Episode #8

Wednesday, 5/2/07

Same Day, Late Afternoon

Whispering Springs Sanitarium, Barbara Marriott’s room

Barbara Marriott stared for a few minutes out the window, taking into the beauty of the lush flower gardens outside. However, it wasn’t long before a cloud seemed to cover her face and she reached down under the cushion of the armchair and pulled out a newspaper. The headline? “Rosehill Socialite Murdered”…

The Sterling Home, living room

“Eddie, I was worried. I didn’t know what happened to you when you disappeared from the memorial service,” Vanessa Sterling said as she pulled her former brother-in-law off to the side. “Especially when Rick and Cal came.”

“I saw Charles,” Edouard Aleata explained. “In the back of the church. I wasn’t sure it was him, at first, but I had to go look for him.”

“Charles? Oh, dear. Was it him?” She put her hand on his arm in concern. Van was fully aware of the troubles that had existed between father and son for some time.

“It was Charles – or rather Chaz as he seems to like to be called. Honestly, Van, I just don’t know what to do with him. He’s managed to convince himself that he’s trouble for anyone who loves him and that he’s always been an outsider in his own family.” Eddie threw up his hands, both confused and frustrated by the entire situation.

“Did he tell you where he’s been all this time? Did he explain why he hasn’t even been in contact with anyone?”

“No. Getting him to open up is like talking to a brick wall.” Eddie slowly began to pace around the room. “I’ve done everything I can to show him how much we all love him – Dory and I, Kevin, Kirsten… He just doesn’t seem to want anything to do with any of us.”

Van shook her head, as bewildered by it all as Eddie was. “Did he tell you why he’s here in Rosehill?”

“He wants to find out about Felicia – his real mother. I’ve told him everything there is to know about her – how wonderful and loving she was. How talented and smart she was. How much she loved him and how much I fought for him after she died… But he seems to want to find out everything on his own.”

“I think that’s understandable. Sometimes a person has to find out the answers to questions all on their own.”

“He said that he’s going to stay in Rosehill for a while.” And then a thought struck Eddie. “Van, if you happen to see him, could you look out for him for me? I’ve got to go back to Boston and I’d feel a lot better if I knew that there was someone here to keep an eye on him.”

“Oh, Eddie, Charles is a grown man. He doesn’t need anyone hovering over him.”

“I know, but…” His eyes seemed to plead with Van.

“All right,” she finally nodded. “You know Bruce and I always thought of you as family and I know that Cal would love to see him while she and Rick are in town.”

“Thank you, Vanessa.” He pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly. “You have no idea how much this means to me.”

Whispering Springs Sanitarium, Barbara Marriott’s room

“Andrew was right,” Barbara thought to herself as her eyes focused on the newspaper headline. “You won’t be a problem for us anymore. After every horrible thing that you did, you won’t be able to come between us ever again. I’m going to get better and I’m going to get out of this hospital and Andrew and I are finally going to be together like we always wanted.”

As Barbara tightly folded up the newspaper and tucked it back under the seat cushion, the memories again came to her…

So much happiness. So much relief. And then it all started to fall apart.

Barbara shook her head in an attempt to clear the fog that had begun to cloud her mind. The medication was starting to take effect. She inhaled deeply and leaned back into her chair. She had to get better. She simply had to.

Sterling & Marriott; Amy’s office

“He’s missed how many times?” Amy Marriott said into the phone as she leaned back into her chair behind her desk. As Dr. Tom Crawford stepped into her office, she silently waved him into the room before continuing her conversation. “No, I don’t know why Eric would’ve missed school. Yes, I understand that attendance is important.” She felt her jaw tighten. “Yes, you can believe I’ll have a little chat with him. A meeting?” A long pause. “Yes, my husband and I will be there. Thank you, again, for letting me know what Eric’s been up to.”

“Problems with Eric’s school?” Tom sat down in the chair in from of the desk.

“Apparently so,” she sighed. “That was Winfield’s head master. It seems my darling baby boy hasn’t been so keen on showing up for class. Andy and I are supposed to have a meeting with him about his lack of attendance and the possibility of Eric having to go to summer school.”

“Eric’s not going to like that.”

“Well, what Eric does and doesn’t like isn’t high on my list of priorities at the moment.”

“I’m surprised I didn’t see you at the memorial service,” Tom shifted the conversation in a different direction.

“I don’t know why. You know I couldn’t stand Meg Marriott.” Amy rose from her seat and walked around to the front of her desk. “She made Andrew miserable – everyone knows that. And now he’s saddled with Barbara? Honestly, I don’t know what Andrew could’ve done to deserve that nutso half-sister of mine.”

“Well, I thought you might’ve gone to the service for Van’s sake, if nothing else.”

“Ah, yes, St. Vanessa.” She rolled her eyes sarcastically. “You mean step-mommie dearest who did everything she could to keep me away from my father. Thanks, but no thanks. The less I have to do with that old woman the better. Now that my father is gone, I don’t even have to put up with her, which is just the way I like it.”

“If I remember correctly, when Bruce first found out you were his daughter, you did everything you could to make their lives miserable.” Tom leaned forward in his seat, knowing full well that he was speaking the truth.

“I made mistakes, Tom, I admit that,” she sighed. “But I didn’t know the truth. I didn’t know that he didn’t really abandon me and my mother. He didn’t even know he had another daughter. Then when I tried to have a relationship with him, St. Van did everything she could to keep me from him. That woman watch me like a hawk, just waiting for me to screw up so she could run to him with it.”

“That’s not exactly how I remember it, Amy.”

“Look, do we really have to rehash all of this. It was a long time ago. Besides, I have some free time this afternoon. I’ve cancelled all of my appointments for this afternoon and…” She walked towards him slowly, undoing the top button of her blouse. “I thought we could have a little alone time.”

“Here? In your office?” He was shocked by her brazenness, but both enticed and intrigued at the same time. “Don’t you think your secretary might come in? I bet she’d love to run to Andy with that bit of information.”

“That loser of a husband of mine can take a flying leap,” she laughed, “and I gave my secretary the afternoon off.”

“Well, then,” Tom smiled, drawing closer to her and taking her into his arms, “I guess the afternoon is all ours.”