The Bridge/CH 16
Mom, are you feeling any better?" Daniel had his arm protectively around his mother and shielded her as they got into the town car and managed to leave, amid the swirl of activity that Claire's breakdown had caused.
The police had been very helpful, once Betty explained that Mrs. Meade was suffering from mental exhaustion due to the stress all of New York City was well aware she had been dealing with recently.
New York's finest came through and not only cleared the press and directed the traffic away, but dispensed the growing crowd of curious onlookers.
Once they got safely into the car, Alexis looked at Betty, "I can't believe we didn't have to go answer questions at the police station, or at least...file some kind of report or something.
Thank God they didn't hear her saying all that crazy stuff about killing Fey Sommers!"
Betty leaned forward, "Actually...I did give my word we would be taking her back to the rehab facility. But because of who she was, they cut us a lot of slack. I hope I didn't get some of those nice officers in trouble by bending the rules. I told them who she was and they had of course, heard about...everything."
Betty shifted rather uncomfortably in her seat, looking at Claire with concern, and placed her hand gently on the older woman's.
"Mrs. Meade? Can you remember if you took some kind of medication before you uh...drank the Brandy?"
Claire's eyes became clear and she looked Betty head on, "I didn't drink the Brandy. I just...kept telling myself that my family needed me to be strong, so I couldn't drink it, no matter how much I wanted it.
I was going to go visit Bradford and try and convince him to let me turn myself in, but...I got really confused. Somehow, before I knew what was going on, I realized I was on the bridge. Our bridge."
Daniel looked at Alexis, and mouthed, "Do you know what she's talking about?" Alexis nodded, and looked at her mother kindly.
"Mom, that's where Dad proposed, right? On the Manhattan Bridge? I remember you telling me that a long time ago. He took you there and..."
Claire smiled at Alexis, "You remembered me telling you that story? Yes, I wanted to look my best. I'm wearing the earrings he got me for our twenty-fifth anniversary and his favorite perfume."
"But Mom, don't you remember where Dad is? He can't...uh meet you on the bridge right now. He's in jail." Daniel looked at his mother with concern.
He leaned closer, "Are you sure you didn't take something, Mom? And you didn't drink? Why did you have the Brandy, then?"
She looked at him, "I was proving to myself that I could stare that damn bottle in the face and say, I don't need you! I'm better than you."
"That's great, but what made you so...confused, then? You must have taken something."
She shook her head and leaned back against the seat, "Oh my Lord, what happened? What did I do?"
They all looked at each other, and Alexis said gently, "You were saying something about how you...killed Fey? And you were acting like you were thinking of...jumping."
Claire's eyes widened, " I was? I don't understand. I feel so...dizzy. I don't know what I could have been thinking!"
Alexis leaned forward across the seat, and whispered to Daniel, "We need to get her seen by a doctor right away."
Daniel shook his head, "I know. But where? Those reporters are probably smart enough to be waiting for us at every hospital in the tri-state area. And if we uh...turn her into the police, they're going to lock her up who knows where!"
"Ooh, I know!" Betty got on her phone and spoke to her father, to get Claire seen by their family physician right away in Queens.
After a thorough exam by the Suarez' family doctor, he questioned Claire about taking any sort of drugs. "You have toxins in your tests, Mrs. Meade. You don't remember ingesting any sort of narcotics?"
Claire, who was now quite herself again looked at the doctor as if he was insane, "I'm certain, Dr...Steve, that I would remember if I had taken narcotics!
I didn't take any sort of drugs or drink anything since before New Year's!
And I must say, so far, this new 'clean and sober' lifestyle has been simply delightful! My husband is in prison for murdering his mistress, and I wind up on the Manhattan Bridge, apparantly, ready to take a nose dive and have no earthly memory of how I ended up there!"
After questioning her about anything she may have eaten or inhaled, the doctor seemed to be baffled.
For her part, Claire was becoming more and more annoyed, "I'm telling you, doctor, I haven't taken any purple pills, or yellow ones or ones that say, "Eat Me" in ages! And I haven't drunk anything stronger than Consuela's coffee.
So tell me, am I having post traumatic stress disorder now? Experiencing flashbacks where I go insane without even having any of the more enjoyable aspects of getting drunk or high, but just fast forwarding to the parts when I lose my mind? What fun!"
