FOUL PLAY AFOOT.......by Coralynn
Vince Wells chuckles when he sees the photo. What is this?! He turns over the envelope to see the return address but there isn't one.
"Well, well, look at Miss Hotpants! This looks like that scene in "East of Eden." Nooooo, that's not right. That one had James Dean. This one had Burt Lancater.....what the hell was the name of that old movie? Well, who cares; this picture will look good blown up to billboard size, and we can put large letters on the bottom: "Don't let WandaSue do to this town what she's doing to this fella." They'll 'get it'....people always do. Mine isn't the only mind in town that knows the way to the gutter.
MEANWHILE:
Tiffany and Holly settle into their seats. The stewardess walks down the aisles, making sure all the overhead bins are closed.
"Buffalo? Why there?" Holly asks.
"Because we had to get out of Atlanta."
"But why? Nobody was on to us!"
"I had a feeling in my bones that one of our 'supplicants' was a spy, that'w why. Can't say just who, but I got a very strong feeling about it, and you know me, when I get a strong feeling...."
"I know! You're always right. What are we going to do in Buffalo....what's our deal?"
"I was thinking of either opening a battered women's shelter or a travel company that takes people on guided tours of Europe."
"We can't make any money off a battered women's shelter, can we?" Holly wrinkles up her forehead.
"We could fund raise and then take off with the money, but that's risky. The tour business might be safer because it won't be noticed by as many people. We are, of course, going to the birthplace of Eleanor..."
"What is it with you and Eleanor? If you keep her as a theme, it'll be easier for the feds to track us down."
"Oh, that's just going to be one of the tours. We can also promise to take them to the Holy Land and back without a scratch. Like anybody could promise that...."
"You're so good, though, you might be able to..."
"I know, it's a gift. Speaking of which, I think you and I have earned a little spending spree, what say?"
"Just put my share aside for now, Tiffany. I want to have it handy in case we ever have to flee the country."
"Oh ye of little faith!" Tiffany laughs, "Stick with me, kid, and you'll be set for life. Want to retire on the French Riviera? No prob!"
The plane begins to move forward, then taxis to the runway, builds up speed and is soon in the air, the two con artists giving their drink order to the stewardess, leaning back in First Class, which is, after all, the ONLY way to fly.
COVER YOUR ASSETS......by Terri
"Billy Bob, would you please drive me to the mall?" Mary Ellen said, as she gathered up her purse.
"Aw, Mom...the races are just about to begin. Why not just take the car?"
"Because your father took it to the horse auction."
"Then take my truck. Or my Thunderbird."
"You KNOW I can't drive a stickshift. Now come on! I don't know how many times I had to drop things to run you to Little League practice or soccer."
"Drop things? Mom, it was just one committee after another. They were all the same! Any new thing came up, you just said, 'ditto' and it was a done deal!"
Mary Ellen stood by the door with her purse over her shoulder and a stubborn look on her face. Her crystal blue eyes narrowed and her French twist seemed to get even twistier.
Billy Bob sighed, grabbed his car keys and said, "Alright. Let's go."
Bobby Joe came out of Billy Bob's kitchen with a six pack, two foot-long subs and three bags of nachos.
"Hey! The races are just about to start! You can't leave. The monster truck ralley is up first."
Billy Bob said, "I'll be right back. I just have to run Mo-Mo to the-----OW! Damn, Ma, that hurts!"
Mary Ellen had pinched her son's upper arm until he screamed.
"I'm ready to go. Let's go NOW!" she said.
Billy Bob made monster faces behind her back. He scowled, "Alright, alright! I'm dropping you off in front of Nordstroms. Call when you are about done because I have no intention of hanging around."
He settled his mother down in the truck. She complained, "I don't know why you can't buy a decent vehicle, William."
"Mom, this is a 60,000.00 truck. And I have the Mercedes. Which Dad took, I might point out. For Christ's sake, Mom, how many more vehicles do I need?"
She slapped Billy Bob's arm. "Don't use that tone with me, young man! And taking the Lord's name in vain, too!"
Billy Bob didn't want to argue so he just sighed and looked out the side window.
After a few minutes, Mary Ellen said, "Didn't you have a nice SUV? That black one? Where is that one?"
Billy Bob pretended not to hear her. She repeated, "So where is that black SUV?"
Finally Billy Bob blurted out, "I lost it, OK?"
"Lost it? How? You didn't lose it in a poker game, did you?"
Silence.
"Did you?"
Billy Bob mumbled something. Mary Ellen said, "What? I didn't hear you!"
He said, "I lost it to Rosamond, OK?"
"What? You lost a 50,000.00 SUV to that fast piece of baggage that you were married to less than a year? How did that happen? I thought you knew better about covering your assets!"
Just then Billy Bob ran over the curb and narrowly missed a lamp post and a fire hydrant. He just sat there. Mary Ellen started yelling.
"Would you be more careful and pay more attention to you driving? Are you trying to wrap us around a post and get me...OMIGOD!"
They both looked up. There, bigger than life, was a billboard with none other than Wanda Sue Skaggs and Billy Bob Montgomery lying on a beach, the surf washing over them. Although it was not a pornographic picture, it WAS hot and heavy. Steamy.
Mary Ellen gasped and covered her eyes. Billy Bob just gave a huge sigh. The only thing he could say was, "So much for covering my assets!"
GATHERING EVIDENCE........by Coralynn
Beth and her infant twins have temporarily moved into the big house on Winding Willow.
"I can't live in our house with Roger incapacitated in the hospital. He's supposed to be released tomorrow, too. What am I going to do with him? He won't want to live as my husband in our own house..........his mind is stuck back in college.....that's as far as it goes!" she wails.
"It's too bad you weren't a student there at the time as well," Marilyn comments, "then you'd have a better handle on just what is in his memory."
Eleanor snaps her fingers and stands up, excited, "I know! How could I have forgotten? Jerry was a frat brother of Roger's. They may even have been rommmates!" she immediately goes to the phone and rings him up.
"Hi, Jerry, it's Eleanor...............I know, it's been days.............what have I been up to?........not a lot, but we seem to have a situation here. Roger's car had a big tree fall on it the other night in that terrible storm...............he's OK physically, but mentally he's lost his memories of anything that came after college...............I know, this is pretty tragic, you should see the emotional wreck it's making out of Bethia!...............right......................AH! You're a genius! That was my thought exactly!.................good, oh good, we'll be waiting for you."
She hangs up and announces, "Since Roger knew Jerry in college, he's the only person who can possibly get through to him. He's on his way over now, then he's offered to go to the hospital and talk with Roger. I think you ought to go along with him, Beth, to see if how much progres he makes. You need to see first hand....."
"So he can break my heart all over again?" Beth is tired and can't disguise her frustration.
"Want me to go with you?" Eleanor volunteers.
"Yes, please." Beth sighs as Eleanor gives her a reassuring smile.
MEANWHILE:
WandaSue looks up at the billboard in amazement. "Hey, babydoll," she says softly to no one in particular, which means no one at all, as she's alone, "That is one kick-ass billboard! I don't look bad. BB was a hunk, too. That oughta get out the vote..........in my favor! And, heh heh, I turned over the graft and corruption and double billing Vince Wells has pulled.......the afternoon papers will be full of it! He underesi---------whatever that word is........anyway, he thought I'd be a pushover. Guess I'm showing him!"
MEANWHILE:
Tiffany and Holly unpack, after checking into the Stuyvesant hotel. "We're definitely going to be tour operators ....I hear the weather in this place is impossible in the winter, which isn't that far off, and they'll all be jumping out of their skins to get away."
"Doesn't Europe have winter, too?" Holly points out.
"Sure, but nobody has winter the way Buffalo does, well, maybe Syracuse, but who wants to go on a guided tour of that city? We can tell them it's warm in France in the winter, too, they'll never know...."
"But can't they find out on the internet?"
Tiffany hangs up a blouse, slamming the hanger hard, "Don't be so pessimistic! Believe me, this is going to be a piece of cake..........another piece of cake."
MEANWHILE:
Celeste wipes up the kitchen counters and goes into the computer room to surf the internet, which she has done most afternoons, finding little tidbits about her wide ranging and varied interests. She sees the Story bookmarked, and clicks it open almost without thinking.
Story 91 is all written and some of Story 92. She notices the name Tiffany and sits up straighter, leaning toward the screen, reading furiously.
"Eleanor!" she calls out.
Marilyn pokes her head nto the room, "Eleanor just left with Jerry and Beth to go see Roger at the hosital. Will I do?"
"You most certainly will, my dear. Look at this!..........read this!" Celeste points at the Story, gets up and lets Marilyn sit in front of the computer.
