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Episode 134 Scene 1: Ian shoved at the door again, frustrated at himself and more than a little angry with Georgia for locking him inside a closet as revenge for bringing Genevieve tonight instead of her. It couldn't be helped, he thought angrily. He would have brought Ellen Mason if the opportunity to step up in society hadn't arrived in the form of his ex sister-in-law. Georgia was kidding herself if she thought he would pass up an opportunity to move up in the eyes of the social elite. Of course, she couldn't know that. Or understand it. She had no desire to be anything more than she was. And what was she, he asked himself. She was a common girl from New Jersey who still had just the slightest accent and felt no compunction to better herself. She was also, he had to admit honestly, probably the one woman who made him want to go back to her. She was beautiful and charming and sexy. When they were together it was as if they had been made specifically for one another. He couldn't speak for Georgia, but he had never been better nor had better. Just because the sex was good, he reminded himself angrily, was no reason to get emotionally involved. He had an agenda and falling for a woman like Georgia Corelli was not a part of that. Ian tried the door one more time hoping that perhaps he had loosened the lock. No such luck. And there was no way he would yell and scream for help. That was ridiculous. He slammed his fist against the door in frustration, letting a small howl of anger escape. "Hello? Is someone in there?" Ian leaned against the door, relief filling his voice at the sound of Ellen Mason on the other side of the door. "Ellen, it's Ian...can you unlock the door? Please." "Ian? What are you doing in the closet?" "It's a long story, will you unlock the door? Please?" He repeated hoping against hope she wasn't holding a grudge against him right now for ditching her too. He took a step back and waited for the briefest of seconds in silence, willing the lock to turn. When it did at last, he blew a deep breath of relief and pushed the door open. "Thank you. I thought I would be stuck in there all night." "What were you doing in there anyway?" Ellen asked frowning. She looked beyond him to the open closet peering into the darkness as if she would find an answer that way. "You would never believe me if I told you," he replied steering her away from the closet to the foyer. "Try me." "I broke a plate," Ian lied. "I was looking for a broom." Ellen laughed, covering her mouth to hide the grin. "Is that the best one you could come up with?" She asked meeting his wary glare with an amused grin. "All right, if that is what you want me to believe, I'll believe it." Ian shrugged. He could care less if Ellen Mason believed him or not. Right now, he had a few words for Georgia that couldn't wait. "I'm sorry Ellen, I have to go find someone. Thank you for letting me out though, I appreciate it. Let me know how I can repay the favor..." He trailed off as Georgia came into view deep in conversation with Jory Conlan. She flashed a glance towards the sound of his voice, her cheeks turning scarlet at the sight of him. He stiffened at her accusing stare and pulled Ellen closer into an embrace. "You know what? I guess I don't need to find that person after all. Besides," he added with a charming grin. "I think I may have made a mistake tonight." "Oh really? What's that?" "I think I brought the wrong woman to this ball. But I might be persuaded to leave with the right woman." He offered his arm to hers, glancing quickly at Georgia to see if she was still watching. He was rewarded with a simmering glare from her as Ellen smiled brightly and slipped her arm through his. Ian felt a slight satisfaction and the glare from Georgia as they walked past her. Even if it was a petty bit of revenge, it was worth it. Georgia Corelli would just have to think about what she was missing and what she would never get from Jory Conlan. Scene 2: Maura pulled back from Jude's kiss, sighing happily. She buried her head against his chest feeling content for the first time in a long while. Jude's hand caressed her bare shoulders sending chills down her spine. She lifted her chin and looked up at the tender look on his face, smiling shyly. "What now?" She asked carefully not wanting to spoil the moment. "I'm not sure what you mean by that but I know what I would like to happen," Jude answered slipping his hand into hers. "Do you want to stay here? The party is still going on in there... Or," he added glancing off towards the Country Club. "We could leave and find somewhere else to go." Maura followed his gaze toward the club, thinking about her father and his date. She just didn't want to deal with Gina again. Not that anything could ruin her night now that she and Jude were...well, they were together again. "I don't want to see her again," she said at last. "I can't, Jude. I know Dad really likes her, but I just don't see it and I don't understand it." "Maura, I'm not going to ask you to do something you don't want to do...but your father was genuinely concerned about you. Gina too. She was afraid she'd really upset you," Jude put in gently. Maura pulled away and dropped to the bench. "Not you too Jude. Don't take up for her please? She was so smug about telling me that Dad wanted Connie's back. Like I kept it from him all these