Authors Note at end of Chapter
Betty and Marc were putting their things in Daniel's office when they heard an almighty crash followed by a shriek. Running out of the office they bumped straight into Amanda who had come running down the tube. Hearing raised voices, the three turned their gazes to the source of the noise; Wilhelmina's office. The workmates simultaneously took deep breaths and puffed their chests out and hurriedly made their way to the escalating voices.
Coming to a halt outside the office, they took in the scene before them. Wilhelmina was standing beside her desk, hands on hips and looking mutinous. Claire was erratically gesturing with her hands while pacing the office, Daniel was following her, arms out-stretched, trying to placate her.
'Guess Claire knows about Daniel and Wilhelmina.' All three said at once, they turned to look at each other, all wide eyed. 'YOU KNEW!' The three friends chorused.
Hearing their exclamation, the three people ensconced in the office looked towards them. Marc, Betty and Amanda all panicked, all of them desperate not to be caught in the firing line of this colossal fall out.
'Oh my god...run!' Marc whispered.
'I can't...she's turned me to stone.' Amanda whispered, frightened as her gaze held Wilhelmina's.
'For God's sake...get outta here!' He screeched and grabbed his friend, running for cover and leaving Betty alone.
Betty's eyes darted wildly, she spied the new girl, Suzie, standing like a deer in the headlights. She grabbed the girl's arm and pulled her in the same direction Marc and Amanda had just fled.
'You don't want to get caught in this.' Betty said to the girl, dragging her towards the elevators.
'But I have to get Ms Slater's receipts.' She reasoned, pitifully.
'Trust me, right now, the only thing you'll get from her is a concussion!'
The elevator doors opened and Betty moved inside, bringing Suzie with her.
'Where are we going?' The young girl asked her.
'Marc was supposed to be helping me run some errand; but seen as he and Amanda have done a Great Escape I guess you'll have to help me.' She pressed the button for the lobby.
xXx
A couple of hours later Betty had dragged the poor bewildered receptionist around various designers, collecting fabrics and concept photographs for the latest piece she was supposed to be collaborating on with Marc. For once she was glad that the pretentious new designers they were showcasing deigned themselves too good to send their goods by messenger and insisted the junior Editors collect them in person; it gave her an excuse to leave the mine field in the office.
She took her phone out and messaged Marc.
From: Betty
To: Marc
Is it safe to return? Is anyone dead?
A few seconds later she heard her phone beep in reply.
From: Marc
To: TacoBetty
Still in hiding, can still hear the bombs. No soldiers down yet. BRING RATIONS!
Betty clicked her phone shut when she heard it beeping again.
From: Hilda
To: Betty
Come home NOW! Justin thinks he's dropping out of school!
Betty slammed her phone shut and sighed. Why was it everyone turned to her in a crisis? She leaned forward and gave the driver the address of her family home.
'We're going to Queens?' Suzie asked her.
'Yeah, I'm sorry. It'll just be a quick stop, I promise...family stuff.'
'Wow, I didn't know we could use the company cars to take us home!' She exclaimed in wonder.
'We can't...but I doubt misuse of company property will be high on Daniel or Wilhelmina's list of priorities right now.' Betty looked out the window.
'Yeah...so what's the story there?'
Betty wondered whether she should be telling this girl, she had only just met, the details of her friend's love life. Then again, from the scene that was developing in the office, half of the business district would know by now. 'Daniel and Wilhelmina are...in a relationship.'
'And that's a bad thing?'
Betty laughed; 'You have no idea. Let's just say that Wilhelmina Slater has done some things to the Meade's that might explain why Mrs Meade isn't too enamoured with the fact that her son is involved with her.'
'Ooh why? What did she do?'
Betty turned from the window to look at her; 'How long have you got?'
xXx
A while later they pulled up outside of the quaint little house in Jackson Heights. Getting out, Betty walked forlornly to the door, ready to face the latest drama from Casa Suarez. Close behind her was Suzie, an expression of confusion and disbelief painting her youthful face.
'So wait...his dad?'
'Yep.' Betty continued walking.
'And she was gonna have his baby?'
'Yep.'
'But it wasn't hers?'
'Uh-huh.'
'But she still tried to keep it?'
'Yes.'
'And she...'
'Suzie!' Betty, snapped at her. The girl quickly shut her mouth in shock. 'Sorry...it's just...can we leave The Life and Lies of Wilhelmina Slater until after I sort out whatever needs sorting out here?'
The girl nodded; 'Sure.'
Betty closed her eyes and took a deep breath before she opened the door to the place she still called home although she now lived in the city. As soon as the door creaked open she was greeted by a discord of raised voices. She could hear her nephew shouting at his mother. Her sister was shouting back at him, switching between unintelligible English and cursing in Spanish. She could hear her father's voice trying to calm them both but becoming increasingly annoyed as it became clear his attempts were futile.
As Betty stepped in the house, her feuding family all turned and started marching toward her, all talking at once.
'Oh thank God, Aunt Betty...will you tell her...'
'Tell ME! Betty, you better knock some sense into your nephew or I swear to God...'
'Mija, will you please help me calm these two down?'
'ENOUGH!' Betty shouted, eyes clamped shut. When she opened them, all her family stood silent before her and the young girl behind her cleared her throat. Standing to the side, Betty revealed her to her battling relatives.
'This is Suzie; she works with me at Mode. She was in the car with me when I got your call. Papi, Hilda, can you take her into the kitchen. Justin, upstairs.'