Marilyn finishes reading and exclaims, "We know where she is! We know her name, we can see she's probably the same Tiffany that Roger knew in college. Well, we hope she is. Hey, if she isn't, what's she doing in the Story?? Who wrote this? Coralynn, huh? I sure wish I knew how she was getting all the goods on everyone. Glad she is, but how she does it creeps me out a bit. OH, and Celeste, look at his part........written by Terri.........Billy Bob's snooty mother almost having a coronary over that salcious billboard.........what a hoot!"
"I know. You'd think the woman would give it up and go back to Texas, wouldn't you?"
"Should I phone the hospital and ask to talk with Jerry? He must be in Roger's room by now............"
Celeste shakes her head, "No, wait till they get back from their visit with Rog. Then we can tell them what we found out, and they can tell us what happened when they visited Roger."
"Good plan!" Marilyn smiles and moves toward the door, "Now if only the Story could tell us how to cure Roger's amnesia......nawww....."
"These women are writers or chroniclers, not medical experts," Celeste points out, "but what we learn by reading the Story is invaluable. We might want to send them a thank you e-card some time, what'd'ya think?"
VISITING ROG............by Coralynn
As the three get out of Jerry's car, he hugs Eleanor warmly, then Beth, which elicits a small 'thank you' from the grieving woman. They walk to the hospital entrance in silence, then once inside stop at the desk to get visitors' passes.
The ride up in the elevator is rapid, and as they step onto the floor indicated, check their passes for the room number. "Where was he when you last saw him?" Jerry asks Beth.
"He was on another floor, I'm not sure why," she answers, finding that just talking is sapping what little energy she has.
"You don't have to talk. Just come in the room and observe, OK?" he tells the women.
"Good!" Beth sighs, "I wouldn't know what to say anyway."
No sooner do they step into Roger's room than they hear "Jerry! What in deuces am I doing in the hospital? Did I drink so much at the party last night that you jokesters sent for the ambulance?" followed by good natured laughter.
Jerry sits in the chair by the bed and answers carefully, "It's not quite as simple as that, Rog, It seems you got a big bump on your head."
"No wonder I have a headache! I thought it was a hangover, well, did I fall down the steps of the frat house, those steps that go down into the rec hall are killers!" he laughs again.
"No. You were out driving late at night and a tree fell on your car," Jerry tells him in a serious tone.
"Why so glum, chum? Looks like I'm Ok. But I don't remember being out driving last night. I just remember Tiffany getting plastered and argumentative and one of the guys driving her home because I refused to."
"Yeah, yeah, I recall that," Jerry agrees, "But this happened later."
"Later than last night?" Roger is really confused now, "How much later?"
"About ten years later," Jerry says, hoping it won't blow out Roger's brain circuits.
"Ten years? Oh come on, what are you talking about? That makes no sense."
"You have amnesia," Jerry tells him kindly, but matter-of-factly, trying not to be so sympathetic to the other man's situation that he stops short of telling him the truth.
"Like Rip Van Winkle, who slept for, what was it, 20 years??"
"No, you didn't sleep through ten years. You functioned. You set up a very successful OB/GYN practice and you married....twice."
"I did?"
"Yes. See the lovely woman sitting over there? She's named Bethia and she's your wife. You also have twins, a boy and a girl."
"Jerry, is this a joke? I know how the guys in the frat like to pull jokes on each other......but this one is bizarre."
Jerry rings for a nurse, and when she arrives he asks if she might bring them a calendar. She nods, goes away, and is soon back with one, handing it to him. He opens it to the month of October and shows Roger the date.
"How'd you get a calendar for 2004?!"
"Because it is 2004."
Jerry's face shows confusion and the difficult time he's having accepting this information. "I don't get it. I don't remember...."
"Like I told you, Roger, the bump on your head from the tree falling on your car resulted in amnesia. Wiped out almost ten years of memory."
"Where's Tiffany?" Roger asks, still clinging to the idea that it's pre-1995.
"I have no idea, pal. But the fact is that you never married Tiffany, you married Ruth."
"I thought you said her name was Bethia...."
"Ruth was your first wife. She was murdered a few years ago."
"NO! Good God, man! That must have thrown me!"
"Yes, but you two were on the brink of divorce anyway."
"Still!"
"Yeah, right. Awful. But you bounced back and married Bethia, who is a wonderful woman, loves you deeply and is in great pain over your losing all memory of her."
"Jeeeez, I should think so! But I'm not doing it on purpose."
At that point Beth walks over and smiles down at him, "We're hoping that some therapy can restore your mind. In the meantime I'll be waiting over in the big house on Winding Willow. We have a house down the street from there, but I can't bear to live there without you....."
He takes her hand, "You really do love me, don't you?"
"Very much," she replies.
"OK, then, let's see what the Docs can do with me or for me or to me........I am so sorry to be putting you through this, Bethia......that is your name, isn't it?"
She bursts out crying, "Yes," brings out a photo of them with the twins and hands it to him. He looks at it and remarks, "We make a great looking couple, and those babies are adorable. I'll try, I'll honestly try to remember...."
She wants to kiss him, but is shy to do so since it's like they've just met, at least for him; props the photo up against the phone on his night-stand and gives Jerry and El the signal that it's time to leave.
"We'll be in touch!" Jerry says cheerfully, "Phone if you need anything."
Roger nods as the three visitors leave the room, then turns to the photo and picks it up, examining it carefully. He replaces it, lyes back on the pillow, and wonders where those ten years went and is he ever going to get them back.
EXPOSED!.............by Coralynn
WandaSue grabs up the afternoon paper, and sure enough, the headlines on the front page read "Vince Wells exposed in corruption!"
The rest of the article goes on to tell how he appointed only family and close friends to every post for which the Mayor is given that power, then how the services supposedly contracted were paid almost twice the amount allotted by the town budget. Very clever book-keeping, hidden charges written in as "transportation surtax" and a raft of other items shoe-horned in to look innocent, but in reality siphened off to his cronies.
A small crowd has gathered by the newstand, reading the paper, commenting, shocked, amazed, outraged.
WandaSue grins at them and, as she walks away, tells them cheefully, "Vote for WandaSue Montgomery, you won't be sorry!"
Some of them who recognize her, clap and cheer. The others ask what the deal is, and when told, join in.
"Ah, babydoll," she says softly, "This is your lucky day!"
MEANWHILE:
Penelope Patterson tosses aside the newspaper, "Looks like that skank WandaSue is going to get to be mayor the the town. Vince Wells will be lucky if he isn't tarred and feathered and run out of town. Can you beat that?"
"And here we are on the 'outs' with her." Sally muses.
"Yeah, but she kept stealing your time travel coin, what else were we to do?"
Sally smiles mischievously, "If she doesn't treat us well once she's in office we can always take her to some exotic location and see how she does there...."
"She has to know that, too. Ya know, Sal, we might be able to work this to our advantage. We can get special favors and if she balks we can threaten her......I think that trip to 1692 Salem back a year or two ago scared her pretty badly."
The two conspirators high-five each other as they go out into the kitchen to find something edible, which is a big challenge, as neither of them can cook, not just well, but at all........
LIGHT UP THE SKY...................by Coralynn
WandaSue is in the KitKatt Lounge, placing fliers on the tables when she spies Daniel and a dark-haired young woman huddled together in a booth in the back. What the heck, she thinks, two votes is two votes.
She walks over to where the two of them are sitting almost on the same foot of space, and grins, "Be sure to vote for me!" she tells them cheerily as she hands out her propaganda material.
"Oh yeah, sure.." Daniel obviously isn't in the mood to talk politics. Ahhh well, babydoll, WSue thinks, at least no one can say I don't contact my constituents personally. Wonder who the dame is, though. She sure is a looker!
WandaSue finishes passing out the fliers and leaves the establishment.
"My Dad is very protective of me," Angela is whispering to Daniel, "He ran off several boyfriends last year because they weren't Italian, or Sicilian, to be more exact. Dad wants sons-in-law who will join him in his 'business'......know what I mean?"
"I'm not Italian," Daniel replies, "So what are you doing with me? Is your father going to beat up on me, too?"
"I won't tell him about you, Danny. The less he knows the healthier it is. He doesn't 'beat up' on anyone, at least not in person. If someone gets on his hit list, he has other guys who take care of that. It took my sister Mary ten years to find a guy Dad approved, one who could join the 'family' if you get my meaning."
"Jeeeez, Angela, you're an attractive girl and I really like you, but I'm feeling really squeamish about having to hide the fact that we're dating from your father....."
"He's bound to find out.......he usually puts a tail on me wherever I go...."
"So how is he not going to find out!?" Daniel is beginning to sweat.
"I don't see any of his goons in this place."
"Goons? Goons?"
As he says that they see a burly man they hadn't noticed get up from another booth and walk by them, giving them the once-over as he heads for the door.
Angela giggles, "Whoops!"
"Oh this is just dandy! Now I'm on the endangered species list!" Daniel pushes her over so he can exit the booth. She reaches up and tugs at his arm, "But Danny, the night is young..........and so are we! Listen, someone just put some music on.....let' dance!"
