Unavailable ~ Chapter Sixteen
Title: Unavailable, Chapter 16
Authors: Bugs and Aussie
Rated: T
Genre: A/U, Drama, Romance
Word Count: 2400
Chapter Summary: While Laura grudgingly accepts another house guest, Carolanne makes plans to win over Bill, one way or another.
Chapter 16:
Carolanne pushed aside the cowering dog from the apartment door. "Get aside, you cur."
She checked the nameplate--it was that frumpy secretary of Laura Roslin's. Good God, was Bill having his way with that woman too?
She began banging on the door, the dog barking with every pound on the wood. "Bill, I know you're in there! Open up!"
There was a long pause. The dog sank to the floor, looking distressed.
The door cracked open and Bill peered out. "What are you doing here, Carolanne?" he asked mildly.
She tried to shove the door open, but his bulk kept it in place.
"Bill, open this door. I know she's in there!"
"Know who's in here?" he asked.
Momentarily confused, Carolanne tossed her head back, causing the wax cherries on her hat to jiggle. "That woman..." She hazarded a guess. "It appears you've also taken up with the secretary!"
"Oh no," he said as he slipped through the door and pulled it shut behind him. "Emily was just having trouble with her gas line. I came up to help her so she could cook her dinner."
He grabbed Carolanne's arm tightly, dragging her toward the stairs. "And seeing how you've embarrassed us both enough with your scene, I don't think it's necessary to see her, wouldn't you say?"
Carolanne would not be cowed. "Why didn't she call the building super? And when did she move into this building?"
"She's lived here for a number of years," Bill said, exasperated. "When I had to find a clean, well-run place for us quickly, she very kindly mentioned a vacancy in her building."
"Well I don't like it," Carolanne said huffily.
"I can see that," Bill said grimly, pushing their door open and pulling her inside.
Bridgette was hovering just inside the apartment.
“Martini,” Carolanne snapped at her.
The young maid blinked in confusion. “Sorry?”
Carolanne folded her arms. “Don’t tell me the help you hired can’t even make a simple drink,” she growled at her husband.
“Her name is Bridgette, not the help. And you can make your own drink, Carolanne,” he replied blandly before tossing his jacket over the couch, taking Bridgette’s arm and directing her towards the kitchen. “Come on, I’ll show you where everything is so we can get dinner started,” he said, pointedly ignoring his wife’s sour look.
Carolanne flopped down onto the couch and began flicking through one of her new fashion magazines. If that silly girl wasn’t going to get her a drink, she’d wait until Bill returned from the kitchen. She shouldn’t have to get her own, she sniffed.
She sniffed again. What was that smell?
Twisting around, she realised there was a scent on Bill’s jacket. Crawling across the couch, she leaned close and breathed in the same cologne she’d noticed clinging to Laura Roslin’s clothes. She knew it! That woman had been in the secretary’s apartment.
She could prove it too. That woman’s awful long red hair would surely fall out all over the place, just like that horrid dog’s. She reached out, but before she could brush her hand across the jacket, it was was suddenly whipped away.
Bill was tucking the garment over his arm. “Dinner will be about half an hour. I’ll have a shower before we eat.”
She jumped up, placing her hand on his chest. “I’m sorry, Bill,” she cooed. “Why don’t we share a drink before dinner?” She rubbed her hands up and down his arms, which remained limp at his sides. “We could talk about old times,” she suggested, wriggling her body between his legs.
"Don't like cocktails this late in the evening when I've got to be up early for work," he said tersely, turning away.
"Never bothered you before," she hissed, clinging to his hand.
"My shower," he said quietly, tugging loose.
She stared at the closed bedroom door for a long time, thinking furiously. Bill had always been the one to pursue her--well, not so much those last years, when she'd finally rejected him so many times that he got the message. It appeared that she was need to work at attracting his attentions again. She was sure he'd come around; he was a man after all.
And she would need to sleep with him to bring him to her side. A few days ago, this idea would have repulsed her, but now...
Carolanne stroked her hat from her head and pushed her curls back into place.
