Episode 29 – Misleading Situations
Previously on Lives To Live:
– Paris and Nate dreamed about each other, following their kiss.
– Cleo had a hangover following her night out with Joel and Mattie. Joel later called her, telling her that they were going out again tonight and that she was welcome to come with them. Cleo accepted, but lied to her aunt about who she had been talking to. Camille was happy that Cleo had gotten over Leo.
– John Robertson II arrived to collect Paris. Paris misunderstood Nate, and thought that he didn’t like her and hadn’t wanted the kiss to happen. She then told him that she didn’t like him at all.
– The following day Kayla threatened Paris in the toilets, telling her to leave Nate alone and not to hurt him. She then refused to get out of Paris’ way. Paris pushed Kayla out of the way and left. Later Jacob confronted Kayla, after she had spread malicious gossip that he was gay because he didn’t want to sleep with her.
– Victor was shocked when he got a call from his blackmailer, who he thought he had gotten rid of.
Wednesday,
April 16th 2003, Samson Mansion, Morning
“Are you okay mom?” Chardonnay Samson asked, as she left the empty glass down on the counter.
“It’s your dad.”
“You two aren’t fighting again, are you?”
“No, of course not. He has just been so distant recently. We barely spoke two words last night.”
Chardonnay suddenly realised what it could be. “Maybe he was just tired. He has been really busy recently.”
“I suppose that is probably it.” Leslie said, secretly harbouring doubts. She was actually wondering if Victor was having an affair. The doorbell ringing interrupted her thoughts.
“That must be Sara.” Chardonnay said, walking out of the kitchen. “She’s early.”
”Hi Chardonnay.” Sara McCarthy greeted warmly. Her hair was pinned back, with only a couple of strands free, and she was wearing a striped business suit, with a black folder under her arm.
“Hi.” Chardonnay greeted warmly. “Come in.”
”Thanks. Is Gabe here?”
“Yeah, he is just through there.” Chardonnay pointed. Sara walked through the room where Gabe was seated, looking over a possible guest list.
“Hello.”
“Oh, hi Sara.” Gabe said, leaving down the page.
“Would you like a drink or something?” Chardonnay asked, joining them.
“No, I’m okay. We really need to figure out a lot of things now though, as we are a long way behind where we should be.”
“Sorry, with work we’ve barely been able to see you.”
“It’s okay. I just need you two to make a few decisions on certain things, and then we’ll be back on track. Is that the guest list?”
“Yes, we are nearly done. Chardonnay, do we really need Alistair, Edward and Georgia Appleton and their guests too?”
“Dad wants them there. And since he is paying for all this…”
“Okay, I get the point.”
“Are you two done with that then?” Sara cut in.
“Yeah, I suppose.” Gabe said, handing her the list. Sara quickly scanned through it.
”Gabe, there aren’t any of your family here, are there?”
The husband and wife to be looked at each other. “I don’t know my parents. I was adopted.”
“I had no idea. And what about your adopted parents?”
“I don’t want them to be there.”
“Okay. We’ll need to change the seating plan then.” Sara said, slightly annoyed. “Are you both sure that you don’t want to make any changes?”
“Do you think we should invite the Laurent’s, as we are having the reception at their hotel.” Gabe asked. “And Victor has known Celia and Henri a long time.”
“It is up to you two.” Sara said.
”I think we should ask them. And Luc, Justin and Nicole as well.”
”I thought you didn’t like Luc.” Chardonnay said, not happy that her ex-fiancé could be at the wedding.
”I didn’t like him at first, but I think he’s okay. We’ve actually become good friends.” Gabe replied, leaving Chardonnay a little shocked. “So what do you think?”
“O-okay then.” Chardonnay said.
”So that’s Henri, Celia, Justin, Nicole, Luc.”
”And Erin. Justin and Nicole’s daughter.” Gabe added.
“Okay. Glad we got that sorted. Now bridesmaids. Who do you want as your bridesmaids Chardonnay?”
“Becca and Alicia. Oh, and Kayla too.”
“And when can we meet them for a fitting session?”
“Well, you can’t until before the wedding. Becca is in Washington, and Alicia is in London. But we could have Kayla.”
Sara’s annoyance was obvious. “Okay. Gabe, what about you?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t decided yet.”
