Eternally Yours--Chapter 7 Unexpected Guest
"You know John," Marlena said picking her blouse up off of the floor, "we are going to have to cool down a little."
"Cool down?" John questioned running his index finger along her bare shoulder. "We were just starting to heat things up in here?"
"John," she said looking into his blue eyes as he continued to glide his finger along her collar bone, "believe me, I really want to do this, but we can't."
"I'm confused Doc." he said looking her over. "You were the one that wanted to..."
"Well, I do, but we can't." she insisted looking at the way his open shirt was revealing his chest.
"Okay Dr. Evans," he sighed frustrated sitting up next to her on the couch, "you have no idea how hard it is going to be for me to stop, but if it's what you want, then I'll have to respect your wishes."
"I'm sorry sweety." she breathed deeply. "Jenny will be bringing the kids back soon and I have to get ready to meet Roman."
"Doc," he said taking her hand in his and raising it to his lips to kiss it. "I hope that Mike can give us good news today."
"Me too." she smiled hopeful. "I promise that soon we will have plenty of time to be together."
"I hope it'll be sooner than later." he replied buttoning his shirt back up.
"It will be." she said wrapping her arms around him tightly and grinning. "And that's a fact."
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"So what do you say Mike?" Roman asked looking the doctor over.
"Well, I'd say that you're recovering quite well Roman." Mike smiled at him. "Pretty soon things will go back to normal for you."
"You don't know how happy I am to hear that Mike." Roman smiled shaking Mike's hand. "I can't wait to tell Doc the good news."
"I'm sure that she will be thrilled to hear it." Mike answered thinking about how Roman's recovery was going to effect many lives.
"Hey Mike?" Roman asked suddenly looking serious.
"Yeah?"
"I have to ask you a question." Roman explained to him.
"What's up?" Mike asked leaning back on the desk.
"Well, I know this is going to sound crazy, but you said that everything is going to be fine. Right?" Roman questioned.
"You seem to be progressing nicely." Mike agreed. "Everything seems to be in order Roman. All you need is to keep resting and try to avoid stress."
"What kind of stress? Physical stress?" Roman asked.
"What are you up to Roman?" Mike questioned looking him over.
"Well, I've kind of been thinking about Doc and I." Roman explained to Mike. "We've kind of been getting closer lately and I just wanted to make sure that when the time comes for us to get intimate, that it'll be okay."
"Oh," Mike replied suddenly worried about that Roman was going to push things and find out the truth about John and Marlena sooner than he should.
"I really want to show Doc that I love her." Roman continued on. "I think that it's about time for Doc and I to commit ourselves to each other again. I just want to be sure that I'm ready."
"Roman, as your friend, I think that you should give it some time before you start to jump back into things with Marlena. You both have a lot of catching up to do." Mike informed him.
"I know." Roman agreed looking Mike over carefully. "And as my doctor what would you advise?"
"Just take it slow." Mike informed him as there was a knock on the door.
"Is it safe to come in?" Marlena asked walking into the room.
"Doc, you're always welcome." Roman smiled greeting her with open arms.
"How is he Mike?" she asked as Roman grabbed her hand.
"I think that he can tell you the good news." Mike smiled closing his charts and walking toward the door. "I'll let you two talk. Also, I need to talk to you later about on article I'm working on Marlena."
"Okay," Marlena smiled turning to Roman as Mike left the room, "don't keep me in suspense. What did he say?"
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"Mike, how is Roman?" John asked as Mike walked out into the lobby.
"He's doing better John, but he still isn't well enough to deal with too much stress at the moment." Mike explained glancing around the empty lobby. "Normally, I shouldn't be telling you what I'm about to tell you, but I realize that these are unique circumstances."
"What is it Mike?" John asked getting worried that something was wrong.
"You see Roman has it in his head that he is ready to jump back into a physical relationship with Marlena." Mike explained to John. "I'm worried that he is going to end up hurting himself by thinking that Marlena is going to commit to him."
"Are you saying that Doc and I should tell him the truth?" John asked Mike as his stomach tightened.
"I'm not so sure that is a good idea just yet." Mike explained thinking it over. "That may cause his health to regress."
"So what do we do now?" John asked feeling his frustration deepen.
"I guess that you just wait it out and see what happens." Mike sighed patting him on the shoulder. "It'll all work out soon. I think that Marlena should know about what's going on with Roman though."
"You're right." John agreed. "I'll tell her later."
"Thanks John." Mike sighed in relief. "I'm sure that she'd rather hear it from you."
"Hey partner, what are you doing here?" Roman asked walking out into the lobby and seeing John.
