Every Memory Repeats

Chapter 5

"You didn't even try to see another doctor!"

"I did! But Marlena had a good point, and I went with it."

"A good point? So she talked you into seeing her, instead of someone else?" Isabella repeated with suspicion lacing her tone.

"I would have to rehash everything I already know with a new doctor. I would have to establish rapport with a new doctor. And then there's the hypnosis...Isabella, I wouldn't be able to trust anyone else enough for the hypnosis to work!"

"Hypnosis? Why is that a requirement?"

"I can't remember anything without it," he said. "That's the problem with amnesia. Sometimes I dream things, but I forget, almost as soon as I wake up. It's working. I'm remembering things."

"What kind of things?" she asked.

"I'm—I'm not ready to get into it just yet, but I am remembering things, Izzy-B."

"But you won't tell me what?"

"No. Not yet," he said softly.

Isabella felt herself getting angry again, "Why not? If we're supposed to be starting our lives together, and relationships are built on trust...why can't you share this part of your life with me?"

"Isabella," John said quietly. "I'm—I'm just not ready." He wasn't ready to share it with her, when he was still feeling so vulnerable. He wasn't ready to share with her, when she had used his therapy to intentionally drive a wedge between Marlena and Roman.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Sami and Eric had tried to be more receptive of Roman, and Roman was still working on forming a relationship with them. What he struggled with was their expectations. The twins had lived their lives with John having certain rules, and ways of doing things, and every time Roman was reminded of that he felt bitterness rise up in him.

"Sami?" Roman asked. She looked up from where she sat, working on a school project. "Can you put the syrup in the pantry?"

"We keep it in the refrigerator," she said, standing up.

"That makes it hard to pour. Put it in the pantry," he said.

"We have to keep it in the refrigerator, because last time we got ants. My dad said—"

"I'm your father, Sami! Just do as I say!" Roman finally burst out.

She looked up at him, with tears in her eyes, and screamed at him, "My Daddy doesn't yell at me! My Daddy doesn't make me feel stupid! I hate you! I hate you!" She threw the glass bottle of syrup across the kitchen, causing it to shatter when it hit the wall, and ran from the kitchen sobbing.

"Samantha Gene Brady!" Roman roared. "Get back here, and clean up this fucking mess!"

"Roman!" Marlena yelled, coming into the house from the garage with her arms full of groceries. "I don't know what happened here, but we don't talk to our children like that!" She placed the bags on the counter, and exited after Sami.

She found Sami in her room, sobbing into her pillows. "Sami?" Marlena whispered. "Sami, honey?"

Her daughter looked up with swollen, red, tear filled eyes, and she said, "I hate him, Mama."

Marlena hesitated. Sami needed to retain her autonomy, and Marlena felt like she could tackle those intense emotions after Sami had calmed down. Smoothing her soft fingers over her daughters hair, and pulling her close, Marlena said gently, "Sami...tell me what happened."

"He—he told me to put the syrup in the pantry, but—but we don't put it in the pantry, because we got ants once, and Daddy said, we keep it in the refrigerator now." Sami was struggling to calm herself down, so she could speak. "I tried to tell him, and he just yelled at me. He wouldn't even listen. He wouldn't listen...I—I tried to talk, and he wouldn't listen!"