Episode 33 – Bittersweet
Previously on Lives To Live:
– Camille revealed that she knew about Judi and Russell. Judi left and Camille then told Russell she wanted a divorce. Later she moved out of her and Russell’s apartment, saying that she couldn’t stay there, despite Russell offering to move out. Meanwhile Judi met up with Sara, and they talked. Judi was going to try it with her mystery man, but Sara still didn’t know he was Alex. Sara revealed that she was still married, having never divorced her husband.
– Victor returned from Washington. Chardonnay looked set to tell him about Leslie and John, but changed her mind at the last moment.
– Paris told April that she and Nate hadn’t spoken since their argument as she left the Samson Mansion. Then Nate asked her out, so they could talk. When they met up, he told her that it wasn’t worth losing such a great friend over a kiss and an argument. Paris was devastated, though didn’t show her upset.
– Celia and Henri arrived, to tell Nicole about Justin and Heather. Justin tried to stop her, but Celia did tell a shocked Nicole.
Saturday,
April 26th 2003, Jean Luc’s Apartment, Morning
“No, not again.”
“Nicole, she made a mistake. I am not
having an affair with her.”
“How could you?”
Nicole picked up a vase and threw it
at Justin. It narrowly missed him.
“Get out, get out, get out.” She screamed, getting louder with each shout.
Justin Laurent opened his eyes and sat upright. He couldn’t stop thinking about the previous nights events. He and Nicole had spoken in private, but she hadn’t believed a word he’d said.
“Morning.” Jean Luc Laurent said, emerging from his bedroom.
”Oh, hi.”
“Did you sleep well?”
“No not really.” Justin said as he sat up on the sofa. He’d turned up on Luc’s doorstep after Nicole kicked him out.
“So what happened?” Luc asked, as he walked towards the kitchenette.
Justin hadn’t given very many details about his and Nicole’s argument.
“A few weeks ago I was at the hotel, working with Heather.”
“Has this something to do with why she disappeared so quickly? Did you or dad sack her?”
“I didn’t. I found her resignation on my desk. Like I was saying I was in the office with her, when she started getting closer to me. She tried to kiss me, just as your mom walked in. At first she didn’t tell Nicole, but last night she did. But Luc, I swear that I didn’t kiss her, and I didn’t want it to happen. It was a set up, but I don’t know why she did it.”
Luc looked away from Justin, unsure of what to say or do. Hit him for cheating on his sister, again? Or say he believed him? Or do nothing?
“You’ll have to go.” He said at last.
“What?”
“You can’t stay here. You’ll have to go.”
***
Robertson
Mansion, An hour later
“Morning Paris.” John Robertson said, as his youngest daughter entered his study.
“Hi dad.”
“How much?”
“What?”
“How much do you want? Usually when you or your sisters come in here you want money.”
“I’m going shopping with April.”
“Fifty dollars be enough?”
“Yeah.” Paris said, taken aback by her father’s generosity. “Thanks dad.”
Paris gave her father a quick peck on the cheek before running out the door, leaving John smiling to himself.
As Paris grabbed her coat, she heard the doorbell ring.
“Hi.” April Masters greeted warmly, as she stood on the Roberson doorstep.
“Hey.”
“So, how did last night go? Your big date.”
Paris was silent. She didn’t know what to say. “It didn’t go too well.”
“What happened?” April quickly enquired.
“He said that we should just be friends. So he doesn’t like me.”
“Oh.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
There was a short silence until April spoke again. “Look, Paris there’s something I want to ask you.”
“What?” Paris said quickly.
“I know this is going to sound really bad, and is a terrible thing to ask but you’ve got to understand that I really like him.”
“Who? What?”
“Can I ask Nate out? I know that you like him, but you said yourself that he’s not interested in you so maybe I could…”
“Sure, yeah whatever.” Paris said.
“Are you sure you are okay with it, because I could…”
“I’m fine. I’m sure you two would make a great couple.” Paris said, secretly angry at what April had asked.
***
The Ritz
Bar, 12pm
“Good morning.”
