We're caught in a trap
I can't walk out
Because I love you too much, baby
Why can you see
What you're doing to me
When you don't believe a word I say?
~ "Suspicious Minds", Elvis Presley
John noticed that it was a little past 1:00 am when he and Marlena finally sat down on the bed facing each other, with Susan's letter on the bed between them. Both of them glanced at it, but John was the one who said, "I read it yesterday, and I'll be honest Doc, it confused me even more."
Marlena picked up the letter, and began to read through it:
Dear Mr. John Black,
I'm real, real, real, real sorry that I locked you in the dungeon with Dr. Marlena Evans. I truly am. You see, Dr. Marlena Evans gave me a magic rock to keep away the vampires, but I lost it, and now that mean Kristen, who you think is your wife, but she isn't, well, she threatened to burn down Graceland if I tell you her secrets, so I'm sorry. Me, and Lisa Marie have to keep Elvis safe. I told them nasty vampires to stay away, they don't need to feed Dr. Marlena Evans no more, and I made sure there's lots of food, and water. I mailed a letter to that nice man Mr. Abe Carver, and that other nice man, Mr. Bo Brady, telling them where you are, so don't worry. They'll come, and get you out soon enough. Please tell Dr. Marlena Evans thank you so, so, so, so much for being my doctor friend, and helping me, like when she would talk to me about my problems. I'm real sorry about locking you in there, but it's the only way I can keep Elvis, and Lisa Marie, safe from that mean old Stefano Dimera, and Kristen, and those vampires. Dr. Marlena Evans knows all my secrets, and she can tell you, I'm telling the truth.
Susan Banks
Marlena looks up at John with tears in her eyes, and says, "She's so scared, John."
"Doc, we need to start from the beginning, because that letter makes absolutely no sense," he told her. He was confused, and becoming more frustrated with every minute that went by. It didn't help that this extended time with Marlena in such close proximity, was wearing down his resolve to focus on his life with Kristen, and the baby. Marlena wasn't his anymore, and he had to let her go.
Glancing at the note in her hand, and then back up to John's deep blue eyes, Marlena says, "John, it makes more sense than you realize, but yes, I'll start at the beginning," she said softly. "You wrote me a letter in Aremid. You thought you lost it, but Kristen found it...and she hid it, from both of us."
John's heart started racing. She knew about the letter he'd written her, when he thought he was going to die. "You saw the letter? You read it?" he asked her.
"Yes," Marlena said. "Kristen found it first, and she hid it in a book. I found it...in the book you loaned me one evening."
John remembered giving Marlena the novel from the bookshelf in the bedroom. He also remembered wondering what it would feel like to run his palm over the curve of her hip in the satin nightgown she'd been wearing. If only he weren't married. Suddenly, John asked her, "Wait...the note said that I think Kristen is my wife, but she's not," John said.
"You didn't marry Kristen that day in the hospital," Marlena whispered, taking his hand in hers.
"Doc, I was there. I married Kristen," John said looking at her, and realizing that she was very serious. Pausing for a moment, he asked, "If it wasn't Kristen...who did I marry?"