Bill Adams had changed. That woman had cleaned him up and given him some manners. He had a position in the community now, a very vaulted position. Carolanne would no longer feel ashamed to be seen out with a him.
And she assumed that woman had taught him to hold back those disgusting physical urges of his. Carolanne wouldn't find the act so unpleasant if he would just be done with it.
After all, she had been his first love. She was confident that once he was back in her bed, he would be on her side.
She strode to the window, out of view of the curious little maid peering from the kitchen. It seemed that Carolanne would need some help to remind Bill just what he'd felt for her once. Her eyes narrowed as she spotted a little Chinaman scurrying down the street, delivering laundry. She'd heard that those people had magical herbs, and Chinatown was just a cable car ride away.
"You," she called out. "Tell Mr Adams I've gone out. I just remembered something I need."
Bridgette stuck her head out from the kitchen. "But Mrs Adams, supper's nearly ready and Mr Adams needs to get to bed soon--"
Carolanne shot her an irritated glare from the front door as she slipped into her coat. "Then I shan't eat. But I will be back and I expect that kitchen to be spic and span. You understand?"
"Yes, Ma'am," the young girl said, resisting the urge to salute with her middle finger.
*
Laura should have felt wonderful. After their unplanned encounter, she was assured of Bill's love and passion for her. But as she breezed through her mansion's doorway from the garage, her shoulders suddenly slumped. He still wasn't home, and she didn't share his confidence that Carolanne could be 'handled' easily.
She spotted Zak and Kara giggling together across the foyer. Now there was a nice distraction...There was still a wedding to put on, and in only two short weeks. With the Roslin Industries board meeting a few days before the wedding date, she would need to be working around the clock to assure everything went off without a hitch.
"Children," she called out crisply, "come along! We have work to do!"
Their heads shot up. Zak shuffled around, hiding something behind his back. "Uh..." he said. "I need to put something away first."
An odd growling sound came from behind him.
"What is it?" Laura asked, curious.
"We thought you must be lonely," Kara piped up.
Laura hid her smile. She was solving that little problem herself, but it was sweet of the young people to be concerned.
Kara nudged Zak. Another ominous sound came from behind him.
"We might as well give him to you now," conceded Zak.
"Him?" Laura asked, worry dawning.
Zak pulled a wicker hamper around to show Laura. "To help you stay warm at night without--" He blushed.
The lid suddenly exploded open.
Kara hooted, Zak gave off an 'eep!' and Laura jumped back, clutching at her neck. A gray streak shot up the stairs. Elosha, who was coming from her sewing room off the landing, screamed and flattened against the wall as the creature shot past.
"Oops," said Kara.
"What. Was that?" gasped Laura.
Zak grinned brightly. “Lance.”
“And Lance is...,” she asked.
"A companion," Kara said, shuffling her feet. "You know, now that Mr. Adams and Jake are gone--"
Elosha brushed past them, giving a shiver. "I'm going out," she announced.
Laura checked her watch. "Out? At this hour?"
Elosha glared up at the ceiling. "With a cat in the house, I'll need some herbs. I'll be sneezin' within the hour!"
Laura gave the young people a pained smile. "Perhaps Lance should--"
"No, no," Elosha said with a martyred tone. "Mr. Foo's potions fix me right up."
"Perhaps young Jaffe should go with you," suggested Laura.
"I'll be fine," Elosha reassured her. She cast her eyes upward again. "Why don't you go meet your new pet." With a shimmer of her vibrant robes, she was gone.
Laura turned her sharp gaze on the young couple. "No, we have some plans to work on."
Ignoring their protests, she dragged them into her office, closing the door behind them.
*
Peter Laird slid into the dim saloon's booth across from Saul Tigh.
"Thanks for coming back and meetin' me here, pal," said Saul, squinting through his cigarette's smoke.
Peter had dropped Emily back at her apartment. Apparently Mrs Adams didn’t need to stay over the whole night after all. He hadn’t known how to bid Emily farewell. It wasn’t like they’d been on a real date or anything. Especially not when Saul had joined them for most of the night.
"Sure thing," he said, tossing his hat onto the bench beside him. "What's up?"
