ROBERT & HOLLY: DESTINED FOR ETERNITY
CHAPTER THREE
MAY 1983
After composing herself, Holly tracks Luke down at Kelly's Diner. When she walks inside, she finds Luke sitting at the bar with Jimmy Lee Holt. They are both laughing and apparently having a grand time getting acquainted.
Luke spots Holly and quickly gets up to go to her. "Holly," He says with a smile. He starts to take her into his arms, but Holly quickly backs away from him.
Luke eyes her suspiciously. "What's up?"
"We need to talk," She states as she goes to a table and has a seat.
Luke follows suit and pulls out a chair to sit down. "Okay. Is it about packing your stuff? I was thinking we could stay upstairs until we find a place. I'm sure Rose will agree. Jimmy Lee just told me that she has an empty room and . ."
Holly quickly looks from Luke to Jimmy Lee. "Did you tell Jimmy Lee about us?"
"Well, yeah, what's the matter with that? Everyone is going to know soon enough. Why shouldn't they? It's not like we have anything to hide."
Holly's eyes widen in alarm. "We can't, Luke."
Luke laughs. "What are you talking about, English?" He reaches across the table to take her hand, but Holly abruptly takes her hand off of the table. Luke stares at her for a moment. "Okay, what's going on here?"
Holly tries to brace herself for the argument that she knows is coming. "Robert and I have to stay married," She blurts the words out as fast as possible. "If we don't remain married for a year, I can be deported back to England. I have to remain at the house with Robert. I can't risk this, Luke."
Luke eyes her intensely as his anger builds more and more with each word that comes from her mouth. "So, what you are saying is that you are staying with Robert after all," He spits out the words furiously. "I thought you had decided that WE were going to be together."
"I have, Luke," She tries to interrupt. "But can't you see what I am facing here?"
Luke straightens himself up so quick that his chair topples over backwards. Everyone in the diner turns to stare at the two of them. Holly hangs her head in embarrassment.
"What did Robert do to get you to change your mind?" Luke demands. "Can't you see that he is telling you all of this so you have to stay with him?"
"Luke," Holly tries to reason in a quiet voice. "Would you please calm down and just listen to me for a minute? You are creating a scene." After glancing around the room at the nosy spectators, Luke stands his chair up and sits back down. Holly then continues. "Do you want to see me deported, Luke? It was made very clear by Immigration that Robert and I would be watched very closely during our marriage. If there was even one hint of any duplicity, I would be kicked out of this country."
"That is absurd," Luke states in disbelief. "This is just Robert's way of getting what he wants, as usual. They will have absolutely no idea you aren't living with him, unless HE decides to tell them."
"Why are you making Robert out to be the bad guy, Luke? And why won't you believe me? Do you actually think that I want it to be like this? Why would I even WANT to add all of these complications to our life?''
Luke is too angry to even hear what Holly is saying. "Robert is not going to get away with this! You are MINE now, and I am going to go make sure he knows exactly that!" He jumps up from the table and slams out of the diner.
Holly closes her eyes as she tries to come up with a solution to this situation. After deciding there was no possible way to stop Luke while he was in his present state of mind, at least she could warn Robert. She quickly goes to the telephone to call Robert's office.
Robert's secretary answers the call. "This is Mrs. Scorpio. May I speak to my husband, please? It is important." While waiting for Robert to come onto the line, Holly tries not to think about the fact of how natural it has become to call herself 'Mrs. Scorpio'. Her thoughts are interrupted by Robert's voice.
"Hello, sweetheart. What's up?" He asks anxiously. "Are you all right? Did you see Luke?"
As always, Holly is completely amazed at his ability to read her thought, even when not in the same room. Holly quickly runs through her altercation with Luke and how he was on his way to see Robert. "I thought I should warn you that he is on a warpath, and naturally wants to put all the blame on you, Robert."
"Don't worry, Luv, I will make him understand how important this is to all concerned."
Holly sighs loudly. "It's not going to be as easy as you think, Robert. Luke doesn't trust a thing you or I have to say. Oh, Robert, I am so sorry."
"Holly, it will just take him some time to come to terms with all of this. Luke will see that it is essential that you stay in this country, safely and legally."
"I hope you're right, Robert. I just feel like I am messing up your life. And Luke's life," She adds.
"Holly, calm down. You have done nothing wrong here. So cool it with all the self incriminations, luv," At this moment, Luke comes barging in, followed by a frustrated secretary.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Commissioner, He wouldn't let me . . ."
"It's alright. I will see Mr. Spencer." Robert turns his attention back to the telephone. "He's here. I will talk to you later. Take care of yourself for me." Robert slowly hangs up the phone.
"And WHO was that?" Luke asks sarcastically. "As if I didn't know."
"Holly," Robert answers honestly. "Warning me of your forthcoming visit."
"How noble of her," Luke hisses. "Is she scared for you or for me?"
"Neither. She hopes I can make you understand what we are all facing here."
Luke paces back and forth. "There is no way on this earth that I will believe this bull you are feeding Holly. All you want is for her to stay with you and keep away from me. Why don't you just admit you made all of this up so she will leave me? But I am not giving her up, pal. She is mine now, not yours!"
Robert is getting angrier by the second. "Why don't you get the hell off of your high horse and consider Holly for a change."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Luke demands.
Robert opens his desk drawer and brings out some paperwork. "Why don't you read this, and when you are finished, tell me what YOU think Holly should do." He throws the Immigration papers at Luke, who silently gives them a quick glance.
Robert sits down in his chair. "Holly has made her choice, Luke. That will not be taken away from you just because she is living under the same roof as I am ."
Luke slams the papers down on Robert's desk. "But she will be right there where you can put the move on her and pressure her into coming back to you."
Holly, who is hoping to help diffuse what she knows will be a huge blowup between the two former friends, stands just outside Robert's door listening to the argument.
"How dare you!" Robert explodes. "I make no secret of the fact that I love Holly. But I respect her enough to accept that she has made her choice, which happens to be you!" The only way I would want Holly back," Robert continues, "Is if she was mine; body, heart, and soul. Since I can't have that, it does not mean that I can't be there for her as a friend. And as her friend, I happen to want what is best for her, which means NOT being deported."
Holly is astounded by the generosity and loyalty Robert still carries for her. Never has she ever had anyone be as devoted to her as this man has been.
"Now," Robert asks Luke, "What do YOU want for Holly? For her to be sent back to England and her wretched family that WE worked so hard to save her from?"
Luke's demeanor finally changes. "No," He admits, "I don't want that. But why would anyone have to let Immigration know of her living status? As soon as the year is passed, then you can quietly get a divorce."
"You weren't here, Luke. The headlines were merciless. Ian Shelton and Jackie Templeton made sure that everyone in town, and the state, knew that the newly appointed Police Commissioner married a well-known con artist that should have been deported. If there is one little rumor that Holly is no longer under my roof, those two will have it on the front page. That would be all that Immigration would need to put her on the next plane out of here. And, I may as well add, that when you two do decide to see one another, you had damn well better be discreet."
Luke is fuming. "You are loving very minute of this, aren't you?" You and Holly can just carry on as the 'happily married couple' that everyone believes you are."
Having heard enough, Holly walks on into the office, slamming the door loudly behind her. "That is enough, Luke!"
Both men turn to stare at the enraged woman before them.