Anymore

Chapter 4

Marlena exited the elevator and took a few steps towards the door... her legs feeling like jello. She took a deep breath and knocked... wanting nothing more and fearing nothing more than seeing those bright blue eyes she loved so much. One look in his eyes and she knew everything would be destroyed and then everything eventually would be okay. "John... please don't ignore me..." She knocked again. Still no answer. She raised her voice, "John Black... open this door, before I wake the whole building." She began feeling a panic creep into her that was unsettling and she began pounding. "John PLEASE! We need to talk! Don't make me use this key you gave me!"

After a few more minutes of silence she searched through her purse and dug out the key John gave her in case of emergency. Drawing a deep breath she unlocked the door with shaky hands and slid the door open with ease. She walked in and looked around. "Nothing seems out of place... maybe they are just out somewhere." She walked towards the sofa, running her hand over the worn fabric. She noticed Brady's old teddy bear laying on the coffee table and walked over to pick it up. Bringing it to her nose she inhaled Brady's comforting baby smell. She glanced around the room again. "Something just feels... off."

Glancing at the stairs briefly, she made her way up the winding staircase, her heart feeling like it was constricting with every step she took. She walked with a slow ambivalence towards the closed door at the end of the hall...John's room. Turning the handle and pushing the door it swung open. She took a small step inside, not wanting to disturb them in case they were napping, but somehow she knew that wasn't the case. She sat on the edge of the perfectly made bed and looked around, running her fingers over the gray comforter. Admiring how neatly the bed was made. "I see some things never change... you were always one to make the bed, even when we were married."

Glancing around again... something laid on the dresser that was shimmering in the sunlight that poured through the window. She stood and removed her coat laying it across the footboard. Reaching the dresser her breath caught in her throat, it was two gold bands oddly similar but vastly different. She picked one up and examined it, speaking softly. "John... this is your wedding band... from Isabella." But what made her heart stop was the other band... picking it up. "And this... this is ours. I can't believe you kept it..." She raised it to her lips and kissed it. "One of the happiest days of my life...but what... what are they doing here?" She opened the top draw to place the bands inside, and she gasped, "No!" She pulled the drawer out further... then the next one... and the next. "No no no..." She ran over to the closet and swung the door open. "NO! It's empty... all the drawers are empty! Oh GOD, please..." She ran to Brady's room. His toys still lined the floor and his crib was still filled with stuffed animals, which filled her with hope... until she pulled open the drawers on the dresser... "Empty!" The tears came instantly as she collapsed to the floor. "He's gone... they are gone!" Marlena cried harder than she ever remembered crying in her life. She clutched Brady's teddy bear to her chest, rocking back and forth. "Oh God, please... I'm begging you... don't let them be gone! I wanted to make it right! I know I've hurt everyone, most of all John... but I wanted to make it RIGHT!" Marlena wiped at her tears, when she heard the front door to the loft slide open. Her head perking up immediately. "Oh thank you God..." She hurriedly rushed to her feet and headed downstairs.

...

"I'm not sure I want to keep that, perhaps that should go into storage." They stopped in their tracks when they heard a loud shriek and someone running down the hall upstairs. "What the hell was that?" He stepped in front of his mother to shield her as someone came flying down the stairs. "Marlena!" Laura shrieked. "You scared the hell out of us!"

Marlena stopped abruptly at the foot of the steps. "Laura... what, what are you and Mike doing here?"

Mike took a steading breath. "I don't know about the two of you, but I'm trying not to have a heart attack!" He bent over placing his hands on his knees. "We just stopped by to see what I was going to put into storage."

Laura eyed her friend wearily. "Marlena... are you alright?"

Marlena looked at her blankly. "Why... why would you be putting John's things into storage?"

Laura whispered to Mike to give her a minute. As he walked off to the downstairs bedroom Laura approached Marlena tentatively. "Honey... come sit with me, you look like you're going to pass out." Marlena let Laura guide her to the sofa without thought. Sitting, Laura handed her a glass of water. Sipping it Marlena turned to face her friend. "I... I don't understand... what's going on?"

After a moment of observing her friend she spoke, "John told us to come over and go through everything. He told Mike he could keep what he wanted and put the rest in storage."

Marlena started to cry softly. She knew what this meant... she just didn't want to accept it, she would NEVER accept it. "But WHY?"

Laura had never seen Marlena look so shattered. She gently took her hand. "Honey... John is leasing the loft to Mike."

"For how long?" Marlena blinked back more tears.

Laura shrugged sadly. "He told him... for as long as he wanted it."

Marlena stood abruptly. "NO! NO absolutely NOT! This is NOT happening!"

Laura rose from the sofa watching Marlena pace frantically. "Honey what IS it? What's wrong?"

Marlena shook her head. "No... he wouldn't do THIS! He wouldn't just leave me... us... EVERYONE!"

"Honey, honey calm down!"

"I can't Laura! I wanted to make it right... I NEED to make it RIGHT!"

"Honey, make what right? What are you talking about?"

Marlena turned and ran up the stairs grabbing her coat from John's room and flying back to the living room just as fast. Laura held her hands up to stall her when she bent to grab Brady's bear. "Marlena just slow down! Tell me what is going on, please. I've never seen you like this... so panicked. Please tell me what is wrong."

Marlena set her purse and the teddy bear down to put on her coat. "I will, but not now I don't have time. I have to find John, I have to stop him!

"Honey I'm afraid..."

Marlena's eyes got large. "No! Don't say it... it's not too late! I just have to find him... where was he going?"

"I have no idea Marlena, he didn't say."

Marlena huffed. "He didn't SAY?"

Laura shrugged. "Well if he didn't tell YOU, what makes you think he would tell me?"

"Okay... okay I'm sorry." She picked up her purse, slinging it over her shoulder, then bent to grab the bear. "I just... I have to find him." She took a deep breath then realization dawned as she yelled, "MIKE?" causing Laura to jump and grab her chest. "If you don't give yourself a heart attack, you're going to give me one."

Mike came rushing in, "What? What's wrong?"

Marlena was on the verge of tears again. "Mike, did John tell you where he was going?"

"No..."

She sighed. "This makes no SENSE! Well how... how will you pay him rent if you don't know where he is?"

Mike shrugged. "He just told me to give the checks to Victor..."

Marlena jumped. "Oh.. that's it! Victor! Victor will know where they went, Brady is his grandson!" She rushed to the door, "I have to go!"

Mike walked over to his mother. "Mom... what is going on?"

Laura sighed as she looked at the door Marlena just rushed through. "I don't know son. But I have a feeling nothing is going to be the same... not anymore."