Scene One: Sage Gardens-HEAT Headquarters
Helen Thurlow tensed up as she saw her ex. husband take the walk towards her office. The truth was she had been expecting him to come by, although he never called. She was used to his overbearing attitude when it came to everybody around him.
Straightening out her outfit, Helen knew exactly why James was coming to see her but she couldn’t figure out why it had taken him so long.
“Can we make this quick?” Helen asked, clearly searching through paperwork.
James gestured for Helen to shut up. “You don’t get to talk this time Helen.” He spoke, his words demanding her silence instead of asking for it.
Simply Helen frowned, she knew this lecture wouldn’t be fun.
“What gives you the audacity to insult Caitlyn in public?” James spoke, the question in the sentence proved irrelevant as he went on without an answer. “I thought we made things clear when I married Caitlyn that you do not get to take jabs at her.”
There was a frustration in James that hardly showed its ugly head, this was the side of her ex-husband that Helen liked the most. It turned her on, so instead of protesting she watched him.
“I do not understand why you pride yourself around town the way you do. Not only have you hurt Caitlyn, you have hurt our children Helen. Do you understand the trauma you have caused them?”
“Oh now you’re being dramatic!” Helen snipped, she couldn’t stand when anybody questioned her affections towards her children. “This obviously has nothing to do with your replacement wife and everything to do with trying to place the blame on me for our children’s problems! This is despicable.”
James grew stern. “Our children only have problems because of you!”
“So this is about our children.” Helen laughed. “I’m glad that your not concerned for little miss two-shoes! If there is anybody to blame about our children’s problems it is that woman. Who spends every day trying to get their children to like them?”
“Do you ever listen to yourself?” James erupted, slamming a fist onto her desk. “Do you just take a breather and think about anything you say? You are unbelievable, you know?”
Helen grimaced. “You know, there was a time when you loved that about me.”
The duo grew quiet as the reminisced about that past, Helen knew she had James exactly where she wanted him. “I remember when I was pregnant with Kirsten and was worried what everyone else thought-”
“Don’t do that Helen.” James spit.
She could feel his anger boiling up, a slight smile was evident on her face. “Don’t do what James? Repeatedly link myself to the woman I used to be? I’m the same woman you married, you know.”
“I know.” James replied. “That’s why I divorced you.” It was clear to him that she wasn’t going to budge today and he wasn’t sure if Helen Tyree Schmidt was ever going to budge. “Stay away from Caitlyn, will you?”
“Stone Creek is my town too you know.” Helen replied, she watched as James Thurlow turned away from her. “I might have not been born here, but I have made a name for myself here. You can’t forbid me from talking to everybody associated with the name Thurlow.”
Turning to face his ex-wife James sighed. “Well then please Helen, just stay pleasant around Caitlyn. She’s the one I love now.”
Deep down a part of Helen broke but quickly she recovered. “Boys sure do move on fast.” She whispered as James exited the office. There wasn’t going to be anything Helen could get done today.
[.....]
Scene Two: Langford Willow Inn-Room 302
Charlene was on the bed nearly clothed, shifting her weight onto her elbow. She knew that her brother was right about the affair she was having with Kevin Saunders. If word got out about it, it would kill her children.
Kevin Saunders found his place next to Charlene on the bed, kissing her shoulder lightly. “I think things will only get better.” He spoke. “Now that we wont have to be sneaking around in hotels.”
Something deep down inside Charlene knew even if she kept the affair going, things would never get better. She turned to look at Kevin, his face was so sincere and it killed her. “Is this what we want?”
Charlene could feel Kevin panic. “We have been fooling both Patrick and Melanie for the last year and now, after basically tugging Melanie around for the last six months you are going to divorce her?”
“This is as much your fault as it is mine.” Kevin protested. “I mean, Charlene, Melanie is an amazing woman, but she was never the woman for me. We had both understood that when we got married.”
“So it is alright that you had been cheating on her?”
Kevin moved closer to Charlene, kissing her neck. “I’m still cheating on her.”
Charlene pushed him away. “That is what I mean. Don’t you feel bad that while your wife is crying about the divorce you are here with me? Does that not strike you as wrong?”
“When did you develop a conscience?” Kevin asked. “It was not that long ago that we used to get off to the fact that we were carrying a very steamy affair. Now you are worried about hurting Patrick’s feelings?”
“Patrick doesn’t have feelings.” Charlene retorted.
Kevin leaned in. “Exactly.”
But Charlene pulled away this time, rolling off to the edge of the bed and wrapping the sheets around her body. “This just feels wrong.”
“It is wrong.” Kevin remarked, not worried about sheets, he walked naked over to Charlene who decided now was the perfect time to look at her reflection in the mirror. “Charlene, you and I we are the ultimate Romeo and Juliet.”
