Scene 1
"Why didn't you just tell me?"
Andrew released Flynn from his comforting embrace when her feet were again able to support her body.
"I'm hoping it will be negative so I don't have to tell anyone."
"And if not?"
"Ross has the satisfaction of knowing he got me pregnant but that he'll never be fingered as the father."
"Flynnie... I know Laidey would be hurt if she found out, but I think she'd like to know what that bastard's been doing."
"It doesn't change the fact that I willingly..." Flynn sighed and walked away from him, circling behind the couch and pacing the floor as if trying to find an escape.
"Well... maybe you're not even—"
"Don't, Andy. I more than likely am. I'm not even sure why I'm taking the test."
"But... I mean, you did use..."
Flynn kept her back to him. "Maybe half the time."
"Flynn!"
"Save it, Andy. I'm already beating myself up for it and I don't need it from you."
"You're right, I'm sorry. I care about you, that's all."
Flynn turned her eyes to the clock again and the silence seemed to make time stand still as the nervous anticipation resonated throughout. When the phone rang, Flynn let out a low scream with her startled gasp, but it brought her out of the daze she'd been in and reminded her to look at the clock. She disappeared into the bathroom when Andrew turned his back to answer the phone.
"Hello... Hey, Lou... Yeah, um... I'm really sorry, but this isn't a good time." He turned around and realized Flynn had gone to check the test. "No, but Flynn's here... I know, but she's had a bad day and really needs a friend... No, nothing serious." Flynn emerged as he said it, the answer written all over her fear-stricken, crest-fallen face. "I'll call you later tonight... Shift ends at midnight? No, that's fine. I'll be up... Bye." He hung up the phone and took a few tentative steps toward Flynn. "That was Lou."
"I figured."
"So..."
Flynn nodded, her features expressionless. "I am."
Andrew searched hard for the proper words, finally settling. "You know I'll do whatever I can to help you through this."
But Flynn wasn't paying attention.
"Shit." It wasn't a shout so much as a statement. Flynn sat down hard and repeated herself. "Shit shit..." She groaned and stood up again, stamping one foot. "... shit!"
Scene 2
"You were quiet on the drive down."
Pierce and Arlie had just driven off the ferry onto Regent Island after almost three hours of driving from Victoria.
"I was just doing a lot of thinking, that's all."
"Hmm, well, we've both been doing a lot of that lately." Pierce checked his watch and frowned. "Damn. I had planned to take you by the piece of property we're after, but I need to change before I meet with Cresswell and I can't be late. Do you mind?"
"No, I'd prefer to get settled first."
"I'm glad you decided to come. I wasn't sure if you would, it being a business trip."
"You'd never asked me on one before. I was intrigued."
Pierce squinted his eyes, scrunched his face a bit, and raised one eyebrow a few times.
"What is that supposed to be?" Arlie asked, amused.
"Intrigue! Smooth, debonair, James Bond..."
"More like Austin Powers!" But Arlie was laughing—a strong, genuine, good-natured laugh accompanied by a smile from her youth she hadn't brought forth in years.
Scene 3
Jack and Gemma were already seated comfortably in two first class window seats when the rest of the passengers boarded the plane. Gemma's restricting white bandages had been replaced by simple white patches covering her eyes, and the wide, dark sunglasses Jack bought her disguised them completely.
By the time the flight was half-way through, Jack had succumbed to sleep but Gemma was kept wide awake listening to all the sounds she could hear but not see. A half hour after the second pass of the refreshment cart, Gemma began to squirm in her seat. Her father was snoring lightly and she didn't want to disturb him, and she couldn't reach the button to call the flight attendant.
Gemma took a deep breath, trying not to panic. "Five seats back, then the loo," she mumbled.
Tentatively, she stood up and moved into the aisle. Taking a few small steps forward, she felt around for the next seat back, accidentally brushing another passenger's shoulder as she did.
"Sorry," she whispered.
Gemma continued back, making it past the next three seats without a problem. At the last, she tripped over a purse left partially in the aisle. She fell forward, catching herself on the last seat, but pulling the occupant's hair in the process.
"Hey, watch it!" The woman roused from her nap and snapped the headphones from her ears. "Watch where you're going, you little brat."
"I... I'm..." Gemma could only sputter.
"You know, you could see a lot better if you took off those sunglasses."
"I'm sorry, I..." Gemma choked, trying to face the woman but unwittingly leaving the impression that she was gazing out the window.
"You could at least look at me when I'm talking to you, ya little brat." Gemma made no response. The woman shook her head and began putting her headphones on again, mumbling to herself. "Don't know why I pay money for first class."
Gemma was still frozen in place when Jack, slightly disheveled but wide awake and lividly angry, came to her side.
"It's all right, baby, are you going to the bathroom?" Gemma nodded her reply, sniffling. "Okay, it's right here."
Jack opened the door for her and closed it when she was fully inside, then turned on the woman.
"What is the matter with you?" he seethed, not even realizing how hard he clenched the arm rest.
"Me? Someone's going to teach your kid manners if you don't."
"You heartless witch, can't you see she's blind?" He said it as quietly as he could, but anyone in earshot was already drawn to eavesdrop by the woman's outburst.
Jack held back tears as he said it, moving further down the aisle to wait for Gemma. Any pleasure that came from rendering the woman speechless was stared out by the curious passengers who watched intently as he helped Gemma back to her seat.
