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Episode 37 Scene 1: Hallie's cell phone played The William Tell Overture when it rang and this afternoon she was tired of hearing it. She'd had an absolutely lousy day the day before with Stephen announcing that he was still in love with her and today was getting no better. It was only 11:30 and she had already lost the band she wanted for the wedding and the cake designer had shown her nothing but monstrosities. She snagged at the phone as it launched into the music again, barking a hello. "Hallie? This is Morgan Birch." Hallie nearly dropped the phone at his words. "Morgan! How wonderful to hear from you! Does this mean you've changed your mind about the portrait?" "Actually...yes. I thought about it and I would be honored to do your portrait." "This is so wonderful!" Hallie exclaimed. "When should I come to New York to sit for it?" "Oh, no need, I'll come to you. It has been a long time since I was in the Glen after all," Morgan said quickly. A little too quickly, Hallie thought briefly. He was too eager. Something was definitely up. Perhaps he called Gwen...of course he did! That was the only reasonable explanation. Well if Gwen wanted to play games, the so be it. Gwen was about to see how formidable Hallie really was. "That'll be fine, Morgan. And you should call my aunt. I'm sure she'd love to have you stay at Four Winds. In fact I'll call her for you!" "Oh no need. I'll call her myself. I haven't spoken to Gwen in ages." Hallie narrowed her eyes and thought, I bet you haven't. "This is great news, Morgan! I can't wait for you to arrive!" She chirped before ending the call. So Gwen wanted to stonewall her. Well, Gwen was going to get a rude awakening. Scene 2: "Where are we going?" Piper asked lightly, watching the beautiful countryside roll by. "Piper, that's the fiftieth time, you've asked me," Chase said easily, "and if you haven't figured it out yet, I'm not telling you." Piper rolled her eyes and slumped back against her seat, proceeding to pout the rest of the drive. "Could you at least tell me how much longer?" she demanded, unable to be quiet for too long. "Not much." "Oh my gosh," she cried, throwing her arms up in overly-dramatic exasperation. She pouted again. Chase glanced over at Piper and her attempt to pout. Much to his surprise, it hadn't taken much to gain her trust and get her out of her shell. Reaching over, he gently tickled her side causing a squeal to escalate from her mouth. "I hate you!" she cried through giggles as she fought him off. "You better focus on the road before you kill us." "You don't hate me," he said with a grin, pulling his hand back to the wheel. "Do too," she stated, turning back towards the window. It was their third date, no not a date, because on dates you went to a dark restaurant and had awkward conversation and wondered when it would all just be over. Chase had a tendency to call her up out of the blue and request she go somewhere with him. The first time it had been ice skating at the mall then ice cream afterwards, and then all day just talking. And Piper liked that. It was one of those dream dates, non-dates, she had always fantasized about and Chase was the perfect person to play the part of the guy. Spontaneous, romantic, chivalrous, doting...so why couldn't she stop thinking about Noah? He was never going to notice her anyway. Unnoticed by herself, Piper sighed. "What?" Chase asked. "Huh?" Piper asked, shaking her head from her daze. "You sighed," he said. "It's this never ending car ride," she said with a small smile. "Jeez, we're almost there," he said with a roll of his eyes in good-natured fashion. After another thirty minutes of comparing Noah and Chase (something Piper found herself often doing) they pulled up into the circular driveway of a mansion that looked like something from Gone With the Wind. Piper let out a breathy "ah" of approval. "You like?" Chase asked as he hoped out of the car and hurried around to open Piper's door. "It's my grandparents, but this is nothing, the best part is the garden." Taking his offered hand, Piper stepped from the car, her jaw still agape. "Wow," she breathed, it was the only word she could find. "I'll take that as a yes," Chase said as he gently tugged Piper towards the classic front porch. "My grandfather will talk your ear off with war stories, but I promise I'll try and get us out to the garden as soon as possible," Chase whispered in her ear as the door was pulled open. Scene 3: Dinah hated waiting tables. She hated the rude men calling her "honey" and the even ruder women who called her "girl." God how demeaning. And racist too, but she chose to ignore that for the time being. She hated the long hours, the measly wages, the heat of the kitchen, and most of all, she hated that she never saw Noah. Or Piper for that matter except when she breezed in for lunch before rehearsal. And that Chase! What a creep. She hated the way he leered at Piper. And poor Piper was none the wiser. The lunch rush was over and her shift with it. She counted out her tips and turned her tickets into Maura who offered her a bit of encouragement before Dinah slipped away to the break room to grab her purse. If there was one thing she had learned while working at Connie's