The Affair

Winding Down

A few hours later and the party was still going strong. Everyone was having a good time, laughing, talking, eating and drinking….even Marlena. To Roman it was their unofficial reception but to her it was just a party. It gave her the opportunity to catch up with friends and family that she didn’t normally get a chance to spend a lot of time with. Even Alice and Tom Horton were present.

While standing at the punch bowl Laura walked up to her, “Marlena I just wanted to let you know I’m leaving now. It’s getting late and I’m tired.”

Marlena looked at her watch, “I didn’t realize it was getting this late. I need to get the kids home and off to bed.” She looked around the room. “I don’t see them; they’re probably upstairs watching TV.”

“Probably; children never want to party with their parents. It’s an unwritten law. Anyway I’m going.”

Marlena hugged her friend and gave her a kiss on the cheek, “Thank you for everything. I don’t know how I would have survived this if you hadn’t been here.”

“You’re a lot stronger than you think. Call me in the morning.”

“Why don’t you meet me in my office for a cup of coffee? What time do you have to be in?”

“Not till 8:30; what about you?”

“Same time, how about we meet in my office for 8 o’clock?”

“Sounds good; see you in the morning.”

Once again they hugged one another before Laura left. It was time to find her children. Marlena went upstairs expecting them to be watching television but to her surprise they were fast asleep. She stood in the doorway watching them as they slept. They looked so peaceful.

“There you are. I was looking for you.” Marlena turned to see Caroline walking towards her.

“I was checking on the kids but I see they’re already asleep. I hate to wake them up.”

“Why don’t you let them spend the night? You know how cranky they’ll get if you wake them up now.”

“Caroline, you and Shawn had them last night; I don’t want to take advantage of you.”

“Marlena, these are my grandchildren. I love taking care of them.”

Caroline was right; they would be cranky. It really would be better if she didn’t wake them up. “Thank you and if I didn’t say it before let me thank you for helping Roman with all of this. I know he couldn’t have done it without you.” She gave Caroline a big hug. Just because she really didn’t want this party didn’t mean she couldn’t appreciate all the trouble Caroline went through to help Roman.

“It was all Roman’s idea. I just did what he asked.”

“Still, I know it was lot. Thank you.” Marlena meant it. She loved Shawn and Caroline. The Brady family had taken her in and treated her just like one of their own. When the truth about her and John was finally known she knew they would be devastated.

Caroline must have been reading her mind, “I’m surprised John wasn’t here. It’s not like him to miss a family celebration.”

That was one of the reasons she loved Caroline so much. Even though they knew John wasn’t their son, they still treated him like he was a Boaty. Boaty was like another grandchild to them. “When I saw John earlier he mentioned he had to go out of town for a business meeting.”

“I knew there had to be a reason. Is Victor keeping Boaty?” There was always a trace of sadness in her voice whenever she mentioned Victor.

“Yes he is.”

“That’s good; he needs company now that Isabella is gone. He and Bo aren’t really close and I worry about him.”

“I know you do. I know you still care what happens to him.”

“I always will but …”

“I know; your life is with Shawn. Still you can’t help how you feel.”

Caroline shook her head, “No you can’t. I guess you would know.”

For a moment Marlena wondered if Caroline had suspicions about her and John. “Why would you say that?”

“Because there is a part of you that will always love John just like there’s a part of me that will always love Victor. Maybe love is too strong a word. I should have said care instead of love. Marlena I know you love my son but I also know that a part of you will always care about John. I’ve been there.”

Marlena didn’t know what to say.

“You don’t have to say anything. I just wanted you to know I know how it feels to love one man and feel guilty because you have feelings for someone else. It’s not that you love Roman any less; it’s just that you care about John; you care what happens to him and you want him to find some happiness.”

Marlena gave Caroline another hug and said, “Thank you.” Even though Caroline didn’t know how deep her feelings for John ran, Marlena appreciated the fact that at least she understood how it felt to love two men at the same time.

“Your welcome; now how about we go downstairs and join the rest of the party?”

Even though she was tired, she was enjoying her conversation with Caroline. “Let’s go.” They walked downstairs arm and arm. At the bottom of the stairs they bumped into Tom and Alice Horton.

Tom took Marlena’s hand, “I’m glad we ran into you. We were just about to leave.”

“Tom, Alice I want to thank you for coming out tonight.” Marlena was genuinely happy to see them. Besides the Boaty’s she considered Tom and Alice family. She gave each one of them a hug.

Just then Roman walked up and grabbed Marlena from behind. It was so unexpected she jumped, “Relax Doc, it’s just me.” His arms went around her waist.

“Roman you scared me.” It took everything she had not to remove herself from his embrace.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to. I just wanted to say goodbye to Dr. Horton and Alice.”

“Roman, Tom and I had a really nice time and we want to wish you two the best. But it’s a little past our bed time.”

“Well thank you for joining us and drive safely.” Roman reached out, shook Dr. Horton’s hand.