He kissed her neck and let his hands linger.
“We aren’t exactly playing by the rules here.” Charlene reminded him.
Kevin slipped his hand around Charlene’s waist, “There are no rules about how I feel about you.”
In that moment Charlene knew she couldn’t end things with Kevin.
[.....]
Scene Three: Callahan Condo’s-Marina & Cassie’s Condo
Marina Thurlow walked in circles as she replayed her recent discovery in her head. It all made sense now, why Cassie was sick and mopping around the house. Although she knew it wasn’t right to draw conclusions but everything was falling into place right in front of her and she couldn’t ignore it.
The door swung open and Cassie walked in struggling with groceries. She needed her best friend to help carry them in and motioned for Marina to take up the challenge, which she gracefully did.
“I was thinking,” Cassie started as she placed the remaining bags on the counter. “I was thinking that we should start running again. Maybe eat healthier? When Helen called Natalie out on being fat it scared me.”
“You’re not fat.” Marina replied, although she knew that would be a lie soon. Grabbing food from Cassie to put away in the fridge, Marina sighed. “If you think it is a good idea, then I do too.”
“Great.” Cassie smiled. “Tomorrow morning I am free before the shoot starts, if you are up for a morning run that is?”
Marina nodded her head in agreement.
There really wasn’t anything that Marina could do to keep her mind off the fact that her best friend was hiding her biggest secret from her. Marina tried to keep her eyes away from Cassie’s stomach as she imagined how big it would get--if it hadn’t grown already!
“Hey!” Cassie spoke. “You okay?”
Snapping out her thoughts Marina replied. “Yeah. Never better--hey Cassie can I ask you something?”
“Sure, anything.”
Marina took a deep breath. “We don’t keep secrets from each other, right?”
She could see the sudden shift in Cassie’s posture and she knew she had hit a cord. Although Marina didn’t want to see the fear in Cassie’s eyes she took it as confirmation.
“No secrets at all.” Cassie responded.
Marina chose to avoid the subject so that she could gather more evidence. “Great.” She breathed, smiling back at Cassie. But her best friends stomach got the best of her and she found herself glued to it once again. “Well then, I have to ask you something and I want you to answer truthfully.”
---
Our love. Our fights. Our friendships.
On Concrete Shelves.
Forever, they shall be remembered.
---
Scene Four: Sage Gardens-HEAT Headquarters
Everything that James had said earlier was getting to her, so Helen Schmidt decided to take an early lunch and meet with Mac about his investigation into Gail’s past away from Stone Creek.
She found herself looking at bank statements, records of Gail being in Arizona with Adrian and everything else that pieces together a happy relationship. “I just don’t get it.” She spoke mostly to herself.
“Do you think she was having a steamy affair?” Mac asked from a cup of noodles. “I mean that would be a reason for Gail to come back to town, you know, if she was totally porking somebody else.”
Helen looked up at her assistant. “Did you really just say porking?”
Mac replied with a smile.
“No, that isn’t it.” Helen replied, she knew Gail wasn’t having an affair because she sounded so intense when they were fighting the other day. Helen rubbed her temples, thinking about the fight only created more stress. David had walked in on the two women yelling and he blamed it on Helen.
“Well whatever it is, it was good enough to make her leave Adrian eight months ago.” Mac spoke, chomping on his food.
Helen didn’t understand how someone so smart could be such a slob and make such unhealthy choices when it came to what he consumed. Instead of criticizing Adrian on his poor habits she ran through the information once again until something caught her eye: a bill from the hospital in Arizona for a pregnancy check-up.
“Mac, how long ago did Gail leave Adrian?”
unaware of Helen’s findings Mac replied. “About eight months ago.”
Helen’s eyes lit up. “Bingo.”
[.....]
Scene Five: Hollyoak Manor-Patrick & Charlene’s Home
Charlene waited for her husband to come home, a glass of brandy in her hand. Lately it seemed like she was drinking way more than she knew she could handle. But Charlene wouldn’t admit it to anybody else.
She took a deep sigh, maybe she was out of her mind trying to juggle both Kevin and her husband Patrick. Charlene knew she was never good at balancing acts and this wouldn’t be any different.
“You look conflicted.” Patrick Sutton spoke as he watched Charlene lost in her thoughts. He didn’t give her much time to respond to his entrance as he walked up to her and planted a kiss on her cheek. “Is there something bothering you fancy?”
Fancy was a nickname that Patrick had given her when they were dating. It was partially ironic since she didn’t come from a rich family and instead was born into the poor Nelson family.
“I’m fine.” Charlene replied. “I was just outside in the garden and I think I got too much sun. How was work?”
Patrick placed his work jacket in the closet and turned to Charlene. She sure wasn’t dressed to be out in the garden, but he didn’t want to question her. “It was fine, I think this year will re-introduce the Sutton name into the world.”
