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Episode 107

Scene 1:

"You're the reason Mark Guthrie changed his mind on designing ME?!" Hallie exclaimed. "What could you possibly have going on that I would lose him?"

Stephen raised an eyebrow, thoroughly amused by her shocked expression. "Hallie, why would I tell you any of my business?"

"Stephen Roth. I swear to God, if you don't tell me why you need him..."

"You'll what? Dump me? You've already done that I think," he replied. "What else can you do to me? Ruin me? That isn't likely."

"I hate you," Hallie muttered through gritted teeth. Stephen laughed aloud, upsetting her more than she already was. "Why are you laughing?"

"You don't hate me, Hallie. Only a month ago, you were throwing yourself at me." He leaned forward, giving her a hard stare. "Your feelings for me haven't changed one bit. You and I both know that."

"Well what about yours? Have you changed how you feel about me?" Hallie demanded in return.

"Of course not. But if I remember correctly, you have yet to prove yourself to me. Wasn't that a stipulation?"

"I don't have to prove myself to you or anyone," Hallie snapped sliding out of the booth. "In fact, I am feeling less inclined to do so every day. If you don't want to tell me what business you have with Mark Guthrie, that's your business I guess. But it's a small town, Stephen, I'll find out one way or another."

"You are giving up far too easily. The Hallie I know would badger me until I gave in and spilled my guts. What's happened to you? Has Luke Conlan managed to tame you?" He asked, grinning despite himself. He enjoyed provoking her far too much. Hallie's face colored a deep scarlet.

"Stephen, leave me alone. You made your choice and I guess I've made mine," she said quietly staring down at him. "Luke doesn't love me and betrayed me just like you said he would. So say what you want...believe what you want. I don't care anymore. I have to take care of myself."

Stephen slid out of the booth, grabbing her elbow just as she started to edge away. "Wait a minute, Hallie. What is going on? Has he hurt you somehow?"

"What do you care?" She replied coldly jerking free of him. "Remember, you left everything up to me. I have to prove myself to you. Well forgive me if I'm not inclined to do that." She turned on him, squaring her shoulders and holding her head high.

He narrowed his eyes watching her leave. What had Conlan done to hurt her, he wondered. And just who was Buck Rollins? Certainly not her contractor as she claimed. He moved towards the bar, ordering a drink. Stop thinking about her, he scolded himself mentally. You walked away, remember? Dammit. He threw back his shot and slammed the glass on the counter. He waved at the bartender for a refill. He was not going to get sucked back into her problems. Not this time.



Scene 2:

Jewel was in Richmond helping a friend with her new boutique. Allison was taking summer classes. Evan was at dance class. Piper was home alone with only Allison's Pomeranian to guard her and who would be scared of an eight pound ball of fluff. Even being home alone during the day scared her now. She could always call Noah, but he was probably busy. Besides Piper didn't want to face Noah at the moment.

Her therapist had told her to keep a journal, but Piper hadn't scrawled a single word into the brand new leather covered journal. Piper sat down on the only piece of furniture in the living room of her new home. She ran her hands over the smooth leather and inhaled the rich scent. Hermia, Allison's Pomeranian, curled up against Piper's side. After a couple minutes of sitting in silence and trying to formulate her thoughts
into words, Piper picked up her pencil and opened the leather cover to the first blank page of antique paper. Her chest heaved in a contemplative sigh and she swirled the pencil over the page and her thoughts swirled with it. Eventually they all stopped swirling and wholly came together and Piper was
able to write.

"I saw Dinah the other night. She stopped by Noah's where she is keeping
some fugitive safe from the police. She made some remark and I overreacted.
I left and Noah begged me too, but I just couldn't stand being in the same
BUILDING with her. I realized as I was leaving, Dinah brings out the worst
in me. My pettiness, my inability to forgive, my immaturity. It all
explodes when Dinah enters the room."


Piper paused in her thoughts, almost fearful to go on.

