Unspoken

Chapter 6

Marlena had Brady bathed and ready for bed, when she softly knocked on the door to Isabella and John's room. This had been their routine for close to two weeks. She heard Isabella's faint voice tell her to come in, so she shifted Brady to her hip, and entered the room. "I thought you might want to spend some time with this little guy before I put him down for the night," Marlena said, approaching the bed where Isabella rested against some pillows, wearing a white nightgown. Her face showed signs of obvious fatigue, her eyes lined faintly with purple. They had been in Venice for two weeks, and Marlena watched as every day Isabella became paler, and more fatigued.

"Oh, I do. I do," Isabella said happily, reaching out for her son.

"Isabella? Have you taken your pain pills?" Marlena asked her.

"Not yet...but if you could get them for me..."

Marlena reached for the pills, and realized there wasn't any water. She could hear the shower running, which meant John was in the bathroom, "Let me just run and get some water from my bathroom."

"That's not necessary. Just knock on the door and warn him that you're coming in," Isabella said weakly, rubbing her hand softly over her sleepy son's back. "I don't want to put Brady down, and I'd like you to stay close by...in case—in case..."

"Okay, um...okay," Marlena said, picking up the water glass and heading to the bathroom door. She knocked, waiting for John's reply, but he didn't answer. Cracking the door slightly, Marlena poked her head in, "John?"

"Yeah, Doc. Everything okay?" he said over the sound of the water.

"I'm getting some water for Isabella, so she can take her medication. I just wanted to warn you that I would be in here," Marlena said.

"Is she okay? Where's Brady?"

"She was looking a little pale, so I offered to get the pain medicine for her," Marlena said more softly. "Brady is with her now."

"Okay. I'll get out of here, and spend some time with the two of them," he said, shutting off the water. He didn't get a response, all he heard was the click of the door as it closed.

When John exited the bathroom, Marlena was taken aback to see his chest glistening with water, and only a towel around his hips. She was barely able to find words. "I'm, uh, I'm going to go. Let me know if you need anything," Marlena murmured, turning to leave the room.

"Marlena?" Isabella called after her. Marlena turned back, and Isabella said softly, "Thank you. Brady adores you."

Marlena smiled, "I adore Brady. So it's mutual."

Once Marlena had closed the door behind her with a soft snick, Isabella looked at John with a grin, still softly rubbing Brady's back as he played with her hair. She was grateful that he was such an easy baby. John noticed that Isabella was smiling, "What?"

"Did you do that on purpose?" she asked with a chuckle.

John started drying his hair with another towel, "Do what?"

"Coming out of the shower wrapped in a towel."

"I didn't have any clothes in there," he said, ruffling through a drawer looking for a pair of sweatpants

"I think you made Marlena uncomfortable," Isabella told him. "I would too, if a sexy man started walking around in a towel."

"Huh, I didn't notice," he said, sitting beside her on the bed, and realizing that Brady was already asleep. "Pass the little guy over here, and I'll get him settled into bed," John told her, reaching for Brady.