“Afternoon now.” Corey Rafter stated, quickly glancing at his watch as he left down a crate of beer.
“Is Al around?” Sara McCarthy asked.
“Did someone say my name?” Alex Blake asked, emerging from a door.
“Hello.” Sara said, walking towards Alex and throwing her arms around him. They shared a quick kiss.
“So what brings you by so early?” Alex asked. “I thought you would still be asleep after last night.”
“I’m on my way to the Samson’s for an emergency meeting.”
“Sounds ominous. Will you be here tonight?”
“Probably.” Sara said, as her phone started to ring. “I better go.”
Sara ran towards the door and answered her phone. “Hi Leslie, I’m on my way now. Yes, I know.”
***
Judi’s
Apartment, Same time
Judi Anders smiled as she let her robe fall to the ground. She stepped into the shower, but before she could switch on the water she heard the doorbell ring.
She sighed, silently cursing the new security guards. Judi slipped back on her light yellow robe, and walked out of the bathroom and through her apartment to the door. As she peeked through the spyhole, the impatient visitor on the other side knocked again.
Judi backed away from the door, unsure what to do. Should she answer the door, or not?
“Judi, I know you’re in there. Please let me in.” Came a voice through the door.
Reluctantly, Judi undid the chain on the door, and pulled it open. Russell Elliot stood before her, the first time she’d seen him in about a week.
“What do you want?” She asked.
“We need to talk.”
“Russell, we can’t.”
“But now that Camille knows, maybe…”
“What, you expect us to just pick up from where we left off, now that your wife is out of the equation?”
“I just want to know if we can try again. I love you.”
“I love you too.”
“So what does that mean? Are we going to try again?”
“It means no.”
Russell couldn’t believe this. “But you just said.”
“I know what I said, but you hurt me too much. I can’t let you do that again. I’m sorry.”
“Please don’t do this.”
Judi tried to close the door, but Russell put his foot in the way. “Russell, just go.”
“Judi, will you just try.”
“Get your foot away from my door, before I call security.”
“How dare you lead me on again, after all that we’ve been through. You are just a liar.”
“Five seconds ago I was the woman you loved. I’m nothing to you, am I?”
“I do love you, but you obviously don’t love me. You are just a cheap lying whore.” Russell shouted back.
Judi saw the same anger in his eyes she had only seen once before. She now tried to close the door, and this time managed to. As she lay against the door, tears started to appear at the edges of her eyes. Judi couldn’t believe how different he was from the man she loved. He had never been like that before. He had frightened her.
“I’m sorry.” Came his voice again.
Judi stood up straight and walked towards the bathroom door, ignoring Russell’s thumps on the door. She walked into the room, and caught sight of her reflection in the mirror. She walked over, and took a long glance at herself.
“I’ve got to move on.” She told herself, reaching for a tissue and wiping away her tears.
***
The Samson Mansion,
Same time
“Hey, what are you doing?” Chardonnay Samson asked as she walked into the bedroom she shared with Gabe.
“Just looking for my keys.” Gabriel McLoughlin replied, as he looked under the pillows.
“Have you tried your pockets?”
“Good idea.”
“I better get that.” Chardonnay said, hearing the doorbell. “It’s probably Sara.”
“I’ll be down to you and your mum when in a minute.”
Chardonnay looked down at the floor for a moment at the mention of her mother, before turning around and walking out the door. Gabe slid back the wardrobe door and started searching through his pockets.
Downstairs Chardonnay had just opened the door.
“Hi, can you sign for this?” Said a courier. Chardonnay looked at the name on the envelope. Her dad’s. She quickly signed her name. “There you go.”
“Is it Sara?” Leslie asked, a bright smile on her face. Chardonnay gave her mother a quick look, with narrowed eyes.
“No.” She replied sternly, before closing the door.
“Chardonnay, please.”
“Just leave me alone mom.”
Meanwhile Gabe was continuing his search for his keys through his clothes. So far he had found plenty of things which he wasn’t looking for, but still no keys. As he reached his last jacket he dug out something rather unexpected – a small packet containing cocaine.
