Blurred Lines

Chapter 18 - Knowing Me, Knowing You

October 4, 1992

Marlena's Lakehouse

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

No more carefree laughter

Silence ever after

Walking through an empty house, tears in my eyes

Here is where the story ends, this is goodbye

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

John heard the shouting before he'd even reached the front door. After jogging up the driveway, he tried the door, realizing that the security lock had engaged. He could tell by Marlena's tone that she was distressed, and he knew why, because he could hear Roman shouting. His heart was racing. Images of Marlena in a coma after Isabella's confrontation flashed in his mind. Would Roman's verbal barrage be too much for her? Typing in the passcode as fast as he could, he threw the door open, yelling, "Doc?"

"John!" Marlena cried from the kitchen overcome with relief. John was there. It was as if she could suddenly breathe. She stared at Roman with a mixture of loathing and fear. She'd forgotten what he looked like. Not forgotten, exactly, but the details had become blurry. Staring at him then, she wasn't sure she remembered his eyes being quite so harsh. She'd remembered them being kinder. A soft sort of brown. Taking a deep breath, she kept her eyes on Roman as she called out, "John, I'm in here!"

He found her in the kitchen, backed into a corner with tears streaking her face. Her hair was in a tangle, her ponytail hanging half loose, and she was wearing those denim overalls again, this time with a long sleeved sage green shirt underneath. The kitchen was scattered with flour, and it was obvious that Marlena was attempting to make a cake or some sort of bread. John wasn't sure, but as she stared at him with wide eyes, with flour smeared across her cheek, he thought she'd never been more beautiful.

Roman stared at John with eyes that were murderous. He shouldn't be involved. "John, this isn't your business, and we don't need you here. I'm going to work this out with my wife."

Marlena scrambled from the corner trying to make her way toward John, telling Roman, "Yes! Yes, I do need him here!" Roman stood in her way making her feel caged.

"Doc," Roman pleaded, reaching for her. He knew he had a lot to make up for, if Marlena would only allow him to speak. She kept interrupting him, and now John had shown up. Marlena shrank back from his hand. Roman said more softly, "If you'd just let me explain–"

Marlena's eyes were wide as they darted between John and Roman, and John could tell she was feeling confused, and overwhelmed. Her chest rose and fell with short, choppy breaths. "I don't want your explanations! I don't want them, and I don't need them! You left us, and you never came back!"

Roman sighed loudly, "I came back! I know you're having problems with your memory, Doc. Kim told me, but you gotta try, and remember that! If you try really hard, I bet you could remember. You were pregnant with my baby–"

She felt herself getting more confused as she cried, "--No! No! Caleb wasn't your baby! He wasn't! It was– it was your fault he died. Your fault that he isn't here with me."

Marlena stared at John, and then ducked around Roman's outstretched arms, throwing herself against John's body with force. Her memories were wavy. They had blurry edges, and they weren't clear. She knew the baby was Roman's but the more upset she became the more it didn't make sense. It didn't seem real.

John ran his palm over her back, trying to calm her down. "Roman, look... Marlena's upset, and this probably isn't the best time to do this." She continued to shake, and make small sounds of distress, whispering under her breath. John was worried. To Roman, he said, "Her memories are confused, and–"