"Thanks so much for listening to me Laura," Marlena said giving her a hug as she picked up her jacket, "but I think that I'm just going to need some time on my own to think things over for a little while."
"Are you sure Marlena?" Laura asked worried about her. "We can talk a little longer if you want to."
"I need to sort this out on my own, but thanks anyways." Marlena explained as she made her way out of the hospital.
Marlena didn't know exactly where she was going, but she kept driving until she suddenly shut off the car. She looked at her watch and realized that she had dinner plans with John in less than an hour and that she was in no position to see him yet. She decided to call him on his cell phone.
"John Black here." His voice rang cheerfully through the phone.
"John..." Marlena began taking in a deep breath.
"Doc, it's great to hear your voice. I can't wait to show you the surprise that I have planned for us tonight. You're going to love it."
"John, that's what I'm calling about." Marlena informed him as her eyes filled with tears.
"What's wrong Doc?" he asked noticing a change in her tone.
"I don't think that we're going to be able to have dinner tonight." she explained to him.
"Why not?" he asked sounding disappointed. "Did Roman have another emergency?"
"No Roman's fine as far as I know." she said hoping that he wouldn't think that she was ditching him to spend time with Roman. "I just have a few things to do at work that's all."
"IF you can't come to dinner, then how about I bring dinner to you there pretty lady?" he suggested to her.
"John, I don't think that would be a good idea right now." she said looking out of her windshield. "I have a lot to do."
"I can help you Doc." he suggested to her.
"John, I need to think about important things right now." she informed him.
"Well, hey Doc, I can give you a few important things to think about." he said teasingly.
"John." she said boldly. "I love you, but right now you'd be more of a distraction."
"I see." he said growing disappointed.
"I'm sorry." she said as tears rolled down her cheeks. "I have to go now."
"I love you Do..." he began as he heard her hang up.
"Mike, I feel so bad for Marlena." Carrie said sitting next to him in the hospital lounge. "There has to be something that we can do to help her out."
"Carrie, I think that Marlena is going to have to deal with this herself." He explained as he looked into her sad eyes. "She needs to figure things out on her own."
"It's not fair Mike." Carrie said resting up against him. "If only my dad was healthy, then Marlena could tell him the truth and she and John could be together."
"It's sad for two people who love each other to be apart." Mike agreed as his heart raced. "If only the antibiotics I prescribed for Roman would start to take effect..."
"That's it Mike." Carrie said sitting up straight.
"What?" Mike asked confused by her sudden rush of energy.
"My dad has been on those antibiotics for at least twenty four hours, right?" she asked him.
"Yeah. Why?" Mike said not understanding what she was getting at. "When we were in LA this summer, the doctors we talked to said that if dad had received the cure to his infection, then these drugs would speed up his recovery." Carrie informed him. "Yes Carrie, but your father already had the cure and he is still as bad as ever, so I don't think that there is any chance that the antibiotics I gave him will speed up his recovery overnight." Mike explained to her. "Medical miracles don't just happen like that Carrie." "Isn't it worth checking again for Marlena and the baby's sake?" Carrie asked looking up at him. "Don't you think that we could run another blood test on my father and see if there has been any change?" "I suppose." he said giving in to her plea. "It's worth a try if your father agrees to it.""Do you really think that will work Kristen?" Roman asked looking at her.
"Definitely. If you play your cards right, you will have Marlena eating out of the palm of your hand." Kristen smiled at him.
"That's just what I wanted to hear Kristen." Roman said hugging her as his cell phone rang. "Hello."
"Hey Roman, it's Mike." Mike said into the phone as Carrie watched him.
"Hey Mike, is something wrong?" Roman asked.
"No, not at all." Mike said watching Carrie smile. "Listen I was wondering if you could come down to the hospital so that we could do some follow up blood work to see if those antibiotics I prescribed you are doing you any good. Are you available?"
"Sure Mike." Roman said looking at Kristen. "When do you need me?"
"Well, the sooner you can get here, then the sooner we can start the tests." Mike informed him.
"I'll be there soon." Roman said hanging up.
"What's going on Roman?" Kristen asked as soon as he hung up the phone. "What did Mike want?"
"He wants to do some follow up blood tests that's all." Roman explained looking at his watch. "If I hurry up and get over to the hospital, then I might be able to catch Doc before she goes out to dinner with Laura tonight."
"Okay, then I'll see you later." Kristen said turning away suddenly remembering something. "Roman?"
"Yeah?" he asked as she turned to face him again.
"You did take your pills today, right?" she asked him.
"I took one this morning and I'll take one on the way to the hospital." Roman informed her.
John walked along the pier as he thought about his conversation with Marlena. He knew that something was wrong with her, but he just couldn't figure it out. He was really disappointed that she had canceled plans on him and he decided that he needed to think so he found himself down by the water.
"Oh Doc, what's on your mind right now?" he asked breathing in the crisp winter air. "What's wrong?"
