This is very different from my other stories. LOTS of dialogue, and I'm not sure it works. (I had a lot of trouble with transitions, so the breaks are changes of scenes. I'm posting what I've written so far, and you can tell me if I should continue from where I am, start over, or scrap it. Thanks.
Usual Disclaimer: These characters aren't mine. They belong to Rupert Holmes and AMC.
"Hey, Betty, want to go grab a bite to eat?" Scott stuck his head in the Writer's Room.
"I'm kinda busy right now. Just order me something from the Buttery and I'll eat it here," Betty answered, her fingers clickity-clacking on the typewriter.
"No problem. By the way, did you read the article about the woman who died from overexposure to typewriter ink?" He made a tsk-tsk sound with his tongue. "A tragedy."
Betty burst out laughing. "Okay, you win. How about we take some sandwiches to the park?"
"Great. Tuna fish on rye, right? I'll go order."
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Betty and Scott sat on one of the park benches, talking and throwing crumbs to the pigeons. It was all very pleasant, but Scott was greedy. He wanted more than just a friendly park lunch with Betty.
Betty threw the last of her sandwich to the birds. "Thanks, Scott. I almost forgot what the outside world looked like." She stood up. "But, I should be getting back."
"Betty, would you go out to dinner with me? Like, in a real restaurant, with music, and tablecloths and candlelight?" Scott spoke the words rapidly and tried to catch his breath as he waited for her answer.
"You mean like a date?" Betty asked.
"You don't have to make it sound like the measles. I promise to have my fangs taken out and my claws trimmed." He spoke lightly, but something in his eyes must have caught Betty's attention.
"Okay," she said.
Scott grinned. "Thursday night? Terrific. Now we'd better get back."
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Back at WENN, Maple peered at Scott. "Mind sharing it with the rest of us?" she asked.
"Sharing what?" Scott asked.
"The lottery you musta won, big guy."
Scott realized he must have been grinning from ear to ear. "Not a chance, Mapes. This is one ticket I'm keeping all to myself."
"Oh, I get it. Betty said she'd go out with you."
"You got it. A romantic dinner, maybe some dancing. What could go..." His voice trailed off as the outer doors opened. "Victor."
Maple improved her posture to better show off her figure for the station manager, who was back from one of his Washington trips. "Hiya, Victor," she crooned.
"Maple, Scott. I hope you haven't had too much trouble around here. Have you seen Betty?"
"She must be somewhere around here. C'mon, I'll help you find her." Maple sashayed over to Victor and took his arm as they walked out together.
Scott felt like beating his head against the wall. Victor was a great guy and all, but he sure had lousy timimg.
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Maple tried to impress Victor with her sparkling conversation as they walked through the halls, but he was only giving her half his attention. Good thing too, or her mistakes in grammar might have worked against her. When she saw he was preoccupied, she let him lead the way to the Writer's Room, where they had both known Betty would be.
"Victor! You're back." Betty instantly stopped typing. "How long can you stay this time?"
"A month, at least. Betty, would you, that is, if it's not an inconvenience, I mean to say, it would be my pleasure, if you would accompany me to dinner."
Betty smiled. She had never pictured Victor as being the nervous type. "Sure, I'd love to go to dinner with you. Tonight?"
"No, I need to get some work done. How about Thursday?"
"All right. Oh, no I can't, Scott...I mean, maybe Friday would be better."
"Friday it is then." He ignored her slip of the tongue.Who woulda thought a country girl like Betty would have two gorgeous gus fighting over her, Maple thought, as she shamelessly eavesdropped on the whole conversation.
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Scott found himself believing in Santa Claus, and the Easter Bunny, and Fairy Godmothers. They were commonplace compared to the miracle of Betty actually keeping her date with him Thursday night. Like he promised, he took her to a very fancy restaraunt, where musicians played violin music right at their table. And as they danced, he held her in his arms and forgot the whole world. He wanted to kiss her, but he remembered his promise to behave, and he didn't wantto upset her and spoil his dream.
"You're a good dancer," he murmured.
"You're not so bad yourself," Betty answered. She rested her head on his chest.
After the date was over, he walked her to front door of the Barbican Hotel. "I had a wonderful time."
"So did I," Betty smiled.
"Maybe we could do it again?" he asked hopefully.
"Maybe," she said, suddenly soundly distant. "Well, goodnight."
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Two weeks later....
"Betty, where is the script for 'Big Joe Loves Little Jo'?"
"Betty, I can't find the cocoa."
"Betty, Mr. Wintrop called. Said he wanted to speak directly to you."
Betty sleepily handed out scripts and cocoa and picked up the phone. She couldn't have remembered what she said to Mr. Wintrop. She just hoped whatever it was hadn't scared the man. He got so jittery over the least little thing.
"Gertie, tell Mr. Eldridge that the sea toads are fluttering by," she murmured.
"Uh-oh." Gertie knew the signs. She stood up and pushed Betty into the chair by the switchboard. "Another late night? Who was it with this time?"
"Victor."
"And tonight, I suppose you're going out with Scott?" Betty nodded. "Are you trying to set a record for the most times out with two men?"
"No, I just...it's not fair for me to keep both of them wondering. Last night, Victor said he loved me. And Scott has said it, as well. But I don't know..." her voice trailed off.
"Which one you love?" Gertie asked.
"Oh, Gertie!" Betty wailed, "What am I going to do? I always thought life would be easy. When I was at home, all the girls had one sweetheart in high school and they married them. But I had to go to college and have a career. And even when I got here, I didn't think I would have to make a decision like this."
"Only you can decide how you feel, dear."
"But HOW can I know how I feel? One part of me says it would be stupid not to be in love with Victor. He's so right, so noble, upstanding." All the thoughts she hadn't even admitted to herself began to pour out. "He was the first man I ever truly loved, and the world ended when I thought he died. Now he's back, and for some reason I can't seem to get any closer to him."
"And what about Scott?" Gertie prompted.
Betty smiled, then sighed. "Scott. He isn't the kind of person I should fall in love with, is he? He's spent his time conning and lying his way through life. But, I know he cares for me." She blushed as she remembered his 'Hey Betty, I love you.' "Gertie, what am I going to do?"
"Well, first, stop talking about who you should and shouldn't love. Love has nothing to do with who is right to love. It has to do with the heart," Gertie said crisply.
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