Previously, On Concrete Shelves
- Caitlyn lost Megan, but Damien found her.
- Patrick went into business with Catalina Cortez.
- Abigail admits not knowing her real parents.
- Marina slept with Ian...
[.....]
[.....]
Scene One:
980 Cutler St., Stone Creek. Faustino Cottages #7
Charlie, Kirsten & Megan’s Home.
Kirsten can’t help but watch her little girl. Ever since her father told her about the accident Kirsten kept Megan Sutton in her sights at all times. The things that went through her head were just too much to make a reality.
“How are you awake right now?” Charlie Sutton asked as he approached his wife. Dressed in pajama bottoms and slippers, Charlie hugged Kirsten from behind. “She is asleep right now, nobody can get to her.”
Kirsten kissed Charlie’s cheek. “I know.” Although she knew he was right, Kirsten stood by the doorframe and watched Megan sleep. “She is just so little and innocent. I don’t ever want that to be taken away from her.”
She didn’t want Megan to have to face the hard cold truth of reality the same way that Kirsten Sutton had to when her mother, Helen Schmidt stole her trust-fund to finance her magazine, HEAT.
“How about I go make us some coffee?” Charlie suggested, reminding himself to turn the heater up a little when he reached the bottom of the stairs. “Maybe I can start breakfast before I head over to the Inn?”
“That sounds lovely.” Kirsten spoke, noting how civil the two had been for the first time in awhile. She knew that Charlie still had insecurities about Adrian Stone but Kirsten didn’t want to bring them up in fear that they would destroy the normalcy they were experiencing as a family.
With a deep sigh she re-focused her attention on Megan.
[.....]
Scene Two:
2121 Mason St., Stone Creek. Hoffman Village Apartment #34
Ian’s Home.
Marina Thurlow stretched her arms over her head. She could hear the wind blowing outside, and it calmed her as she woke. Leaning up in bed Marina took in her surroundings. She was in a place she hadn’t been before.
“Good morning.” Ian Kiefer spoke from the doorway. “I didn’t want to wake you up, I figured you had a lot to deal with yesterday and you needed the rest.”
She smiled sweetly, trying to remember what brought her to Ian’s bed. “Thanks.” She spoke as if she was a million miles away. Then Marina focused on Ian once more. “You always know how to make me feel better.”
The man, who was carrying a tray of food, walked into the room. He placed the tray down and sat next to Marina. She could feel Ian wanting to kiss her. Marina could see it in his eyes but she didn’t know what to do.
Did she want to kiss him back? Obviously she wants to be with him if she came to him for comfort. Marina pulled the blankets closer to her as she realized that she was naked underneath them. “Did we have sex?”
Ian looked taken back. “You don’t remember?” Marina licked her lips and tried to hold back a face of guilt.
“I had some to drink last night.” She retold the story of her run-in with Caitlyn and her session with Dr. Deborah Nelson. “I know it doesn’t make you feel better, I just knew you were the one person I could turn to.”
She watched as he took it all in. Looking past Ian Marina eye’d the food on the tray it was making her feel even worse. Everything that she had been working towards, trying to build a substantial relationship with Ian before sleeping with him.
It was all ruined.
“Are you hungry?”
Marina snapped out of her trance and looked at Ian. “I probably should go.” As soon as she said the words, Marina wanted to hit herself in the head. She didn’t want to leave him, that was the last thing she wanted.
Taking a deep breath, Ian agreed to let her change.
[.....]
Scene Three:
505 Auburn Rd., Stone Creek. “Thurlow Cottage”
James & Caitlyn’s Home.
James Thurlow put his arms around his wife and kissed her head. Closing his eyes to take in her scent, James then retreated and felt the awkwardness in the room. “How are you feeling today?”
Turning to her husband, Caitlyn Thurlow shrugged. “I just need to do something to distract my mind I suppose. I feel like everything I do just makes more problems for everybody else.”
“How about I stay home today?” James offered, he slipped his hands around his wife’s body once more. The comfort of his touch, soothing Caitlyn. “We can have lunch at Sysphean’s? We haven’t been there in awhile.”
But Caitlyn didn’t think it was wise. “You can’t just skip work for me, I don’t want to derail your plans anyways. Maybe I will call Diem and see what she has on Damien and my daughter?”
“I have nothing to do today.” James replied. “I’ll just have Emily move a couple things around and we can spend sometime together. Besides I want to be with you if we hear anything about Danielle.”
Caitlyn knew James was only trying to do her right. Slowly giving into his suggestion she stopped retreating from his touch and let him have her all in the moment. She knew it would be good to be around James all day.
