Remember WENN and it's characters are copyright AMC, Howard Meltzer Prods and Rupert Holmes. No infringement is intended. Bethie Singer and George Winstead are original characters that I created and the story is mine.
I should never have watched America In The 40's. :) Actually, I'm glad I did. It was a wonderful special ... it just gave me tons of ideas. :) It gave me a direction to take this series and I now have it planned out through the end of WW2. And beyond...but that's another story all together ;)
When I started this series, I had only intended to take it through Elizabeth's first year.. but...the best laid plans. :) Continuity wise, the only difference (other than Bethie) from the main plotline is that Jeff did not go to London in 1941, and therefore did not marry (or whatever it was he did ..) Pavla. The events in Happy Homecomings happened in Aug 41 as they did with the exception that in this series, Hilary was six months pregnant at the time, so I explained their absence as a late dinner. :)
I want to say thanks to my beta readers, Dana (thanks Dana for that description!!!) and Steph and Jennie for their encouragement. And I want to especially thank my Twinsis Jennie for her late night talks about planning Bethie's future ( Jeff and Hilary have no idea... ;-) hehehe )
I also want to thank everyone for their encouragement in this series ... I am having so much fun planning and writing it and I'm really glad you're having fun reading it!
Changes: A Baby Singer story #3
by Michele Savage (Bizarra)
January 1942
Jeff walked into the green room having heard two month old Elizabeth crying throughout the entire Captain Amazon broadcast. He found the baby in her cradle and a very frustrated and --he noted with surprise, crying Hilary on the couch.
"Darling? What's the matter?" He asked, picking up the squalling infant and trying to shush her. Elizabeth quieted considerably at her father's voice. Which caused Hilary to whimper all the more. "Hilary?" He sat on the edge of the couch settling the now quiet Elizabeth on his lap, facing her mother.
"Oh Jeffrey, I'm a horrible mother." she frustratedly sobbed. "I tried everything to stop her crying. I fed her, I changed her, I gave her that little stuffed horse from Betty's parents that she likes so much." Hilary babbled, "Then you pick her up and she immediately stopped."
"I guess I just have a way with women." Jeff commented, earning him a glare from his not so amused spouse. He smiled and took her hand, "Darling, you are a wonderful mother. Bethie's just a little cranky today. . . .er this week." he added, realizing she had been fussy as of late. He felt the baby's forehead, and noted she felt fine; albeit a little warm from her crying. The doctor they had chosen for the baby had warned them she might go through stages of crying. Apparently this was what he meant. Hilary's depression on the other hand had him stumped.
One minute she was fine, the next he'd find her sitting on the couch or in the kitchen, crying as if she'd lost her best friend. Yesterday during ~The Hands of Time~, when they had done a particularly romantic scene between Brent and Elizabeth, she broke into tears and accused him of not loving her anymore. He tried everything to assure her that she was a good mother, that he still loved her, and that these 'blues' would pass as other women had told her; but he just wasn't getting through.
"Broadway has gone on without me, hasn't it?" she said dramatically.
And she was prone to abrupt subject changes.
He smiled and took her hand. "Darling, Broadway hasn't gone on without you. You've gone on without -it-."
"I have?" she turned to him.
"Of course you have. Since your last Broadway appearance, you married me, we've made our home here in Pittsburgh, you are one of the best actresses on the radio --I think--, you have friends that care about you, and we have a beautiful baby girl." He smiled and handed the baby to her. "What more you could ask for?"
She looked at him coquettishly, "Do you really want me to answer that?"
He smiled back, knowing she was joking and leaned across Hilary, propping himself with his arm on the back of the couch. He tickled the baby's stomach, eliciting a wide smile and a burbling laugh from her.
Hilary laughed and noted the happy look on Jeff's face as he watched their daughter. "You're right." she said, catching his attention, "I really can't ask for more."
"Knock knock."
They both turned to the voice.
"I hate to break up this family moment," Betty said regretfully, "but Sam Dane has a client waiting for him." She gestured toward the studio doors behind her to illustrate her statement.
"Bethie's wide awake, Betty. You'll have to keep an eye on her for us." Jeff stood and helped his wife to her feet.
"But, I . . ." Betty started to object.
As they left the green room, Hilary handed Elizabeth to Betty, explaining. "She's been fed and changed."
". . . need to see a sponsor." Betty finished after the doors had swung closed behind them.
Jeff re-opened the door "Oh, she's been cranky lately." He lowered his voice to a whisper, "She got that from her mother."
"Jeffrey." Hilary spoke from directly behind him, causing him to jump. "I heard that."
Betty laughed as Jeff turned and tried to explain his way out of the hole he'd just dug. "Go. We'll be fine."
"Okay. Great." Betty gently tapped the happy infant on the nose. "Let's go find Uncle Mackie. Aunt Betty has to go talk to Mr. Medwick." She lay the baby against her shoulder and walked down the hall toward Studio B where she'd last seen Mackie.
One hour later, Jeff and Hilary left the studio and walked to the water cooler.
"I didn't hear Elizabeth crying at all in the last hour, did you?" Hilary asked as she filled a cup with water.
"No. She must be sleeping." Jeff answered, then took a drink from his own cup.
"Hmm," Hilary agreed as they both walked to the green room. "Anymore, that's the only time she isn't crying."
Jeff smiled and leaned against the door, holding it open for Hilary.
Hilary walked to the crib to check on the baby and was surprised to find she wasn't in it. "She must still be with Betty."
"She's probably exhausted by now." Jeff said as he sat at the table and picked up a magazine.
"Betty, or Elizabeth?" Hilary said with a smile and started out the doors, "While I'm at it, I'll ask her how she kept the baby quiet for an hour."
Hilary walked into the writer's room, "Betty, that was a great script . . .where's Elizabeth?" She asked when she noticed that Betty was typing.
"Oh, thanks Hilary." Betty said acknowledging the complement, a rarity coming from Hilary. "She's with Mackie. I had to see Mr. Medwick about some new . . ." she trailed off when the look of worry passed across Hilary's face.
"Mackie's on the air, Betty. He doesn't have her." Hilary grabbed a piece of paper, and the pencil lying next to it. She wrote "Where is my daughter?" and flew out of the room.
Hilary crept into the studio and thrust the note in front of Mackie. He pointed to Maple, who sat at the organ and obviously didn't have a baby with her. Hilary put her hands on her hips and glared at Mackie.
She walked to the organ and mouthed, "Where is the baby?" to Maple, who answered "Gertie."
Hilary stormed out of the studio and down to reception. Gertie was on the phone and clearly didn't have the infant. "Gertie! Where is Elizabeth?"
"I'm sorry, could you hold one moment, please." the older woman told her caller, and turned her attention toward Hilary. "The phones went crazy for a while, so I gave her to Tom."
"Well, where is he?" Hilary snapped, her patience running thin.
"The last I saw he went into the green room." Gertie answered.
Hilary threw her hands up in frustration. She half ran back to the green room, really starting to worry.
Jeff was still the only occupant.
"Jeffrey, I can't find her."
Jeff lay the magazine on the table. "She can't have left the station, Hilary." He stood and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Who was the last person to have her?"
"Mr. Eldridge and he's nowhere to be found."
Jeff took a deep breath, worry beginning to creep in on him as well. "Did you talk to Scott?" He asked walking to the small window to the station manager's office. "He ..." With a slight smile he said, "I'll be right back." and walked out of the green room towards Scott's office.
Knocking softly, Jeff opened the door, "Excuse me Mr. Medwick," he acknowledged the kindly owner of Pittsburgh Pantry. He turned to Scott, who was lounging in his chair, feet on the desk, and holding a sleeping Elizabeth on his shoulder.
"Sherwood, I think you have something of mine." he said with a humored gleam in his eye.
Scott laughed, and the baby startled slightly. He automatically lay a hand gently on her head, soothing her back to a more peaceful slumber. "Jeff," Scott softly retorted, "I won that poker game fair and square."
A broad smile broke out on Jeff's face, mostly at the confused, "Huh?" from Mr. Medwick. He shook his head, "I still beg to differ on that Scott." He walked around the desk, "But, I'm talking about the little angel on your shoulder."
Scott sat upright, "Oh, the one that's rarely quiet."
"No, that's the angel in the green room." Jeff replied, taking Elizabeth from a quietly laughing Scott. His attempt to not wake her failed, and she began to cry. He rocked slightly, trying to calm her. "On second thought ..." Jeff backed out of the office, thanking Scott for keeping the baby.
After a full days work, Jeff and Hilary relaxed in their den with glasses of wine. Elizabeth was upstairs in her room, finally, sleeping. Hilary leaned against her husband and propped her legs over his on the coffee table. "I think we're agreed. No more baby passing?"
Jeffrey rubbed her arm through the satin of the dressing gown she wore, and agreed. "No more." He said with a wave of his hand. He dropped a kiss against her hair, "Actually, CJ had a good idea. He thought that if he put a small microphone in the green room, and patched it to the speaker over Gertie's desk, we could leave her in her cradle."
"But I'd rather someone were with her." Hilary responded.
"When she wakes up, Gertie will hear her and can take care of her."
"What if the phones get busy?" She reminded.
"What about Mr. Eldridge?" He suggested.
Hilary turned to Jeff with a raised eyebrow.
He caught the meaning behind her look, "Good point. Well. How about Scott."
"Scott?" She asked.
"He's usually not on the air at the same time we are, or I am, and when he isn't he's in his office."
Hilary took a deep breath and thought for a moment. "But he's busy with running the station." She objected.
"From his office." Jeff countered, "Hilary, we could always hire a nanny."
She sat and faced Jeff, "I don't want a stranger looking after our baby."
"Then Scott is our only option." He told her.
She leaned back, "Well, all right. But he'd better not try and influence her."
Jeff laughed, "Darling, she's two months old. The only influence he could have on her is which finger to suck and she's already made that choice." He wiggled the last two fingers on his left hand to illustrate the point.
Hilary smiled, "I remember mother telling me that I sucked the same two fingers Elizabeth does."
Jeff nodded, "I sucked my thumb. Ma Mere told me I looked quite the character sucking my thumb and dragging a worn dirty blanket."
Hilary curled her legs underneath her and turned slightly, resting her arm comfortably over Jeff's shoulder. "I had a blanket too," she said. "Grandmum gave it to me." She slitted her eyes as she thought back, "I remember it was white and had big roses on it. I carried it everywhere."
He smiled and caressed her cheek, "It's surprising what we are still learning about each other."
She returned his smile, "Hmm ... it is."
Jeff leaned to kiss her, but no sooner had their lips touched than a tiny cry was heard.
"I really need to have a talk with Bethie about her timing." Hilary laughed as he sighed, "My turn or yours?"
"I think it's yours, daddy."
Jeff stood and put his empty wine glass down, and held out a hand to Hilary, "Why don't you just turn off the lights and come up too."
She took his hand and stood, picking up the glasses, "I'll take these to the kitchen and follow you up."
Jeff walked into the baby's room, bent over her crib and spoke softly, "What is it, little pumpkin?" He brushed a finger gently across her cheek, soothing her. She smiled, forgotten tears still glistening in her eyes. "Did you just wake up to see what this world is about?" He picked her up, whispering a kiss on her forehead. He smiled as she patted her tiny hand against his mouth. "You're wet," he said against her hand. His breath tickled her and caused her to grin again.
He took her hand between his thumb and forefinger, and rubbed softly. Jeff lay her on the blanket covered table in the corner of the room and set about to changing her diaper and her sleeper. Now that she was comfortable, he picked her up again. Jeff smiled at the now contented infant. He still couldn't get past the sense of wonder when he looked at her. There was a lot of her mother in her. That made her all the more beautiful to him. "Come one, Bethie. Let's go see what mama is up to."
When Jeff walked into the bedroom with Elizabeth, Hilary closed the book she was reading and set it on the night stand. "Hello you two."
Jeff walked around to his side of the bed and sat, "The little one wanted to see what you were doing."
