John and Marlena (Finally) Get a Q!

Chapter 36 - Caught Unawares

"Here, you do it like this." Q had his arms around Marlena, and he gently guided her as she attempted to flip the pancake. The round disc of batter made a slow loop in the air and flopped squarely back in the pan.

"I did it!" Marlena squealed, her cheeks flushed with delight.

"You certainly did." Q grinned as he set the heavy pan back on the heat and waited for the pancake to brown.

"I'll do the next one by myself," Marlena announced, her enthusiasm piqued.

"Are you sure you're quite ready for that?" Q teased her as he expertly flicked the pancake onto the growing pile.

He was saved from her further overtures towards the pancake batter by Brady who ran into the kitchen. He stopped short as he saw Q's warning look. Both of the children had been warned plenty of times about running in the kitchen. Especially after Belle's accident.

"Door Momma," he said breathlessly. Belle followed him in and stood with her tiny hands planted firmly on her hips.

"Dere's sum-an at de door," she announced solemnly.

"Okay, okay." Marlena held her hands up, palms outward with a smile before wiping them on the towel. "Shall we go and see who it is?"

By the time she made it to the front door, the messenger was long gone. All that sat on the doorstep was a small box. Belle swooped down and grabbed the package, running into the living area with it before Marlena could react.

"I open it." Belle plopped herself down in the middle of the floor and pulled the ribbon off the box. Brady crouched in front of her as she pulled the two halves of the box apart. The sole content fell out onto the floor and more quickly than she could react, Brady snatched it out of Belle's reach.

"Hey Bady!" The little girl admonished. "It's mine. Gi' it back." Brady ignored her and handed the tape to Marlena.

"No, it's not Belle. It's for Mommy." He said, pursing his lips in a fair imitation of his father. Belle began to sob.

"S'mine!"

"Belle honey," Marlena interrupted before the argument could escalate. "Why don't you come and help me put this videotape in the recorder." Belle stared at her sullenly for a moment and then her mood passed as quickly as the tantrum had come on.

"'Kay!" She scrambled for the tape. Marlena only had time to pull the cassette out of its cover and note that it was unlabeled before it disappeared, via Belle's tiny hands, into the machine.

******

Laura walked into the Penthouse Grill on the arm of her new Beau, Jed Sellwood. He was an oral surgeon whom she had met recently at a medical function, and they had struck it off immediately. Things were going so well Laura was almost afraid that they were going too well. It had been so long since she'd been happy, she had almost forgotten how great it felt. Somehow, part of her wondered if she finally deserved to be happy.

Jed squeezed her hand and she looked up at him. He grinned at her, and she couldn't help but return it. He's so gorgeous, she thought privately as they were led to their table. As she sat and Jed gently pushed her chair in, a couple in the corner caught her eye. On closer inspection, she saw that it was Peter and Kristen. Jed caught her grimace and looked at her inquiringly.

"Laura? Honey is something wrong?"

"Remember I told you about Jenn's ex-husband and his equally loathsome sister?" She nodded in Peter and Kristen's direction. "That's them."

Her companion turned and looked surreptitiously at the pair. They were huddled over a small table, obviously engrossed in their conversation. The woman's hair hung limply over her face, and she wore a tight Lycra top that hugged the bulge of her pregnancy. She was jabbing the table with her finger, seemingly trying to make her point clear to her male companion. He shook his head tiredly and rubbed his eyes. The woman didn't let up her haranguing and Jed felt almost sorry for the guy. He would have, except for what Laura had told him about Peter Blake and what he had done to her daughter. He turned back to his date.