Previously on On Concrete Shelves
- Frank ended his affair with Lucy Hahn.
- Kevin asked Charlene to divorce Patrick.
- Natalie revealed to Ryan that Ian & Marina kissed.
- Patrick informs Charlene that Damien is the enemy...
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Scene One: Nelson Household
“What are you doing?” Frank Nelson barked as he entered the bedroom through the bathroom. He watched as his wife laid out one of his work suits and a fresh pair of boxers.
Deborah Nelson just looked up at her husband amused. “I’m getting things ready for your surprise dear. Don’t worry this one isn’t much of a secret like the one you kept from me. I’ve been faithful.”
Frank grumbled. “I thought we were over this Debbie.”
She smiled. “We are Frank, that is why I have the surprise waiting for you at your office. Do you remember what we agreed on? Me picking your next secretary? I think I found the perfect pick!”
The words did nothing to comfort Frank as he walked around the bed suspiciously. Although her eagerness to send him on his way did take away from the argument they could have had about his affair with Lucy Hahn. He obliged.
“What is his name?”
Deborah narrowed her eyes and waved her finger. “I wouldn’t want to ruin the surprise.”
“Well then,” Frank started, he eye’d the fabrics at the bed looking for traces of poison or worse, “I guess I best get ready for my day.” He then made it his mission to get dressed and out of the house as fast as possible.
Deborah left her husband alone, not wanting to be around his ignorance any longer. She knew her plan was something devious that could possibly only hurt their marriage. But she needed to be sure their bridge was burnt before she abandoned it all together. Something her parents never did.
[.....]
Scene Two: Hollyoak Manor; Patrick & Charlene's Home
It had been years since Gillian Sutton left Stone Creek. But she could tell that the Sutton Manor was falling apart. The once vibrant palace was now silent and stern. It’s walls holding only secrets that could be answered in code.
Walking down the hall, she searched for her mother, or even the sign of life. Most of the maids had been dismissed early. Last she knew her father would never let anybody leave early.
Not while his children were in the home. They needed to be entertained while he finished his workload. Gillian entered the living quarters, slipping into the room where nobody seemed to sit.
Except one silent owner, her mother glared out the window with a glass of wine in her hand. It was the second sign that things had changed. For the meantime thinking of ways to get back to Damien Crenshaw was going to have to go on the back burner.
“Mom?” Gillian asked, seemingly spooking the woman from her thoughts. “Are you okay? Did something happen?”
Charlene took a sigh of relief and tried to focus on her daughter. “Just a few things on my mind.” She answered solemnly.
[.....]
Scene Three: Joplin & Maverick Lawfirm; Kvein's Office
Kevin Saunders slipped the necklace between his fingers, it was one he bought months ago. The white gold glimmering against his eyes. This particular necklace was very special to him and it was supposed to be the gift that won Charlene Sutton over.
But he never had the chance to give it to her. When Kevin flashed back to the night of the Founder’s Ball all he could feel was hurt. He knew that Charlene wasn’t going to budge easily.
He knew she needed the riches of Patrick Sutton.
There was a point in the last year that Kevin had to ask himself if it was all worth it and he did. For a moment he wished that he had said it wasn’t. He wished that he had stayed with his wife, Melanie.
A knock at the door stirred Kevin from his thoughts entirely. “Come in,” he coughed up. Recovering from his slouched position in his office chair, Kevin’s face fell as the one man he thought would never come through his door walked in.
Patrick Sutton smirked as he closed the door behind him.
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Our love. Our fights. Our friendships.
On Concrete Shelves.
Forever, they shall be remembered.
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Scene Four: Sage Gardens; Alice's Haven
“Are you really going to be mad at me forever?” Natalie Marlowe frowned as she sat across from Ian Kiefer. “I mean look at the bright side Ian, now you and Marina can be together! Isn’t that what you wanted?”
He knew she was right. With Ryan Bauer out of the way, Ian now had a chance with Marina Thurlow. But it just didn’t seem right, especially now that their relationship has hit an awkward phase.
“You hurt Marina.” Ian admitted, he tried his hardest to stay mad at Natalie for what she had done. He knew she wasn’t the nicest person in town. Nor was she a person people were fond of. But Natalie had always been there for him.
Natalie rolled her eyes. “She will get over it.”
But Ian couldn’t agree. “Do you understand what you did this time Nat? By breaking up Ryan and Marina you only cause the relationship between Marina and I to crumble. I can tell she holds me responsible for what happened.”
