- Steele Vows Part 2
Date: Tuesday, March 14, 2000
From: "sue hantak" <hantaks@mtco.com>
Remington tossed in bed for the countless time. He replayed the
day over and over. How did things spin so totally out of control?
A few months ago, he and Laura couldn't have been closer. Well,
they could be closer but he felt they would become intimate very
soon. She was coming around to the idea of sleeping together.
Remington's mind repeated many playful and romantic moments that
Laura actually initiated. He wistfully remembered Laura climbing
on top of his body when they were destroying Bedside Babes. She
invited him to the weekend wedding in New York. They actually
shared a room for once. Granted it had been twin beds, but he
saw it as progress. His favorite reoccurring memory was of the
night they watched Gone With The Wind. They were locked
in a very passionate kiss when Mildred once again interrupted
them. He muttered "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn"
and unlike any previous time, they prolonged the kiss. After
Lester and Mildred left, they continued the fireworks inside.
They laid on the bed under the premise of watching the movie,
but before long, Laura and Remington were playing out a love
scene of their own. With their lips engaged, his hands inadvertently
slipped under her sweater. She didn't protest. In fact, she reciprocated
by running her hands up under his. If you were speaking in crude
teen dating terms, you would say he got to second base when he
undid the front clasp of her bra. He lightly caressed the side
of her breast and gently brushed his thumb across her firm nipple.
They were soon brought back to reality when the VCR malfunctioned.
The TV lapsed into very loud fuzz, breaking the mood-as well
as Laura's courage. They both apologized to each other. Laura
felt as if she teased and disappointed him, again. Remington
felt as if he took advantage and went too far, again.
**************************************************************
Hours passed. Laura finally decided that her attitude wasn't
going to solve anything. She timidly knocked on his bedroom door
and peeked in. Remington was pleasantly surprised by her presence.
They awkwardly looked at each other. Remington was the first
to speak,
"Still mad at me?"
Laura bit her lower lip and shook her head dejectedly, "No...
I've moved on ...I'm at the self-pity now."
"Self-pity? Why?"
She walked over and sat at the foot of the bed, "Well, let's
review. I've spent four years with you. I foolishly thought you
cared about me. Then you arrange to get married to someone else
without even telling me... I guess it finally sank in that you
want to stay in the US and remain Remington Steele, but you don't
want to be with me."
He sat up with a puzzled look on his face. His mind was screaming
that she couldn't be more wrong. Feeling that she was losing
her composure, she got up from the bed, pacing, she continued,
" I'm thirty years old. I am a difficult and overbearing
workaholic. No man has ever loved me....and its my own fault.
I was wrong to expect you ... umm... I mean...I'm just trying
to say that...you've sacrificed four years playing Remington
Steele for me. The least I can do is play Mrs. Steele for two.
When this is over, we'll just split the agency's assets and go
our separate ways."
She tried to make a quick exit, Remington sprang to his feet,
"Laura, Laura, wait.... this is all my fault. I should have
told you about immigration. You have to believe me, I didn't
mean to hurt you in all of this. I'm sorry".
"I don't know what to believe anymore"
"Laura, listen to me," he stepped in front of her blocking
the door. "I love you."
She nodded her head in disbelief and laughed to herself. *you
asshole, of all the times to say that*. Laura remained silent.
Remington didn't know how to interpret her reaction , "Laura?
Say something".
"I don't think you want to hear what I have to say."
"Try me,"
"You once said that words were hard for you and you learn
to judge people by what they did; not by what they said. You
can't have it both ways, Mr. Steele. Am I supposed to believe
what you just said, or am I supposed to read you by your actions
today?"
He opened his mouth to say something, but quickly covered it
with his hand. He knew she was right. He then stammered, "Look
... I..."
Laura interrupted, "Don't hurt yourself Mr. Steele. I don't
expect you to give me a straight answer anyway." She pushed
her way past him and exited the bedroom. The next sound he heard
was the closing of the entry door to his apartment.
