Uh-oh. I know that look, Darla warned, studying her friends suddenly diabolical expression. And it usually means involving me in one of your plots.
Scripts, Corinne corrected. And it does. Im thinking about a whole new approach. What about jealousy?
Youre always jealous, Darla reminded her. You know, because Brendans always messing around with other women behind your back?
Corinne scowled at her alleged friend. Not me. Him. What if I set out to make Brendan jealous? Of course, given my deep and abiding love for him, it would be almost impossible for me to flirt with another man
You mean like what hes doing now with Marjorie from human resources?
Matthew pointed to the scene just outside the door. Brendan was bending down to pick up a pencil Marjorie had accidentally tossed into the middle of his path, the whole time keeping his eyes pinned to her protruding breasts.
Matthew was amazed. How does he manage to follow the conversation when hes got his eyes glued to her
Corinne shot him a menacing glare, and he quickly closed his mouth.
The bastard. The poor pathetic lonelyNope, sometimes Brendan could be just a bastard. Corinne crunched her teeth together and squared her shoulders. She was going to be damned before she was made a fool out of by Marjorie from human resources. Calling upon all of her training, she focused on making herself taller with larger breasts. It was a visualization technique her seventh-grade acting teacher had taught her, and it had stayed with her ever since. Visualize yourself as you want to be seen and people will see it, too.
Go get em, tiger.
Give him hell, Darla added.
This from her cheering section. With the regal air of a queen she stepped out into the hall. Cubicles lined up along the hallway were filled with not-so-busy customer service representatives who had been enjoying the Marjorie and Brendan Show. Now that Corinne had added herself to the mix, the scene took on a whole new tension.
The question was, how did she want to play this particular act? All fifty employees of the small company knew about her on-again, off-again relationship with Brendan. Most thought he was playing her for a fool, but that was because they didnt understand him. Now here she was with her newest competition, who, if it was at all possible, was wearing an even shorter skirt than hers. The woman must have had her legs genetically engineered. It was the only explanation.
So did she go for catty? Explosive? Sorrowful and betrayed? Better yet, it was time for the old standby. She would play the bigger person. Not an easy task, considering she was playing the scene with an Amazon.
As cool as lemonade in summer, she strolled up to the couple standing too close together for company etiquette, and nodded her head. Marjorie. Brendan. See you both when I get back. Enough said. She continued her march down the hall and out the door.
She didnt hear it, but she felt Matthew and Darlas applause accompany her all the way out the door.
IT WAS TOO EARLY for it to be hot. April was supposed to be about cool temperatures and soft breezes. But in New Jersey, when the humidity started to spike, anything was possible. Oh well, Corinne decided philosophically as she shucked her grasshopper blazer and noted the sweat stains, all the better to get her acclimated to the weather in the Bahamas. Still, it would have been the cherry on top to leave New Jersey while the weather was lousy for her two weeks of fun in the sun.
Dropping her suit into the dry-cleaning bin, Corinne checked the suitcase open on her bed one more time. Sundresses. Long flowy skirts. Strategic hip wraps. Three bathing suits. And SPF40 sunblock. For a redhead, frolicking in the sun did have its down side and its name was freckles.
The phone rang, and Corinne skipped through her condo to get to the kitchen before her answering machine picked
up. When she missed the call by one ring, she decided she really was going to have to get another phone for her bedroom. But, since the only jack available was used for her modem, another phone also meant another line.
Damn, I hate these things. Pick up dear. Its your mother.
Corinne cringed and considered playing not at home. She held her breath and waited.
Damn it, Corinne, I know youre there. I can hear you breathing. Now pick up the damn phone.
Damn was her mothers favorite word. She said it was because back in the fifties it was the only swear word they would let a woman say on film. It sort of became one of her trademarksthe sultry eyes, the husky voice and the fact that she said damn before almost every line. The first few times it could be highly effective, but after the tenth or so damn, it started to lose its impact.
Knowing there was no way out, she picked up the phone. Hello, Mother.
Ah-hah, I knew you were there, Grace Weatherby said as if she had uncovered some dark and diabolical plot.
I was in the bedroom, Corinne explained, not like that meant anything to her mother, who had only seen her condo once. And even that had been just a glimpse.