He always knew how to make her feel better, especially when she felt she was in the wrong. Caitlyn just couldn’t get one thing out of her mind. “What if when we find Danielle she doesn’t want anything to do with me?”
James sighed. “That’s not going to happen. She will love you.”
“What if Damien has already brain-washed her to hate me?” Caitlyn spoke, a valid point being place in James’ mind. “He is capable of anything I could see him turning my own daughter against me.”
“We can only hope he hasn’t.” James responded. Truthfully he did see Caitlyn’s point. That when they finally found Danielle she would resent Caitlyn. But he put it out of his mind.
His only worry was to comfort his wife.
---
Our love. Our fights. Our friendships.
On Concrete Shelves.
Forever, they shall be remembered.
---
Scene Four:
Stone Creek Super Market.
Had she been there the whole time?
Kevin Saunder’s didn’t know. Slipping into the grocery store he watched as she made her way around. Grabbing at things she needed and making the decision to place them in her cart or not.
The whole process seemed so natural that for a moment he thought of her as just some everyday person and not the mastermind behind one of the biggest scandal’s in Stone Creek. Abigail Jenkins was so timid as she scooted around the store. It made Kevin re-think his whole plan.
But then she locked eyes with him.
“Do I know you?” She asked.
Kevin regained his composure, deciding that he needed to just be forward with the woman. He needed to tell her who she really was and see if it would get a reaction out of her. “My name is Kevin Saunders.”
Abigail didn’t flinched. “I don’t talk to strangers.”
She was a snide one, Kevin smiled. But he didn’t know what else to say.
“Have you been following me?” Abigail asked, noticing she had the upper hand in the conversation. They were in a grocery store so she knew he wouldn’t try to make a deadly move. But he could eventually follow her home, so she remained cautious.
Kevin nodded. “I think there is something we need to discuss.”
Abigail backed away from him. “I highly doubt that.”
“I was hired to track you down.” The older man licked his lips, it wasn’t how he imagined the conversation. But of course, how would a conversation like this go down. His attention locked on her deep brown eyes.
[.....]
Scene Five:
Sutton Enterprises.
Patrick’s Office.
Patrick Sutton rampaged the facility, looking for Catalina Cortez. He wasn’t going to let her play him for a fool, he crumbled the paperwork that he found on his desk stating that new equipment was being brought into the warehouse.
“You!” He singled her out amongst a group of workers. “In my office!”
It took Catalina a minute to figure out what was going on. Patrick watched her from the corner of his eye as she dismissed a group of workers and turned on her heel. Following the man to the very place he ordered her to.
“How the hell do you think this was going to work?” Patrick roared, tossing the crumbled ball at her. “Do you really think I was going to sign off on that? Losing money is not in my line of work miss Cortez!”
Catalina stepped closer to Patrick, challenging him. “I’m doing you a favor.”
“Favor?” Patrick scoffed. “You’re drying up my expenses. Don’t wrap this mess up as a present and tell me its a favor! You better explain to me what you think you’re doing with my company.”
A smirk crawled on her face. “I’m draining your company,” her eye’s, fiery and determined, locked on Patrick’s. “Of it’s useless equipment. I had a couple of my men look into your machines.”
For a moment, Patrick caught a glimpse of another side to Catalina. He wondered what kind of woman she was, stalking into his life and demanding the things that she demanded. The room grew hot and so did he.
“Keep your men out of my machines.” He gritted.
But Catalina had other intentions. She sighed, moving closer to Patrick. “You’re stubborn you know that? You think you know what is right for your company but you don’t want to shed a few dollars? That’s foolish.”
“Don’t you dare knock down my honor.” Patrick barked, his tone weaker than before. There was something so erotic about the woman standing in front of him. Today he felt as if he couldn’t control himself. “I need you out of my office!”
Their eye’s locked on one another again.
“But do you want me?” Catalina spoke, biting her lip.
The urge to kiss her won over and Patrick found himself on top of Catalina. Lips locked, hands roaming one another’s bodies. Catalina took control, pushing Patrick back and causing him to fall onto his desk.
This stunned the man and as Catalina took off her shirt he found himself frozen in place. Watching as she continued to seduce him. Climbing onto the desk and ripping his shirt off.
[.....]
Scene Six:
2634 W. Parker St., Stone Creek. Callahan Condo’s #15
Marina & Cassie’s Home.
The whole conversation with Audrey Briggs kept replaying in her head as she wandered around the apartment. How could she have been so stupid? Cassie Lakhani just sighed.
Holding her stomach Cassie walked into the kitchen. “Hey little one, I think we are in a pickle today.” Was there anything that she could have done to prevent Audrey from finding out the truth?
