Heart and Soul

Episode 72

Where I End and You Begin

By Allan Craig

 

Leo Sterling sighed as he held out his empty mug for his sister to refill with as much caffeine as possible. Spending time with his little sister since her arrival had tired him out more than a coke-fuelled eight day party in Vegas a few summers back, and his pounding head served as a constant reminder of Lucy’s presence.

 

“I just don’t get it.” Kendall muttered as she filled two mugs with coffee and handed one back to her brother. “She just showed up?”

 

“Well I didn’t really ask Shane for the details, but pretty much, I guess.” Leo had never been one for in depth information, especially if it meant having to talk to his estranged father. “But I like how he jets back West on business and I’m stuck here taking care of her.”

 

“She’s your sister,” Kendall urged her brother to have some heart, knowing that the likelihood was slim to none.

 

“So are you, but I don’t have to put up with you hanging around me like a bad smell.” Leo hissed as he took a sip of his coffee.

 

“It’s slightly different, Leo, she’s not seen you in years, she just wants to get to know you.” Kendall insisted, taking a seat at the table and devouring the business pages of the newspaper, “Believe me, once she does, you won’t have the problem of her wanting to spend time with you.”

 

“You’re funny.” Leo snarled. “So what do I do with a fifteen year old girl to keep her occupied today?”

 

“I’m sure you’ll come up with something” came an enthusiastic voice from the doorway. Kendall and Leo looked over to see Lucy standing in front of them, a vision in pastel.

 

“Lucy, you’re here early.” Kendall did her best to be friendly to the teenager, which meant adopting a motherly tone despite only being a few years older than Lucy, “Can I get you some breakfast or anything?”

 

“No thanks, I had something before I came over.” Lucy grinned, eternally cheerful as she made her way into the kitchen and rested her cute-but-pointlessly-small handbag down on the table, causing Kendall to wonder what it could be holding considering Lucy’s pink, jewel encrusted BlackBerry appeared to be surgically attached to her hand. “So, what are we doing today, big brother?”

 

“I don’t know about today, Luce, I’ve got a whole lot of work to do,” suddenly the prospect of becoming more involved with his late mother’s company was a lot more appealing to Leo.

 

“Leo Sterling actually working?” Kendall feigned disbelief. “I never thought I’d see the day.”

 

“You can wait another day to start, cant you?” Lucy pouted her lips and gave her best Bambi impression as she stared at her clearly tortured older brother. “Especially when I’ve got a little baby niece to meet.”

 

Leo sunk further into his chair; was Lucy actually suggesting they go over to Natalie’s place? Kendall let out a small giggle.

 

“I bet Gracie can’t wait to meet you, Lucy.” Kendall joked, toying with her brother’s patience.

 

“Can we go?” Lucy perked up even more. “Please?”

“Fine.” Leo rested his again empty mug down on the table. “Let me go get ready. But we’re not staying long, got it?”

 

“We’ll see…” Lucy smiled, before Leo raised an eyebrow and shot her the ‘don’t mess with me’ look. Lucy’s shoulders hunched as her enthusiastic grin dropped slightly. “Got it.”

 

 

Kristen took a deep breath as she entered Carrie’s home, having not been in the vicinity of the building since her run in with Nate a few months back. Carrie took a seat on the sofa as Kristen unbuttoned her coat and draped it over the back of an armchair before sitting down next to her sister.

 

“I like what you’ve done with the place,” Kristen commented as she glanced around the living room, choosing not to mention the toys that were strewn around the cosy room.

 

“We didn’t have time to do it properly, what with the custody case and everything, so we just touched it up here and there.” Carrie hated making small talk with her sister; something didn’t feel right between them still, even after they had made up.

 

“No it’s nice, really homely.” Kristen smiled awkwardly. The smile soon dropped from her face when Nate walked in the front door. Taking another deep breath, Kristen managed to pull her face back into a smile, albeit with gritted teeth. “Hello Nate.”

 

“Kristen, haven’t seen you in a while.” Nate uttered bluntly. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a few calls to make.”