The Hortons walked out of the door leaving Roman and Marlena standing there together. Marlena quickly removed herself from his arms. “Roman I’m tired and I’m ready to go home. The kids are going to spend the night with your parents.”

Her tone of voice left no doubt in his mind that they would go home and go to sleep…nothing else. That’s ok he told himself. He was in it for the long haul and this was just the beginning. The battle may have been lost but he would be damned if he lost the war. They thanked everyone, said their goodbyes, went home and to sleep.

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The next morning

He was already up and dressed before daylight. He only had a few days to accomplish his mission. He needed supplies but the early part of the day would be spent doing a little reconnaissance. He slipped out the motel and headed to his destination. With any luck he would be in and out without anyone seeing him.

************************************************

John woke up the next morning ready to conquer the world. His plane arrived ahead of the inclement weather which allowed him to get a good night’s sleep. He pre-ordered his breakfast the night before so it would be waiting for him by the time he was showered and dressed. Along with his breakfast was a copy of the New York Times, the Washington Post, USA Today and the Salem Enquirer. He read all four newspapers every morning every day, cover to cover. It was a habit he acquired so many years ago that he didn’t even know how long he had been doing it. He believed it was a skill Stefano taught him years ago while he was under his control; while he was a mercenary. Always know what’s going on in the world and in your own backyard.

Feeling a bit homesick he picked up the Salem Enquirer first. He was just pouring his second cup of coffee when he ran across a picture and a corresponding article on page 2 in the Society Section. He couldn’t believe his eyes; all the color drained from his face. The cup of coffee fell to the floor as he stared at the picture of Roman and Marlena. The caption underneath the picture read: Romance is Alive and Well in Salem. The accompanying article stated the couple had renewed their wedding vows yesterday in an impromptu ceremony at Captain Boaty’s parents’ restaurant pledging their undying love to one another. It also went on to state all the obstacles they had overcome in the past and that their marriage was a true testament to love. He re-read the article more than a dozen times to make sure he understood it correctly. The other newspapers and his breakfast were long forgotten. He sat there in a catatonic state. He didn’t hear the banging on his door or the phone constantly ringing. It was only after the hotel manger used the master key to enter the room and touch him on his shoulder did he awake from his current state. The look he gave the manger was enough to send the manger scurrying off. He had known Mr. Borne for years and he had never seen such anger before. As he closed the door behind him he said a silent prayer for whoever it was that had incurred his wrath. He would not want to be that person’s shoes for all the money in the world.

After the manger left, John looked at his watch and realized he had been staring off into space for more than two hours. Something inside of him clicked and just like that mercenary John was back. He was able to compartmentalize his life and right now business was his only priority. He slipped on his jacket and walked out the door. It was business and nothing but business today and for the rest of his stay. Instead of blood running through his veins there was nothing but ice water. He would tackle this negotiation problem with a vengeance. Salem would wait until he got back.

**************************************************

Marlena woke up, showered and dressed before Roman opened his eyes. By the time he got out of the shower she was already walking out of the front door. On her way to her car she picked up the newspaper and threw it on the seat. She would read it later.

As she walked into the hospital she noticed a lot people staring at her and smiling. Like any normal person she immediately checked her outfit to make sure everything was fine. Not finding anything wrong, she continued to make her way to her office. By the time she arrived at her office she was sure something was wrong. She went into her bathroom and did a complete outfit check. She still couldn’t find anything wrong. Maybe Laura could tell her what was going on.

A few minutes later there was a knock on the door and then Laura walked in with the newspaper in her hand.

“Boy am I glad to see you.”

“I’ll bet.”

Marlena stood up and did a complete 360 turn. “Do you see anything wrong?”

Laura gave her the once over and said, “No; why do you ask?”

“Maybe it’s just me but I swear everyone is staring at me today.”

Laura sat down, “You don’t know, do you?”

Marlena looked at her confused. “Know what?”

“That means you haven’t seen the paper.” She tossed the newspaper to Marlena. “Society Section Page 2.”

Opening the paper Marlena said, “I never read the society section.”

“Trust me, you want to read this.”

Marlena sat back in her chair and opened the paper. As soon as she got to page 2 she let out a small scream, “How did this happen? No wonder everyone is looking at me.” Suddenly the magnitude of her problem hit her like a ton of bricks, “John, I have to call John right now.”

“Marlena he’s in New York and unless he gets the Salem Enquirer delivered to him I doubt if you and Roman made the national papers.”

“That’s just it. He gets the paper delivered to him whenever he’s out of town. It’s his way of keeping in touch with what’s going on.”

“Now you have a problem. Do you know what hotel he’s staying in? Maybe he hasn’t read it yet.”

“I know he always stays in the same one but I don’t know which one.”

“Then pick up the phone and call his secretary. She can give you all of the details.” Laura stood up to leave. “Good luck and call me if you need anything.”

Marlena simply shook her head; she was already dialing John’s office. After reaching his secretary and obtaining the number she dialed his hotel. She was told he was already and gone. Marlena left her name and number for him to call her as soon as possible. It was important.