Gabe stared at the substance. He hadn’t touched it in ages, since Divine had disappeared. He didn’t need it, he had Chardonnay, and he loved her. Gabe sat on the bed, and turned the packet over in his hands. After a couple of minutes looking at it, Gabe walked into his and Chardonnay’s bathroom and flushed it down the toilet.
***
Various
Places, Early Evening
Bittersweet Symphony by the Verve
(featured in the film Cruel Intentions) plays in the background in this scene.
Russell Elliot walked through the doors of his apartment holding a brown paper bag. He hadn’t been able to forget what had happened between he and Judi earlier on.
Meanwhile, at the other side of town, Judi Anders was combing her hair, looking at herself in the mirror. She didn’t catch a glimpse of her daughter, who was standing in the doorway.
Camille Elliot curled up on the bed in the spare bedroom of her friend’s house, as tears started to roll down her face as she mourned the baby she’d lost.
Paris Robertson sighed as she went through old photos. She was surprised as she saw one with herself and Nate, as young children. A small smile broke out across her face.
Leslie Samson smiled as she walked through to the kitchen and left down an empty dish. Chardonnay ignored her, and turned around before walking out of the kitchen.
Gabe looked up and smiled at Chardonnay as she entered the dining room. He loved her so much.
Henri Laurent looked on sadly, as he watched his wife comfort their daughter. It was difficult to see his daughter in so much pain. He kissed his granddaughter’s head, as he held her.
Cleo Brady smiled as she walked drunkenly towards Joel who was holding a bottle of alcohol. She kissed him, as Mattie Masters watched on, feeling slightly jealous.
Justin Laurent looked at the half empty glass of beer, as he sat in the Ritz Bar. His marriage was probably over, and he’d probably lost his job. No one believed what he said anymore, even though it was the truth.
“So are you ready for your date?” Kayla asked. Judi turned around and faced her daughter.
“I’m not going on a date. I’m just going out for a while.”
“Well you’ve been brushing your hair, and putting on your make up for so long I thought you were going on a date.” Kayla replied. “See you later.”
Judi turned back to the mirror and smiled, before reaching for her purse and taking out her mobile. She quickly punched in the number for a taxi firm. “Hi, can I have a taxi to the Ritz Bar please?”
Russell Elliot opened his wallet and took out a picture of Judi, which had been there since they’d gotten together. He walked over to the counter and found a small lighter. Next he pressed it and held it to the picture. Soon the picture was being overtaken by flames, and Russell dropped it into the sink. He turned back towards his can of beer and held it up to his mouth, now feeling even more depressed and rejected.
***
The Ritz
Bar, Same time
Judi Anders smiled as she walked through the doors of the bar. Her long, dark brown hair was tied up, with a fake red rose, and she was wearing a long black dress, the one she’d worn on her date with Alex, with a plunging neckline which showed off all her curves. A small, purse and high heels finished off her glamorous look.
As she strode confidently towards the bar, Judi couldn’t help feeling little pangs of worry. Has he moved on? Will he turn me down? She asked herself, but continued with her walk. Judi smiled at a man who had noticed her. Reaching the bar she took a seat, and one of the barmen walked towards her.
“Hi, what can I get you?” Corey asked, realising he’d seen her somewhere before.
“Just an orange juice.” Judi said, looking around to see if she could see Alex, but she couldn’t see him.
As Corey heard her speak, he realised who the woman was. She had run out on Alex during their date, several months ago, and then ignored his phone calls. He wondered if she was going to try again with Alex. Corey quickly served the drink and took her cash, without saying a word.
Judi looked around again, and this time she saw Alex, emerging from the office. As she stood up and started to walk towards him, she saw someone pull him back. But she couldn’t see their face. As Alex started to kiss the person behind him, Judi saw her face… Sara.
Judi dropped her glass of orange juice at the sight of them, leading Alex and Sara to both look at her.
“Alex, Sara…” Judi said.
“Judi…” Said Sara and Alex both together.
Next Time:
Nicole’s problems increase, as Gabe learns that Chardonnay has been lying. Will it jeopardise the wedding?