Tarnished Armor
Part 104

Brooke English’s home. Living room. Afternoon.

Jaime is sitting on the couch, drawing.

Brooke enters with milk and cookies.

Brooke: Here you go. I put in extra chocolate chips.

She passes the plate of cookies to Jaime.

Jaime: Thanks!

Jaime takes a cookie and eats it.

Brooke: Good?

Jaime (with his mouth full): Great.

Brooke: I’m glad. I feel like I don’t get to see you much these days. So... how’s Junior?

Jaime: Okay, I guess.

Brooke: Just okay? I thought you were best friends.

Jaime: We are.

Brooke: In fact, I thought you were more than best friends. I thought you were spit brothers.

Jaime: Junior says we’re still best friends, but he doesn’t want to be a spit brother anymore.

Brooke: Oh.

Jaime: I did a bad thing.

Brooke: Well, you and Junior go back a long, long way. I’m sure you’ll be spit brothers again.

Jaime: I guess.

Brooke: Do you want to tell me what happened?

Jaime: Not really. Junior says I have a big mouth.

Brooke: Why would he say a thing like that?

Jaime: I told on him. When he went looking for his Dad.

Brooke: So you feel kinda bad, huh?

Jaime: Yeah.

Brooke: Listen, you have nothing to be sorry about. I know that sometimes it seems like you’re telling on someone when you’re really making sure they’re okay. I’m sure that the reason you told Dixie and Tad about Junior leaving home was because you wanted him to be safe. And even though he may not know that now, he’ll know it one day. And he’ll even be happy you did it.

Jaime: I don’t think so.

Brooke: I do. That’s what friends are for. They look out for each other.

Jaime: Well, I hope Junior’s dad has friends.

Brooke: Adam?

Jaime: Yeah.

Brooke: Why?

Jaime: Am I being a narc again?

Brooke laughs.

Brooke: A narc? Where did you hear that?

Jaime: Amanda. She says that anyone who squeals is a narc.

Brooke: Well, you’re not squealing. You’re helping. So let’s see if we can help Junior’s father, okay?

Jaime: Are you going to tell on me?

Brooke: Junior will never know you heard it from me.

Jaime: Okay. Here goes...

Brooke leans forward.


*******


Belinda’s apartment.

Belinda is asleep in the armchair. Liza is asleep on the couch.

Liza begins to stir.

Liza: Colby?

Belinda opens her eyes.

Liza turns her head and opens her eyes. She winces.

Liza: Oh no.

Belinda: Liza?

Liza: Ssh.

Liza tries to sit up. She groans and puts her head back down.

Then her head turns and she looks towards Belinda.

Liza (whispers): What happened?

Belinda (softly): Two guesses.

Liza: Hair of the dog.

Belinda: No.

Liza: Please.

Belinda: That’s an old wives tale. Let me see what else I have.

Belinda goes to the kitchen.

After a moment, Liza gingerly gets up. She looks at her feet. She reaches down and removes one shoe. Then she gets a sickened look on her face.

Liza stumbles to the bathroom.

Belinda comes out of the kitchen with an oddly colored drink in her hand.

Belinda: Liza?

Liza stumbles out of the bathroom.

Liza: Sorry.

Liza makes her way towards the couch. When she gets there, she sits down and looks at her feet again. She begins to reach towards her other shoe.

Belinda: I’ll get it.

Belinda goes over to the couch and hands Liza the drink.

Belinda: Drink up.

Liza takes the drink and eyes it skeptically.

Belinda: Trust me on this one. Adrian taught me how to make it.

Belinda bends down and takes off Liza’s remaining shoe. Liza begins to drink.

Belinda: Sorry about the shoes. I should have done that last night.

Liza finishes the drink. Belinda gets up and takes the glass from her.

Liza: Thank you.

Belinda: That’s the first semi-human thing you’ve said to me since you’ve been here. You’re welcome. And thank you.

Liza: Oh no. What did I -- what did I say?

Liza’s open wider.

Liza: What did I do?

Belinda: Well, I learned some interesting things. For instance, you used to be this town’s biggest racist bitch.

Liza closes her eyes.

Belinda: And you have a tendency to sing flat.

Liza: Oh no.

Belinda: Oh yes. I had four years of choir in high school. I know about these things.

Liza: Do you hate me?

Belinda: I learned that I’m supposed to hate you, but I ended up not hating you after all.

Liza winces.

Liza: What else?

Belinda: Stuart is the honest brother. But I already knew that.

Liza’s eyes fill slightly with tears.

Liza: Did I tell you?

Belinda: About Adam?

Liza looks away from Belinda.

Belinda: No. You said that you couldn’t.

Liza: Good.

Belinda: How’s your headache?

Liza: Still here.

Belinda: Give it a few more minutes.

Liza: Do I have to?

Belinda laughs.

Liza: Ssh. Okay. Tell me. How did I get here?

Belinda: Stuart.

Liza: Stuart?

Belinda: I’m supposed to tell you something.

Liza: What?

Belinda: WRCW and the FCC and kickbacks.

Liza: Kickbacks? No. Oh, no. Ryan. But how...?

Belinda: I guess we could call your office and find out.

Liza: It doesn’t matter. I don’t care about the station. I should just --

Liza tries to get up again. She falls back down on the couch.

Belinda: Why don’t you do this? You lie down, and I’ll call WRCW.

Liza lies down and turns away from Belinda.

Belinda goes and brings the phone near Liza. Belinda dials.

Belinda (into phone): Hello, Iris? It’s Belinda. ... Fine, and you? .... Liza has asked me to call you about the FCC issue. ... No, she did. ... I’m representing her in this matter. ... Barry Shire?

Liza turns back towards the phone. She takes it from Belinda.

Liza (into phone): Iris? It’s Liza.

Liza winces.

Liza (into phone): Barry Shire is not my attorney. ... I don’t pay you to think. If I did, you’d be out of a job. Speaking of which, as of this moment, Ryan Lavery is terminated. ... Oh, cut the wounded animal act, Iris. ... Belinda Keefer is my attorney. Got it?

Liza drops the phone and turns back over. Belinda picks up the phone.

Belinda: Iris? It’s Belinda. ... Yes. .... Yes. ... I see. ... So what’s the basis? ... Right. ... Right. ... And do they have a name? ... I see. ... Okay. ... We’ll be in touch.

Belinda hangs up.

Belinda: How’s your headache?

Liza: What headache? You mean there isn’t a little drummer inside my head?

Belinda: I’ll wait ‘til your headache’s gone. I think the FCC news will go down better then. Do you want me to call Jake?

Liza: Jake?

Belinda: About a visitation appointment. For Colby. You have the right to two of them.

Liza doesn’t answer.

Belinda: Liza?

Liza: I don’t want to talk about her.

Belinda: Colby?

Liza: I don’t want to talk about her.

Belinda: I’ll say one thing, and then I’ll shut up. If you don’t make those visitation appointments, you will probably lose custody.

Liza doesn’t answer.

 
Tarnished Armor Index
Part One Hundred and Three
Part One Hundred and Five