Over the course of the day Marlena called back several times and each time she was given the same information…he hadn’t returned yet. Between trying to reach John, Laura checking up on her and actually getting a little work accomplished her day flew by. By the time she looked up it was after 5 o’clock Salem time and 6 o’clock New York time. She dialed one more time.

***************************************************

John was back in his hotel room with a drink in his hand. Even though his meeting had gotten off to a rocky start it ended well. With any luck he might even wrap things up earlier than he expected. Kristin Blake turned out to be quite an asset at the meeting. So much so that he was thinking of asking her to come to Salem and work in his corporate office. Unlike most business men, John Borne was not afraid to put women in positions of power. He believed they were just as capable as any man.

He looked down at the table and saw more than half a dozen messages from Marlena. His eyes turned an icy blue. He would not be returning her call tonight; in fact he had a hold placed on all his calls. The only exception would be Victor…just case something happened to Boaty. John ordered room service and settled in for the night.

***************************************************

Marlena hung up the phone dejected. He was not available…which meant he didn’t want to talk to her. She slowly stood up and got ready to leave for home. Maybe he just needed to cool off. She would try again tomorrow. By the time she got home the kids were waiting for her. The only thing she wanted to do was crawl into bed but her kids came first. She would not disappoint them. Tonight was family night and they would all watch a movie together. Roman put the movie on while she popped the pop corn. This was a tradition John started when they were married and the children loved it…so much so that Roman didn’t have the heart to stop it. He just took John’s place.

Finally the movie was over and the children went to sleep. She and Roman cleaned up the mess and went upstairs. As soon as they were alone in their room she asked him about the picture in the paper and the article. He swore he had nothing to do with it. It must have been someone who was a guest who thought it was a cute story. He hadn’t invited anyone from the newspaper. The only thing he did was have one of his buddies’ video tape the ceremony so they would have a copy. Roman changed into his pajamas and went to sleep. Now everyone was asleep but Marlena…she lay next to Roman thinking abut John.

Eventually she drifted off into a troubled sleep.

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The next few days were all the same for Marlena, work, home sleep and no John. After the third day of not hearing from him she no longer called his hotel. It was obvious he wanted nothing to do with her. She would have to wait until he came home until they could meet in person; face to face.

*****************************************************

Finally he was done. It had taken him three days to get everything done but he was finished. He had just walked into his motel room when the phone rang. He never knew how he did it but somehow his boss always seemed to know when he was in his room. He walked over and answered the phone. There was never any greeting; just straight to business.

“Is everything done?”

“Yes sir.”

“Just like I wanted.”

“Yes sir, I followed your instructions. No one will ever know.”

“Good; wait until you hear from me again.”

Click and just like that he was listening to a dial tone.

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The days continued to roll into the same one over and over for Marlena, nothing special about any of them. She was, however, marking her calendar. He was due back in three days. Today, however, was an early day for her. She needed a dress for the Ball. All she had left was her rounds and she was just finishing up when she happened to see Victor. Maybe he had spoken to John. She walked over to him.

“Well hello Victor, how are you?”

“Just fine and you.”

“The same.” She didn’t quite know how to approach the subject so she just dived in. “I bet Boaty is anxious to see John.”

Victor was taken by surprise by her remark. “What do you mean?”

Trying to remain calm she said, “Isn’t John due back from New York in a couple of days.”

“Marlena, John came back last night. He finished early, picked up Boaty and went home. I’m surprised you haven’t spoken to him yet.”

She felt like someone hit her in her solar plexus. She couldn’t breathe. He was already home and he hadn’t called. He let her think he was still in New York. She tried to cover her shock, “I’ve been busy.” She looked at her watch and made a feeble excuse about running late for an appointment.

Victor watched her as she left. He could see how upset she was. He didn’t know what happened between them but he guessed it had to do with the picture in the paper. He headed to his limo.

***************************************************

Marlena ran to her office and closed the door. She needed to sit down. She needed to think. She picked up the phone and dialed Laura’s extension. As soon as she answered, Marlena told her about her conversation with Victor. Laura hung up and five minutes later she was walking through her door.

“Well what are you going to do?”

“I’m going over there.”

“Is that really wise? Maybe you should give him a little more time to cool off.”

“I’m going over there. One way or another we’re going to talk and I’m going to make him understand.” She began to pack her things. “He let me think he was still in New York. I thought he was still in New York.”

“What about the rest of the day?”

Marlena looked at her calendar. “Actually I’m through for the day.”

“And what about Roman? What if he comes looking for you?”

“I was planning on looking for a dress to wear to the Ball so I’ll just say I was shopping.”

“You’re determined to do this, aren’t you?”

“I am.”

“Call me if you need me. I’ll be here.” Laura walked back to her office. She hoped everything worked out but one thing was for certain…there would definitely be a confrontation today.

Five minutes later Marlena headed to John’s loft.