I've Loved You Before

Chapter 13 - Better When You're Not There

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It's good to see your face in the morning

It helps me to face the day

I see you lighting candles

As I turn away

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Roman was still at work when Marlena arrived home with Sami and Eric. She was relieved, and she knew that was a glaring red flag in her relationship with her husband. Helping the twins out of their jackets, she said, "Okay, upstairs. Get your pajamas ready and then I'll be up to supervise showers."

She watched them head upstairs, and she slowly shrugged out of her own coat, hanging it in the closet. Without conscious thought she gently touched the side of her neck where John's lips had whispered across her flesh. She felt heat in her cheeks, and closed her eyes. "It was nothing," she said softly. "Absolutely nothing. He is grieving. He's lonely. That's all." Yet, as John had told her about his loneliness and his need for some sort of connection, she'd felt it deep in her own soul. The difference was she didn't tell anyone. She bottled it up. John had just tapped something that she needed to shut down immediately.

Walking towards the telephone, she dialed Roman's office. She'd almost given up on speaking to him at all, when his abrupt voice answered saying, "Salem PD. Roman Brady speaking."

Marlena almost rolled her eyes. When Roman had returned to Salem, John had been Captain Roman Brady. Once everything was revealed, John stepped back, and Roman stepped in... but without the rank. People who weren't aware of the situation became confused, because Captain Roman Brady became Lieutenant Roman Brady. Roman took it personally, although the demotion wasn't actually a demotion. Roman returned to the same rank he'd left at, but because of his hatred and jealousy of John, he'd never gotten over it. As a result of that, he refused to answer the phone with his rank and name.

"Roman. It's Marlena. I was wondering what time you might be home?" she asked.

"Hey, Doc. I'm wrapping up some loose ends on this Lombard case, so it's going to be awhile." He glanced down when he felt Taylor's hand on his leg. Pushing it away, he told his wife. "It's going to be a couple of hours at least. I wouldn't wait up." He glanced over when he felt Taylor's hand on him again. Her eyes had that hooded look that drew him in, and he cleared his throat.

Marlena was relieved, and she didn't want to think too hard on why. "Okay. I'm going to go get the twins showered, and into bed."

Roman glanced at his watch, "Aren't they usually in bed by now?"

"Yes, but we were over at John's new house all day helping him move in, and we've only just gotten home."

"You spent the day with John?" Roman asked quietly.

Marlena didn't want to deal with him. Her tone was laced with sarcasm, and she knew it was immature, but she was so tired of the fighting. "Well, you see we had plans but they were unexpectedly canceled, so we found something else to do with our day. Bo and Shawn D came by. Kim stopped in with Phillip, and your parents brought dinner."

"I see." Roman watched as Taylor's hand slid up his thigh. His eyes caught hers again, and he sighed, "Look, Doc. I'm really busy, so I'm going to go. I'll see you when I get home."

She didn't even have time to respond, before the click of the line disconnecting sounded in her ear. She stood motionless with the telephone in her hand for several moments, before she replaced it in the cradle. It rang again immediately, and she answered it, still frustrated with Roman. "Hello?"