Chapter 112

"Hurry up!" Belle and Brady shouted at their parents as Marlena helped John out of the mini van. "We're going to miss the show."

"We're moving as fast as we can." Marlena laughed as she started to wheel John along.

"They seem so excited Doc." John commented watching his children run up ahead in the hopes of getting a glance of what was inside of the huge yellow and orange circus tent.

"They sure are." Marlena agreed hurrying inside the tent to catch up with the children. She and John made they way over to their seats up front and she realized that there was about fifteen minutes left before the show was about to start.

"Mommy, I'm hungry." Belle announced as soon as she sat down.

"Me too." Brady agreed turning to Marlena. "Can we get something to eat?"

"I guess so." Marlena sighed standing up and giving in to her children. She turned to look at John. "Do you want to come with us?"

"No......that's okay." John said glancing over at the line at the concession stand. "I'll wait here if you don't mind."

"Not at all dear. Can I get you something?" Marlena asked pulling some money out of her purse.

"No thanks." John replied waving goodbye to her as she and the kids left for the concession stand.

"Marlena Evans." A voice called out through the crowd.

Marlena turned in the direction of the voice and realized that a tall, muscular blonde man was approaching her and the children. She recognized the man's warm smile as he continually waved at her.

"Marlena Evans," he repeated walking up to her, "how long has it been?"

"Too long." Marlena replied hugging the man.

"God, you look fantastic." the man said looking her over. "You look as beautiful as you did the last time I saw you."

"Mommy, I'm hungry!" Belle shouted pulling her further up in the line.

"Oh Jeff, this is my daughter Belle and my son Brady." Marlena said introducing the children to her friend. "This is mommy's friend from college Mr. Thompson."

"Hello you two. So Marlena, how have you been?" Jeffery asked turning his attention back to Marlena.

"Pretty good." Marlena smiled at him. "And yourself?"

"I've been keeping busy." Jeff grinned as they moved forward in the line. "Hey, I heard that you've made yourself a very prominent psychiatrist in Salem."

John let out a long sigh as he realized that the show was about to begin and Marlena and the kids still weren't back from the concession stand. He glanced over in the direction of the line and he saw Marlena walking back with the kids as a strange man walked at her side. He noticed that she was smiling and laughing as she talked to the man and he felt a tinge of jealousy to see her so happy talking to another man.

"Daddy, mommy bought you some peanuts." Belle announced handing the food to her father.

"Thank you sweetheart." John replied unable to keep his eyes off Marlena and the mystery man.

"That's funny." She replied as she glanced over at John realizing that he looked confused. "Oh John, this is Jeffery Thompson. We went to college together. Jeffery, this is my husband John Black."

"It's nice to meet you John." Jeffery smiled extending his hand out to John.

"It's nice to meet you too." John replied shaking his hand.

"You know, you're a very lucky man John. You are married to the most wonderful woman in the world." Jeffery commented placing his arm around Marlena for a brief second.

"Yes, I know. I'm very fortunate." John replied watching Jeffery move closer towards Marlena.

"If only I would've held on to her way back when........" Jeffery said looking at Marlena.

"Who are you trying to kid?" Marlena questioned with a laugh as she backed away from him. "You and I were never an item."

"That's because you were too snobbish to give me the time of day." Jeffery laughed looking her over. "Good old Marlena too wrapped up in school to give anyone a chance."

"Hey, I wasn't that bad." Marlena insisted swatting at him. "I wasn't your type. Besides, you were the one who had a new love interest each week."

"That's because they all suffered in comparison to you." Jeffery teased placing his arm around her and turning to John. "Boy, do I have stories about her."

"Yeah I'll bet." John commented realizing that he didn't like this man touching his wife.

"Well, listen it's been great Marlena, but I really have to be getting back to my seat." Jeffery explained looking back at John and the kids. "It's been nice meeting you all."

"Nice meeting you too." John replied waving goodbye.

"I'm surprised that I ran into him here considering how many years it has been." Marlena commented looking back at John and realizing that he appeared to be upset. "Honey, is something wrong?"

"No...nothing." John said quickly as the lights started to grow dim.

"That was fun, wasn't it?" Marlena asked coming out of the children's rooms after she had tucked them in bed.

"Sure," John replied looking out the window into the night.

"John, honey, what's wrong?" Marlena asked wondering why he seemed so withdrawn. "You didn't say a word on the way home and I'm worried about you."

"Who was the guy Marlena?" John asked turning to face her.

"He was just a friend I had in college." Marlena explained watching his face cloud over. "You aren't upset about Jeff are you?"

"I didn't like how he kept putting his hands all over you." John confessed remembering how Jeff had continually touched her.

"John, that is just how Jeff is." She explained to him. "He's a touchy sort of person. He didn't mean anything by it."

"I just didn't like to see that other man touching you Doc. It drove me crazy and I just wanted to jump out of this wheelchair and deck him." John explained to her boldly.

"John, I love you." she replied leaning down at his side. "I love only you and no other man is going to come between what we have."

"I know that." John sighed in frustration. "It's just that I don't like watching other men paw at you while I'm stuck here in this chair unable to touch you like that."

"John, Jeff is only my friend." Marlena tried reassuring him. "You are the love of my life and the father of my children. Please don't be upset."

"I'm sorry Marlena." John replied looking down at her stomach and realizing how foolish he was acting. "I just get so frustrated sometimes because I'm stuck in this thing. I just feel like I don't have much to offer to you or the children anymore."

"Well, don't feel that way because you are the best husband and father that anyone could ever hope for." she said touching his chin. "I love you and I know that you're going to overcome this."

"I love you too Doc." he said holding her hand in his. "You know, with you by my side, I feel like anything is possible."

"It is John." Marlena smiled as he kissed her hand. "It is."

Jeffery Thompson stood outside in the chilly night air watching John and Marlena in front of the open window of the cabin. A smile crept over his lips as he dialed the phone number.

"Hello, hey it's Jeff." he said into the phone as he watched Marlena and John kiss unaware of the fact that he was watching them. "Yeah, they're here at the cabin like you predicted.......in fact, I'm watching them right now. Don't worry we can put your plan into action very soon. I'll keep you updated."

Jeffery hung up the phone and watched Marlena draw the curtains shut. He wondered if his appearance had sparked any kind of reaction earlier with John as the boss had predicted. He shrugged and zipped up his jacket realizing that neither Marlena nor John had any idea what was in store for them. He pulled a picture out of his wallet and looked at it.

"Soon. Very soon." he said touching the photo once before he returned to his car and drove off into the night..