Susan was quiet for a few moments before she spoke. "I don't know about you girls, but I could certainly use a drink"
TWENTY FIVE
the girls get a drink
"I want to get so pissed that my bladder is swimming." Naomi tossed off another shot of vodka.
They were sitting in the Chic Taverna, a pub that was situated across the street from the Burbank Place mall. Its walls were covered in a soft wood that seemed to glow from within. Naomi was slugging back shots of vodka, Miriam was drinking a Pink Lady and Susan played idly with her Mai Tai, stirring her straw in a counter clockwise motion.
Miriam's heart had finally stopped racing. After the car had stopped tumbling down the hill, they had taken off their seatbelts. Of course, as soon as they did that, they all fell out of their seats and hit the roof of the car with a loud thud. After several minutes of waving arms and swinging legs, they were able to disengage themselves and crawl out of the car through the open passenger side window.
Naomi, still shaking, had gotten back in the car briefly to grab their coats and purses before they started the climb up the cliff. When they got to the top, Miriam heard a noise and turned.
"Look!" she whispered.
Naomi and Susan gaped at the smoking car. There was another sound, like metal crunching, and then they saw the fire.
"GET DOWN!" Susan grabbed the other two women and pulled them down to the ground with her. Seconds later, they heard a deafening boom and the car erupted into flames. The ground shook from the blast and they could feel the heat from where they lay on the cliff.
Together they stood and silently stared down at the burning car. Finally, Naomi spoke. "Someone wanted to kill us."
Susan gave her a condescending look and said "I think that's the understatement of the century, Naomi."
"Someone wanted us to have an accident." Miriam said. "It's all my fault!" The tears she had held in check for so long finally poured down her face. "OH GOD!" she sobbed, "You could of both gotten killed, I could of lost you both!" she sobbed some more.
"Hey." Susan started patting Miriam's shoulder. "C'mon, we just met." She said in an attempt to be funny. It didn't work that well.
Miriam's sobs increased. "You could have both DIED!"
"I'm just thankful that we're all okay!" Naomi’s voice had returned to it's normal pitch.
"You both have to leave now!" Miriam shouted. "NOW! GET AWAY FROM ME! I'm poison, I ruin everything I touch! Caroline, Jack…Toby." The last word was said in a whisper. She put a hand to her throat and ran a hand through her hair. She choked back another sob.
"Don't be stupid." Susan shook her head. "They've tried to kill us now too, so we're all in it together. Kapeesh?"
Miriam attempted a half-hearted smile, and then dug a handkerchief out of her purse to swipe at her tears. "I could really use that drink now."
They left the car burning where it was. Without saying a word, they walked towards the mall. They could see its windows sparkle in the distance. Susan spotted a car dealership and they stopped there. Thirty minutes later, they were speeding the rest of the way towards the mall in the comfort of a red convertible. The top was up, but the wind still whipped their hair through the windows.
"I'm going to miss that little BMW." Susan said. "That car was my baby."
"How did you get a new car so quickly?" Naomi asked.
"Because money can buy you anything." Susan said with a smile. "And I have a lot of money."
The arrived at the Taverna and had each downed two drinks in quick succession. A plume of smoke, like blue ribbon, floated above Naomi's head. She was smoking menthols and the minty scent reminded Miriam of peppermints.
"I thought you were joking." Susan said quietly.
"What?" Miriam was not sure she had heard her.
"There was a little part of me that thought you were joking, that you were a little crazy." She held up her hand at Miriam's shocked look. Miriam put a hand to her throat. "Now, wait a minute," Susan said, "Hear me out. You'd think anyone else was crazy if they told you a story like you told us."
Miriam nodded. "I still think I'm crazy."
Susan reached out a hand and squeezed one of Miriam's. "You're not crazy honey. I know that now." She sipped her Mai Tai. "How can another human being do this to another human being? How can people be so cruel? I thought you were making it all
up, but they just tried to kill us in the car with you, without a second thought."
"We're dealing with professionals here." Naomi said.
"I'm so sorry for getting you all into this." Miriam said. She looked crestfallen.
"I'd just like to know why they're doing this." Susan said. "I mean, what do they have to gain by killing people this way, by executing them?"
"A longer lasting show, better ratings." Naomi said.
"It's all the reason I can think of. I feel like a piece of property. Howard Kowalski might as well just piss in my face.” Miriam said, sulking.
“Don’t say that.” Susan said. “We’re going to beat this. I know we will.”
“You don’t know that.” Miriam was despondent. “He has a whole studio behind him and what do we have?” Tears started to run down her cheeks. “I’ve never been so afraid. I’m afraid for me, for you both.”
“Let’s not talk about this now, we have more important things to do.” Susan said, reaching for her purse.