"We gotta get rid of Carolanne Adams--" Saul nodded for another round of drinks to be delivered.
Laird's face went white. "Listen, I'm not gonna rub out some lady--"
Saul held up his hand. "No, no." His maudlin face drew even sadder. "You and I both know what it means to lose our woman."
They sipped their Scotch in silence for a few minutes.
"That's why it's so damn important to scare that bitch off," Saul growled. "She's nothing but trouble, but Bill's worried about that damn kids of his and their tender feelings."
"They're his kids, Saul," pointed out Peter.
"They're grown men; Naval officers. Time to cut the apron strings," Saul said ruthlessly.
"So what've you got in mind?" Peter asked patiently.
"We go to Mexico."
"Mexico?" Peter lit his own cigarette, shaking his head in disbelief.
"That's the last place she was living, or so she claims. Once we expose her lies, she'll have to scram."
"The train will take a couple days each way and there's not much time until that board meeting," said Peter. "Emily's been telling me about it."
"Oh yeah, Emily," said Saul with a leer.
Peter's fair skin flushed. "Mrs. Kowalski.”
"Sure, sure." Saul gulped down the last of his drink. "We get to Mexico as fast as possible."
"That would be a plane, and I don't have much scratch," said Peter.
Saul smirked. "We don't need to pay for a ticket, just the fuel. I know just the pilot for the job."
*
Carolanne clutched the small package wrapped in discreet brown paper as she ducked out of the herbal medicines' shop and tugged her coat collar up high around her face.
She looked both ways before starting up the sidewalk. She didn't notice the dark-faced woman watching her pass with surprise-filled eyes from another shop's window. Once she turned the corner, Elosha popped out of Foo's Fine Medicines and hurried into the store the first Mrs Adams had just left.
Carolanne hopped off the cable car at the bottom of her street, frowning. Why couldn't Bill have found an apartment closer to the line? Or give her enough money for a cab?
She remembered his lie about Emily Kowalski and resolve filled her heart. Her old Bill would never lie; Laura Roslin had done this to him. She felt no guilt to induce him back into her arms then.
Shivering with both dread and excitement, she nearly didn't notice that maid he'd hired sitting in a cafe at the corner of their block. The young woman was not alone. A thoroughly disreputable man sat with her, skin swarthier than even Bill's, and greasy long curls. His mouth was set in a cruel line, and the usually spunky maid was shrinking away from him.
Carolanne as adept at collecting information on people. She's found it a handy skill in life. But she had more important business to attend to for the moment, so she regretfully passed by. But she did store that tidbit away for future investigation.
When she came through the apartment door, Bill was nowhere to be found. For a moment, she thought he'd left her, then she saw a note on the table, telling her that he'd taken the dog for a walk.
That dog! The next thing to be disposed of, right before Laura Roslin!
But she had no time to waste. Entering the freshly cleaned kitchen, Carolanne put the kettle on the stove and quickly unwrapped her package, revealing strong smelling herbs. She found some equally strong peppermint tea in the cupboard and was just steeping the leaves when Bill and his dog entered the apartment.
"You're back," he said flatly.
"Yes, dear," she called out from the kitchen, loading a tray with tea cups and pot. The medicine man assured her that women could drink the potion as well with no adverse effect--in fact, he'd told her with a leer, it would give her great enjoyment as well.
She wrinkled her nose in disgust. Perhaps this would help her make it through the night.
But when she brought out her tray, Bill shook his head. "Nothin' for me, thanks."
"But Bill," she said with a little whimper, her distress making the cutlery chatter. "I just want us to spend some time together. Get to know each other again. It's been..." She lowered her voice as he rushed to relieve her of her burden. "So very long...Since we chatted."
Conflict on his weathered face, he shed his hat and coat, and pointed to the dog's basket. Jake slunk over, keeping his dark, accusing eyes on Carolanne.
She turned her back on him and poured the tea.
"I guess some tea can't hurt," Bill said grudgingly, sitting at the table. "Help me get to sleep."
"Yes, you'll be in bed in no time," Carolanne said, her voice filled with satisfaction.