She gets up and proceeds to put him into a dance position, forcefully maneuvering them into the middle of the room which has a very small floor for dancing.
"I've gotta get the hell out of here!" he breaks her hold and heads for the door.
The minute the door opens he knows his worst fears are realized. Great heat envelops him as he looks toward an enormous plume of fire that has somehow materialized in the parking lot. He slams the door shut, sweating and swearing.
"DAMN!"
"What's the problem?" she asks innocently. By now the other patrons have gathered in a bunch by the front windows, looking at the phenomenon in the parking lot. One of them can be heard talking to the 9-1-1 operator, "Yes, the KitKatt Club. A car is on fire.......looks like a Jeep something or other, hard to say, it's melting.........."
"JEEP?!" Daniel rushes out of the place and goes to where he left his vehicle. Sure enough, he remembers it was just to the left of the lightpole in the middle of the lot, and that's where this blaze is lighting up the night sky.
Gotta get out of here, he tells himself over and over. If I stick around, the Goon may decide to wipe me out as well as my Jeep. But how?
A couple he has never seen before ask, "Can we help you?"
"Yeah!" he replies, panic rising in his voice, "I've gotta get home before the guy who did this comes back for me!"
The man and woman look at each other with quizzical expressions, wanting to back out of their offered assistance. The woman makes a 'whatever' face and tells Daniel, "Hurry! We can take you home, but we have to do it NOW!"
"Sounds good to me!" Daniel responds as the three hop into the car the couple drove to the club, and drive off. He tells them his address and they head in that direction, barely pausing at the stop signs, and running a red light. "There it is..." he points to his house.
The car slows but doesn't stop as the man yells, "Get out!"
He gets out and finds himself rolling across the front lawn from the inertia the car had built up. He finally comes to rest below an apple tree that at that very moment decides to shed one of its less desirable children, which comes down and bops the poor fellow right in the face.
"No more!" he yells into the night, "From now on I stay home! And if Angela, the Mob Boss' daughter phones me I'll get an unlisted number."
HOLLY HOLY...by Terri
John woke up to the morning sun streaming into the bedroom window. He woke up and wondered why the blinds were so wide open. Then he realized he was in William's house on Winding Willow. He reached over and the spot next to him was empty.
"Rose? Rose?"
She came out of the adjoining bedroom. She held little Jenna in her arms.
"I've been up for the last half hour. Baby-cakes here needed to be changed and fed."
John flopped back on his pillow and put his hands behind his head. Just then two small life forms jumped on him. Well, one jumped. The other tried to climb up but couldn't quite make it. John heard whimpers of frustration. He reached over and hoisted Julie up by her outstretched arms.
Will gave him a high-five. "I heard you and Mommy decided to have the baby in NEW JERSEY!"
John laughed and said, "And what is wrong with New Jersey, I might ask?"
Will said, "I looked on a map when you and Mommy had gone on vacation and it said it was called the Garden State. I asked Poppy William why they called it that, was there a lot of parks around?"
John said, "Well, I guess there is.."
Will shook his head no. "Poppy William said the reason why it is called the Garden State is because.." he paused as he furrowed his brow to remember the exact wording...." 'Oil and Petrochemical Refinery State doesn't fit on a license plate!' "
John chuckled and said, "Well, we love little Jenna Rose just the same!"
Rose sat on the bed and Will looked over at her. "She sure is tiny! She looks even littler than Julie here did!"
Julie reache over to touch the baby's face. "Bay-bee! Bay-bee!"
Rosamond smiled at her little girl and said, "Yes, Julie! Baby! Now it looks like you will have two little girls to look after, Will!"
Will looked at her closely and then said, "Well, Mommy, you and Daddy have about ten more chances to get me a brother!"
With that he disappeared out of the room.
Rose turned to John and said, "What does he mean, 'ten more chances'? "
John just got a surprised look on his face and said, "Hey, you know kids! Who knows where they get their ideas!"
John and Rose came down for lunch. Celeste said, "Well, good morning--or should I say afternoon?--sleepyheads! I tried to let you sleep as long as I could but Will was champing at the bit to see his new little sister. Looks like Julie is one up on him. Marthy dropped Will off this morning. He and Jack went fishing last night and then he stayed overnight."
Rose said, "I was wondering where he was but in the excitement between the baby and Roger, I figured that was where he was."
John asked, "How is Roger? Any improvement?"
Celeste sat a big bowl of lettuce salad in front of them and then took Jenna from Rosamond.
"No. He does know he has amnesia and lost ten years of his memory. I guess it is kind of like a coma. He still thinks he's at college or med school. Eleanor had Jerry go down there. She called a little bit ago and said he did remember Jerry but he thinks he was at a frat house party the night before and wrecked his car or something."
Rose asked, "Does he remember Bethia at all?"
Celeste shook her head. "He doesn't even remember Ruth Bataglia or her murder."
Rose was anxious."Does he remember being a doctor?"
Celeste shook her head no. "He still thinks he's a med student and he is going out with a woman named Tiffany."
John said, " 'Tiffany'? Jeez Louise, It sounds like a stripper's name!"
Rosamond said, "I wonder if he saw more people from recent if it would trigger his memory?"
Celeste said, "It couldn't hurt. I mean, you were the reason he and Bethia met. Maybe it is like dominos...one thing falls into place and the rest does also."
Rosamond said to John, "Darling? Do you want to see if Roger remembers you and the golf games?"
John said, "It's worth a try. Celeste? Are you up to babysitting?"
Celeste cuddled the baby and said, "Oh, I think so! It will give me time to lavish a little attention on this precious bundle!"
Rose said, "I left some milk in the refrigerator for her and the newborn diapers are on the changing table next to the crib upstairs."
She and John got their coats. They gave Julie a hug and kiss goodbye.
John asked, "Rose? How did you get milk for the baby in the refrigerator?"
She answered, "A breast pump."
"A WHAT?? I never heard of that! I mean, you didn't use that with Julie, did you?"
She said, "No, I didn't have to because I was home all the time. Remember that Billy Bob made me quit working. And I stopped nursing her around six months."
"A breast pump?? What, like a bike pump?" He started to laugh. She got an annoyed look on her face.
"NO! It's electric!"
That made John laugh all the more harder. "I'm sorry! I just have this mental image of you hooked up to one of those milking machines that they use on cows!"
"JOHN! THAT IS NOT ONE BIT FUNNY!"
He tried to straighten up but the more he tried, the harder he laughed.
"OK, OK! I'm fine now!" Then he roared with laugher.
Rose stood there glowering with her arms crossed and said, "I AM NOT AMUSED!"
John opened up the door for her and said with mock seriousness, "You're right, it's not funny....BOSSIE! OW! OW! OW!"
As the door closed, Celeste heard John say, "Well, you didn't have to pinch me...!"
John and Rose took the elevator up to the seventh floor of Westchester Community Hospital. They stopped at the nurses' station.
John asked, "Please, we would like to see Dr. Roger Bidwell. He was admitted with a head trauma injury."
The nurse looked at her charts and said, "He's in Room 704. Down the hall and to the left."
Just then Jerry and Eleanor came down the hall. El ran up to them and hugged Rosamond.
"So! You had the baby! Celeste called me on my cellphone and told me I am an aunt instead of an uncle! How wonderful! What's her name?"
John said proudly, "Jenna Rose Gwinnett."
El said, "Jenna Rose. I like it!"
Jerry grabbed John's arm and said in a whisper, "Is it really true she was born in New Jersey?"
El grabbed him by the arm and squeezed.
"OW! What?! What did I say that was so wrong?"
Eleanor hissed back, "It's not like a birth defect, Jerry!"
To divert attention away from the unfortunate place of birth of her little baby, Rosamond said, "How is Roger?"
Jerry said, "Physically he is fine." Then he tapped his head. "But he's a little muddled up here."
John said, "Stuck in the 90's huh?"
Jerry nodded. "He seems to be looking for Tiffany Winthrop. She was his main squeeze all through med school. We thought they would end up together but Tiffany thought she was something special. Just what we don't know. She was a health fanatic and I think she took one too many herbs."
Rose said, "Does he remember you, Jerry?"
Jerry nodded. "Yeah. He thinks we were at a frat house party the night before. Now granted, we've held each other's head over the bowl when one of us overindulged. But this is beyond me. We told him he was married to Bethia now but he's having a hard time grasping it. Damn! And with those babies, too!"
John said, "Where is Bethia now?"
Eleanor said, "We sent her down to the cafeteria to get something to eat."
Rose wrung her hands. "Oh, my poor Bethie! She didn't need this!"
John said, "Can Rose and I go in to see him?"
Jerry said, "Sure. We just came out for a drink of water. Come on...maybe between the four of us we can jog his memory. The doctor's said anything could trigger the memory at any moment."
Jerry opened the door and said, "Hey, Roger! I brought some company for you!"
