EPISODE 2

Claudia Eglasca watches the flurry of activity surrounding her. She is usually in charge of most of the DeLongpre functions, but when they are the size of this one, she must turn them over to larger catering operations like Jennifer Origen’s and act as a consultant rather than supervisor.

Claudia married John Eglasca the day she turned 18. John was a contractor hired to do some work on the estate and when they met it was love at first site. Neither John’s parents nor Claudia's were keen on the idea of an interracial marriage, siting outdated and uneducated reasons for people of differing races not to marry and have children, mainly to mask deep seated racists beliefs that they’re too uncomfortable or too ashamed to admit to out loud.

John died five years ago when he and some friends were out fishing and the boat was caught in a storm. The boat capsized and John and one of the other men on the boat drowned. Claudia, grieved for her husband on the inside, never letting her real emotions show, because she had to be strong for her two children.

"Mom."

Turning around, Claudia sees her daughter Saga. Saga is a beautiful 16-year-old girl with dark hair and eyes with a slight resemblance to her mother. Although both of her children are bi-racial, they have very few african-american features. On many occasions when the children were younger, people would come up to Claudia and just assume that the kids weren’t hers and that she was their nanny. Claudia would kindly correct them and go about her way.

After John died, the community rallied around Claudia, both Claudia and John were well liked and respected in the community for their work with various charitable organizations and special interest groups. Both of her children received full scholarships to the local prep school, Harrington Hall, usually reserved for the sons and daughters of country’s elite and two college scholarship funds. Even though she tried to turn both down, the community wouldn’t hear of it.

"Hi honey. Why are you here?"

"I heard that Briggs is helping his Mom and I thought he might need some help, helping his Mom," says Saga.

"Well aren’t you sweet," says Claudia.

Saga has had a crush on Briggs Origen since she was thirteen. Everything she has done up until this point has been all for the benefit of making Briggs hers. Saga sees Briggs Origen as her way out. A way to avoid the life her mother was cursed with, she vowed she would never clean up after anyone, in fact, people would clean up after her. She’d be the one with servants waiting on her hand and foot.

Saga believes that she has her mother wrapped around her finger, but Claudia knows, all too well, her daughter is no shrinking violet.

"Have you seen Briggs?" Asks Saga.

"He's unloading one of the vans Emery and Ian are with him too. Where’s your brother?"

"He’s over at Steven’s house. Well I'm going to go find Briggs."

"He and the other boys are working hard so don’t bother them."

"I would never bother Briggs, Mom, unless of course… he wants to be bothered."

"Stay out of trouble," says Claudia.

"Now Mom, when have I ever been trouble?"

Claudia walks off and leaves Saga alone. Saga looks up at the stately DeLongpre mansion and then the servants and caterers running around the lawn. She makes a mental note that this would be the perfect setting for her wedding to Briggs.

__________________________________________

Briggs Origen and Ian Montgomery have been best friends since before they can remember, and they always help on Jennifer’s larger catering jobs. Briggs is tall, blonde and very athletic and one of the most popular boys at Harrington Hall. Ian Montgomery is just as athletic and just as handsome as Briggs, tall with a caramel complexion and freckles. When the two boys are together with some of their other friends, they form what some of the girls at Harrington Hall call the hottie brigade. Both, Briggs and Ian are well rounded, well adjusted young men and rarely let their numerous accomplishments in either the sports arenas or the academic world go to their heads.

Emery Origen, Brigg’s little brother, walks up to the two boys carrying a big box of napkins.

"Hey golden boy. Where does Mom want these?" Emery asks.

Emery Origen is about a year younger than his older brother, and isn’t exactly thrilled that his big brother is the hottest thing since Dreamcast at Harrington Hall. There is no love lost between the two brothers mainly because Emery feels lost in Briggs’ shadow, which causes him to act out against his brother. Emery is an attractive young man, but he feels that he’ll never be smart enough, fast enough, or good looking enough to compete with his brother.

"Take ‘em to the kitchen. She told you like five times."

Emery looks back at his brother, muttering an obscenity under his breath, and heads for the kitchen, but is stopped by Saga. Emery immediately notices the short sundress Saga is wearing. Emery and Saga are classmates at Harrington Hall and have violated the honor code together on more than one occasion.

"Where’s Briggs?" Saga asks.

"You mean the crowned prince?"

"What?"

"He and Ian are unloading stuff from Mom’s van," says Emery

"Cool," says Saga.

"Why do you want to see him?"

"Because I just do." She replies.

"Why do you waste your time with him?"

"Because he's worth it."

