A Love Beyond Compare by Sandra Bondelier

Chapter 4
Setting the Stage

As they exited the motel, Roman made a quick call from a local pay phone, and Isabella answered, "Brady Central!" she said with excitement. He had hoped she wouldn't be the one to answer and found himself suddenly at a loss for words. "Hello...is anyone there?" Isabella asked, trying to prompt the caller and thinking it might be a wrong number.

He worked at sounding pleasant and very much in love, "Oh..hi Isabella, it's me...I...got tied up for a little while and I wanted to give you a quick call. Listen, I have a...situation I need to tell you about, could you meet me out front in say 20 minutes or so?"

"Oh, Roman you're being so mysterious, is this my surprise?" she asked, remembering his teasing earlier in the day about having something special for her.

Roman felt the sting of guilt, he had forgotten all about that and the surprise he did have would not be nearly so pleasant to receive. With hesitant tones, he said, "Uh...no, it's not about that, it's...well, I can't explain it over the phone. Please just meet me outside, okay?" he asked, hoping she wouldn't push for more information.

Isabella sensed there was something important going on, he had been acting strangely all day long, only snapping out of it for a little while at the party and then shortly after that he had gone out to follow some lead on a case. "Okay, Roman...I love you, honey," she said, noticing he hadn't used any term of endearment or said those words as the call was about to end.

Roman glanced over at Marlena, who was trying not to listen, but was staring at him as he looked in her direction. He turned slightly away from her and almost whispered into the phone, "Me too....honey, I'll see you soon."

Something in his quiet voice made her feel ill at ease and she said, "Roman, is something wrong, you sound so...different."

"No, everything's fine, Isabella, really, I'll see you in a little bit." The phone went dead and his fiance was left wondering what on earth was bothering him so much. He didn't sound at all like the man who was very much in love with her just one day ago. He was distant and preoccupied; something had happened and she was about to learn what it was. A wave of dread washed over her as she anticipated seeing him.

Roman's hand lingered on the receiver as he thought about the moments to follow, he had to tell the woman he loved, the woman who had slowly captured his heart that his great love had returned from the dead after five years. Isabella would be glad that Marlena was alive, she knew how deeply he had loved her, but it would crush her heart all the same. He hated that part of it and felt so torn about what he was about to do, bringing her world crashing down around her on what was supposed to be one of the happiest nights of her life. They had planned their own private celebration after the party was over and now... Roman recalled the fact that Isabella had suffered a lot in her life and said within his mind, 'Oh, Izzy B...I wish I didn't have to do this right now....tonight, but Marlena lost five years...she deserves to see everyone, to see the children, anything less than that just wouldn't be right. I hope you can understand.... somehow. Oh, come on Roman, how can you possibly think she's going to understand this when you're still in shock yourself? And, besides that, it's the night of your engagement party to her. She's going to be devastated by this, there's no way around that, accept it.'

Realizing that Marlena was standing there waiting for him, he turned to face her saying, "I'm sorry, Marlena, I was..just..thinking. You ready?" he asked, putting on a smile for her benefit. No sense making her feel bad too.

She touched him on the shoulder and replied, "Yes, I am...but I can see that you're not Roman. Are you sure you want to do this now, tonight? I know you're worried about hurting Isabella on what was supposed to be a happy occasion for her."

He sighed..and admitted the truth, "Yea...I am, Doc. But...you've already been hurt so much, kept from everyone you love, I can't ask you to wait. It has to be done and that's all there is to it, I just wouldn't feel right about you being in that *dive* another night, you should be....home."

The way he said it made her feel welcome and his protective attitude toward her was pleasantly familiar as well. And, yet there was guilt about hurting Isabella, who would be completely shocked by the news of her return. "Thank you, Roman, you amaze me you know that, I know this must be so difficult for you."

Touching her on the cheek with the back of the bent fingers of his right hand, he said, "No, Doc...you are amazing and no matter what, I am so...grateful to have you back and there's a whole houseful of people who are gonna feel exactly the same way. Let's go see em, pretty lady!"

This time his smile was genuine and it warmed her heart to see it there, "Allright, let's go Roman!" she said enthusiastically as he put his arm over her shoulders.

