Title: At Last
By: Old Fiat n. Fr
Summary: When you love someone you'll do anything to protect them.
Notes: I wanted to do a Corny/Maybelle story with intrigue and with a plot other than them just getting together so here goes.
Rating: … with a capital T and that rhymes with P and that stands for Pool!
Why: Violence and some other stuff too.
Currently listening to/watching: The new War of the Worlds.
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Chapter One
"No, no, no!" Velma Von Tussle yelled before taking another long drag on her cigarette. "You twist and then you mash-potato, not mash-potato then twist!" She glared at Becky for a long moment while the teenager shook nervously. "Now do it again," she said. "But this time, do it right."
Becky started to dance awkwardly while the rest of the Council just stared on. Finally, after messing up most of the steps, she broke down in tears. "I'm so sorry Mrs. Von Tussle!" She wailed. "It's because I sprained my ankle! I haven't gotten to practice in five days!"
Velma smiled, satisfied with herself, and continued to bully the poor girl.
Corny Collins was bored with this rehearsal. He sat in one of the more comfortable studio seats with his radio, trying, in vain, to care about what was going on in the world outside the sound-stage.
"...And we're being told by the local, Baltimore area police that everyone should be extra-careful because the Washington serial rapist and murderer has apparently started in Baltimore. Two women, Maria Case and Louisa Brand were found dead in Pigtown—" Corny switched off the radio and yawned. Becky's legs were shaking while she danced uncomfortably with Bix. The rehearsals were always dull. He was only wasting his time there because he was waiting for Mona, one of the studio's make-up girls, to finish whatever she was doing so he could take her out.
"Poor girl."
Corny looked to his right and found Motormouth Maybelle Stubbs smiling at him, soft, dark arms akimbo.
"Yeah, but we all have to tussle with the Tussle sometimes. It's better it be now than during the actual swimsuit episode." He yawned and Maybelle seated herself next to him.
"I've got a couple of records I'm sure would be perfect for the show," she said, confidentially. "I really think that you should give them a listen."
"Oh, yeah? Who by?"
"A boy called Little Stevie Wonder."
Corny snorted. "Miss Maybelle, I like a lot of this Hitsville stuff but to me..." She leaned in, expectantly. "...This sounds like a dead end."
She laughed. "I think it's pretty obvious that you haven't heard his record yet."
"Yeah, well," Corny didn't feel like making the swimsuit episode more complicated than it all ready was. He really loved the Motown sound and was intent on having the ex-Negro Day kids do a song during the episode but he kind of liked the way that he used to do the swimsuit episode. He liked the idea of having Link sing something from Blue Hawaii—like "Rock-a-hula Baby" or something—and then having the kids dance to the Beach Boys or something of the like. "I'll give it a try but I've got a pretty great plan for how this episode's going to go."
"Let me think," Maybelle scratched her chin in a mock-pensive fashion. "Having watched the show for a couple of years now I'm going to take a stab at your plan." She paused, pretending to think deeply and then dropped it all for a bored and sarcastic expression. "You're going to have Link sing an Elvis song and then have the kids dance to the Beach Boys for the rest of the show. How original."
Corny squirmed. "Yeah, well, I'm not hearing any better ideas from you, Little Miss Stevie Wonder."
"Oh, I've got ideas," she grinned. "I've got loads of ideas that could make the show a lot less of a Wonderbread tea-party."
"'Wonderbread tea-party?' Are you serious?" Corny laughed. "That's not a bad idea." He pretended to consider it. "We might be able to get another sponsor!"
"Ha ha," she rolled her eyes. "But really, Corny, we could make this show a lot more lively and interesting if we wanted to."
"I don't know." He leaned back in his chair and crossed his legs. "I don't think that the Von Tussle would approve of whatever you're thinking of."
"Aw, shucks! Well, that's just because she hates me!"
Corny laughed again. "Let me hear some of your ideas anyway. Maybe if I present them to the Queen she'll be more polite when turning them down."
Maybelle's ideas for the show were great and really did seem like they could liven things up. Corny was impressed. Maybelle went to her office (well, really it was a broom closet that, when Maybelle became Corny's co-host, Velma had cleared out and had written "Ms. Stubbs' Office" on a piece of paper she'd taped to the door) and brought back some records for him to listen to and maybe consider for the episode.
Corny examined the cover of the albums. One showed three girls, kind of like the Dynamites, in tight black dresses snapping their fingers. Another showed a young boy with big sunglasses on. One had a line of men snapping their fingers, like the girls, but these guys were wearing cool suits that were probably in exciting colors, had the album had cover-art in color. "I'll check these out," he said, straightening the stack before setting it on a nearby table. "Thanks."
"No problem, I really think some of this could bring in some more ratings." She winked.
"I've been pushing the rhythm and blues stuff for a while. Is this that kind of thing?" He gestured towards the records.
"Of course," she gave him a confused smile. "Don't you know anything?"
Corny looked at his hands. Maybelle was pretty easy to talk to but sometimes she made him feel kind of dumb. "Yeah, well, ask me about Sarah Vaughan and I can tell you whatever you want to know but ask me about Little Stevie Wonder and..." He shrugged.
Maybelle laughed pleasantly and he looked up at her. She really was pretty. He'd noticed this when she'd first auditioned to host Negro Day. Her voice was even and nice to listen to—understandable but quick and rounded. Her face was full of charm and character and she had an incredible—really just great—figure. He was glad to know her.
"Why are you staring at me?" She raised one eyebrow, still chuckling at his previous joke. "'Something wrong?"
"Nothing, nothing," Corny snapped out of his odd, brief reverie. "Listen, Maybelle, would you like to continue to discuss your show ideas at like a diner or—"
The click-click-clack of cheap heels cut him off. "Corny! I'm ready for the drive-in!" Mona rushed over in her little, pink dress and red shoes.
Corny stood up and brushed off his jacket. "Great." He smiled and turned to Mrs. Stubbs who looked disorientated. "I'll... uh... see you tomorrow, Maybelle."
"Right," she smiled. She seemed disappointed; Corny wondered, for a moment, what about. "I'll see you then."
Mona put her arm in Corny's and began to stroke his sleeve. "Come on, Corny! We don't want to be late!"
Corny put his arm around her waist and headed for the exit, shooting one last smile at Maybelle.
The rehearsal continued and Maybelle watched it, a blank expression on her face.