Heart & Soul

Episode 56

Big Girls Don’t Cry

By Allan Craig

 

The Sterling Mansion

 

Standing on the porch of the imposing homestead, Alexandra Abbot felt the knots in her stomach tighten, the constant reminders of what had happened at Christmas proving to be too much for her to handle. She didn’t know whether or not to knock the door, her plans of telling John everything…he was the only one she could really talk to about all of this…didn’t seem as wise now as they had done in her head earlier.

 

Inside the mansion, John walked down the staircase, returning to his study after checking to see if Amber was okay. He noticed the porch light on, illuminating the silhouette of someone standing outside.

 

“This isn’t a good idea,” Alex told herself as she about turned and began to walk down the steps that lead to the mansion.

 

“Alexandra?” came John’s voice from the doorway, causing Alex to turn around and walk back up again, “What are you doing here?”

 

“I needed to talk to you about something,” Alex began, hesitant to go any further despite her heart urging her to do so, “But I’ve just realized I told Felicia I’d meet her so it will have to wait.”

 

“Don’t lie to me Alexandra,” John folded his arms, seeing right through her phoney excuse to meet her friend, “Come in.”

 

“I really can’t,” Alex lied, checking her watch as if she were running late.

 

John raised an eyebrow, growing more suspicious and worried about Alex by the second, “I wasn’t born yesterday, Alexandra, I know something’s up. Seriously, come inside and tell me what’s going on. You wouldn’t have come if you didn’t want to talk.”

 

Despite her hardened exterior, Alex was smiling inside, relieved that John was so persistent. She took a deep breath and stepped into the mansion, knowing that once she’d gotten her latest secret off of her chest, all hell was going to break loose.

 

The Bungalow

 

Still in total shock, Carrie smiled as she looked around the beautifully decorated restaurant, filled with the friends and family who had been keeping this party a secret from her for weeks, months even. She felt Nate putting his arm around her and she looked up, smiling at her fiancée as he kissed her on the cheek.

 

“You were in on this all along, weren’t you?” Carrie grinned, slightly worried that Nate had been able to deceive her so well.

 

“Well yeah,” Nate winked, taking a sip of his beer as Jessica approached them, “But only because she made me.”

 

“My ears are burning,” Jessica smiled, overflowing with pride at not only organizing such an amazing event, but being able to keep it a secret from her best friend.

 

“This is amazing, thank you so much Jess,” Carrie hugged her best friend, “Even though it is slightly worrying that my best friend and my fiancée have been lying to me for weeks, I guess I can let it slide. Just this once.”

 

“Excuse me ladies,” Nate kissed Carrie on the cheek again before walking over to Rex, who took a seat at the bar and ordered a beer.

 

“How’s it going?” Nate asked his friend as he sat down on the stool next to him.

 

“What’s up man?” Rex looked up, smiling at the barmaid as she handed him his beer before turning to face Nate, “I gotta hand it to Jessica, she done an amazing job here.”

 

“Yeah I know, Carrie’s over the moon about all of this.”

 

“I’m surprised she didn’t bring Adam with her, though, I mean everyone she’d trust to babysit him are here in this room.”

 

“Greg’s got him tonight,” Nate rolled his eyes, the very mention of Carrie’s hopefully-soon-to-be-ex husband getting his back up, “So anyway, have you had any more word about who killed DiCenzo?”

 

“I cant really talk about it,” Rex insisted, taking a sip of his beer, “Besides, it’s in the hands of the NYPD now and it’ll probably remain in their hands unless they’ve got stuff to investigate here, and they wont be needing to do that, will they?”

 

“Course not,” Nate was quick to defend himself and make it clear that he had nothing to do with DiCenzo’s death, “The man had a lot of enemies though, so your guess is as good as mine when it comes down to finding out who killed the bastard.”

 

St. Reginald Hotel
Los Angeles, California

 

After applying a fresh coat of cherry red lipstick, Kendall Sterling gave herself a once over in the full length mirror which sat in her luxurious hotel suite, impressed with how mature and business-like she looked. Her usually wavy black hair was slicked back into a sleek, straight ponytail, small diamond studs adorned her delicate ears, and black stiletto heels finished off her outfit of a soft white shirt and black pencil skirt.

