She was rehearsing what she was going to tell Mrs. Meade all the way from Starbucks to the 30th floor where some MODE employees were holding office. She was so deep in thought as she made her way to the 'secret' room where Mrs. Meade was temporarily holding office that she didn't hear Amanda call to her as she passed her by the reception area.
I hope Mrs. Meade wouldn't be so upset with me when I tell her Daniel is on his way to see her in a few minutes, prayed Betty. She gently pushed the panel designer shoes that serve as the secret door to the room. All her worries about Mrs. Meade's anger vanished as a fashionably dressed Mrs. Meade in square flowy brown, dip-dyed rabbit fur trimmed-collar tapestry poncho and black skin-tight tapered pants greeted her with an exuberant smile.
"Hey Betty, you won't believe this...I just read the distribution reports and this month is the highest-selling percentage rate of Hot Flash. Isn't that exciting?" she beamed as she took the coffee from Betty's hand.
Betty flashed her a big smile. "That's great news, Mrs. Meade. Your team sure beat your last month's target. Really awesome... I love the coat and those flannel booties."
She took a deep breath in preparation for her confession. Mrs. Meade turned around before posing like a model mockingly. "Yves Saint Laurent...and Dolce and Gabbana," she smiled. She then handed Betty a purple Dolce and Gabbana chain-strap i-phone case.
"Wow. This is gorgeous Mrs. Meade!" exclaimed Betty.
"Do you like it? It's yours."
Betty felt even more guilty. "Mrs. Meade...I have to tell you something... I know you trust me, and you do know I will never break that trust. You're like a second mother to me and I care about you. It's because of that concern and love that I...that I told Daniel where to find you."
"What?" she uttered in a low voice forlornly.
"I know you have some issues with him but he's your son. He loves you and he cares about you. Please, Mrs. Meade...talk to Daniel."
She sat on the king sized bed in the room and sighed. "Oh Betty... there are things that I believe are best left alone. I don't think I can talk to Daniel about them. I'm afraid he might not understand...I'm afraid he might see me differently..."
Betty gave her a warm hug. "Don't think that of Daniel. He is your son. He loves you and he is a smart man. Give him a little credit. I'm sure whatever it is. He'll understand..."
They were interrupted by a knock on the door. Kate, Mrs. Meade's secretary appeared inside the room apologetically. "I'm sorry to disturb you, Mrs. Meade, but Stella McCartney insists on seeing you for a few minutes. She barged in without an appointment and is waiting at your office. She said it's a matter of urgency."
Claire gave Betty's hand a squeeze. "Don't worry about us, Betty. I guess, I do need to talk to Daniel sooner or later. I hope you like the i-phone case," she added before leaving the room.
Betty felt excited about her Dolce and Gabbana iphone case. It would look great with her evening dresses when she and Matt goes out on a special dinner date during their second month anniversary. She studied the crystals that embellished the case. She wondered if they were real diamonds, or less extravagant stone like zirconium or rhinestone. She removed one of her semi-precious earrings to compare it with the stones in the i-phone case when she accidentally dropped it. She went down on her knees to look for it.
It wasn't real diamonds but the earring was important to her. It was one of the last gifts she received from her ex-boyfriend, and even if things didn't work out between them, she treasured the good moments they once had. She crawled under the bed, the side of the dresser, and the rack of clothes on the far right of the wall but she still couldn't find the earring. She sat exhaustedly on the loveseat partially hidden by another rack of clothes. She lost her balance and fell back. She noticed something sparkling just underneath the loveseat. She crawled further under to check if it was her earring.
Suddenly Mrs. Meade's familiar Dolce and Gabbana booties came into view. The booties paced back and forth on a moderate pace before settling down on the armchair by the desk beside the bed. She was about to call out to Mrs. Meade when another pair of shoes came into view as it stepped into the secret room. They were a polished black Italian loafers beneath a dark grey martini suit.
Mrs. Meade didn't seem aware of the presence of the person that came into the room as her back was to the door. Betty gulped. She had the sinking feeling the pair of shoes did not belong to Daniel.
A smooth deep Italian accent whispered her name as though in a prayer. "Claire."
The pair of legs in DG booties stood up from the chair in alarm. "Tony! What are you doing here?"