It was nobody’s fault that she got pregnant.
But now it seemed like the way she handled the situation was all wrong. Cassie shouldn’t have lied to Audrey and then maybe they could have worked something out. Somehow everything would have been just fine.
She opened the refrigerator and started shuffling through the food. There was also other problems. Now that her contract with HEAT magazine’s modeling division was on hold, Cassie was running low on funds. Thank god that Helen helped Cassie secure some sort of income.
But even that was running out. How was she going to help Marina Thurlow pay the rent? Would she ever return to modeling?
After pulling out the necessary items to make a sandwich, Cassie leaned against the counter. It seemed that her little boy was dying for something more than her pick of a meal.
Maybe some lady gaga?
No. Cassie cried out in pain as she grasped her stomach. This wasn’t something that lady gaga could cure. Suddenly food didn’t look so appetizing as she widened her eyes in realization.
This was it. This was the big moment that she had been waiting for, for the last couple of months. She agonized for this. Her water just broke. Cassie surveyed everything around her and waddled to her phone.
She needed to call for help.
[.....]
Scene Seven:
2300 Cranberry St., Stone Creek. Stone Creek Apartments #21
Abigail Jenkin’s Home.
“What did you call me for that was so important?” Gillian Sutton asked, pulling her coat off and slumming it onto the couch in Abigail’s apartment. “I was in the middle of something with Damien.”
Abigail Jenkins wandered out of the kitchen with two cups of what looked like water. “I don’t think you will ever believe what I just found out.” She handed a cup to Gillian who kindly placed it on the coffee table.
“Well then just tell me.” Gillian spoke. “I don’t have time for guessing games.”
For the last couple hours, Abigail Jenkins was trying to make sense of what Kevin had told her. It seemed that everything she had been hoping would happen had fallen into her laps.
“I think I found my birth parents!” Abigail spoke, a smile plastered on her face. “I met a man today named Kevin Saunders. He told me that he had been trying to find this couple’s daughter and that he said I was a match!”
“That’s really good news!” Gillian replied, although she felt as if spending more time with Damien Crenshaw would have been better than celebrating with Abigail. “Did he say who they were?”
Abigail nodded her head. “At first I thought he was just yanking my chain, but he seemed totally legit after he gave me his business card. Apparently this guy, Kevin, was once an investigator before he became a law-”
“Really Abby, skip the hairy details already?”
“Right!” She squealed, jumping onto the couch next to Gillian. “I had to tell you first because this means that as of this moment you and I are more than just friends. Well, I mean as soon as you marry Damien Crenshaw, that is.”
Replaying the meeting between herself and Kevin. Abigail couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief as he told her the news. She had seen the newspaper articles and the headlines that Caitlyn Thurlow was looking for her long-lost daughter, Danielle. But Abigail never thought in a million years that, “I’ll be Your future daughter-in-law!”
Gillian Sutton stood frozen in place. Had she just hear correctly that Abigail was Damien and Caitlyn’s daughter, Danielle? She couldn’t believe it. Forcing a smile on her face, Gillian picked herself off the couch and picked up her coat.
“Where are you going?” Abigail asked, dumbfounded.
Her friend turned to hug her goodbye. “There’s someone I need to talk to.”
Leaving Abigail alone to ponder the possibilities of a dream come true she started planning the things she would say to Caitlyn Thurlow once the truth was finally out. Abigail leaned back on her couch.
Finally she would get to know her real parents, a tear streaming down her cheek.
[.....]
Scene Eight:
1509 Mango Ln., Stone Creek.
Clifton & Audrey’s Home.
Clifton Briggs watched the old grandfather clock as it ticked away. He remembered a time when the ticking only added to the joys of living in the huge home. The warmth he would feel when he returned to see his wife, Audrey Briggs, cooking.
The ticking sound was now just filler noise in the cold home that seemed way too big for him to live in alone. Clifton sighed as he watched the clock strike another hour. It’s chime so delusional to the last couple hours.
“I just came by to get a few things.” Came the voice of Audrey Briggs. Clifton jumped up from his seat, eager to plead Audrey to stay, but she wasn’t having it. His face fell. “There is way too much pain right now.”
“But we need to talk about this.” Clifton told her, he could tell that Audrey was hurting and all he wanted to do was make her feel better. “I know you need to hear what I have to say.”
She just brushed it off. “I will have the divorce papers mailed to you.”
“Audrey, dear, do you understand how many years we had put into this relationship? Do you remember what it was like to be us when we were teenagers and everyone was against us?”
She did remember that, Clifton could tell she was searching her memories and recalling a time when they were completely happy. “I don’t think there is anymore us, Clifton.”