 

As she slid her cell phone into her Prada handbag, it began to ring, blaring out Christina Aguilera’s ‘Aint No Other Man’…whilst her appearance had matured, she had yet to adjust her phone to match.

 

“Hey, Leo, what’s up?” Kendall spoke into the phone, knowing from the custom ringtone that it was her older brother.

 

“Not much, sis,” came Leo’s voice as Kendall switched to speakerphone mode, “Just thought I’d check in with you considering I haven’t heard from you since before Christmas.”

 

Kendall sat down on the edge of her queen size bed, “Sorry, I’ve just been so busy catching up with everyone.”

 

“Yeah I’m sure shopping and spa days really leave no time to check in with your favourite brother,” Leo continued, “What are you up to today?”

 

“I’ve got a few errands to take care of,” Kendall teased, careful not to let her brother know the full details of her plan until everything was signed and sealed, “And then I’m probably going to meet Fallon for lunch.”

 

“When do you think you’ll be home?”

 

“Aww, are you missing me that much? I don’t know how much longer I’ll be, just as soon as I get a little business out of the way.”

 

“Business?” Leo’s voice instantly changed, making it clear to Kendall that he was intrigued, “What are you plotting?”

 

Kendall stood up again, checking her reflection in the mirror again as she rolled her eyes, “Oh nothing, just liquidizing a few assets, that’s all.”

 

“Sounds ominous.”

 

“Hmm, maybe. Sorry, I gotta go Leo, the car’s waiting for me outside,” Kendall picked up her phone and turned it off speakerphone, holding it back up to her ear, “I’ll call you later and let you know what’s happening…okay, see you later then. Ciao!”

 

Kendall slid the phone shut and placed it inside her purse as she headed for the door. She wasn’t quite able to fight the butterflies that were flying around in her stomach, the excitement of what was about to happen was getting too much for her, and she just couldn’t wait to see the look on her family’s faces when they found out what she’s done, if all went to plan at today’s meeting.

 

The Sterling Mansion

 

Handing Alex a drink, John perched himself on the edge of the brown leather sofa on which Alex sat.

 

“So are you going to tell me what’s bothering you?” John asked. He already had the feeling that what Alex was about to tell him was not going to be pleasant.

 

“I don’t know…” Alex stared vacantly at the flames that flickered and jumped around the impressive stone fireplace opposite her, already doubting whether she should tell John or not. Her mind had been made up before she had even got there, but now it was in the here and now she just didn’t know what to do, “I don’t know if this was a good idea.”

 

“Come on, Alexandra,” John rolled his eyes, “You know you can talk to me about anything.”

 

“Yeah I know, but this is a little complicated,” Alex explained, taking a sip of her scotch and letting the bitter taste hit the back of her throat before sliding out of her mouth, “I want to tell you John, I really do, but I’m not sure if opening such a can of worms is wise just now.”

 

“Hasn’t keeping secrets got you into a big enough mess already?”

 

Alex knew John was talking sense, keeping secrets had almost cost Alex her entire family, “Okay, but you have to promise not to tell anyone. Not yet, anyway. I don’t know quite how to put this, but…”

 

Before Alex could finish her sentence, the doorbell rang. John stood up and turned to face Alex, “I’m sorry, I’ll get rid of whoever it is.”

 

John walked out of the living room and strolled across the imposing foyer of the mansion, reaching the heavy wood and glass door and pulling it open. Out on the porch, a familiar blonde woman stood in front of John, her arms folded with a non nonsense look across her face.

 

“Natasha Garrett,” John blinked, almost unable to believe that someone he hadn’t seen in decades was standing on his front porch.

 

“Hello, John,” Natasha smiled, although it was obvious she was far from happy to be there, “I believe you have my daughter staying with you?”

 

Marc & Megan’s Apartment: Bedroom

 

As Marc did push ups on the floor, Megan held back her shiny blonde hair in order to put her earrings in. Turning away from the mirror, Megan faced her boyfriend as he stood up and stretched his muscular arms behind his head.

 

“What time are you meeting Kimberley at?” Marc asked, taking a sip of water from a plastic bottle that sat on top of a chest of drawers.

 

“I dunno,” Megan replied, closing her jewellery box, “She said she’d pick me up at seven but she’s already running late by the looks of things.”

 

“Well that’s to be expected when you’re an international it girl,” Marc rolled his eyes jokingly, “Dealing with all the paparazzi attention and that.”