"I need to see you, Claire. Why are you avoiding me?" answered Anthony Salvatore.
" Please leave me alone," pleaded Mrs. Meade.
Betty watched the pair of trousers in loafers rushed towards the long legs in DG booties. She couldn't breathe, she couldn't move but her curiosity held her gaze transfixed on the two pairs of shoes in her view.
Anthony Salavatore took a protesting Claire into his arms. "Oh Claire, you have no idea how much I longed to have you in my arms again."
"Let me go." Mrs. Meade pushed him away a rushed to the other side of the bed to put some space between them.
"Why do you have to tell people you love me..." she barked angrily.
"Because it's true. I never stopped loving you, Claire," explained Anthony Salvatore in a level-headed tone.
"Well, that's unfortunate for you...I love Bradford..."
"Maybe if you say that more often you can finally convince yourself."
Tears began to fill Claire's eyes. "Please... don't do this...It's been more than thirty years. I just want to forget..."
Anthony Salvatore rushed to her side again and held her shoulders. He was forcing her to look into his eyes. "Forget what, Claire? Forget how happy we were? Forget how sorry you are that you gave up on our love for a miserable life with Bradford..."
"Don't say that!" Claire burst into tears. "Bradford may have been a terrible husband but without him I wouldn't have Alex and Daniel. I love my children-they are my life. They mean more to me than anything in the world, and if it means another thirty years of misery and tears with Bradford, I will do it."
Betty was starting to feel uncomfortable. She was hearing personal things she knew she shouldn't be hearing. She swallowed hard as she put back her earring. She decided to slowly ease her way out of the room before she could hear anything further.
"You're wrong, Claire. They could have been OUR children. They could have been mine...If only..."
Claire was struggling to free herself away from him. "Stop it, Tony. Let me go. It's too late to be dwelling about what could have been, what might have been...Please...Woh!"
"Uh!" exclaimed Anthony Salvatore as he and Claire tumbled on the bed when he tripped on Betty's feet peering from under the bed.
Betty was easing her way out from under the love seat at the foot of the bed while keeping an eye on the 2 pairs of legs on one side and listening to their conversation. Unfortunately, in the heat of their conversation they eased down the side where Betty was trying to crawl out from under the bed, tripping Anthony Salvatore to fall on the bed, taking Claire with him accidentally.
Just then Daniel burst into the room with Amanda following him close behind. "Amanda, please, there's nothing to discuss. I'm happy to have Betty as my secretary, I don't need another one..."
"Please reconsider. I'm prettier...gasp!"
Daniel and Amanda stopped dead in their tracks and gasped dumbfounded as they saw Anthony Salvatore and Claire Meade sprawled on the king sized bed.
"Mom! Uncle Tony!"
Claire stood up immediately. "It's not what you think... we tripped..."
"Aw..c'mon. I wasn't born yesterday."
"Honey, please, let me explain," pleaded Claire as she tried to touch her son's shoulder.
"I don't want to hear it, mom."
"Son...listen to..." started Anthony Salvatore.
"Don't call me that. If...if only I didn't have so much respect for you as a second father. I would have punched you on the nose for frolicking with my mother..."
"Don't say that. Your mother and I are not doing anything wrong," he replied indignantly.
When Amanda recovered from her initial shock, she smiled excitedly as though she found a gold mine. She rushed out the room yelling Marc's name.
"Marc...Marc! Marc! I have something juicy for you... Marc!" she yelled on top of her lungs as she went into the direction of Wilhelmina's office.
Betty was feeling more and more terrible by the moment. She was torn of crawling out and revealing herself and hiding under the bed till all the commotion was over. She wanted to correct Daniel's misconception about his mother and Tony, they were not in bed together, they tripped on her. On the other hand, the conversation she overheard seems to indicate there was something more between them. Perhaps Daniel was right about his perception. She didn't know which side to take. Worse, she felt ashamed for eaves dropping. She should have revealed herself from the beginning.
As Betty was battling within herself. Daniel rushed out of the room in anger. Claire tried to run after him. "Daniel" she cried but Anthony Salvatore stopped her.
"Not now Claire. He's upset. He won't listen to you," he reasoned as he took her in his arms to comfort her.