Astera heard a sudden clanging of something metal, and she leaned back in her chair to peek into the kitchen.
"Eli? Are you alright?" Astera questioned.
She heard a small chuckle. "I'm alright Miss Hart. Just grabbed the wrong thing that's all…" Eli replied.
Astera sighed in relief, before turning back to the book that she was reading. Eli was a handyman on the street, whom Susan had recommended to her. Since Mike was hardly home anymore, Astera had to hire someone else to help her fix some of the things in the house.
Mike had been caught up so much lately between his relationship with Katherine and his work now, Astera barely had any time with him at all. Mike had to work hours into the night so that he could help Susan pay for MJ's new school.
She heard some footsteps, and she turned to see Eli standing in the doorway. "Anything else that I could do for you, Miss Hart?" Eli questioned, with a friendly smile.
Astera turned to look at him, and she noticed a father-like look on his face. She smiled slightly at him. "No…I'm good thanks. Let me get you a check," she said, standing up.
Eli held up his hand. "No need, Miss Hart. Mike is a good friend of mine, and it wasn't that big of a fix up anyway. Its on me…" Eli replied.
"Oh…thank you Eli. Are you sure?" Astera questioned.
Eli nodded, and showed her a friendly smile. "I'll see you around, Miss Hart…" he replied, before walking towards the door.
Astera turned to look back at her book with a sigh. She knew she should be out running or something, but she really didn't feel like it. Being in shape was important to her, but it wasn't like she had to run absolutely every hour of everyday.
"Oh! Hello Ms. Baker. How are you doing?"
"Never been better, Eli…"
Astera froze at the sound of Ria's voice, and she closed her book with a somewhat angry slam. What the heck was Ria doing in the house?
At that moment, Astera looked over at the doorframe to see Ria standing there.
"Hey Astera, old buddy. You got a minute?" Ria questioned, with a fake smile.
"For you? No, sorry. I was about to go out…" Astera lied, standing up.
"Out to see your precious Dave?" Ria questioned.
Astera looked over at her and Ria raised an eyebrow in challenge.
"I don't know what you mean by 'precious' Dave….he's just a neighbor. A neighbor who is also a friend…a good friend…" Astera said, desperately trying to find a grasp on the right words.
Ria smirked. "Good friends? I'll say…." Ria said, extending her hand to Astera. Astera looked to see a small white envelope in her hand. Astera looked at Ria, unsure of what to think or do.
"Go on," Ria said, still wearing her cocky smirk.
Astera took the envelope, before opening it. She felt every part of her freeze as she looked at the picture in her hand. It was a picture of her and Dave standing in Mike's kitchen, kissing.
"So…what were you saying about being just friends?" Ria questioned.
Astera slowly brought her shocked gaze to meet Ria's malicious stare.
"Don't worry. I haven't said anything to Edie…well, not yet at least…" Ria said, with a shrug.
Astera closed her eyes in slight anger. "What do you want, Ria?" Astera questioned.
"I want you to drop the act, Astera…" Ria stated. Astera opened her eyes, confused.
"Act? What act?" Astera asked, unsure of what Ria was talking about.
"The act of the perfect neighbor. Always being so nice to everyone…well obviously except to Edie…" Ria said, nodding towards the picture.
"I don't understand what you want. I'm always nice to everyone…." Astera stated.
"Well, then stop being so nice. Its making me sick…especially to Carlos and Gabby. The way you throw yourself at them for a friendship…" Ria said, folding her arms.
"What? I do not throw myself at them. Are you jealous or something because everyone thinks you're a little creep and they like me because I'm just naturally a good person?" Astera questioned.
Ria narrowed her eyes slightly. "I heard Bree talking the other day. She just feels so bad about you losing your mommy and your daddy in the tragic accident….about how you're poor little sister….was shot to death. I'm sure your parents told you there was nothing you could have done, but it was all your fault. You were supposed to watch her….but she left and you didn't stop her…" Ria said, her smirk spreading across her face.
Astera felt her eyes tear up, and she took a threatening step towards Ria.
