Rupert Holmes, Howard Meltzer, and AMC own the rights to Remember WENN...I just like to play.
"Scott," Gertie said as he walked by her. "It's one of the sponsors."
He smiled as he reached for the phone. "Hello, this is Scott Sherwood." He blanched slightly. "Miss Cominger, how good to hear from you again...Yes...Understood completely...No...Thank-you, I'll let Betty know...What?"
Gertie tapped her fingers, he was standing at her desk, so she couldn't plug in and eavesdrop. And she was dying of curiosity.
Scott smiled. "I see. We had planned on simple. Yes...I'll ask her...No...An excellent idea. We'll see you later this afternoon." He handed the phone back to Gertie. "Is Betty back yet?"
"Ten minutes ago. Have you two set a date yet?"
"I think so..."
"When???"
"I don't know." He frowned slightly. "I need to talk to Betty. Oh and Miss Cominger will be here at three o'clock." Gertie frowned in frustration as she watched him walk down the hall. She still didn't know what was going on.
"Hi Gertie," Hilary said. "I'm expecting a call from George Postlethwaite. He wants to interview me. And if Jeff should decide to make an appearance today...Tell him I'm canceling dinner; that I've made other plans."
"He'll never believe that."
"After the privilege of all these years of watching me act, you still haven't learned how? Oh and Postletwaite."
"He's not called."
"Well let me know."
Gertie smiled slightly. "I wonder..." Her mind drifting back to Scott's call.
"Don't wonder too much, or you might miss my call." She stopped to thumb through the day's mail. "I'm going to lunch."
"What about your call?"
"He can call me back at..." Hilary looked at the clock. "At two o'clock."
"Yes, ma'am..." Gertie snarled quietly after Hilary had left.
#
"Betty, Betty, Betty..." He smiled at her. "What are you doing in two weeks." She looked at him curiously. "Miss Cominger is coming by in two hours."
"Oh."
"She's heard about our engagement. She said congratulations."
"And?"
"She suggested we get married on Bridal Boutique. In two weeks..."
Betty's eye's opened wide. "Two weeks..."
"I know...It'll be difficult."
"That's an understatement."
He leaned against the doorframe. "We'll tell her we can't..."
"Actually, it does mean that everybody can attend." She smiled at him. She'd been dreading the planning involved. Her best friend from high school had married Fred Jones four years ago. Big church wedding...the works. Alice had been a nervous wreck by the wedding day. "Can we be ready?" She turned away to hide her blush.
"Piece of cake..."
#
#
Scott looked up as the door opened. "Jeff?" He motioned for the man to sit down. He put his pencil down and leaned forward. "You disappeared. I don't know who you need to fear more, Betty or Hilary."
Jeff tried to laugh as he sat down. "I went down to the enlistment office."
"Then Hilary is the one you need to fear..." Jeff raised his hand.
"They wouldn't take me." Scott realized the man looked disappointed.
"London?"
Jeff nodded. "That and my rather interesting marital history."
"You aren't married."
"Not for the moment. But having been married to a convicted Nazi spy...didn't go over well."
Scott smiled. "This could be interesting...Hilary having to be grateful to Pablo."
"Don't tell her..."
"Sure Jeff. But why?"
"We've been telling the news--I want to do more than that. It's obvious we'll be going to war; that we can't stay out of it much longer."
"And when we do, you'll be needed here. Morale on the homefront is important."
"I suppose it is." Jeff stared at the edge of the desk for a second. "What will you do?"
"Get married." Scott looked at his watch. "Will you look at the time." He didn't wait for Jeff to acknowledge his rather obvious ploy. He just wasn't sure what he would do...Or was it because he was sure?
#
#
For the fifth time in the past thirty minutes Gertie had walked by the office door. Her curiosity was getting the better of her. She stopped and glanced around and leaned closer.
"They still in there?" Mackie asked.
Gertie motioned for silence and nodded. Mackie joined her, and leaned his head against the door. "I just hear mumblings. Perhaps the window in the greenroom?"
"Tried it," Gertie acknowledged. "It's worse than the door. "I've not been able to hear anything."
"Hear what?" Mr. Eldridge said.