Hilary lay on her side, head propped on her hand. "She did, did she?" smiled Hilary, who stretched her free arm to tickle Elizabeth's stomach.
Jeff lay the baby next to her mother, then lay himself facing the two. He lay his hand over Hilary's on Elizabeth's stomach. He squeezed lightly then bent to drop a kiss on her hand. Elizabeth took the opportunity to grab a handful of her father's hair. "Hey!" Jeff laughed, and carefully disentangled her fingers. He glanced at Hilary and flashed her a joking grin, "Being mean to daddy, I see we found another trait she inherited from you."
Hilary gave him a glare, but the humored glint in her eyes told him that she'd known he was joking. "Well, she has to start learning how to treat men early and you're just as easy a target, Pumpkin." She retorted with a smug grin.
Elizabeth flailed her arms and gurbled happily. Hilary smiled and wiped the baby's drooling mouth with an edge of bedsheet. "And she's a fast learner."
Jeff let his hand drift through Hilary's hair as she paid attention to the baby. He loved how it felt in his fingers. He leaned slightly, careful not to roll on the baby and met Hilary's lips with his in a soft kiss.
The baby batted at her mother's hair that was hanging near her face. She sneezed, getting her parents' attention.
Hilary looked at the baby and laughed softly, "Did that tickle?" She brushed the hair out of Elizabeth's face. "Jeffrey, she's beautiful."
"She is, Mittens. " He returned her smile and tapped a finger lightly on the end of Elizabeth's nose. She smiled at her father around the two fingers she was sucking.
"Oh," Jeff started, a bit more serious, "Betty told me today that Victor would be at the station tomorrow."
Hilary looked from the baby to Jeff. "Really? Is he out of the hospital?"
She wasn't sure clearly what had happened that night last august when he'd returned. Only that she'd thanked god nearly every day since that she and Jeff had gone to dinner late. When they got back, they found Mackie, Maple and several other tenants in front of their building. When asked, Mackie relayed that there had been a gas leak and the building evacuated. She had been six months pregnant at the time. Her back had started to ache, so, she and Jeff had decided to go on home as they really weren't needed the rest of that evening.
The following day they had gotten a phone call from Betty. Hilary remembered it well.
"Hilary, it's me, Betty. I've got something I need to tell you and Jeff. Do you mind if I come over?"
She remembered being confused and worried as to why Betty wanted to come to their house and talk. Apparently it was personal or she'd have just waited till they got to work Monday morning.
August, 1941
Jeff opened the front door when he heard the knock. "Hi Betty, come in." He gestured and held the screen door wide so she could enter.
Hilary sat on the couch and acknowledged the younger woman. She noted Betty seemed shaken and nervous. Rising, she asked, "Is everything all right, dear?"
"Well, it's complicated." Betty answered, walking closer to the couch.
"Would you like something to drink?" Hilary asked laying a concerned hand on Betty's shoulder.
"That would be nice."
Hilary glanced at Jeff, "Darling, would you ...?"
"Sure." He took the cue, "We've got water, milk, cola ... what would you like?"
"Water's just fine, thanks Jeff." She smiled.
Hilary watched Jeff leave the living room. When he was out of earshot she turned to the shaking woman standing next to her. "You look as though you've seen a ghost."
Betty laughed. Slowly at first, but soon she was laughing hysterically over the absurdity of everything that had happened to her that year, culminating in the previous night. It felt good to laugh. At least she wasn't crying. She'd done her fair share of that too, overnight.
Hilary watched Betty's emotions go from nervous and shaking to the nervous laughter. Something had obviously happened.
"You have no idea, Hilary, the year I've had." Betty finally managed to stop the laughter and speak. "What I have to say concerns Jeff, too."
"What concerns me?" Jeff asked, returning. He handed the glass of water to Betty who thanked him.
"Why don't we go into the den, so we can talk." Hilary suggested. Her confusion was mounting and she was a bit worried. Betty seemed unflappable, but she clearly had something on her mind.
Betty settled into the rocker, while Hilary and Jeff sat together on the love seat. She put the glass of water down on a coaster on the small coffee table. "I don't really know where to start. Um ... Do you remember the night Mr. Holstrom was arrested?
"All too vividly." Hilary replied. One doesn't forget being held at gunpoint right away. The thought that she was probably pregnant at the time sent involuntary shivers down her spine.
"Well," Betty continued. "That night while everyone went to the police station, I had a visitor. Victor."
Betty, Victor's dead. He can't poss--" Hilary stopped mid sentence when Jeff leaned forward and began talking over her.
"I couldn't find him." He spoke softly at first. "That's why I couldn't find him. He's alive." Jeff realized, "He left me there. I was ... badly injured, maybe dying." Streaks of hurt anger shot through Jeff. "He left me there."
Hilary put her arm around Jeff's shoulder, comforting him. "Pumpkin, I don't think he'd have left you on purpose."
"Hilary's right, Jeff." Betty leaned forward, "Victor told me that he was so mixed up and confused that he thought he was in New York. He said he'd gotten on a bus and asked to be taken to Madison and Fifty-third street. I doubt he even knew his own name at that point." Betty lay a hand on Jeff's arm, "He was very glad to find out you'd survived."
Jeff sat back, his mind still turning over the fact that Victor was alive. Hilary rubbed her thumb across the back of his neck and he closed his eyes, briefly, just feeling her presence. He was so glad she was there. "Betty," he asked, "That was six months ago. Why did you wait this long to tell us?"
Betty took a drink of water, "This is where it gets complicated." She took a breath and continued, "Victor was asked by the government, because he has no family, to go to ... to Germany. The allies wanted someone on the inside to report anything he heard back to them." Betty stopped momentarily, she resumed, looking at Jeff. "Victor was Jonathon Arnold."
Jeff took a deep breath at this news and expelled it loudly. He suddenly stood, "I need some air." He stepped over the coffee table so as not to make either of the women get up.
Hilary moved anyway. She met him at the edge of the small table, "Jeffrey?"
He turned to her and lay an assuring hand on her shoulder. "I'll be all right, darling. I just need some air." He left the room with Hilary staring worriedly behind.
"Hilary, there's more." Betty spoke up behind the taller woman, her voice shakier.
"There's more?" Hilary turned and snapped more harshly than she'd meant. When she noticed the tears welling in Betty's eyes, she apologized quickly. "I'm sorry. I'm worried about ..."
"He has no idea, Hilary, how lucky he is that Victor did leave him there." Betty said softly. "The things they did ... " The smaller woman closed her eyes in a futile attempt to stop any tears.
Hilary lay her hands on Betty's shoulders. "I told myself I was finished crying." Betty took the comfort of her friend and stepped into the offered hug. "Last night was the worst night of my life. Heck, this has been the worst -year- of my life, and it's only half over."
"Let's sit down, Betty." Hilary led her to the small couch, "Now tell me what happened last night."
January, 1942
Victor had apparently been brainwashed while in Berlin. No one knew why he came to WENN that night, or who his target really was. Just that in the melee, Mr. Pruitt had been revealed to be a spy who'd been sending code over the air in Sentry Saving's commercials. Betty had nearly been shot, and Victor was apparently alive. Several lives changed that night.
Mr. Pruitt was put in prison, Scott had resumed his office space --though he still did some acting when needed, and he and Betty were now equally sharing managerial duties at WENN. Victor had been taken to a hospital where he could try and recover from everything that had been done to him in Berlin.
"Betty said he was on a one day visitors pass." Jeff answered her question of whether Victor had been released from the hospital.
Hilary rubbed the baby's stomach lightly, "Maybe Elizabeth and I will stay home tomorrow."
Jeff lay a comforting hand on her shoulder, "Darling, we can't avoid this forever."
"I know." She lay on her back, and carefully scooped her daughter into her arms, settling her on her chest. "But with everything that happened ... "
Jeff moved against Hilary and slid his arm beneath her, cradling she and the baby in his embrace. "Are you worried about something happening?"
"I really don't know what I feel." She stared at the ceiling and sighed. "Part of me worries because last time he was there gunshots were fired. And another part of me feels guilty for thinking such things of someone who was a friend."
"Well," Jeff started, but smiled when Elizabeth sleepily reached her tiny hand toward the sound of his voice. He took her hand in his, softly kissing the fingers and rested it, still in his, over Hilary's heart. He glanced again from the baby to her mother, "I don't think they'd let him leave the hospital if there was any chance of endangering either Victor or anyone around him."
"Yes, I suppose you're right." She turned her gaze from the ceiling to Jeff, "What about you? How do you feel about seeing Victor again."
Jeff paused for a moment, obviously thinking over his answer. "I don't know. I've been thinking about it since Betty told me this afternoon." He took a long drawn out breath, "I think I'll be all right because I'm going to try not to let the surrounding circumstances intimidate me and just concentrate on seeing an old friend."
She nodded silently and softly rubbed the baby's head. They lapsed into an introspective silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Elizabeth was soon lulled to sleep by the steady rhythm of her mother's heartbeat.
"Someone has finally gone to sleep." Jeff whispered in Hilary's ear.
"Yes." She started to sit, careful not to stir the baby.
"I can take her." Jeff offered.
"No, that's all right." She stood and carried Elizabeth to her own room.
As she lay the baby in her crib, Elizabeth woke slightly. Hilary leaned against the railing of the crib and softly ran a finger over the baby's back, easing her to sleep again. While she whispered soothing words, Hilary thought back to the other conversation she'd had with Betty that same afternoon last August.
August, 1941
Hilary, I'm so confused." Betty blurted. "I don't know what to do about Scott and Victor."
"How do you feel?" Hilary asked, taking the upset woman's hands into hers, comfortingly. Betty had moved to sit on the small love seat next to Hilary where it would be easier to talk about the touchy subject.
"I'm not sure how I feel. I mean, I love Victor. I think. And I think I love Scott, too." Betty took a deep breath, "I suppose I could have gone on not worrying about this, but, last night with a gun to his head Scott told me he loved me."
Hilary raised an eyebrow, "Really? It's about time he said something."
Betty looked up, "You knew?"
Hilary smiled, "Betty, sometimes Scotty's more obvious than Jeffrey is."
The black haired woman returned the smile, glad for the levity. "That obvious, huh?"
Hilary nodded. She heard Jeff come back in from his walk, and excused herself to make sure he was all right and to let him know she and Betty needed privacy to talk. She re-entered the den with another glass of water for the other woman.
"Thank you." Betty acknowledged the water. "How can I make a choice? Should I make a choice?"
"I can't really say." Hilary smiled, "the decision is up to you." She sat back, thinking. Once she made up her mind, she leaned forward on her arms, "Betty, I'm going to tell you something that might help, but, this must stay between us, and obviously Jeffrey."
A grin passed over Betty's features, "You know, everyone at WENN is going to regret the day I write my memoirs." She spoke with a joking laugh.
Hilary laughed along with Betty, "Jeffrey and I alone could make you wealthy, Betty."
"Thank you." Betty remarked, still chuckling. "I needed that laugh."
"But as I was saying, " Hilary continued, "About three years or so before Jeff and I came to Pittsburgh, we were in New York again. I was sure I could find work on Broadway. Jeffrey had found a play he was completely at home in, and I found Shakespeare. It wasn't Broadway, but at the time, I needed the work." Hilary sat back, making herself, and the baby that was currently kicking her ribcage more comfortable. She continued, "While there, I met a man and I fell in love. Or so I thought at the time."
"You see," she stopped, still slightly uncomfortable with divulging the secret, though she did trust Betty implicitly. "Jeff and I weren't really married at the time. " At Betty's perplexed look, Hilary explained herself, "We were married in Mexico a couple years before that, but we'd gotten divorced two weeks later. Because the public liked the idea of us being married, we stayed that way. Publicly."
Confusion creased Betty's brow, "So you and Jeff are ... not married?"