The end ~ Chapter 16
Authors: Bugs and Aussie
Rated: T
Genre: A/U, Drama, Romance
Word Count: 2400
Chapter Summary: While Laura grudgingly accepts another house guest, Carolanne makes plans to win over Bill, one way or another.
Chapter 16:
Carolanne pushed aside the cowering dog from the apartment door. "Get aside, you cur."
She checked the nameplate--it was that frumpy secretary of Laura Roslin's. Good God, was Bill having his way with that woman too?
She began banging on the door, the dog barking with every pound on the wood. "Bill, I know you're in there! Open up!"
There was a long pause. The dog sank to the floor, looking distressed.
The door cracked open and Bill peered out. "What are you doing here, Carolanne?" he asked mildly.
She tried to shove the door open, but his bulk kept it in place.
"Bill, open this door. I know she's in there!"
"Know who's in here?" he asked.
Momentarily confused, Carolanne tossed her head back, causing the wax cherries on her hat to jiggle. "That woman..." She hazarded a guess. "It appears you've also taken up with the secretary!"
"Oh no," he said as he slipped through the door and pulled it shut behind him. "Emily was just having trouble with her gas line. I came up to help her so she could cook her dinner."
He grabbed Carolanne's arm tightly, dragging her toward the stairs. "And seeing how you've embarrassed us both enough with your scene, I don't think it's necessary to see her, wouldn't you say?"
Carolanne would not be cowed. "Why didn't she call the building super? And when did she move into this building?"
"She's lived here for a number of years," Bill said, exasperated. "When I had to find a clean, well-run place for us quickly, she very kindly mentioned a vacancy in her building."
"Well I don't like it," Carolanne said huffily.
"I can see that," Bill said grimly, pushing their door open and pulling her inside.
Bridgette was hovering just inside the apartment.
“Martini,” Carolanne snapped at her.
The young maid blinked in confusion. “Sorry?”
Carolanne folded her arms. “Don’t tell me the help you hired can’t even make a simple drink,” she growled at her husband.
“Her name is Bridgette, not the help. And you can make your own drink, Carolanne,” he replied blandly before tossing his jacket over the couch, taking Bridgette’s arm and directing her towards the kitchen. “Come on, I’ll show you where everything is so we can get dinner started,” he said, pointedly ignoring his wife’s sour look.
Carolanne flopped down onto the couch and began flicking through one of her new fashion magazines. If that silly girl wasn’t going to get her a drink, she’d wait until Bill returned from the kitchen. She shouldn’t have to get her own, she sniffed.
She sniffed again. What was that smell?
Twisting around, she realised there was a scent on Bill’s jacket. Crawling across the couch, she leaned close and breathed in the same cologne she’d noticed clinging to Laura Roslin’s clothes. She knew it! That woman had been in the secretary’s apartment.
She could prove it too. That woman’s awful long red hair would surely fall out all over the place, just like that horrid dog’s. She reached out, but before she could brush her hand across the jacket, it was was suddenly whipped away.
Bill was tucking the garment over his arm. “Dinner will be about half an hour. I’ll have a shower before we eat.”
She jumped up, placing her hand on his chest. “I’m sorry, Bill,” she cooed. “Why don’t we share a drink before dinner?” She rubbed her hands up and down his arms, which remained limp at his sides. “We could talk about old times,” she suggested, wriggling her body between his legs.
"Don't like cocktails this late in the evening when I've got to be up early for work," he said tersely, turning away.
"Never bothered you before," she hissed, clinging to his hand.
"My shower," he said quietly, tugging loose.
She stared at the closed bedroom door for a long time, thinking furiously. Bill had always been the one to pursue her--well, not so much those last years, when she'd finally rejected him so many times that he got the message. It appeared that she was need to work at attracting his attentions again. She was sure he'd come around; he was a man after all.
And she would need to sleep with him to bring him to her side. A few days ago, this idea would have repulsed her, but now...
Carolanne stroked her hat from her head and pushed her curls back into place.
Bill Adams had changed. That woman had cleaned him up and given him some manners. He had a position in the community now, a very vaulted position. Carolanne would no longer feel ashamed to be seen out with a him.
