Episode 48

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Episode 48

Scene 1:

Maura stared at the date on the calendar. She hated this day. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and wished for it to be over. She peeked at the calendar again. Nope, it was still Friday. It was still the anniversary of her mother's death. Sighing, she went to her closet and stared at its contents. How could she think of dressing on a day like today? She picked out a black t-shirt and black jeans. Black for her mood, black for mourning.

She dressed quickly, sitting on the edge of the bed to put her shoes on. Her mother would have told her she was being ridiculous. When someone dies, she could hear her mother say, you shouldn't wear black and be somber, you should dress normally and be happy for them. Grieving was just a way of feeling sorry for yourself. Her mother might have been right because Maura had never missed Maeve Conlan as much as she had in the last few months.

She had steeled herself against her own grief but when Rick had suddenly appeared, the year her mother died was constantly in her thoughts. She had missed so much of Maeve's last year just because she was away having a baby. A baby that no one wanted...well, Maura had wanted it. Maeve hadn't even seen her first grandchild. Maura had robbed her of that.

Her eyes fell on the picture of Maeve on her dresser. Maeve's eyes looked back at her with a look of love that Maura wished with all her heart she could see today. She went to the picture and lifted it gingerly, turning it over on it's back. A small piece of paper stuck out from behind the frame. Maura's face fell at that. She knew what it was and she didn't want to think about it but her hands began working at the picture, taking the backing off and pulling out the paper. She held it to her face briefly, the scent of her mother's perfume still barely there.

She opened the letter carefully, treating it as if it were fragile and stared at her mother's lovely handwriting. She felt a knot in her throat but she read the letter anyway. Punishment, she told herself, for not being there.

Dear Maura,
I received your letter this morning and I've thought long and hard about what to tell you. First of all, your father and I love you no matter what. I haven't told Kevin, I'll leave that to you if you ever choose to do so. Second, you are probably expecting a lecture on birth control and religion and responsibility. But I have none to give you. You are my daughter and I cannot judge you by your mistakes.

What you do at this juncture is your decision. I can only tell you that as a mother, you would never forgive yourself if you had an abortion. Have the child and consider keeping it. If you cannot, consider placing it up for adoption. Your father and I would raise it, but I am ill Maura. And I do not have the energy to raise a baby. If the child's father won't marry you, it won't matter to us or to God. Plenty of young women before you have made the same mistake. Please come home to us and let us help you through this.
Love,
Mother

Maura felt the tears sting in her eyes. She hadn't come home though. Not until it was almost too late. She tucked the letter back into the frame, hurriedly as she heard footsteps getting closer to her door. Just as she set the picture back down, a short knock announced Jillie at her door.

"What do you want?" Maura snapped.

"Maura, I...." Her words trailed off as she stared at her sister, askance. Maura looked like death warmed over. "I just wanted to know.... Hey, are you okay?" So it wasn't like her to act so concerned. But then...something had to have caused such a reaction in her sister. And she was simply dying to find out what it was.

"I'm fine!" Maura snapped. "Late," she muttered squeezing past Jillie into the hallway and fleeing down the staircase before Jillie could add any rude comment.

Scene 2:

After what seemed like a lifetime, Hallie pushed Stephen away, breaking their kiss. She stared at him briefly before reaching back and slapping him soundly across his face. Stunned, he put his hand where she had connected and rubbed the sore spot. He wasn't completely surprised that she had reacted that way. But he wasn't finished yet.

"I guess I deserved that," he said softly, taking a step away from her. "I wouldn't have done it if I didn't think you really wanted me to."

"That is incredibly egotistical!" Hallie snapped. "Why would I want you to kiss me? I have a fiancé, remember? His name is Luke?"

"Oh yes...where is the Boy Wonder?"

"He...he couldn't come. He said he had something to do," she returned holding her head up higher. "I can't believe you own my house. When did you buy it?"

"Right after you showed it to me when we were engaged. It was supposed to be your wedding gift. But..."

"But you felt the need to sleep with Maggie Stewart, didn't you?"

"A mistake I regret to this day," he replied with sincerity. Maggie was a sweet girl and she was nice to leave him alone when he asked her too. But it had been a stupid, stupid idea in the first place. "You think I'm proud of it?"

"I don't know," she replied uncertainly. "You broke my heart, Stephen. I thought maybe you enjoyed it."

"No, Hallie. I didn't enjoy it. It was the worst thing I've ever done in my life. Do you believe me?" Hallie shook her head slowly. Well, he knew it wouldn't be as easy as that. "What can I do to convince you?"

He lifted his eyes to meet hers and for a moment, he saw something there. Something that looked like surprise. Perhaps, just perhaps, he could win her back. He had agreed to for his own sake. Gwen Mason was fooling herself if she thought he had any other motives other than winning Hallie back. An idea flashed through his head. Of course, he knew how to prove himself to her. Hallie loved all material things. He would give her what she wanted.

