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Betty arrived at work the next day with one goal in mind - to talk to Scott and apologize. She had hardly slept a wink last night, but she wasn't tired. Her moment of self-realization last night had energized her. Now that she had admitted to herself how she felt about Scott, she wondered what had taken her so long. She realized now that she had loved him for a very long time.
She had to think of a way to let him know that she returned his feelings – that is, if he still had feelings for her. For a second, she felt terror rip through her heart at the thought that she might have killed something so very precious. Betty hurried down the hall looking in each room, but Scott was nowhere to be found. She came back to Gertie's desk. "Gertie, has Scott come in yet?"
Gertie looked at her watch. "He called a half an hour ago and said he and Maple were going to have breakfast together and would be here in an hour or so."
Betty found herself a bit envious of Maple's easy friendship with Scott. She knew it was going to be hard, but she would just have to try and be patient until they came in.
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Maple walked into The Flying Diner and looked around for Scott. His early phone call had woken her up. He told her that he needed to talk to someone. The sound of his voice had concerned her a bit. He seemed so down, which just wasn't in Scotty's nature.
She spotted him in a corner booth and joined him. "Hey Scotty. What's up?" If his voice on the phone had concerned her, the defeated look on his face and his unkempt appearance alarmed her.
"Thanks for coming Maple. You're a good friend."
She did her best to hide her concern. "Anytime big guy."
They placed their orders with the waitress. Scott, usually a hearty eater, only ordered coffee. After the waitress left, Maple turned to Scott. "Scotty, whatever's bothering you, just spit it out. You'll feel better. Is it about Veronica?"
"I don't think I'll ever feel better, Mapes, and no, it's not about Veronica." He ran both hands through his hair.
The obvious dawned on Maple. "You're still in love with Betty, aren't you?"
He nodded.
"We all thought that you and Veronica...So I take it you're not going to Hollywood."
Scott shook his head. "I can't believe what Betty's has done to me. I've never felt this way before. I've always been able to move on and never look back – no strings attached. I don't know what real love feels like Maple, but this has got to be it. I'd do anything for her." Scott got a faraway look in his eyes. "For just a moment yesterday I thought I saw something in Betty's eyes that gave me hope, but then..." His voice trailed off, then he continued. "It's pretty pathetic really. Mapes, do you know what I did last night? I sat outside the Barbazon until 5:00 this morning trying to get up the nerve to go talk to her and ask her once and for all how she felt about me."
"Well, why didn't you?"
He shrugged his defeated shoulders. "I knew what her answer would be."
Maple watched Scott's face as he talked about Betty and hoped that someday someone would love her like that. She thought to herself, Betty Roberts, you're a fool.
Scott continued, "The last thing I ever want to do is hurt Betty and that's all I've been doing the last couple of years."
"I don't understand Scotty. How have you hurt her?"
"I don't know. Everything I do seems to make her unhappy and upset. Especially when I try to get close to her."
Maple's heart was aching for her good friend. "Scotty, what are you going to do?"
He tried to answer with resolve. "I'm going to do my best to make her happy by giving up. For the first time in my life, I'm crying uncle. I'm going to back off. I'm not going to bother her anymore. I won't do anything to interfere with her and Victor. In fact, I'll encourage their relationship. I'll show up at work, do my job, then go home."
"Are you sure that's possible, Scott? Wouldn't it be kinda like trying to hold back a tidal wave?"
"You're probably right, Mapes, but I've got to try. And if it gets too hard, I'll have no choice but to pack up and move on."
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Back at the station, Betty felt like she was on pins and needles. She kept checking her watch. Where was Scott? He was 5 minutes late. All she had accomplished in the last hour was to pace up and down, stare into space and listen for the front door.
Out in the hall, she finally heard Gertie say, "Good morning, Scott. Good morning, Maple." Betty's heart leapt to her throat. She made herself walk slowly over to her door. She watched as Scott and Maple came down the hall arm in arm. They both looked so serious. Again she felt a twinge of envy.
She wanted to be the one to help Scott when he was troubled. When they came to the Studio door they stopped and turned to one another. They didn't see Betty, but she could hear what they were saying.
Scott kissed Maple's forehead. "Thanks for letting me cry on your shoulder Mapes. You're one in a million."
Maple leaned up and gave Scott a big hug. "I'm so sorry, Big Guy. I know how hard this is going to be for you." She patted his back then took his face in her hands and smiled wistfully, "Why can't OUR dreams come true once in a while, eh?"
Betty backed into her office and quietly shut the door. She felt like her world had just ended. "I'm too late. He's in love with Veronica and is heartbroken because he can't be with her."
Betty sat at her desk for quite a while. Her body was still, but her mind was reeling. Every moment she had spent with Scott was flashing through her mind – the laughter, the tears, the anger, the joy, the camaraderie, the exasperation, the flirting, and the passion.
Suddenly, she sat straight up in her chair, pounded her fist on the desk and said out loud, "No! Scott Sherwood, I know you loved me once and as God is my witness, I won't rest until you do again."
Betty's Journey of Discovery Series
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