Scene 4
Tina rang the front doorbell of the Avalon home once, gave up waiting after ten seconds, and tried the knob. It was locked.
"I don't know what the point of locking this door is if you never lock that back one," she muttered, trumping through the grass around the house as best she could in high heels.
Tina knocked lightly on the kitchen door, then found it unlocked as expected.
"Becky, dear, it's Mom!" she called.
There was no answer. Tina shrugged and continued into the house. As she climbed the stairs she began to hear a shower running. She followed the noise but frowned when she reached it: a bedroom door with an en suite bathroom further inside.
"This is Burke's room," she mumbled, disappointed at first but then having second thoughts.
She opened the door and sat in wait at the end of the bed. As an afterthought, she undid the next button on her blouse. The shower shut off shortly after and Burke emerged from the bathroom, toweling himself dry in such away that anything important was concealed. He didn't see Tina at first, but jumped back when he did and retreated into the bathroom.
"Jesus, don't you knock?"
"I did, there was no answer. You really shouldn't leave the back door unlocked like that."
"And you really shouldn't walk into houses that aren't yours. What the hell are you doing in my bedroom?"
"Oh, stop playing modest. I was looking for Becky."
"Ah, yes, that explains perfectly why you're sitting in my room."
Burke strode from the bathroom, the towel wrapped firmly around his waist, and retrieved his robe from the closet before returning to the bathroom.
"I don't understand where all your animosity for me comes from, Burke. I've never done anything to you."
"No, not to me."
Tina approached the bathroom door and spoke into it.
"Are you decent?"
"What? Yes, fine, whatever. Come in."
Burke was shaving when Tina opened the door. She smiled.
"I've always found it comforting watching a man shave."
Tina's statement, said without the alluring effect she added to most things she said, caught Burke by surprise. He looked up at her, and she leaned against the door jam, still watching him intently. After a moment, he returned his attention to the mirror.
"I've never understood why we couldn't be friends," Tina said whimsically. "We went through high school together for goodness' sake."
"We were never friends in high school. You thought I was a freak and told me so weekly."
Tina smiled and looked away. "Yes, well... sorry about that."
Burke finished up his shave followed Tina from the bathroom. She complied when he gestured for her to turn around, allowing him to dress.
"What was it you said you needed?" he asked.
"Hmm?"
"Why are you here?" he asked more pointedly.
"Oh! I really was looking for Becky."
"She's at work, at Bridges."
"And you're here because..."
"It's my day off. And you can turn around." He started from the room. "You want something to drink?"
"Yes, wine would nice."
"I was thinking more along the lines of iced tea or a Coke."
"Iced tea would be good, too."
"So," Burke began, looking behind him to make sure Tina was following him down the stairs, "where are you staying? The Empress?"
Tina laughed. "Hardly."
"What's this? You're not staying at the best place in town?"
"Can you keep a secret?"
Burke paused on the landing and turned, concerned. "Yeah, sure."
"I don't have any money. I can barely afford the dive I'm in. My father doesn't think my stay here necessary so he isn't giving me any money for it."
"Surely you would have known that before you left."
Tina looked down at her hands sheepishly, keeping her head lowered long enough to summon a few tears.
"I thought I would be invited to stay here."
She looked up at Burke, the tears in her eyes forcing him to lower his guard completely. He put an arm around her shoulders.
"We do have two extra rooms, I suppose..."
"Oh, Burke, thank you!" Tina perked up instantly, threw her arms around his neck, and kissed his cheek. "Are you sure it would be all right? I mean with George..."
"The house is half mine, and I'm sure I can convince George to let you stay. Let me talk to him."
"I don't know how to thank you, Burke. You don't know what it means to me that we can be friends."
Scene 5
Sara sat in a corner armchair, hugging her legs to her chest, as her father paced before her. Patel hadn't spoken a word to anyone since he left the hospital room a day before. Madhuri sat on the other side of the room, not looking at either of them.
"How long have you known about this?"
The break in the silence startled them all.
"A few weeks for sure," Sara squeaked hoarsely.
"And how long...?"
"Three and a half months."
Patel took a deep breath. "If you were... forced... we won't fault you."
"I wasn't raped."
"Who is the father?"
"I can't tell you that."
"You do not know who the father is?"
"I know," Sara said firmly, "but I can't tell you. Besides, he's not Indian so it doesn't matter."
"Is that what you think my concern was? I only want the boy to be accountable, Sarala."
"I won't tell you."
"Fine. He's largely inconsequential. We're sending you home. You'll spend the remainder of your time with your uncle."
"India? I can't go to India." Sara got to her feet and faced her father. "I start classes in two weeks."
"You should have thought of that before you spread your legs for the first boy that came along." Patel moved closer and closer as he said it, and Sara soon shrank back into her chair. "Your uncle knows someone who will take in the child."
"The baby's father wants his child."
"Then he can bloody well go to India and get it when the time comes."
"I... I can't go to India. I won't."
"Then you will leave this house today, and you will not speak to any of us again. You go to India, have the child, come back here. We'll not speak of it again."
"Dad..."
"You decide. Now. Your plane leaves tomorrow."
Before you go, kindly leave your comments:
Coming up in Episode 8:
- Sara makes her decision.
- Arlie stops Pierce from making a crucial mistake in the Regent Island deal.
- Flynn is still at Andrew's when Lou calls back again, only strengthening her reason for calling.