at all. You know he can't stand me. You know he would have a problem if Marlena were my doctor! Why would you tell him anything?"

Isabella looked away. She began to rummage through the fridge, and finally pulled out some eggs and bacon. Completing disregarding John's concerns, she smiled brightly. "The baby makes me so hungry."

"Don't change the subject," John said.

She gave him a look that said he was overreacting. "I'm not. I'm making breakfast. I don't know what more you'd like me to say. I mentioned it to Roman. I'm sorry. When did you see Marlena, anyway?"

"Last night, when she was picking up the twins," John said. "I had them over for a few hours."

"And she just happened to mention to you, that I'd told Roman you were doing therapy with her? Why would she do that, unless she was trying to start trouble?" Isabella said in frustration, trying to deflect from what she had done.