Suddenly, Betty furrowed her brow, "Doctor, what about something on her skin? Could that also cause the same kind of reaction?"
He nodded, "Possibly. I'd have to get a sample of the substance. What are you thinking, Betty?"
She held out Claire's wrist, "Mrs. Meade, you said you put on a special perfume that your husband likes? Where did you get it?"
"Bradford gave it to me as a birthday present."
Daniel looked at Betty, "I'll go get it from the house so you can test it. Mom, are you feeling better?"
She nodded as he kissed her on the cheek, and waved him away, "Yes, yes, of course, Daniel. I'm fine, dear. Please, go get it and let's have it tested for...toxins or whatever."
While Alexis stayed with her mother, Daniel and Betty went to get Claire's perfume.
On the way to the Meade home, Daniel looked down at their intertwined hands thoughtfully. Betty leaned towards him, "Are you okay, Daniel?"
He nodded, "I'm fine, thanks. I was just thinking about a few things my mother said when she was on the bridge."
"Daniel, she was clearly under the influence of...something. I wouldn't take anything she said seriously, like..."
"Like her saying she killed Fey Sommers because my dad couldn't give her up? Yeah, I know, Betty. I'm still trying to decide about that one. No, but she kept saying something about me being her 'middle' child? And saying she would never get to see her other little boy."
"Daniel, I wouldn't put much stock in things she was saying at the time. She seemed pretty out of it. Who knows, maybe the whole thing with Alexis had her confusing pronouns. I think it has all of us!"
"Yeah, I guess so." He seemed unconvinced. As they looked on Claire's dresser, Daniel spotted and pulled out a decorative perfume dispenser and sniffed it, making a face, "Wow, this stuff is strong!
It smelled really good on Mom, though. I sort of remember her wearing this a lot for a while when Dad gave it to her. Then, right after Fey died, she sort of just stopped wearing it.
I guess she got tired of it. But it smells really good to me. I always liked it. I don't see how this could have any drugs in it, Betty. It just seems like...perfume to me."
"Well, let's see. Maybe your mother has some strange allergic reaction to it, who knows. Wow, that really does smell nice."
She stepped coser and wiffed the perfume, Daniel had sprayed in the air, getting just a spritz on herself, then smiled, rather wickedly, "Daniel...you know, you never really finished my lessons. You said you had to go...take a shower, remember?"
He nodded, moving closer to her, and mumbling against her ear as he stood behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist, and nuzzling her neck and ear, "Of course I remember.
You made me so crazy with those soft lips of yours and how sexy you kissed me, I...couldn't control myself."
His heart was pounding like a jack rabbit in his chest as Betty suddenly pushed him roughly against the door and began kissing his neck and breathed his name softly, "Daniel?"
"Uh...huh?"
"Didn't you say this was one of the things that turns you on?"
"I...Betty, please don't do that."
"But you said guys like it, too, right?"
His voice became a pitch higher than normal, as his eyes closed, "Uh...right, but..."
She kept attacking his neck and began softly sliding her hands up his shirt and around to his back under it, causing him to shudder. "Betty...what are you trying to do to me? Please...we uh...don't really have time for this now, baby, oh hell!"
He grabbed her forcefully and kissed her deeply and intensely, letting his tongue explore her warm, inviting mouth, and running his hands through her hair, then lifting her up to his height, his hands now exploring her sensuous curves.
They kissed more and more furiously as if they couldn't get enough of one another. Daniel pressed his lips up to hers, "Betty, I don't want to wait. I want you right now. I need you."
"I want you too, Daniel. I just don't want to let you down."
"Believe me, you won't. You're the sexiest woman I've ever met."
"I doubt that, Daniel! Wow, that's a lot! How many have you actually met? Does that include Angelina and Giselle?" He peeled off his jacket and threw it to the floor, then she pulled his shirt off over his head as Daniel untied the bow on her blouse and quickly unbuttoned it.
He kept backing her up towards the bed and looked down at her as he pulled off her blouse. "Man, I'm in big trouble."
Betty put in a CD on Claire's desk and came back to Daniel, who seemed suddenly unsure. He smiled as Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get it On" started to play. "Really, Betty? Cute. Very subtle. But...wait, my MOM had that? Oh, God, I don't even want to think about that one..." He looked down at Betty. He caressed her shoulder then kissed it. He drew a deep breath, trying to control his desires.