And she assumed that woman had taught him to hold back those disgusting physical urges of his. Carolanne wouldn't find the act so unpleasant if he would just be done with it.
After all, she had been his first love. She was confident that once he was back in her bed, he would be on her side.
She strode to the window, out of view of the curious little maid peering from the kitchen. It seemed that Carolanne would need some help to remind Bill just what he'd felt for her once. Her eyes narrowed as she spotted a little Chinaman scurrying down the street, delivering laundry. She'd heard that those people had magical herbs, and Chinatown was just a cable car ride away.
"You," she called out. "Tell Mr Adams I've gone out. I just remembered something I need."
Bridgette stuck her head out from the kitchen. "But Mrs Adams, supper's nearly ready and Mr Adams needs to get to bed soon--"
Carolanne shot her an irritated glare from the front door as she slipped into her coat. "Then I shan't eat. But I will be back and I expect that kitchen to be spic and span. You understand?"
"Yes, Ma'am," the young girl said, resisting the urge to salute with her middle finger.
*
Laura should have felt wonderful. After their unplanned encounter, she was assured of Bill's love and passion for her. But as she breezed through her mansion's doorway from the garage, her shoulders suddenly slumped. He still wasn't home, and she didn't share his confidence that Carolanne could be 'handled' easily.
She spotted Zak and Kara giggling together across the foyer. Now there was a nice distraction...There was still a wedding to put on, and in only two short weeks. With the Roslin Industries board meeting a few days before the wedding date, she would need to be working around the clock to assure everything went off without a hitch.
"Children," she called out crisply, "come along! We have work to do!"
Their heads shot up. Zak shuffled around, hiding something behind his back. "Uh..." he said. "I need to put something away first."
An odd growling sound came from behind him.
"What is it?" Laura asked, curious.
"We thought you must be lonely," Kara piped up.
Laura hid her smile. She was solving that little problem herself, but it was sweet of the young people to be concerned.
Kara nudged Zak. Another ominous sound came from behind him.
"We might as well give him to you now," conceded Zak.
"Him?" Laura asked, worry dawning.
Zak pulled a wicker hamper around to show Laura. "To help you stay warm at night without--" He blushed.
The lid suddenly exploded open.
Kara hooted, Zak gave off an 'eep!' and Laura jumped back, clutching at her neck. A gray streak shot up the stairs. Elosha, who was coming from her sewing room off the landing, screamed and flattened against the wall as the creature shot past.
"Oops," said Kara.
"What. Was that?" gasped Laura.
Zak grinned brightly. “Lance.”
“And Lance is...,” she asked.
"A companion," Kara said, shuffling her feet. "You know, now that Mr. Adams and Jake are gone--"
Elosha brushed past them, giving a shiver. "I'm going out," she announced.
Laura checked her watch. "Out? At this hour?"
Elosha glared up at the ceiling. "With a cat in the house, I'll need some herbs. I'll be sneezin' within the hour!"
Laura gave the young people a pained smile. "Perhaps Lance should--"
"No, no," Elosha said with a martyred tone. "Mr. Foo's potions fix me right up."
"Perhaps young Jaffe should go with you," suggested Laura.
"I'll be fine," Elosha reassured her. She cast her eyes upward again. "Why don't you go meet your new pet." With a shimmer of her vibrant robes, she was gone.
Laura turned her sharp gaze on the young couple. "No, we have some plans to work on."
Ignoring their protests, she dragged them into her office, closing the door behind them.
*
Peter Laird slid into the dim saloon's booth across from Saul Tigh.
"Thanks for coming back and meetin' me here, pal," said Saul, squinting through his cigarette's smoke.
Peter had dropped Emily back at her apartment. Apparently Mrs Adams didn’t need to stay over the whole night after all. He hadn’t known how to bid Emily farewell. It wasn’t like they’d been on a real date or anything. Especially not when Saul had joined them for most of the night.
"Sure thing," he said, tossing his hat onto the bench beside him. "What's up?"