Rose and John stepped in. Roger got a look of instant recognition on his face and smirked, "Well, well! As I live and breathe! Holly Harwood! Of the Kentucky Harwoods! And what brings you to this neck of the woods, Miss Harwood?"
Rosamond said, "Holly Harwood?"
Jerry got a look of panic on his face and propelled John and Rose out of the room. He started to sweat bullets.
"Why don't we all go down for coffee?"
El said, "Why, Jerry? Rose and John just got here and they want to see if they can help Roger."
John said, "He seems to think Rose is this Holly Harwood."
Eleanor tapped her foot. "Well, who is she?"
Jerry mopped his face and said, "Damned if I know!"
El said dubiously, "Uh huh."
Bethia went home to rest and take care of her little twins. Eleanor sent Jerry and John to get a pizza because she declared the food inedible in the cafeteria. As they left, El grabbed Rosamond by the arm and said, "OK. Now to find out who Holly Harwood is and why Jerry is so cagey about her!"
Rose balked at that. "But, Eleanor! Isn't that taking advantage of someone who is not well? I mean, is that like abusing a person not in their right mental faculties?"
Eleanor said impatiently, "Oh, Rose! Roger isn't mental! He just can't remember--yet.
Come on! It's now or never!"
Rose stood there and said, "I don't believe it! The great Eleanor of Aquitaine is jealous--and over someone she doesn't even know!"
Eleanor said, "Don't be ridiculous!" She steered Rosamond to Room 704. Rose went in hesitantly.
Roger looked up with a sardonic look on his face. "Holly, what do you want? You've caused enough trouble for everyone, haven't you?"
Eleanor said, "Roger, this isn't Holly Harwood. This is Rosamond Gwinnett. She's John's wife."
"Holly changed her name and married this John guy, then. Because that is Holly Harwood. Sure as I'm lying in this hospital bed!"
El took his hand and said, "What did Holly do that was so bad, Roger?"
Roger looked at Rose with a cynical smile and said, "What didn't she do?"
Rose stood there bewildered. "I'm not her. I never heard of her."
Roger looked to Eleanor again. "Really? Because she is a dead ringer for Holly. That little tramp!"
Rose said, "What did she do that was so awful?"
Roger lay back and said, "She broke Jerry Palmer's heart. That's all. Just took it and stomped it into little pieces. Happy now?"
SOME YA WIN, SOME YA DON'T.........by Coralynn
WandaSue is holding the last rally before the election. This is it, babydoll! she thinks as she loosk out over the crowd, which is so large it's spilling out into the parking lot. She's hoping the Clintons will show up; she phoned them to see if they'd speak at the rally, but only got their answering machine, upon which she left her request. That would be a coup! she thinks, but would they want to be associated with the likes of me? Hell, why not? I'm better than that crook Vince Wells!
The guy in charge of the sound system tests the mike, which, as usual with mikes, makes a screeching sound before it's adjusted propertly. That sound causes the attendees to quiet down and look at the stage, where Wanda Sue is approacing the microphone, a huge smile on her face.
"Welcome! I'm gratified to see such a large, supportive group!" she says loudly, happy that she was able to say 'gratified' without stumbling. She spent quite a few minutes earlier in the day practicing, after all.
She sees the Clintons enter the building and waves at them. "Up here!" she encourages them.
They make their way to the stage and no sooner have both feet on it than WandaSue hugs them warmly, which results in many flashbulbs going off to capture the moment. "Can you speak at my rally?" she asks, hopefully.
"We'll say a few words," Hillary tells her, still unsure whether or not it's a good career move to be speaking at a rally for someone so obviously unqualified for the job of mayor, but..........anybody's better than Vince Wells.
WandaSue steps back from the mike and Hillary and Bill position themselves behind it.
"Vote for WandaSue Montgomery," Hillary states simply.
"Get rid of that four-flusher, Vince Wells!" Bill adds.
WandaSue was expecting more of an endorsement so she's disappointed to see the Clintons exiting the stage, then leaving the building by a side door.
Pretending they indeed gave her their unqualified support, she says to the crowd, "You heard them, folks. Vote for me, and let's kick Vince Wells out to the sidewalk with the trash, where he belongs!"
Wild cheering. WandaSue then goes on to recount all of Wells' crimes, just in case the people didn't read about them in the newspaper, reminding them of the gravity of his misdemeanors even if they did.
The crowd is receptive and WandaSue is riding high!
MEANWHILE:
"Maybe we should have rented that office on Delaware avenue!" Holly gripes to Tiffany as they sit in their office on Hertel Ave., with no customers entering in the four hours they've been in business.
"The rent on that street was four times what we're paying here," Tiffany reminds her.
"Yeah, but actual people walk up and down that street! This place looks like a ghosttown!"
"Let's give it a little longer. If no one comes in by 5 o'clock this afternoon, we'll hatch another plan," Tiffany decides to compromise with her partner in crime, who seems to dwell on the negative side of things.
They see a woman reading the sign in the window, shrugging, then walking away.
"Maybe we didn't make our Travel Agency sound swank enough," Holly suggests.
"Oh contrare! I think a sign saying 'Visit all the castles in Europe! Guided tour!' is plenty swank enough. We've even put on there that the whole tour is wheel chair accessible."
"Is it?"
"Of course not! Look, Holly, as you well know, we have no intentions of taking anybody anywhere! These common folk have no idea that Europe is neigh on to impossible to navigate without two good legs beneath you."
"And the part about going to Paris restaurants that cater to the Atkins diet...."
"There are a lot of people who've never been out of Buffalo! How could they know that's bull?"
"But if they've never traveled out of town, why would they suddenly decide to do it now......with us?"
"Holly, Holly, Holly! You over-estimate people's intelligence! Naming our Travel Agency the Heart Throb Agency where True Love is just a Continent Away is going to drag them in here in droves."
"I don't see 'droves' yet, Tiff! But, OK, let's give it till 5!"
HOLLY WHO??........by Terri
"Broke his heart? I never even heard Jerry mention her before!" Eleanor said.
Roger said, "Really! That's odd! Since he was with her for five years!"
Eleanor was shocked. "Five years! All he did once is mention an ex-wife. Think her name was Sherri. Not a word about this Holly person."
Roger said, "Well, sometimes the wounds run too deep. He hardly talked about Holly even to me when they broke up. Or rather when Holly split on him."
Eleanor sat there and said, "So what was the deal with them?"
Roger said, "Holly came from money. Her family owned lots of land in Kentucky. Not the hills. Around Louisville. They had a horse-breeding farm. Sent quite a few horses to the Derby over the years. Anyhow, Holly was always looking for excitement. She and Tiffany Winthrop were always looking for new ways of getting money without working. They were pampered and spoiled."
Eleanor felt a twinge of jealousy. "What did she look like?"
Roger pointed to Rosamond and said, "That one. I am surprised that Jerry didn't make a play for her since she looks so much like her"--nodding to indicate Rosamond--"because he was so crazy in love with Holly and she just about destroyed him. She just came home one day, packed her stuff and said, 'thanks for the buggy ride, Jerry!' "
Rosamond said, "Jerry never mentioned her. Like you never told Bethia about this Tiffany."
Roger said, "I am sure Beth is a wonderful wife. I just wish I could remember."
Rosamond said, "Roger, don't you remember I was responsible for you meeting Bethia? I came to see you when I was pregnant with Julie. And you were my OB when I was expecting my next one."
Roger said, "And what happened? Did I deliver the baby?"
Rose said, "Well, no. You heard I was in labor at the Jersey shore and were on your way to deliver my baby when you heard John and I were stranded at the shore. That's when the tree fell on your car."
Roger said, "So what happened to the baby? Did you make it to the hospital?"
Rose said, "Well....no. John had to deliver the baby by candlelight in the middle of the night at the beach house in New Jersey."
Roger leaned back and put his hands behind his head. "Wow! That's really heavy! But hey! Your baby was born in New Jersey! What a beautiful place!"
Rose and Eleanor looked at each other incredulously. Then Eleanor blurted out, "Oh boy! Now I KNOW he's got amnesia!"
PLAN B...........by Coralynn
"OK, Tiff, we have ten minutes to go till we dump this project."
"I know. You were right, Holly. The only person who came in here was that guy who said the airline lost his luggage and thought we had it."
"At least it was something! Especially when he started dismantling the room and we had to have the cops drag him out of here...."
Tiffany laughs, "I'm losing my enthusiasm for this whole scheme, so let's call it a day and start on something else, something more fun than sitting in an office all day long."
"And a new location! Not just another street........another town! This one is dullsville! I have an idea......it's been playing around in the back of my mind....." Holly pauses.....
Tiffany is glad to hear that Holly has an idea because that way she won't be as pessimistic as she's been lately. "What is it?"
"Well, you know how I grew up in horse country and my family had thoroughbreds and we won the Derby and the Preakness...."
