Every Memory Repeats

Chapter 17

The day had warmed up considerably for late April. John stood in the shower, and watched the warm, soapy water trail down Marlena's back, and into the crease of her bottom, nearly groaning out loud. He couldn't get over how much he wanted her. His desire for her was almost spiritual, a constant ache, and need to be close to her. Her blonde hair was piled high on her head, with tendrils curling around her face softly. Watching her run the loofah over her neck and shoulders, his hands reached for her, settling on her hips, and pulling her body flush with his.

Marlena was lost to her own thoughts, until she felt the evidence of John's arousal pressed against her backside. His soft, gentle lips, moved over her skin, and onto the nape of her neck. It felt so good, she sighed softly, and allowed her head to fall back against him. Cupping her breasts, John rubbed his thumbs over her nipples softly, murmuring, "What are you thinking about?"

"I'm afraid," she said softly, resting against his chest.

"Afraid?"

Marlena tipped her head, looking up at him, "We're going to leave here tomorrow, and the harsh reality of our lives are going to come crashing back onto us. Being here, just the two of us...has been so amazing, John. I worry that tomorrow—"

"—I promise you, right now, Doc...I promise, that I'm not giving up on us. Us together, us as a family with the kids...I'm not giving that up," he told her. "No matter what. I know it's going to be difficult, dealing with Roman...and Isabella, and I know the family is going to be shocked, but I'm not walking away." He turned her to face him, tipping her chin up so that he could look into her eyes, and he said, "I promise, baby."

"I want a life with you," she said.

"We're going to get it. We are. It's going to take some time to work through everything, but I'm not giving up on us."

"I need to talk to Eric...about what he saw."

"Can I be there?"

"You want to be there?"

"When the twins were six, Eric got angry with Sami, and he hit her in the face with a wooden block. Her eye was black for a week. Every time he saw it, he cried. He knew what he had done to her was wrong. Eric and I had a very long talk about anger, and not hitting girls," John said. "He's going to remember that conversation, and he's probably so confused right now, seeing Roman do something like that to his mother." John touched her cheek softly, running his fingertips over the purple and green tinged skin along her cheekbone. "Eric is going to see this, and he's going to remember what happened with Sami," he said.

"I was thinking, I should cover it," she said slowly.

"I don't think you should. Eric saw what happened. I'm not trying to make him think poorly of Roman, but I don't think you should hide it."

"You're right. Of course, you're right," she murmured, watching her fingers play over his skin. Looking up at him with bright eyes, she whispered, "You help me think so clearly, and I need that. I need you."

The water started to feel cooler, and John said, "We should get out of here."

Reaching behind herself to turn off the water, Marlena looked back towards John, and asked him, "How are you feeling?"

He was silent as he wrapped her with a towel, and he finally said, "Isabella hurt me. I've been thinking about it, and she told me in Mexico that she was pregnant with my baby." He finished wrapping a towel around his waist, and said, "She knew there was a chance that the baby might not be mine, but she kept that from me. Intentionally. She lied, Doc. I was hurting so much then, thinking that I was about to lose everything...you and the kids were my everything, and Isabella knew just what to say to pull me in."