years. I didn't you know. I came home after Mom died and he was a mess. He could barely get out of bed. I was the one who kept Connie's from closing. I was the one who made it successful again." "He knows that, Maura. But look at it from his point of view." Jude took a seat next to her on the bench. "Your mother has been gone for what? Ten years? He must have needed someone to depend on during his mourning and you were right there for him. He appreciates that, I know. But he's rebounding finally. Don't you want him to live his life again?" "Of course I do!" "Did you ever consider that living again to your father might mean running the restaurant he inherited from his father. You wouldn't keep that from him would you?" Jude continued. "I hate it when you're so logical," Maura pouted. "Connie's is all I have, Jude. Asking me to step aside...I'm sorry but it hurts. And I know this isn't what he's doing, but it feels like he's firing me. Firing me and replacing me with Gina Corelli." "Well, he's not. Look, Kevin and I talked about this. He just wants to run his restaurant. And you know what else? He wants you to be happy and he doesn't think you're happy running Connie's. And I happen to agree with him," Jude added earnestly. "I am happy though. I have you now and that's all I need," Maura insisted. "Then make your dad happy and let him have Connie's again." Maura stared at the ground. She didn't want to give it up. It had been her lifeline for too many years to just throw it away. But was she happy running it? Could she at least admit to herself that she hadn't been happy there for at least a year. In fact, she realized, she hadn't been totally happy there since she had met Jude. She lifted her gaze back to him meeting his eyes again. Maybe, she thought, there was happiness outside of Connie's. "All right. I can give up Connie's. But you better be prepared to spend a lot of time with me now that I'm out of work," she grinned. Jude stood and offered his hand helping her to her feet. "Deal. Why don't we start now?" "Fine by me. Do I have to talk to Dad first?" She asked giving him her best pathetic look. "No," he laughed at her expression. "I'll leave a message with one of the waiters when we leave. In the meantime, maybe you'd like to see my new apartment? It's not the greatest place in the world..." "I think anywhere you are is perfect," Maura returned. Scene 3: The whole thing was ruined for her. Every time she turned, it was either Dane laughing or Liza tossing her hair or Luke scowling at anyone who got in the way of his view of Liza Gennaro. Hallie couldn't remember having a worse time at a social function. Even her own wedding was more satisfying than this. At least then, Stephen had paid attention to her. As it was tonight, he'd been busy making business deals with people Hallie had no desire to talk to or didn't know. She watched him as he turned his attention to Gwen and felt her stomach turn. That was enough for her, she decided heading for the exit. She paused just long enough to call a cab before heading outside to wait. The air of the ballroom was far too stuffy for her and too full of the wrong people as well. She settled on a bench near the circular drive to wait enjoying the night air as best she could given how foul her mood was. "What's the matter, Hallie? Is the party too much for you?" Liza asked nearing Hallie's bench, her heels crunching on the gravel giving her away. Hallie turned toward Liza, not bothering to hide the scorn she felt for the woman. "Hardly. I'm going home." "Without your date?" Liza asked, her tone anything but innocent. "My date," Hallie returned, "is busy making business deals and I am too tired to wait for him. He'll understand." "Oh? Well, if you ask me, it looks like you can't stand not being the center of attention. And trust me, Hallie, tonight you are anything but." "I didn't ask you so keep your opinions to yourself!" Hallie snapped back, color flooding her cheeks. "As a matter of fact, why don't you go back inside and continue to act like an idiot with my idiot brother? You two are perfect for each other, you know. Dane's in desperate need of someone to screw around with and seeing as how you like to screw around with men you have no right being with...well, seems perfect to me." "Unlike you, Hallie, your brother is actually quite nice to be around. He's pleasant and not constantly out to make everyone else look bad just to boost his ego." Liza shot a glance at the country club doors before continuing. "But you know what? Your little plan to make my life miserable...it isn't going to work. Because I am going to fight back with everything I have." "Oh really?" Hallie got to her feet and inched closer to her rival. "Just because you succeeded in annoying me by being seen with my brother does not make you my equal in fighting dirty, Liza. I'm much better at it than you are and I've had a lot more practice. Trust me, I can make your little fight a living hell." "You're pathetic, Hallie. You're standing here threatening to ruin my life over a man you don't even love when the man you claim to love is inside ignoring you. Seems to me like you won't be able to keep Stephen Roth under your spell any better than you were able to with Luke. If you ask me, Luke was a smart man to get away from you when you did. Oh and for the record, I intend to make amends with Luke as soon as I take care of a little paternity