He'd certainly never been one for delayed gratification. And Betty was clearly up for this. But as much as she was driving him crazy at the moment, and something about how hot she looked made him want to rip off her clothes right here and now, somewhere deep inside, he knew this was all wrong.
Just like his mother had acted as if she were drunk, with just a small amount of the perfume, Betty was coming on to him a lot stronger than he knew was normal for her.
Although the scent of the perfume was intoxicating to him, it also reminded him of his mother. He knew she needed his help, and thinking of his mother did help kill the mood a bit and get his focus away from what Betty was up for doing (at least...a bit).
As difficult as it was for him to be the one to actually put the brakes on things, he knew he had to try and be level-headed for once in his life. The last thing in the world he wanted was for Betty to have regrets and he knew she would if he let things continue under these conditions.
He kissed her briefly on the lips then gently but firmly pushed her away, and told her quietly, "Betty, honey, we can't do this. Not like this. I know this isn't you. You're...just feeling the effects of something in that perfume, I'm sure.
You were right; it must be drugged. I know you. You can't tell me you want our first time together to be here, in my mom's bedroom, like this."
She took off her glasses, and pouted prettily, tossing her hair and giving him her best seductive smile, "Okay, Daniel. You're right. We shouldn't do anything here in your mom's bedroom. How about...we go back to your room? Come on. I think it's about time I taught you a few things, mister professor!"
She pulled him out of the room with both hands. Daniel tried to grab his shirt, but she shook her head, "Uh, uh, I think you look sexy without it. Keep it off, hot stuff!"
"Hot stuff? Betty...honey. Seriously, I know this isn't you. Look, I tell you what, uh...let's take a shower together, okay? That's sexy, right? And look, my mom's bathroom is right here."
She thought for a second and shrugged, "Okay. Sure. But you're going to need to take off those pants. Need any help?"
She started to unbuckle his belt as she followed him to the ensuite bathroom. He repeatedly pushed her hands away, "NO! I...I've got it, thanks. Let's just get you into the shower.
Get in there and tell me if the water is at a good temperature. It can be a little tricky. You first, okay? I'll uh...take my pants off in a minute, I promise."
She started to take off her skirt, but he shook his head, putting his hands on top of hers, "No, leave it on. I'll uh...take it off you once you're wet. It'll be hotter that way."
The last thing Daniel wanted was to have her start stripping for him right now. It was difficult enough to push her away as it was. He was hoping the water would snap her out of her behavior.
"You're getting in, too, Daniel?" She asked, giggling, "I've never taken a shower with my clothes on before."
He took a deep breath and kept making excuses for her to stay in the shower while he stayed outside. Finally, she was sounding more like herself again, "Daniel? What's going on?"
"Betty?" He peeked carefully at her, "Hey, are you...feeling better?"
She blinked hard and wiped her hand across her face, trying to clear her head. She suddenly looked down at herself, seeing she was in her bra and skirt in the shower. She crossed her arms over herself, looking up at him, embarrassed,
"Daniel! Oh my God! I...don't know what on earth came over me! I'm so embarrassed!"
After handing her a towel, he hugged her warmly, then went to put his shirt back on, "It's that damn perfume. I don't understand, though. My dad gave it to her. Didn't he know it was drugged? I don't even want to think about it if he DID know, though! None of this makes any sense to me, Betty. I feel like I don't even know my own parents anymore!"
She quickly put her glasses back on. He looked down at her, and placed a strand of hair behind her ear, "Are you...sure you're okay now?"
She nodded, taking a deep breath. "Yeah. I'm so sorry I acted that way, Daniel."
He smiled, "Don't keep apologizing. You weren't yourself and I knew it. Really, I should be the one to apologize, Betty. I almost took advantage of you, knowing exactly what I was doing. I'm really sorry."
She grabbed the perfume, putting it gingerly into her purse, taking care not to get any more on her skin. "So...Professor Meade...what happened to your ability to stay objective in the uh...'heat of passion'?"
He laughed, taking her hand and kissing it, "Yeah, uh, hey...I think I deserve a little credit, Betty. I did come to my senses, well...finally, at least. Better late than never. I said I was sorry! Give me a break.
You were kind of throwing yourself at me. Even if you were drugged, I am still a guy, you know. I can only take so much. Plus, I was under the influence of the smell of that stuff, too somewhat. You are...pretty damn irresistible when you want to be."
