Chapter 3

Rudy Dayton was annoyed, but then it didn't take much to annoy the impetuous red-head. He was particularly mad this afternoon because the interview his sister had told him would turn out so damned well hadn't turned out well at all. He didn't have a clue as to whether Old Granite-Face Foster was going to give him a job or not, but he suspected not, from the way the station owner had frowned at a couple of things he'd said.

The 74 Cougar sped across town and headed out to the suburbs. Rudy honked his horn impatiently if any other car or pedestrian looked as if he was going to get in the way.

"Calm down, honey," Rudy's wife, Denise, was using her sweetest voice. "After all, you don't know. He may give you the job anyway. I mean you didn't tell him to get fucked or anything like that, did you? I mean you just said 'fuck' once. Isn't that right?"

"Yeah, But you should've seen him! Turned red as a beet. Christ where's he been living? In a fucking museum?"

Denise was glad to note that Rudy was calming down a little. She was always frightened when they were driving and he was angry like that.

"But Lola shouldn't have told me it was all set if it wasn't!" Rudy blasted. Leaning over slightly he twisted the knob of the car radio, trying to find a music station that suited him.

"Yeah, she shouldn't have!" Denise agreed. She'd never liked Lola much, even though she'd met her only a couple of times. She'd seen a lot of her on TV though, since Rudy hardly ever missed a show. Denise hated to admit it, but she was jealous of her husband's relationship with his sister.

The pretty dark-haired twenty-two year old was much too smart however to let any of her resentment show. But anything that had to do with Lola made her secretly grit her teeth with anger... and she was simmering now.

Lola thought she was hot stuff, with her long blonde hair and all those capped teeth smiling at you from the TV screen. And that way she had of laughing about the weather, as though there was anything funny about it. And the way she wiggled when she had to walk away from the screen to pull down a map or something. Bitch!

And Rudy thought she was a saint! Well it would be a long while before that one saw heaven! Sometimes Denise thought she would scream when Rudy got going talking about his sister. She wished that she could prove to him that she was at least half as good and half as brainy as his sister, but it looked as if that day would never come.

Now they were almost at Lola's house, and Denise smiled to herself, hoping that Rudy would give his sister a hard time about the way the interview had gone. With an angry screech of tires Rudy spun into the driveway and then slammed on the brakes, causing another scream of rubber against the pavement.

Denise looked toward the house and couldn't help thinking about what it must be like to live in a place like that, with beautiful grounds and trees... and privacy. All her life she'd wanted a house with a driveway and a gate. Maybe one day she'd get one yet!

"You coming in?" Rudy asked her, his blue eyes ablaze with the things he planned to tell Lola.

"No," Denise said. "I think I'll just wait for you. You won't be long will you?"

"No. I won't be long." Rudy was already out of the car. Denise sat watching him as he walked up to the house. She couldn't help admiring the strong muscular back, the tall athletic body that moved gracefully like a panther. She and Rudy had been married for almost a year now, and just looking at him could still thrill her to the marrow of her bones. Even now, she felt it, that little tickle down in her belly, the slow moistening up between her nylon-encased legs. Once more she asked herself if all that translated into love. She didn't know, not for sure anyway. All the young brunette knew was that she wanted Rudy completely in spite of the fact that he was hard to live with, what with his quick temper. But there was also a sweet side to him; and as a lover, well, he couldn't be beat. None of her other boyfriends before their marriage had even come close to making Denise feel what Rudy did - constantly, over and over again.

It was almost embarrassing, and often, Denise hoped that the things she felt for Rudy didn't show on her face or in the way she acted.

At the moment that Denise saw Lola opening the door to admit Rudy, she had the glimmer of an idea. Something that would make Rudy indebted to her rather than to that frigid bitch of a sister of his!

Lola was wearing a white satin pants suit for lounging around the house. She didn't have to go to the studio until 5:00 P.M. Her job as weather girl did not entail very much briefing or practice prior to broadcasting time, but Andy being a News Commentator was often at the studio all day long preparing the show. As Lola opened the door for her brother she was glad it was one of those days when her husband was not at home. It was always easier to deal with her brother alone. And then she always felt a little annoyed by Andy's attitude around her brother.

"How did it go?" she said hopefully as she closed the front door behind him. "I certainly didn't expect to see you so soon!"

"Go? It didn't!" Rudy spat out. "Why didn't you tell me he was an old fart?"

"Oh God Rudy! What happened?" The angry young man followed his elegantly clad sister into the living room where he stood watching as she made him a drink.

Suddenly all his anger left him. He realized how stupid it was to be mad at Lola about the interview. As if the air had suddenly been let out of him, he let himself fall onto the sofa and stuck out his hand to receive the bourbon and soda that his sister had made him. He gave a brief description of how the coveted interview had gone, and watched as Lola's pretty features grew more and more concerned.

"When will you learn to control your tongue, Rud?" Lola asked finally. She wanted to say that it reminded her of their father and how he used to curse, but she decided against it. They rarely, if ever mentioned the old man, and now was no time to bring his name up!

"Oh shit, Lo. This isn't the middle ages!" Rudy cried.

"For some people it is! Listen," the good-looking blonde said finally, "Don't worry too much about this. I'll check with Andy and find out how things went. Apparently you never can be sure with Foster. The man's a total enigma."

"An old fart," Rudy muttered.

"An intelligent man, and don't forget it!" Lola said. "He's the head of the company, Rud. Not you or me!"

"Yeah," Rudy admitted.

"Another drink?" Lola rose to go to the bar.

"No. Got to go. Denise is waiting in the car."

Lola's eyebrows arched questioningly. "Why didn't you bring her in?"