"We gotta get rid of Carolanne Adams--" Saul nodded for another round of drinks to be delivered.
Laird's face went white. "Listen, I'm not gonna rub out some lady--"
Saul held up his hand. "No, no." His maudlin face drew even sadder. "You and I both know what it means to lose our woman."
They sipped their Scotch in silence for a few minutes.
"That's why it's so damn important to scare that bitch off," Saul growled. "She's nothing but trouble, but Bill's worried about that damn kids of his and their tender feelings."
"They're his kids, Saul," pointed out Peter.
"They're grown men; Naval officers. Time to cut the apron strings," Saul said ruthlessly.
"So what've you got in mind?" Peter asked patiently.
"We go to Mexico."
"Mexico?" Peter lit his own cigarette, shaking his head in disbelief.
"That's the last place she was living, or so she claims. Once we expose her lies, she'll have to scram."
"The train will take a couple days each way and there's not much time until that board meeting," said Peter. "Emily's been telling me about it."
"Oh yeah, Emily," said Saul with a leer.
Peter's fair skin flushed. "Mrs. Kowalski.”
"Sure, sure." Saul gulped down the last of his drink. "We get to Mexico as fast as possible."
"That would be a plane, and I don't have much scratch," said Peter.
Saul smirked. "We don't need to pay for a ticket, just the fuel. I know just the pilot for the job."
*
Carolanne clutched the small package wrapped in discreet brown paper as she ducked out of the herbal medicines' shop and tugged her coat collar up high around her face.
She looked both ways before starting up the sidewalk. She didn't notice the dark-faced woman watching her pass with surprise-filled eyes from another shop's window. Once she turned the corner, Elosha popped out of Foo's Fine Medicines and hurried into the store the first Mrs Adams had just left.
Carolanne hopped off the cable car at the bottom of her street, frowning. Why couldn't Bill have found an apartment closer to the line? Or give her enough money for a cab?
She remembered his lie about Emily Kowalski and resolve filled her heart. Her old Bill would never lie; Laura Roslin had done this to him. She felt no guilt to induce him back into her arms then.
Shivering with both dread and excitement, she nearly didn't notice that maid he'd hired sitting in a cafe at the corner of their block. The young woman was not alone. A thoroughly disreputable man sat with her, skin swarthier than even Bill's, and greasy long curls. His mouth was set in a cruel line, and the usually spunky maid was shrinking away from him.
Carolanne as adept at collecting information on people. She's found it a handy skill in life. But she had more important business to attend to for the moment, so she regretfully passed by. But she did store that tidbit away for future investigation.
When she came through the apartment door, Bill was nowhere to be found. For a moment, she thought he'd left her, then she saw a note on the table, telling her that he'd taken the dog for a walk.
That dog! The next thing to be disposed of, right before Laura Roslin!
But she had no time to waste. Entering the freshly cleaned kitchen, Carolanne put the kettle on the stove and quickly unwrapped her package, revealing strong smelling herbs. She found some equally strong peppermint tea in the cupboard and was just steeping the leaves when Bill and his dog entered the apartment.
"You're back," he said flatly.
"Yes, dear," she called out from the kitchen, loading a tray with tea cups and pot. The medicine man assured her that women could drink the potion as well with no adverse effect--in fact, he'd told her with a leer, it would give her great enjoyment as well.
She wrinkled her nose in disgust. Perhaps this would help her make it through the night.
But when she brought out her tray, Bill shook his head. "Nothin' for me, thanks."
"But Bill," she said with a little whimper, her distress making the cutlery chatter. "I just want us to spend some time together. Get to know each other again. It's been..." She lowered her voice as he rushed to relieve her of her burden. "So very long...Since we chatted."
Conflict on his weathered face, he shed his hat and coat, and pointed to the dog's basket. Jake slunk over, keeping his dark, accusing eyes on Carolanne.
She turned her back on him and poured the tea.
"I guess some tea can't hurt," Bill said grudgingly, sitting at the table. "Help me get to sleep."
"Yes, you'll be in bed in no time," Carolanne said, her voice filled with satisfaction.
The end ~ Chapter 16