"Hi John." a voice called out from behind him.
"What are you doing here?" John asked turning to find Kristen standing there.
"Geez John, lighten up." she said moving next to him and looking him over. "It's nice to see you too."
"Kristen, how many times do I have to tell you to leave me alone." John snapped at her.
"John, can't we just talk anymore?" Kristen asked moving alongside of him. "We used to be friends once you know."
"You used to be a good person Kristen." He informed her.
"I'm still that person John." Kristen pleaded with him. "People can change you know."
"Not you." he said looking at her. "In the words of Susan, 'You're just mean, mean, mean."
"That's not fair John." Kristen said as he glared at her. "Everything that I did, I did out of love for you."
"Kristen, you don't even know the meaning of the word." John said deciding that she wasn't going to look away. "I don't know how many times I have to tell you this, but Doc and I are together now and there is no chance of me getting back together with you."
"John," Kristen began realizing that he looked very sad. "what's bothering you?"
"Nothing. Would you just leave me alone?" he asked as his thoughts drifted to Marlena.
"Your thinking about your precious Marlena, aren't you?" she asked realizing that Marlena must've not told him the news about her being pregnant. "Where is Doc tonight anyways?"
"That's none of your business Kristen." John snapped at her as he grew irritated.
"Is she with Roman?" Kristen began prying as she realized that she was getting a reaction out of him. "You know, I ran into Roman earlier today and I think that he mentioned something about having a romantic dinner with Marlena this evening at the hospital."
"Do you ever stop?" John asked looking at her in disbelief.
"I'm just telling you what I heard." she said innocently. "I just thought you should know what your beloved Doc was doing without you."
"You know what Kristen." John said turning around. "Why don't you just leave and quit bothering me?"
"I'm just trying to help you John." she said touching his shoulder. "We used to help each other out in the good old days."
"On second thought," he began moving out of her reach and walking away, "I'll leave."
Marlena found herself sitting in the middle of the empty playground as she thought about all that had happened over the holidays. She thought of Eric's rage as he confronted her in her office.
"Oh I understand pretty well mom." Eric said standing up and looking at her. "You were too worried about John to care about what would happen to dad."
"That's not true Eric." Marlena replied standing up next to him.
"Well, that's the way I see it mom." Eric said walking over to her door. "Oh and by the way, I will never accept John in my life."
Marlena realized that even though she wanted this baby that it was going to destroy Eric and Sami as well as Roman. She felt the tears rolling down her face as she realized that no matter what she did someone was going to hate her forever even though she was trying to do what was best.
"Excuse me ma'am." a voice called out to her.
Marlena looked up and saw a woman who was carrying a small child looking at her. She wiped the tears from her face and tried to force a smile.
"Are you alright?" the woman asked looking at her. "I don't mean to intrude, but I saw you crying here and I just couldn't leave you here. May I sit down?"
"Sure." Marlena said smiling at the little boy. "You have a beautiful child."
"Thank you." The woman said sitting down next to her.
"What's your name?" Marlena asked the bashful child that was hiding behind his mother.
"His name is Eric." the woman replied moving her son to her lap. "Say hello Eric."
"Hi." the little boy said as he buried his face in his mother's lap.
"He's very shy." the woman explained looking at Marlena.
"I have a son named Eric." Marlena said looking at the boy. "He's very shy like you too."
"Really?" the boy asked moving out of his mother's lap.
"Yep." she said looking at the blonde little boy. "You're cute like he is too."
"Thank you." the boy said turning a pale shade of red as he turned to his mother. "Mom can I play on the swings?"
"Sure sweety." the woman said kissing her son before he ran to the swings.
"He's such a happy child." Marlena observed as the boy played on the swings.
"He wasn't always such a happy child." the woman informed her. "He was pretty upset when his father and I got a divorce. I thought that he would never get over it. He was miserable for such a long time and he even hated my new husband for a while."
"He seems so happy though." Marlena said watching the boy smile.
"Well, my new husband has that kind of effect on children. Eric grew to love him considering that my new husband has been here for him more than my ex-husband, his father, ever was. I guess that life can really throw you some surprises." the woman explained.
"I know what you mean." Marlena said thinking about her own family.
"Little disasters can turn into the greatest miracles in the world." the woman continued on. "I was so afraid the Eric wouldn't adjust to my marriage and to the baby that I just had, but look at him. You wouldn't have known that he ever had a problem." the woman said smiling as she watched her son. "I guess that all he ever needed was to be sure that he was loved. Love goes a long way you know."
"Yeah," Marlena agreed thinking about the baby growing inside her, "it does, doesn't it?"
"Being with the ones that you love in a time of need is very important." the woman continued.
"You're right." Marlena agreed realizing what she must do.
"I'm sorry." the woman said turning to her. "I've been babbling this whole time and I never even tried to help you with your problems. You must think that I'm a terrible person."
"No." Marlena said smiling at the woman and her son as she stood up. "You've helped me more than you could ever imagine."