"Like what?" Miriam replied, dabbing at her own eyes.
"The most important thing of all, shopping!" she said with a smile.
TWENTY SIX
the girls spend a lot of money on clothes
"The perfect cure for a near death experience," Susan said. "Shopping!"
"I still don't see how you can be so happy seeing as we were almost killed." Naomi said.
"Because I have a charge card in my hand and I'm buying things. What else is there to be happy about?"
"Good health, peace on Earth?" Naomi suggested.
"Nah." Susan replied with a smile. "Those pale in comparison to a new pair of Gucci pumps."
They were in Ladda's, a chic and overpriced ladies shop in the mall and they were shopping for Miriam's disguise. "I'm still not sure what I want to look like."
"Well, leave that to me. I'll figure out the make up part." Susan said. "You figure out who you want to be."
"But we already have, I'm going to be Sabrina White."
"Yes, but you can't go in to the studio looking like Sabrina White, do you? I mean, how old was your mother? Eighty?" Naomi said, holding up a blue camisole. "Do you think I'd look good in this?" she said.
"Naomi? We're here for me, okay?" Miriam said.
"It doesn't mean I can't check out a few things for myself." She said. "When in Rome…"
Miriam was a little overwhelmed. She had never enjoyed shopping. It had to do with the masses of people who always recognized her wherever she went. She wore a kerchief over her hair and a large pair of sunglasses, but that was only drawing more attention to herself. "How do you two stand it?" she asked, looking through a sale rack of blouses.
"Stand what?" Naomi asked.
"The fame." Miriam replied.
"You just got to go with it." Susan said. "They pay you to be famous, remember?" she held up a periwinkle colored blouse. "Do you think I can get away with this, or does it make my arms look fat?"
They looked at clothing for most of the afternoon. Miriam could not decide on the look she wanted. "Won't I just want to blend into the crowd?"
"You'd think so, but that may draw attention to yourself." Naomi said. "We have to make you look a little younger."
Miriam snorted. "I AM young, thank you. I'm only forty one."
Naomi snorted back. "Yeah, and I'm Kate Bush, get real Miriam. We need to make you look younger so no one will recognize you. Here, try on these Armani pants.”
Miriam scoffed “I’ve never worn Armani in my life.”
“You haven’t, but Sabrina white does.” Susan said. “Ooooh, look
at this!” she held up a gorgeous pink Channel suit. “You could try this on.”
“I’d look like Jackie Onassis.” Miriam said with a frown.
“No you wouldn’t.” Naomi said. “Jackie was prettier.”
“Thanks,” Miriam said. “Thanks a lot.”
“Oh, stop sulking and try something on.” Naomi said. “Shopping is supposed to be fun, remember?”
Miriam looked at a gorgeous gold lame dress by Calvin Kline. “I like this,” she said. “But I would never wear it.”
“You wouldn’t,” Susan said. “But Sabrina White would. Now, get cracking. Let’s see you in some clothes.”
After a while of trying on clothes, Miriam actually began having fun. She refused to look at herself in the dressing room mirrors though. “They have special mirrors that make you look good so you buy their clothes.” She said. “It’s a proven fact.”
“Stop talking out of your ass and try on more clothes.” Susan said. “Try on this sassy red skirt.”
Miriam looked at the label and made a face. “It’s by Prada.”
“What’s wrong with Prada?” Susan asked. “I wear Prada.”
“I just think that Sabrina is more of a Gucci kind of girl.” Miriam said with a smile.
Susan grimaced and motioned to the dressing room. “Move! Try on more clothes.”
They settled on a new wardrobe of simple wrap skirts in a variety of different colors, sling back sandals and pumps and comfortable t shirts and cotton blouses. There were no "Miriam Parker" clothes here. Miriam looked at the clothes with a pout. "They make me look fat."
"They do not." Susan said. "And no buts, we're getting the lot."
The total came to a shocking three thousand dollars. Miriam blanched. "I've never spent that much on clothes."
"Than it's about time you begin, isn't it? Come on, we're done here, on to the next store."
"But we got all these clothes! I don't need anymore."
"No, no, not clothes." Susan smiled. "We're going to go shopping for hair."
"HAIR?!" Miriam exclaimed.
"Well, c'mon honey, I'm whiz with make up, but I'm not a freaking hair dresser."
They drove to a new wig shop over on Fourth. It was called Mama's and specialized in all kinds of wigs in all the colors of the rainbow. Miriam could not think who would want to have purple hair, but she supposed to each their own. She looked through the isles of wigs and finally chose a red one. It was curly and hung to just above
her shoulders. It looked fabulous on her and hid her natural blond hair.
"I feel like I'm living a double life." She said.
"You are." Naomi said. "The red looks fabulous on you by the way."
