A LOVE STORY #8: THE CIRCLE OF LIFE
BY RITA WIDMER
DISCLAIMER is in the Introduction story.
So what are Betty and Scott going to do now that Betty is going to be gone for a long time? Will it work out between them, or is this a trial separation?
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Betty walked up the old rickety steps to her childhood home. Her mother came rushing out the door and gave Betty a hug.
"Hi, Mom. How’s it going?" asked Betty.
"Not too good. This last one is going to do him in," said her mother.
"Mom, that’s too bad."
"He’ll be much better off in heaven. Where’s Scott?"
"He had lots of work to do back at WENN," Betty mumbled, half telling the truth. He did have work to do, but they were staying away from each other for a while.
"Too bad. You aren’t having any problems?"
"No, no, Mom. Everything is honestly all right."
"You know you can talk to me if there are any problems."
"I know Mom, and I will." Betty knew that she wasn’t convincing her mother. It probably was written all over her face. That was not the only thing her mind was mulling over. She realized her mother was eyeing her suspiciously.
"Darling, what’s wrong?" asked her mother.
"Not now, Mother. Can I go see Dad? Afterwards I’m going to do all the work. You just tell me what to do."
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"Dad, are you awake?" asked Betty.
"Betty, is that you?" asked her father.
"Yes, it’s me."
"Where’s that husband of yours?"
"He’s at home."
"Are you happy?"
"Of course, but I don’t like seeing you laying here helpless."
"Never mind that. I can tell by your eyes that there is something wrong.”
"I can’t hide anything from you, can I?"
"You like to hide your feelings, but your eyes give it away. What’s wrong, Betty?"
"I’m not going to bother you with that now. It's not anything big. You need your rest so you can get better."
"How long can you stay?"
"Until you’re up and walking around. If I have to type scripts here, I will. Scott and I talked it over before I left."
"This didn’t cause an arguement?”
"No, Dad, and that's hundred percent the truth. Now go to sleep, and I’ll go help Mom out."
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Betty and her mother were sitting at the kitchen table. Betty had just gotten up from a nap. She'd helped her mother out and she felt very tired afterwards, so she went up to her old room and cried. Her mother could see the line of old tears on Betty’s face.
"Betty, what happened between you and Scott?"
"Do you remember Dan, whom I dated for a long time and was planning to marry?"
"Yes, but what does that have to do with you and Scott?"
"He was in Pittsburgh when we needed a doctor for Eugenia. We just happened to find him. When I walked in there he was and we stared at each other in amazement at seeing each other after all these years. I worked that out with Scott, but that wasn't all. Scott saw me kiss Dan. It didn’t mean anything and didn’t last very long, but now he won’t talk to me unless it has to do with business."
"Betty, no wonder you’re so upset! I can tell you're both very much in love, and everything will work out. It just needs some time."
"But Mom that’s not all. I..." Betty went on to explain her pressing problem and get some advice.
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Betty’s dad became more and more sick as the two weeks flew by. Betty was being more than helpful for her mother, which her mother didn’t like. She just worked and worked and only took two breaks to sleep at night and one to have lunch.
"Betty, sit down. You're working yourself to death. Your dad shouldn’t see you like this. He won’t die peacefully until you’re all right. He can’t go on suffering this way."
"Do you think I haven't realized that? No matter how cheery I seem when I go in there, my eyes give it all away."
Her mother realized she had to send a telegram to someone at WENN to get Scott back here. Then it came to her - Hilary Booth, the great Broadway actress whom Betty had spoken highly of. Betty mentioned some kind of code that Hilary and her husband often used...
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Back at WENN, a telegram deliverer walked into WENN looking for Ms. Hilary Booth. Hilary walked into the reception area and opened the telegram. It was from Elkheart.
Hilary Dear,
(cough) Betty’s a burying young (cough) one. She needs Scott.
From,
Her mother, and a new grandmother
"Oh, my gosh! Scott is going to come to his senses," said Hilary. Gertie watched her with suspicion.
"What is it, Hilary?" asked Jeff, coming out of Studio A.
"Read this using our code for 'Magic Time'"
"You’re right, Hilary. He needs to come to his senses.”
Hilary went right to Scott’s door, and burst in. "Scott Sherwood, you listen to me and listen good!"
"How can I help it the way you're yelling?"
"Never mind that. You’re going home to pack with Jeff. You need to go to Elkheart and back to your wife."
"I don’t have to do any such thing."
"Oh, yes you do. Betty isn't going to sit there while her father’s dying and lose you all the same time."
"She can handle it."
"She normally can, but it's rather difficult in her condition."
"What do you mean her condition?"
"It's not my place to tell you, so off you go."
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Betty went up to see her father. She had been gone all morning and hadn’t had the time to visit with him.
"Hi, Dad." Betty took his hand.
"Betty, you’re late. Something in your eyes tells me that you aren’t happy. I'm worried about you and Scott."
"No, Dad, I’m not. I wish you'd get better so one day you can see your grandchildren. I'll name the first one after you."
"I'd love that, but I’m not going to live much longer. I’m so tired. Can we finish this later?"
"Of course, Dad. I love you."
"I love you too."
"Betty, you’ve got a visitor," said her mother through the door with a tone that said that her visitor wasn't just anyone.
"I’ll be right out," said Betty, going to the mirror to check her hair. She opened the door slowly, and walked over to the stairs. At the bottom was Scott. She slowly walked down the stairs. "Scott, what are you doing here?"
"I came to be with my wife, whom I love more then anything in the world," he softly answered.
"I love you, too,” said Betty as Scott bent down and kissed her.
As they broke apart, they just held onto each other. They almost missed a yell from upstairs. "Mom, what is it?" asked Betty, running up the stairs.
"He’s dead." Betty ran over and hugged her, and Scott joined them.
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Later that night, Betty and Scott went for a walk. Betty showed him all the old sights of her childhood. They went by the school and the playground. Finally, Betty reached the place she wanted to show him the most.
"Where are we going?" asked Scott.
"This is what we called 'Lover’s Lane'" said Betty.
"How many times have you been here?"
"This is the second time. This was the place for making love for couples, and I wasn’t one of those girls."
"Why were you here the first time?"
"You don’t want to know."
"Tell me and I’ll decide then if I want to hear it."
"This is where Dan proposed marriage to me after graduation."
"You’re right, I didn’t want to hear that," said Scott, laughing.
"I warned you," said Betty, laughing. "Anyway, that took place on the other side, but our initials are somewhere around here. Oh look, there are Amanda and Lars' initials. They're married now and have two children. I’ll have to go visit them and the rest of the gang. The majority of them still live around here."
"Do you miss them much?"
"Yes, but when I have you and everyone else in Pittsburgh it is not too hard. I get Christmas and birthday cards from them every year."
"Do you ever wish you never came to WENN?"
"My first day, but not much. Can we sit down for a while? I’m getting very tired."
"Betty, are you feeling all right?"
"Scott, there is something I have to tell you, but I don’t know how."
"Just blurt it out. What is it?"
"I’m going to have a baby," said Betty fast and nervously, and turns her head away.
"Betty, that’s wonderful." He turned her head and bent down to kiss her.
Betty’s father looked down and smiled. Everything will be all right. The circle of life began again.