I've Loved You Before

Chapter 41 - Something Just Like This

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I've been reading books of old

The legends and the myths

Achilles and his gold

Hercules and his gifts

Spider-Man's control

And Batman with his fists

And clearly, I don't see myself upon that list

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As they prepared dinner Marlena knew that Sami and Eric were watching them intently. John knew it too, and yet he did nothing to hide his feelings for her. They had agreed to tell the twins about the baby and their love for each other after dinner, but as John moved around the kitchen he would allow his palm to slide across Marlena's hip, or he would lean close as he whispered a question.

Sami watched it all with rapt attention. Her Papa went up behind her mother, and slipped his arm around her waist, holding her gently. That's what Sami wanted. She wanted a family like they had on television. She wanted a mom and a dad that laughed together, and a family that went on vacations, and played sports. She wanted what she saw before her. She had some memories that were faded from before her mom was thought to be dead. She'd kept those memories deep in her heart and sometimes her Papa had talked about Marlena with her. Sami had always liked the way his face had gone soft when he showed them photographs, or allowed Sami to smell her mothers perfume. That's what she saw then. Her Papa with his arm around her mother, and the soft way his face looked.

John leaned against Marlena, boxing her in where she stood near the kitchen island slicing tomato for a Caprese salad. "The garlic bread is done. I just pulled it out of the oven. The lasagna needs a few more minutes for the cheese to brown. I turned up the heat."

Marlena turned her face to his. He was so close she could feel his moist breath on her skin. She couldn't help gazing at his mouth for a split second before she glanced back down at the task at hand. "Thank you."

John breathed her in. He needed a moment with her, so he said distractedly, "Sami. Eric. Go get washed up for dinner, and then come back and help me set the table." Sami gave them another curious glance, but then she took off towards the bathroom with Eric following behind her.

"They know something is different," Marlena whispered, allowing her head to fall back onto his shoulder. John leaned in, softly kissing her waiting mouth. She moaned quietly, "You taste so good."

His abdomen clenched while his arm tightened around her. Feeling the barely there curve of her stomach, his hand splayed wide as he asked her, "Are you ready for this?"

She couldn't help but smile. "I'm ready. As soon as Kim suggested the possibility of being pregnant, even though I denied it at first, I knew I wanted more than anything to have your baby."

"You're having Papa's baby?" Eric and Sami stood at the end of the kitchen island watching them with curious eyes. Making sure they heard him, Eric asked again, "A baby?"

Sami's eyes got even wider, if that was possible, and her voice squeaked, "A baby?"

Marlena knew she had to say something. She usually didn't find herself speechless, but they'd caught her off guard. Clearing her throat, she gave one last quick glance at John and then disengaged herself as he stepped away from her. "Why don't we set the table for dinner and then I can answer all of your questions... but, yes, your Papa and I are having a baby."