She squeezed his hand and leaned against his arm as they went to take the perfume back to be tested. "Thanks, Daniel. That's sweet of you to say."
"It's true. No more lessons on foreplay, Betty. I think you're trying to teach the teacher."
Once they were in the car, on the way back to Queens, Daniel looked at her, "Betty, please don't think I don't uh...well, I definitely really wanted you before, you know. I just want our first time to be special, not... drug-induced! I love you and I didn't want you to regret us being together."
She nodded, looking down at her hands, shyly, "I appreciate that, Daniel. I'm just so embarrassed about how I acted."
He shook his head, smiling at her sympathetically and tracing small circles in her palm,
"Don't be. I mean, I am, too! I got just as carried away as you did at first, and I wasn't under the influence of the drug nearly as much as you...besides my own testosterone. I mean, there's nothing wrong with being all swept up in the moment. Being spontaneous and passionate is great. But...I want to know it's really me that's uh...getting you all hot and bothered and not some stupid drug!"
She nodded, intertwining her fingers with his, "I know, Daniel. I agree. I think maybe we should...make sure we aren't alone together for a while."
He furrowed his brows, looking slightly hurt, "Are you serious? What, now you don't trust me to be alone with you? Hey, I am the one who stopped things tonight, you know…eventually!"
"No, Daniel...I don't trust myself to be alone with YOU, either. You're the one who suggested a chaperone might be a good idea in the first place, remember?"
He shrugged, "Yeah, I guess you're right. I suppose that might not be such a bad idea, actually. So far we haven't been doing too well at keeping our hands to ourselves."
She smirked, "I could always ask Hilda and Santos."
He made a face, "No! I mean...I think I'd like to keep certain parts of my anatomy intact, thanks. Not all the males in my family are anxious to become females."
She laughed, "Okay, Daniel. Like you said, maybe we could see if Marc and Amanda would be willing to hang out with us for a while. They're...entertaining."
"In small doses, maybe. They sort of get on my nerves after too long, though. I may just end up throwing designer shoes at them both."
She giggled at the image, "I don't really think either of them would consider that a deterrent. In fact, I'm sure they'd love it."
After the perfume had been tested and shown to indeed, have dangerous amounts of narcotics in it, enough in fact, that extended use could be fatal, Alexis, Daniel, and Betty looked at one another, stunned at what those results might suggest.
Alexis looked at Daniel, "See, I told you our father was a monster. He was trying to kill Mom, probably to get her out of the way so he could have his precious Fey."
"That's insane, Alexis. Why on earth would he do that? He could have just divorced Mom if he wanted to do that."
Betty offered a solution, "I know it doesn't look good that your father gave your mom the perfume as a gift, but...what if he isn't the one who poisoned it?
If you ask me, Fey herself would have had a lot more motive for wanting your mother out of her way, so she could marry your father. And she likely would have had access to the perfume, especially if she knew he was planning on giving it to your mother. He gave them both the same music boxes. So…maybe he gave them both the same perfume, too but Fey found out and did something to your mother's."
Alexis nodded, "That does seem reasonable, I guess. You said you just got a drop on you, Betty and it made you hallucinate or something?"
Betty glanced at Daniel and smiled, "Something like that. I...uh...definitely wasn't myself. It's really strong. It could make you lose control of yourself pretty easily, I'd say."
Daniel raised his eyebrow, "Or...maybe it just amplifies what you really want, but normally wouldn't have the nerve to do because you're afraid."
Betty looked down, blushing as he smiled at her. Alexis narrowed her eyes, noticing there was something going on they weren't saying. She smiled at Betty, "By the way, what happened to your clothes, Betty?"
Betty blushed again, smoothing down the dress Daniel had pulled out of Alexis' closet for her, which was much too long for Betty and a bit tight, especially in the top. It was a full skirt, at least, luckily.
"Yes, I uh...spilled some of the perfume on my own clothes and that's when I got it on me. I was afraid if I kept it on I'd keep hallucinating. So...Daniel got this from your closet. Sorry! I hope it's okay."
She waved her hand dismissively, "Oh, it's fine. But..." she leaned forward and whispered, "It's just...you sort of need a bra, Betty."
Betty nodded, not sure how to respond. After Alexis left to go check on Claire, Daniel grinned, trying not to laugh, as he leaned closer to Betty, "You know, you really are a terrible liar, Betty."