"Oh yes, we're married now." Hilary smiled, "A small thing like love got in the way of our divorce." She sighed, "That ... and a bomb." She finished quieter.
Betty's face brightened with understanding, "That's why you went to Mexico last year."
"Yes." Hilary smiled, brushing away the bittersweet memory, and continued, "Anyway, a gossip paper had printed a story about my 'affair' and Jeff found out. He was furious, of course, and threatened to go public with our divorce. An empty threat, I knew. But he was hurt and lashed out."
"I didn't know what to feel. I hadn't come to terms with how I felt about Jeffrey, and I was beginning to question how I felt about the other man. I came to the realization that I had to make a decision and a choice."
"What did you do?" Betty asked.
"I took myself away from everything. I stayed in a hotel room completely alone for the weekend and forced myself to think about the two men in my life. Finally, I cleared my mind of everything. Then I let one thought in. And one thought only." She smiled, "The first thing that came to mind was that I had forgotten to remind Jeffrey that we had theatre tickets for the following weekend. My first thought was of Jeffrey. My decision had been made."
Betty looked at her hands, contemplating what Hilary had just told her.
"I don't want to presume to tell you how to run your life, Betty, but if there's one lesson I nearly had to learn the hard way its not to squander any time with whomever you choose."
"Thank you for the advice, Hilary." Betty smiled. "I should get going now. My bed is beckoning to me. After the night I had, I could sleep a whole week."
January, 1942
Betty had chosen Scott which thrilled him to no end. Hilary smiled remembering the goofy grin he wore that whole week; still wore actually. Victor understood and had actually thanked Scott for being there for Betty when she needed someone the most. Tomorrow would be a most interesting day for all concerned.
Hilary gazed at her daughter, peacefully asleep again, and thought back on that choice that she herself had made. Really there had been no choice. She'd always known she'd stay with Jeffrey. They had a connection that she could not, nor did she want to, explain.
She yawned and decided it was time for herself to be asleep. She pressed a kiss to her fingertip and lay the finger against the baby's cheek. "Goodnight, little Bethie," she whispered softly and crept out of the room.
"You were gone a while." Jeff observed as she slid into the bed next to him. "Did she wake up?'
"Yes, when I put her down." Hilary pulled the covers over her shoulders and turned to her side away from Jeff. She closed her eyes and started to drift to sleep, when she felt him wrap his arms around her. He peppered light kisses at her temple. She moved her head, and brushed him away. "Darling, I need some sleep."
Jeff held her a moment longer and kissed her once more before rolling silently to his side of the bed facing the other wall. He took a deep breath and sighed. Since Bethie was born things had been so hectic they hadn't had time for each other. He missed that. He missed his wife. Lately, he'd begun to envy the baby because at least Hilary would hold her.
He rolled to his back, and glanced toward Hilary. Jeff could tell by her breathing and movements that she was crying again. He moved closer to her and lay a hand on her waist. "What's wrong?"
She rolled to her back and wiped her eyes. "I'm sorry. I've just been so tired." She cupped his cheek in her hand, "I miss you, too."
"Darling, you work long hours at the station and then longer hours at home with the baby." He brushed his fingers through her hair relishing the simple physical contact. "Maybe until Bethie is a few months older, you should cut down a little on work." He suggested.
"I couldn't do that. I'd go stir crazy."
Jeff smiled, "Yes you would." He dropped a kiss on her forehead and turned a bit more serious, "Hilary, do you regret having Bethie?"
"No," she answered quickly. "I never realized how much I actually wanted a child until the day she was born."
"But Jeffrey, " Hilary questioned with a smile, "why must you call her Bethie?"
"I don't know. It fits her." He smiled then, his eyes taking a mischievous glint, "Much like Hildy fits you."
Hilary propped herself on her elbows, "Pardon me?!"
Jeff grinned smugly and lay back. He didn't see the pillow until it hit him squarely in the face. "Hey!" He heard Hilary laugh, so he launched the pillow back in her direction.
She sat and swung the pillow again. This time the swing was blocked by Jeff's pillow. Soon they were playfully cavorting in the pillow fight, the earlier melancholy mood forgotten.
Finally they had come to a stand-off, random feathers floating around them. Jeff held out his arm, defensively. "All right, put the pillow down." He said in a mock serious tone reminiscent of most of the detectives he played.
Hilary laughed, "I'm not going to fall for that one, Pumpkin."
His lips were on hers before she saw him move. Jeff moved to lay down, completely underestimating how close they were to the end of the bed and they tumbled off the edge amid startled laughter.
"Okay, so I guess I did fall for it." She chuckled, untangling her legs from the bedspread that fell with them.
"Are you okay?" Jeff asked, concerned that he'd hurt her when they fell.
Hilary laughed at the serious look on his face. "I will be if you kiss me again."
He smiled, and kissed her enthusiastically.
She whispered against his lips, "Forget what I said about being tired."
He lay her flat and casually drifted his fingers over her stomach. "What was that you were saying about being tired?" he murmured amorously in her ear.
"Nothing, "she sighed, and lost herself in her husband's touch, "Absolutely nothing."
The mood of the station the following morning was one of tense anticipation. Everyone dressed up a little more for their coming visitor. Scott was hovering around Betty a little more so than usual, as if he was worried she'd suddenly decide she'd chosen the wrong man. Hilary wasn't as nervous as she thought she'd be, but she did still keep a watchful eye on Jeff.
Victor arrived in the middle of Bedside Manor. He'd wanted to watch the shows, so Betty ushered him into the control room. He eagerly waved with a smile at those in the studio. Jeff, Hilary, Mackie, and Mr. Foley waved back. Maple nodded, because she didn't know Victor.
Victor's joviality went a long way to settling Hilary's nerves and she relaxed into the normal rhythm of bickering with Jeff on the air. Once the show was done, she left Jeff and Mackie to their next program and walked to the green room where Elizabeth would be waking for her morning feeding.
She picked the stirring infant up from the cradle, and, talking to her, set about to preparing her bottle. Once finished she settled on the couch to feed Elizabeth. "So your agenda today is not crying for mama, right sweetheart?" Elizabeth 'helped' her mother hold the bottle and watched her intently. Hilary smiled and hummed softly, rocking back and forth ever so slightly.
Victor left the control room, deciding to go to the green room because he wanted to listen to the shows the way they were meant to be heard; from the radio. He started to open the door when he noticed with surprise, Hilary sitting on the couch feeding a baby. He glanced back through the door into the studio, where Jeff was animatedly involved in the show he was doing at the moment. The last he knew, Jeff and Hilary could barely tolerate one another. He recalled the looks they'd given each other, subtle but noticeable, this morning during Bedside Manor. He'd also noticed the way Hilary had gently brushed her hand against Jeff's arm when she left the studio afterward. Apparently one good thing came from that hellish night in London. He looked back into the green room, and watched for a moment as Hilary leaned down to kiss the infant in her arms. Well, two good things. With a hint of a smile, he quietly pushed open the door and walked inside.
"Now there's a sight I never expected to see."
Hilary started slightly at the sudden voice. She looked up and saw Victor standing just inside the swinging doors. "Hello Victor." She smiled, "It's something I never expected to be doing."
He closed the gap between them and sat next to Hilary on the opposite end of the couch. "And who is this remarkable little person that surprised us both?" He said with a measure of humor in his voice.
"This is Elizabeth Booth Singer." Hilary introduced, grandly. "She was born in November, and Jeffrey's head has been in the clouds since."
"Ah, a very proud poppa, huh?"
She agreed with a laugh. "She's two months old, already he's spoiling her senseless."
Their laughter settled into an uncomfortable silence. Elizabeth finished her bottle and was now contenting herself with studying the face of the new person from her vantage point at her mother's shoulder. She thought that he looked like a nice person, and her mama seemed to know him, so she reached toward him.
"Do you mind?" Victor asked Hilary gesturing to the baby.
"No." Hilary smiled, and handed the baby to Victor. "She's a good baby. Usually." She laughed softly, "Jeff seems to think she's got my temper."
Victor laughed. "She certainly has her mother's looks," he commented while Elizabeth studied his features. She'd decided that she liked him, so with her fingers in her mouth, she lay her head on his shoulder and fell asleep.
"Thank you." Hilary accepted the complement, "Jeffrey would likely agree with you." She brushed her hand delicately over the sleeping baby's back. "Though, I think she's a good blend of both her parents."
"So, when did the two of you stop arguing long enough to have a baby?" Victor asked, wanting to catch up on some of the changes he'd noticed since he'd come to WENN this morning.
Hilary smiled --no she beamed radiantly, Victor noticed.
"London." She told him, her smile fading into the memory. "I never realized just how much Jeffrey meant to me until that night. Waiting to hear if he'd survived...I don't think I'd ever been so frightened in my life."
Victor started uncomfortably, "I'm sorry about London. And what happened."
Hilary stood and took the slumbering baby from Victor. She lay her down in the cradle and covered her with the small blanket.
She turned from the cradle and walked back to the couch., "You've no need to apologize, Victor. You had no idea what was going to happen." She sat again on the couch, "You didn't force him to go."
Victor hesitated, "How badly injured was Jeff?"
"Physically, broken bones heal." She sat back, "He had terrible nightmares. Still does, on rare occasions. He jumps at unexpected loud noises. He'll probably never be able to sleep in total darkness again."
Victor looked up as Betty walked past the door window, "At least he had you to come home to."
"She does love you Victor."
"Yes, well." He took a breath, and changed the subject, "I see things are going well around here."
Hilary stood and walked to the coffee pot and poured herself a cup. "Yes, the shows are doing very well."
Jeff walked into the green room and saw his wife at the counter, "Hilary darling, I had an idea ..." once fully in the room, he noticed Victor sitting on the couch. "Oh. Hello Victor."
Victor stood, and walked toward the man with whom he'd shared a nightmare. He extended his hand with a genuine smile, "Jeff."
Jeff took his hand, shaking it warmly. "How ... how are you feeling ..doing." He stumbled nervously over the words, suddenly unsure how to speak to Victor.
Hilary watched the awkward silence pass between the two men. She could see they were struggling to find words to start a conversation. She walked closer and hooked her hand through Jeff's arm, "Darling, Victor here was just telling me that we have a beautiful daughter."
Jeff broke into a wide proud grin, "Of course we do."
Hilary patted her husband's arm and silently slipped away, leaving Jeff to brag about his precious Bethie. She'd started the conversation with something she knew Jeffrey would find easy to talk about. The other subjects could come as they felt more comfortable.
The taxi ride home that evening was quiet. Jeff held a sleeping Elizabeth while Hilary glanced through the evening edition of the paper. She'd switched the small reading light on so she could see. "Did you have a nice conversation with Victor?" She asked, setting the paper in her lap.
"Yes, we did." He answered in a way that let Hilary know that he wasn't going to say any more.
"That's good." She picked up the paper again, understanding that he apparently wanted to keep the subject between Victor and himself.
The next few blocks were ridden in silence. The only sound was Hilary's turning of the newspaper pages. Finally she took a breath and spoke, "Jeffrey, there are three Broadway plays opening this weekend. I'm missing it."
Jeff lay his head against the seat frustratedly; this was a topic he thought they had dealt with. "Darling, there will be others."
She sighed wistfully, "I feel like everything is passing me by. Ruth Getty has hit recordings now, Grace has her movies ... What do I have?"
The taxi had pulled into their driveway and stopped, while Hilary was talking. Jeff looked at her, not quite believing what she'd just said. He reached with his free arm and angrily pulled the paper out of her hands. He leaned slightly and handed the baby to Hilary, the abrupt movement jarring Elizabeth awake.
"You have a family!" He stated sharply, and opened the door. "Good night, Mr. Winstead," he spoke to the driver as he grabbed Elizabeth's bags.
"'Night, Mr. Singer." The elderly man said as the door slammed behind the retreating Jeff. The sudden noise startled Elizabeth and she started crying.
