Marlena finally got up the courage to confront her demons and fears. She stood up from her bed and looked around her room. It was a mess, cloths everywhere, trays from food on the ground and empty tissue paper box’s. She looked at the clock. It was 3:00pm. She walked over to the bathroom. She looked in the mirror to see a pale face looking back at her. She had marks from the tears, and even some pillow lines from sleeping so much.
After she was done dressing, and getting all cleaned up in the shower she went downstairs. She was walking down the stairs to see pictures of John with the family in the living room. She had to fight the urge to cry and run back upstairs to bed. She walked down the stairs and sat down. She again looked around the room and saw it was not as messy as her room. She wondered why it was so clean. A humming was coming from the kitchen. She looked in to see Belle coming walking out with a tray.
Marlena- Morning, honey.
Belle- Mom, your up? How are you doing today?
Marlena- Better! Listen we need to talk.
Belle- I was just about to bring you some lunch.
Marlena- It can wait, we need to talk, about your father.
Marlena sat Belle down as she laid the tray on the coffee table. Marlena took Belle’s hand and started to speak with her.
Marlena- We both know your father is gone. He won’t be back. He is in heaven with Brady’s mom.
Belle- Mom, I’m not 5 anymore. I’m 16 I know what is going on and what happened. I know Stefano killed Daddy. It hurts alot, and I don’t know how or when the pain will stop but I want to keep on going.
Marlena- You are much more brave than I am. How is Brady doing?
Belle- Well why don’t you talk to him, he’s over at the pub.
Marlena- I don’t know, we aren’t really speaking.
Belle- Why? Because he told you to get up and get on with your life!
Marlena- It hurt Belle. To hear my own, to hear him say that to me. I think of him as my son and I always will. The boy has lost both of his parents. Knowone should have to go through that.
Belle- I agree but I think he was just trying to help. I don’t think he knows what is going on. I don’t think he knows how much you and Dad were in love.
Marlena- Please don’t defend him, I love him no matter what. He was right I need to get on with it. The pain will always be there its just how we deal with it that counts.
The two women hug as tears spring from there eyes thinking about the one man who they both looked up to with all their hearts.
Belle- What are you going to do today?
Marlena- Well I think I will go out and see how the preparations are going, and I was going to visit with Philomena, John’s mother.
Belle- Yes, I talked with her after you guys came back. She seems very nice, its so terrible what happened to her.
Marlena- Yes it is. How about you?
Belle- I was going to go get some work from school I’m sure I’ve missed. But I can stay if you need me.
Marlena- No I’ll be ok, go get that work.
Marlena watched her daughter go get ready to leave and was proud that her and John got at least to raise her together.
******
Steve sat alone in his cell thinking of what happened only a few hours earlier with Kayla and Hope. Before they leave Kayla left him with a few pictures to think about. He sat in the cell looking at the pictures over and over again. But still nothing. All he remember was all the stuff that Stefano taught him. He was mad of what Stefano had done to him. He abounded him all alone. Mr. Sistalano had disappeared as well. Steve had nothing, all he could cling to was the man everyone else knew him as. He was starting to like this Steve Johnson guy. He tried his hardest to remember things that Stefano did plug into his mind.
He walked around the cell holding the pictures. He turned one of them over he saw the writing on it “ Steve, Kayla, Bo, and Hope just before Bo and Hope left Salem”! Steve looked at the picture and tried to think of something that might help him. The picture of those people in the background their was a boat. He stared at the sides of the boat hoping to remember something. Then it hit him, he started to remember something. A man who came and attacked Hope. He tried to kidnap Hope and Shawn-D that day. Him and Bo had to fight him off and they won.
Steve finally remembered a memory that Stefano didn’t implant, now all he had to do is tell everyone and make sure it was a real memory. He started to yell for the guard.
Guard- Yeah...
Steve- I need you to get Kayla, my wife. Its really important.
Guard- I’ll see what I can do...
The guard walked off and Steve started to smile at the thought of his real memory returning.
******
Kayla and Hope ran into the pub. Kayla ran over to see her mom and dad. She told Shawn and Caroline about Steve’s memory experience. They were excited by still saddened by the news about John. Kayla and Hope forgot all about John over this new news.
Hope- How is Marlena doing, Caroline?
Caroline- Well last time I checked she was still in bed.
Kayla- Poor, poor women. I feel so bad for her, I know how it feels to lose the one you love.
Shawn- Yeah but God sent yours back and this time there is no chance of that happening.
Caroline- Or is there?
Hope- What do you mean?
Caroline- Well Stefano has plagued this family with evil tricks like this for years. Its not something to just leave out. Stefano Dimera is a monster and this would be the icing on the cake for him to do this to us.
Shawn- Caroline’s right.
Hope- No, no I saw him die. It was John we all saw. I’m sure of it. There’s no way.
Kayla- I think Hope’s right. I’m sorry mama, they saw him die and this is what Stefano has always wanted.
Caroline- Maybe.. Yeah I guess I just still hoping that John will come booming throw those doors ordering a cheese burger with fries to go.
They all laugh at Caroline’s memory of John. Hope and Kayla go sit down to talk about what they have happened for John’s funeral. Shawn and Caroline go over the plans for the celebration after the mass. But none of them could get any work done all they could think about was John Black and the man he was and will forever be.
---The End---
Chapter 32
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