 

Megan laughed, she had noted that since returning to Oakridge, Kimberley hadn’t been in the tabloids anywhere near as much as when she was in L.A., “I guess the fame got too much for her and that’s why she’s back here for good.”

 

“You’re kidding, right? Your sister thrives off of attention.”

 

Before Megan could answer her boyfriend, her cell phone rang and she lifted it to her ear, “Hello…hey where are you?...oh, okay, great. I’ll be right down,” Megan slid the phone shut and dropped it into her purse.

 

“That was Kimberley, she’s outside in a limo,” Megan explained.

 

“A limo?” Marc laughed, “She’s a shrinking violet that girl, isn’t she?”

 

“See you later,” Megan kissed Marc on the cheek before walking out of the apartment.

 

The Bungalow

 

Watching as Carrie and Nate soaked up the attention, Kristen stood behind the bar with her arms folded. She couldn’t stand the fact that people were so blind to Carrie’s recent diva antics, and detested the fact that her engagement to a thug like Nate was being glorified.

 

“Your face will stay like that if the wind changes,” came Valerie’s voice as she approached her daughter, “Seriously, Kristen, what has gotten into you?”

 

“I’m hardly in the mood to celebrate mom,” Kristen hissed, pouring herself a vodka.

 

Valerie rolled her eyes, unable to comprehend her daughter’s total lack of happiness for her sister, “I get that you two girls aren’t talking, but cant you put your differences aside, if even for tonight?”

 

“Why would I do that? What would be the point in making good with Little Miss Attention Seeker when the only thing she cares about is herself?”

 

“You know that isn’t fair…”

 

“…no mom, I’ll tell you what’s not fair. She disappeared for MONTHS without telling any of us, cheated on her husband with some mafia henchman, and is going out of her way to make Greg’s life as difficult as possible by using their child as a bargaining device, and yet she gets a party?”

 

“I cant talk to you when you’re like this,” Valerie couldn’t stand the fact her two girls weren’t speaking, and the fact that Kristen was harbouring so much animosity towards Carrie was breaking her heart. She walked away from Kristen, just as Kyle sat down at the bar.

 

“What’s up with you?” Kyle smiled, taking a sip of his soda. He couldn’t stand it when Kristen was in a bad mood, her short temper could often lead to disaster for someone.

 

“What do you think?” Kristen didn’t even look her brother in the eye as she answered him, instead her gaze was fixed on Carrie schmoozing her way around the room.

 

“Oh for god’s sake, Kristen,” Kyle rolled his eyes.

 

Kristen finished her vodka in one gulp and poured herself another, “Look, Kyle, I don’t expect you to understand any of this so why don’t you just…”

 

“What are you talking about?” Kyle laughed, “I’ve grown up with you two fighting, so I know exactly how all of this is going to play out.”

 

“Not this time,” Kristen insisted.

 

“Why, because you’re in a relationship with her ex-husband now?” Kyle quickly corrected himself, “Wait, technically they’re still married.”

 

“Keep out of it,” Kristen warned her younger brother, the last thing she wanted was Kyle throwing Greg in her face.

 

“All I’m saying is…”

 

“I don’t care what you’re saying,” Kristen snapped, “The last thing I need is relationship advice from my teenage brother. Where’s Natalie, anyway? You know, your girlfriend who’s pregnant with another guy’s kid?”

 

“That was way harsh Kris,” Kyle stood up, his sister’s words cutting through him like a knife and forcing the realization onto him that no matter how much he wanted it to be otherwise, Natalie was carrying Leo’s baby and he had to deal with that.

 

“Look, I’m sorry,” Kristen began, but it was too late, her brother had clearly had enough of the bickering as he walked off, leaving Kristen standing alone, downing another vodka as she watched the party play out in front of her.

 

The Sterling Mansion

 

“Well?” Natasha demanded, John’s sheer surprise and shock had left him unable to process the elegant blonde’s presence in his home, “April, is she here?”

 

“Come in,” was about all John could manage as he stood aside and let Natasha inside, “What brings you to Oakridge?”

 

“I thought I made that pretty clear,” she snapped, “My daughter, where is she?”

 

“Upstairs, she’s sleeping I think,” John explained, watching as Alex walked through from the living room.