Hilary sat back and watched Jeff open the front door and go into the house. She'd known she said the wrong thing as soon as it was out of her mouth. She held the baby close and tried to calm her. "It's okay, Elizabeth." She reached for the door.
Mr. Winstead turned and smiled. "I'll see you tomorrow, Mrs. Singer."
"It's Miss Boo ...," she stopped suddenly realizing the meaning behind his words.
He propped his arm on the back of the seat that separated him from his passenger. "You know, I'd bet that either one of those women would love to be in your shoes."
Hilary snapped automatically, "They're in my shoes right now. Shoes they stole."
She thought for a moment and sat back with the now quiet baby busily playing with her necklace. Hilary untangled little fingers from the pearls and smiled as the small hand grasped her thumb. She dropped a light kiss on her daughter's forehead and then spoke thoughtfully, "I've just realized that those shoes no longer fit me."
She smiled and leaned forward to lay her hand on the old man's arm. "Thank you, George." She stepped out of the cab and walked into the house.
Hilary heard Jeff in the kitchen slamming things onto the counter. She knew he was angry, and he had a right to be. Unwrapping the baby from her winter coat and the extra blankets, she then shrugged herself out of her own coat and threw the wraps on the couch. Hilary held the baby slightly out in front of her. "Your daddy sounds awfully angry with me," she said quietly. She lay Elizabeth down in the small cradle in the dining room and handed the baby her stuffed horse to keep her quiet. "We'll see if daddy feels better after I tell him what I've decided."
Hilary walked into the kitchen and smelled eggs. "What are you fixing?"
"An egg sandwich. You want one?" Jeff said, his voice still tinged with anger.
She walked to the table and leaned against it. "Sure. As long as you are cooking." She smiled at him when he turned to glare at her. "You did ask me."
He slammed the fork onto the counter and turned to her, "Hilary, you are the most selfish ..." his words were interrupted when she pulled him close and kissed him. "What was that for?" He asked, confused.
"Because I love you." She said, then pointed to the stove. "Your eggs are burning."
He turned to the stove and started to take the pan off the burner. "Go ahead and finish the sandwiches," She said as she pulled out a chair and sat. "I have something I'd like to talk to you about."
He turned with a questioning look.
"It's nothing serious." She assured him. While he cooked, she thought about the realization that she'd come to, and the ramifications of it. Was she sure this was what she wanted? She looked around the kitchen and saw it, really, for the first time. Not as just 'someplace they were staying while in Pittsburgh', but as 'home'.
She stood and walked into the dining room, looking things over, picking things up. It was as if she were seeing all their possessions for the first time, with a whole new meaning attached to them.
"What are you doing?"
Hilary looked toward Jeff's voice and saw him standing in the kitchen doorway with two plates in his hand. She walked to him, took one of the plates from him, and sat at the dining room table. He sat opposite her and handed her a napkin.
"I'm seeing everything differently." She told him in answer to the question he'd just asked.
"How so?" Jeff asked, taking a bite of his sandwich.
Everything has a sort of permanence now," She answered. She scooted the plate out of the way, and lay her hand over his, "Jeffrey, I'm really sorry about what I said earlier. I never should have said it."
"No, you shouldn't have." He sat the sandwich down and pushed his plate out of the way as well. "But if that's how you feel ... are we just 'playing house' here?"
"No, hon ...," she moved to the chair closest to him, "Look, after you left the taxi Mr. Winstead said something to me that suddenly made a lot of sense."
"What did he say?"
"He called me Mrs. Singer. He rarely calls me that." She smiled, "I put the fear of God into him the first time he called me Mrs. Singer."
"But tonight, he knew I needed to hear it."
Jeff gave her a questioning look, "So what are you saying, Hilary?"
"I know I'm never going to step foot on a Broadway stage again. I've just never let myself -believe- I knew that." She stood and started pacing, "I'm really happy at WENN. Another thing I simply couldn't believe. I mean, Hilary Booth, at a radio station. In Pittsburgh." She stated grandly, with a mild tone of disgust.
"But," she sat again, "This is where I belong now. Pittsburgh is home. WENN is home."
"I am Mrs. Singer." She took Jeff's hand, "I'm your wife, and I'm Elizabeth's mother. It's time I started acting like it."
"Darling, I'm ... I don't know what to say." He cupped her cheek and pulled her into a kiss, "I love you."
"I love you too, Jeffrey."
She heard Elizabeth start to fuss, and went to pick her up. "No one paying any attention to you?" She cooed to the baby as she walked back to Jeff. She laughed, "You really are a lot like your mama."
Jeff laughed, "Maybe I should leave now while I have the chance."
"Too late, Pumpkin, you're stuck with us both." Hilary retorted.
"Well, I can't think of any two ladies I'd rather be stuck with. Except maybe ..." At Hilary's raised eyebrow, Jeff smiled. "I'm kidding."
"Of course you are." Hilary smiled sweetly, "Otherwise I'd have to kill you."
Jeff sarcastically took on a frightened expression as he said to the baby, "Bethie, your mother is a very dangerous woman, remember that."
EPILOGUE, two weeks later
A dressed up Hilary walked downstairs carrying the baby amid laughter from the newly arrived Scott and Betty.
"Hiya Hildy, " Scott greeted as she walked up to them. "You clean up nice," he said appreciatively.
Betty raised her eyebrows but could hardly blame Scott for his comment. Hilary was wearing a dress she had seen before, but she knew Scott never had. It was a dark wine color, tight enough to show off her figure, with thin straps and virtually no back. It had little front either, but since she held the baby in her arms, some portion of her anatomy was still left to the imagination. There was no way of getting around it, she looked extremely beautiful.
"Hilary." She corrected with a grimace.
Scott grinned, "Yeah, that too."
Hilary glared through lowered eyelids and walked past him to Betty. "I just fed and changed her, so she'll be fine for a while." She handed Elizabeth to Betty.
"Oh, don't worry Hilary, Lizzybeth'll be fine with us." Scott interjected from behind her.
Hilary straightened at the nickname Scott had bestowed on her daughter. "How badly would you miss him?" She asked Betty with a smile.
Betty returned her smile, "Terribly."
"Betty, you're no fun." Hilary retorted.
Jeff walked back into the room carrying his and Hilary's coats. "Come on darling, we have reservations."
"Yes, about one of our baby sitters." She said, looking at Scott.
Jeff shoved her coat into her arms, and pushed her toward the door. "Leave Scott alone, Hilary."
"Yeah!" Scott crossed his arms and agreed.
"Scott leave Hilary alone." Betty laughed, "gee, the way you two bicker, you'd think you were siblings."
"I'd sooner be related to King Kong." Hilary quipped as the door shut behind them.
"I think she is." Scott snickered aside to Betty.
"So LizzyB," he took the baby from Betty and walked with her into the kitchen, "what kind of food d'ya think I could pilfer?"
"A chauffeur, Jeffrey?" Hilary asked when she saw the uniformed man step out of the large black car in the driveway.
"We haven't been out since Bethie was born and I wanted to take you someplace special." He smiled and nodded to the driver as they slid into the car. "A taxi just seemed too casual."
They settled in for the ride, as the car pulled out of the driveway and onto the street.
"Someplace special, huh." She turned so she could lean against Jeff. She draped her right arm over his leg, and held the hand that he'd thrown over her shoulder with her left. "Care to give a girl a hint?" She lay her head back against his shoulder.
He pressed a kiss into her hair and laughed lightly, "Nope."
"You're no fun." She sighed. "Do you think Elizabeth will be all right?"
"She'll be just fine, Mittens." Jeff hugged her slightly, "Scott and Betty will take good care of her."
She smiled and snuggled deeper into Jeff's embrace, "They need the practice anyway, if they start a family. I can't see Betty not having a ton of kids running around her."
"She's already got six of us at the station. Eight counting Gertie and Mr. Eldridge." Jeff mentioned. "Do you think Betty and Scott will get married?"
"Well," Hilary took a breath and started," I will tell you this, they're good together. From what Betty has mentioned to me, I think they might be heading that way." She smirked, "Though why anyone would want to marry Scott Sherwood is beyond me."
"Well, I'm sure he has his moments." Jeff grinned. He leaned up when the car pulled to a stop. "I'll be right back." He told Hilary at her confused look as he opened the door and stepped out of the car. She noticed they had stopped at the restaurant he'd mentioned eating at tonight. She sat back and waited until he returned.
Jeff walked out of the restaurant with several bags. The driver opened the front passenger door and helped Jeff put the food in the seat. He then sat back in the car next to Hilary, who was looking at him with amusement.
"Exactly what are you doing?" she asked.
"Taking my wife out to dinner."
She smiled impatiently, "I know that. But if we aren't eating at the restaurant where are we eating?"
He took a deep breath and answered humor in his voice, "I found a nice ...uh ... open air restaurant. Now I know it's a bit cool outside, so I thought we'd eat in the car." When Hilary opened her mouth to speak, Jeff stopped her, "You're asking too many questions."
She settled back as the car pulled away from the curb and moved again down the street. She regarded Jeff; he had something up his sleeve. Hilary slipped her hand into his and leaned her head back on the seat. He could be a charmer when he wanted to be. She turned her glance to her husband sitting next to her and smiled when she caught him watching her. Who was she kidding, he hadn't stopped charming her since the day they met.
The car pulled into a park and stopped. Hilary sat up, "Where are we?" she asked.
Jeff kissed her bare shoulder and told her to wait there. He stepped out of the car and she could see him speaking to the driver about something. She saw the driver look at his watch and then shake Jeff's hand and walk away. Jeff opened the front door and handed the food sacks back to Hilary.
"This smells wonderful." She said as Jeff got back into the car beside her. "Are you going to tell me where we are?"
"Right after we eat." He said, unpacking the food. "I'm starved."
She laughed, "Well, I see where your priorities are." She uncovered the dishes and saw that the main course consisted of steak, baked potato and vegetables. "Ooh Jeffrey, you do spoil me."
"You're worth spoiling, Mrs. Singer." He told her, pulling a bottle of champagne out of the bag he held. He handed her the two wine glasses and opened the bottle, the cork popping loudly. They laughed as a bit if the bubbly liquid spilled over. "Here," he poured the champagne into the glasses she held.
They ate making small talk about work; balancing plates on the seat and glasses on the floor. They laughed about the way everyone fawned over Elizabeth and talked about what it would be like when she started walking.
Once the meal was finished, they gathered the dirty dishes together and put them back into the sacks.
"Dinner was wonderful, darling. Thank you." Hilary said moving closer to Jeff, now that the dishes weren't between them.
"You're welcome." He replied, and handed her the heavy cape coat she'd worn with her evening dress. He exited the car on his side and walked around to help her out.
The half-moon glow illuminated the park enough for them to see. He walked with Hilary holding her arm as they navigated over some loose gravel. Once they got close to a sign, Jeff put his hand over her eyes.
"Jeff ...," she said, grabbing his arm and readjusting her balance as she was abruptly stopped. "What are you doing?"
"Before you see where we are, I want to tell you something." He explained.
"Okay," she responded, leaning back against him.
He started, "You made a big sacrifice when you told me a couple weeks ago that you were retiring from the stage. I know how important the thought of being on Broadway again is to you. Well, I thought, for a little while, that I'd bring Broadway to you." He uncovered her eyes, so she could see the park sign.
"Broadway Park?" She turned with a smile, "Oh Pumpkin," she put a hand to her throat, touched. "I think this is the sweetest thing you've ever done."
"You'll always be the toast of Broadway to me, even if you are hidden behind a microphone in a studio."
He smiled and kissed her, threading his hand through her hair. She wrapped her arms around his neck and returned his kiss softly. She shivered slightly, and Jeff pulled her tighter into his embrace.
"Cold?" he asked.
"A little." she answered.
"Let's walk back to the car." He said and took her hand, leading her carefully so she didn't fall.
They reached the car and Jeff stopped her for a second.
"What?" She asked.
He pulled her into his arms, "I want to dance with you in the moonlight."
