AS THE MOUSE

OVES©

Soap Opera "As The Mouse Moves" - Thursday August 1st 2002
"Turn it up!"  Starlene said as she watched Tiffany grab the remote for the television set and turn up the sound.  Starlene quickly took a seat beside Tiffany on the sofa of their apartment overlooking Washington Square Park.  She placed her mug of hot coffee beside Tiffany's on the coffee table.
"We'll have more news after these words from our sponsor," the reporter said as the station went to a commercial for Verizon.
"I wonder why a picture of Amir's wife was on TV?" Starlene said glancing towards Tiffany and seeing the worry on her face.
"Oh God. I don't know," Tiffany said as her fingers nervously pulled on the bottom of the long T-shirt she had slept in.
"Don't worry. It's probably nothing or Amir would have called you," Starlene said unconvinced herself. "Turn to another channel and see if they have anything," she said impatient to learn why Amir's wife's picture would have been on TV.
"No. We should leave it on this station. They said they would have more. Oh God.  What if something happened to her and I was with him last night."
"Oh it's nothing….  Look!  There's Amir," Starlene said pointing to the screen of the TV.
"We're here at the Hada mansion where the police are investigating.  Mr. Hada can you tell us what happened?" the reporter asked running towards Amir as his limo driver opened the door to the long white car that had picked Tiffany up last night.
"I make no comment until police investigate," Amir said in his broken English as the driver closed the door.
"We'll stay with this evolving story as it unfolds," the reporter said as the cameras went back to the studio. A picture of a storm off the coast of North Carolina came on the screen as Tiffany quickly turned down the sound.
"Gee, I wonder what that was all about?" Starlene asked.
"I don't know…it couldn't be good," Tiffany said getting up from the sofa and starting to pace the hardwood floors of the apartment.
"Why don't you call him?"
"Do you think I should?"
"Well, did he say he would call you this morning?"
"No.  We had to rush.  I mean he had to get home and it was late before we…." She said rubbing her forehead.
"Did anyone see you with him?"
"As far as I know, only his limo driver."
"Did his wife call while you were on the yacht with him?"
"I don't think so. The phone rang a few times but we were in the bedroom."
"Did the answering machine pick up?"
"I don't know Starlene. I couldn't hear it that well.  The sounds of the water and the boat were so loud and we were so involved," she said remembering the passion they had shared just a few hours ago.
"He'll call you."
"But the police.  The police are investigating something.  Oh God.  What's going on?  I have to know."
"Well, you know he's okay. You just saw him on TV. Maybe she died."
"That's not funny Starlene."
"I know it's not funny.  But why would they show a picture of her if it weren't something like that?"
"You're a lot of help," Tiffany said her voice cracking in pain as she wiped the tears from her cheeks.
"Calm down.  I'll call him for you," Starlene said reaching for the phone.
CONTINUED TOMORROW. MORE SOAP PHOTOS BELOW.