 

“Look, John, this is obviously a bad time,” Alex managed a half smile, but her heart was breaking inside, she had come so close to opening up to John and now it had all just been taken away from her, “I’ll call you later.”

 

“Sorry, Alexandra,” John began as Alex exited the mansion, “So, Natasha, you never said you were coming.”

 

“Do you really think I’d be that stupid?” Natasha explained, “April would be halfway to New York by now if I had done. Where is she, anyway?”

 

“I told you, she’s asleep. Emily kept her up last night; I think she has a bug or something.”

 

“Oh is she okay?” Natasha glanced around the impressive mansion for any traces of her granddaughter, “Carting your toddler all over the country is hardly going to be good for her health.”

 

“They’re both fine, would you stop worrying?” John did his best to calm Natasha, who was clearly itching to see both her daughter and granddaughter.

 

“Oh I’m sorry, but when you just find out that your best friend was responsible for your only son’s death, not to mention the fact that your daughter has taken your grandchild and vanished into thin air without so much as a goodbye, well I think I have a right to be worrying, don’t you?”

 

“Yes I heard about Jared,” John bowed his head, “You have my deepest condolences.”

 

“Thanks,” Natasha’s world had been so focused on finding April that she had almost forgotten all of the drama surrounding Jared’s death…almost, “Look, John, I don’t mean to be rude or anything but…”

 

“…No, no, I totally understand, come in, let me get you a drink while you wait for Amb…April,” John quickly corrected himself.

 

Before they were even in the living room, Amber’s footsteps down the curving staircase echoed through the large foyer.

 

“Mother, what are you doing here?”

 

Westpoint Tower

Floor 12

 

If it wasn’t for the hustle and bustle of the busy office, Kendall would have felt extremely self conscious; the clicking of her stiletto heels on the highly polished floor of the Baldwin Industries headquarters made a noise that could probably be heard across the reception area.

 

“Kendall Sterling here for Shane Baldwin,” Kendall smiled, leaning on the glass desk at the pretty young receptionist who sat typing into her computer. Her stomach began to churn with nerves as she realized what she was about to do, and knew that despite her best attempts to reassure herself otherwise, she just knew that Leo was going to be mad at her beyond belief.

 

“Go right through, Ms Sterling,” the girl smiled, pushing a button that opened two sliding frosted glass doors. Kendall strolled across the pristine white office and through the doorway.

 

“Kendall Sterling, look at you all grown up,” Shane Baldwin spun around in his leather recliner chair behind his glass desk. He could tell a mile off that underneath the polished exterior, Kendall was falling apart with nerves; “I haven’t seen you since you were, what, twelve? Come in; can I get you a coffee or anything?”

 

“Um, a water would be great, thanks,” Kendall sat down opposite Shane and placed a leather-coated binder on the sparkling desktop.

 

“No problem,” Shane pushed a small button in his desk and leaned into the mouthpiece, “Kara, could I get two mineral waters please?”

 

Releasing his hold on the button, Shane looked up at the pretty young brunette sat opposite him, “So Kendall, what can I do for you?”

 

“Well I’ve got a little proposition for you,” Kendall explained, smiling as Shane’s secretary entered the room carrying a tray with two glasses of water, which she set down on top of the table, smiled and scurried out of the office.

 

“I’m intrigued,” Shane raised an eyebrow, “It’s always been a pleasure dealing with Sterling Enterprises. Tell me, how is everyone? It must have been terrible losing Jackie like you did. How did Leo take the news?”

 

“Yeah, nobody really saw it coming,” Kendall quickly paused for thought on her mother, “He was okay I guess. I take it you two still aren’t speaking?”

 

“You could say that,” Shane explained, taking a sip of his water, “Leo certainly inherited the Baldwin stubborn streak, I’ll give him that.”

 

Kendall didn’t know what to say to Shane’s comment. She never really knew what to say to Shane; despite the fact he and Jackie had broken up before she was even born, even conceived, he had been around when she was growing up, always popping in to visit Leo on special occasions despite the fact that Jackie despised his presence, “Like father, like son, I guess.”

 

“I take it Leo doesn’t know you’re here?” Shane and Leo hadn’t spoken in years. Kendall never really knew why they stopped speaking, it was always something that wasn’t allowed to be talked about in her house, but she knew it must have been something major for Leo to cut Shane out of his life like he did.