"He's a pain and a jerk and he thinks he's all that."

"Because he is all that and a whole lot more."

"You don't have to live with the guy"

"I would…. if he asked me too," says Saga.

"Are you that desperate? I mean…. If you're in need of some lovin’, we’ll just pull a Joey and Dawson, and you can crawl through my window, tonight…"

"Then what? Vomit?"

"Hardy har, har…"

"If you’re planning for my brother to take you to funky town, it ain’t gonna happen," says Emery.

"Your brother and me are going to be the hottest thing at Harrington, when school starts in September, mark my words."

"Felt tip or ball point?"

"Permanent."

__________________________________________

At Porter’s loft, he and Katherine have finished making love for the second time. After showering (together), they are now dressing for the big party. Porter walks up behind her, still in his towel, lifts her still wet hair, and kisses her neck.

"I love you." Katherine turns around and kisses him, almost positive that she has never felt this way about another person in her life. She is happy and in love and feels as though nothing can go wrong.

"When are you going to put on some clothes?" She asks.

"Do I get an I love you return?" He asks as she smiles.

"I love you. When are you going to put on some clothes?"

"You don’t like my body?"

"I love your body, but I’m almost certain that daddy would much rather you greeted him in something more than a towel."

"I was hoping that we could take separate cars," he says.

"Why?"

"I want to stop at the bar to pick up something, you don’t mind do you?"

"Why can’t you stop at the bar with me?"
"I know you want to get home, before your Dad does"

"How long is it going to take? You’re not going to be late are you?"

"No, of course not. I will be at the party as soon as I get what’s at the bar."

"Why are the secrecy?" Katherine asks.

"What?"

"What’s at the bar that you don’t want me to see?"

_________________________________________

Angus Rawlins has been driving Sumner DeLongpre for over 30 years. He knows Sumner, perhaps even better than Sumner knows himself. He and Sumner have been through a lot together. Angus watches Sumner and Jory as they stand on one of the bluffs that overlook the sea. Angus hasn’t seen Sumner this happy, since his wife Katherine died years ago. He is happy for Sumner and is almost certain the rest of the family won’t be.

________________________________________

After moving his things into the Persephone Pointe Hotel, Bain Roberts drives around the seaside community taking in the sites, and looking for a potential apartment. He thinks about how much his mother would enjoy this quaint little village and it’s antique shops, ocean-view bed and breakfasts, and restaurants. He wondered where he should begin looking for the answers to all of the questions he had. He would drive by some of the townspeople and wonder if any of them knew his secret and could solve his personal mystery. He looked up and saw a couple standing on one of the bluffs that surrounded the town and decided that he would go up there with his camera to get some shots of the little village.

_______________________________________

Katherine DeLongpre was in her car driving to the estate, after not getting a satisfactory answer from Porter about his mysterious stop at the Chocolate Bar before coming to the party. She had decided to take the back way home, to avoid the party traffic trying to get into her family's estate for her father’s arrival.

About a mile or so before the turn off that would take her home, her car began to sputter and backfire. She had just gotten the black convertible six months ago and could not believe that there was already a problem with it. She then looked down and noticed that her fuel gage was on the big red E. The second after she let out a frustrated, "Damn" her car completely stopped.

She got out her purse to get her cell phone to call for assistance, but couldn’t find it. She searched through her purse, then the glove compartment and the side compartment and figured she must have left the phone at Porter’s. "What in the hell am I going to do?"

She got out of the car, luckily there was a nice ocean breeze, and contemplated on whether or not she wanted to walk or wait for some passing motorist. Pacing back and forth and trying to choose between her options, she didn’t hear the car coming up behind her. The driver, going at a pretty nice clip, didn’t see Katherine until it was too late. She turns around suddenly, tires screech, and she is hit.

The jeep stops in an embankment and Bain Roberts gets out. Bain sees the stranger lying on the pavement and hears the waves crashing on the rocks below. The woman is lying face down. His hearts races and his mind is going at a million miles a second, trying to figure out what to do next. He runs to his jeep, to get his cell phone to call for help. Fumbling with the phone, he looks back at the woman who isn’t moving or making a sound, the only thing he hears is the waves on the rocks below. When the 911 Operator answers the phone, Bain tells her, "There's been an accident…. uh…. Route 7…I'm all right but…. Yes…. a woman…blonde hair…she's not moving….. No Ma'am…I think she's dead."

To be continued….

Join us again tomorrow for the continuing story of Persephone Pointe

Persephone Pointe Copyright 2000January First ProductionsAll Rights Reserved