For a moment Natalie looked as if she felt for Marina, but then her composure changed. “Oh please, are you serious? She is the one who kissed you while she was in a relationship.”
“Either way it really doesn’t matter right now Natalie.” Ian shifted in his seat. Most days he was used to Natalie’s personal opinions about Marina. But he knew she made a point. Quickly he wiped the thought from his mind.
Natalie watched Ian as he spoke. “What are you talking about?”
“I think I’ve lost Marina for good. I mean I never really had her completely but I don’t think I will ever have her again.” He took a deep breath as he continued his conversation with his sister.
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Scene Five: Joplin & Maverick Lawfirm; Kevin's Office
“What are you doing here?” Kevin Saunders asked, his body tensed up as a million different responses ran through his mind. Would he get up and shake Patrick’s hand? Would that be spitting on the man’s dignity?
His breath caught in his throat.
Patrick wandered over to the chair across from Kevin. “I need to ask you for a favor and I need to ask you a question. I’ve known you a couple of years now and I think we both understand each other?”
Kevin nodded his head. “I don’t understand where this conversation is going Patrick. Really I would like to know what is going on.”
The hesitation in Patrick’s voice was far from the dominating man that Patrick Sutton had always been. He could tell the question was only haunting the man as they were in each other’s presence. “I need you to find a legal case against Damien Crenshaw.”
“What? The man who moved into the Old Granger Manor?”
Kevin Saunders felt as if a weight had been lifted. The question he was asked was far from the guilt ridden emotions he was feeling. Slowly Kevin found his seat once again, searching his mind for an answer.
How could he work with Patrick Sutton while he was carrying on an affair with the man’s wife? But how could he say no to one of the most powerful men in Stone Creek. Kevin quickly felt like a dog with his tail between his legs.
Shameful at what he had been doing behind Patrick’s back.
“Look Kevin, I know this is a stretch but I need this man out of my daughter’s life even if she doesn’t understand why at the moment. Damien Crenshaw is a threat to her life.”
“How does Gillian fill about this?” Kevin asked. Patrick’s pause told him everything. “I don’t want to go forward with this until you understand what this will do to Gillian. Patrick this is a serious decision.”
Patrick looked sternly at Kevin. “My daughter is not marrying that man!” His outburst put him into exhaustion. Grabbing onto the chair in front of him, Patrick looked back at Kevin. “Damn any man who tries to make a fool out of me!”
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Scene Six: Hollyoak Manor; Patrick & Charlene's Home
Gillian looked over her phone, she hadn’t received one message from Damien and to be honest it didn’t irk her at the moment. Because for the last couple years she had been trying to forget her life in Stone Creek. But today, talking to her mother she felt as if she was the one being forgotten.
Today her mother looked as if she were stuck between a rock and a hard place but Gillian didn’t know how to help her. She didn’t know how to make her mother feel better or even crack a smile.
It sickened her.
There was a part of Gillian that wished she could just rewind time and get to know Charlene Sutton a little more. It almost was enough to make her want to erase traveling around the world.
Then she thought of Damien Crenshaw and how much he made her feel that much more alive. But at the same time he seemed to cause her family and everyone else in Stone Creek pain.
Was she always the one who brought about pain? Gillian couldn’t say if it was true, but she clearly felt it as she lay in her bed staring at her phone. A deep sigh later she knew what she needed to do.
Going through her phone she searched for his number.
[.....]
Scene Seven: Thurlow Lumber Mill Offices
Arriving at work only caused the knots in Frank Nelson’s stomach to tighten. He had spent months living this lie around his wife. It was a lie that she already knew the answer to. But still one he had to keep to himself.
People at work were starting to look at his differently. He could tell when he talked to them that they were trying to decipher everything he was saying. They all took notice of Lucy Hahn’s absence from the office.
But today things were supposed to be different.
Things were supposed to get right back on track. Then Deborah dropped the hint that he was getting a surprise at work. He knew it wouldn’t be good. Having a male secretary? It was alarming. It was disturbing.
Frank knew men weren’t supposed to be taking orders from other men. Jotting down their notes or even answering their phone calls. He didn’t care how sexist he was being. It just wasn’t right.
Making kind gestures to the people he passed by. Frank made it his mission to meet and greet and ignore his secretary as quickly as possible. clutching his briefcase in one hand and his jacket in the other he stopped in his tracks.