 

“I thought it best not to tell him I was meeting with you. Not yet, anyway,” Kendall explained, although the truth was she was terrified of telling Leo because she knew he would flip.

“Not to sound rude, Kendall, but why are you meeting with me anyway?”

 

“Okay, well what I wanted to talk to you about is kind of a big deal,” Kendall cleared her throat, doing her best to sound business like and intelligent, “I believe this move would be mutually beneficial for us and would also work in both of our best interests.”

 

Kendall slid the leather folder across the desk to a clearly interested Shane. He opened it up and skimmed the first page, “You want me to buy Sterling Enterprises?”

 

“Well, yeah, but no, I want you to buy half of it,” Kendall explained, tripping up on her words was not in her original plans, “As the report shows, the company is in great shape and it’s a great investment. I just want someone who knows what they’re doing in charge.”

 

“And your uncle John wouldn’t be a better choice? I mean after all, it was him that built this company up with his father, wasn’t it?”

 

“Yeah well sometimes things need to change,” Kendall hadn’t really considered the satisfaction she’d get giving the company to John, if anything just to spite Joseph, “John will still remain at Sterling as long as he wants, I just think it’s time for a fresh perspective on things if this company is to truly grow and flourish the way I know it can.”

 

“Well it does appear to be doing very well,” Shane analysed the reports as best he could as he flipped through the pages, “Especially in the publishing and broadcasting fields. I’m just curious as to why you’d want to give someone else of the company when it’s doing so well?”

 

Kendall could feel a lump in her throat, there was no way she could explain the whole situation to Shane, not when she’d only known him for about ten minutes, “I think it’s just best that I liquidize some assets. I have no desire to run Sterling just now. And that’s where you come in.”

 

“This sounds promising, Kendall,” Shane looked up from the report and gazed into Kendall’s deep brown eyes, he was hesitant to sign any deal with her because of her youth, he needed to know she was serious and that she wasn’t just doing this to wind anybody up, “You do realize the can of worms you’re going to be opening up here, don’t you? I mean you cant expect the Sterlings to welcome me with open arms.”

 

Kendall knew Shane was talking sense, “Leave my family to me. So, when’s convenient for you to sort all this out?”

 

Shane chewed on the end of his pen as he mulled things over. On one hand, it was a financially sound investment, but on the other, he knew it was going to cause so much trouble. “You’re in luck, my day is totally empty so we have all day to talk business.”

 

“Great,” Kendall got up from her seat, “Will you excuse me for a few minutes? I need to make a call.”

 

“Of course, not a problem,” Shane smiled as Kendall walked out of the office. Once she was safely out of earshot he pushed the intercom button again and leaned into the mouthpiece, “Kara, cancel all of my other appointments for today…something’s come up.”

 

Megan & Kimberley’s Limo

 

Sitting at the back of their stretch Hummer, Megan and Kimberley laughed as they sipped champagne and had a girly chat. Kimberley, who as usual was walking the fine line between sexy and slutty with her outfit, poured herself another champagne as Megan flipped her long blonde hair behind her shoulder.

 

“This is so much fun, it almost makes me not want to bother going to a bar or a club,” Megan smiled, unable to remember the last time she and her sister had spent such quality time together.

 

“Yeah, like that’s going to happen,” Kimberley was not prepared to drive around for the whole night. To her, limos were like buses or cabs…transportation pure and simple.

 

“Well even still, I’m glad we’re doing this, it’s been a while since I went out with my little sister,” Megan took a sip of her champagne, “I think the last time we did something like this you were still using fake ID.”

 

“Which always worked, might I remind you,” Kimberley joked, “Besides, I thought we, like, needed time to talk, because we’ve not really been able to since…”

 

Megan frowned as her sister cut herself off mid sentence, “Since we found out about Will?”

 

“Nice one, Kimberley,” Kimberley put her fingers next to her forehead and pretended to shoot herself with them, “Wait to put a downer on the night.”

 

“As if,” Megan rolled her eyes, “Look, seriously Kim, you don’t need to skirt around the issue with me. We both had a major shock when we discovered that Will’s our brother. So did Greg. But it’s important that we move on from it all, because if anything it’s not fair that we make Will feel awkward when he’s done nothing wrong.”