issue. You remember? The one you threatened me with?" Hallie's cab pulled into the drive. She looked over her shoulder at it before getting her last word in. "Make amends with him if you want to. But I promise you, I'll make sure that you are never happy with him or anyone else, Liza. There was one thing you were right about. I don't love Luke. But I do not appreciate being humiliated publicly or lied to like you both did. Rest assured Liza, I will continue to make you suffer one way or another." "Even if you hurt your own brother in the process?" "Don't worry about Dane. He'll be just fine no matter what happens to you," Hallie added before turning away towards the cab. She cast one last glance at Liza before climbing into the cab, satisfied that at least one thing had gone her way that evening. She'd given Liza Gennaro a good piece of her mind and settled on a course of action in the process. If Liza thought she could top Hallie, she was as wrong as she could ever be. Scene 4: Jamie herded Chris out to the car entirely aware at how low Chris seemed. He hadn't liked being forced to attend his grandmother's function but that was his punishment. He still couldn't believe the boy had taken it upon himself to hitchhike home from camp. Jamie would never have thought of doing something like that at Chris' age. It was just another piece of evidence that he and Chris were not as much alike as he had wanted them to be. As long as he doesn't end up like his mother, Jamie hoped, everything could be worked out. "Are you going to tell me why you decided to leave camp?" Jamie asked as their car turned northward away from the country club. "Or are you going to pout for the rest of the summer?" "I'm not pouting," Chris returned angrily. "I'm just sitting here thinking." "Fine...you still owe me an explanation. What you did was irresponsible, Chris. You could have been hurt or worse. Now, tell me why you left camp two weeks early," Jamie continued not phased by his son's anger. He was a teenager after all and prone to being moody. At least, that's what he remembered from his own teen years. "Because I wanted to..." "That's not an answer at all. Was there something wrong at camp? Did you get treated badly?" Jamie pressed. "Geez, Dad! No, there was nothing wrong at the camp. I was just tired of being there, all right? Is that a good enough answer?" Chris snapped. "If that's the best reason that you can come up with, than yes that is good enough to get you grounded until Halloween. Since you've already got your permit, you can continue to drive under my supervision and you'll get your license on time, but you will not drive on your own until after Halloween." "That's a whole month after I get my license, Dad! That isn't fair!" Chris protested. Jamie shrugged and pulled into their driveway. "Life isn't fair, Chris. You made a mistake, now you have to pay for it. I don't want to hear another word about it either." Chris jumped out of the car and slammed the door, stomping up the steps to the front door. Jamie sighed and followed at a slower pace. He didn't know what had gotten into Chris. He was almost a different person. If Michaela were there she would be able to get it out of him. His heart sank at the thought of his errant wife. She was definitely a different person as well. Her two week vacation to visit her parents had turned into two months with no word from her in at least a month. Something was definitely wrong there. Perhaps he would take Chris up to Toronto to surprise her. That might help the situation all around. He moved to unlock the door, but a set of headlights pulling into the drive behind his own car made him pause. Ryan climbed out of the car and waved to him. With a frown, Jamie pushed the door open and motioned for Chris to head inside while he went down to see what Ryan could want. "What's going on, Ryan?" He asked, frowning darkly. "You're not going to like this, Jamie," Ryan replied. He reached into his pocket and withdrew an envelope that he held just out of Jamie's reach. "Just let me say, before you look at this, that I can't contact this man until tomorrow at the earliest. And also, it is best that I contact him not you. Do you understand?" "Not completely, but I'm sure you're right. What is it?" Ryan offered the envelope to him, watching him with his dark eyes and a line of worry creasing his forehead. Jamie ignored the look of concern and tore into the envelope, holding the papers up to catch the light from the porch. He skimmed the first section, catching his name and then Michaela's. But it was the second section that really got his attention. Stunned, he looked up to Ryan not quite believing what he was reading. "What is this, Ryan? It can't be real." "It is, Jamie. I'm afraid, Michaela's taken it upon herself to petition for a divorce." "Why though? I don't understand..." Jamie trailed off into a stunned silence. He heard a soft click behind him and turned to see Chris silhouetted in the doorway, a look of sheer pity on his face for a fleeting moment before he turned back and went inside the house, closing the door softly behind him. |
On the next Episode of Secret Horizons... |
Toni gave her a
sympathetic look and nodded her head. "I heard the tape," she replied.
"Why did you lie to me?" "You wouldn't believe the truth," Dinah shrugged. "It seemed easier to lie than try to convince you that you were wrong." Episode 135 |