"Miss Cominger talk with Scott and Betty."
"She's a sponsor, of course she would talk to them."
"I think they're talking about the wedding," Gertie leaned in closer.
"Why didn't you say so. I know just the thing." He walked off toward the storage room.
Mackie straightened up. "We're adults. I'm sure they will tell us."
"But this is much quicker. And much more fun."
"It was right where it was supposed to be," Mr Eldridge said as he stepped between Gertie and Mackie. He placed the stethoscope against the wall. Gertie smiled slightly at the sight of one of the props left over from a publicity campaign. "Oh dear."
"What?" Both Mackie and Gertie exclaimed a little too loudly.
"They're done." He pocketed the stethoscope and walked toward the green room. Gertie quickly walked back to her desk. She had a plan.
#
"Betty," Gertie called out when she saw the young woman exit from the office. "You have a phone call." Gertie allowed herself to smile slightly as Betty came closer. "From Elkhart. Your parents."
The younger woman looked puzzled. "My parents? I was planning on calling them..." She took the offered receiver. "Hello?" Again Gertie wished she could listen in...Though she did feel pretty smug about having guessed that Betty would want to talk to her parents before she told anyone what was going on. "Yes. I did?" Betty gave Gertie a questioning look. "Yes. Mom, we've set a date. Two weeks...No, here...I know you were, but Mom...Mom..." Betty took a deep breath. "Our friends are here. It will be here at the station--that way...I know Mom. It's perfect." Gertie finally gave up pretending she wasn't listening, and tried to figure out the conversation. "No Mom, we haven't." At this point Betty laughed. "The Roberts' tradition. How could I forget. A whole week at Aunt Jane's and Jimmy getting sick...You will. Wonderful." Betty's face blossomed into a smile. "Let me know when you will be coming." There was a pause, then Betty handed the phone back to Gertie. "Seems I called her. Thanks."'
"You're welcome...Now tell me what is going on."
Betty leaned over. "It seems Flowergram's business has doubled in the last year--and they attribute it to the changes made in Bridal Bouquet last year."
"After Scott..."
Betty nodded. "Seems Pruitt never told anybody what was going on...Which considering...But never mind. When she heard Scott and I were engaged, Miss Cominger decided..."
"You're going to be married here, on Bridal Bouquet???" Gertie grabbed Betty's hand. "That's wonderful! We can all attend."
"So can all Pittsburgh," Betty said quietly, then smiled. "Yes. Two weeks...It doesn't give us much time."
"Don't worry, we can handle it. My neighbor works at a bakery..." She picked up her steno-pad and started to write. "Music."
"Stop, Gertie. Give me a chance to think."
Reluctantly she put the pad down. "Sure. Where are you going on your honeymoon?
"I don't think...We weren't..." Betty laughed. "It's a Roberts' family tradition to wait." She lowered her voice to a whisper. "I was ten when my parents finally took theirs. They spent a week in California. My brother and I spent the week at Aunt Jane's. He ate her dog's food and was sick...Spot wasn't very happy either."
Gertie chuckled. "Two weeks..."
#
#
Betty picked up her glass and took a sip of the red liquid, then flashed a brilliant smile at her companion. "Thanks for dinner."
"You're welcome," Scott reached over and touched her cheek. "Though it isn't exactly the romantic dinner I'd planned." They were sitting in the writer's room at a small table covered with a checkered table cloth. The only concession to a romantic dinner was the candle in the middle of table.
#
#
Hilary looked at the closed door, then turned to Jeff. "They make a cute couple."
He squeezed her hand. "That they do."
"I can't believe he asked you to be his best man." She pulled her hand from his.
"Well, he couldn't have asked you...I am perfect for the part."
She studied him carefully, then nodded her head. "Yes...And excellent best man. Though best-in-title-only." She smiled evilly at him then walked away.
"Hilary...Hilary. What do you mean by *best-in-title-only. HILARY..." He ran after her.
#
Mackie watched Jeff run down the hall after Hilary then looked at Maple. "It's nice to see things are at least normal here." He picked up the paper and faced the microphone. "The White House reported that today the United States military, at the request of the Dutch and Brazilian governments, has occupied Dutch Guiana..."