 

Eager to avoid the tension, Nate quickly escaped up the staircase, leaving the sisters sitting together. Kristen sighed, trying her best not to voice her disapproval of Carrie’s relationship with Nate, but her sister beat her to the punch.

 

“You’re still pretty pissed at him, huh?” Carrie supposed, smoothing down her cream sweater as she straightened up her posture.

 

“I just don’t think he’s good enough for you, that’s all.” Kristen explained. “It doesn’t change anything with us, we’ll just have to agree to disagree.”

 

“Maybe we’re not disagreeing at all.” Carrie thought out loud before correcting herself. “Never mind, I shouldn’t have said…”

 

“Why, is something wrong between you and Nate?”

 

“It’s nothing…really…”

 

“Because if something’s wrong I want you to know you can tell me. Seriously, Car, I’m your sister, if you cant tell me what’s going on then who can you tell?”

 

“It’s really no big deal, honestly. Its just sometimes, you know, I just feel like he keeps things from me. Things about his past, I suppose, that he thinks will be bad for our relationship. I dunno, I just think he has a problem being open with me, and if you cant be honest with each other then what kind of relationship can you have?”

 

Kristen couldn’t help but notice how Carrie’s sentiments echoed her own relationship troubles of late, but she couldn’t exactly tell Carrie about the fact she had, until recently, been dating Greg, her ex husband of all people. “Have you tried talking to him about it?”

 

“I’ve tried, but we don’t get anywhere. I dunno, Kristen, do you think I’m overreacting here?”

 

“You know my feelings on Nate, Carrie. Of course you’re not overreacting. I just don’t get why you don’t realize he’s no good.”

 

“You don’t know him like I know him, Kristen. Nate is a good man, he’s just…a little guarded I guess.”

 

“But how can you justify him being guarded when it comes to you. You’re engaged to him; you guys should be able to tell each other absolutely anything, not keeping secrets from each other. Trust me; secrets can never be good for a relationship.”

 

 

 

Diane walked into the living room of her penthouse carrying a large glass of red wine in one hand and a book in the other; looking forward to a relaxing afternoon while Joseph was out at the golf course, but the noise blaring from the television reminded far from subtly reminded her that she had forgot to factor one thing into the equation; Taylor.

 

“Would you turn that down?” Diane moaned as she took a seat in one of the brown leather armchairs beside the fireplace. Taylor mutely obliged, maintaining a hateful look on her face as her eyes remained fixed to the screen. “What is this drivel you’re watching anyway?”

 

“Excuse you, it’s ‘The Hills’, duh.”

 

“And that would be?”

 

“What? Do people your age just not watch MTV?” Taylor hissed. “Now do you mind? I’m trying to concentrate on this. Spencer just walked out on Heidi.”

 

“Who could blame him, what with her looking like that, or is the trailer park whore look what’s en vogue these days?” Diane responded, putting her book down and moving over to the couch. “These young actresses could learn a thing or two from old Hollywood actresses, they were always immaculately put together, always exuding glamour…”

 

“She’s not an actress.” Taylor rolled her eyes. “It’s a reality show.”

 

“Oh of course, how silly of me,” Diane laughed to herself, noting that the programme playing out on the TV screen was about as real as the ‘Heidi’ girl’s breasts. As the closing titles flashed up on the screen, reminding both Taylor and Diane that an all new episode was to follow, Diane quickly ordered Taylor to catch her up.

“So now Lauren and Heidi just aren’t friends anymore because of Spencer?” Diane reiterated Taylor’s explanation. “But look at him…”

 

“Tell me about it.” Taylor agreed with her stepmother to be. “He’s a total slime.”

 

Diane took a sip of her wine as the next episode began, pleased that she was finally bonding with Taylor over something, albeit a scripted soap opera masquerading as a reality show.

 

 

“I can’t believe I get to meet my little niece for the first time.” Lucy gushed as she, along with Leo, made her way along the hallway to Natalie’s apartment.

 

Leo had been unable to shake his little sister from his side ever since their encounter in the Metro Hotel a few days earlier. He stopped as they reached the door and knocked sharply before turning to face Lucy. “We’re not staying long, okay. Half an hour and we’re out of here.”