"Right! Right! Must have been great."
"It was. I miss the old days, so my idea is that we build a racetrack somewhere, set up betting and rake it in bigtime."
"I love it!" Tiffany exclaims, "where?"
"Some place with rolling hills, rich people, not far from a major city....."
"Westchester County. Bingo!" Tiffany breaks in.
"Exactly!"
"Is horse race betting legal in New York state?"
"Must be! They bet at the Belmont, that's a given. So why not at our track, the 'Westchester Track'?"
"You know, Holly, this could just work out. What fun we could have, too. What town would be good? I'm not familiar with all the towns in that county........"
Holly sits and mulls it over, then gets a smile on her face, "What's the name of that town Bill Clinton lives in now?"
"Uhhhhhhhhh, starts with a 'C'......."
"Let's go back to the hotel, get out your laptop and Google it. That's the town we're headed for next!"
Tiffany and Holly gather up the signs from the window and the brochures about the travel agency, stuff them into a waste receptacle and bound out of the building
into the bracing fall air.
BARBEQUE, BARZINI STYLE.....by Terri
Jerry and John came into the hospital room with a couple pizzas with everything. And one of them had half of it with just cheese.
Rose stared at it. "What is THAT?"
John took a piece out and handed it to her.
"That is your share of the pizza."
She said, "You have GOT to be kidding! And just where is the sausage? And the onions? And the peppers?"
He said, "Uh uh! Nursing mothers don't get spicy food. Don't want the baby to get an upset stomach, do you?"
Rose stuck her tongue out at John. "Bummer! Roger? Is that really true?"
Roger said, "I think so. I can't really remember. But it stands to reason."
Eleanor took one of the slices with everything on it. "Too bad, Rose. Oooh, this is the best!"
Roger took a big slice and said, "Wow! Demetrio's Pizza! Still the best!"
Jerry said, "Uh, Roger? Demetrio's burned down eight years ago! This is Giovanni's Pizza."
Roger said, "Really?" He shrugged. It was still good.
They tried to make small talk with Roger, dropping things here and there in an effort to prick his memory but to no avail. Rose stood up and then immediately sat down.
"Ooh! I feel light-headed."
John said, "Oh, sweetheart! I'm sorry--you shouldn't even be out. Come on--let's go."
Just then his cellphone rang.
"Yo! What?---calm down...no..you gotta be kidding!...like burnt toast?....no, I am not trying to be funny!....slow down, you aren't making much sense...where was it?...who? do I know her?.....you mean the one that always wears that little spandex sports bra in glittery pink?..."
At this Rose's ears perked up. She gave John a withering look. He shrugged and continued his conversation.
"...what was her name again? Bazooka? Barbarino?...Oh! Barzini! You mean.. not 'the family' Barzini!...Daniel, are you out of your mind?..no, it's just that Moose told me about her...you mean you couldn't figure that out? Being Italian?..Well, what did you think they were into?...'waste management'..yeah. Well it looks like they managed to waste your Jeep!...no, I am NOT making light of it....OK, OK, I'll be there as soon as I drop Rosamond off at William's...hey, we had the baby! Hello? Hello?...
Damn!"
All eyes turned to John. He flipped his cellphone off and said, "Seems Daniel is the result of a Barzini Barbeque. Well done."
THANK YOU, LADIES........by Terri
Subject: Thank you
Date: October 16, 2004
To: CL38911
CC: WelshwenchW
Coralynn and Terri--
All of us at Winding Willow would like to thank you for writing the Story. Without your valuable help, we would never know what is going and it gives us a leg up on what Wanda Sue is up to! The 1643 project was a real experience but we are all glad it is over. We shall be watching the story with interest as we are all very anxious about Roger. Poor Bethia is beside herself. I hate to see her so distraught and I wish you could tell us when he will get better. Of course my crystal ball is having hard-drive problems. It figures, doesn't it?
You should see Rosamond and John's little Jenna Rose. An absolute treasure--too bad about New Jersey but you ladies understand!
William is as feisty as ever, his vegetables are coming in very well.
Robin is assimilating very nicely, Bess is at odds since she and Slim broke up. I hated to see it happen but I could tell it really wasn't a soul-mate match for either of them. They just had to see it for themselves. Sometimes I think she still has a spark for Rafe, dear boy that he is. And making such progress too! And then there is always Daniel..*sigh*
There goes the back door..I think it is Luke and Henry to see the baby. Of course, Henry is hoping I have a cherry pie in the oven. That man can smell bakery goods a mile away!
Ta!
Celeste
"Coralynn? Did you get an email?"
"Hey, Terri! Yes, I did!"
"Wasn't that sweet of Celeste to contact us?"
"Yes. I really wish we could tell her things will be alright with Roger. I guess they have to keep thinking we are just reporting the story instead of the fact that WE are the ones manipulating what is going on!"
"Yes!" Terri is now laughing. "They would just HATE us. They have no idea that they all are springing from our fertile imaginations!"
"Isn't it wonderful, Terri? The day we found each other on the Plantagenet genforum?" Re: Royal lineage//Plantagenet and otherwise and Re: Royal lineage//Plantagenet and otherwise.."
"Oh, I know! This has been the most fun! I remember you asked, 'if you had a cocktail party, who would you invite?' And from there we drew up a guest list and then you wrote a paragraph..."
"And then it was your turn! Then we started out with pages and then chapters. How fortuitous of having a time travel coin. Wasn't it Jane Devlin that suggested it?"
"Terri, it has been so long I forget! Now look at us! We are mapping and planning stories in advance! All these adventures we have! Hard to realize these people aren't real!"
"THEY AREN'T???" Terri is laughing by this time.
"Well, they seem real to us! So I guess in a way they are!"
"Just so they don't read this part of the story about us weaving this tale. Is there a way you can put a block on it?"
"I'm sure there is..I'll just make it a big blank spot and write 'scroll down--technical difficulties.' They will never know!"
"Works for me! I'll get back to writing the story now. Talk to you later, Coralynn!"
"OK Terri--hope you don't lose the power due to the hurricane."
"So far so good! I have to log on and send this to you!"
"Ok--bye!"
JEALOUSY REARS ITS UGLY HEAD.....by Terri
John opened up the door for Rosamond and extended his hand to help her out of the car. She smiled and said, "John, you are just so good to me!"
"Come on, honey. Let's go see the baby!"
They opened up the kitchen door and said, "Where is everyone?"
"In here." Robin's voice.
John mentally gritted his teeth. When they walked into the living room, Robin and Bess were sitting on the couch with William and Celeste. Robin was holding the baby.
Robin looked up and said, "She's just beautiful, Rosamond! You did a good job!"
John strode over and took the baby from Robin. "Yes, she is. I delivered our baby. And she looks just like MY side of the family."
He held the baby close to him. The gesture was not noticed by anyone but Rosamond. She bit her lip.
Robin smiled at Rosamond. "I'm sorry you had to have her through precarious conditions. But you came through like a trooper! That's my girl!"
John did a slow burn. He said with great control, "Rosamond? Why don't we take the baby back home so you can get some rest?"
Bess protested, "Oh no, John! You all can stay here, can't you? For just a few days at least? That way we get to play with the baby!"
Rosamond said, "John? It would be better. That way I can have help with Julie and Will. I'm so tired as it is. And you have to meet Daniel, don't you?"
John sighed and said, "Alright. Why don't we go upstairs to our old room? That way you can get some rest--some peace and quiet. Alone. Will you all excuse us?"
He took the baby and Rosamond turned a questioning eye to Celeste. She could only pat her and say, "Go ahead. I'll take care of the children."
They went into their old room and Rosamond laid down on the bed. John put the baby in the crib. She was sleeping. He covered her up with a blanket and then turned to Rose. She was sound asleep too. He stroked the hair back from her face and covered her up with a blanket. He turned the light off and went downstairs.
Robin sat at the table with William, sharing a cup of coffee and laughing. John frowned slightly. Wasn't he...well, wasn't William like his...oh, never mind! John grabbed his jacket (which really was Billy Bob's but we won't mention it!) and grabbed his car keys.
Robin looked up and smiled. "That is one beautiful little baby, John. I really envy you. You have what I want."
John stopped in the middle of putting on his jacket. "WHAT?"
Robin said, "You have a family. A wife who loves you and wonderful children and a beautiful home. A successful business."
John finished putting on his jacket and said, "Oh. Yeah. Well, what about that main squeeze you left behind?"
"Main squeeze?"
"Yeah. Maid somebody or other."
"Oh. Marian. She's OK--pretty bossy though. She can kill a man at ten paces with one blow of her tongue!"
William and Robin both burst out laughing in camaraderie. John said, "Later. I've got a barbeque to squelch."
William said, "In October?"
But it was too late. John was out the door and burned out into the street.