"Always." She smiled and let him lead her in a waltz to the tune of their own music.
THE END
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BACK
I should never have watched America In The 40's. :) Actually, I'm glad I did. It was a wonderful special ... it just gave me tons of ideas. :) It gave me a direction to take this series and I now have it planned out through the end of WW2. And beyond...but that's another story all together ;)
When I started this series, I had only intended to take it through Elizabeth's first year.. but...the best laid plans. :) Continuity wise, the only difference (other than Bethie) from the main plotline is that Jeff did not go to London in 1941, and therefore did not marry (or whatever it was he did ..) Pavla. The events in Happy Homecomings happened in Aug 41 as they did with the exception that in this series, Hilary was six months pregnant at the time, so I explained their absence as a late dinner. :)
I want to say thanks to my beta readers, Dana (thanks Dana for that description!!!) and Steph and Jennie for their encouragement. And I want to especially thank my Twinsis Jennie for her late night talks about planning Bethie's future ( Jeff and Hilary have no idea... ;-) hehehe )
I also want to thank everyone for their encouragement in this series ... I am having so much fun planning and writing it and I'm really glad you're having fun reading it!
Changes: A Baby Singer story #3
by Michele Savage (Bizarra)
January 1942
Jeff walked into the green room having heard two month old Elizabeth crying throughout the entire Captain Amazon broadcast. He found the baby in her cradle and a very frustrated and --he noted with surprise, crying Hilary on the couch.
"Darling? What's the matter?" He asked, picking up the squalling infant and trying to shush her. Elizabeth quieted considerably at her father's voice. Which caused Hilary to whimper all the more. "Hilary?" He sat on the edge of the couch settling the now quiet Elizabeth on his lap, facing her mother.
"Oh Jeffrey, I'm a horrible mother." she frustratedly sobbed. "I tried everything to stop her crying. I fed her, I changed her, I gave her that little stuffed horse from Betty's parents that she likes so much." Hilary babbled, "Then you pick her up and she immediately stopped."
"I guess I just have a way with women." Jeff commented, earning him a glare from his not so amused spouse. He smiled and took her hand, "Darling, you are a wonderful mother. Bethie's just a little cranky today. . . .er this week." he added, realizing she had been fussy as of late. He felt the baby's forehead, and noted she felt fine; albeit a little warm from her crying. The doctor they had chosen for the baby had warned them she might go through stages of crying. Apparently this was what he meant. Hilary's depression on the other hand had him stumped.
One minute she was fine, the next he'd find her sitting on the couch or in the kitchen, crying as if she'd lost her best friend. Yesterday during ~The Hands of Time~, when they had done a particularly romantic scene between Brent and Elizabeth, she broke into tears and accused him of not loving her anymore. He tried everything to assure her that she was a good mother, that he still loved her, and that these 'blues' would pass as other women had told her; but he just wasn't getting through.
"Broadway has gone on without me, hasn't it?" she said dramatically.
And she was prone to abrupt subject changes.
He smiled and took her hand. "Darling, Broadway hasn't gone on without you. You've gone on without -it-."
"I have?" she turned to him.
"Of course you have. Since your last Broadway appearance, you married me, we've made our home here in Pittsburgh, you are one of the best actresses on the radio --I think--, you have friends that care about you, and we have a beautiful baby girl." He smiled and handed the baby to her. "What more you could ask for?"
She looked at him coquettishly, "Do you really want me to answer that?"
He smiled back, knowing she was joking and leaned across Hilary, propping himself with his arm on the back of the couch. He tickled the baby's stomach, eliciting a wide smile and a burbling laugh from her.
Hilary laughed and noted the happy look on Jeff's face as he watched their daughter. "You're right." she said, catching his attention, "I really can't ask for more."
"Knock knock."
They both turned to the voice.
"I hate to break up this family moment," Betty said regretfully, "but Sam Dane has a client waiting for him." She gestured toward the studio doors behind her to illustrate her statement.
"Bethie's wide awake, Betty. You'll have to keep an eye on her for us." Jeff stood and helped his wife to her feet.
"But, I . . ." Betty started to object.
As they left the green room, Hilary handed Elizabeth to Betty, explaining. "She's been fed and changed."
". . . need to see a sponsor." Betty finished after the doors had swung closed behind them.
Jeff re-opened the door "Oh, she's been cranky lately." He lowered his voice to a whisper, "She got that from her mother."
"Jeffrey." Hilary spoke from directly behind him, causing him to jump. "I heard that."
Betty laughed as Jeff turned and tried to explain his way out of the hole he'd just dug. "Go. We'll be fine."
"Okay. Great." Betty gently tapped the happy infant on the nose. "Let's go find Uncle Mackie. Aunt Betty has to go talk to Mr. Medwick." She lay the baby against her shoulder and walked down the hall toward Studio B where she'd last seen Mackie.
One hour later, Jeff and Hilary left the studio and walked to the water cooler.
"I didn't hear Elizabeth crying at all in the last hour, did you?" Hilary asked as she filled a cup with water.
"No. She must be sleeping." Jeff answered, then took a drink from his own cup.
"Hmm," Hilary agreed as they both walked to the green room. "Anymore, that's the only time she isn't crying."
Jeff smiled and leaned against the door, holding it open for Hilary.
Hilary walked to the crib to check on the baby and was surprised to find she wasn't in it. "She must still be with Betty."
"She's probably exhausted by now." Jeff said as he sat at the table and picked up a magazine.
"Betty, or Elizabeth?" Hilary said with a smile and started out the doors, "While I'm at it, I'll ask her how she kept the baby quiet for an hour."
Hilary walked into the writer's room, "Betty, that was a great script . . .where's Elizabeth?" She asked when she noticed that Betty was typing.
"Oh, thanks Hilary." Betty said acknowledging the complement, a rarity coming from Hilary. "She's with Mackie. I had to see Mr. Medwick about some new . . ." she trailed off when the look of worry passed across Hilary's face.
"Mackie's on the air, Betty. He doesn't have her." Hilary grabbed a piece of paper, and the pencil lying next to it. She wrote "Where is my daughter?" and flew out of the room.
Hilary crept into the studio and thrust the note in front of Mackie. He pointed to Maple, who sat at the organ and obviously didn't have a baby with her. Hilary put her hands on her hips and glared at Mackie.
She walked to the organ and mouthed, "Where is the baby?" to Maple, who answered "Gertie."
Hilary stormed out of the studio and down to reception. Gertie was on the phone and clearly didn't have the infant. "Gertie! Where is Elizabeth?"
"I'm sorry, could you hold one moment, please." the older woman told her caller, and turned her attention toward Hilary. "The phones went crazy for a while, so I gave her to Tom."
"Well, where is he?" Hilary snapped, her patience running thin.
"The last I saw he went into the green room." Gertie answered.
Hilary threw her hands up in frustration. She half ran back to the green room, really starting to worry.
Jeff was still the only occupant.
"Jeffrey, I can't find her."
Jeff lay the magazine on the table. "She can't have left the station, Hilary." He stood and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Who was the last person to have her?"
"Mr. Eldridge and he's nowhere to be found."
Jeff took a deep breath, worry beginning to creep in on him as well. "Did you talk to Scott?" He asked walking to the small window to the station manager's office. "He ..." With a slight smile he said, "I'll be right back." and walked out of the green room towards Scott's office.
Knocking softly, Jeff opened the door, "Excuse me Mr. Medwick," he acknowledged the kindly owner of Pittsburgh Pantry. He turned to Scott, who was lounging in his chair, feet on the desk, and holding a sleeping Elizabeth on his shoulder.
"Sherwood, I think you have something of mine." he said with a humored gleam in his eye.
Scott laughed, and the baby startled slightly. He automatically lay a hand gently on her head, soothing her back to a more peaceful slumber. "Jeff," Scott softly retorted, "I won that poker game fair and square."
A broad smile broke out on Jeff's face, mostly at the confused, "Huh?" from Mr. Medwick. He shook his head, "I still beg to differ on that Scott." He walked around the desk, "But, I'm talking about the little angel on your shoulder."
Scott sat upright, "Oh, the one that's rarely quiet."
"No, that's the angel in the green room." Jeff replied, taking Elizabeth from a quietly laughing Scott. His attempt to not wake her failed, and she began to cry. He rocked slightly, trying to calm her. "On second thought ..." Jeff backed out of the office, thanking Scott for keeping the baby.
After a full days work, Jeff and Hilary relaxed in their den with glasses of wine. Elizabeth was upstairs in her room, finally, sleeping. Hilary leaned against her husband and propped her legs over his on the coffee table. "I think we're agreed. No more baby passing?"
Jeffrey rubbed her arm through the satin of the dressing gown she wore, and agreed. "No more." He said with a wave of his hand. He dropped a kiss against her hair, "Actually, CJ had a good idea. He thought that if he put a small microphone in the green room, and patched it to the speaker over Gertie's desk, we could leave her in her cradle."
"But I'd rather someone were with her." Hilary responded.
"When she wakes up, Gertie will hear her and can take care of her."
"What if the phones get busy?" She reminded.
"What about Mr. Eldridge?" He suggested.
Hilary turned to Jeff with a raised eyebrow.
He caught the meaning behind her look, "Good point. Well. How about Scott."
"Scott?" She asked.
"He's usually not on the air at the same time we are, or I am, and when he isn't he's in his office."
Hilary took a deep breath and thought for a moment. "But he's busy with running the station." She objected.
"From his office." Jeff countered, "Hilary, we could always hire a nanny."
She sat and faced Jeff, "I don't want a stranger looking after our baby."
"Then Scott is our only option." He told her.
She leaned back, "Well, all right. But he'd better not try and influence her."
Jeff laughed, "Darling, she's two months old. The only influence he could have on her is which finger to suck and she's already made that choice." He wiggled the last two fingers on his left hand to illustrate the point.
Hilary smiled, "I remember mother telling me that I sucked the same two fingers Elizabeth does."
Jeff nodded, "I sucked my thumb. Ma Mere told me I looked quite the character sucking my thumb and dragging a worn dirty blanket."
Hilary curled her legs underneath her and turned slightly, resting her arm comfortably over Jeff's shoulder. "I had a blanket too," she said. "Grandmum gave it to me." She slitted her eyes as she thought back, "I remember it was white and had big roses on it. I carried it everywhere."
He smiled and caressed her cheek, "It's surprising what we are still learning about each other."
She returned his smile, "Hmm ... it is."
Jeff leaned to kiss her, but no sooner had their lips touched than a tiny cry was heard.
"I really need to have a talk with Bethie about her timing." Hilary laughed as he sighed, "My turn or yours?"
"I think it's yours, daddy."
Jeff stood and put his empty wine glass down, and held out a hand to Hilary, "Why don't you just turn off the lights and come up too."
She took his hand and stood, picking up the glasses, "I'll take these to the kitchen and follow you up."
Jeff walked into the baby's room, bent over her crib and spoke softly, "What is it, little pumpkin?" He brushed a finger gently across her cheek, soothing her. She smiled, forgotten tears still glistening in her eyes. "Did you just wake up to see what this world is about?" He picked her up, whispering a kiss on her forehead. He smiled as she patted her tiny hand against his mouth. "You're wet," he said against her hand. His breath tickled her and caused her to grin again.
He took her hand between his thumb and forefinger, and rubbed softly. Jeff lay her on the blanket covered table in the corner of the room and set about to changing her diaper and her sleeper. Now that she was comfortable, he picked her up again. Jeff smiled at the now contented infant. He still couldn't get past the sense of wonder when he looked at her. There was a lot of her mother in her. That made her all the more beautiful to him. "Come one, Bethie. Let's go see what mama is up to."
When Jeff walked into the bedroom with Elizabeth, Hilary closed the book she was reading and set it on the night stand. "Hello you two."
Jeff walked around to his side of the bed and sat, "The little one wanted to see what you were doing."