 

“You’re such a buzzkill.” Lucy’s tone remained cheerful even when criticizing her brother.

 

Leo sighed, noting that each of his recent attempts to get some sort of buzz was quickly killed by his sister. Cocaine was no match for Lucy. “Half an hour, got it?”

 

“Got it.” Lucy grinned as the door opened. “You must be Natalie.”

 

“And you must be Lucy.” Natalie smiled, deciding to give Lucy the benefit of the doubt instead of holding her to her brother’s low standards. “Come in, come in.”

 

“Natalie.” Leo smirked as he glanced at his former conquest. “You’re looking particularly ravishing today.”

 

“Bite me.” Natalie muttered through gritted teeth, all the while remaining a perfect smile.

 

“Been there, done that.” Leo made his way into the apartment and plopped himself down on the sofa while Natalie lifted Grace from her crib, ignoring Leo’s remark.

 

“Gracie, this is your aunt Lucy.” Natalie couldn’t help but speak in a goo-goo baby voice in the presence of her daughter, something that caused Leo to chuckle.

 

“She’s so adorable.” Lucy gushed as Natalie handed the baby over to her.

 

“She gets that from me.” Leo announced as he stood up and made his way over to the balcony, walking outside and lighting up a cigarette.

 

Natalie rolled her eyes as she followed Leo out onto the balcony, leaving Lucy alone with Grace. “I take it you’ve got my check with you today?”

 

“Like I’d forget,” Leo hissed as he removed a slip of paper from his inside pocket and stuffed it into the palm of Natalie’s hand. “If I didn’t know you any better, I’d think you were only after my money.”

 

“I am only after your money. I thought we established that.” Natalie couldn’t stand Leo’s attempts at humor, knowing that instead of lightening the mood, they only served to tease her. “It’s not like I’m impaled on the rapier of your wit, is it?”

 

“It’s not like your getting impaled on anything these days, is it Nat?”

 

“And whose fault is that?” Natalie folded her arms.

 

“Oh here we go again, Leo it’s all your fault that Kyle and I ended blah, blah, blah…” Leo glanced casually at his Rolex, “Oh look, it’s time for you to change the subject. Seriously, Natalie, give the whole Kyle thing a rest. It’s starting to bore me.”

 

“If my child wasn’t in the next room I’d push you right over this balcony, do you know that?”

 

“Oh, so we’re making threats now? Well keep going, Nat, you know I like it rough.” Leo smirked.

 

“You disgust me.”

 

“Whatever.” Leo stubbed his cigarette out on the balcony and tossed it into the street below before re-entering the apartment. “Luce, half hour’s up. We’re out of here.”

 

“What? But we only just got here!” Lucy moaned.

 

Leo shot his sister a death glare, “I said we’re out of here.”

 

“It was nice meeting you, Natalie.” Lucy handed Grace back over to Natalie and kissed her niece on the forehead.

 

“You too, Lucy. You’re welcome here whenever,” Natalie couldn’t help but think it might be nice to have someone to share the strain of watching Grace.

 

“She’ll keep that in mind.” Leo interrupted as he opened the door to the hallway, quickly ushering his sister out of the apartment. “I’ll be seeing you.”

 

 

Drained from a sleepless night, and not the good kind, Jessica emerged from her bedroom clutching her stomach, feeling as if she was coming down with something.

 

“Oh, you’re up.” Rex greeted his girlfriend warmly from the kitchen. “Do you want breakfast?”

 

“No thanks.” Jessica moaned as she took a seat on the sofa, her head pounding and her eyes heavy. “Just some water and some aspirin if we’ve got any.”

 

“You feeling okay? You were up half the night.”

 

Jessica sighed, wishing it was only half of the night’s sleep that she missed out on, rather than all of it. “Just a little drained, that’s all. I think if I just have a day on the couch I’ll be fine.”

 

“Well you don’t have a temperature.” Rex advised his girlfriend, resting the back of his hand on her forehead as he handed her a glass of water. “Maybe it’s something you ate?”

 

“Maybe,” Jessica hoped, feeling that the cause of her discomfort was something a little more serious.

