DISCLAIMER can be found on the Introduction page.
Italics denotes thoughts
It was late October and Pittsburgh was experiencing an unexpected cold snap. Betty shivered as she walked in the door of the station on Monday morning. Scott was on the phone at Gertie's desk. "But, we have no heat at all." He listened for a moment then sighed in frustration. "Well, get here as soon as you can."
As Scott was talking, Betty started to take off her coat then quickly put it back on. The room felt like an icicle. Scott slammed down the phone. "Damn!" He looked up and saw Betty. "Sorry, Betty."
"Obviously we have no heat, but why so much frustration?"
Scott ran a hand through his jet black hair. "Apparently we're only one of 5000 places without heat and there are 4000 ahead of us in line to get service."
Betty wondered what it would feel like to run her hands through his hair and suddenly felt very warm in spite of the cold. She shook herself out of her daydream just as Maple, Gertie and Euqenia came in the door. "Don't take your coats off ladies. We're completely out of heat and don't know when it will be restored."
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The rest of the day was spent shivering. The employees at WENN were troopers and managed to get through it, but it was miserable. Scott spent most of the day on the phone, trying to find an available service man. He tried bribery. He tried making them feel guilty. He tried sweet talking the secretaries. Nothing worked. By the end of the frigid day, no one wanted to linger around the station. All wanted to hurry home to their warm abodes.
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Betty was in the writer's room finishing tomorrow's scripts. She had a heavy, oversized wool sweater on, but her fingers were still cold. She felt like she was typing in molasses.
One by one, all the WENN'ers stuck their heads in to say good night. Everyone, that is, but Scott. She saw him leave about an hour before without a word.
Betty paused in her typing to blow on her hands. The station had grown very quiet. She told herself that after having stayed late dozens of times she should be used to the quiet and emptiness of the station by now, but it still disconcerted her a bit. As much as she hated to admit it, she missed the comforting presence of Scott on these late nights.
"Oh, pooh. I give up." Betty decided to call it a day. She wasn't getting anything accomplished. She stood up and stretched. She thought of her warm, soft bed and couldn't wait to get home. She took off her sweater and hung it on the back of her chair.
Betty stepped out in the dark hall and shivered in her short sleeves. She headed toward her office where her coat and purse were. It was dark, but she easily navigated the familiar hall.
As Betty reached her office, she heard the distinctive squeak of the front door opening. She froze in her tracks. THUMP! She then heard footsteps. Her heart started to pound and her mouth went dry. In the dim light, she could see a dark figure moving around Gertie's desk opening drawers. Her heart screamed. Scott, where are you? I need you! Betty covered her mouth with her hand to stop from making any noise. She frantically looked around and grabbed the first 'weapon' she could find - a heavy metal garbage can.
As quietly as she could, she sneaked toward the figure. As she drew nearer she had to talk herself into being brave. "OK, Betty. Don't lose your nerve. You're almost there." Five feet. Four feet. Three feet. At the moment she raised the garbage can to hit him, the back of the intruder froze. He had heard her. He spun around, grabbed her arm and twisted it behind her with such quickness that she dropped the garbage can and fell to her knees. Her arm was held behind her in a vice grip and a knee was in her back, forcing her face toward the floor.
A dozen thoughts flashed through her mind. This is it. I'm going to die. Momma and Daddy, I love you. Scott, wherever you are, I love you. Out loud, she managed to say to her attacker. "Let me go, you big bully! I've called the police."
"Betty?" Her arm and back were immediately released. "My gosh, Betty, are you trying to scare me to death?"
At the sound of Scott's voice, Betty's body went limp and she began to cry with relief. In one quick movement, he turned her toward him, sat down on the floor with her and took her in his arms. All the defenses he had thrown up came crumbling down. "Betty, I am so sorry." He held her until she stopped shaking. He took her arm to examine it. "Did I hurt you? Let me see." The tenderness and concern in his face was something she had been hungering for. She looked up into his face as he was massaging her arm and shoulder. He looked back and was caught by her warm brown eyes that seemed to be pleading for something. She couldn't help herself. She glanced down at his mouth. She remembered how warm his lips were and how they made her feel - so different from the awkward kisses of her boyfriends back in high school and college. She looked back up into his eyes. For what seemed an eternity, their gazes locked.
At that moment, more than anything in the world, Betty wanted him to kiss her again. Kiss her until all the hurt and loneliness and longing disappeared. Kiss her so she could kiss him back with all her heart and show him she loved him.
And more than anything in the world, Scott wanted to kiss Betty. Kiss her to show her how sorry he was he hurt and frightened her. Kiss her until his pain and loneliness and longing disappeared. Kiss her until all her feelings for Victor magically evaporated.
Scott knew he was treading on dangerous ground here. He pulled back, breaking the spell. To mask his feelings, he became very brisk with her. "Well, it seems as if you're OK." He pulled her to her feet, went into her office, got her coat and helped her on with it. "It's late, Betty. You need to get home." He started urging her toward the door.
Betty became aware that Scott was wearing casual clothes. She observed to herself that he wore them very well. She also noticed that a lock of his hair had fallen across his forehead. She wondered how he would react if she reached up and brushed it back. She smiled at the thought. As they neared the door she noticed a tool belt on the floor. That must have been the thump she heard.
Scott, desperate to get her out of temptation's way, gently shoved her out the door. "Well, good night, Betty. We'll see you tomorrow." Out in the hall, Betty let the door swing shut behind her. Inside, Scott breathed a sigh of relief. "That was a close one, Scotty boy."
Back out in the hall, Betty hadn't moved an inch. "Wait a minute." She turned around and went back in. Scott was again going through Gertie's desk drawers. Betty demanded, "I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what you're up to."
Scott triumphantly held up the key to the basement. "Oh, I'm just going downstairs to tinker with the furnace a bit to see if I can get it going."
"Oh."
"Now off you go. Don't worry, I'll lock up." With that, he headed out the door and down the stairs.
Betty couldn't believe her good luck. She wasn't going anywhere. She was staying right here until Scott was done. She couldn't pass up this opportunity to be alone with him. She hoped it would be easier to talk with no one around. She went back to the writer's room, took off her coat, put her sweater back on, and began to type and wait.
Betty's Journey of Discovery Series
Go to Betty's Journey of Discovery#12 - Keeping Warm!
Go Back to Betty's Journey of Discovery#10 - Unlikely Matchmaker!
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