“Have you got anyone in mind? Anybody from school? From work?”
”No, Victor is really my best friend, but it can’t be him as he has to give Chardonnay away.”
Sara didn’t look too happy at this either. “Well is there anyone at all you can think of?”
“How about Nate and Eric from work?”
“Okay, that’s a start. Anyone else? What about Luc?”
“Luc? I don’t know. I haven’t known him that long.”
“You did say that you liked him.”
“Well, what do you think Chardonnay? You have known him longer than I have.”
“I… don’t know.”
“Well is he likely to lose the rings and be late?”
“No. He wouldn’t be late or lose the rings.”
“Okay, that’s sorted then. Eric and Nate, and then Luc as your best man.”
”Are you all right?” Gabe asked, noticing how pale Chardonnay had gone.
“Fine.” She replied.
***
The Elliot
Apartment, same time
“Hey, you’ll have to pay next time. We can’t always be paying for you.”
Those were the words which were running through Cleo’s head as she opened Camille’s bag. They had been Mattie’s words.
“How much will I need? Will she notice if I take too much?” Cleo wondered, as she searched through the bag.
She decided on ten dollars, but then changed her mind, grabbing an extra five. Cleo quickly closed the bag again, and put the fifteen dollars into her own bag.
“Are you okay?”
Cleo spun around, Camille was in the doorway. “Me? I’m fine. I was just putting my books in my bag.”
“Those headaches you have been having recently aren’t back, are they?”
“No, they’re not.”
“Maybe I should tell Russell about them.”
“No.” Cleo said, surprising Camille with her assertiveness.
“Why not?”
“He… already has enough to worry about, without this on top of it.” Cleo said, avoiding her aunt’s gaze.
“I suppose, but he could do a quick check up though.”
“Really, I’m okay now. I don’t want to bother him.”
“Okay then, if you’re sure.”
“I better get to school.” Cleo said, noticing the clock over Camille’s head.
“Do you want to ride with me? I’m going that way anyway.”
“No, I’ll be okay.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah, very. I am meeting some friends and we are walking to school together actually.” Cleo said, scooping up her almost empty schoolbag and walking towards the door.
“See you later.” Camille said, walking towards the kitchen.
“Yeah, see you later.” Cleo said, feeling guilty as she left.
Camille opened the cupboard and took out a glass, before filling it with water and walking back through the other rooms, into her bedroom.
“I’m worried about Cleo.” She said, sitting down beside Russell on the bed. He was almost asleep, after returning from work. “I don’t like all these new friends she keeps talking about.”
***
The Hotel
Restaurant, 12.30pm
“Hi.” Camille said, as she sat down opposite Leslie. “I’m not late, am I?”
“No, I’m was early.”
“You might have heard, but I have got something to tell you.” Camille said, excitedly.
“What?”
“I’m pregnant.” Camille said, proudly. Leslie looked very surprised.
“I didn’t know. But that’s great, it really is.” She said.
“Thanks.”
Leslie suddenly changed, realising what Camille’s pregnancy meant. ”That was your plan, all along wasn’t it? To get pregnant so you could keep Russell.”
Camille was silent.
“Camille you cannot trap him like that. It won’t stop him from having affairs in the future.”
“You don’t know that it won’t.”
“It might stop him for today, but what about tomorrow and the day after that?”
“I don’t want to want to discuss this anymore.”
Leslie sighed, before looking up behind Camille. Something, or someone had caught her attention.
“Luc?” She said to herself. “I didn’t know he was in town.”
***
The Smith
Home, An hour later
Craig Smith smiled to himself as he put his key through the lock on the front door of his house. He hadn’t been in town too long, but he was really settling in after moving. He and Joel were happy here, for the first time in a long time.
Craig was tired after a busy morning putting out fires, and saving cats stuck up trees. He pushed the door open, then closed it and left down his coat. As he started to walk up the stairs, Craig heard a noise coming from the living room.
He slowly walked back down the stairs, continuing to listen to Joel. There was also someone else in there, and a third person too. Craig walked to the door, and placed his hand on the handle.
“Joel, what are doing here?” He asked, as he entered the room and saw his son and five other teenagers sitting in the room too. Cans and bottles of alcohol were around the room.
