Blurred Lines

Chapter 6 - Before You Go

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I fell by the wayside like everyone else

I hate you, I hate, you, I hate you but I was just kidding myself

Our every moment, I start to replace

'Cause now that they're gone, all I hear are the words that I needed to say

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August 13, 1992

Dr. Marlena Evans Office, Salem University Hospital

Marlena stared at the file in her hand unseeing. She wasn't even sure why she'd come to work. It would have been understandable if she'd take the day off. Dr. Horton certainly wouldn't have expected her to come to work after finding out that Roman had left the family in the middle of the night. Rolling her head on her shoulders, Marlena tried to release some of the tension. She felt another fluttery kick in her belly as the baby rolled, and she felt overwhelmed. How could he do this to her? She'd known something was off about Roman's behavior, and he knew she was worried. He knew, and still he played the part of the caring husband. Telling her to set the alarm for him to get up at five am, telling her he might pick up donuts for breakfast the following morning. He played her for a fool, and then drove away in a black ISA vehicle. She wasn't certain he held any regard for her emotions. How could he, and lie so convincingly to her face? She thought about the night before, when she woke to find the bed empty, and rushed downstairs to find him dressed as if he were going out. She'd panicked, but he had been nothing but calm, reassuring her that she was overreacting, and then he'd left her sobbing at their front door.

Roman led her towards the couch, "There's no reason for you to be doing this."

Marlena attempted to regain control of her panicked breathing, "I know. I know. I know you're right. I guess, I just... woke up, and then the empty bed, and I didn't..."

"Whoa, whoa whoa," Roman said in a soft voice, trying to reassure her. "No wait. I mean the bed may be empty, but the sheets are still warm, I bet." He smirked at her, "I mean... memories"

Marlena wiped at her tears, "That's it. The memory. It wasn't that we made love, it was just–it was–"

"What?" he asked her, wiping at her tears. "It was just what?"

"It was the way we made love. It was as though... you were trying to create a memory that you could have for a very long time," she cried, unsure of how to explain to him what she was feeling.

Roman wiped at the tears on her cheeks, "I just thought I'd go for a walk."

"Now?" she asked him in confusion. It was nearly midnight.

"Well, yeah. Once around the block. Loosen up the old back," he laughed.

She didn't know what it was, but she was afraid that if she allowed him to leave her sight, she might not see him again. "Why don't we go back upstairs, and I'll, I'll get some of that aspirin lotion–"

"--oh, no! You know how much I hate the smell of that stuff," he told her standing up.

Marlena followed him almost in a panic, reaching for his arm frantically, "But–"

"--no, no, no, no, no! Besides, um, uh... we're out of coffee," he said.

She stared at him for a second, "Coffee?