Sitting in the seat Lucy used to occupy wasn’t what he had expected. Slowly and cautiously he approached his newest employee. “You must be..”
He was at a loss for words. When he left this morning he was under the impression that Deborah was ashamed and deeply hurt that Frank would ever cheat on her like he did with Lucy Hahn.
But now, things were different.
His secretary smiled at him with such an energy and enlightenment. “Good Morning Mr. Nelson. I’m your new secretary,” she stuck out her hand. “The name is Isobel Cortez.”
Now Frank knew that when he left Deborah at their house she wasn’t sad or depressed. She was angry. He felt her energy shift as if he was re-living this morning all over again. This was her revenge.
She was testing him and now he knew he had to be on his best behavior or she would strip him of everything that he was. He had already gotten a taste of what the people in town thought of him.
If Frank tried anything with Isobel he would be stoned to death. Worse even, he would be divorced from Deborah Nelson. One of the most respected psychologists in Stone Creek. A legend of sorts.
“Is everything alright Mr. Nelson?” Isobel asked.
Slowly he nodded his head, calculating his next move. “More than alright Isobel, thanks.”
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Scene Eight: Sage Garden's; Outside Alice's Haven
Stopping in his tracks, Ian Kiefer watched as Marina Thurlow approached him. After having the conversation with his sister he felt as if he wasn’t going to see Marina again besides at social functions.
Even then he didn’t know it would feel this hard.
“I saw you inside talking with Natalie.” Marina spoke, she motioned to where Natalie Marlowe was talking on her phone. Her back to the two. “I didn’t want to bother you. Mostly because I didn’t want to speak to Natalie. I don’t even know what I would say to her.”
Ian nodded his head. “I understand.”
Marina could feel the difference a couple days had made of not talking had made. She felt as if her breath was catching her throat but she couldn’t do anything to stop it. “I know things have been so sparse between us.”
“More than that.” Ian spoke, with irritation in his voice though he tried to mask it.
“Yeah, I understand that too.” Marina replied. Her words held false hope. “Look I don’t feel bad about what happened between us Ian. This spark I felt between us I still feel it. I just can’t do this. I can’t end one relationship and start a new one.”
Ian reached for Marina’s hand but she pulled away. “I don’t think you understand. I don’t want to just start a relationship with you right away. I understand you need time to get passed everything with Ryan.”
“Then you understand that I need to pay more attention to my job right now?” Her words hurt Ian, but he knew they were coming. “I don’t expect you to like my decision and I don’t expect you to cut ties with Natalie. I know you guys have been friends for sometime.”
“This isn’t because I’m talking to Natalie again, is it?” Ian asked, pulling at straws.
But Marina nodded her head no. “It’s because I need to focus on myself right now. I’ve spent too long trying to accommodate for Ryan to take our relationship to the next level. I just need to be by myself.”
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Scene Nine: Faustino Cottages #7; Charlie, Kirsten & Megan's Home
“She is so big!” Gillian noticed, she bent down to Megan Sutton’s level and smiled. “I know you don’t know me, but I’m your aunt Gillian.” Watching as the girl smiled back made Gillian feel like she was a part of the family again, even if it was a small way.
“She knows who you are.” Charlie Sutton spoke, leaning against the door frame he watched as his younger sister and his daughter interacted. “We have told her all about her world traveling aunt Gillian.”
Gillian turned back to Megan. “Is that so? Well I hope your father told you about how much I have always wanted to meet you and how bad I feel for not coming around. From now on little one, I will be here whenever you need me.”
“Really?!” Megan squealed.
Gillian nodded. “Just like a good aunt should.”
“She is really taking a liking to you.” Kirsten Sutton spoke from the doorframe with her husband. “Hey Megan, how about you go wash up for lunch? I’m making your favorite!”
“Ice cream?!” The little girl shouted.
The grown-ups shouted. “Not quite what your mother was talking about. But I am sure we can pick some up later.” Charlie spoke with a chuckle.
“Maybe we can take a drive to get ice cream later?” Gillian proposed.
Megan nodded with approval and turned on her heel. As soon as she was out of earshot, Charlie turned to Gillian. “What is going on with you these days?”
She looked at her brother and sister-in-law. “I’m just missing my family right now Charlie, is that a crime?”
