I've Loved You Before

Chapter 5 - Turning Tables

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Close enough to start a war

All that I have is on the floor

G-d only knows what we're fighting for

All that I say, you always say more

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She folded a soft satin chemise, and sighed softly as she placed it in her luggage. Roman had been silent for over an hour and a half, and it was getting to her. She was already stressed because Stella Lombard had been terribly rude all evening, and normally Marlena might have said something, but for Roger, she kept silent. It was his night, and she didn't want to ruin it. Then there was John. The sadness that he carried with him had her focus most of the night. She watched him interact with people, and try to smile, but what she felt the most was guilt for having convinced him to come out. She'd hoped it would help, but she was left feeling as if she'd just made everything worse.

Roman walked into the bedroom, and Marlena said softly, "You know, Roman. You haven't said a word since we got home. Do you want to talk?"

He sighed heavily, watching his fingers fumble over the cufflink at his wrist. He tossed both of them on the vanity beside Marlena's earrings. He was relieved. The conversation on the way home had been horrible, and he had been too stubborn to broach a conversation since they'd arrived home. Plus, his guilt over his heated make out session with Taylor McCall was getting to him, and making him suspicious of every move Marlena made. Afterall, if he'd been unfaithful, who was to say that she hadn't as well?

"Yeah," he said, just as the telephone loudly rang. It seemed as if it was one interruption after another all evening. Annoyed, he said, "I'll get it." Taking the few steps it took to get to the phone, he answered it briskly, "Hello?"

Marlena continued to pack her bag. She wanted to be ready to go before she went to sleep so she wouldn't be rushing the following morning. She paused when she heard Roman say, "Yeah, she's here. Hold on a second." She dropped the hanger she was holding onto the bed with a rattle, as a seemingly irritated Roman, handed her the phone. He grunted, "It's for you."

Slightly breathless, she replied, "Thank you," as she reached for the receiver. "Hello?"

"Is this Dr. Marlena Evans?" the woman on the other end of the line asked.

"Yes, it's Dr. Evans." Marlena happened to glance up as Roman sneered. Her keeping her maiden name professionally was a never ending source of irritation to Roman.

"I'm calling to let you know that your 6 am flight, flight 2324, has been canceled. I've found space on the 10:20 am flight if that works for you," the woman said.

"No, I have to be in New York first thing in the morning," Marlena said in frustration. Roman smirked across the room, and she felt as if she could scream.

There was a part of him that was glad to hear that her flight had been canceled. Maybe she would cancel her whole trip.

"Well, we have a flight leaving tonight at 10:40," the airline attendant said. Marlena could hear the clack of the women's fingernails typing on a keyboard as she said, "Let me see if we have availability on that flight. Ah! We do! Would you like me to book it?"

"Is that all you have?" Marlena asked. If she took that flight, she would need to leave the house within the next thirty minutes, but did she have any other options? She listened carefully as the women told her there was nothing else available. With a sigh, Marlena replied, "Alright, okay, yes... go ahead and book it." Roman was watching her as she said, "Yes, thank you for calling."