******************************************************************
The next morning he strolled into the office. Just as he was
just about to ask Mildred if his *wife* was in, Laura breezed
into the reception area. Tugging on his lapel, she greeted, "Good
morning, sweetheart". She surprised him with an ardent kiss.
Shock. Shock was all that came to mind. *Yesterday? Last night?
Was that all a horrible dream?* Laura pulled him by the hand.
Winking at Mildred, she explained, "Excuse us, Mildred,
I would like to be with my husband."
Remington eagerly accompanied Laura into his office. Laura kissing
him like that certainly must be a good sign. He was hopeful that
they could forget about that debacle of a wedding and disaster
of the wedding night and just start over. As soon as they were
in his office, Remington tried to pull her into an embrace. Laura
quickly distanced herself , "Please don't"
"Don't what?.....What was all that about out there?"
"We're supposed to be the happiest couple in America, remember?"
"So that was just an act?"
"Of course. What did you think? I would just forget yesterday?"
It was a rhetorical question. Actually Remington wanted to answer
that.
Laura walked into her office, she reached into her desk drawer,
"Here". She tossed a gold wedding ring in his direction,
"Put on your Peppler ring" She slipped a simple band
on her finger as well.
"Laura what's going on?"
"We need to satisfy immigration and get Keyes off our back.
We need to *ACT* and *LOOK* married."
"So we're going to make goo-goo eyes and pretend?"
"Laura looked pointedly at him. "Yeah...pretend...That's
all it's ever been between us, right?"
Mildred tapped on the door to announce. "There's a Gladys
Lynch from INS to see you." Laura quickly switched to the
blissful bride persona. "Give us a minute and send her in"
She again grabbed Mr. Steele and unceremoniously pushed him down
to the sofa. She climbed on his lap and again fervently kissed
him, running her hands through his lustrous hair. Remington forgot
for a moment where he was. All he could think about was Laura
sitting on top of him, her lips massaging his, kissing him with
thoughtless abandon.... *Doesn't she know what she is doing to
me?*
"Mm.....hummm" Miss Lynch cleared her throat.
"Oh sorry," Laura straightened up and got off his lap.
She extended her hand, "Laura Holt...Steele. Laura Holt-Steele",
she quickly corrected herself.
"Gladys Lynch", she stated, handing Remington her business
card.
Remington glanced at the card and innocently asked, "What
happened to Estelle Becker?"
"She did the initial interview, I am doing the investigation".
Remington and Laura both knew from her demeanor that she meant
business and pulling this off wasn't going to be easy. Remington
put his arm affectionately around Laura's waist. Although the
gesture was an overt act for Ms Lynch's benefit, he did involuntarily
begin to caress Laura. Laura forgot for a moment where she was.
All she could think about was his gentle touch; his agile hands
languidly stroking her sensitive body. *Doesn't he know what
he is doing to me?* Miss Lynch pulled a large envelop from her
briefcase and handed it to Laura. "I need you to fill out
this and return it in seven days."
"Of course, whatever I need to do" Laura said with
a frozen smile.
"I'll need to schedule some appointments with the two of
you. The INS will also be contacting your friends, acquaintances,
family members, you understand...."
Remington then jumped in, " Rest assured Ms. Lynch, I'm
sure you will find everything in order." He escorted her
to the door. When he turned, Laura had opened the envelope and
was walking toward her office. Remington stood in the doorway,
"That went well".
Laura was already thumbing through the documents, "They
want to know EVERYTHING." She flung the papers aside, walked
over to her desk and plopped to her chair exasperated.
"Laura, what's a few harmless questions, eh?."
She rested her forearms on her desk with her hands meeting in
the middle. "God, they're going to call my mother!"
She dejectedly dropped her head to rest atop her arms.
Remington quickly scooped up the discarded papers, shuffled them
back into a neat stack and went to comfort Laura. He placed his
hands on her shoulders and rubbed small circles at the base of
her neck. "Let's just do this tonight...A little dinner...A
little wine...and all of this won't seem so daunting"
"Let's make that a little dinner and a LOT of wine".
To Part Three
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