Hilary lay on her side, head propped on her hand. "She did, did she?" smiled Hilary, who stretched her free arm to tickle Elizabeth's stomach.
Jeff lay the baby next to her mother, then lay himself facing the two. He lay his hand over Hilary's on Elizabeth's stomach. He squeezed lightly then bent to drop a kiss on her hand. Elizabeth took the opportunity to grab a handful of her father's hair. "Hey!" Jeff laughed, and carefully disentangled her fingers. He glanced at Hilary and flashed her a joking grin, "Being mean to daddy, I see we found another trait she inherited from you."
Hilary gave him a glare, but the humored glint in her eyes told him that she'd known he was joking. "Well, she has to start learning how to treat men early and you're just as easy a target, Pumpkin." She retorted with a smug grin.
Elizabeth flailed her arms and gurbled happily. Hilary smiled and wiped the baby's drooling mouth with an edge of bedsheet. "And she's a fast learner."
Jeff let his hand drift through Hilary's hair as she paid attention to the baby. He loved how it felt in his fingers. He leaned slightly, careful not to roll on the baby and met Hilary's lips with his in a soft kiss.
The baby batted at her mother's hair that was hanging near her face. She sneezed, getting her parents' attention.
Hilary looked at the baby and laughed softly, "Did that tickle?" She brushed the hair out of Elizabeth's face. "Jeffrey, she's beautiful."
"She is, Mittens. " He returned her smile and tapped a finger lightly on the end of Elizabeth's nose. She smiled at her father around the two fingers she was sucking.
"Oh," Jeff started, a bit more serious, "Betty told me today that Victor would be at the station tomorrow."
Hilary looked from the baby to Jeff. "Really? Is he out of the hospital?"
She wasn't sure clearly what had happened that night last august when he'd returned. Only that she'd thanked god nearly every day since that she and Jeff had gone to dinner late. When they got back, they found Mackie, Maple and several other tenants in front of their building. When asked, Mackie relayed that there had been a gas leak and the building evacuated. She had been six months pregnant at the time. Her back had started to ache, so, she and Jeff had decided to go on home as they really weren't needed the rest of that evening.
The following day they had gotten a phone call from Betty. Hilary remembered it well.
"Hilary, it's me, Betty. I've got something I need to tell you and Jeff. Do you mind if I come over?"
She remembered being confused and worried as to why Betty wanted to come to their house and talk. Apparently it was personal or she'd have just waited till they got to work Monday morning.
August, 1941
Jeff opened the front door when he heard the knock. "Hi Betty, come in." He gestured and held the screen door wide so she could enter.
Hilary sat on the couch and acknowledged the younger woman. She noted Betty seemed shaken and nervous. Rising, she asked, "Is everything all right, dear?"
"Well, it's complicated." Betty answered, walking closer to the couch.
"Would you like something to drink?" Hilary asked laying a concerned hand on Betty's shoulder.
"That would be nice."
Hilary glanced at Jeff, "Darling, would you ...?"
"Sure." He took the cue, "We've got water, milk, cola ... what would you like?"
"Water's just fine, thanks Jeff." She smiled.
Hilary watched Jeff leave the living room. When he was out of earshot she turned to the shaking woman standing next to her. "You look as though you've seen a ghost."
Betty laughed. Slowly at first, but soon she was laughing hysterically over the absurdity of everything that had happened to her that year, culminating in the previous night. It felt good to laugh. At least she wasn't crying. She'd done her fair share of that too, overnight.
Hilary watched Betty's emotions go from nervous and shaking to the nervous laughter. Something had obviously happened.
"You have no idea, Hilary, the year I've had." Betty finally managed to stop the laughter and speak. "What I have to say concerns Jeff, too."
"What concerns me?" Jeff asked, returning. He handed the glass of water to Betty who thanked him.
"Why don't we go into the den, so we can talk." Hilary suggested. Her confusion was mounting and she was a bit worried. Betty seemed unflappable, but she clearly had something on her mind.
Betty settled into the rocker, while Hilary and Jeff sat together on the love seat. She put the glass of water down on a coaster on the small coffee table. "I don't really know where to start. Um ... Do you remember the night Mr. Holstrom was arrested?
"All too vividly." Hilary replied. One doesn't forget being held at gunpoint right away. The thought that she was probably pregnant at the time sent involuntary shivers down her spine.
"Well," Betty continued. "That night while everyone went to the police station, I had a visitor. Victor."
Betty, Victor's dead. He can't poss--" Hilary stopped mid sentence when Jeff leaned forward and began talking over her.
"I couldn't find him." He spoke softly at first. "That's why I couldn't find him. He's alive." Jeff realized, "He left me there. I was ... badly injured, maybe dying." Streaks of hurt anger shot through Jeff. "He left me there."
Hilary put her arm around Jeff's shoulder, comforting him. "Pumpkin, I don't think he'd have left you on purpose."
"Hilary's right, Jeff." Betty leaned forward, "Victor told me that he was so mixed up and confused that he thought he was in New York. He said he'd gotten on a bus and asked to be taken to Madison and Fifty-third street. I doubt he even knew his own name at that point." Betty lay a hand on Jeff's arm, "He was very glad to find out you'd survived."
Jeff sat back, his mind still turning over the fact that Victor was alive. Hilary rubbed her thumb across the back of his neck and he closed his eyes, briefly, just feeling her presence. He was so glad she was there. "Betty," he asked, "That was six months ago. Why did you wait this long to tell us?"
Betty took a drink of water, "This is where it gets complicated." She took a breath and continued, "Victor was asked by the government, because he has no family, to go to ... to Germany. The allies wanted someone on the inside to report anything he heard back to them." Betty stopped momentarily, she resumed, looking at Jeff. "Victor was Jonathon Arnold."
Jeff took a deep breath at this news and expelled it loudly. He suddenly stood, "I need some air." He stepped over the coffee table so as not to make either of the women get up.
Hilary moved anyway. She met him at the edge of the small table, "Jeffrey?"
He turned to her and lay an assuring hand on her shoulder. "I'll be all right, darling. I just need some air." He left the room with Hilary staring worriedly behind.
"Hilary, there's more." Betty spoke up behind the taller woman, her voice shakier.
"There's more?" Hilary turned and snapped more harshly than she'd meant. When she noticed the tears welling in Betty's eyes, she apologized quickly. "I'm sorry. I'm worried about ..."
"He has no idea, Hilary, how lucky he is that Victor did leave him there." Betty said softly. "The things they did ... " The smaller woman closed her eyes in a futile attempt to stop any tears.
Hilary lay her hands on Betty's shoulders. "I told myself I was finished crying." Betty took the comfort of her friend and stepped into the offered hug. "Last night was the worst night of my life. Heck, this has been the worst -year- of my life, and it's only half over."
"Let's sit down, Betty." Hilary led her to the small couch, "Now tell me what happened last night."
January, 1942
Victor had apparently been brainwashed while in Berlin. No one knew why he came to WENN that night, or who his target really was. Just that in the melee, Mr. Pruitt had been revealed to be a spy who'd been sending code over the air in Sentry Saving's commercials. Betty had nearly been shot, and Victor was apparently alive. Several lives changed that night.
Mr. Pruitt was put in prison, Scott had resumed his office space --though he still did some acting when needed, and he and Betty were now equally sharing managerial duties at WENN. Victor had been taken to a hospital where he could try and recover from everything that had been done to him in Berlin.
"Betty said he was on a one day visitors pass." Jeff answered her question of whether Victor had been released from the hospital.
Hilary rubbed the baby's stomach lightly, "Maybe Elizabeth and I will stay home tomorrow."
Jeff lay a comforting hand on her shoulder, "Darling, we can't avoid this forever."
"I know." She lay on her back, and carefully scooped her daughter into her arms, settling her on her chest. "But with everything that happened ... "
Jeff moved against Hilary and slid his arm beneath her, cradling she and the baby in his embrace. "Are you worried about something happening?"
"I really don't know what I feel." She stared at the ceiling and sighed. "Part of me worries because last time he was there gunshots were fired. And another part of me feels guilty for thinking such things of someone who was a friend."
"Well," Jeff started, but smiled when Elizabeth sleepily reached her tiny hand toward the sound of his voice. He took her hand in his, softly kissing the fingers and rested it, still in his, over Hilary's heart. He glanced again from the baby to her mother, "I don't think they'd let him leave the hospital if there was any chance of endangering either Victor or anyone around him."
"Yes, I suppose you're right." She turned her gaze from the ceiling to Jeff, "What about you? How do you feel about seeing Victor again."
Jeff paused for a moment, obviously thinking over his answer. "I don't know. I've been thinking about it since Betty told me this afternoon." He took a long drawn out breath, "I think I'll be all right because I'm going to try not to let the surrounding circumstances intimidate me and just concentrate on seeing an old friend."
She nodded silently and softly rubbed the baby's head. They lapsed into an introspective silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Elizabeth was soon lulled to sleep by the steady rhythm of her mother's heartbeat.
"Someone has finally gone to sleep." Jeff whispered in Hilary's ear.
"Yes." She started to sit, careful not to stir the baby.
"I can take her." Jeff offered.
"No, that's all right." She stood and carried Elizabeth to her own room.
As she lay the baby in her crib, Elizabeth woke slightly. Hilary leaned against the railing of the crib and softly ran a finger over the baby's back, easing her to sleep again. While she whispered soothing words, Hilary thought back to the other conversation she'd had with Betty that same afternoon last August.
August, 1941
Hilary, I'm so confused." Betty blurted. "I don't know what to do about Scott and Victor."
"How do you feel?" Hilary asked, taking the upset woman's hands into hers, comfortingly. Betty had moved to sit on the small love seat next to Hilary where it would be easier to talk about the touchy subject.
"I'm not sure how I feel. I mean, I love Victor. I think. And I think I love Scott, too." Betty took a deep breath, "I suppose I could have gone on not worrying about this, but, last night with a gun to his head Scott told me he loved me."
Hilary raised an eyebrow, "Really? It's about time he said something."
Betty looked up, "You knew?"
Hilary smiled, "Betty, sometimes Scotty's more obvious than Jeffrey is."
The black haired woman returned the smile, glad for the levity. "That obvious, huh?"
Hilary nodded. She heard Jeff come back in from his walk, and excused herself to make sure he was all right and to let him know she and Betty needed privacy to talk. She re-entered the den with another glass of water for the other woman.
"Thank you." Betty acknowledged the water. "How can I make a choice? Should I make a choice?"
"I can't really say." Hilary smiled, "the decision is up to you." She sat back, thinking. Once she made up her mind, she leaned forward on her arms, "Betty, I'm going to tell you something that might help, but, this must stay between us, and obviously Jeffrey."
A grin passed over Betty's features, "You know, everyone at WENN is going to regret the day I write my memoirs." She spoke with a joking laugh.
Hilary laughed along with Betty, "Jeffrey and I alone could make you wealthy, Betty."
"Thank you." Betty remarked, still chuckling. "I needed that laugh."
"But as I was saying, " Hilary continued, "About three years or so before Jeff and I came to Pittsburgh, we were in New York again. I was sure I could find work on Broadway. Jeffrey had found a play he was completely at home in, and I found Shakespeare. It wasn't Broadway, but at the time, I needed the work." Hilary sat back, making herself, and the baby that was currently kicking her ribcage more comfortable. She continued, "While there, I met a man and I fell in love. Or so I thought at the time."
"You see," she stopped, still slightly uncomfortable with divulging the secret, though she did trust Betty implicitly. "Jeff and I weren't really married at the time. " At Betty's perplexed look, Hilary explained herself, "We were married in Mexico a couple years before that, but we'd gotten divorced two weeks later. Because the public liked the idea of us being married, we stayed that way. Publicly."
Confusion creased Betty's brow, "So you and Jeff are ... not married?"
"Oh yes, we're married now." Hilary smiled, "A small thing like love got in the way of our divorce." She sighed, "That ... and a bomb." She finished quieter.