He grabbed her hands. “But there is. Right now standing in front of me is the love of my life. I know right now you don’t see that, not like you used to. But this is the truth Audrey. I am madly in love with you.”
She pulled away.
“I am madly in love with you.” Clifton preceded. “I have made my mistakes in not telling you what happened. But I care too much to let you walk away from me. From us. The real us.”
Audrey took a step closer to Clifton. She knew he was right, deep down Audrey didn’t want to divorce Clifton. But then his cellphone rang. Snapping Audrey out of her thoughts. “Who is it?”
Clifton looked back up at his wife. “Nobody.”
Frowning, Audrey took the phone from Clifton. “Cassie Lakhani.” She mumbled. “Maybe you should answer it? It seems like it’s important.”
But Clifton shook his head. “Not as important as you.” The phone began ringing again and this time Clifton had to stop himself from cursing at it. He knew that Cassie didn’t mean to interrupt their conversation.
Things were so delicate between himself and Audrey right now. The fear of losing her was at the edge of his lips. “Damn it Clifton, just answer it. This is the only way we can truly know if we can move past this.”
Hesitantly, Clifton answered it. “Cassie, I can’t talk-” His face fell and he locked eyes on Audrey Briggs. She looked away. The expression they shared was enough to tell him that Audrey knew what was going on. “When? Is she at the hospital right now? Okay, I’ll be on my way!”
Shutting the phone, he looked back up at Audrey he wore a sour face. “She’s having the baby, my baby, right now at the hospital. Oh Audrey, this is a disaster, isn’t it? I want to stay with you.”
Audrey shrugged him away. “You have to go to her Cliff.”
She watched as her husband shuffled through the closet for his coat. Audrey knew that their marriage was ruined. How could she ever fall back in love with a man who is having a child with another woman? touching her stomach, Clifton kissed her cheek and left.
Leaving Audrey alone to ponder her next step.
[.....]
Scene Nine:
2121 Mason St., Stone Creek. Hoffman Village Apartment #34
Ian’s Home.
A knock at the door broke Ian Kiefer from his thoughts, hurrying to answer it in hopes it was Marina he was let down and his half-sister, Natalie Marlowe walked through the door.
“What’s eating you?” She asked, sliding her sunglasses off and taking a seat at his counter. When Ian dodged the question Natalie shrugged. “Well I was thinking we could have a family dinner, you and I.”
Ian nodded his head. “Sounds nice.”
He could feel Natalie looking him over, Ian knew he wasn’t being himself around her and knew it was only a matter of time before she started sniffing out the problem. “What did you have in mind?”
“Something simple.” Natalie responded, she then preceded to look through his refrigerator. “I was at my place and I just couldn’t sit still. I think I need a roommate or something.”
“Maybe a dog?”
Natalie snarled at the idea. “Have you talked to Marina?”
The question stung, but Ian quickly recovered. “Have you talked to Ryan?”
“Touche.” Natalie chuckled, pulling out food from his refrigerator. “I was thinking that after this up coming fashion shoot I have we could head out for a sibling weekend, just you and I?”
“I’m almost done with school, I have tests to pass right now Nat.” Ian reminded her, it was a nice thought although he knew her intentions. “Besides I don’t think a little get-away weekend will cure your Ryan blues.”
Natalie looked at Ian. “I was thinking it would help your Marina blues as well. Something is up with you and it isn’t your normal weird behavior. Has Marina been here lately?”
Ian sighed, he knew this was coming.
[.....]
Scene Ten:
1507 Mango Ln., Stone Creek. “Hollyoak Manor”
Patrick & Charlene’s Home.
It had been weeks since Charlene had been in his home and Patrick Sutton was already missing her sulky demeanor. There was something missing from the house, it smelled different.
He sighed.
Flashing to the night they had their big fight and how things went from bad to worse. It was his bad temper that got the best of him. He didn’t want Charlene or Gillian to leave the house, but he hated not being in control of things.
It was the same for Catalina.
There was no control in him when he was arguing with the younger woman and there wasn’t any when they were having sex. The thought of her body clinging to his just sickened him.
Patrick had spent years with different women in his bed. But for some reason there was only one that he wanted at the moment. He slipped out of his coat and hung it in the closet, he then retrieved his phone and dialed Charlene’s number.
He closed his eyes in defeat when he got her voicemail. “Hey Charlene, it’s me, Patrick. I know we left things on the wrong foot and I know you still haven’t forgiven me for what happened. But I miss you.”
Hitting end on the phone, he shut it. Stuck in deep thought he didn’t know what else to say. He didn’t know how to say he was sorry to Charlene. To the woman that he had learned to love.
