AS THE MOUSE

OVES©

Soap Opera "As The Mouse Moves" - Wednesday September 5^th 2001
"Here you go my dear," Stanley said handing Tiffany a glass of wine as he took a seat beside her on the sofa in her apartment overlooking Washington Square Park.
"Thanks.  I wish this storm would pass," she said glancing towards the window as the lightning illuminated the hardwood floors.
"I'll hold you close if you're afraid my dear," Stanley said putting his arm around her.
"No.  I'm not afraid. I just want Starlene to come home," she said referring to her younger sister and his lover that had stayed behind at the party.
"You know Starlene… if there's a chance to be interviewed she'll wait all night."
"Yeah.  I just don't know how that reporter's plane can land in this storm."
"Don't worry about it," he said rubbing her shoulder.
"Maybe you should call her and see if he's arrived yet?"
"Why don't you forget all of that and let us enjoy our time together."
"Don't you think you should get back to the party and be with my sister?"
"She's happy there.  All she really wants is publicity."
"The last thing I want and all she wants," Tiffany said under her breath.
"I know.  This has been difficult for you the last few months," he said referring to the unwanted media attention of her affair with the mayoral candidate Amir Hada.
"Yeah."
"You kept your romance with Amir secret a long time Tiffany. I mean I didn't have any idea," he said wondering if that's why she had rebuffed his advances.
"Yeah."
"It must be hard having a relationship with a married man and especially a public figure like Amir."
"I didn't know he was married," she said referring to Amir's comatose wife.
"He should have told you," Stanley said shaking his head and rubbing her shoulder.
"His wife had been in a coma so long he never thought she would wake up and really didn't think she would live," she said surprised that she was defending her lover against the very thing that had angered her so deeply.
"Excuses, excuses.  He's still a married man with a wife."
"I thought you were a friend of Amir's.  I mean you have publicly supported him in his bid for mayor."
"Oh I do support him and I do think Amir is a fine man.  I was just well….  I was surprised that you would have become involved with him."
"Why?"
"You could have lost your job."
"I know."
"You still could."
"Clark seems okay with it now that it's getting him so much free publicity."
"Yes but if Amir doesn't get elected because of you and things don't go right in November then he might not feel the same way.  All of the publicity will die down if Amir loses.  Then he won't see you as an asset anymore."
"What can I do?"
"Cover yourself."
"What do you mean?"
"Has Amir told you not to see other people?"
"No.  Not at all."
"See you don't have anything to hold on to with that relationship."
"I know he really cares about me."
"Where is Amir tonight?"
"With his wife."
"Open your eyes my dear.  Be smart. Love with your head a little more than your heart," he said pulling her closer to him on the sofa.
CONTINUED TOMORROW. MORE SOAP PHOTOS BELOW.