it was that Maura wasn't so bad. She was still pretty uptight, but she meant well. The girl who had trained her, Dusty, sat at the table scribbling a note that she slipped into Maura's mailbox. "Hi," Dinah greeted without even looking at the girl. Dusty had trained her but left her alone for the most part. "Hey...how're you doing?" Dusty asked, surprising Dinah. Cocking her head to the side, Dinah shrugged. "Fine, I guess." "Haven't seen much of him have you?" Dusty went on, ignoring Dinah's shocked expression. "Not surprising. He's really a weird guy. You know?" "Are you talking about Noah?" "No, Rhett Butler. Of course I'm talking about Noah. He's managed to be away for the last couple of days. Think he's avoiding you?" Dusty asked. Dinah's mouth dropped open in disgust and surprise. Come to think of it, he had been absent since she started. Her mouth snapped shut and she turned back to her locker. "It doesn't really matter if he is or not. And what do you care anyway?" Dinah asked closing her locker. "I don't I guess. I just don't think you should throw yourself at him. It won't work. Scares him off," Dusty added matter-of-factly. She stood and collected her books that were strewn across the table, stuffing them into her book bag. "You think so?" Dinah asked uncertainly. Dusty paused and studied Dinah. "I know so," she said at last. "Look, if I tell you something, do you promise not to say a word?" "Sure." "No, I mean it, you promise?" "Sure...what's the big deal?" Dinah asked sitting at the table. Dusty sat back down next to her and looked at her earnestly. "Noah's my brother," she said softly. Dinah's mouth fell open as Dusty's words registered. Noah had a sister? Couldn't be! She narrowed her eyes and studied the girl. They didn't look anything alike. "I know," Dusty continued. "I can't be right? Well, technically he's my half-brother. Same father." "How old are you?" Dinah asked stunned by her revelation. "You can't be any older than I am!" "You're right. I'm 19. Our dad...well, he wasn't exactly a faithful kind of man. He was married to Noah's mom and messing around with mine. I've only known about Noah for a couple of years." "Wow. How..." "When our dad died, he told me about Noah. I found him. Did you know we went to the same high school and never even knew each other? Crazy huh? Well, after we graduated and he came here...I had a rough time at the school I went to so he offered to help me if I moved here. Which I did and here I am." "Wow." Dinah was floored. Piper couldn't know about this. "Does Maura know? And why all the secrecy?" "Yes, Maura knows. And no secrecy. I just would like to have my own life. Just like Noah wants his own life. Besides, would you run around telling the world your dad had affairs? No you wouldn't. I like you Dinah. I'll help you get Noah." "What's the catch?" Dinah asked suspiciously. Her story might be true...it might not. But Dusty might be helpful. She had been right so far at least. "No catch....yet. But someday I might need a favor. Could you do that?" "Any favor?" Dinah asked warily. Dusty shrugged. "Okay, sure. As long as it doesn't involve my firstborn." Dusty grinned and picked up her book bag. "It's a deal then. Well, come on. You can hang out at my apartment for a while and I'll tell you everything you want to know." Scene 4: Taking Chase's offered arm as they left the main house, Piper said good-naturedly, "They weren't that bad." "It is if you've been around it for all your life," he said, but a warm smile contradicted his words. Smiling as well, Piper took in the surroundings of the gardens. Lush willows hung over ponds where ducks and geese scurried. The scent of magnolias was everywhere. Stuffing his hands in his pockets, with Piper still holding on to one arm, Chase asked, "So...what do you think?" "Hmm?" Piper asked, off in her daydreams again, "Oh," she laughed, "I was just imagining myself in a beautiful gown strolling through these gardens at night." "I loved to run around here and play imaginary games when I was little," he admitted, "hope that doesn't ruin my macho image." Piper giggled, "maybe a scratch." "Oh, well then if it's only a scratch," he said as he led her over an arched, stone bridge. "Or maybe something out of Anne of Green Gables," Piper said, again her fantasies dancing through her head. "Gone with the Wind and Anne of Green Gables, quite the difference," he teased lightly as he showed her over to a hanging wooden swing. "At least I didn't say V. C. Andrews," Piper insisted. She wrapped her small hands around the thick rope as she sat down on the wooden seat. Watching Chase move around to the other side to push her she said, "You just have to be a dreamer." "And that you are, Piper," Chase said as he gently pushed her back. This was perfect as well. Romantic, something out of a novel. A Southern garden, a sprawling mansion, a wooden swing, and a handsome man. It almost made her forget about Noah...almost. |
On the next Episode of Secret Horizons... |
"What is it Phoebe?" He asked. She met Dane's questioning gaze and shook
her head. Leaning forward a little, she saw Ryan turn his head at Phoebe's
name. Instinctively, she drew Dane closer to her to hide. "You want to be my friend?" She whispered. "Don't let that man see me!" |