AS THE MOUSE

OVES©

Soap Opera "As The Mouse Moves" - Monday February 4th 2002
Starlene sat in the Washington Square Diner and watched as Vinny opened the front door.
"Hey how ya doin' Starlene?" he asked taking a seat at the booth beside the front door never bothering to take off his black leather jacket.
"I guess I'm okay considering," she said in her slow southern accent smiling. The booth shook from the tight fit as he slid into the seat.
"What's up with Nicki?" he asked frowning referring to his girlfriend that worked for Starlene's older wealthy boyfriend Stanley Morgan.
"I'm sorry Vinny.  I'm sorry to be the one to give you bad news." "Spit it out," he said watching the waitress fill his coffee cup.
"I stopped by my boyfriend's office the other day…and she…" Starlene hesitated as the waitress pulled out her order pad.
"Bring me two bagels with cream cheese. What you having?" Vinny asked glancing towards Starlene.
"I'll have scrambled eggs. Do you have grits?" Starlene asked.
"What's that?" the waitress asked.
"Just bring me scrambled eggs and toast," Starlene said watching the waitress write down the order and walk towards the customers in the next booth that had just been seated.
"Now what were you saying?" Vinny asked.
"I stopped by Stanley's office and… gee, I don't know how to tell you this," Starlene said looking down.
"Just say it."
"I came by late in the afternoon after the receptionist had left and I caught Nicole in the office with my Stanley," she said frowning in pain.
"Yeah but Nicki works for your boyfriend. So what?"
"They were on the sofa Vinny."
"So what does that prove?"
"They were how can I say this?"
"They was doin' it?" he asked as his eyes narrowed.
"Yeah."
"Are you sure or was that what it looked like to you."
"They were.  I'm sure."
"Damn. That burns me," he said hitting the booth with his fist.
"I'm sorry Vinny."
"It don't make sense to me either…I mean Nicki and I, we was talking about getting married just last night."
"You want to marry her?" Starlene asked shocked.
"Yeah. We've been engaged now for five months."
"I didn't know that.  Have you planned the wedding and everything."
"No not yet.  I just gave her a big expensive diamond though."
"I never noticed her wearing a diamond."
"No?"
"No.  She never mentioned that she was getting married. Matter of fact she told Stanley and everyone that she was engaged but she had broken it off."
"That right?"
"Yeah. I'm sorry Vinny.  You must really love her."
"I was ready to settle down you know?  I thought Nicki was the one for me."
"What will you do now?"
"I won't be marrying her now, not unless we get things straight."
"Straight.  I mean you'd still marry her after this?" Starlene asked starting to worry that they would patch up the relationship and she would still be stuck with Nicole in Stanley's office everyday.
"Well, I got to hear Nicki's side of this thing, although I don't doubt you.  I mean what would you tell me this story for if it weren't true," he said taking a bite of half of the bagel the waitress sat in front of them.
"Well, maybe I have evidence of her unfaithfulness."
"Now would be the time to show me then," he said as he chewed the hard bagel.
"Okay then…I'm sorry about this," Starlene said opening her purse and taking out an envelope and putting it on the table.
CONTINUED TOMORROW. MORE SOAP PHOTOS BELOW.