 

“I guess. You know, you’re being a little too cool with all of this, Meg. I mean Will Abbot is OUR BROTHER and you’re like so calm about the whole thing.”

 

“I suppose I just have to get on with it. This last year my life’s been put through the crapper, what with Michael DiCenzo and then everything that happened with Ally…”

 

“Good job attracting the psychos Megan. Besides, I thought it was Carrie that Michael DiCenzo kidnapped.”

 

“Yeah, but he was looking for me,” Megan explained, “Look, Kimbers, I don’t really want to go into it but let’s just say when I lived back in Detroit I got on the wrong side of him, and that’s why he came to Oakridge looking for me. Well, he sent that bonehead Nate and that’s how Carrie ended up getting kidnapped.”

 

“Who needs the L.A. gossip when it’s a tabloid editor’s wet dream here in Oakridge?” Kimberley laughed, although she found the situation far from funny, “I mean you really couldn’t make that stuff up.”

 

“Yeah I guess,” Megan really didn’t want to continue down this road of conversation with her little sister. Holding out her now empty glass, Megan motioned for Kimberley to pour her another, “So where are we headed tonight?”

 

Kimberley shrugged her shoulders, “I dunno sis, Oakridge is hardly the party hotspot of the world, is it.”

 

“What about Club Metro?” Megan suggested, taking a sip of her champagne.

 

“A club in a hotel? No thanks. I was thinking maybe we could go to Optimo, it was pretty decent a few weeks back.”

 

Before they could decide on anything, Kimberley’s bejeweled Sidekick beeped, alerting her to a new text message. Once reading the message, Kimberley quickly swiveled it shut and shoved it into her purse, mortified at what she had just read.

 

The Sterling Mansion

 

“April Dawn Bradshaw,” Natasha marched across the polished hardwood floors towards her daughter, “Where the hell have you been young lady?”

 

Amber could see her mother was on the verge of losing her temper, “I don’t want to talk to you.”

 

As Amber began to walk back up the stairs, Natasha grabbed her arm and spun her around, “You’re going nowhere, young lady, not until we talk.”

 

“I think it’s best I leave you two alone,” John quickly excused himself and took refuge in his den.

 

“What part of I don’t want to talk to you do you not understand?” Amber insisted, looking at Natasha like she was something she had scraped off the bottom of her shoe.

 

“How dare you, young lady?” Natasha’s teeth were gritted, doing her best to remain poised and trying her hardest not to raise her voice, but it wasn’t an easy task, “You run away miles across the country without so much as a goodbye and now you talk to me like this? What the hell has gotten into you?”

 

“Maybe I just got tired of being a doormat,” Amber rolled her eyes, walking past her mother into the living room, “Or maybe I just got tired of my life in River’s Edge. Did you ever think of that?”

 

“After everything this family has been through, you pull this stunt?” Natasha couldn’t believe her daughter’s flippant attitude, “Do you have any idea how worried we’ve all been for you?”

 

“Obviously not worried enough,” Amber turned her back on her mother, “It’s been at least six months and this is you just NOW coming to look for me. Happy New Year, by the way.”

 

“What has happened to you? My daughter, the daughter I raised, would never talk to me like this.”

 

“The daughter you raised wouldn’t have got pregnant when she was a teenager either, but she did, didn’t she? I guess when your parents are as dysfunctional as Andrew and Natasha Bradshaw, you develop a few faults.”

 

Natasha’s jaw dropped to the floor, taking every last ounce of self restraint she had not to smack her daughter across the face, “I cant believe I’m hearing this, not from you.”

 

“Why not? Because you thought I’d just be quiet, obedient little April forever? The nice girl who did whatever everyone else wanted just to keep them happy with no thought for her own happiness? Think again, because it’s not happening. Oh and if you’ve come to take me back to River’s Edge then you’ve had a wasted journey, because I’m not going back there. Not now, not ever.”

 

Natasha could tell something wasn’t right with her daughter. She couldn’t pinpoint what, but something had definitely changed within April, “I cant talk to you if you’re going to behave like this. I’ll be back tomorrow, when hopefully you’ll have calmed down.”

 

“Don’t bother,” Amber walked back up the stairs as Natasha left the mansion, closing the door behind her just in time, her reserve had gave out and she hunched over in a fit of tears, struggling to catch her breath as she cried her eyes out.

 

TO BE CONTINUED…