Kintsugi

Chapter 23 - Epilogue

John and Marlena's wedding took place on the rooftop of their loft on a beautiful spring morning, surrounded by the gentle scent of lilacs, and the musical sounds of birds. They had invited a small group of family, and friends, and John had insisted that the service be presided over by Father Jansen. John jokingly told Marlena that Father Jansen has been patient enough to listen to all of his carnal confessions about Marlena, so he should be the one to marry them, and make it official.

As Marlena approached John, his heart swelled with love. He thought that Marlena was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, her skin glowed in the soft light, her belly round with their child, and her hair gently blowing across her cheeks. The swell of her abdomen was covered by a simple white gown with an empire waistline, and the joy in her eyes was almost his undoing. As she stepped before him, and he took her hands in his, he carefully tugging her to him, and kissed her impulsively, causing Marlena to laugh, and say, "I feel like we've done this before."

"I can't help it, Doc," he said with a smile that was meant only for her. "I can't believe this is happening. I almost can't believe that I'm this lucky."

Father Jansen cleared his throat softly, causing John and Marlena to look at him in surprise, as if they were pulled from their own private world. The service was everything they both wanted, understated, and full of love.

Sami stood there with three month old Molly in her arms, and she pondered all of the things she'd done to Carrie, Austin, her mother, and John. All of them had forgiven her, embraced her with love. So while Marlena and John exchanged rings, Sami felt this overwhelming warmth wash over her body, and she felt...she sensed that everything would be different now. Different than it could have been, if her mom and John hadn't found their way back to one another. Different than it could have been, if she'd kept making selfish choices, and making Carrie and Austin miserable. Different even if then it would have been, if Stefano hadn't had a stroke, or if Kristen had stuck around, and fought to be with John. It was right. This wedding, the direction all of their lives were taking...Sami felt innately that it was right. She looked over at Brady holding Abe's hand, and Belle sleeping in Carrie's arms, and she realized that everything was very right.

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Two months later, Marlena was lying in bed, with her head on her husband's shoulder, when she said, "You know, John, you never said anything about what Roman wrote in his letter to you."

"It doesn't matter. That's why I never mentioned it," John said quietly, stroking his fingers over the silken fabric of her nightgown along her hip, and enjoying the newfound curves of her body. "None of it mattered to me."

"I don't understand," she said.

John sighed, knowing she wouldn't let it drop until he told her something. "Roman reiterated that he wanted me to take a DNA test, but as I told you, I'd already done one...because I knew there would be questions. He said some other things, that were likely written in haste, things he might regret later..." John told her, his voice trailing off at the end.

"I think I might have an idea," she whispered, tracing her fingers through the hair on his chest. "I'm sorry."

"It's shocking for him to find out I'm his brother, and to find out I was marrying you. The idea of me...who I am, what I was...has always been intertwined with Roman's hatred of Stefano—and then you and I had an affair, Doc. I wanted you so badly, staying away from you was impossible, that we gave in, and that hurt him. Just when he was trying to accept me, and come to terms with me in his life, I betrayed that fragile trust he had for me, by making love to his wife..."

"And now, you're his brother," she said.

"And now, I'm his brother."

Marlena props herself up on her elbow, watching sadness flicker over John's features, when she says, "He hurt you."