AS THE MOUSE

OVES©

Soap Opera "As The Mouse Moves" - Wednesday April 18^th 2001
"Why did you let her go to dinner with Amir?"  Jan asked Clark angrily. Her plan to get Tiffany fired failed when Amir came by and praised Tiffany as his 'friend.'  Amir asked Clark if Tiffany could leave work and go to an early dinner with him.
"Jan what was I going to do?  You heard him go on and on about how much he appreciated Tiffany's friendship," Clark said pouring his intoxicated wealthy client another glass of wine.
Jan picked up the glass of wine and took a long drink.  "So you believe that they're only friends?" she asked.
"I don't know what to believe anymore.  I think she might be lying and wants it to be more than a friendship. Any woman would want Amir.  I can understand that.  I mean you see the women on television talking about it all the time.  Why would Tiffany be any different?  I think Amir truly needs someone to confide in and maybe Tiffany is helping him out with the problems of his sick wife," Clark said taking another long sip of his wine and placing the glass on the coffee table in front of them.
"Honestly!  You and my Father.  You both believe this gold digging woman.  Why would Amir need to talk with her when he's got me?" Jan asked fighting to keep her composure.
"I don't know Jan.  Maybe it's because the two of you work together so closely. I really don't know," Clark said wishing he could be more honest and help Jan see her personality flaws. 
"I'm going to talk to Father about this again," she said refusing to accept her fate.
"Your Father is the person that insisted I rehire Tiffany.  I think we better just move forward and not let this bother us so much," Clark said dreading the scene that Jan might create. The phone started to ring on the desk that Tiffany usually occupied.  Clark got up and walked towards the ringing phone on the other side of the room.
"Manhattan Party Planning," Clark answered.
"Is Tiffany there?" a man with a slow southern accent asked.
"No she's already left for the day.  May I ask who's calling?" Clark asked thinking he already knew who the caller might be.
"Hi there Clark.  It's her old man …Skeeter.  How you doin' good buddy?" Skeeter asked.
"I'm fine Skeeter.  How are you?" Clark asked turning around to glance out of the window and seeing the surprise on Jan's face when she heard him say Skeeter's name.
"I'm doing alright.  Can't complain too much.  Do you know when Tiffany will be back?  Did she go to late lunch or something?  I really need to talk to her," Skeeter asked.
"She left the office early today. She won't be in until tomorrow morning."
"Man I needed to talk to her now."
"Is there something wrong?"
"No.  Just needed to talk to her about something personal.  Well, it's about her sister Starlene really."
"Is Starlene okay?" Clark asked genuinely concerned about the fun loving voluptuous blonde.
"Yeah, she's fine.  I'm just trying to help her out some."
"The brother in law role, huh?" Clark asked glancing towards Jan and noticed that she was listening as she tapped her long nails on the arm of his sofa.
"Yeah.  I guess you could say that," Skeeter said wondering if Tiffany would see his plans to help her sister with the job he had in mind as a favor.
"I'll tell her you called."
"Okay, thanks a lot," Skeeter said hanging up the phone. 
Clark hung up the phone and started to walk back towards the sofa where Jan was waiting. He was surprised by her sudden anger.  She jumped up off the sofa and walked to the front window turning her back to him.
"So that was Skeeter calling for Tiffany?" she said unable to hide the bitterness in her voice.
"Yeah, it seems he's doing something to help Starlene out and needed to talk to his wife," Clark said taking a seat on the sofa and watching Jan.
"That's just great!  She's chasing Amir and that's okay with everyone.  She's dangling her poor husband on and that doesn't bother anyone either," she said turning to face Clark red faced with anger.
"Well, she and Skeeter are still married Jan," Clark said shocked at the intensity of her fury.
"Why should she get away with everything?  She doesn't deserve anything.  I won't stand for this another minute!" she said walking to Tiffany's desk and picking up the phone.
CONTINUED TOMORROW. MORE PHOTOS BELOW.