Unspoken

Chapter 4

September 14, 1992

A soft knock sounded on Marlena's office door, and she glanced at the clock. She hadn't realized how much time had passed. "Come in," she called, closing Roger Lombard's file after finishing her final notes, and placing it to the side.

Her receptionist stuck her head in. "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 that 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 John's wife 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, taking in the varying tones of beige, white, and grey. It was very clinical. It was how she imagined Marlena - calm, sedate, never flustered... beige. She'd never really understood John's draw towards Marlena, but she couldn't deny it was there. "I've never been in your office before. I never really had a reason to, I guess."

"You're always welcome, you know," Marlena said, gesturing to the chair situated on the other side of her desk.

"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, but 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." Isabella was quiet for a moment, and then she asked, "You will be there for him? Help him through his grief?"

Marlena smiled gently. "John and I will always be in each other's lives. He's a wonderful friend, and we'll always have a connection–"

" –it's more than that," Isabella replied. "We both know that. I also know he saw you on the pier the night I told him I had cancer, and he went to your house the other night after we spoke," Isabella said.

Marlena wondered exactly where Isabella was going with her visit. Softly she said, "He did."

Sighing, Isabella said, "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—no, 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."

Marlena felt her eyes sting with tears. "John will always have me. I promise... I promise you, I'll be there for him." It wasn't even up for debate. John would always be in her life because she couldn't let him go. Even if they remained only friends for the rest of their lives, she couldn't lose him. Having him as a friend was better than not having him at all.

Isabella fidgeted with the tie at the waist of her dress, before glancing back up. "Thank you... I just got approval from Carly to go to Italy."

Isabella already knew that he'd seen Marlena on the pier, and that he'd come by her house a few days earlier. Marlena wasn't going to hide his visit that morning. It was not the time to sow distrust in her burgeoning relationship with Isabella. Marlena said, "John had mentioned that you were thinking of that."

"He did?" Isabella was surprised. When did her husband talk to Marlena?

"Yes, he was by the house this morning. He brought me donuts and coffee," Marlena said. "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."