PLAYING THE ANGLES........by Coralynn
Penelope and Sally are watching local TV news, which is expounding how WandaSue Montgomery has run the most successful campaign they've seen in decades. "Yes!" the Joyce Hough exclaims, "You would think she was born into a political family the way she's gone after Vince Wells, pretty much castrating him...."
Mark Malone winches, "Do you have to use such graphic language, Joyce?"
"Well, hasn't she? She dug up the goods on the corruption of his administration....."
"Hey, maybe being a Montgomery helped!" Mark is eager to veer away from the castration scenario, "Isn't her father-in-law a United States senator?"
"Yes, as a matter of fact. However, she and her husband, William Robert Montgomery, have been separated for a number of years."
"But not divorced," Mark muses, "I wonder why that is??"
"Whatever. It looks like she's going to run away with the election for mayor.........when we come back, how to neuter your dog at home....." (Mark winces again).
"So she gets to be mayor! We need to put her back into our good graces, but how?" Penny wonders aloud.
"We have the coin, and we know how she covets it. Maybe we oughta phone her up and tell her that we're 'on her side.'"
"Like she can't see through that like a window!" Penny reaches for the phone just the same. It rings several times before she hears a female voice on the other end respond, "Montgomery campaign headquarters, Kelly Kellogg speaking."
"May I please speak with WandaSue?" Penny asks.
"Who shall I say is calling?" Kelly asks.
"Penelope Patterson, a friend. She'll want to speak to me." Penny hopes.
"Just a moment....." she hears, then after a couple minutes silence, Kelly's voice returns, "She says she's never heard of you before. Sorry."
*CLICK*
"Never hard of me! Oh she'll be sorry for that one!"
"How are you going to make her sorry?"
"Let's see," Penny responds, a smile playing around her mouth, "what if perchance she comes up missing on election day? or on her inauguration day if they have inagurations for mayors."
"I get it!" Sally laughs, "The coin!"
"Exactamundo!" Penny replies victoriously.
MEANWHILE:
Tiffany and Holly toss their luggage into the rental SUV and strap the overflow onto the roof.
"Now to find a base of operations," Tiffany suggests, "I think we oughta rent an apartment at least. We're going to be here quite a long time, especially if we get the zoning for a racetrack pushed through. We can't be living out of a hotel. That would make us look too transient."
"We could buy a house!" Holly gets on a roll, "We each have millions in our trust funds."
"If things go as I hope, we can buy a house later. Become upstanding members of the community!"
"Yeah! They'll never suspect a thing!" Holly jumps behind the wheel of the vehicle as Tiffany slams the passenger door shut.
"Onward, mon capitaine!" Tiffany exclaims, "and watch out, citizens, we're here to sheer you like a sheep!"
The SUV heads up the interestate to the target town, the one that begins with a "C."
SMOKIN"!!......by Terri
John pulled into the fitness center and parked his car. As he looked over, he saw a burning mass of metal. It was still smoking. He stood there in amazement. Daniel zipped up his jacket and put his hands in his pockets. John turned to him and raised his eyebrow in question. Daniel shrugged his shoulders.
"I had it towed here. Where else was I supposed to take it? I couldn't very well leave it in the parking lot of the KitKatt club, could I?"
John turned to Daniel and said, "That dive? What were you doing there?"
Daniel said, "I was...meeting someone."
John said, "Oh, Little Miss Spandex? The one that looked like Sophia Loren?"
"Who? Sophia--Is she the one who comes in with the blue bike shorts?"
"No. Never mind. Daniel, just how the HELL did you get your Jeep burned?"
Daniel ran his fingers through his hair and muttered, "It all seemed so innocent..."
John put his arm around his brother's shoulder and said, "OK, let's go inside the office and have a talk."
They settled in the office. John stuck his head out and said to Rafe, "No phone calls or interruptions for the next half hour, OK, Rafe?"
Rafe gave him a salute. John sat down and leaned back. "OK. Start at the beginning."
Daniel exhaled loudly. "I started talking to Angela---that girl with the pink top--and she wanted to meet me for drinks. Well, I did. We talked. I liked her. Then she asked me to dinner. Turns out that girl's father owns the Salt Rock Oyster Bar. You know the one over by the pier on Long Island Sound? We went there--Rafe, Hots, Slim and me--right after your rehearsal dinner. Good food. Anyways, she takes me to the Blue Iguana for dinner. She pays. Hell, John! She pays for everything! One thing kind of lead to another. But only for a little while."
John looked at his brother. Daniel blurted out, "Hell, John! I'm not a monk! And you got the girl I wanted in the end. So why shouldn't I have some fun?"
John said, "Continue."
"OK--so I am seeing her for a couple weeks. But she starts getting possessive. Calling me.."
RING!
Daniel picked up his cellphone and looked at the number. He shut his phone off.
"..and wanting to meet me. Calling me all the time. Acting like we are a couple or something. So I go to meet her at the KitKatt Club. I am going to tell her I think we should cool it. I mean, she's practically sitting on my lap! We ran into Wanda Sue Montgomery there passing out flyers."
"Get back to it, Daniel. What happened?"
"She's telling me that her father scrutinizes every guy she goes out with. Talking about how her father wants the guy she marries to go into 'the business'. Now here I am thinking she means managing the Salt Rock Grill or something like that. Then I hear the word 'goons' and I know I am in trouble. It's starting to dawn on me..Sicilian, Italian, 'family business'..."
John said cynically, "The name itself should have given it away. 'Barzini'. His name was mentioned in the papers not too long ago. There was an investigation into money laundering. Came up with nothing. Kind of like that John Gotti guy. 'Teflon'. Nothing sticks to them."
"Thanks alot, John. Last thing I need now is a lecture. Anyways, I'm thinking at this point I gotta bail. But she's all over me like a remora. I see some gorilla walk past us. He looks at me and I get this weird feeling. He goes outside. The next thing I know...FLAME UP! Police investigators said it was an incediary device. Sucker blew sky high."
John said, "You have full coverage on it, don't you?"
Daniel nodded. "That was the one piece of advice William gave me that I heeded. 'Always get full coverage' he said. Got a problem now, though."
"What's that?"
"I'm being stalked."
John sighed. Figures. And doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out who...
John said, "Don't worry about Ranger. He'll be fine."
"How can you be so certain?"
"Daniel, he's a Newfoundland. That would have to be a helluva pot!"
Daniel sat down. His phone rang. He looked at the number, groaned, shut it off and put it down on the desk.
John said, "That her?"
Daniel nodded glumly. "She's relentless. Calls me ten, twenty tiimes a day. I haven't been out with her or--anything----for the last three weeks and she doesn't seem to get the message. You remember Mehitable Glover?"
"Mehitable? Sure. Elias' daughter. What about her?"
"Remember how she used to follow me? Used to show up in the field and waited outside the tavern for me?"
John said cynically, "That one backfired on you. She accused you of being the father of her child. Was it true?"
Daniel said, "Who the hell knows or cares? John, that was about 350 years.
Besides, I never did believe her. Anyways, this Angela is tenacious. She makes Mehitable look like a puppy."
"How are you going to deal with this?"
"Ignore it. Eventually she will find some guy with the name of Tataglia or Corleone and she will raise a passel of Sicilian rug rats or whatever she is and that will be the end of it. Now, I've got a client. This guy is trying to knock off about 50 lbs. I have my work cut out for me on this one."
As Daniel closed the office door, John sat there and looked after his brother thoughfully. Daniel, Daniel....! You and the ladies....
John picked up Daniel's phone and saw that he had ten voicemails. He thought, may as well listen....Daniel will never know.
John punched in #86 and listened.
"Hey, honey! It's me! I have tickets to the opera tonight. Wear a tux! What time will you pick me up?"
BEEP!
"Sweetheart? Give me a call--we can go to dinner before the opera."
BEEP!
"Darling, should I wear my red dress? Or a basic black? Which would you prefer?"
BEEP!
"Daniel, love, I wish you would call me back soon. I need to know if you want champagne or wine sent to our table? I thought we would go to Chez Pierre..."
BEEP!
"Daniel? I'm getting a little annoyed at these games you are playing. I really need you to call me. I love you."
BEEP!
"Daniel? It is now 3:00 PM. Why haven't you called me yet? I'm getting a little upset with this. Call me."
BEEP!
"Daniel! Where are you? I don't know why you are doing this to me! Don't you love me anymore?"
BEEP!
"Daniel? Honey? What have I done to make you upset? Please! Whatever it is, I'm sorry!"
BEEP!
"Daniel?" Crying was heard. "Daniel? Please! I'll do whatever you want me to! I love you! I need you!"
BEEP!
"DARLING! WHY HAVEN'T YOU CALLED ME? PLEASE! I CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT YOU! IF YOU LEAVE ME, I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WILL DO! I LOVE YOU! ONLY YOU! JUST DON'T LEAVE ME! I CAN'T BEAR IT! I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WILL DO.."
BEEP!