They rode in silence for a few minutes and then Roman started to fill her in on some changes. "Well, Doc...I want to tell you some things to prepare you, the twins are so..big and so grown up, they're doing great though. They both play soccer and softball, they're just full of life and bursting with energy. They look so much like you..and..."

"I saw them," she said, interrupting. I was at the park the other day when you and Isabella were there for their game. I watched from a distance and you're right, they've grown so much and they seemed so happy and well behaved. As hard as it must have been for you, it appears you've done a terrific job of raising them."

He found himself blushing at that. "Thanks, Doc that means alot to me. I've worked really hard at it and there were so many times I wished you were there to help me, times when I felt like I really needed your tenderness and your wisdom." He smiled wistfully and said, "I would talk to you sometimes and I'd say, well Doc what would you do in this situation? and I'd sit and think for a while and then it would come to me. You helped me alot that way," he said while grinning at her.

She chuckled at the thought and replied, "Well, I'm so glad I could help you out, Roman."

Remembering how many times he felt like he was just floundering without her, being a single father, working crazy cop's hours, he said, "Oh, Doc they needed you so much! I... did the best I could and we managed, but we all needed you and missed you...more than you'll ever know."

It was touching to hear him talk of her like this. "Oh, Roman...I wish I could have been, I wish I really knew what happened to me.. I wish I could remember, but I can't."

Sensing her anxiety about all that, Roman said as he put a hand on her leg, "Hey...it's allright, we'll figure all that out in time, but right now, we're going to concentrate on how incredible it is that you are alive and well and back in Salem, okay?"

Shivers went throughout her entire body with that simple contact and she sighed with unfulfilled desire as she placed her hand on his and looked up at him. "Thank you, Roman for reminding me, first things first, right?"

Smiling shyly as he saw the desire in her eyes, he replied, "Right, Doc." He couldn't acknowledge what he saw in any direct manner, not now. It was all too confusing to deal with. He took his hand away, placed it back on the steering wheel and focused on the driving again. "So, why don't you ask questions and I'll fill you in, allright?"

"Okay, what about the Hortons?"

"Well, they're still going strong, keeping all their grandchildren in line, Alice is still Salems' resident matchmaker and she still makes the best donuts I've ever had."

She laughed at that, and in doing so, she filled the car with a sound he had ached to hear for five long years. "Oh God, Doc....I love to hear you laugh. I missed that sound so...much!" he said with some intensity, but grinning again. Shaking his head slightly, he added, "I am so..glad you're back...whew...I still can't really believe it." Roman reached out his hand for her and she placed his hand gently in hers and then raised them to her lips and kissed them. She saw a trace of desire in his slightly hidden eyes, but as soon as she saw him realize that she had noticed his reaction to her, it was gone and he somewhat awkwardly pulled the hand away again, placing it safely back on the steering wheel.

'Oh, man Roman....this is..crazy...what in the heck are you gonna do? You can't love two women at the same time, can you?' he asked. 'No, don't think about that now, one step at a time, just like you told Marlena. Take Doc home to all the people who love her, tell Izzy B and then....you can start to... figure out what it all means, right? Right,' he answered himself. He smiled warmly at Marlena again and said, "What else, Doc?"

Having watched the wheels of his mind turning she knew some of what he was thinking, he was trying to understand his response to her when he had just commited himself to Isabella with a proposal of marriage. She decided to follow his lead, however and ignored the unspoken exchange by saying, "Well, let's see, what about Bo and Hope, how are they doing?"

"Well, they recently returned from a three year trip around the world and they're still living on their boat the Fancy Face and their son Shawn Douglas is a sweet and adorable four year old. They're making noises about a second child and seem very happy together. Who else?"

"Wow, they have a little boy and they live on a boat...took a trip around the world...I can't wait to see them and ask them all about it, Roman!" she said excitedly. After thinking a minute longer, she asked, "Um...what about...Shawn and Caroline?"

"Well, Caroline is still the best Mom in the whole world and Shawn is just as Irish as ever and the fish market is going allright. But there have been some robberies that scared them both and Pop has been talking about selling it and trying to build an Irish Pub in this new section of the waterfront that's being revitalized. I've been...trying to scrape some funds together to help him out and figure out a way to get him to let me go in on it. You should hear him talk about it, it's a dream he's had for years, but never thought he could make come true. I wish I could just do it for him, he deserves it, but that won't happen on a cop's salary."

