Gertie

Chapter 16

John wasn't sure how to initiate his conversation with Marlena. There was no perfect plan. It wouldn't matter where they were, or how he approached her, the feelings would be the same. She felt betrayed. She felt unloved. And the trust? He was going to have to try to rebuild the trust. He wasn't sure that Sami's plan was the best way to do it, but he was willing to admit that his first face to face with Marlena couldn't be public; however, the last time he'd been alone with her, both of them consumed with heightened emotions, things had gone sideways. They'd made love, not once, but several times. They'd made Gertie. Marlena was angry, and hurt. Rightfully so. John was confused, and desperate to repair their relationship. Maybe a little too desperate.

He sat on Marlena's couch and waited. Sami told him that Marlena would wait until the doctors first rounds were over, before coming home to shower and change. She had appointments in the afternoons. At some point, while waiting, he fell asleep. The click on the door latch woke him, and even without seeing her face, he felt her. The hair on the back of his neck stood up, and a shiver wracked his body. Turning around, his eyes caught hers, and his heart started to slam in his chest. She stared at him with wide eyes, and all he could do was smile, and say, "Hey, Doc."

She stood in her open doorway, staring at him with a racing heart, and she said quietly, "What are you doing here?"

"We need to talk."

"I'm pretty sure you made it clear that you didn't want to do that," she said, closing the door behind her, and shrugging out of her coat. She gave him one last look, and walked into her bedroom, closing and locking the door behind her.

John continued to sit on the couch. Sami was right. This was not going to be easy. He sighed heavily, standing up, and walked to the mantle over the fireplace. One by one he studied the photos sitting there, with a sinking feeling in his heart. In the corner of the room, was a small play area, where a few toys lay scattered about, and a small pink plastic table sat. John reached for a small book, gasping softly when he opened it, and realized it was a photo album. John scanned the pages, memories coming back to him as he studied photos of himself with Marlena, Eric, Sami, Carrie...even pictures of him alone. All of them had captions, written like a storybook. His eyes filled with tears when he read, "Sami and Daddy after har dance class." Sami sat on his lap, with her arms around his neck, kissing his cheek. He had been absent from his daughters life since before her birth, but Marlena and Sami had made sure Gertie knew who he was.

He heard Marlena's bedroom door open, and he spun to face her. All he caught was her retreating back, as she slipped into the bathroom. She couldn't avoid him forever. Placing the album back onto the small child sized table, John walked over to the bathroom, knocking on the door lightly, "Doc? Doc...we need to talk. Please?" He got no response, and he heard the shower water turn on. He knocked again, "Doc, please...will you let me explain?"

Marlena heard the knock on the door, and stood in the shower completely silent, and immobile, trying to remember if she had turned the lock. Her heart raced. Had she locked the door? She cracked the shower door, and stared at the door knob, her eyes wide. She was about to jump out of the shower, and check when she saw it turn, and silently cursed herself for her idiocy. John poked his head in, "Doc?"

"John! Go away!" she said, slamming the frosted shower door closed. "John! Get out!"

Keeping his eyes averted, he sat on the floor facing the door, and said, "No. I have to speak with you."

"Not while I'm in here!" she cracked the shower door again, and watched him stubbornly seat himself in the middle of the bathroom floor. She asked him in frustration, "Can you wait in the living room? Please?"