Episode 17 – Birthday
Girl
– Honey prepared to shoot Mercedes. Earlier she had threatened Elektra.
– Chardonnay wasn’t happy to learn that a wedding planner would be
arriving in March. She noticed that Leslie seemed to be hiding something, but
let it go.
– Gabe was stressed out after a baby had an accident and his flatmate,
Divine, was puzzled to learn that some of her clothes had disappeared.
Thursday,30th January 2003,
The Strip Club, Almost Midnight
Honey smiled as the door started to open and Mercedes Spencer
walked out through the door. Honey slowly walked out from where she had been hiding
and got into position. She called to her enemy.
“Mercedes, think you are so
smart, don’t you?”
Mercedes jumped slightly as she
heard her name being called. She turned around, to see who had spoken.
“Honey, you surprised me”
“Did I?”
“Yes, you made me…” Mercedes
stopped talking as she saw the gun which Honey was holding, and pointing
towards her.
“Scared?”
“What are you doing with that?”
Mercedes asked.
“Think you have him? Think he
is all yours, do you?” Honey replied, not answering Mercedes’ question.
”I don’t know what you are
talking about”
“Oh, playing little Ms.
Innocent now, are we?”
”Please Honey, whatever it is…”
“I’m talking about Sebastian.
He loves me except you are taking him away from me. He’s mine and you are going
to pay for taking him” Honey said.
“What? Sebastian isn’t mine.
He’s just a friend”
“I’ve seen the two of you
together. Just friends?” Honey began. She then started to shout. “You are a
liar Mercedes”
“No, I’m not”
“Enjoying your last few
moments, are you?”
“Please don’t, please” Mercedes
begged.
“No” Honey said beginning to
move closer to Mercedes, who stood paralyzed with fear.
As she moved Honey was focused
mainly on the gun and didn’t notice a box near her feet. As she continued to
walk Honey tripped over the box and fell forward. She tried to keep the gun in
her hand, but it fell out of her hands and slid across the stones. Mercedes
leaped into action. She ran across the stones and picked up the gun.
But Mercedes didn’t expect the
hit on the back of the neck which she received from Honey and fell forward,
though keeping hold of the gun. Honey realised where the gun was and grabbed
hold of Mercedes’ long blonde hair in an attempt to shock her and get the gun
back. Honey grabbed furiously for the gun, but Mercedes managed to pull her to
the ground. As the two fought the gun went off.
Mercedes looked on in horror as
Honey grasped her arm in pain.
***
Friday,31st January 2003,
Mercedes’ Apartment, morning
Mercedes Spencer
opened her eyes. She turned over and looked at the clock beside her table. Nine
a.m. She pushed back the covers and slowly got out of
bed. As Mercedes reached for her dressing gown the events of the previous night
came back to her. Was it all just a dream?
Mercedes walked towards the door, but was scared
as she heard someone cough in the living room. Who is there? Is it her?
Has she come to finish off what she started?
Suddenly there was a knock on the door and a
man’s voice called out Mercedes’ name. Sebastian. Mercedes opened the door.
“I was just wondering what you wanted for
breakfast” he asked, smiling.
“You’re making breakfast?” Mercedes asked.
Sebastian nodded his head. “I’m not really hungry. There’s no need to bother.
I’ll do it”
“No, it’s fine. I don’t mind”
“Really?”
“Really. Now go get dressed and I’ll put on some
toast for us”
Ten minutes later Mercedes was sitting at the
table in the small apartment as Sebastian left down a plate of toast for her.
“Thanks” she muttered. Sebastian then handed her
a glass of orange juice and sat down opposite her.
“Are you okay?” he asked as he watched her
slowly eat the toast.
“Sorry, I’m not really hungry”
“It’s fine. Don’t worry about it. Want to talk?”
“I can see her, Honey,
with the gun. I can’t get it out of my head. If it hadn’t of been for that gun,
then I’d be…” Mercedes said. She started to break down and Sebastian quickly
moved closer to her so he could comfort her.