 

“Well I gotta get to work.” Rex kissed her on the forehead and grabbed his keys. “Give me a call if you want me to swing by the drugs store for anything.”

 

“Will do. See you later.” Jessica moaned as Rex exited the apartment, closing the door behind her.

 

 

Josh stretched his arms out wide as he got up from the sofa and walked over to the kitchen area, grabbing himself a can of soda before deciding that water would be better for the time of night.

 

“You want anything?” he asked Natalie.

 

“I’m fine, thanks.” Natalie’s attention remained glued to the TV screen, where some heavily Botox-ed woman wept into the arms of her handsome love interest.

 

“Do you want to remind me why we’re watching this crap?” Josh asked his younger sister as he resumed his position on the sofa.

 

“It’s good!” Natalie hissed at her brother, all the while keeping her gaze fixed on the TV screen, the cheesy telenovela was the perfect antidote to her stressful day with Grace, complete with a passing visit from Leo.

 

“Whatever.” Josh rolled his eyes. “I’m gonna call it a night. See you tomorrow, sis.”

 

“Yeah, night.” Natalie muttered as her brother made his way to his bedroom, closing the door behind him just as Ramona whipped out a gun and aimed it square on Miguel as the closing theme of her telenovela began to beat over the music. Natalie relocated to the now vacant sofa and made herself comfortable, the marathon of The Heart Never Lies had only begun…

 

 

 

Making her way out of a convenience store, Taylor was quick to rip the plastic casing from her packet of cigarettes and raise one to her mouth; she had been so desperate for a smoke after hiding it from her father and Diane for so long that she had forgotten to buy a lighter. As she spun around on her heels to head back along the street to the store, a handsome stranger stopped in front of her, holding out a lit match, which Taylor gratefully accepted.

“Thanks,” she smiled, taking a deep, orgasmic draw of the cigarette and exhaling delightedly. “You wouldn’t believe how much I needed that.”

 

“Smoking kills, you know.” Kyle Masters responded, smiling devilishly at the petite brunette.

 

“So does playing with matches.” Taylor grinned as she took another drag from her cigarette. “Although at your age, I’d think you’d know better.”

 

Kyle had been sent by his mother to pick up some matches for the restaurant, but the mundane errand had suddenly got interesting. “Know better about what?”

 

“Playing with fire…if you’re not careful you’ll get burned.” Taylor pouted, doing her best to appear seductive towards the Abercrombie worthy guy standing in front of her.

 

“Is that a threat?” Kyle raised an eyebrow.

 

“It’s a promise.” Taylor winked as she walked off down the street, if she’d learned anything from Clueless, it was to always leave them wanting more.

 

 

 

Alone in her bathroom, Jessica picked up the long piece of white plastic that rested on top of the sink and glanced at it. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes as she waited for the result to flash up on the display, bracing herself for what was to come. She clenched every muscle in her body in sheer anticipation, her stomach wrought with nerves, and opened her eyes, feeling the color drain from her face as she looked down at the object in her hands.

 

Her worst fears had suddenly been confirmed.

 

She was pregnant.

 

 

Placing her toothbrush back in it’s holder, Natalie pulled her long brown hair out of its ponytail and turned off the bathroom light, yawning as she made her way into her bedroom. She unbuttoned her sweater and retrieved a hanger from her wardrobe to place it on, unzipping her jeans and folding them onto the back of her chair before removing her bra and pulling an oversized sweatshirt she had never gotten round to giving back to Kyle over her body.

 

She yawned as she folded down her bedspread and drew the curtains, barely able to keep her eyes open after a busy day with Grace; now all she wanted to do was get into bed and hopefully have a full night’s sleep. Natalie took off her earrings and placed them in the jewelry box beside her bed before walking over to her daughter’s crib and leaning in to kiss her goodnight.

 

Before her lips could touch Grace’s cheek, Natalie couldn’t help but feel that something wasn’t right. Her baby daughter was cold, still and motionless. She felt her heart sink to the pit of her stomach as she let out a heartbreaking scream, suddenly jolting awake as she realized what had happened…

 

TO BE CONTINUED…