Betty's face brightened with understanding, "That's why you went to Mexico last year."
"Yes." Hilary smiled, brushing away the bittersweet memory, and continued, "Anyway, a gossip paper had printed a story about my 'affair' and Jeff found out. He was furious, of course, and threatened to go public with our divorce. An empty threat, I knew. But he was hurt and lashed out."
"I didn't know what to feel. I hadn't come to terms with how I felt about Jeffrey, and I was beginning to question how I felt about the other man. I came to the realization that I had to make a decision and a choice."
"What did you do?" Betty asked.
"I took myself away from everything. I stayed in a hotel room completely alone for the weekend and forced myself to think about the two men in my life. Finally, I cleared my mind of everything. Then I let one thought in. And one thought only." She smiled, "The first thing that came to mind was that I had forgotten to remind Jeffrey that we had theatre tickets for the following weekend. My first thought was of Jeffrey. My decision had been made."
Betty looked at her hands, contemplating what Hilary had just told her.
"I don't want to presume to tell you how to run your life, Betty, but if there's one lesson I nearly had to learn the hard way its not to squander any time with whomever you choose."
"Thank you for the advice, Hilary." Betty smiled. "I should get going now. My bed is beckoning to me. After the night I had, I could sleep a whole week."
January, 1942
Betty had chosen Scott which thrilled him to no end. Hilary smiled remembering the goofy grin he wore that whole week; still wore actually. Victor understood and had actually thanked Scott for being there for Betty when she needed someone the most. Tomorrow would be a most interesting day for all concerned.
Hilary gazed at her daughter, peacefully asleep again, and thought back on that choice that she herself had made. Really there had been no choice. She'd always known she'd stay with Jeffrey. They had a connection that she could not, nor did she want to, explain.
She yawned and decided it was time for herself to be asleep. She pressed a kiss to her fingertip and lay the finger against the baby's cheek. "Goodnight, little Bethie," she whispered softly and crept out of the room.
"You were gone a while." Jeff observed as she slid into the bed next to him. "Did she wake up?'
"Yes, when I put her down." Hilary pulled the covers over her shoulders and turned to her side away from Jeff. She closed her eyes and started to drift to sleep, when she felt him wrap his arms around her. He peppered light kisses at her temple. She moved her head, and brushed him away. "Darling, I need some sleep."
Jeff held her a moment longer and kissed her once more before rolling silently to his side of the bed facing the other wall. He took a deep breath and sighed. Since Bethie was born things had been so hectic they hadn't had time for each other. He missed that. He missed his wife. Lately, he'd begun to envy the baby because at least Hilary would hold her.
He rolled to his back, and glanced toward Hilary. Jeff could tell by her breathing and movements that she was crying again. He moved closer to her and lay a hand on her waist. "What's wrong?"
She rolled to her back and wiped her eyes. "I'm sorry. I've just been so tired." She cupped his cheek in her hand, "I miss you, too."
"Darling, you work long hours at the station and then longer hours at home with the baby." He brushed his fingers through her hair relishing the simple physical contact. "Maybe until Bethie is a few months older, you should cut down a little on work." He suggested.
"I couldn't do that. I'd go stir crazy."
Jeff smiled, "Yes you would." He dropped a kiss on her forehead and turned a bit more serious, "Hilary, do you regret having Bethie?"
"No," she answered quickly. "I never realized how much I actually wanted a child until the day she was born."
"But Jeffrey, " Hilary questioned with a smile, "why must you call her Bethie?"
"I don't know. It fits her." He smiled then, his eyes taking a mischievous glint, "Much like Hildy fits you."
Hilary propped herself on her elbows, "Pardon me?!"
Jeff grinned smugly and lay back. He didn't see the pillow until it hit him squarely in the face. "Hey!" He heard Hilary laugh, so he launched the pillow back in her direction.
She sat and swung the pillow again. This time the swing was blocked by Jeff's pillow. Soon they were playfully cavorting in the pillow fight, the earlier melancholy mood forgotten.
Finally they had come to a stand-off, random feathers floating around them. Jeff held out his arm, defensively. "All right, put the pillow down." He said in a mock serious tone reminiscent of most of the detectives he played.
Hilary laughed, "I'm not going to fall for that one, Pumpkin."
His lips were on hers before she saw him move. Jeff moved to lay down, completely underestimating how close they were to the end of the bed and they tumbled off the edge amid startled laughter.
"Okay, so I guess I did fall for it." She chuckled, untangling her legs from the bedspread that fell with them.
"Are you okay?" Jeff asked, concerned that he'd hurt her when they fell.
Hilary laughed at the serious look on his face. "I will be if you kiss me again."
He smiled, and kissed her enthusiastically.
She whispered against his lips, "Forget what I said about being tired."
He lay her flat and casually drifted his fingers over her stomach. "What was that you were saying about being tired?" he murmured amorously in her ear.
"Nothing, "she sighed, and lost herself in her husband's touch, "Absolutely nothing."
The mood of the station the following morning was one of tense anticipation. Everyone dressed up a little more for their coming visitor. Scott was hovering around Betty a little more so than usual, as if he was worried she'd suddenly decide she'd chosen the wrong man. Hilary wasn't as nervous as she thought she'd be, but she did still keep a watchful eye on Jeff.
Victor arrived in the middle of Bedside Manor. He'd wanted to watch the shows, so Betty ushered him into the control room. He eagerly waved with a smile at those in the studio. Jeff, Hilary, Mackie, and Mr. Foley waved back. Maple nodded, because she didn't know Victor.
Victor's joviality went a long way to settling Hilary's nerves and she relaxed into the normal rhythm of bickering with Jeff on the air. Once the show was done, she left Jeff and Mackie to their next program and walked to the green room where Elizabeth would be waking for her morning feeding.
She picked the stirring infant up from the cradle, and, talking to her, set about to preparing her bottle. Once finished she settled on the couch to feed Elizabeth. "So your agenda today is not crying for mama, right sweetheart?" Elizabeth 'helped' her mother hold the bottle and watched her intently. Hilary smiled and hummed softly, rocking back and forth ever so slightly.
Victor left the control room, deciding to go to the green room because he wanted to listen to the shows the way they were meant to be heard; from the radio. He started to open the door when he noticed with surprise, Hilary sitting on the couch feeding a baby. He glanced back through the door into the studio, where Jeff was animatedly involved in the show he was doing at the moment. The last he knew, Jeff and Hilary could barely tolerate one another. He recalled the looks they'd given each other, subtle but noticeable, this morning during Bedside Manor. He'd also noticed the way Hilary had gently brushed her hand against Jeff's arm when she left the studio afterward. Apparently one good thing came from that hellish night in London. He looked back into the green room, and watched for a moment as Hilary leaned down to kiss the infant in her arms. Well, two good things. With a hint of a smile, he quietly pushed open the door and walked inside.
"Now there's a sight I never expected to see."
Hilary started slightly at the sudden voice. She looked up and saw Victor standing just inside the swinging doors. "Hello Victor." She smiled, "It's something I never expected to be doing."
He closed the gap between them and sat next to Hilary on the opposite end of the couch. "And who is this remarkable little person that surprised us both?" He said with a measure of humor in his voice.
"This is Elizabeth Booth Singer." Hilary introduced, grandly. "She was born in November, and Jeffrey's head has been in the clouds since."
"Ah, a very proud poppa, huh?"
She agreed with a laugh. "She's two months old, already he's spoiling her senseless."
Their laughter settled into an uncomfortable silence. Elizabeth finished her bottle and was now contenting herself with studying the face of the new person from her vantage point at her mother's shoulder. She thought that he looked like a nice person, and her mama seemed to know him, so she reached toward him.
"Do you mind?" Victor asked Hilary gesturing to the baby.
"No." Hilary smiled, and handed the baby to Victor. "She's a good baby. Usually." She laughed softly, "Jeff seems to think she's got my temper."
Victor laughed. "She certainly has her mother's looks," he commented while Elizabeth studied his features. She'd decided that she liked him, so with her fingers in her mouth, she lay her head on his shoulder and fell asleep.
"Thank you." Hilary accepted the complement, "Jeffrey would likely agree with you." She brushed her hand delicately over the sleeping baby's back. "Though, I think she's a good blend of both her parents."
"So, when did the two of you stop arguing long enough to have a baby?" Victor asked, wanting to catch up on some of the changes he'd noticed since he'd come to WENN this morning.
Hilary smiled --no she beamed radiantly, Victor noticed.
"London." She told him, her smile fading into the memory. "I never realized just how much Jeffrey meant to me until that night. Waiting to hear if he'd survived...I don't think I'd ever been so frightened in my life."
Victor started uncomfortably, "I'm sorry about London. And what happened."
Hilary stood and took the slumbering baby from Victor. She lay her down in the cradle and covered her with the small blanket.
She turned from the cradle and walked back to the couch., "You've no need to apologize, Victor. You had no idea what was going to happen." She sat again on the couch, "You didn't force him to go."
Victor hesitated, "How badly injured was Jeff?"
"Physically, broken bones heal." She sat back, "He had terrible nightmares. Still does, on rare occasions. He jumps at unexpected loud noises. He'll probably never be able to sleep in total darkness again."
Victor looked up as Betty walked past the door window, "At least he had you to come home to."
"She does love you Victor."
"Yes, well." He took a breath, and changed the subject, "I see things are going well around here."
Hilary stood and walked to the coffee pot and poured herself a cup. "Yes, the shows are doing very well."
Jeff walked into the green room and saw his wife at the counter, "Hilary darling, I had an idea ..." once fully in the room, he noticed Victor sitting on the couch. "Oh. Hello Victor."
Victor stood, and walked toward the man with whom he'd shared a nightmare. He extended his hand with a genuine smile, "Jeff."
Jeff took his hand, shaking it warmly. "How ... how are you feeling ..doing." He stumbled nervously over the words, suddenly unsure how to speak to Victor.
Hilary watched the awkward silence pass between the two men. She could see they were struggling to find words to start a conversation. She walked closer and hooked her hand through Jeff's arm, "Darling, Victor here was just telling me that we have a beautiful daughter."
Jeff broke into a wide proud grin, "Of course we do."
Hilary patted her husband's arm and silently slipped away, leaving Jeff to brag about his precious Bethie. She'd started the conversation with something she knew Jeffrey would find easy to talk about. The other subjects could come as they felt more comfortable.
The taxi ride home that evening was quiet. Jeff held a sleeping Elizabeth while Hilary glanced through the evening edition of the paper. She'd switched the small reading light on so she could see. "Did you have a nice conversation with Victor?" She asked, setting the paper in her lap.
"Yes, we did." He answered in a way that let Hilary know that he wasn't going to say any more.
"That's good." She picked up the paper again, understanding that he apparently wanted to keep the subject between Victor and himself.
The next few blocks were ridden in silence. The only sound was Hilary's turning of the newspaper pages. Finally she took a breath and spoke, "Jeffrey, there are three Broadway plays opening this weekend. I'm missing it."
Jeff lay his head against the seat frustratedly; this was a topic he thought they had dealt with. "Darling, there will be others."
She sighed wistfully, "I feel like everything is passing me by. Ruth Getty has hit recordings now, Grace has her movies ... What do I have?"
The taxi had pulled into their driveway and stopped, while Hilary was talking. Jeff looked at her, not quite believing what she'd just said. He reached with his free arm and angrily pulled the paper out of her hands. He leaned slightly and handed the baby to Hilary, the abrupt movement jarring Elizabeth awake.
"You have a family!" He stated sharply, and opened the door. "Good night, Mr. Winstead," he spoke to the driver as he grabbed Elizabeth's bags.
"'Night, Mr. Singer." The elderly man said as the door slammed behind the retreating Jeff. The sudden noise startled Elizabeth and she started crying.
Hilary sat back and watched Jeff open the front door and go into the house. She'd known she said the wrong thing as soon as it was out of her mouth. She held the baby close and tried to calm her. "It's okay, Elizabeth." She reached for the door.
