"We need to talk about your stress level Marlena...." Mike started looking at her.
"Look Mike, before you tell me how my fainting spell was stress related and how I should be taking it easier, I just want you to know that I'm trying to take care of it." Marlena explained before he could say another word. "I've just been under so much stress lately with Roman's relapse and everything that I haven't had time to take care of myself."
"Yes, I'm well aware of that Marlena, but..." he began as she cut him off again.
"Mike, I promise that I'll take better care of myself." she said interrupting him. "Look, I'll bet that it's the stress that caused my fainting spell in my office. Right?"
"Well, yes that was part of it, but..." Mike began again as she continued to ramble on.
"You know I've been meaning to talk to you Mike." she said feeling silly and growing anxious to get back to work so that she could forget about her morning. "I think that maybe you should just write me a prescription so that I can relax a little. That way I won't be so on edge all of the time."
"I can't do that Marlena." he said to her seriously.
"Why not Mike?" she asked confused. "You said that my fainting spell was stress related and I'm fine now."
"Marlena, it's not that simple." he said taking in a deep breath.
"Sure it is Mike. You can just write me up a prescription and then we can call it a day." she insisted sitting up in the hospital bed. "I don't know about you, but I really wish that this day never happened."
"Marlena, you're pregnant." he blurted out at her.
"That's nice Mike, but I really need to get back to work so if you could write me up that prescription." she said as his words suddenly sank in. "What did you just say Mike?"
"Marlena, you're pregnant." he repeated looking at her. "You're going to have a baby."
"Maybe I should go back and talk to mom." Eric thought as he walked along the pier. "I shouldn't have snapped at her like I did. What's wrong with me?"
Eric looked out onto the water and thought about the way he had behaved at her office. He still couldn't believe that he had hit John. Eric was filled with rage, but he realized that John hadn't done anything to deserve that. Eric decided that he needed to figure things out before he did something stupid again and hurt someone worse.
"Hey son, what are you doing here? Roman asked noticing Eric on the pier.
"I'm just taking a walk dad." Eric said hugging his father. "How are you feeling this morning?"
"I'm doing good." Roman smiled brightly. "Today couldn't be better for me."
"I take it you and mom are getting along well, huh?" Eric asked noticing how happy his father looked.
"Let's just say that I think that your mom and I are going to be a family again really soon Eric." Roman said to him.
"If only you knew the truth dad." Eric thought to himself.
"Soon your mom and I will be married again and just like the old days we can all be together again." Roman said to Eric.
"You love mom a lot don't you dad?" Eric asked slowly growing angry again as he thought of his mom and John taking away his father's happiness.
"With all of my heart son." Roman smiled as he thought about marrying Marlena again. "And soon nothing will ever get in the way of our happiness again."
"That can't be possible Mike." Marlena gasped as she thought about what he had just said. "I can't be pregnant."
"Well, according to these tests you are." he said handing her the charts.
"Are you sure Mike? Can't these be wrong?" she asked looking at the charts. "It's not exactly the right time in my life to be having another child Mike."
"Marlena, you know that these tests are a hundred percent accurate." Mike said giving her a hug.
" I can't be having a baby now. I have too much to deal with now between Roman being sick again and having hide my feelings about the bond I have with John and the kids. Besides, John and I were really careful so that this wouldn't happen." she thought out loud as her eyes filled with tears.
"Marlena, I thought that you would be happy to hear the news." Mike said looking her over.
"I am." Marlena said touching her stomach lightly. "I just wish that it wasn't happening now."
"You know John is going to be thrilled to know that he's going to be a father again." Mike informed her.
"Yeah, he is." Marlena said thinking of how he would react to the news.
"Why don't you call him and tell him the good news then?" Mike suggested handing her his cell phone.
"I can't." she said refusing to take the phone. "He can't find out yet that I'm pregnant."
"Marlena, he has a right to know that you're carrying his child." Mike informed her.
"No, not yet at least." she said with tears in her eyes. "Mike you have to promise me that you won't tell him."