"Oh she didn't want to intrude. And besides I wanted to talk to you alone." Rudy said easily.

Lola walked her brother to the door. She was very curious about his new wife. She'd only met her a couple of times, but that was before they were married. In many ways Lola was glad her brother was showing signs at the age of twenty-eight of settling down. But on the other hand, if the girl was the sort to keep him back, that wasn't good.

"I'll come out to the car with you," she said, throwing a shawl about her shoulders and stepping out the door with her redheaded brother.

Denise looked up as she heard the door open. She saw them coming and adjusted her features accordingly, trying to erase any signs of calculation that might appear there.

"Hi, Denise," Lola said in all friendliness as she reached the car.

"Hi, Lola. It's good to see you again," Denise smiled, feeling horribly inferior as the beautiful television "weather girl" looked sunnily down at her.

"Hey... why don't you and Rud come to dinner with Andy and me? We'll celebrate. Champagne and everything, Okay?"

"That would be great," Denise said. "I'd love it!" That was no lie. Let them spend as much money on them as they wanted, she wouldn't protest.

"I'll call Rud during the week and we'll set the time, all right?" Lola asked.

"Perfect," Denise replied. "I'll really be looking forward to it."

"I'll check it all out with Foster, Rud," Lola called as the car started up. "Meanwhile, don't worry."

"Who's worrying?" Rudy called back, as he turned the car around and headed back out the driveway. "Thanks, sis!"

Denise smiled and waved until they were back on the road again headed toward their small apartment in Schenectady.

Finally when she felt Lola's presence had worn off sufficiently, Denise spoke. "Say, Rudy, how come Andy's the only one who can talk to this guy, Foster?"

"I can't figure it. For all I know Andy's been bad mouthing me. I can't say he acts like I'm his candidate for man of the year whenever he sees me!"

"Well, listen Rudy, why don't you let me go over and talk to Andy. Maybe I can find out just what he's telling Foster about you. You know, I could do a little sob story, too, about us having problems with our marriage and all! Hah!"

Denise could tell from Rudy's expression as he drove that he thought it was a good idea. She looked peacefully out the window, thinking her own thoughts and seeing a brighter future for herself and Rudy. A future in which she would play a larger part. She dimly heard him saying.

"Okay! That's not a bad idea at all. Why not?"

Denise thought she heard a new respect for her in her husband's voice, and she determined to keep it there. She would do anything to keep Rudy all to herself, she realized suddenly. Anything at all.

Andy Taberon the sign said on his desk. Andy fingered it thoughtfully for a moment and then pushed it aside and glanced at the latest news reports. He would be alone for a few moments now before air-time, as he always insisted. The final reports as he would speak them on the air would not be compiled until 15 minutes before air-time. Most of them were in a finished state, however, and ready in several copies including those for the teleprompter. Everything was kept fluid, however, until the last possible moment, since news was, as they put it, "happening all the time". The entire crew and especially Andy had to keep on their toes and to expect the unexpected as it were.

But one thing that Andy was not expecting at this precious moment of study was a knock on the door.

"Yes? Come in!" he called out.

The door swung open and Denise Dayton stood there, smiling.

Andy was surprised to see the petite brunette.

"Come in," he said.

"I had to see you, Andy," she told him. "It's urgent." She closed the door behind her.

"You say it's urgent?" Andy asked, uneasily. He was feeling particularly down on women in the past days, ever since he had had the unpleasant surprise of discovering that his wife had become more difficult than ever after their most successful (he thought) lovemaking. Why she acted as if he had done something to insult her, instead of giving her a good time!

In fact, she had claimed to be "sore" since then and wouldn't let him touch her. And now that the damned interview he'd arranged for her brother hadn't gone the way she liked, well his life was being made miserable.

"It is urgent," Denise said, sitting down calmly, even though she hadn't been invited to do so.

Andy scratched his head and took off his glasses. Then he put them back on. "Well, what can I do for you?"

Andy started to pace nervously, then he stopped and looked down at his watch. "I'm sorry but this may have to wait for some other time, I'm in rehearsal right now, Denise."

"My friends call me De-De!" replied the pretty brunette. "I couldn't wait for some other time..."

"Why not come to the house? Come to dinner. Anytime, but not now! I've got a show to do in half an hour!"

Denise sized Andy up. Good looking in a serious sort of way. Definitely not the type who could handle a hot little bitch like Lola. She bet they had their troubles. In fact, she was counting heavily on it.

"I didn't want to come to the house." She sounded about to cry. "I couldn't come to the house. It was something I had to talk to a man about. Perhaps you can help me!"

"Okay," Andy sighed in resignation. "I can give you five minutes!" He sat down in a leather swivel chair opposite her, and couldn't help noticing that his sister-in-law was an exceptionally beautiful woman. I'll bet she doesn't give Rudy a hard time the way Lola does with me. That lucky stiff Rudy had this hot little number whenever he wanted her, Andy thought. And then he blushed at his own thoughts.

Denise's face looked innocent but worried, and her big brown eyes were still moist with what looked like withheld tears. "It's a little personal, Andy. But who else can one go to if not someone in the family!"

"But why me? I don't understand why..."

"I feel I can trust you, and then you must have so much experience you can tell me what to do."

Andy waved his hand vaguely in the air, about to protest. And then he gave up. "Do you want a drink?" he said, looking again at his watch.

"Yes, I'd love one. I must say, I need one. My nerves are so bad."

Andy went to the bar in the corner and brought back a scotch and water. "Afraid this is all I have," he said.

He had made himself one too. He sat down on the other side of the desk and tried to relax. After all, he supposed he could make an exception and try to straighten this out before the show.