“What if it’s always there? Her pointing the
gun?” she said, through her tears. Sebastian put his hand on hers and hugged
Mercedes.
“It won’t be. You will soon forget about Honey”
“I won’t, not here. There are too many memories”
“Maybe you could leave with me” Sebastian
suggested. Mercedes pulled away and looked up at him.
“What? You’re leaving?”
“I’m going back to New York, to be near my
daughter. You could come with me”
“You have a daughter?”
“Heather. She lives with her mother in New York.
I haven’t seen her in months”
“I never knew”
“I never told you, did I?” Sebastian answered.
There was a moment of silence between the two until Mercedes spoke again.
“What about the strip club?”
“I’m selling it and setting up a new club. So
will you come with me?”
“I don’t know Sebastian. I’ll need some time to
think about it. I left New York for a better life here and look what I’ve got.
When are you leaving?”
“In about two weeks. I was going to tell you all
tonight”
***
Sunday,2nd February 2003, The
Samson Mansion, Early Evening
“Oh my god, I don’t believe this” Chardonnay Samson said as she ripped the wrapping
paper off a large present which she had just received. Earlier on that day it
had been delivered, just in time for the celebration dinner.
“What is it?” Nate
asked, looking eagerly to see who had sent the present. He looked down and saw
a painting of a woman he instantly recognised. He laughed at his sister’s
present, as did Kayla.
“It’s definitely original” Victor
said, also starting to laugh.
“Don’t worry, she did the same to me when I was
about twelve” Judi
said.
“And I got one also, though not as nice as that
one” Leslie
added.
“Who is it?” Gabe
asked. Everyone turned to look at him.
“Great aunt Lila. She’s in Europe at the moment,
Paris I think” Chardonnay said. She noticed an envelope with her name written
on it in the corner and opened it.
”It’s now Lisbon. She met a Portuguese sailor
and love blossomed – again” Judi corrected.
“She sounds interesting” Gabe answered, not
quite sure what to make of his great aunt in law to be.
“There’s a letter” Chardonnay interrupted. She
started to read/
Dear Chardonnay,
Happy Twenty Third
Birthday. I remember when I was that age. I was also engaged, but sadly things
didn’t work out between us. It turned out that he’d been having an affair with
another girl. But I got my revenge. Anyway I’ll be arriving before the wedding
to check out this man of yours. And I’ll be bringing my Stephen also. Have a
great day and I hope to see you soon.
Lots of Love,
Auntie Lila
Gabe caught Leslie’s glance for a second. He
felt a pang of guilt about what he would be doing to Chardonnay and her family
come the wedding day. He wondered if leaving the girl he loved and upsetting
her family was really worth a million dollars.
Forty minutes later the Samson family were all
sat around the table, enjoying desert.
“Thanks Rosa”
Chardonnay said, thanking the maid and cook for the wonderful meal.
“You’re welcome” Rosa said, smiling. “Anything
else?”
“No thanks. Why don’t you go home now?”
Chardonnay offered.
”Are you sure?”
“Yes Rosa, you deserve it” Leslie said.
“Thank you” Rosa said. She left the room,
leaving Kayla, Judi, Victor, Nate,
Leslie, Gabe and Chardonnay alone.
”Chardonnay, I know you haven’t been looking
forward to this day, but to try and cheer you up I have another present” Victor
began. He reached into his shirt and took out a case. He passed the case down
the table until it reached Chardonnay.
“Dad, you shouldn’t have” Chardonnay said as she
slowly opened the red velvet case. Victor remained silent.
Chardonnay didn’t know what to make off the
present. Two keys.
“One is for your new car, which is arriving
later this evening” Victor said, with a smile.
“Dad…” Chardonnay said. “There was no need”
“But there was every need. You will be using
that car nearly every day. The second key is for your office. You are the new
boss at the cosmetics department at Samson Enterprises”
Chardonnay laughed. “Me?”
