Threading The Wrong Path

"Perfect, just what I wanted," Richie told Rachel as he surveyed the one-room flat.

Rachel stood silent, staring at him in anger, but she had to admit the place was good. Calisa was a huge help. She'd called her that same evening to announce she'd found a place, but it hadn't been at the edge of town as Rachel would've liked. Calisa had taken her to see the place first thing that morning, and she'd been surprised to see it had been furnished.

"It's furnished just as I wanted. How did you know? I'd forgotten to tell you," she'd asked Calisa.

"You did," Calisa replied.

"No, it slipped my mind."

"You did tell me. Have you forgotten?"

"I must have. Thanks anyway; you are an angel."

"What are friends for? If there's anything else you need, don't hesitate to ask."

Richie finished his inspection and sat down. 

"Hope the rent didn't break Kingsley's bank account? I wonder what he'd say if he knew his wife was using his money to rent a place for her boyfriend." He scorned her.

"Keep my husband's name out of your mouth." She warned.

"If you say so, have a seat, honey; we need to talk."

She sat down reluctantly. "What do you want? I'm not going to hurt Kingsley; you can't make me."

" Relax. I just want their day-to-day routine."

"Why? What are you up to?"

"Nothing. Just tell me how they go about their day. And I want the truth because I'll still conduct my own investigation."

"Then why ask me?"

"To see if you are on my side."

Reluctantly, she told him their daily routine.

"It seems Lucy is the only wild card," Richie muttered. "Her routine isn't fixed."

" So?"

"Give me a layout of the house."

"Why do you want all this? I don't trust you anymore."

"You should. I'm doing it for you. Give me the layout."

She told him, but didn't mention the door leading from the garage to the house.

"I hope that's all. I'll be very mad if I find you holding anything back."

"I didn't."

"OK, so I'll tell you what I've been up to. I decided, first, that we'd go after their finances. From my little spying, I've found a way to go about it."

Rachel jumped up. "No, you can't! I won't let you!"

Franca gave a sigh of frustration and hit the redial button. She'd called Melman eight times yet received no answer. What was he doing? Had he gotten any information about Gina? The wait was killing her. Lucy hadn't been of any help, and Mabel was still giving her the cold shoulder. Very soon, the rat Gina would get pregnant and secure her hold on Kingsley. She couldn't let that happen. She dialed again. Still no answer. Angrily, she slammed the phone on the table.

"Easy, sweetie, you'll break your phone," her mother walked in, "what's wrong?"

"Nothing," she said irritably.

"Your dad will soon be here, and we're going to the club. How about you join us?"

"No, thanks, mom."

"You're still stressing about Kingsley? I've told you to forget about him. Go out and meet other men."

"And I've told you I don't want other men. I love KK, and I'm not losing him to anyone, not especially someone as low as Gina."

"Franca, listen to me, please," her mother said, taking her hands in hers. "KK doesn't love you. Forcing it would only bring you problems. I'm talking from experience. Take my advice and find another man."

Franca snatched her hands away.

"Mum, please let me be!" She picked up her phone and stormed out.

Bella sat down heavily. Her daughter was going down a path to unhappiness and wasn't listening to reason. She knew what the path was like; she'd been down it before.

In high school, she'd been in love with Jake Kale, who lived on her block. She'd done everything to get the handsome young man to notice her, but nothing had worked. Then, without any effort, Mabel, of all people, won his affection. Bella had been nearly ill with jealousy, although she'd tried to hide it.

Then, to add salt to her wounded heart, the love birds asked her to deliver their love letters during summer break. That had been her chance to break them up and win Jake's affection. She made sure Jake hardly received Mabel's letters, and Mabel his.

Then one afternoon, she'd been in her yard, and Jake had signaled to her from across the street, and she'd gone over to him.

"Hey Jake," she said, her heart pounding in excitement. "What's up? You want to see me?"

"Hey Karen. Yeah, next Monday is Mabel's birthday. I want you to tell her to wait for me in the park. I have a gift for her."

She tried to hide her bitterness. "Mabel won't be able to make it," she lied. "She told me she's visiting her aunt that day."

"Really? Wow, I had something important I wanted to tell her."

"Tell me, I'll pass on the message."

"Ok. I'll be leaving for Littletown in a couple of weeks. I've gotten a job there. Let her tell me when she'll be free; I'd like to talk to her. I've got so many things to tell her."

"That's sad. I ... I mean we will miss you."

"I'll come visit often because of Mabel. These are what I want to discuss with her," he said, giving her a small box and a card. "Please give it to her and deliver my message."

"Sure thing," she was seething.

Once inside, she tore up the romantic birthday card and opened the gift. It was a necklace with a heart-shaped pendant. She locked it in her drawer and began to plan. 

If I can break them up, I'll have Jake Kale all to myself.

The next day, she went to see Mabel and put her plan into action.

"Happy birthday, Mabel,"

"Thanks Karen. Any message from Jake?"

"Yes, he told you to meet him in the park this afternoon."

Mabel was excited. But a day later, she came to Karen, heartbroken.

"Jake didn't show up."

"Really? Why?"

Mabel shrugged miserably.

"Cheer up. Maybe he was busy. I'll go see him this evening and find out why."

