Getting of the elevator, Nicole arrives in her office to a rare sound. Rob was screaming at her co-workers again—seemed louder than the last time. She hated when Rob acted this way and was glad it didn’t happen very often. She approached.
“ARE YOU KIDDING ME WITH THIS???? I’M SURPRISED YOU DIDNT HAVE HIM CLUCK LIKE A CHICKEN!”
“ROB!”
“WHAT??? Oh, hi Nicole.” Rob was suddenly calm and peaceful. “Good to see you.”
“What’s going on?” Nicole motions them into Rob’s office and closes the door.
“I swear; contract or no contract, if those guys out there continue to write this …this…sales will go down.”
“I read it on the way up here. It doesn’t sound like it’s a long term thing, more like a bridge to something else.”
“I need a drink. Would you mind if I had a drink?”
“No.”
Rob pulls out a can of Coke. Sure you don’t want one?”
Nicole chuckles. “Sure.”
This week in Salem…
Brady, Theresa, and Tate continued settling into their new place.
Brady sort of introduced Theresa to Belle.
“What? Oh, right, I forgot that people in Salem don’t communicate with family outside of Salem.”
Phillip and Belle ran into each other on the basketball court and caught up a bit.
“With her divorce from Shawn, will they get back together?”
“Ben and Abigail’s baby, Thomas was checked out at the hospital and is fine.”
“How soon until the baby is declared chad’s?”
“Not soon enough. Those two need to be together.”
Andre and Stefano discussed the money problems Sami has caused them and asked Chad to help them get it back. He refused.”
“Can Stefano and Andre run out of money?”
“No. Sami didn’t steal DiMera Enterprises money.” Nicole gave rob a look.
“OMG. Please tell me you didn’t!”
“Only 5 million. How could I say no after all he’s done for me?”
“Seriously, Rob?”
“We go back a long ways, Nicole.”
“Whatever. It’s not like that amount’s going to do them any good.”
“Exactly. But at the same time they still know they have a friend. It’s good business.”
“Moving on.”
“Chad dumped Abigail again.”
“HURRAY!”
“But Abigail knows something is amiss.”
“Booo!”
“Andre hypnotized Chad. It seems to have worked. Andre’s plan is to have Chad seduce Belle to get what they need about Sami.”
Rob took a drink. “Good thing this isn’t alcohol.” Rob took a big drink of the soda while looking toward who he was yelling at.
“What will happen with this Andre-Chad-Belle business?”
“Rafe arrested Hope for Dr. Malcom’s murder. Did she do it?”
“Yes.”
“You know she didn’t.”
“I do not.” Nicole looked at him. “OK, OK. She didn’t do it.”
“Will Rafe find the real killers before their plans can go any further?”
“Belle was hired as Hope’s attorney.”
“Instead of one of Victors?”
“Yup.”
“Sure. Why not?”
“Someone continues to text-bully Theo. Ciara is getting angrier and angrier.”
“Is it Chase, or is he still too obvious?”
“It’s Chase. All he’s doing is pushing Theo and Ciara together though.”
“Theresa wants to remove Kate from Basic Black.”
“And you’re OK with this?”
“Yes.”
“If you need more money, let me know.”
“Thanks. Will it work? Will Theresa be able to free herself of Kate?”
“Eventually, yes.”
“Belle told Brady about the Sami situation. Brady’s worried for everyone involved. Does he have a reason to worry?”
“Maybe.”
“JJ and Gabby talked movies, specifically ‘Citizen Kane.’”
“Sure, because young adults in their twenties will talk about a movie older than both of them put together instead of ‘Star Wars’.”
It’s a good movie.
“Not if it were spoiled for you beforehand. I found it boring.”
“Anyway, how soon until they are a real couple?”
“Very soon. I’m starting to like them.”
“Awww.”
“Eduardo told John about Winterthorn and their assassin training center and how he was sent to kill him.”
“40-something years later.”
“Yes.”
*Sigh*
“Chad talked to Belle about representing him against Justin. Belle told him to get lost, but thought about taking the case. Then abigail saw them together.”
“Does Abigail have reason to worry?”
“About Chad and Belle becoming Chelle?”
“Yes.”
Rob banged his head on the desk. “Stupid, stupid, stupid! Oh, wait—here’s a thought. Nicole, do you think that Andre hypnotized Stefano sometime before we saw him in Salem? It would explain a few things?”
“No idea.”
“Ava Vitali went to Kayla and Steve’s to apologize for the past.”
“That was very thoughtful.”
“They didn’t buy it.”
“Well, of course they didn’t.”
“Ava fell unconscious when they tried to force her out.”
“Is she really ill, or is this another ploy?”
“Im sure its a ploy. Hopefully its something fun.”
“That’s about it.”
“How are things with Daniel?”
“Still good. Very good, in fact.”
“Good, good. Take a look at this please.” Rob handed Nicole a diagram that he turned around and around in a circle. “Forget Daniel. Love me, love ME!!!”
Nicole grabbed the paper, crumpled it into a ball, and hit him with it.”
“Oow!”
“Serves you right. Let’s go eat. Daniel will meet us there.”
“Cool.”
Time to turn the hourglass…
By Robert Feldmann
Edited by Akbi Khan
