AS THE MOUSE

OVES©

Soap Opera "As The Mouse Moves" - Thursday February 14th 2002
"Would you like another bottle of champagne?" the waiter asked Stanley as he sat beside his young lover at Tavern on the Green Restaurant in Central Park.
"Yes bring us another bottle."
"Do you think Nicole will be coming back to work?" Starlene asked  referring to Stanley's young secretary. She had caught him sharing intimacy with her on his office sofa a few days ago. Nicole's powerful Father had found out about their relationship from her boyfriend Vinny after Starlene secretly told him hoping to get rid of Nicole.
"I don't really want to talk about that anymore tonight," Stanley said.
"I just need to know if it's really over with the two of you Stanley."
"There was never anything to it," he lied.
"Nothing to it Stanley! I caught you in the act with her.  I know there was certainly something to it."
"I told you it didn't mean anything, she's just confused."
"She didn't seem confused and neither did you."
"Look I brought you to this nice restaurant to celebrate Valentine's Day.  Are we going to fight or enjoy our evening together?" he asked watching the waiter opening the bottle of champagne and refilling their glasses.
"I'm trying to get over it Stanley. It's going to take time though. Is she going to be working for you anymore?"
"No, she's going back to Florida.  I think she's going to marry this guy named Vinny," Stanley lied.
"Really? That's not what I heard Stanley.  I heard that she and Vinny broke up and her Father fired Vinny."
"Where did you hear that?"
"I have sources too," she said taking a sip of her champagne.
"Did your sources give Nicole's father the proofs of her pictures she had taken for Playbody Magazine?" Stanley asked suspicious that Starlene was the person that had taken the pictures from his desk drawer and given them to Vinny who in turn gave them to Nicole's father.
"I don't know what you're talking about," she lied avoiding his eyes.
"Somebody gave Nicole's Father the pictures and told him that I was helping his daughter get a job modeling for Playbody."
"Well, it's the truth Stanley. He just found out the truth."
"Why don't we talk about something else now," he said adjusting his tie.
"One more question about it…"
"What?"
"Is her Father angry with you?"
"He was I think."
"Are you worried about it?"
"It's not a good thing Starlene.  You never want a man like that mad at you especially if he's suspicious over his daughter."
"He's not going to hurt you or anything is he Stanley?" she said unable to hide her concern.
"I hope not."
"You don't sound so sure."
"Well, I'm not."
"What are you going to do about it then?"
"I hired security."
"Really?"
"Yes, someone will be watching us all the time for a while."
"Wow.  Do you think that's enough?"
"I hope so.  Now let's talk about something else.  Here Honey.  I got you a little something," he said taking a small box from his jacket and handing it to her.
"A Valentine's present?"
"Open it."
She took the small velvet box from his hand and opened it. The sparkle of the diamond ring took her breath away. "Oh Stanley!" she said as he took the ring from the box and slipped it on her trembling finger. "Does this mean, we're…." She asked glancing up into his eyes eagerly.
CONTINUED TOMORROW. MORE SOAP PHOTOS BELOW.