Episode 10 – Waking up
to blackmail
– Kayla threw a New Year’s party, but things didn’t go to plan.
– Leo showed up with Cleo, Paris was angry with this also and Nate got another
text.
– But as the midnight hour approached Paris asked Nate to dance as Jacob
asked Kayla.
– Russell raced against the clock, feigning illness at work, to get to
Judi. He did and they ended up together.
– They kissed as the celebrations reached the high point and a mysterious
figure appeared at Camille’s door.
Wednesday,1st January 2003
Sunlight streamed through the windows of Judi Anders bedroom as she slept peacefully.
Beside her Russell Elliot watched her sleep.
“Good morning” Russell greeted, as he watched
Judi slowly open her eyes. She smiled as she started to remember the previous
night. The kisses, the touches all flooded back.
“Hi. What time is it?” she asked softly. Russell
moved to look at his wristwatch.
“Almost ten” he said loudly. He jumped out of
the bed and started slipping on his clothes. Normally his shift at the hospital
finished at nine.
“Russell” Judi said as she spread out in her
bed.
“Yes, what?” he asked as he put on his tie
rather badly.
“Are you going to tell her
today?” Russell turned to face Judi.
“I promised you didn’t I?”
“Yes, you did” Judi said, reassured by his
words. She moved towards the edge of the bed and stood up. She then walked over
towards Russell and straightened his tie, before pulling him into a kiss.
“I will talk to you later” he said. “Will Kayla
be out there?”
“No, she will still be sleeping after last
night” Judi answered.
***
Divine
Cassidy lay in her hospital bed. Her eyes were closed, but she had heard the
door open, followed by footsteps and then the gentle sound of someone taking a
seat at her bedside. Divine slowly opened her eyes.
“I thought you would never visit me” she said
playfully, smiling.
“Your awake then?”
“Yes and ready to talk business”
“Good, because we need to talk” Gabe
stated importantly.
“I need a place to stay once I get out of here”
“What?” exclaimed a shocked Gabe.
“Victor
is kicking me out, now that our affair is finished and he is going back to
playing happy families” Divine replied.
“And you want to stay with me, in my apartment?”
“Until I get a place of my own at least”
“I can’t let you stay with me” Gabe rejected the
idea.
“You have to. I have nowhere else to go” Divine
pleaded.
“Like I said, I can’t let you come stay with me.
There isn’t enough space” Gabe said.
“Maybe I will have to tell Victor or Chardonnay the truth about their precious Gabriel” Divine
said slyly, as a smirk broke out across her face.
”You wouldn’t dare. You have too much to lose by doing that”
“People like you are easy come by. I could
easily find a replacement”
“But I am so close to them”
“I suppose you have a point” Divine answered.
She wasn’t convinced that her plan for revenge would work without Gabe.
“Okay I will let you stay” he gave in
reluctantly.
***
Cleo Brady walked into the kitchen of her aunt’s
spacious apartment. She was tired following the party the pervious night, and
needed some water. She smiled as she remembered Kayla
embarrassing herself. And then there was the shock at Nate
dancing with Paris.
Taking a glass down from the shelf Cleo
continued to remember the party. Suddenly she remembered the beating she had
gotten from Kelvin.
Cleo had forgotten about Kelvin, her mother
and the abuse as she acted like any other teenager at the party. But now she
wasn’t at the party or surrounded by her friends.
Cleo quickly filled the glass and turned around.
As she made her way towards her bedroom, Cleo heard a noise from the second
guest bedroom. Is there someone in there? Is it a thief?
After pushing the already slightly ajar door
open further, Cleo found her mother almost dressed. Renee did not notice her
daughter in the doorway, until she turned to reach for her bracelet.
“Oh Cleo” Renee said simply, holding out her
arms.
“Mum” Cleo said running towards her mother. As
the two women met and embraced, Cleo noticed Renee wincing in pain. Cleo
remembered the black eyes, the bruises, the scars. Either they hadn’t healed,
or had been replaced by newer, fresher ones.
“When did you get here?” Cleo asked as she
pulled away from her mother.
“Last night, when you were out” her mother
answered.
“But how did you get in? Does auntie Camille
know?” Cleo crowded her mother with questions.
“Camille let me in. I turned up at almost
midnight”
“Why didn’t you wait up?”
