John and Marlena (Finally) Get a Q!

Chapter 125 - Irrationale

John left early the next morning, his briefcase stuffed with papers pertaining to several deals he was involved in. Kristen had kissed him goodbye at the door and then told Maya she was going back to bed to rest since she hadn't slept well during the night.

She was satisfied that she'd pacified her jailer by her apparent docility. Fooled her to the extent that she wasn't as watchful as she could have been. With silent footfalls, Kristen bypassed her bedroom and went to the one that John was currently sleeping in. If there was any proof here that he had been with Marlena, any proof at all, Kristen intended to find it.

Tying her hair back in a loose knot, she pulled his suitcase out of the cupboard. He had already unpacked everything he had taken away. That was unusual in itself. The John she knew often lived out of his suitcase for days after he returned from a trip. What reason would he have to unpack everything, unless he had something to hide?

Pursing her lips, she chewed the inside of her lower one thoughtfully as she scanned the room. It was neat and tidy, and nothing appeared out of place. Going to his bed, she pulled open the drawer of the bedside table and leafed through the small amount of junk he had in there. Nothing of consequence leaped out at her and she closed it, tapping on the soft wood with her remaining long fingernail.

The baby shifted inside her, sending a foot shooting into some internal organ and she wheezed painfully, lowering herself to the bed.

"Listen you little sh*t," she hissed, "cut me some slack. I'm doing my best to keep this family together so if you know what's good for you, shut up down there." There was stillness for a moment and then the baby aimed a second and even harder kick as it stretched out. Cursing, Kristen eased herself off the bed, one hand supporting her back. She couldn't waste time because of the little brat. She had to find the proof before Maya discovered where she was and reported back to John.

Going back to the suitcase, she methodically undid all the zippers, feeling around in the pockets for anything incriminating. In the front one, she was rewarded when she found a small river-worn pebble. She turned it over in her hand, her fingers gliding over the cool, smooth surface of the stone.

"So where did you come from if he was in New York?" She narrowed her eyes as she pushed herself up, groaning as she straightened her back. "C'mon, you have to be somewhere. Somewhere in this room. I just have to find you."

******

"Hey, munchkins!" John swooped down to gather Belle and Brady in his arms as he stepped through the doorway. "Have you been good for your Momma?" His answer was effusive nods from both the children and he looked up at Marlena, a gleam in his eye. "And what does your mom have to say about it?"

"They've been wonderful," Marlena's smile was as sunny as the morning outside. Despite her melancholic bedtime thoughts, she had slept very well, and she felt quite refreshed and energetic. "Absolute angels. I couldn't ask for better children."

"Alright, since you're such good kids, how about you go and join Lucie for breakfast? We'll follow you in a minute." He lowered the kids to the floor and watched them run across the living room to the kitchen. Brady turned around as they reached the kitchen door, watching his parents with an unspoken question in his eyes. "Go on slugger," John waved him into the kitchen. "We're right behind you."

"How was your night?" Marlena asked softly as she allowed John to pull her into his arms.

"Oh, better than I could have expected I guess," he murmured into her hair, savoring the feel of her in his arms. After one night with Kristen around, making everything wrong and dirty, it was almost easy to forget how good and right this felt.