"That was fabulous John." Marlena announced wiping her mouth with her napkin.
"I still can't figure out how you got everything ready like this without even leaving the
hospital."
"Well, as I said before Doc, I had some help." John explained standing up and
walking over to her side. "I think that Mike and Carrie did a good job. Wouldn't you
agree?"
"Mike and Carrie did this? They didn't give any indication that they were up to
something back at the hospital." she asked amazed thinking about Mike and Carrie's
behavior.
"Well, they're good actors." John laughed turning on the radio next to the table.
"May I have this dance Dr. Evans?"
"Yes, you may." Marlena grinned taking his hand as the beats of Martina
McBride's Valentine played in the background.
"If there were no words
No way to speak
I would still hear you
If there were no
tears
No way to feel inside
I'd still feel for you
And even if the sun refused to shine
Even if romance ran out of rhyme
You would still have my heart until the end of time
You're all I need, my love, my Valentine..."
"Oh John," Marlena began looking into his eyes as he pulled her closer to
him, "I love you so much."
"I love you too Doc." he whispered as she laid her head upon his chest.
All of my life
I have been waiting for
All you give to me
You've opened my eyes
And showed me how to love
unselfishly
I've dreamed of this a thousand times before
But in my dreams I couldn't love you more
I will
give you my heart
Until the end of time...
You're all I need, my love, my Valentine
And even if the sun refused to shine
Even if romance ran out of rhyme
You would still have my heart until the end of time
'Cause all I need is you, my Valentine
You're all I need, my love, my Valentine......."
"Doc, I want to dedicate the rest of my life to making you happy." he explained
touching her cheek. "I promise you that I'll never let anyone hurt you
again."
________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
"What's going on Eric?" Sami demanded as Eric grew silent. "Why don't you want
me to call daddy?"
"Sami, there's something that I need to tell you...." Eric began as there was a
knock at the door. "Hold on."
"Hey sweety," Jenny smiled throwing her arms around Eric and giving him a kiss
as he answered the door, "how are you feeling this afternoon?"
"A little better." Eric explained fully opening the door to reveal Sami glaring at
Jenny. "You remember my sister Sami, right Jenny?"
"Hi Sami. How are you?" Jenny smiled walking into the room.
"Jenny." Sami replied shifting her gaze back to Eric. "What did you have to tell
me about Eric?"
"It can wait." Eric answered turning to Jenny. "Would you like a drink or
something?"
"No thank you Eric. I'm all se..." Jenny began smiling.
"Look Eric, if you can't talk to me because your girlfriend is here, then maybe you
should send her home." Sami interrupted turning to Jenny. "My brother and I were about
to have an important conversation before you interrupted us."
"Sami!" Eric yelled at her. "Knock it off. I said it can wait."
"You know I can leave if you two need to talk..." Jenny began confused by the
way that Sami was treating her. "I can just come back later or something."
"Bye. See you." Sami replied anxiously.
"No Jenny, you're going to stay right here." Eric insisted grabbing her shoulder.
"You might as well stay here while Sami and I have our talk."
"This is family business Eric." Sami interrupted glaring at Eric. "I think that your
little girlfriend should go home."
"You know Eric, I just remembered something that I had to do, I'll just be leaving
now." Jenny replied not wanting Eric to get into another fight with one of his family
members. "We can talk later."
"Jenny, no..." Eric pleaded with her.
"I'll be back later." Jenny insisted giving him a quick kiss goodbye. "She wants to
talk to you, so I'll come back."
"Fine." Eric sighed not wanting her to go. "Let me walk you to the
door."
"Okay," Jenny replied turning to Sami, "I'll see you later Sami."
"Hope not." Sami muttered under her breath as she watched Eric walk towards the
door with Jenny.
"Sorry about this Jenny." Eric apologized opening the door.
"It's okay, I understand." Jenny smiled at him.
"Eric, I'm so glad that I found you." Abe announced coming up to the
door.
"What's wrong Abe?" Eric asked confused.
"I need to get a hold of John and Marlena." Abe explained to him. "It's important
that I talk to them."
"Is it about Roman?" Jenny asked concerned.
"What's going on here?" Sami asked pushing Jenny out of her way. "What's wrong
with my daddy?"
________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
"Oh John, this is so wonderful." Marlena whispered kissing his ear softly as they
laid across the couch together. "I can't wait to see what's next."
"Doc, am I glad that you mentioned that." John replied getting up with a
smile.
"Where are you going?" Marlena asked wanting him to jump back into her arms.
"I thought that we were going to spend some quality time together."
"We will Doc." he insisted handing her a large white box.
"Just what is this?" she asked confused as she looked over the white
package.
"Just open it and meet me outside when you've finished." he replied silencing her
with a quick kiss and walking away. "I'll see you later."
"What are you up to John Black?" Marlena asked looking down at the package in
her lap curiously. "Well, he did say open it."
Marlena immediately tore into the package and found a smaller package inside.
She looked at the package curiously wondering what John was up to. She opened it and
there was yet another small package lurking inside.
"What is going on here?" Marlena asked opening the third little box to reveal a
small key attached to a small pink piece of paper. She unfolded the piece of paper and
read it out loud:
"Doc, I know how much you LOVE surprises, so I thought
that I would make you hunt around a little bit for your gift. This key here
unlocks the cabnit over by the table that holds the first part of your
gift."
"Just what do you have planned John?" Marlena wondered getting up
and walking over to the large oak cabnit and opening it to reveal a thick white robe with a
small white bathing suit next to it. Attached to the robe was a note that read: "Wear
these."
"John said to meet him outside and the note says to put these on, but it's the
middle of winter..." Marlena began suddenly getting an idea.
________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
John sat patiently waiting by the hot spring in the secluded backyard. He could
feel the winter wind picking up as he shivered from underneath his black robe. He
wondered how long it would take Marlena to find him sitting outside waiting for her. He
hoped that she would arrive before he became victim to the winter chill.
"Hi John," Marlena's voice called out as she watched him shivering next to the hot
spring.
"Doc, you look fantastic." John gasped noticing how beautiful she looked in the
soft white robe. "I was afraid that you wouldn't come out here."
"And miss out on a hot spring in the middle of winter." she laughed watching the
steam rise up above the water. "Never."
"So how does the suit fit?" John asked glancing her over. "I picked it out
myself."
"I don't know." Marlena replied shedding her robe to reveal her bare flesh. "It's
back in the cabin."
"Oh..." John muttered not able to find a word to say.
"Are you going to join me?" Marlena teased as she stepped into the water. "Or are
you going to sit there and stare at me all night?"
"Um...um...I didn't think that..." John replied unable to take his eyes off of
her.
"John," Marlena whispered moving over to the side where John was sitting, "why
don't you come in here and help me heat things up in here?"
"No problem Doc." he replied jumping into the water still dressed in his
robe.
