Whisper My Name

Chapter 44

March 29, 1992

San Cristobal, Galápagos Archipelago

Take me out under the sky

Counting Diamonds all through the night

And the moon in the morning light

Out under the sky

~ Under the Sky ~ Heart ~

The sunset was a beautiful golden orange color that seemed to melt into the sea. Marlena sighed, resting on her palms as she leaned back staring out over the water. The soft cotton blanket she had found in a closet was spread out over the sand, and she almost moaned with contentment as the salty breeze brushed over her skin. Closing her eyes, she started thinking about going home, afterall, they could go home now, and for some reason that was bittersweet. As much as she wanted to go home, this time with John had changed the trajectory of her life. At least they had a few extra days. She was excited to return to some sense of normalcy - her work, and the children; however, she did not look forward to the inevitable conversation with Roman, and likely, the vitriol she would receive from Isabella.

She was pulled from her reveries as she felt the soft caress of John's fingers over the top of her hand, "What are you thinking about, Doc?"

"I'm usually the one asking those questions, aren't I?" she responded with a laugh, looking over at him, and finding herself caught in his deep indigo gaze. "I'm thinking about the chaos we're walking back into once we get to Salem. I have to talk to Roman, you have to talk to Isabella... and then the likely confrontations as Isabella seeks me out, or Roman decides to take his ire out on you."

"It's inevitable. That's why I'm glad we have this time." He rolled towards her, resting his head in her lap as he stared up at her. "How do you want to handle it?"

"I want to be with you. I don't want to wait to start our lives together," she said, looking down at him. "It might seem sudden to our families, and... it might - no, it will hurt Roman and Isabella that we're moving so quickly, but I don't feel like I can help it. Not after all of this time with you... it only solidifies what I want. I want to have a home with you, and the children."

John rubbed his face over her soft cotton dress, and kissed her abdomen softly, "We're going to have to find a place to live as soon as we get there. We can rent a place temporarily. My apartment was barely large enough for me, and Roman's probably still at the house."

"I hadn't even thought of that. I want the children with me, with us, but we don't have a place to bring them to." She reached out, softly stroking John's dark hair. "I'll have to work out a custody arrangement with Roman, but they barely know him, so I'm thinking it's going to have to be gradual. They are really most comfortable with you and Carrie. I would say my bond with them is still fragile."

John sat up, leaning across her lap, balancing on his palm, and stared at her as if she were precious, "We can stay at the Salem Inn for a few days, and look for a place... go get the children in Denver once we find one?"

Marlena sighed, "I think that's the best plan. I'd like us to handle the situations with Roman and Isabella before the children come home anyway. I don't want them to be exposed to any of that. It could get ugly," Marlena said. She remembered the hatred she saw in Isabella's eyes at the cabin in Colorado. She would never want Sami or Eric to experience that. They wouldn't understand. Ultimately all they wanted was to repair their fractured family - and for Sami and Eric, that meant Marlena with John. With a small smile, she added, "I also need to schedule an appointment with Dr. Bader." She placed her hands on the soft swell of her abdomen, saying, "After we returned from Mexico... sometimes I would lie in bed at night, and fantasize about having your baby. Roman would be sleeping beside me, and I was wishing that I was the one pregnant with your child."