"I don't like to talk about my feelings because nobody has ever listened
before. I never bothered to ask and no one's ever bothered to volunteer.
Dr. Tavish McCormick says it's very unhealthy to keep feelings inside and
that I need to get them out. I almost told Noah exactly how I felt, but what
will Noah think if I do? I don't want him to think I'm too weak to handle
this situation and I don't want him to worry about the fact that I live in
fear everyday because Chase is out there. And the cops think he's left the
state, but I know Chase won't stray far. He's not like that. I had this
dream last night, Chase was standing over my bed and he disappeared. So it
was a dream, Chase hadn't snuck into my room. I stayed in Jewel's room that
night.

I was supposed to go out with Noah last night...and the night before, but
I found an excuse each time. I'm embarrassed about how I reacted in front of
Noah and mad at him. I hate that Dinah is so close to him and has such easy
access to him. What if Noah gets sick of me and goes back to Dinah? I
couldn't take that. She's always been more charming, a flirt, and not as
timid as me. I can't believe Noah would allow Dinah to use him like that.
She doesn't think of other people at all! I know she's trying to save this
Tyler Jones, but she's not thinking about who else she's affecting. She
didn't give me a second thought when she started dating Noah which still
baffles and hurts me. I would have never dated a guy Dinah had liked before
me...I mean it would just seem so inconsiderate and I still don't understand
why she did it because we always seemed to understand one another so well. I
look at the situation and it looks so juvenile...so Jerry Springer. =) So
why can't I forgive Dinah?"



Scene 3:

Jay Corelli watched as his mother tried on yet another pair of shoes. She looked up at him expectantly for an opinion on the sandals she was currently considering. He shrugged back. What did he know about fashion? His idea of haute couture was a black leather jacket after all.

"You're not helping, John Marcus," she scolded formally, using his full name. "I want to look nice when we visit your sister. No need for her to think her embarrassing Jersey relatives are visiting."

"Ma...that's stupid. Georgie won't be embarrassed," he countered.

"Well then I don't want Reese to be embarrassed of us." At least once a day, Gina Corelli managed to mention Jay's ex-wife. And at least once a day, she made him know that he was to blame. What he wouldn't admit to her was that he was fully aware that his marriage had ended because of his mistakes. He rolled his eyes and wandered away, looking for a way out of the little shop. He stopped just shy of the entrance when an old ad featuring Reese caught his eye. He stared at it wishing she had never gotten into modeling until a voice at his elbow jolted him out of his reverie.

Jewel had been perched on the floor shifting through clothes for the mannequins in the windows. Her cousin Jacqueline had successfully bribed money out of the family to open her own boutique and Jewel had to give her credit for what she had done. At least Jacqueline had a good sense of business. And their first customer of the day was an older woman and a young man. Jacqueline had immediately set to doting upon the woman while the young man wandered around aimlessly. Jewel eyed him directly from where she was sitting as he looked quite bored...and rather melancholy. He stopped just short of the entrance and noticing where Jewel was stretched out. With a bright smile, Jewel spoke up.

"I can tell your an avid shopper," she joked, her green eyes sparkling with amusement.

Jay looked down at her, caught off guard by her smile. It was an infectious grin and he couldn't help but return it. "Yeah, I love shopping," he added. "Makes me feel like a man."

"I bet. Ruffles and pink will do that," she said and it briefly made her think of Evan, quite a colorful person. She stretched her neck to see Jacqueline still chatting amicably with the older woman as she continued to pick clothes and shoes. "Looks like you'll be stuck here for awhile. Jacq's quite persuasive and charming."

"And my mother likes to shop."

"Well, then those two are a perfect match," Jewel said with a laugh, feeling pity for the poor guy. "I figured she was your mum. You can just tell when a poor guy is being led around the mall by his mum."

Jewel rose to her near six feet of height, throwing a bright pink dress over one arm. She openly gave him a once over when he looked away from her towards an ad. Quite nice, Jewel silently noted. He kept stealing a glance at the ad of the blonde-haired model, Reese Corelli, every man's wet dream. Jewel chuckled and he turned and he looked at her questioningly at her chuckle. She smiled and merely raised her eyebrows innocently.

