Chapter 7- Let The Search Begin
John lay on his bed in the cage Kristen was holding him in, exhausted. It
had been an interesting six weeks since he had last seen his beloved
Marlena and Belle. He hadn't slept much because he was convinced if he
concentrated hard enough Marlena would realize something was wrong other
than what Kristen wanted everyone to think.
Kristen had threatened to hurt Brady if John did not pen a letter to
Marlena stating that he was back with Kristen and that he and Brady would
not be returning to Salem. Then she had them pose for to what most people
would look like a happy family portrait. John knew she would be making her
next move soon and he could only hope he could find a way to get himself
and Brady out or that Marlena would figure out his clues and send help
before Kristen got her chance.
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Marlena felt
as if she had been crying for days but it had only been a few
hours. Belle had left for school that morning and Marlena was prepared to
leave for work when her secretary called to inform her that her first two
patients had canceled. Marlena took the time to get some work done around
the house. While filing some papers she came across a photo album of
pictures of her life with John. Since that point all thoughts of work had
left her mind and John was all that remained.
She had just decided it was time to freshen up and head to work when the
doorbell rang. She quickly wiped her tears and straightened her dress
before answering. It was a messenger delivering a letter. She signed for
it and tipped the messenger quickly and closed the door. Her heart soared
when she saw the handwriting on the envelope. It was John's! After six
weeks she was finally hearing from him. She tore open the envelope and a
picture fell to the floor. Marlena knelt to pick it up and upon seeing the
image fell back against the couch. The image of John and Kristen with John
Jr. and Brady looking like one big happy family almost made her physically
ill.
Dear Marlena,
I am so sorry for having to do this to you this way
but there is no other way to tell you. Kristen and I have
decided to try and reconcile. I hope that you and I can
remain friends for Belle and Brady's sake. Please don't try
to win me back because Kristen and I are back together for
good. We have just discovered each other again and we
will not let anything deny our love again.
J.B. Always
Marlena threw the letter across the room and headed upstairs in a rage.
"That bastard! How could he?" were the only thoughts going through her
mind. She had no choice but to remove every reminder of him from her life.
She never wanted to see the man again. Soon two boxes of John's clothes,
pictures, and anything else that reminded her of her life with John sat at
the front door. As she picked one up to carry it outside she caught sight
of the silver bracelet around her wrist. She sat the box down and removed
the bracelet.
"What a joke. A sign of our commitment." She held the bracelet up to the
light and read the inscription. "J.B. Always. Why are you always so easy
to fool Marlena? J.B. Always or at least until... J.B. Always...J.B.
Always?"
Marlena rushed over and picked up the letter she had thrown across the
room nearly forty-five minutes earlier. There it was! J.B. Always. He
had signed the letter J.B. Always. Was it merely coincidence or did it
really mean something? Marlena reread the letter twice before anything
jumped out at her. Then as if someone had highlighted it the last line
caught her attention. We have just discovered each other again and we will
not let anything deny our love again. Those were the exact words he had
said to her the day he left.
Marlena decided to have a second look at the picture. Upon further
inspection John and Brady's smiles looked forced and they both seemed pale
and thin. Then she saw it and she knew. John was still wearing his
bracelet. She picked up the phone and quickly dialed a number.
"Hello, Abe? This is Marlena. John's in trouble."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Abe reread the letter John had sent Marlena and then looked at Marlena
sitting on her couch desperately clutching a photo of her and John in
Venice. He wanted to believe with all of my heart that his best friend had
been kidnapped. More and more over the past month Abe believed John had
turned into a monumental jerk and in the process had hurt Marlena very
badly by going back to the Dragon Lady. Now Marlena had invested herself
in the fact that John was somehow being forced to stay with Kristen. No
matter how hard he tried he could not see that happening and somehow he had
to get Marlena to face the fact that her proof wasn't that strong. That
maybe it should just be taken at face value.
Abe sat down on the couch next to Marlena searching for the right words to
explain his doubts. "Marlena, I don't know how to say this so I will just
say it. I don't think it is good for you to get so invested in hoping
John is in trouble and can't get back. Maybe this Dear Marlena letter is
just that. John's cowardly attempt to let you down easy."
"No Abe. First of all, he would never go back to that woman. Secondly,
even if he did he would never keep Brady from me and Belle. I mean Belle
is his sister and I might as well be his mother. Finally, John could
never stay away from Belle. She means to much to him. So if you won't
help me I'll find someone who will. And if no one will help me I'll do it
myself. I've found him before, I'll do it again."
"Ok Marlena I'll help you. I just hope you are not disappointed."
"I won't be. John loves me. I know that like I know my own name. We are
soulmates. I know it, John knows it, and after we find him and we are back
together so will everyone in Salem."
To be continued.......
Email: rayman18@juno.com