"It brings out the blue in your eyes." Susan said.
Miriam blushed. "Thanks you two."
"No thanks needed. Tomorrow, we work on your make up."
* * *
When Miriam got home later that evening, the sun was already setting. She let herself in through her front door and dropped her keys in the bowl. Dropping her purchases in the hallway, she stripped off her clothes and drew herself a hot bath with a generous helping of bubbles.
The events of the day bothered her. If they were willing to kill two other people in order just to get to her, there was going to be trouble. She shivered as she remembered the tumble down the hill and the explosion. It seemed like it had all happened yesterday, so far away from now, but it was only a few hours ago.
She tried to relax in the bath, but her mind was running a mile a minute. Getting out of the bath, she dried off, wrapped herself in her robe and poured herself a large helping of vodka. She put a little bit of Coke in with it, so she wouldn't feel so guilty,
but if she didn't calm her nerves at least a little, she would never get to sleep.
Miriam looked at Caroline's picture on her coffee table. Caroline smiled back at her. "Who's doing this, Caroline?" she said out loud. "Who would Howard want to kill us? Is there anything you can tell me?" But Caroline's picture remained stubbornly silent.
She finished her vodka and went to bed, knowing that as soon as she closed her eyes the nightmares would start. She didn't have long to wait…
FORBIDDEN PASSIONS
STAR SCOOP WEEKLY
…. Actors were killed off on that show one after another, only to come back from the dead! STAR SCOOP WEEKLY hopes that HOPE FALLS goes this route instead of the awful storyline where Marlena was possessed by the Devil.
What's in store for us this week? More Gossip!
*HOPE FALLS GOSSIP*
Other actors are also suffering from the curse of typecasting. Once a soap actor, always a soap actor. Caroline Brady, Toby Davidson, Stacey Keech, Ronald Dobson and Jack White’s careers have all suffered since they left the show. We were unable to reach any of the actors for comment.
From "STAR SCOOP WEEKLY" August 2005
STAR SCOOP WEEKLY spoke to Julia Jane, well known agent to the stars. She had this to say about type casting:
“It’s really very sad. These actors take jobs with soaps because their so desperate to act and earn money for what they do. Soaps don’t pay very well, but the actors are able to earn money while learning valuable skills for their craft. The sad part is that, once they try to leave the soap opera world, they can’t find any real acting work. It’s why almost all soap opera actors and actresses aren’t heard from ever again after they leave a soap.”
Many are also wondering at the disappearance of Sylvia Stevens from Hope Falls. Miriam Parker, who plays Stevens, wasn't scheduled for time off until later this month; yet the actress has been off the show for a week now. Fans want to know where she is and what is going to be done with her awful kidnapper storyline.
Since her disappearance off the show, the storyline itself hasn't been touched. Yet STAR SCOOP WEEKLY can confirm that….
TWENTY SEVEN
Howard is very angry
There was a knock at the door, soft and hesitant. "Come!" Howard barked. He picked up a cigar that was burning and took a few quick drags, let the smoke slide out of his mouth.
Her first impression of him when she walked into the office was that he was the devil, and that he was made of fire. She had made a deal with the devil, she thought. She had made a deal with Satan himself.
"You wanted to see me?" She asked, closing the door behind her.
Howard looked at her in disgust for a few moments before answering. "Of course I wanted to see you." He stood up, passing through the fog of smoke. "Do you mind telling me why you weren't able to do as I asked?"
His voice was so quiet, she almost stood to hear him better. But she stayed where she was; she would not break eye contact and be the submissive bitch. Not now, not after all she'd been through.
Tucking a strand of blond hair behind her ear, she spoke. "We have to be careful, Howard. The attack on her life on the studio. She knew something was up. Why else would she have gone crazy?"
"I'm not talking about that." He spat at her. "I want to know why three woman escaped a twenty foot drop to stormy waters. Who's fault is that?"
"Mine." She whispered.
"How did they survive?"
"I don't know." She said. "It shouldn't be possible. They should all be dead under the water now. They should all be gone."
"I don't know how they did it." She lied. "I don’t know how they survived."
"I don't care how you do it." Howard said, slowly. "I want each of those women dead, do you hear me? I want them gone. I don't care about the filming anymore."
“But Howard…”
"Take care of it." He said, cutting her off. "Take care of her. Isn't that what I pay you for?"
"Yes, Howard."
"Good. Now get the fuck out of my sight. You make me sick."
TWENTY EIGHT
Miriam receives a dangerous present
In her dreams, Ronald came to Miriam first. He held out his hand to her and she took it. She felt a light sensation and then, there she was, tr
ansported by dreams to the day he died. Miriam shivered inside herself, her head screaming for her to wake up, that she didn't want to see what was coming, but she would not wake. She had had this dream before.
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