"I know her," he said at the raise of her eyebrows. Intimately, he wanted to add but held the comment in check. No need telling the world he had missed out on Reese Corelli.

"Lucky guy," Jewel remarked, "she's a hottie. Of course by your tone you don't sound like the average guy living in a fantasy world filled with Victoria's Secret models and you don't sound like a sick, obsessive stalker." She briefly turned her back to him to go behind the counter and grab a few more things.

"No, that is definitely not me." He stared at the picture again, thinking how unlike Reese that woman was, how unlike Reese was matched against any woman. "She's my ex-wife," he admitted.

Jewel's eyes widened and she briefly glanced up at Jay, but she didn't seem too surprised. "Hmm," Jewel casually remarked. "Wasn't expecting that one, but who I am to expect something." She smiled her infectious grin and watched his mouth barely curve. "I won't ask how you let her slip through your fingers. Divorce is rarely one single person's fault." Jewel spoke in the rapid pace she did to match the rapid pace of thoughts in her mind. The velocity of Jewel's mind was a mile a second.

"Tell that to my mother," Jay smiled. He studied the woman behind the counter taking in her dark hair and emerald eyes. She could give Reese a run for her money any day. "I'm Jay by the way," he said offering his hand to her.

Jewel grinned, taking his hand firmly. "Jewel."

"That's a unique name. Lot more interesting than plain old Jay," he replied letting himself relax at last. She didn't seem too interested in Reese at least, that was a good sign.

"My parents are...unique. My first name is Arcadia and my middle name Jewelyanna." She spelled Jewelyanna out the way it was on her birth certificate. "Well, you're the only Jay I've ever met...and the person doesn't strike me as plain so I wouldn't assume the name to be."

"Well, I never claimed to be plain. The name yes, the person...no. You work here long, Jewel?" He asked, glad to be talking to a real live person who didn't think he'd made the single biggest mistake of his life.

"But names are considered plain by people's past judgment. Just think at one time Ethel and Myrtle were cool, see my point?" she asked with a grin at Jay. "I don't technically work here," she said as she flipped her thick hair over her shoulder, bright red streaks showing through. "I'm just helping my cousin."

"She doesn't look like she needs help in the sales department," Jay noted watching Gina add a round shaped hat to the pile. "Then again, my mother can buy out a store in five minutes flat."

Jewel chuckled as the duo made it over to the counter. Jewel eased around to put the several outfits in bag as Jacqueline joyfully rang Jay's mother up. She kept stealing glances from the corner of her eye at Jay, noting he returned them.

"I think you did buy out the store almost," Jewel commented pleasantly to the woman.

"We have a couple pairs of socks left," Jacqueline joked.

Jay kept his grin to himself, though he caught Jewel smiling back at him regardless. He caught a sideways glance from Gina who eyed him suspiciously before studying a pair of earrings at the register. The magazine with Reese on the cover was right nearby and she scooped it up, flipping through it.

"Look, Jay. It's Reese. Isn't she beautiful? This is my son's ex-wife," she said to Jewel's cousin. "can you believe he let her get away? She was always such a wonderful young lady...polite, well-bred, smart as a whip. Why she ever fell for my son, I'll never know." Jay's face flushed red with embarrassment. He raised his eyes to Jewel's knowing full well he couldn't comment. Gina would give him what for if he did.

Jewel lowered head so no one could see her smirk.

"Seriously?!" Jacqueline cried. "Oh my gawd, Reese Corelli? She's so...famous and gorgeous!"

Gina smiled contently and when she turned her back, Jewel's elbow made contact with Jacqueline's ribs. When no one was looking, she placed a piece of paper on top of the clothes in a bag and pushed it across the counter for Jay. Of course, being a gentleman he was going to carry his mother's shopping bags or his mother silently insisted he did so. She smiled secretively at Jay and entirely rearranged the expression on her face when Gina turned back around.

Jay's eyebrows shot up in surprise as Jewel pushed the paper across the counter. He grabbed it and stuffed it into his pocket before Gina turned around.