“Your father would be proud of you.”
“You are probably right.” There was something about Charlene today that caused Patrick to pay more attention to her. There was a glow in her face which she chalked up to being from the sun. “You look flushed, are you sure you’re okay?”
Charlene nodded, her eyes meeting the glass in her hand. “I told you, I was just out in the sun too long. Nothing a bath and a little nap wont cure!”
Patrick agreed although he had his speculations. “Well, if that is all then I think you should head upstairs.” He ordered his wife. “But skip the nap, I want to take you to dinner tonight.”
He knew he had to get down to the bottom of this.
“I’m really tired Patrick.”
“Just do what I said Charlene, I think it is time I had dinner with my wife.” Patrick spoke, he knew she was sleeping with random guys on most nights. It was his idea in the first place to have an open marriage, but lately he felt like something was wrong with the arrangement.
Patrick watched as Charlene hesitantly turned away from him and headed for the stairs.
[.....]
Scene Six: Callahan Condo’s-Marina & Cassie’s Condo
“What do you think about my relationship with Ryan?” Marina asked. The words had been hard to form since it was only something she had been speculating at the back of her mind.
Cassie Lakhani was confused however, she thought the relationship was one of the strongest that she knew. Her best friend Marina had been dating Ryan Bauer for over two years. “What are you asking?”
Quiet honestly, Marina didn’t know what she was asking. “I just-I don’t really know. Just forget I asked, okay?”
“No, really Marina what is going on?”
Marina looked at Cassie. “I don’t think I want to be with Ryan anymore.” Her words seemed foreign to her as they exited her mouth. “I loved Ryan for two years but I don’t know where I stand as of now. I get jealous of Natalie when she is around but when she isn’t I don’t think much about Ryan.”
“Are you asking me if you should break-up with Ryan?” Cassie slipped onto a stool and leaned against the island counter. “Because really Marina, this isn’t my decision nor should I have a say in it.”
“I know.” Marina replied. “But you’ve been my best friend forever and I really do need some help with this.”
Cassie couldn’t help but feel Marina’s vulnerability. This caused her to flash through nearly ten years of friendship and everything they had endured. “Do you really want to her my opinion?”
“Yes.”
“Okay.” Cassie spoke, “I think that life is way too short to lie to yourself about loving somebody. I think that if you love Ryan you wouldn’t be questioning yourself right now and that if somehow you need a reminder of why you loved him in the first place then you need to talk to him about it.”
“He doesn’t even know that I feel this way.”
Cassie grasped Marina’s hand. “He should.”
[.....]
Scene Seven: Thurlow Cottage-James & Caitlyn’s Home
The house was near impossible to miss, even for the blind. James Thurlow spent most of his time in his study when he was here, quickly he learned of the secrets his father had left him behind.
James took a deep breath as he basked in the quaintness of the room. It was a marvelous room in a marvelous cottage. He paged though his current discovery as the conversation with his ex-wife carelessly lifted off his shoulders.
“I thought I’d find you here.” Caitlyn Thurlow spoke softly, her husband turned towards her and placed his book down. “I just returned from the Lakeside Hotel. I can’t believe how fast everything is happening. Those boys know exactly what they are doing to that place.”
She slipped into a chair next to James. Most days Caitlyn never ventured into the study as a sign of respect towards James. but days like this, when she needed to feel him next to her or a kiss on the lips, days like this she just couldn’t find a way to avoid the room.
Caitlyn placed a hand on her husband’s hand. “I love you.”
James ran his right hand along Caitlyn’s cheek. “I love you too.”
There was a calm silence between the two.
The room had always managed to draw in a comforting silence no matter what the dilemma. Both just sat there, in silence. So much was going on around them and neither wanted time to pass by so vastly, so they didn’t dare speak in case time would speed up.
James returned to his book with fascinated eyes and Caitlyn looked out the window and down the drive. The endless road leading up to the cottage had always been what attracted Caitlyn to the place.
Hand in hand, the couple enjoyed each others company.
[.....]
Scene Eight: Stone Creek Memorial Hospital
Dr. David Schmidt watched as his daughter, Gail Schmidt, talked to her fellow co-workers. He knew once she returned to town that Gail would fall right back into place in Stone Creek. If only David knew exactly why his daughter returned to Stone Creek then he wouldn’t feel so worried all the time.
Gail had always been a friendly child so eager to meet new people and always looking for the good in everyone. But these last couple weeks--especially after her fight with Helen, there had been a change in her. A change that David couldn’t figure out.
She looked up and caught his eye, a smile broke through. Gail voiced her exit from the room and entered the hallway where David was. “Hi dad.”
“Hi darling, how’s work?” David asked pulling her into an embrace.