"I will prove it to you," he said, keeping his voice calm and low. "I'll give you this house. You want it, it's yours. I'll even let that...," he took a breath knowing she would only bite back if he said something ugly.

"I'll even let Luke live here as well." Hallie's eyes narrowed but he could see the wheels in her head turning. She wanted this house. Badly. Whether she realized it or not, he had just won round one in winning her back. "You go talk to Luke," Stephen said stepping aside. "And let me know what your decision is. Come by my house and give me the good news." And when she did come by, he would be ready for her.

Scene 3:

Piper smoothed back her soft blonde hair into a low ponytail. And for the last touch she draped a gold chain that held a diamond heart. The house was dead silent, the only sound Piper's feet on the stairs. Everyone was in their rooms, mourning. Mourning. Piper slipped out the back
door, hoping no one would see her departure. It wasn't any secret where she was going, but she didn't want anyone catering to her fragile emotions.

The Virginia air was growing a little colder and Piper preferred the fall weather. She favored comfy sweaters and hot drinks to tank tops and iced beverages. She stopped to buy some daisies from the one and only flower vendor, simple white daisies. Smiling cordially, the vendor knew her business, she continued on, trying to remain rather stoic. She had a lot to say and she didn't want it all coming out too soon.

Piper delicately placed the daises on the grave and took to rearranging some of the other flowers. She glanced over her shoulder, silently praying none of the other family members would stop by for a visit. Finally, Piper sat back on her heels, looking at the picture embedded in the tombstone.

"Hi," she said simply. "I brought your favorites, daisies." She dropped her eyes and fiddled with the hem of her skirt. "I'm in a play, Mom. Midsummer' Night's Dream. Shakespeare, one of our favorites. I don't know if I can get up in front of those people though when the time comes. I guess I don't have much of a choice. Oh, I'm Helena, in love with Demetrius, but Demetrius doesn't love her. Kinda like Noah doesn't even notice me. He knows now though...I mean I think he does. Him and Dinah are like together, dating, something, I don't know. Yeah, Dinah, my best friend. She tried to keep it a secret even, then I stopped by Connie's one night and there they were. Kissing." She absently wiped away small tears. "After you died, I had Dinah at least. But, now I don't even have Dinah. Everyone else at home is so involved in their own life I don't have anyone to talk to. I mean there's Chase. I didn't tell you about Chase did I? Yeah, I met him before Dinah and Noah, he really likes me, I do know that." She paused to take a shaky breath. "And I kissed him, Mom. I don't even like him like that, I mean I might, but he's not Noah. Now I'm just leading him on. Like Dinah tried to do with me when she thought I didn't know about her and Noah. I can't talk to Chase about Noah. I'm just messing with Chase's heart anyway. I mean, maybe it won't even bother him, but I still feel bad, Mom. I feel like the biggest hypocrite. I really wish you were here to tell me what to do because I have no idea."

Scene 4:

Jillie watched her sister run with a modicum of amusement. Something had gotten under Maura's skin. The only downside was that she knew it wasn't her fault. So what else had the power to shake Maura so well?

Stepping into the room, Jillie glanced around, looking for some sign of unrest. She hadn't heard her sister speaking to anyone else, had heard no slamming of the phone. Which meant Maura's demons lie within the room. Or within her mind.

Jillie laughed softly to herself. Maura crazy? Unlikely, if only because it seemed too perfect to be true. Her gaze landed on the photograph of Maeve Conlan settled atop Maura's dresser, and she sobered. Crossing the room slowly, she lifted the frame gently and cradled the picture in her hands. Despite her feelings for Maura, she couldn't deny that her older sister had loved their mother. They all loved Maeve. Of course, they all loved their father as well, but Maeve Conlan had been something special. The perfect mother, full of love and understanding and tenderness. Everything Jillie was not. And yet, Maeve had loved her. Unconditionally. In fact, whereas Maura was undisputedly the apple of Kevin Conlan's eyes, it had been the twins who held that special place in Maeve's heart. Not that she'd loved her other children any less, but...there had simply been that unbreakable connection between Jory, Jillie and their mother.

Perching on the edge of Maura's bed, her fingertips brushed the cool glass, tracing the lines on the face that stared back at her. Like a whisper of a dream, she could still recall the sound of her mother's voice as she would sing them to sleep. She could still feel the softness of her lips as she would kiss away all of those childhood aches and pains, soothing fears and worries with her soft-spoken words.

Pushing off the tears that threatened just behind her pale blue eyes, Jillie let her temper flare to fill the emotional void inside. Maura didn't deserve to keep this picture. Maura, who had gotten everything she ever wanted. Maura, who still had the parent who believed she could do no wrong.

Turning the frame over, she used her fingernails to pry up the back, ready to snatch the photograph from the unworthy confines - but not expecting the folded sheet of paper that slipped out as the backing sprang free. There was a familiar scent, faint though it was, and Jillie unfolded the paper apprehensively, a small shiver running down her spine at the sight of Maeve's flowing script. But that was nothing compared to what came next.

"Dear Maura," she read aloud....