Gina thanked them both for their help and grabbed Jay by the arm dragging him out of the store towards the car. "That was quite a display, John Marcus!" She snapped as he loaded her bags into the trunk. He gazed at her helplessly, knowing he was in for a lecture on the ride home. "Flirting with that salesgirl. Honestly, you are no better than your father...don't give me that look...you are just making a mess of your life! Hurting poor Reese like you did, losing that good job in Florida..."

Jay rolled his eyes and let her ramble. He'd heard it a million times before. With the way his mother felt about Reese, he would undoubtedly hear it again.


Scene 4:

The eviction notice was pink and in plain sight on her door when Georgia returned home after her shift. She snatched it from the door as she unlocked it, not wanting to look at it until she was safely inside. Shrugging out of her sweater, she dropped her purse and keys on the table by the door. This apartment was home to her and she hated the idea of giving it up! True, it had become too expensive since the roommate abandoned her, but she didn't want to move!

She read the notice twice, making sure she knew exactly what she needed to do. What she needed to do, she thought tossing the paper aside, was find a lot of money...fast. Georgia slumped onto the sofa, kicking off her shoes. How did one go about finding a lot of cash fast? There was always asking for a loan. Who did she know with $2000 to spare at the moment? Not her mother. Gina Corelli had saved a lot in her life but most of it had gone to Lisa's education. Jay used all his savings to move from Florida to Richmond. And, she reminded herself, Jay hated to lend money, the old cheapskate.

That left her sister-in-law Reese. Reese had money to burn after her stint as a model. Oh but Georgia loathed the idea of asking her either. They weren't related any longer, not since Jay divorced Reese. It seemed rude and trashy to ask for a loan.

"You're in a tight spot," Georgia murmured to herself. Her stomach rumbled loudly agreeing with her. "Shut up," she ordered it, standing at last and heading to the kitchen. She rummaged through the cupboards but came up with only a couple of cans of soup and soup in June was not going to work for her. The refrigerator was mostly empty, she knew that already. Nothing except a gallon of milk and some cheese.

"Oh lovely. Can't pay the rent and don't have anything to eat. Georgia Corelli, you are one sorry person," she muttered. Her stomach rumbled again in agreement. "All right, all right. How about McDonalds? It's close." No answer from her stomach. Must be a no. "Fine, Connie's then?" Her stomach rumbled loudly. "Connie's it is then."

She slipped out of her scrubs on the way to the bedroom, leaving them where they fell in the hallway. In her bedroom, she picked out a pair of jeans and a light orange t-shirt. Thankfully, Connie's was casual dress all of the time.

It was still light out but barely. The sun was setting in the distance giving the evening an orange and yellow glow. She walked the block to the diner forgetting, for the moment, that she was indeed in a tight spot. Instead, she focused on the scenery and the night air. She loved Virginia, more than she ever thought she would. New Jersey would always be home, but Virginia, especially Conlan's Glen, had become a second home to her.

At Connie's, she let the hostess seat her in the bar area. They were busy for a Tuesday night, she thought watching the waiters run around. She scanned the room, people watching. Of course she didn't know anyone thankfully. Being new had its perks. Her eyes fell on a man leaning casually against the bar, dressed in a light blue oxford and khakis. His jaw was angular and firm with a strong cheek that Georgie could imagine running her own fingers across. His eyes turned towards her blazing into her own, as if he had felt the intensity of her stare. Embarrassed, she dropped her eyes to the table. Leave it to her to be caught staring, she thought.

"Excuse me." She glanced up, meeting the man's eyes once again. They're blue, she thought randomly. "Would you mind if I join you? I could use the company of a beautiful woman right now."

 

On the next Episode of Secret Horizons...

"Dr. McCormick," Dr. Stafford was saying. "I've brought your head nurse." Dr. McCormick's back was to her but he turned at Dr. Stafford's nod to her. Georgia's mouth fell open as she met Ian's startling blue eyes. This was what he'd left early for?

Episode 108