John sat there disturbed. He had a bad feeling about this. Definitely bunny boiler material.
Oh, Daniel! What the heck have you gotten involved with?
NEW IN TOWN??...........by Coralynn
Tiffany and Holly have arrived in Chappaqua and are driving around getting the lay of the land.
"Which house do the Clintons live in?" Holly keeps asking.
"I'm not sure, Hol. Right now I just want to figure out what tactics will work the best here. There's a luxury condo place just outside town......I wonder if they rent them out. Let's scope out the downtown...."
"Not much of a downtown, Tiff, this looks more like a bedroom community! Oh, just a minute, what's with the big group of people over there? See? They're carrying signs."
Holly slows the SUV, then pulls over to the side of the street to get a closer look.
"Vote......for Wand...da....sue...." Holly tries to make out what the signs say, which is difficult, as they continue to be waved around enthusiastically.
"They must be having an election. Hmmm, for.......mayor! That's what it says. Somebody named WandaSue is running for mayor. If she wins, this may make our job easier, female solidarity and all that."
Holly puts the vehicle in 'drive' to move on, but pauses as she sees a woman emerge from the crowd, loudly yelling out, "Thank you!" over and over. She turns off the engine altogether.
"That has to be her...." Tiff remarks.
"OK, let's remember her name because when she's elected mayor, if she is, we'll need her!"
"Let's see if we can rent one of those nice condos, get a local paper, and figure out what the deal IS in this town, Holly."
"Right!" Holly starts the car and they pull out, heading for the condo complex outside town.
MEANWHILE:
James Philbrook Livingston drinks the rest of his coffee, glancing from time to time across the room at David, who is sitting on the couch picking his nose.
"For God's sake, David! Stop that!" he yells.
"Well, what else is there to do? Now that Michelangelo has gone back to his own time, now that I'm here for good, I don't know what to do with myself. You don't do much.......you just spend time on that computer buying stuff on what's the name of that place...?"
"Ebay! Look around you, see all the great finds I got from there? I must have saved a mint!"
"But I heard you were rich. What do the rich do in this place and time?"
"Looking for something to do are you? Well," he sighs loudly, "You could get a job."
"A job??"
"Sure! after the election for Mayor, go to wherever it is WandaSue Montgomery is, some office or other, we'll find out where, and ask for a job."
"Doing what?"
Jim hasn't had his daily dose of mind-altering substances yet and is grouchy, "You could stand still in the lobby and pretend you're the statue of David!" he laughs, then laughs some more, laughs so hard he can't stop; decides he needs a hit, goes in his bedroom and downs several pills along with other things.
Taking a deep breath, he rejoins his depressed housemate, "There! That's better! Now, what were you just telling me?" as his eyes begin to glaze over.
OPEN MOUTH..INSERT FOOT,HENRY!...by Terri
Henry and Luke came stomping up the back steps as Celeste was taking a pie out of the oven. Cherry pie. Henry sniffed appreciatively.
"Pie, anyone?" Celeste said as her knife was poised in mid-air.
Luke said, "We came over to see the latest addition to the family. Marilyn came over and told us about the rocky entry the little lady made into the world. And I wrote her a special lullaby. Just like I did for Julie Beth and Adam and Bridget."
Henry already had a fork in his hand and a plate. He said, "Heard she is of the female persuasion."
William came in and looked at Henry as he stuffed a piece of pie in his face. William frowned. "And just what is wrong with that?"
"MFFFPH!"
Willliam said patiently, "Swallow, Henry. Don't talk with your mouth full."
Henry swallowed and said, "I just wondered what is with these women that they can't pop out a male?"
Marilyn came in the room and said, "Are you daft, Henry? Everyone knows that a man determines the sex of the baby! It is an XY or an XX chromosome."
Henry said, "HA!"
Luke said, "No, Henry, I do believe it is true. I read it in a magazine."
Henry blustered, "Not true! Look at me! I am a lusty, robust man! And all I had were two daughters and a sickly son! Nay, it was not MY fault! I had a few born on the wrong side of the blanket! Look at Henry Fitzroy! I made him Duke of Richmond! There were a few more but I can't remember their names. Anyhow, if they didn't produce, I---" and with that Henry made a slicing motion across his neck. "Either that or I divorced them. What a mess Katherine left me in!"
Marilyn thumped him in the head. "You are SUCH a weiner, Henry! No wonder Rosamond started screaming she was with child!"
Henry took another forkful of cherry pie and crammed it into his mouth. "Yeah, I sure would have hated to cut Rosamond's head off. Alas! It was not meant to be! I guess the Fates were watching over her."
Just then Rosamond came downstairs with a tiny pink bundle. She was trailed by Julie who dragged her own pink blanket and teddy bear.
"Did I hear someone wants to cut my head off?"
Henry said after swallowing, "Nothing personal, Rose my dear! But you know how it was around Hever castle! Produce or get out! And sometimes they just wouldn't go!"
Rosamond eased herself down in the chair slowly. "I wouldn't trade these precious bundles for anything, Henry. And let's face it--on your best day you could never father little girls like these!"
Luke bent over the blanket and carefully pulled it back. "Oh my!"
Henry waved his fork. "It is a girl! Rosamond, when are you going to have another strapping lad for dear John? Does not the man deserve a progeny of his own?"
Rose said indignantly, "What are you talking about? John could not love Will any more than if he was his own! And he is known by Will GWINNETT! I really can't believe you said that, Henry!"
Luke frowned. "Neither can I." He turned to Rosamond. "She is a beautiful little doll! Look at that beautiful dark hair and those eyes! She has the coloring of you-know-who." He motioned with his head to Henry.
Rosamond raised her eyebrows in question. Luke drew a slicing motion across his throat, and flashed her a number 2 with his fingers. Rosamond nodded in understanding.
Luke whispered, "Dark hair. Dark eyes. But she doesn't have six fingers, does she?"
Rose shook her head no.
Luke whispered, "Any Boleyn descendants?"
Rose whispered back, "Not that I know of!"
Henry put his fork down and said, "Very well. Let me see the lassie if it will make all of you happy. Although you would be hard-pressed to outdo the beauty of little Julie!"
Henry looked over at the little pink bundle Rose had cuddled as she drew the blanket back. Just then Jenna opened her small rosebud mouth and gave out a yawn. She was scrunched up and both her hands were little fists on either side of her head.
Henry melted and said, "Oh! What a beautiful child, Rosamond!"
Rose said,"She looks like Megaera. Same coloring. Same little heart shaped face."
Henry held his hands out. "May I?"
Rose handed the baby to him. He looked at her and whispered, "Hello, darling! Uncle Hal will tell you how to keep your head when all those around you are losing theirs..."
The rest of them looked around and grinned. Because Henry was smitten once again. By a little lady weighing exactly five pounds five ounces.
THIS IS HOME?....by Coralynn
Tiffany and Holly pull into the parking lot of Camelot Condos.
Holly wrinkles her nose, "This place looked better in the ad, Tiff!"
"They always do! But the ad said there are a few furnished condos, which we really need. I'm not too wild about all the Knights of the Roundtable stuff they have sitting in the courtyard, but....at least it's within striking distance of town. Come on, let's give it a look."
They enter an office in which a very proper looking woman is sitting, her hair in a French twist without one hair out of place, her nails painted with nary a chip. She looks up and smiles, "May I help you?"
"We'd like to rent a furnished condo," Tiffany tells her, "Do you have vacancies.....Ms. Young?" she reads the name from the plaque.
"We have one left," Ms. Young stands and her clothes fall into perfect alingnment, not one wrinkle marring the perfection that is this person. She reaches out one elegant hand and takes a ring of keys, all golden shiny keys on a ring that looks like platinum....and walks to the door. Tiff and Holly follow her, this vision who has perfect posture on top of everything else. They look at each other and shrug.
Ms. Young unlocks the door to a condo and it swings open like she'd uttered a magic word. The three step inside.
Ms. Young, who is very sensitive to her client's needs, steps into another room so that Tiff and Holly can discuss what they see.
"It could be more elegant, Tiff!"
"But this is the only game in town, Hol! It's not so bad, at least it's clean. Immaculate, actually. Let's take it."
"Wellll, ok, but it isn't up to the way we're used to living..."
"It's presentable, it's clean, it doesn't have to look like Donald Trump is going to come waltzing out of the bedroom...."
"Euuuuu, Tiff!" Holly laughs.
Ms. Young notices a lull in the conversation and re-enters the room. "Have you decided? Perhaps you'd like to see the rest."
They walk into the kitchen, the dining room, the bedrooms, and all is just fine, it's just not dripping wealth.
"We'll take it!" Tiffany says decisively, as they follow Ms. Young back out, then into the office again, which has a small golden plaque on the door engraved 'office'....not one of those big white gaudy signs hanging over the door. Tiff and Hol notice little things like this, and it reassures them that this is not going to be tacky.