'Look Aunt Betty, I've made up my mind...'
'Justin, I have just driven here from the city. You can give me five minutes...upstairs now please.'
Justin rolled his eyes and crossed his arms but relented and climbed the stairs. Betty watched as her father and sister ushered Suzie into the kitchen. Hilda's eyes watched her sister as she followed Justin up the stairs.
Betty walked into her nephew's room, he was sat on his bed, legs under him, pulling at the fabric on the pillow he was clutching to his chest.
'Justin, do you know how hard we have all worked to get you into this school?'
'Yes.'
'And it's your dream...why would you want to give up on your dream?' She sat down next to him.
He reached into the drawer next to his bed and pulled out a stack of letters. 'This is why.' He dumped them in her lap. She opened them and let out a loud sigh.
'Your tuition bills...why do you have these? You shouldn't be worrying yourself with them.'
'Yes I should! It's my tuition! There is no way Mom should be spending this amount of money.'
'Papi and I are helping.'
'That's even worse!' He got up and threw his pillow on the bed. 'The three of you shouldn't have to kill yourself financially for MY stupid dream!'
She got up quickly and grabbed her nephew by the arms. 'Hey! It's not stupid! We all have dreams...and we help each other achieve them. We're family, that's what we do. You think it was easy on any of us financially when I was just an assistant and had to commute to the city every day? No but we made it work. You think it was easy for your Mom to save up enough to start her own business when she had nothing to fall back on? No, but we made that work too...and you helped. Justin, you sold your Playbills to help your Mother...because you love her and you made that sacrifice for her. '
'But it's so much.'
Betty smiled and hugged Justin; 'Well when you're a big star you can make it up to us. There's more to life than money Justin. Don't give up on your dream...you'll never forgive yourself.'
Justin pulled back from his Aunts embrace and nodded, his face was streaked with tears. Betty wiped them with her thumb. 'Good, now go tell your mother. I'll be down in a minute.'
Justin bounded from his room and ran down the stairs two at a time. As he came into the kitchen, his mother turned to look at him.
'Well?'
He smiled and walked to his mother, enveloping her in a large hug. 'I'm sorry Mom...I just didn't want you wasting your money on me...you work too hard for that.'
Hilda pushed her son back and cupped his face. 'Hey, listen to me. Anything that makes you as happy as you have been these past few months is not a waste. You hear me?'
Justin nodded and his mother kissed his forehead before releasing him.
Suzie smiled as she looked at this small, struggling, yet clearly close, loving family.
(Ignacio) I work all night, I work all day, to pay the bills I have to pay
Ain't it sad
And still there never seems to be a single penny left for me
That's too bad
(Justin) In my dreams I have a ploy
That will make me a wealthy boy
I'll star in a Broadway show,
Have more money than you'll ever know
(All)Money, money, money
Must be funny
In the rich man's world
Money, money, money
Always sunny
In the rich man's world
Aha-ahaaa
All the things I could do
If I had a little money
It's a rich man's world
(Hilda) I dream I'll win the lottery and I can save my family
Ain't it sad
But nothing ever works for me it always happens for Betty
That's too bad
But she has left, she's flown the nest
And left me to sort this mess
In the city she will stay, I'm stuck here 'til my dying day.
(All) Money, money, money Money, money, money It's a rich man's world
Must be funny
In the rich man's world
Money, money, money
Always sunny
In the rich man's world
Aha-ahaaa
All the things I could do
If I had a little money
It's a rich man's world
Must be funny
In the rich man's world
Money, money, money
Always sunny
In the rich man's world
Aha-ahaaa
All the things I could do
If I had a little money
It's a rich man's world
Suzie was still smiling at the people in front of her when Betty bustled back in the room. Justin went in for a hug as he swooped past her in to the living room.
'Okay Suzie, we should get ourselves back to Mode, see if the chaos has died down yet.'
'What chaos?' Hilda asked them.
Her question was answered by a shriek from the living room. Betty, Suzie, Ignacio and Hilda ran to see what Justin was screaming at. They found him in the living room, standing in front of the television. He held the remote in one hand and had the other clamped to his mouth, watching Fashion Buzz.
Suzuki St Pierre's face filled the screen 'Our source from inside the Mode offices has informed us of an ongoing battle taking place inside the magazine's walls. 'Why does Love always feel like a battlefield?' one may ask, as it has emerged that one Ms Wilhelmina Slater has gone all cougar on us and has moved on from the dearly departed Papa Meade to his cub Daniel. Claire Meade is said to be outraged by the emerging details of this clandestine affair. Will this be the news that will finally send the Meade matriarch back on the bottle? Do I see another fiery grave on the horizon? Stay tuned and we will give you the deliciously scandalous details as they unfold.'
Betty felt all eyes on her. 'Is it true?' Justin asked, full of hope.
'It's true.' Betty sighed and quickly grimaced at the volume of Justin's squeal.
'Daniel and the queen of mean?' Hilda asked incredulously.
'He's sleeping with her?' Ignacio blurted.
'No Dad...I think...I think he's in love with her.'
Betty clamped her hands over her ears as Justin's scream went so high the dogs in the neighbourhood began howling.
'Okay Suzie...let's go back to the war zone.'
Authors Note: As always, thanks to the wonderful Fra for being my wonderful beta :D Sing used is Money, Money, Money by ABBA and is performed in the film Mamma Mia...and no I don't own that either. Should have mentioned in last chap (but forgot ooops) that song used in chap 3 was Fabulous from High School Musical