Whisper My Name

Chapter 53

July 27, 1992

John and Marlena's Lakehouse

Johnny you, I can pretend with

You're the only one I can really bend with

Take me across the river Styx

Fill my eyes with fire tricks

~ Johnny Moon ~ Heart ~

John stared at the vaulted ceiling of the bedroom, as he thought about what had taken place over the last three months. Roman had never come to see the children. He never even called. He'd simply contacted Shane, since he was now ISA Chief, and requested an overseas ISA assignment. Shane had tried to talk him out of it. None of it mattered. He was gone within a week of the argument on the pier.

Sami and Eric went about their lives as if nothing significant had happened. To them, their Daddy was the man who shared the room downstairs with their Mommy. Carrie was the one who struggled more. Her abandonment issues came to the forefront again. All John and Marlena could do for her was continue to be the best parents they could be. John especially. He intentionally spent extra time with Carrie. He'd signed up to be her softball coach, and he took her rollerblading, since, according to Carrie, roller skates were out now. John smiled to himself. She lived with him and Marlena, and he wouldn't be comfortable with her anywhere else. He and Marlena would continue to attend therapy sessions with her, and he would always be there for his daughter.

John rolled over in the early morning light, and lay there watching Marlena sleep. They were still waiting for her divorce to go through, even though she had filed nearly a month ago, citing irreconcilable differences. Mickey said it was harder to divorce someone who couldn't be located, but it wasn't impossible.

John brushed his fingers through the loose strands of her hair at her shoulder, and wondered at the softness of her features as she slept. Her abdomen was softly rounded with their babies, and the whole experience only made him love her more. She was the sexiest woman alive, and she was his woman.

Vivian had decided to stay in Salem. She had the money to stay wherever she wanted. According to her, so did John. He also had the money from the account in Lugano, and through the process of regaining his memories, and his hypnosis sessions with Marlena, he'd learned that the money in that account, was originally part of Forrest Alamain's trust fund. Stefano had taken the money, and placed it into separate accounts, each one under the name of one of John's alias'. He'd spent years thinking that he had stolen that money, not that stealing from Stefano was a great drain on his morality, only to realize that he hadn't. It was his to begin with.

This new life with Marlena was all he'd ever wanted. He'd wanted to be surrounded by family, with his children. And when the twins had asked John what they should call Vivian, he had jokingly replied, "She'd love it if you called her Granny Viv."

The name had stuck, much to his chagrin, and his mother's irritation. As it stood, Vivian had meshed well with the twins, and many times, while John stood off to the side, her interactions with them would trigger memories for him of happier times. Although the people of Salem knew him as John, Vivian still referred to him as Forrest. It didn't bother him, and he found a certain amount of comfort in it. It felt right for her to call him that.

Marlena felt the softness of John's fingers trail along her neck, and she sighed in pleasure at the heat and sensation that bloomed in their wake. "Hmmmmm. Good morning," she whispered softly. He could look at her across the room, and she would want to make love. She didn't remember being so sensitive when she was pregnant with her other children, but with John every touch was foreplay. "That feels good, Sailor."