AS THE MOUSE

OVES©

Soap Opera "As The Mouse Moves" - Tuesday August 13th 2002
"Amir!  Oh my God.  I've wanted to talk to you so much," Tiffany said motioning for Starlene to turn down the volume on the TV as she held the receiver of the phone with her other trembling hand. 
Starlene quickly grabbed the remote from the coffee table and turned down the volume.
"I'm sorry I never telephone you," he said in his broken English.
"What happened to Malena?" Tiffany said referring to his wife that had been missing for days now. 
"I come home after…you know," he hesitated referring to their secret evening of intimacy on his yacht.
"After our boat ride?" Tiffany said remembering their heated passion after being apart so many months.  Everything was ruined she thought after the news of the disaster with his wife missing.
"Yes. I come home and she is gone.  I search everywhere for her, but see no sign," he said as a drug dealer walked up behind him on the corner where he was talking on a pay phone.
"What is all of that noise in the background?" Tiffany asked as she heard the sounds of traffic.
"I talk on pay phone.  I worry police listen," he said as the drug dealer came closer to him as he stood at the payphone on the corner of West 4^th Street and Sixth Avenue.
"Smoke?  You need smoke man?"
"No.  No drugs." Amir said to the drug dealer.
"Amir where do you think she is?"
"I wish I know this."
"Did you call her mother on the island?"
"Yes.  I call everyone on my island.  No one hear from her.  No one, she vanish," he said.
"I'm so sorry Amir."
"Yes.  This living nightmare for me and for her family.  Malena never go away like this. Never," he said shaking his head.
"You don't think she just left do you?"
"No, I tell you never does she do this, never."
"Do you think she might have gone back into a coma or something?"
"If this happen someone find her by now."
"That's true."
"Do you think she knows we were together and maybe she was angry?"
"I think, no."
"Think?  You don't think so?"
"No this is not what happens."
"Good I feel so horrible about this."
"I need to see you," he said turning to watch the drug dealer walking across the street with a businessman dressed in a suit.  He watched as the businessman slyly handed the dealer money.  The two walked together towards a deli and the drug dealer handed the businessman a small bag then walked into the deli as the businessman continued to walk away putting the bag into his pocket.
"I need to see you too Amir.  I wonder if we'll ever see each other again," she said feeling the tears coming to her eyes.
"Yes.  I come to you now."
"Here?"
"Why not?"
"But someone may see you?"
"I must see you."
"What if someone sees your car?"
"I walk there.  I tell my driver to leave.  I am around your corner," he said watching the drug dealer walk out of the deli and start across the street towards him again.
"Where are you?"
"Golden Swan Park," he said turning to read the sign on the fence next to the diner.
"Hay mister. I'm expecting a call.  I do my business here," the drug dealer said.
"Who's that?" Tiffany said.
"I come now," Amir said as the drug dealer motioned to a couple of his friends on the corner.
CONTINUED TOMORROW. MORE SOAP PHOTOS BELOW.