“Yes, you” Victor answered.
“Are you sure?”
Yes honey, I’m sure” Victor answered. “But there
is a catch. Yvon, the boss at the moment, isn’t leaving for a month and a half,
so you won’t be properly starting until the middle of March”
”It doesn’t matter. Oh thank you so much dad”
***
Mercedes’ Apartment, Same Time
Mercedes jumped as she heard the sound of a knock on the door. She turned of the
TV and slowly rose from her seat. She walked towards the locked door and took a
deep breath as she looked through the spy hole. Divine
was at the door. Mercedes quickly turned the keys and other, newly installed,
locks before opening the door.
“Hey, just thought I’d see how you were” Divine
said as she walked past her friend and into the apartment.
“I’m fine” Mercedes said as she locked the door
again. Divine spotted her doing this.
“Are you sure you need all of those?” she asked.
“I don’t know. I’ve been so nervous of being
alone since the other night”
“I suppose you have a right to be. I mean this
area isn’t safe anymore, is it?” Divine said as she sat down.
“Well I mightn’t be here that much longer”
“What do you mean?”
“Sebastian,
he asked me to move to New York with him the other day”
“And you’ve said yes?”
“No, I don’t know what to say. He’s selling the
club and leaving in a few weeks”
“There isn’t really that much to stay here for
though, is there?” Divine said.
“I suppose there isn’t. Outside of you and the
people at the club I know barely anyone”
“And in New York you have you’re mother don’t
you?”
“I suppose, but I’d have no job and I don’t want
to live off Sebastian. And there are so many memories in that city”
“I know, but there is a lot more there for you
than here”
“It sounds as if you want me to go” Mercedes
stated, with a small laugh.
“Hey, I’m just trying to help you weigh up the
pros and cons. But I didn’t think that you and Sebastian were that close. You
told me that you hated him and that you’d quit if you had the chance”
“I know I did, but I wasn’t telling you
everything. I slept with him, before you arrived. I didn’t mean it to happen,
but it just did. Afterwards I couldn’t face him, but he thought that there was
something happening”
“He was the first after… wasn’t he?”
“Yes”
“And is there something happening?”
“I would love if there was and we fell in love.
I wish that this were some dream or something with a happy ending, but after
those years I don’t know if I’ll ever be like I was”
***
Back to the Samson Mansion, A little
later
“Dad” came a voice from behind Victor.
He turned to see Chardonnay standing behind him.
“Thanks, I didn’t expect what I got” she said.
“Hey, you deserved it”
“I don’t know”
“What do you mean?”
“I don’t know if I’ve got enough experience”
“You will do great. If you really don’t think
you have enough experience then just drop by the office and I or Yvon will talk
you through it all” Victor said, reassuring his daughter.
“Thank you” Chardonnay said, smiling up at her
dad. They shared a hug.
“So what are you doing later?” Victor asked.
“I think Gabe
is planning to go to a club in town and meet some of our friends there”
“Sounds great”
”What time is it? I want to call Becca before I leave”
“Becca? It’s just a little after seven.”
“You don’t remember her. My friend from high
school…” Chardonnay began, but was interrupted by the sound of a phone ringing.
“Is it yours?” Victor asked.
“It’s yours. I better go call Becca. See you
later”
“Probably tomorrow” Victor joked. He spotted his
phone and looked at the screen. He didn’t recognise the number.
“Hello… What are you doing calling me here?…
What do you want Divine?”
he started. Victor didn’t spot Leslie
standing in the hall outside the kitchen. She could hear every word.
“How about Thursday?… I have someone staying
there until then… Me? I don’t think it’s a good idea if I’m there, do you?…
What time will you be there at?… It is just the cleaner will be arriving in the
evening and I don’t want her to catch you there?… Yeah, three should be fine…
Don’t ever call me here again though” Victor continued. He hung up.
Continue with Episode 18 – Looking To the Future