AS THE MOUSE

OVES©

Soap Opera "As The Mouse Moves" - Thursday February 28th 2002
"Starlene, can't we talk about something else tonight besides Nicole?"  Stanley asked referring to his young secretary.  He glanced towards his voluptuous young lover pleadingly as they sat on his sofa in his Upper East Side mansion.  He quickly picked up the crystal decanter from the coffee table and refilled their wineglasses.
"I just can't live like this Stanley," she said in her slow southern accent.
"What's wrong Starlene?"
"What's wrong?  It's her Stanley. I mean I know the two of you did it on the sofa in your office," she said frowning as she remembered opening his office door and catching him in the act with his young secretary Nicole.
"Are you ever going to get over that?" he asked exasperated.
"I'm trying Stanley. It would be a lot easier if she didn't work there anymore.  It's hard for me to know she'll be in the office alone with you everyday.  How will I know the two of you aren't on the sofa…Oh God," she said putting her hands over her eyes.
"Look honey," he said taking her hand from her face and holding it up so that the large diamond on her finger sparkled under the light of the lamp.
"It's beautiful Stanley," she said glancing at the ring through her tears.
"I wouldn't have given you this if I didn't love you."
"But you never would say it's an engagement ring Stanley.  You never would," she said wiping the tears from her cheeks.
"We'll see Starlene."
"Yeah.  You told me we'd see how things went with Nicole and her Father and now she's not fired.  You promised me."
"I tried."
"That's not good enough Stanley.  You have to get rid of her."
"Starlene I told you I just can't fire her. Her Father is a very well connected man.  He's anxious about her and I can't just put her on the streets.  I have to take care of her. I promised him I would."
"Does he know you're taking care of all her needs Stanley?  Does he know that?" She snapped picking up her wineglass and taking a long sip.
"No, Starlene and I wouldn't ever want him to know about that mistake," he said in a grave voice.
"Oh!  So now you admit it was a mistake?"
"Well, of course it was if it upset you honey."
"Well, then having her around is still upsetting me Stanley."
"Well, what can I do Starlene?"
"Why don't we get married. That might stop her," Starlene said obviously pleased with her idea.
"We don't have to do anything rash," Stanley mumbled as he picked up his wineglass and took a long drink.
"Rash!  Is that what marrying me seems like to you?"
"I didn't mean it that way."
"Well, how did you mean it then?"
"Not that way.  Not the way it came out."
"Then what do you think?"
"I think we need to let things settle down Starlene. I gave you the ring that should help."
"Stanley you didn't give me the ring because you were afraid of her Father, did you?" she asked eyeing him suspiciously.
"No.  Of course not," he lied.
"Good. Then all we have to do is get her another job."
"That would help," he said thinking about all of the money he had promised her Father he would pay the young secretary that didn't even know how to type. "I do have one idea," he said thoughtfully.
"What's that?"
"Maybe Clark would be willing to let her work in his office full time and I'll continue to pay her salary."
CONTINUED TOMORROW. MORE SOAP PHOTOS BELOW.