“Camille didn’t want us two fighting and thought
it would be best if we waited until morning to see each other”
“It is so good to see you” Cleo said, once again
hugging Renee, despite the obvious pain it caused.
“Same here”
“So are you going to divorce him? It must be one
of the shortest marriages in history. I am so glad that you left him”
“What? Divorce? Me and Kelvin aren’t splitting
up. We love each other and nothing will change that. He loves me and I love
him, and you are coming back with me to Australia”
“No” Cleo said.
”What?” asked a shocked Renee.
“I said no. I am not going with you back there.
He will hit me again, attack me. You know what he is like. You know” Cleo
started to get angry.
“He wouldn’t harm you. He loves you. He is your
father”
“He is not my father and he never will be. I
love my father. My father wouldn’t hurt you like he does”
“No, Kelvin is a good man. I love him and you
are coming with me. Cleopatra you will not stop this”
***
Paris opened her eyes. She looked around the room and was blinded by the
bright light shining through her window. As she rubbed her head, Paris
regretted staying so late the pervious night at the party. She could remember Gayle
offering her alcohol. Then there was Gayle giving out about Nate
and she dancing together.
Paris grabbed her pillow and buried her head
under it. Another flashback was the dance between Jacob
and Kayla, which everyone had been looking at. There was Leo laughing and later
he and Kayla dancing, although Leo didn’t look all that happy. Later again
there was Leo
being pulled into one of the rooms by Kayla, unaware that Paris was also there.
“Where are you taking me? I should be back there with Cleo”
Leo said.
“I need to tell you something” Kayla answered.
“What is it?” he asked.
“Ever since that kiss I have wanted you Leo. I think I am in love
with you”
“What?”
“I think I love you” Kayla declared.
“I am sorry Kayla. I really am. That was only a kiss on the cheek.
Nothing else”
“But…” Kayla began. She could feel tears welling up in her eyes.
“I really am sorry” Leo said. But before he could say anything
else, Kayla had pulled him towards her and locked him in a passionate embrace.
“No” Leo said, after pulling away.
Paris remembered telling Gayle and soon everyone
knew. Paris laughed out loud. Everyone knew how desperate Kayla was now.
“One down, one to go and then Leo will be all
mine” Paris spoke to herself, before turning over and falling asleep. Soon
Paris was dreaming.
“Will you dance with me?” said the handsome stranger, whose eyes
were hidden by a shadow. Paris didn’t respond but just looked up and smiled.
“I really do like you” the young man stated. Paris took his hand
and stood up. Together they walked towards the dance floor. Other people stood
there watching Paris and the stranger. Suddenly Paris’ clothes changed from
casual clothes into a wonderful dress, entirely gold. On her head was a golden
tiara. The people faded away and it was just Paris and the stranger. She still
could not see his eyes.
Once the dance ended, the shadow started to disappear slowly. The
features of her dance partner became more apparent to Paris. It was Nate.
***
“I am home” Russell
shouted after arriving at the apartment. He lay up against the door and started
to think about he and Judi.
He was about to break Camille’s
heart, but he loved Judi. She was the one he wanted.
“How dare you say that to me. I am your mother
and you are coming with me” Renee said as she followed Cleo
into the living room. Russell noticed Camille behind Renee
and sighed.
How can I tell her it is over now?
***
Victor sat in his office as he looked over the papers involving one of his
clients contracts. He sighed as he looked at his watch. He normally wouldn’t be
in his office when he could be at home on New Years Day with his children, but
this had came up out of the blue and he had had to leave at seven that morning.
Victor was removed from his thoughts by the sound of his phone ringing.
“Hello, Victor Samson speaking”
“Hello again Victor” came a voice disguised by
some sort of device. It was the voice which Victor had heard before, when he
had been blackmailed previously.
“What do you want? I gave you what you wanted.
Ten thousand” Victor said nervously.
“I want more”
“You don’t get more. What are you going to do
anyway?”
“Tell your wife
about your affair”
“She already knows, now goodbye” Victor said
angrily putting down the phone. He returned to the contracts, but five minutes
later the phone started to ring again.
“Hello, Victor Samson” he greeted.
“Maybe I didn’t make it clear enough earlier on.
I know about you Victor, about you and a certain Ms. Turner. I know the truth
and now you better listen carefully because I want my five hundred thousand
dollars soon”
Continue with Episode 11 – Future Decisions