Unspoken

Chapter 4

A soft knock sounded on Marlena's office door. "Come in," she called, closing up the file she was looking at, and placing it to the side.

Her receptionist stuck her head in, and said, "Isabella Black is here to see you?"

"You can send her in. I was expecting her," Marlena said.

Isabella entered the room, and it was obvious in just a few days, that the cancer was taking a toll on her. Her body radiated fatigue, and her eyes, had a faint purple hue underneath them. Even though Marlena knew the woman had cancer, that she was going to die, it broke her heart to see it so visibly. It must be killing John. Isabella glanced around Marlena's office, "I've never been in here before. I never really had a reason to, I guess."

"You're always welcome, you know," Marlena said, gesturing to the chair across from her.

"I know...I'll be honest, Marlena, I've always felt a little threatened by you, and your relationship with John...I—I know he still cares for you," Isabella said, placing her purse on the floor, and sitting. Marlena had always appreciated the fact that Isabella was so direct. She didn't agree with her sometimes, but she could still recognize a strong woman.

"We're friends," Marlena told her softly.

"You're more than friends, and...that used to bother me...and now... I'm dying of cancer. I want you to know, I'm grateful knowing that he's going to have you...when I'm gone."

"John and I will always be in each others lives. He's a wonderful friend, and we'll always have a connection."

"I know he saw you on the pier, and he went to your house the other night," Isabella said.

"He did."

"He needs you now. He needs you more than he's ever needed anyone before. When I'm gone, he's going to be alone. I want you to—I need you to promise me that you'll be there for him when I'm gone, because this is going to be so hard on him," Isabella pleaded.

"John will always have me. I promise...I promise you, I'll be there for him," Marlena said. She hoped with everything she was that Isabella trusted her and believed her.

"Thank you...I just got approval from Carly to go to Italy."

"John had mentioned that you were thinking of that."

"He did?"

"Yes, he was by the house this morning. He brought me donuts and coffee," Marlena said. She didn't want Isabella to think she was trying to hide anything, because she wasn't, but she also didn't want Isabella to be upset that John was seeing her so frequently. "He was thanking me for being a sounding board for him a couple times. You're right. He is having a hard time accepting your diagnosis. He's also having a hard time accepting your decision to forgo medical intervention."

"I know. Thank you...for talking to him. For helping him with this..."

"I told him it's important to be honest with you about his feelings. Is he doing that?"

"I think he's trying, but I also think...the only person he's been completely honest with...is you," Isabella told her. "He's covering up with everyone else, especially me. I can't go to Italy, unless he has support. I won't do that. That's why I'm here," Isabella said, looking at her hands for a moment, before looking directly at Marlena. "He needs you. He won't have anyone in Italy. He'll be alone, and lost, mourning me...I can't do that to him. I won't do that to him. I came to ask you—I want you to come with us."

"Go with you?" Marlena asked her. She was surprised by Isabella's request. It was selfless, especially knowing what John and Marlena had been to each other. John's recent decisions related to Isabella were also selfless. Both of them so much in love with the other, that they would make choices without consideration for themselves.