Listening to him talk about his parents this way reminded her of one of the qualities she had always loved about him, his love for and devotion to his family. Her heart was filled with love and affection for him as she responded. "That sounds wonderful, have you thought about talking to Shane Donovan about it? Maybe he could invest in it too," she suggested.

Nodding as if a lightbulb had just come on in his mind, Roman said, "Yes of course, he has a soft spot for Shawn too, even though he and Kim have had their troubles...maybe....just maybe!" Roman responded with eyes that twinkled, "Thanks for thinking of it, Doc... See how much I need you?" he asked, winking at her with affection.

Her smile faded slightly as she picked up on what he said about Shane and Kim having difficulities. "Allright, tell me about Kim, what did you mean they've had their troubles?"

Roman sighed....so much had happened in five years....a lot of pain and suffering for everyone in the family. "Uh...actually, we don't have time for all of that now, Marlena. A lot has happened since you di.... since I thought you died. I'll fill you in on it all soon, okay?"

Sensing that some unpleasant events had taken place, Marlena decided it was wise to let it drop. Just announcing she was alive and well and then seeing everyone was going to be stressful enough for her and Roman and the rest of the family. There would plenty of time to get caught up. "Allright, Roman we'll save all that for another time."

In a few more minutes they were at the house. Roman turned off the engine and the lights quickly, as he saw Isabella's silhouette illuminated in the frame of the front door. 'Oh Izzy, you were so happy tonight....this is gonna be tough...I wish there was a way to keep you from being hurt.' He blew out a long breath and turned to his passenger, saying matter of factly, "Okay, Doc you wait here until I give you a wave, it's going to be quite a shock for her and I need to have more than a few minutes. Is that allright with you?"

Putting a comforting hand to his leg, she answered, "Of course it is Roman, take all the time you need. And....I'm sorry for how painful this is going to be for her....and you. I sure have great timing, don't I?" she asked sarcastically.

His face bore a pained expression for only a moment as he glanced toward the house, and then he was stern with her and his words were convincing. "Yes, Doc you *do* have great timing! Marlena, listen to me here, there aren't any words that can describe how thrilled I am to see you alive and well, to be able to talk to you like this, to touch you and hold you again! Please don't ever apologize for coming back."

Roman was being so wonderful about it and she was touched, "Okay, I won't, Roman. Thank you for welcoming me back so warmly, so quickly."

He frowned slightly and said, "Now just what did you expect from me, Marlena?"

"I don't know, but I realize this is all very hard on you and I appreciate that you wanted to bring me right over here to see everyone."

"You're welcome, Doc, but you deserve nothing less than a warm welcome into your own home with all your friends and family around you. You certainly shouldn't have to spend another night in that shabby place you were in for a couple of days. You could have been...robbed or...hurt...any number of things, I was glad to get you out of there."

"That's my hero, I couldn't possibly take care of myself now could I, Roman?" she asked with teasing challenge in her voice, as she recalled the sign in sheet incident. It was so long ago and yet it felt almost like yesterday to her.

He caught her meaning and smiled warmly at her independence, it was one of the qualities that simultaneously attracted him to her and frustrated him to no end. As he recalled the early days of their renewed relationship when it was him who returned from the dead, he said, "Well.. anyway....I want you...here...Marlena, where you belong, with all the people who love you. We'll...deal with everything else one step at a time. First, I need to talk to Isabella. Like I said, I'll wave you over when we're ready for you." As he opened the car door, he could see her concern for him in her face and said, "See you in a little bit, Doc...take it easy, I'm gonna be okay....honest," he said, lying through his teeth. He was far from okay. His life had just been turned upside down as Isabella's would be in a few short minutes. Still, it wasn't her fault, so he gave her as close an approximation of a reassuring smile as he could muster and another comforting touch on the cheek.

She grasped his hand briefly, then nodded and leaned back in the seat as he shut the door, knowing it would be awhile before he was ready for her. This wasn't something one dealt with in a five minute conversation. "Oh God, please watch over all of us, we really need your guidance right now," she prayed quietly, as she watched the man she loved walk slowly, but deliberately toward his fiance, fully prepared to pull the rug right out from under her.