Episode 16 –
Preparations
– Nate was okay following the fall, after he was helped by Alex. He got a
visit from Paris the following day and they nearly kissed, but were interrupted
by Gabriel.
– Honey walked in on Sebastian kissing Mercedes. Honey made a pass at
Sebastian, but it was rejected. She later discovered where Elektra had hidden
the gun.
– Alex and Judi went out on a date, so she could thank him for helping
Nate. They got on well, but Judi quickly left, feeling guilty. Outside she saw
an old man, who gave her some advice.
Wednesday,29th January 2003,
The strip club, just before midnight
Honey kicked the wall in frustration. Every night since she had
discovered her gun Honey had been waiting for her chance to get Mercedes.
Every opportunity and every chance she got, Honey would lie in wait for her
target. But every night, without fail, someone would be with Mercedes. Divine,
Elektra, Sebastian – wherever she tried someone was with her.
And now Honey’s second attempt
to follow Mercedes home had failed. All the planning and scheming was going
wrong, going down the drain.
“Damn it. I can’t bear this anymore.
If I can’t have Sebastian then she can’t have him either, but I’ll have him
though” Honey said as she started to walk back to her small apartment.
***
Thursday,30th January 2003,
The Samson Mansion, lunchtime
Chardonnay Samson
smiled as she spotted her mother’s car pull up outside the Samson Mansion. Leslie
turned off the engine, took her keys from the exhaust and stepped out of the
car. Chardonnay smiled as she watched her mother from the living room. She
quickly left down her magazine and went to greet her mother.
“Hey mom” she started.
“Hi honey, didn’t think that you would be here”
Leslie said as she finished closing the door.
“So did I, but Gabe
called to say he couldn’t make lunch because he had to go home and change his
clothes. I was just out the door when he called” Chardonnay said with a sigh.
He job hunting hadn’t been very successful and she didn’t want to return to
school.
“Are you okay?” Leslie asked as she walked
toward the kitchen. Chardonnay followed.
“Yeah, fine. It’s just that I get bored here
with Rosa
or by myself all day long. You, dad and Nate
all leave in the mornings and then it’s just me”
Leslie turned to look at her daughter.
“I felt the same when I married your dad. I had
been working most of my life, looking after James and Judi or
working in different restaurants or bars”
“What about grandma?” Chardonnay asked.
“She and dad worked a lot when we were young. It’s
your birthday Sunday, you have that to look forward to and plan don’t you?”
Leslie said as she started to put away the things she’d bought.
“I’m not really planning anything big, just
family. I hope you and daddy aren’t planning a surprise party or anything,
because I’m not really wanting anything”
“We aren’t, just a family meal where we give you
your presents” Leslie answered.
“That sounds okay” Chardonnay replied. Leslie
looked at her and saw that Chardonnay still seemed rather down.
“It was supposed to be a surprise, but I have
some news for you” Leslie at last said, in an attempt to cheer Chardonnay up.
“What is it?”
“Well I called an agency in New York this
morning and they told me that one of their best wedding planners will be
arriving in March to plan your wedding”
“What?”
“March 17th I think, the same day as
you…” Leslie started, but stopped realising she had said too much.
“As I what?”
“The same day as St. Patrick’s Day” Leslie answered.
Chardonnay knew that her mother was lying, but decided to let the subject drop.
“And who is paying for this wedding planner?”
“Your dad, of course”
“I don’t know mom. Why can’t we organise the
wedding together, me and you?”
“I thought that it would be better that way,
less things for you to worry about” Leslie answered, with a smile.
***
Gabe’s Apartment, Same time
Divine Cassidy opened her eyes as she heard someone talking in the living room. She
got up off her bed and slowly walked towards the door. As she reached for a
baseball bat, Divine heard another sound, but it wasn’t clear enough for her to
make out the sound. Divine continued to listen for a sound, but there was
nothing for a while until she heard footsteps approaching the door to her
bedroom.
Divine jumped back to the corner and held up the
baseball bat. She took a deep breath as the handle of the door started to move.
The door opened and Divine attacked the person. They fell to the ground,
clutching their head in agony.
Gabe McLoughlin lay
on the carpet, his hands on his head.
“Gabe, what are you doing here?” Divine asked,
trying to stop herself from laughing at the incident.
“I could ask you the same thing. Are you trying
to kill someone with that thing?” Gabe asked. Divine put out her hand to help
her flatmate up.
“No, I just wasn’t expecting you. It’s not as if
you’ve been here very much recently, is it?”
“I am organising a wedding” Gabe said, knowing
that he and Chardonnay hadn’t started at all.
“Let me see, in the last week how many times
have I seen you here? Once, and that was only because you needed to pick up
some clothes. Anyone would think that you lived with Victor
and family”
There was a silence, until Divine spoke again.
“So why are you here?” she asked.
“To change my clothes actually. Jude, Macy’s
baby, got sick all over my jacket when I was holding him” Gabe answered. He
turned around so that Divine could see. Divine smiled.
“When you’re here, have you seen my red
sweater?”
“Red sweater? No, I don’t think so” Gabe
answered. “I haven’t seen it in ages”
Gabe found what he was looking for in the
wardrobe and left the room. Honey walked towards the bed and pulled her
suitcase out from underneath. She slowly undid the locks and then opened the
suitcase. Inside lay an old flight ticket, a passport and a couple of old
clothes which Divine didn’t want anymore. But there was no red sweater.
***
The strip club, almost midnight
Honey breathed in the cold January air as she took yet another glance in the
direction of the exit. She had been waiting for the past fifteen minutes or so
for Mercedes to emerge. Honey flashed back to when she had
warned Elektra to keep her mouth shut.
“Honey, there you are” Elektra said, shouting after her friend.
Honey, almost out the door, jumped at the sound of her name. She spun around
and spotted Elektra. “I need to talk to you”
“What about?” Honey asked, angry that she had been delayed. She
wanted to get outside before Mercedes did. “I want to go home” she added.
“I won’t keep you too long, I just want to ask you something”
Elektra said.
“What?”
Elektra looked around the corridor before finally asking the
question. “The gun you had, did you take it back?”
Honey didn’t answer.
“You did, didn’t you?”
“Yes I did. I need it” Honey answered.
“I don’t believe this. I thought I’d made you see sense”
“I saw her with him and realised that she had to go. She can’t
have Sebastian if I can’t”
“I’m going to tell Sebastian” Elektra said, turning around. She
started to walk, but Honey quickly pulled her gun out.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you” she threatened. Elektra turned
around and froze after seeing the gun.
“The police would figure out that it was you. They would look at
the cameras and they’d know”
“But Elektra, there are no cameras watching us right now. It’s
just you and me”
“They’ll figure it out. DNA or whatever it’s called”
“I’ll be extremely careful”
“I’ve told someone about you. They will figure it out”
“You really are desperate, aren’t you?” Honey said. She put down
her gun and pushed it partly down her jeans. She watched Elektra relax.
“Want to know why I didn’t shoot you?”
“Because we’re friends?” Elektra suggested. Honey laughed.
“Friends, I don’t have any. No, it’s because when I do shoot her,
you are going to be my alibi”
“I’ll just go and tell Sebastian or the police before you shoot
her”
“No, you won’t. You wouldn’t want your little murderous secret to
get out, would you?”
“The rape?”
“Exactly”
Back outside the strip club, Honey smiled as the
door started to open. Mercedes Spencer walked out through the door.
Continue with Episode 17 - Birthday Surprises