AS THE MOUSE

OVES©

Soap Opera "As The Mouse Moves" - Monday February 25th 2002
"Starlene is that you?"  Tiffany called out from the kitchen of their apartment overlooking Washington Square Park.
"Yeah."
"How'd it go?" Tiffany asked as she turned off the water in the kitchen sink and walked towards the hallway. "How did your lunch with Nicole go?" Tiffany asked watching her younger sister take off her pink fur trimmed jacket and hang it on the coat rack beside the door.
"Okay," Starlene said in her slow southern accent.
"Good.  I hope you didn't eat too much lunch.  I'm making us dinner tonight. I thought we'd celebrate your engagement with Stanley," Tiffany said rubbing her damp hands on her jeans.
"I'm not hungry Tiffany," Starlene said slowly walking towards the living room, her high heels echoing on the hardwood floors.
"Well, you will be later," Tiffany said following her towards the sofa and taking a seat beside her.
"I don't know Tiffany. I've got to call Stanley and get some things straightened out."
"What happened? Did you show her the diamond ring Stanley gave you?"
"Yeah," Starlene said glancing down at the large diamond on her finger.
"I bet she was shocked."
"Yeah she was surprised all right."
"Well…what else happened?"
"I thought she would quit the job, but it's not going to be that easy."
"Stanley loves you Starlene or he wouldn't have given you the engagement ring."
"Yeah but I want him to marry me and he says that we have to wait until we see how things go with Nicole.  Now this is going to hold me up."
"She'll get tired of working and move back to Florida.
"I'll have to give her a little push," Starlene said reaching for the phone.
"What are you going to do?"
"Call Stanley," Starlene said dialing her older lover's phone number at his office in the Empire State Building.
"Mr. Morgan's office," the receptionist answered.
"Hi, it's me.  Is Stanley in?"
"Yeah, hold on."
"Starlene," Stanley answered.
"Hi Stanley. I just came back from a very interesting lunch with Nicole."
"You went to lunch with Nicole?" Stanley asked watching his daughter Jan pacing back and forth in front of his desk.
"Yeah. I thought maybe it would help matters," Starlene lied.
"I wish you hadn't done that."
"Why Stanley?"
"I just wish you hadn't."
"Stanley you're going to have to fire her.  That's all there is to it.  She doesn't have any intentions of quitting and I just can't take this anymore."
"Yeah."
"Stanley did you hear me? I can't take this anymore.  I can't stand that little hussy working in the office with you," remembering the sight a few weeks ago when she dropped by his office and caught him on the sofa with Nicole. 
"Starlene you'll have to be patient."
"Just fire her Stanley so we can get married and be happy."
"I have to be fair to her. Maybe she'll get tired of the job and quit."
"Fair to her!  How do you think I feel knowing that the two of you were getting it on right there in your office?  How do you think that makes me feel Stanley?  You have to fire her because she said she will never quit!" Starlene said as the tears started to roll down her cheeks. 
CONTINUED TOMORROW. MORE SOAP PHOTOS BELOW.