Ria held up her hand. "Ah, Ah, Ah! Let's not get violent. Or else I will be forced to print out all those pictures I've got on my laptop and give them to Edie…or better yet, post them all through the neighborhood so they can all see what kind of a person you are…" Ria stated.
Astera bit her lip, to keep herself from lashing out.
"Now, here is how this is going to work. If ever you go shopping with someone like…Gabby….I want to go with you. If you ever go over to let's say….Lynette's house for a party…be sure I'm invited. If you ever go to the…Solis's for dinner, bring me as your best friend guest…." Ria said, with a quirky smile.
"You seem to really be fond of the Solis family. Trying to steal Carlos away from Gabby or something?" Astera asked, bitingly.
"You tell me. Afterall, you're doing it to Edie…" Ria stated. Astera continued to stare at Ria.
"I mean…what if Dave turns out not to be the…sweet guy you think he really is? What if this is a facad for some animal that he is inside?" Ria questioned.
"Ria, what are you talking about?" Astera asked, somewhat curiously.
"Oh, nothing…I gotta go make some croissants. I suggest you talk to Dave about your little…scandal…see ya later….buddie…" Ria said, flipping her hair before walking towards the door.
Astera stared after her. "Later Bitch…" she muttered.
………………………………………
"Do you not see the issue here?" Astera asked, pacing.
Dave looked over at her from his spot on the barstool in his kitchen. "How do you know whether she knows that we are most definitely having an affair? Maybe she just saw a friendly gesture between me and you and took it for something more?" Dave questioned.
"Yea, like you feeling me up at the table?" Astera questioned. "You obviously liked it then…" Dave said, sipping his glass of water.
Astera stopped pacing and walked over to Dave, placing the picture on the counter.
Dave looked down at the picture and raised his eyebrows, with a small smile. "Ooh. Maybe I'll scan this and use it as a background for my latptop…" Dave joked.
Astera shot him a look. "I was kidding," he replied, with a small smile.
"Well what are we going to do?" Dave asked.
"I don't know. It'd be easiest to kill her but….Dave, I wasn't serious!" Astera said, rolling her eyes at Dave's surprised reaction. Dave smiled slightly.
Astera folded her arms, and looked down at the floor. "I think the solution is quite simple, Dave. We need to end this…." Astera stated.
Dave stopped in mid sip of his water and paused. He couldn't break off the affair, especially since Mike didn't even know wind of their relationship in the first place. Dave was having too much fun playing around that he just let it blossom to the point of where he thought Astera would tell Mike herself.
He set down his water and turned to face her. "Astera, one little picture shouldn't be enough to end what we have…" he said, throwing an attempt at a charming smile at her.
"Its enough for me…" Astera stated. Dave sighed, before standing up. He began to walk towards her. His approaches always worked when it came to her, and there was no way it would fail this time.
"So…you want to stop all of this?" Dave questioned. "Y…Yes…" Astera said, suddenly feeling uncomfortable.
Dave stopped so he was right infront of her. "All of….this?" Dave asked, before leaning in and kissing her playfully.
He pulled her closer to him, in an attempt to deepen the kiss. It was then that he felt Astera struggle, before he pulled away.
She began to back away. "Dave, we just have to okay? Its not safe anymore…" she said, shaking her head.
Dave shrugged. "Its okay… I get it. Take a break for awhile?" he asked.
"No Dave. There are no breaks….we are done. Now let's end this as friends, okay?" Astera asked, before opening the door and walking out.
Dave looked down at the picture, and smiled. "Oh no…this isn't over at all…" he said, before taking another sip of his water.
………………………………………………….
Ria sat on the porch, reading a magazine on cooking that Bree had recommended to her. It had been three days since she succeeded at blackmailing Astera and it was working to perfection.
Astera had taken her shopping with her and Gabby yesterday. Gabby was slightly surprised at Ria's presence, but she quickly shoved it off.
Ria loved using Astera to get closer to the Solis family. But she especially loved seeing the pain on Astera's face for having to constantly deal with Ria.