[.....]
Scene Eleven:
Lakeside Inn.
Audrey’s Room.
It’s not like she didn’t have tears to cry.
Audrey Briggs combed her hair in the mirror as she sat there as quiet as can be. She never wanted for her marriage to crumble. That was never her intent. All Audrey ever wanted to do was get pregnant by Clifton.
But that plan never materialized. So it was on to the next best thing, she need to secure herself financially so that she didn’t have to worry anymore. As well, Audrey never wanted to hurt Clifton. There was a point in her life when she loved him completely.
That point seemed long ago.
“I got here as soon as I could.” Catalina Cortez spoke, the annoyance in her voice was evident. “Now tell me what was so important that you had to call me away from the office for?”
Audrey turned around with a huge smile. “I’m divorcing Clifton.”
For a moment Catalina was confused. She had no intent of staying friends with Audrey Briggs for this long. They were never friends to begin with to tell the truth. Audrey was a bored house wife and Catalina wasn’t ever getting married.
Their relationship was complicated to say the least. “Then your plan has worked, but I don’t see why you need me anymore. It seems like you have gotten everything that you needed.”
Her friend frowned. “Not exactly. You see I need to secure my half of Clifton’s fortune. I’ve hired a really good divorce attorney but I still fear that Clifton won’t give me any money.”
Catalina chuckled. “That poor schmuck? Please. I’ve seen how this stuff goes down Audrey. He is going to feel so sorry for betraying you that he will give you enough to get by for the next decade.”
“But I want it all.”
This caused a change in Catalina’s posture. “I think you should just settle with what he is giving you and move on. If you get greedy than that just signals the end of everything you worked so hard to complete.”
“I tried for years to get pregnant by Clifton and in a matter of minutes he impregnates a total stranger? I want the money that I deserve.” There was a coldness to her tone that Catalina hadn’t witnessed before. “You are going to help me.”
“Nope, not this time.” She turned to walk out of the room.
Audrey called her back. “You are going to help me or everyone will find out who the real Catalina is.” The threat was one to cause a jolt out of Catalina. “Do you want everyone to know that you go by the name, Inez? Your whole modern day robin hood charade will unravel.”
[.....]
Scene Twelve:
Stone Creek Memorial Hospital
Delivery Room.
Marina Thurlow’s hand was now turning blue, but she didn’t say anything about it. Instead she comforted her friend with her other hand. By the time she got home she had received a call from her father, James, that Cassie Lakhani was in the hospital.
“Just keep pushing!” A nurse encouraged. Marina looked at the woman as if she was crazy. Then looked back at Cassie who was covered in sweat. “You are almost there Cassie! You can do this!”
“I can’t!” Cassie screamed, her breath uneven as she tried to remain calm and give another push. “I don’t think I can do this.” She cried. Her words stuck in her throat and forced out by screams.
This was the day they had waited eight months for. Marina watched as the doctor concentrated on retrieving the baby.
“You can do this.” Marina spoke, she didn’t know where the words came from. She could have sworn her whole body had gone numbs as soon as she got to the hospital. “We fought for eight months Cassie, we can do this together, okay?”
“Okay.” Cassie cried.
The nurse looked up at the two girls who were now crying hysterically. “Just one more push Cassie, just one long hard push, okay? Your baby boy is almost here and he needs your help right now more than ever.”
Cassie nodded her head. Her hand clasped hard onto Marina’s, who was sure she was going to need to get it checked-out later. Arching her head back, Cassie took a couple deep breaths.
Then she pushed with all her might.
She was physically exhausted, her face red in tint was gathering sweat the longer she pushed, the longer she screamed. Then Cassie couldn’t go any longer, her body lay against the bed in defeat. Trying to catch her breath.
“You did great.” The nurse spoke.
The baby was immediately moved to the other side of the room. Marina Thurlow laid her head next to her best friend and kissed her forehead. “You did a great job. You brought our little man into this world.”
“Yeah.” Cassie cried, she closed her eyes. Then she heard her baby cry for the first time, it was a noise that she had waited eight months to hear. It was soothing to her ears. Slowly her breath returned to normal, tears stained her eyes.
Looking towards the door, she was certain she saw him. Wanting to lift her head, Cassie couldn’t. But she didn’t need to. She knew she saw Clifton Briggs at the door. Waiting for her.
[.....]
Next Time, On Concrete Shelves
- Natalie tells Marina to stop ruining everyones lives.
- Frank reels into Deborah for deceiving him.
- Clifton meets his son, Lucian.
- The blow of Gail’s past hits her hard...
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