“Dad, your home early.” Joel said, laughing before taking a sip of the can in his hand. “Want some?”
“All of you, get out now.”
The others started to stand up, as best they could, and gathered their things.
“See you later.” Mattie said.
“Bye.” Cleo said, laughing.
As Cleo left through the front door, Craig shoved the door shut. He then turned towards his son.
“I can’t believe this.” He said.
“Well…”
“Shut up. I don’t want to hear you Joel. I thought everything that happened with your mother would have changed you, made you understand that you have to grow up. You are just like her, self centred.”
“I’m more like her than you think, because we both hate you.”
***
The Samson
Mansion, 5.30pm
Victor Samson yawned loudly as he parked his car in the garage. He was tired, and had a lot on his mind, mainly the blackmail.
“If only I could find out who you were.” He said to himself, recalling the phone call he had received the previous day.
“I thought I had got rid of you, the
last time.”
“You did, but now I’m back for more.
And I know some of your best secrets, so you better listen up or I’ll spill all
of them.”
“What do you want from me?”
“Twenty thousand dollars. Should be nothing to you Victor.”
“And how am I supposed to get this to
you?”
“Same as before. Place the briefcase in
the bin outside the music shop on Smithfield Avenue. Then drive away. I’ll be
watching.”
Victor pushed open the door of the kitchen. Today had been eventful, as he had done what the blackmailer had said and then received a call from Samson Enterprises in Washington, asking him to go there to help with negotiations for a large takeover of a media company, worth several million dollars.
“Hi Rosa.” He said, seeing the Samson maid in the kitchen, busy cooking dinner. “That smells great.”
“Thanks Mr Samson. It is your favourite.”
“Is Leslie around?
”Mrs Samson is upstairs I think. And Nate is in the TV room. You don’t know if Chardonnay and Gabriel will be coming home for dinner tonight do you, Mr Samson?”
”I think they are coming home. Maybe you should phone them, just to be sure.” Victor said. He walked through the door and into the hall, then up the stairs and around the balcony until he came to his and Leslie’s room.
“Hi darling.” She greeted. She was seated at her dressing table, spraying perfume.
“Hi.” Victor said, as he tossed his briefcase down on their bed.
“So how was your day?”
“It was okay, except…”
“Except what?” Leslie asked, worriedly, turning around to face her husband who was now seated on the edge of the bed. Victor looked away from his wife.
“I have to go away this weekend, to Washington.”
”Why?”
“I have to help with the negotiations for a deal.”
Before Leslie could reply, Victor’s phone started to ring. He reached over and removed it from his briefcase.
“Hello? Alistair, hi. Yes, I can. When? I’ll just go get that file.” Victor said. He stood up and walked out of the room.
Leslie watched him leave. Is he really had negotiations in Washington, or is he having an affair? She wondered.
***
Justin’s
Office at The Hotel, 6pm
“Shouldn’t you be going home now?” Justin Vincent said to Heather Manning as he continued to check over bookings on his computer.
“I’m okay. I’ve got no one to go home to you see.” Heather said. She placed her hand on Justin’s leg, again. She had done this several times in the past few weeks, which was beginning to annoy Justin. He wondered if she was thinking that there was something going to happen between them.
“Look, Heather I think we need to talk.”
“About what? Don’t you understand these bookings?” She asked, running her hand up and down his leg. She then reached out and placed her other hand onto his.
“Not about these, about us.”
“What about us?” She said, removing her right hand from the computer’s mouse, and instead moving it towards her shirt. She slowly undid the first button, and smiled.
“What are you doing?”
“Getting more comfortable. It’s to tight, pressing against me.” She said, now undoing the next button. Justin could now see part of her bra. He turned away.
“I think you should do those back up.”
Heather stood up, smiling to herself. She then slid her right leg across Justin’s leg, and manoeuvred herself so that she was sitting on his knee facing him directly.
“Heather, get off me. I’m a married man.” Justin said. But Heather ignored what he was saying, and instead began kissing him.
“Oh Justin, oh yes.” She said. Suddenly the door to the office opened, and Celia Laurent stood in the doorway with a stunned expression on her face.
Next Time:
Celia reveals all to Henri, will she do the same to Nicole? Leslie goes back to her old ways.