“It’s going good.” Gail replied, “I heard them talking about bumping me up to Senior Pharmacist Technician. Annie is thinking about retiring this month and I’m the only one around with experience.”
“Wow, that’s good news!” David responded. “I’m happy that everything is working out for you. They really are doing what is best for this hospital Gail, you deserve the position after all the hard work you put into it.”
Gail beamed at the acknowledgement. “Thanks dad, but I don’t have the position yet. Annie has been here since I was a child, its a very hard decision for her to make. I’m just glad that she would recommend me for the job.”
“I’m so proud of you Gail. No matter what has happened in the past I want you to know that I am very proud of you.” David spoke, he hoped that his words would soothe Gail enough to tell him the real reason she was back in town.
Although David told Helen that it didn’t matter why Gail was back in town, it did matter. The past couple nights it had been eating at him and with Helen not sleeping at the house it only made matters worse.
Gail reached out and startled David. “Dad that means the world to me. I love you.”
“I love you too sweetheart.”
[.....]
Scene Nine: Stone Creek Apartments
Marina pushed her way into the apartment as Ryan Bauer opened the door. There were so many feelings coursing through her veins that she couldn’t even think straight. Everything didn’t add up and it was killing her inside.
“You seemed anxious on the phone.” Ryan spoke, he cleared a spot on the couch so she could sit down. Although Greta had returned from her trip, she spent most days and nights with her boyfriend Miles so the house stayed the mess it was while she was gone. He rubbed Marina’s shoulder as she tried to catch her breath.
“There is something I need to get off my chest.” Marina replied, moving her hair out of her face in order to stall.
“Well, what is it?”
Looking at Ryan’s worried face broke Marina’s heart. He looked like he was ready to solve all of Marina’s problems and that is when she realized that is what she loved the most about him. This whole time she felt disconnected with Ryan and the moment she realized that she was always connected with him was right before she was going to break-up with him.
“I think Cassie is pregnant.” She spoke, she let the new words replace the old bitter ones she was going to say. It was something that ate at her, laying out her best friends dirty laundry. In truth, Marina didn’t even know if it was true. “She didn’t tell me directly, but I found a pregnancy test.”
Ryan held Marina in his arms as she began to cry, although he was confused at her outburst he held her anyways. “It’s going to be alright Marina.”
She couldn’t help thinking about what it would have felt like to be shunned by his embrace. Closing her eyes she silently wept.
[.....]
Scene Ten: Stone Creek Realtor’s
Greta walked around her office, had she not been gone all weekend for vacation she knew that more work would have been done. But there was no room for thinking so negatively and quickly she went back to filling out paperwork.
This was always one of those things that she did late in the day. To most people, filling out the paperwork was such a bleak duty but not for Greta Wilkinson, it brought her peace of mind.
A knock on the door caused Greta to stir from her thoughts. Turning on her heel she hesitated before answering it. From what she knew there weren’t many people who stayed this late in the evening.
“How may I help you?” Greta asked, her arms folded over her chest. A simple motion that told how insecure a person felt in the moment.
The man smiled, “I was looking for Greta Wilkinson.”
His words sent chills down her spine. Greta felt like she was in a movie, in the moment where one would hold her down and shove a knife in her gut. She carefully eyed the hallway behind the man.
“I’m Greta Wilkinson.” She mumbled.
“Good.” The man spoke, his smile turned serious. “I was looking into purchasing the Old Granger Manor. I called earlier during the weekend but they said you were out on vacation.”
Greta nodded. “Just for a couple days.” Then Greta stopped in her thought. “Wait, you want to purchase the Old Granger Manor? That is kind of a steep decision don’t you think?”
“What do you mean?”
As the conversation progressed so did the loosening of Greta’s arms. “I’ve been trying to sell that house for two years. It’s been empty for twelve.”
The man held out his hand. “Well, how about we take it off the market?”
“Why would you want to do something like that?” Greta asked, a sudden suspicion causing her to stiffen up once again.
The man who seemed so smug throughout the whole conversation startled Greta who usually is equally as smug. “Lets just say I’ve got a few investments in Stone Creek that I have been waiting to collect on.”
Greta sighed. “Fine. How about we start by looking over the paperwork first and if you like the arrangements we can agree on a price.”
“That sounds like an excellent price.” He spoke.
“Well then, lets get started mister-”
“My name is Damien Crenshaw.” He spoke a name that Greta wasn’t familiar with but in due time she had a feeling she would be one of the many people in town who was familiar with his name.
Greta let out a nervous smile.
[.....]
Next Time on On Concrete Shelves...
+ Cassie goes to visit Clifton Briggs.
+ Frank and Kevin Saunders have it out.
+ Lucy plans on playing cupid.
+ When push comes to shove, someone leaves Stone Creek...
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