“No, that part isn’t.” Charlie replied, he then looked at Kirsten who made her way to the kitchen. Giving Gillian her appreciations for visiting Megan on her way out. “The part about bringing Damien Crenshaw into our lives? That sent dad over the edge.”
“I don’t really want to talk about that.” Gillian spoke.
Charlie spent a minute gazing at his sister. “Lucky for you I don’t want to talk about it either. But what I do want to talk about Gillian is something that everyone in town is wondering.”
The younger sibling rolled her eyes.
“What are you doing back in Stone Creek?”
“I missed my family, is that hard to believe?”
She felt the stare coming from her brother unnerving. “Yes. Gillian it is very hard to believe. Gillian Sutton does not do things just because she missed her family. She does things because she wants something.”
“People change Charlie.” Gillian spoke.
He nodded his head. “I hope so.”
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Scene Ten: Langford Willow Inn #18
There were a million reasons why Charlene knew she couldn’t enter the hotel room. Most of them were right in front of her face. But she needed to see him and she knew he needed the same thing. That is why he called.
Opening the door Charlene Sutton entered the room. Her eyes immediately on those of her husbands. Patrick Sutton stood before her. There was no reason for this meeting. They didn’t schedule it months in advanced.
His assistant didn’t ask Charlene to come to the hotel room.
No. Patrick Sutton picked up the phone himself and dialed her number. It was his voice that she heard on the phone when she picked up. Had he done this before in the last couple years she wouldn’t feel so nervous.
But she was a fit of nerves. Her body tensed as he moved closer to her and Patrick could tell she was confused.
“I want to tell you how sorry I am about the way I handled Gillian and that bastard Crenshaw.” He spoke, his words carried throughout the room. “The way we argued it reminded me how different we are.”
“Patrick, you really don’t need to-”
He motioned her to stop. “You’re right, I don’t need to explain myself. Not to anybody. But I feel like I should. I want you to know that I still love you Charlene. After everything we have been through. I love you.”
This caught her by surprise. For years she knew that she was only second choice to his first love; Shannon Thurlow. For years she knew that Patrick would never love her the same way. Charlene had accepted that but to hear him speak the words.
Charlene’s eyes watered. She didn’t know what to say or what to think. “I want to try and make this work Charlene. For the both of us and for our children. I don’t know what I would do without you.”
His hold on Charlene was lighter than any hold he had every shown her. Patrick caressed her cheek softly. Arousing a longing from deep inside Charlene. Something she had kept at bay for so long.
“I want to make love to you.” Patrick spoke, his words in her ear. “Do you want to renew our flame as well?”
She didn’t know what to do, she didn’t know what to think. For years she wanted Patrick to tell her that he loved her and only her. But now it seemed so unreal when he said it. Slowly she shook her head and leaned in to kiss him.
“I want you too.” She spoke, trying to dry her eyes as she thought of everything she had been through in the last year. She leaned back onto the bed and tried to get Kevin Saunders out of her head.
Scene Eleven: Faustino Cottages #7; Charlie, Kirsten & Megan's Home
“Hey,” Kirsten Sutton spoke as she caught Gillian leaving. While her husband was busy talking to their daughter Megan she knew this was the only time to steal away and talk to her sister-in-law.
“Oh, hey Kirsten.” Gillian spoke. “Thanks for having me over for lunch, you didn’t have to do that.”
Kirsten folded her arms. “Listen I know how Charlie can get around his family. He gets over-protective of his mother and his daughter. He is really happy that you are back in town be he is scared that you are going to hurt Charlene.”
“I’m not going to.” Gillian offered.
“I trust you.” Kirsten told her. “But right now your father hasn’t been the nicest person around and I think with you back he will start to soften. He has always been protective of you.”
Gillian remained confused. “What are you asking of me?”
“I just want him to see Megan as his granddaughter is all.” Kirsten spoke her words begging for Gillian to hear her out. Had Kirsten run out of options? She didn’t truly know. But she did know there was one person that could get through to Patrick and she didn’t want to lose her shot.
“I can’t promise anything Kirsten, but I will try.” Gillian replied. “Thank for letting me come over.” She repeated although she now knew the reason for Kirsten’s niceness. Walking away she felt like a pawn in everybody's game.
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Next Time on, On Concrete Shelves
- Gail tells her father to leave Adrian alone.
- Kirsten gives advice to Cassie.
- Caitlyn and Damien talk about Danielle.
- Adrian has a change of heart...