"I just brought the kids by to see Doc." John explained watching Marlena walk out of the room behind Roman. "We went to her office, and Bridget told me that I could leave the kids with her while I come to see the two of you. So how'd the appointment go."
"Boy do I have great news." Roman smiled glancing at Mike. "The fine doctor here tells me that I'm on the road to recovery."
"That's wonderful news." John grinned thinking about returning home to be with Marlena and the kids.
"Just remember what I told you." Mike reminded Roman as his pager went off. "I have to go now, but I'll talk to you all later."
"Bye." Roman waved pulling Marlena close to him. "Doc, I think that we should all celebrate this good news. Maybe we should throw a party or something."
"Roman, I don't know if your quite up to a party yet." Marlena said exchanging worried glances with John. "You told me that Mike said that you should take it easy for a while."
"That's true." Roman agreed thinking it over. "I guess that a party would be too much for now, but what about dinner with my favorite girl and my good friend John?"
"Gee...I don't know if that is such a good idea. I wanted to spend the evening with the kids tonight." John began thinking how uneasy it would be sitting in the room with Roman after the talk he had with him.
"Nonsense." Roman insisted looking at him. "I'm sure that Carrie would love to watch them tonight."
"Shouldn't you ask her first?" Marlena asked Roman.
"I talked to her earlier." Roman informed her. "She said that she and Austin would be thrilled to watch them. So what do you say John? Is it a deal?"
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John knocked on the door to the penthouse after dropping the kids off at Austin and Carrie's apartment. He could feel his nerves acting up again. He rang the bell and Marlena answered the door looking beautiful wearing a red sweater and jeans.
"You look fabulous Doc." John whispered as she gently let her hand brush his before he entered the room.
"Come on in John." she smiled looking at him with her big brown eyes. "We've been waiting for you."
"I'm so glad that you could make it over here tonight John." Roman greeted him from the couch in the center of the room. "Doc has been driving me crazy since we left the hospital."
"Why is that?" John questioned noticing that Roman was happier than usual.
"Well, I have a surprise planned for all of us tonight and you know how Doc is with surprises." Roman explained looking at his watch as the doorbell rang. "Perfect timing."
"Who could that be?" Marlena whispered to John as Roman rushed over to the front door.
"Surprise." Roman smiled revealing Kristen standing at the front door.
"Honey, I'm home." Kristen smiled rushing over to hug John. "I've missed you so much while I was away."
"Oh," John muttered frozen in place.
"Wow buddy!" Roman smiled putting his arm around Marlena. "You look more surprised than I thought you would be tonight. When I ran into Kristen earlier at the hospital, I insisted that she come over for dinner with all of us."
"I see." John said looking at Kristen.
"Sweet heart, Roman thought that you would love having me home for the holidays." Kristen smiled planting a kiss on his lips while Marlena glared at her. "I've missed you so much."
"Me too." John lied helplessly pulling back from her kiss.
"Well, now that we're all here, is everyone ready?" Roman asked the group.
"Where are we going?" Marlena asked afraid of what else Kristen and Roman had in store for the evening.
"You'll see." Roman said picking up John's car keys off of the table and throwing them at him. "You two follow Doc and me."
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John and Kristen sat in silence in his Jeep as they followed Roman and Marlena. John could feel his anger burning up inside him as he drove. Kristen decided to take advantage of his sour mood.
"John, what's bothering you darling?" Kristen asked concerned.
"Cut the act Kristen." John yelled at her. "Roman isn't around, so we don't have to pretend to be in love."
"Oh John, why can't you see that I love you?" she asked him softly. "I'd do anything to make you happy."
"Why don't you just leave me alone then?" he asked briefly looking at her. "If you'd like to make me happy, then you could just butt out of my life."
"John, you know that I can't do that." she said slumping back into her seat. "Besides, what would Roman think if I stayed away from you. Don't you think that he would grow a little suspicious about our relationship?"
"You know Kristen, soon Roman will be well and it won't matter anymore." John informed her. "Soon you will just be an unpleasant memory in my life."
"You don't mean that John." she insisted. "Besides, that's not what's bothering you right now, is it?"
"What are you talking about?" he asked her.
"You're worried that Marlena isn't going to choose you. That's it, isn't it?" she asked looking at him. "You're afraid that she's going to choose Roman, aren't you?"
"You know what Kristen," John began pulling into a parking spot next to Roman, "I think that it's about time for you to mind your own business."
"That's just what I'm doing." she muttered as John stepped out of the car.
"What are we doing at the theater?" Marlena asked looking at Roman.
"I bought the four of us tickets to the play tonight." Roman explained holding up four tickets as he noticed John looked upset. "Is everything alright?"
"Everything's fine." Kristen insisted planting a kiss on John's lips. "Let's go inside."
To Chapter 8
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