123
Tuesday, July 21st, 1987, 7:23 P.M.
A crack of thunder interrupted Belinda’s train of thought. It also caused Lorna to look up towards the ceiling wondering what terrible beast was making all the noise in her house.
“I don’t like it when it storms in L.A.” said Jane. “It’s not right. It makes me think something bad is going to happen.”
“Yeah, but you’re a poet, Jane. It’s supposed to inspire you,” said Belinda.
“Yeah, now go in the other room and write us a song,” suggested Gina. “We could use some new tunes now that we don’t have a writing staff.” Gina was referring to the fact that the girl’s award-winning sitcom was now over with, and their corporate overlord, CBS, was no longer supplying them with well-paid hitmakers.
“How long is it gonna take before we can start watching our show on reruns?” Jane asked the two of them.
“At least a year.. Probably longer,” answered Belinda, who suddenly started feeling melancholy again as she prepared to finish her sentence about the man she was so desperately in love with. “At least… that’s what Myles told me.”
Over and over, Belinda could not shake the persistent feeling that something other than simple nervousness or lingering anxieties was keeping Myles from joining her and Lorna as a family. It just didn’t make sense. He was a real man; he was more responsible than that.
Jane couldn’t stand the sight of her friend feeling blue.
“He’s going to walk through that door any second now, Belinda. I know he will,” she offered.
“Thank you, Jane… I need that reassurance,” said Belinda. She looked over at Jane with glazed eyes. “How come you’re always so nice to me?”
“Because I love you,” Jane reminded her.
Belinda smiled and accepted the compliment. She knew that Jane was sincere in every way. Rarely, however, was Belinda so bold in returning the sentiment in the same fashion. It just wasn’t her nature. She was too embarrassed.
But that didn’t stop Jane from repeating it to anyone in the band when the time called. She knew how shy Belinda was when it came to that stuff, and always got a tiny thrill out of putting her on the spot. Besides, Jane knew that when the time was right, Belinda would express her feelings in a litany of ways.
Hearing Jane’s wonderful expression of love caused Belinda to hold Lorna snuggly against her body. As she gently caressed her daughter’s back, Belinda started singing the melodious opening notes to “Vacation.” Lorna responded by cooing and hopping up and down.
“Aww, do you like Mommy’s singing?” asked Belinda. “Do you? Do you like Mommy’s singing? I hope so… Cuz’ that’s what Mommy does for a living… That, and get huge checks from Auntie Charlotte… Yes, she does… Mommy gets huge checks from Auntie Charlotte… By the way, I meant to ask you, Jane, how was your birthday?”
“Oh, it was great,” she answered. “Justin and I went over to Spagos and had dinner. Then we drove out to Santa Barbara and watched the sunset. We took his convertible. It was very romantic… He bought me this really cool, turquoise bracelet— see?” Jane held out her right arm to show off her new gift.
“Oh, that’s nice,” remarked Belinda. “I like that.”
“That is nice… Very cool,” Gina agreed. “Just don’t lose it or Kathy will think you’ve been kidnapped.”
This inside reference went right over the heads of both Jane and Belinda.
“What?” asked Jane, confused.
“Remember.. Kathy had that dream about Charlotte being kidnapped?” Gina continued.
“Ohh, that’s right,” Jane remembered.
“How did that go again?” asked Belinda.
“She dreamt that Charlotte lost the bracelet we gave her in her house.. and that lead her to believe that Charlotte was kidnapped and taken to… Ireland, or some place like that…” explained Gina.
“Greece,” Jane corrected.
“Yeah, that’s right, Greece,” continued Gina. “And that.. she got abducted by some.. Charlotte look-alike.. and taken back to Greece where the real Charlotte was being held…”
Gina starts to crack-up at the absurdity of the story.
“… and she helped Charlotte escape off this island.”
The three of them were now laughing at Gina’s explanation of Kathy’s dream.
“And didn’t she say that the kidnapper was Mikkos Cassidine from General Hospital?” asked Jane, cracking-up.
“Yeah, she did,” answered Gina, laughing along.
“Man… Kathy needs to stop watching soap-operas,” observed Belinda, coughing from the ridiculous tale.
AUTHOR’S NOTE:
Okay, okay, I did it. I created the dreadful dream sequence;
a common staple in most serial dramas.
But, this is where the fun begins. If it were all just a dream
that Kathy had, think of the oodles of questions that arise:
1.) Is Charlotte really funneling money out of the
corporation and into off-shore accounts?
2.) Is Charlotte really having an affair with Myles?
3.) Did Charlotte really kill Anton Khudobin or
have Rocco do it?
4.) Did Charlotte really have Belinda committed
to an insane asylum?
How can you find out?
Stay tuned for next week’s episode of
Valley of the Go-Go’s, of course.