Mr. Winstead turned and smiled. "I'll see you tomorrow, Mrs. Singer."
"It's Miss Boo ...," she stopped suddenly realizing the meaning behind his words.
He propped his arm on the back of the seat that separated him from his passenger. "You know, I'd bet that either one of those women would love to be in your shoes."
Hilary snapped automatically, "They're in my shoes right now. Shoes they stole."
She thought for a moment and sat back with the now quiet baby busily playing with her necklace. Hilary untangled little fingers from the pearls and smiled as the small hand grasped her thumb. She dropped a light kiss on her daughter's forehead and then spoke thoughtfully, "I've just realized that those shoes no longer fit me."
She smiled and leaned forward to lay her hand on the old man's arm. "Thank you, George." She stepped out of the cab and walked into the house.
Hilary heard Jeff in the kitchen slamming things onto the counter. She knew he was angry, and he had a right to be. Unwrapping the baby from her winter coat and the extra blankets, she then shrugged herself out of her own coat and threw the wraps on the couch. Hilary held the baby slightly out in front of her. "Your daddy sounds awfully angry with me," she said quietly. She lay Elizabeth down in the small cradle in the dining room and handed the baby her stuffed horse to keep her quiet. "We'll see if daddy feels better after I tell him what I've decided."
Hilary walked into the kitchen and smelled eggs. "What are you fixing?"
"An egg sandwich. You want one?" Jeff said, his voice still tinged with anger.
She walked to the table and leaned against it. "Sure. As long as you are cooking." She smiled at him when he turned to glare at her. "You did ask me."
He slammed the fork onto the counter and turned to her, "Hilary, you are the most selfish ..." his words were interrupted when she pulled him close and kissed him. "What was that for?" He asked, confused.
"Because I love you." She said, then pointed to the stove. "Your eggs are burning."
He turned to the stove and started to take the pan off the burner. "Go ahead and finish the sandwiches," She said as she pulled out a chair and sat. "I have something I'd like to talk to you about."
He turned with a questioning look.
"It's nothing serious." She assured him. While he cooked, she thought about the realization that she'd come to, and the ramifications of it. Was she sure this was what she wanted? She looked around the kitchen and saw it, really, for the first time. Not as just 'someplace they were staying while in Pittsburgh', but as 'home'.
She stood and walked into the dining room, looking things over, picking things up. It was as if she were seeing all their possessions for the first time, with a whole new meaning attached to them.
"What are you doing?"
Hilary looked toward Jeff's voice and saw him standing in the kitchen doorway with two plates in his hand. She walked to him, took one of the plates from him, and sat at the dining room table. He sat opposite her and handed her a napkin.
"I'm seeing everything differently." She told him in answer to the question he'd just asked.
"How so?" Jeff asked, taking a bite of his sandwich.
Everything has a sort of permanence now," She answered. She scooted the plate out of the way, and lay her hand over his, "Jeffrey, I'm really sorry about what I said earlier. I never should have said it."
"No, you shouldn't have." He sat the sandwich down and pushed his plate out of the way as well. "But if that's how you feel ... are we just 'playing house' here?"
"No, hon ...," she moved to the chair closest to him, "Look, after you left the taxi Mr. Winstead said something to me that suddenly made a lot of sense."
"What did he say?"
"He called me Mrs. Singer. He rarely calls me that." She smiled, "I put the fear of God into him the first time he called me Mrs. Singer."
"But tonight, he knew I needed to hear it."
Jeff gave her a questioning look, "So what are you saying, Hilary?"
"I know I'm never going to step foot on a Broadway stage again. I've just never let myself -believe- I knew that." She stood and started pacing, "I'm really happy at WENN. Another thing I simply couldn't believe. I mean, Hilary Booth, at a radio station. In Pittsburgh." She stated grandly, with a mild tone of disgust.
"But," she sat again, "This is where I belong now. Pittsburgh is home. WENN is home."
"I am Mrs. Singer." She took Jeff's hand, "I'm your wife, and I'm Elizabeth's mother. It's time I started acting like it."
"Darling, I'm ... I don't know what to say." He cupped her cheek and pulled her into a kiss, "I love you."
"I love you too, Jeffrey."
She heard Elizabeth start to fuss, and went to pick her up. "No one paying any attention to you?" She cooed to the baby as she walked back to Jeff. She laughed, "You really are a lot like your mama."
Jeff laughed, "Maybe I should leave now while I have the chance."
"Too late, Pumpkin, you're stuck with us both." Hilary retorted.
"Well, I can't think of any two ladies I'd rather be stuck with. Except maybe ..." At Hilary's raised eyebrow, Jeff smiled. "I'm kidding."
"Of course you are." Hilary smiled sweetly, "Otherwise I'd have to kill you."
Jeff sarcastically took on a frightened expression as he said to the baby, "Bethie, your mother is a very dangerous woman, remember that."
EPILOGUE, two weeks later
A dressed up Hilary walked downstairs carrying the baby amid laughter from the newly arrived Scott and Betty.
"Hiya Hildy, " Scott greeted as she walked up to them. "You clean up nice," he said appreciatively.
Betty raised her eyebrows but could hardly blame Scott for his comment. Hilary was wearing a dress she had seen before, but she knew Scott never had. It was a dark wine color, tight enough to show off her figure, with thin straps and virtually no back. It had little front either, but since she held the baby in her arms, some portion of her anatomy was still left to the imagination. There was no way of getting around it, she looked extremely beautiful.
"Hilary." She corrected with a grimace.
Scott grinned, "Yeah, that too."
Hilary glared through lowered eyelids and walked past him to Betty. "I just fed and changed her, so she'll be fine for a while." She handed Elizabeth to Betty.
"Oh, don't worry Hilary, Lizzybeth'll be fine with us." Scott interjected from behind her.
Hilary straightened at the nickname Scott had bestowed on her daughter. "How badly would you miss him?" She asked Betty with a smile.
Betty returned her smile, "Terribly."
"Betty, you're no fun." Hilary retorted.
Jeff walked back into the room carrying his and Hilary's coats. "Come on darling, we have reservations."
"Yes, about one of our baby sitters." She said, looking at Scott.
Jeff shoved her coat into her arms, and pushed her toward the door. "Leave Scott alone, Hilary."
"Yeah!" Scott crossed his arms and agreed.
"Scott leave Hilary alone." Betty laughed, "gee, the way you two bicker, you'd think you were siblings."
"I'd sooner be related to King Kong." Hilary quipped as the door shut behind them.
"I think she is." Scott snickered aside to Betty.
"So LizzyB," he took the baby from Betty and walked with her into the kitchen, "what kind of food d'ya think I could pilfer?"
"A chauffeur, Jeffrey?" Hilary asked when she saw the uniformed man step out of the large black car in the driveway.
"We haven't been out since Bethie was born and I wanted to take you someplace special." He smiled and nodded to the driver as they slid into the car. "A taxi just seemed too casual."
They settled in for the ride, as the car pulled out of the driveway and onto the street.
"Someplace special, huh." She turned so she could lean against Jeff. She draped her right arm over his leg, and held the hand that he'd thrown over her shoulder with her left. "Care to give a girl a hint?" She lay her head back against his shoulder.
He pressed a kiss into her hair and laughed lightly, "Nope."
"You're no fun." She sighed. "Do you think Elizabeth will be all right?"
"She'll be just fine, Mittens." Jeff hugged her slightly, "Scott and Betty will take good care of her."
She smiled and snuggled deeper into Jeff's embrace, "They need the practice anyway, if they start a family. I can't see Betty not having a ton of kids running around her."
"She's already got six of us at the station. Eight counting Gertie and Mr. Eldridge." Jeff mentioned. "Do you think Betty and Scott will get married?"
"Well," Hilary took a breath and started," I will tell you this, they're good together. From what Betty has mentioned to me, I think they might be heading that way." She smirked, "Though why anyone would want to marry Scott Sherwood is beyond me."
"Well, I'm sure he has his moments." Jeff grinned. He leaned up when the car pulled to a stop. "I'll be right back." He told Hilary at her confused look as he opened the door and stepped out of the car. She noticed they had stopped at the restaurant he'd mentioned eating at tonight. She sat back and waited until he returned.
Jeff walked out of the restaurant with several bags. The driver opened the front passenger door and helped Jeff put the food in the seat. He then sat back in the car next to Hilary, who was looking at him with amusement.
"Exactly what are you doing?" she asked.
"Taking my wife out to dinner."
She smiled impatiently, "I know that. But if we aren't eating at the restaurant where are we eating?"
He took a deep breath and answered humor in his voice, "I found a nice ...uh ... open air restaurant. Now I know it's a bit cool outside, so I thought we'd eat in the car." When Hilary opened her mouth to speak, Jeff stopped her, "You're asking too many questions."
She settled back as the car pulled away from the curb and moved again down the street. She regarded Jeff; he had something up his sleeve. Hilary slipped her hand into his and leaned her head back on the seat. He could be a charmer when he wanted to be. She turned her glance to her husband sitting next to her and smiled when she caught him watching her. Who was she kidding, he hadn't stopped charming her since the day they met.
The car pulled into a park and stopped. Hilary sat up, "Where are we?" she asked.
Jeff kissed her bare shoulder and told her to wait there. He stepped out of the car and she could see him speaking to the driver about something. She saw the driver look at his watch and then shake Jeff's hand and walk away. Jeff opened the front door and handed the food sacks back to Hilary.
"This smells wonderful." She said as Jeff got back into the car beside her. "Are you going to tell me where we are?"
"Right after we eat." He said, unpacking the food. "I'm starved."
She laughed, "Well, I see where your priorities are." She uncovered the dishes and saw that the main course consisted of steak, baked potato and vegetables. "Ooh Jeffrey, you do spoil me."
"You're worth spoiling, Mrs. Singer." He told her, pulling a bottle of champagne out of the bag he held. He handed her the two wine glasses and opened the bottle, the cork popping loudly. They laughed as a bit if the bubbly liquid spilled over. "Here," he poured the champagne into the glasses she held.
They ate making small talk about work; balancing plates on the seat and glasses on the floor. They laughed about the way everyone fawned over Elizabeth and talked about what it would be like when she started walking.
Once the meal was finished, they gathered the dirty dishes together and put them back into the sacks.
"Dinner was wonderful, darling. Thank you." Hilary said moving closer to Jeff, now that the dishes weren't between them.
"You're welcome." He replied, and handed her the heavy cape coat she'd worn with her evening dress. He exited the car on his side and walked around to help her out.
The half-moon glow illuminated the park enough for them to see. He walked with Hilary holding her arm as they navigated over some loose gravel. Once they got close to a sign, Jeff put his hand over her eyes.
"Jeff ...," she said, grabbing his arm and readjusting her balance as she was abruptly stopped. "What are you doing?"
"Before you see where we are, I want to tell you something." He explained.
"Okay," she responded, leaning back against him.
He started, "You made a big sacrifice when you told me a couple weeks ago that you were retiring from the stage. I know how important the thought of being on Broadway again is to you. Well, I thought, for a little while, that I'd bring Broadway to you." He uncovered her eyes, so she could see the park sign.
"Broadway Park?" She turned with a smile, "Oh Pumpkin," she put a hand to her throat, touched. "I think this is the sweetest thing you've ever done."
"You'll always be the toast of Broadway to me, even if you are hidden behind a microphone in a studio."
He smiled and kissed her, threading his hand through her hair. She wrapped her arms around his neck and returned his kiss softly. She shivered slightly, and Jeff pulled her tighter into his embrace.
"Cold?" he asked.
"A little." she answered.
"Let's walk back to the car." He said and took her hand, leading her carefully so she didn't fall.
They reached the car and Jeff stopped her for a second.
"What?" She asked.
He pulled her into his arms, "I want to dance with you in the moonlight."
"Always." She smiled and let him lead her in a waltz to the tune of their own music.
THE END
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