AS THE MOUSE

OVES©

Soap Opera "As The Mouse Moves" - Tuesday September 4^th 2001
"Would you like another glass of champagne?" Clark asked Starlene.
"I guess so.  I don't want to drink too much though.  I wouldn't want to tell that reporter too much," she said laughing as Clark filled her glass and sat down on the sofa beside her.
"Did you call the airport to see if the plane landed?" Clark asked.
"No.  Although it is getting really late isn't it?" she said in her southern accent as she glanced at the clock on the wall of the living room.
"I'll call," Clark said getting up from the sofa and walking towards Tiffany's desk to pick up the phone. He quickly hit speed dial for JFK airport.
"I'd like to check on flight 101 from London," he said taking a sip of his champagne as he held the phone waiting for an answer.  He jumped nervously as a bolt of lightning and the crack of thunder seemed to shake the living room of his townhouse where he operated his party planning business.
"I'm glad I told Stanley to take Tiffany home.  She never would have gotten a cab in this storm," Starlene said pleased that her older lover had taken her sister home.  She quickly looked out of the window onto the court of MacDougal Alley as the rain beat upon the cobblestones.
"Canceled?….Okay, thank you," Clark said into the phone hanging up and shaking his head.
"No!  You mean the flight was canceled?" Starlene said pouting.
"Yeah.  I guess so," Clark said starting to walk towards the sofa as the phone on the desk rang. He walked back to answer it.
"Hello," he answered.  "I'll tell her.  Thanks for calling.  Have a safe trip home and thank you so much for coming to the party tonight," Clark said.
"That was Charles.  He said to tell you that he's sorry and he'll have to reschedule his interview with you," Clark said hanging up the phone and walking back towards the sofa.
"Gee this whole night got messed up over this storm," Starlene said taking a long sip of her champagne.
"He'll be back.  They did get a lot of good pictures of you didn't they?" Clark said taking a seat beside her on the sofa.
"Yeah.  I guess you're right.  I just wanted to be interviewed by London Link TV.  You know.  I wanted to become an international celebrity," she said smiling.
"Time, give yourself time Starlene.  You haven't been in New York but nine months."
"It seems like a long time when you put it that way."
"You've been busy.  I mean you've snagged one of the wealthiest men in town," Clark said noticing her cleavage as she bent forward to pick up the bottle of champagne and refill her glass as he took at seat beside her on the sofa.
"That isn't enough," she said refilling his empty glass as he held it towards her.
"I thought you and Stanley were happy."
"We are but you know…" she said frowning.
"Know what? Tell me."
"I thought he would have helped me get a job modeling or something by now."
"Is that what you really want from him?"
"Yeah.  I mean he helped his last girlfriend Laney get into Playbody."
"Then she left him and moved to California too.  Maybe that's why he hasn't helped you get a modeling job."
"I never thought of it that way."
"Yeah if you get what you want you might not need him anymore."
"You're smart Clark."
"I might be right," he said modestly.
"What about you Clark?  I've never seen you with a woman," she said jumping nervously towards him as the thunder cracked outside the window behind the sofa.
CONTINUED TOMORROW. MORE SOAP PHOTOS BELOW.