She heard footsteps approach and she turned her gaze to see Carlos Solis standing there.
He showed her a friendly smile. "Its Ria…right?" he asked.
Ria returned the smile. "Yes, yes it is…" she replied. "I thought so. I hear that you are new to this street…well, you haven't been new for some time….but…" Carlos trailed, taking a seat on the step net to her.
Ria had to contain herself from killing him in broad daylight right there. The man who ruined her family and destroyed her life was sitting right next to her, his arm grazing hers.
"I know what you mean…" Ria said, putting on another fake smile.
"I also hear you helped look after me for some time when I was blind…" Carlos continued.
Oh here it comes………
"So I was wondering if Gabby and I could thank you over dinner at my house on Saturday night…" Carlos finished.
Dinner alone with the Solis family…in their house……
Ria nodded once. "Sounds great…." She said, smiling again.
Carlos showed her a friendly smile, before standing up. "Great! I'll see you then. I bet it will be a lot of fun…." Carlos said, before walking away.
Ria stared after him with a small smirk. "Oh yea…its going to be a lot of fun…"
…………………………………………….
The doorbell rung and Astera looked across the table at Mike. It was the first time he was actually home with just her in awhile. The two of them shared a playful smile, before they both bolted for the door.
"I got it…." Mike said, running for it.
"No you don't!!" Astera said with a laugh, before jumping on his back.
Mike laughed, before shuffling towards the door. He grabbed the handle and did a victorious laugh. He pulled it open and Edie stood there.
Astera's smile faded slightly, before sliding off of Mike's back.
"Edie, how's it going?" Mike asked, with a polite smile.
"Fine…hey, can I talk to Astera for a second?" she asked.
Oh God, she knows……Astera thought.
Mike nodded, before walking away. Astera stepped outside, and closed the door behind her.
"Uh…how's it going Edie?" Astera asked, awkwardly.
"Its…going…" Edie said, with a straight face.
Astera sighed. "Look Edie…I really am…"
"I need you're help," Edie cut in.
Astera raised an eyebrow. "Huh?" she asked.
Edie folded her arms and looked down at the ground. "This is kind of weird, since I'm obviously the best one fit for this job but since its about me I can't do it…" Edie stated.
"I'm confused…" Astera replied.
"Lately Dave has been acting…distant. Its like everytime I want to have sex he just pushes it off and doesn't want it to happen. That's not how a marriage is supposed to be! He doesn't even look at me anymore…" Edie said, her eyes not leaving Astera's.
Astera felt her stomach twist. "Oh?" she asked, biting her lip nervously.
"I think he is having an affair. I want you to find out for me," Edie said, flatly.
Astera blinked a few times. "So let me get this straight….you think that Dave is having affair, but you don't know it for sure…and you want me to find out?" she questioned.
Edie nodded once. "Yea, ugh…I can't believe I'm stooping to this level. This is completely something that Mayer would pull…" Edie said, looking over at Susan's house with a slight glare.
"Why me?" Astera asked, curiously.
"Well…it kills me to say it…but you're hot. Under me of course. I'm sure one day…eventually…you'll be as hot as me….or somewhat close to it…but I'm still hotter. But you hot in a way…" Edie trailed, overlooking Astera.
"What do you want me to do, Edie?" Astera asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Well you're not allowed to sleep with him, that's out of the question…am I right?" Edie asked.
Astera laughed nervously.
"I don't know…figure something out. But do it without getting your hands all over him, okay? Let me know what he says everytime you talk to him….got it?" Edie questioned.
"Yea sure I'll do it…." Astera agreed, somewhat reluctantly.
"Good," Edie said, turning to walk away.
"Wait Edie?" Astera asked. Edie turned around to face her.
"I will do it, but wouldn't it be easier to seduce Dave yourself?" Astera questioned, hoping Edie would say 'yes' and then Astera wouldn't have to deal with him again.
"Oh sweetie, you think I'd come to you before trying that myself?" Edie asked, before walking away.
Astera leaned against the doorframe with a slight whine. Maybe Ria was right.
She was too nice to people.