She stopped over at Jake's place that evening.

"Hey Karen, did you see Mabel? What did she say?"

She handed him the necklace."She says she's not interested in the relationship anymore and doesn't want to see you again."

"Why? What did you tell her?"

"I just delivered your message, but she wasn't interested. She didn't want your gift and tore up the card."

"But why? What is she mad about?"

"She's gotten someone else."

"How is that possible?"

"She met a guy recently, and said he's much better than you. That you should go wherever you want and not come back. You're too much of a lowlife for her."

"How could she say that?"

"Because she doesn't like you, she never has. Unlike me, I think you're a great guy. If there's anything I can do to help,

Dazed, he shook his head and went inside. She smiled as she made her way home. Jake would come around. But to her disappointment, he came to her house the next day to talk about Mabel.

"Karen, please give this letter to Mabel," he said frantically, "it'll explain everything. I love her. Tell her I need to speak with her."

"I don't think you should bother Jake. She rejected your gift; she's not into you. You'll only get hurt."

"I need to try. Please help me."

"Ok, I'll do my best."

Jake left, and as usual, she read the letter, boiling with jealousy as Jake professed his love for Mabel and told of his plan to build a future with her.

She angrily shredded the letter.

If I can't have him, then Mabel sure won't.

She went off to see her, knowing she'd be at church. She found her in the church yard talking to Sophie.

"What are you doing here? Do you now attend church?" Karen asked Sophie.

"No, I was on my way to see my aunt. I saw Bel and decided to stop by," Sophie explained.

"Any word from Jake?" Mabel asked anxiously.

"None."

"Maybe he's busy." Sophie said

Mabel was worried. "I'll go talk to him now." She decided.

"No!" Karen said. "That's a bad idea."

"I don't care. I have to see him."

"Karen is right. It's too risky; write a letter instead." Sophie suggested. "Arrange to meet and talk to him."

"Yes. I'll deliver it for you," Karen offered.

"Ok," Mabel found a pen and paper in her purse and hurriedly scribbled a note, then handed it to Karen. "Please get him to agree to meet me."

"I will. Trust me,"

She tore the note after reading it and went to see Jake.

"Mabel said if you send her more notes or come anywhere near her, she'll tell her dad to have you arrested," she told him.

"What! Mabel won't say that."

"She did. She threatened to show her dad the note and have you put away for twenty years. She is sixteen, remember?" She knew she'd delivered the killer blow.

Jake hung his head. "I guess there's no need hanging around here then, if she said that. I'll leave first thing tomorrow morning." 

True to his word, Jake left a little after dawn. Karen kept it from Mabel and lied, saying that Jake had agreed to meet her the next Saturday. So it came as a huge shock to Mabel when, a few days later, Karen announced Jake had left town. 

"He left this morning," she lied. "I went over to talk some sense into him and found him gone. He didn't even let his granddad know. He even took the old man's money before leaving."

Mabel was stunned. So Jake hadn't loved her? Sophie tried to cheer her up, insisting Jake would be back with an explanation, but she was devastated. It took her a long time to get over Jake Kale.

At first, Karen had been pleased. Then her pleasure gave way to despair upon realizing that, despite the heartbreak she'd caused Mabel, Jake hadn't returned her love. Now, looking at how Mabel's son had broken her daughter's heart, she worried whether it was karma for what she'd done to Mabel. And then there was the other, worse betrayal, because she'd betrayed both Mabel and her husband.

Jerry Mills walked in. He was tall and broad, with a friendly, handsome face, close-cut blond hair, and sky blue eyes. He came towards his wife.

"Ready, honey?" He asked.

She stood up. "Yes,"

"Let's go."

He led her to the car, and they drove to the club.

"Are you okay?" He asked her.

"I'm fine,"

"Are you sure?"

She sighed. "I'm worried about Franca; she refuses to accept that her relationship with Kingsley Mitchell is over; she insists on getting back with him."

He frowned. "Getting back with him? Isn't he already married?"

"Exactly my point, I'm really worried about her."

L

"Well, I did tell you it was wrong to put the idea of getting married to Kingsley in her head."

"What was wrong with it? She loved him. I thought he loved her, besides, his mum and I are friends. Kingsley isn't smart to have left our daughter for that lowlife."

"Hey, honey, it's wrong to insult the girl when you barely know her."

"It's true; she's nowhere near our daughter."

"But Kingsley married her; Franca has to accept that."

Well, she wouldn't," Bella said, frustrated. "I've tried talking to her to no avail."

"I'll talk to her this evening."

"Please do. If a person dislikes you, there's no amount of tricks or deceit that can make them change their mind."

"Are you talking from experience? Jerry joked.

She was silent.

"I won't let you hurt Kingsley or his family!" Rachel said it furiously.

"It seems you are desperate to go to jail," Richie said quietly. "Your dear Kingsley will find comfort in the arms of his ex, and live happily with her. Is that what you want? No? I thought so; now sit down!"

She sat down slowly.

"Don't interrupt me again," he warned. "Now we'll start with Mabel. Cause a scandal so huge it'll shut her down for good."

"Please, Richie, the bakery is her dream."

"Which is why I'm going after it." He declared. "I'll make Mabel Mitchell wish she was never born."