They sign papers, write checks, then Holly gets up her nerve and asks, "What class of people do you have living here?"
Tiffany wants to kick her, but just smiles wanly.
Ms. Young puts on her official smile and answers, "I beg your pardon."
Tiffany begins to chuckle, gives Holly a sharp look and starts for the door. Holly follows, looking back over her shoulder at Ms. Young who is sitting in her chair, the elegant brocaded chair, ranrod straight posture, perfect hair, makeup, nails, even her voice is mellifluous as she answers the phone...."Camelot Condos...." which is the last thing they hear before the door closes behind them......with a soft, tasteful click.
MOVIN' IN...........by Coralynn
Tiffany and Holly move the last suitcase into the condo and flop on the couch.
"Gotta put all this stuff away, and..........send out to a grocery store; have them deliver some food," Holly suggests.
"Do they have any grociers around here that deliver?" Tiffany is dubious.
"Sure! You pay them enough, they do everything but kiss your..........."
Something catches their eye outside and they go to the window to see what's going on with the long black limo outside. "Whew! Not too shabby, but personally I dislike black....makes it look like a hearse or a getaway car!" Holly quips as they keep watching the car.
It takes a few minutes, but finally they see Ms. Young exit her office and walk toward the car, an elegant fur coat slung over her arm. She is met by a middle aged man, short, stocky, dark complexioned, who makes a great deal of ceremony out of opening the back door for her to enter the car.
"Limo driver? Chauffer?" Holly wonders aloud.
"Can't be......he's not wearing a uniform. Nope, that must be her boyfriend, see how they're greeting each other?"
"I don't think I could kiss a pig like him!" Holly exclaims, "He looks like a Mafia type."
"Well, considering Ms. Young dresses like she has access to very expensive stores, how do you think she does that on the pittance they must pay her for renting out condos? I've never heard of anybody getting rich doing that!"
"Oh he's her sugar daddy, alright! Now, Tiff, if we could just figure out who he is........."
"What?"
"We could blackmail him!" Holly is getting enthusiastic.
"You want to blackmail a Mafia guy?"
"He just looks like one, that doesn't mean he is. I mean, a lot of neuvo riche people think that the height of good taste is a block-long black Caddy limo. Tacky, tacky, tacky! But they think they're being elegant."
"Maybe we can nose around and find out more...." Tiffany's mind is beginning to consider the idea. "Tell ya, Hol, a nice big multi-million dollar check would beat the pants off us building a race track."
"Let's see what we can do........there must be a way to figure this all out. How's about we get Ms. Young, who has to have a first name after all, palsy walsy up with her and invite her over, get her drunk as a skunk and see if she'll spill the beans."
Tiffany laughs and lugs one of the suitcases toward one of the bedrooms, "Any preference?" she calls over her shoulder.
"Nope! Surprise me!"
SHADOW OF A LEXUS.....by Terri
Daniel came back into the office an hour later, sweating.
"This is going to be one tough monkey! He wants to lose 50 lbs in a month for a wedding he's going to be in. I told him he would have to lose it gradually. The most he could hope for is 10 lbs in the next four weeks."
John sat there, tapping his pencil and not saying anything. Daniel saw his cellphone and said, "Oh, there it is! I thought I put it in my locker. I think I'm going to clock out now, John. I am beat."
John said, "Think I am going home myself. Celeste will have dinner ready..."
"Celeste? You staying over there?"
John said, "Well, after the vacation we had..."
"But you rested at the shore. You should be relaxed."
John looked puzzled at him. "Didn't you know?"
"Know what?"
"Rosamond had the baby!"
"WHAT? When?"
John said, "She went into labor during the nor'easter. We were stranded. I delivered the baby myself."
"No kidding! How is Rose doing?"
"Fine. Tired. The labor was 90 minutes from start to finish."
"Wow! No kidding! So when do I get to see John Jr.?"
"Uh...Daniel, we had a girl."
Daniel burst out laughing. "A girl? Another one? Why didn't you have a boy like you planned?"
John snapped, "It doesn't work that way!"
Daniel tried to straighten up but the more he did, the more he started to laugh.
"Oh, yeah, John! Big man! Thought all along you were gonna have a boy! Joke's on you!"
John said, "If you saw her, you wouldn't say that!"
Daniel said, "OK, no joking. I know you love her. Who does she look like?"
"She looks like a Stafford, believe it or not! She is a xerox of Cecily."
"Cec? Just like her? Wow! Must be a little knock-out!"
John grinned. "She is. How can one guy be so lucky? One that looks like Cecily, one that looks like Rosamond."
Daniel said, "I'll get over there tomorrow to see them. Haven't seen Julie in a while."
John looked at him suspiciously but Daniel stood up and said, "I'm out of here."
John said, "You going home?"
"Home and turning the lights off and unplugging the phone. Moose said he'd give me a lift home. Want to go carshopping with me tomorrow? Gotta get a new set of wheels."
"Sure. See you then."
Moose appeared in the door and said, "Ready, Daniel?"
"Ready when you are, Moose!"
John turned the gym over to Slim to lock up at 9:00. He looked at his watch. Six o'clock. Celeste promised meatloaf and mashed potatoes. He grabbed his jacket and walked outside. Getting cold out. Fall is definitely here. He zipped up the jacket and got into his Corvette.
He didn't see the Lexus in the corner of the parking lot. He didn't see the dark-haired woman behind the wheel. Watching. And waiting.
As he pulled out of the parking lot, he also didn't see the Lexus start up. And fall right behind him. Following.
I SPY...a FAMILY?...by Terri
John pulled into the driveway at Winding Willow. Will was outside jumping into the leaves that William had raked in a pile. Will had on his Yankees jacket and his ballcap. John closed the car door and walked towards Will.
"DADDY!"
Will ran and leaped into John's arms.
"Hey, sport! What, pray tell, are you doing?"
He set Will down and playfully pulled the bill of his ballcap down over his face.
Will laughed and raised it up.
"Oh, Poppy William just raked up a pile of leaves and let me jump in them as long as I promised to help him rake them up when it is all over. Then he said we are going to burn them and have a bone-fire."
"Bonfire."
"Yeah. That. It is ever so much fun!"
Will stomped around in them and flung himself into the pile. He kicked his feet.
John laughed and said, "You mean like this?"
He completely covered Will to the delight of the little boy. His childish squeals could be heard. John reached in and pulled him out. Then Will threw leaves on John and they had a leaf-fight, strongly resembling a snowball fight.
A car pulled up and Celeste exited. Rosamond came out the passenger door. They walked over and John carried Will upside down to his delight. Rose smiled and said, "Well, the two of you look like you have had a grand time!"
She picked leaves out of Will and John's hair and gave John a kiss. He pushed her hair back and adjusted the scarf around her neck, tying it and drawing her close for another kiss.
"Where have you been?" he asked.
Rosamond said, "Celeste drove me to the pediatrician. I had them check out Jenna and got her paperwork started."
John said, "Should you be out and about so soon after that rough delivery?"
Rose kissed him and said, "I'm not driving and can't do so for the next three or four weeks."
She opened the back door and in a minute emerged holding her little pink bundle, wrapped in heavy blankets.
John pulled the blanket back and said, "Well, hello, my little angel!"
Celeste was holding Julie. The little girl said, "Da-da! Da-da!" She held her arms out to him.
John took her from Celeste. Celeste laughed and straightened the little knitted cap with the pom-poms on Julie's little curls. John cuddled her and kissed her on the head. She patted his face.
John said, "So, 'Mom', are we having meatloaf and mashed potatoes for dinner?"
Celeste said, "You got it! William! When will you be done?"
William stopped raking and said, "Now that Will has stopped, in about a half hour."
Celeste said, "Then I'll get dinner started!"
She walked into the house. Will tugged on John and he took off his ballcap and ruffled his hair and put it on backwards. He held Julie and Rose cuddled her new baby.
John put his arm around Rosamond and the family walked into the house, the autumn silence punctuated with soft laughter between John and Rose.
The Lexus was parked on the street. The woman behind the wheel stared with glittery eyes at the domestic scene that just transpired. She slammed her fist on the dashboard.
'That bastard! He's married! With children! How can he? A cheating bastard, that is what he is! Three children? Where does he find the time to cheat? I wonder how his trophy wife would feel if she knew. He played me for a fool! He used me and then dumped me!'
Her hands were shaking as she lit a cigarette. She inhaled deeply and leaned her head back on the headrest.
'No wonder we never went to his place. His wife was there. Well, he's going to pay for this. And pay. And pay. If I didn't have to go to Palermo for Aunt Sophia's funeral, I'd take care of it right now. Oh, I will. Just you wait, Daniel Gwinnett! I'll take care of this little matte when I get back.'
She rolled down her window, threw the cigarette out the window, put the car in reverse and peeled down Winding Willow, tires chirping all the way.
on to next part of STORY
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