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    AC Benus
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Stories posted in this category are works of fiction. Names, places, characters, events, and incidents are created by the authors' imaginations or are used fictitiously. Any resemblances to actual persons (living or dead), organizations, companies, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.
Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you. 

It Had to be Good! - Christmas at Famous-Barr 1929 - 12. XIII. Week Four – Chapter 2: Place & Time

XIII. Week Four –

Chapter 2: Place & Time

 

"Are you sure you're going back to work, Singer?" Bettina heard the stress in her own voice.

She had just opened the door to the green room and let her father step in ahead of her.

"I'm fine, girl. We have a contract to fulfill."

Bet entered, closing the door behind her. And for the first time became aware others were in the room, namely Dandiprat Dave and Lowell Fredricks. Both rose to their feet as they saw Singer go to his dressing table and mirror. He sat down.

"Oh, sorry, boys," Bet offered feebly. "Didn’t mean to interrupt your interview."

"It's all right," Lowell said, folding closed his sketchpad. "We were just wrapping up."

Both interviewee and interviewer made their way silently to the door, casting furtive glances towards Singer Martin.

Bet followed, thanking them with a head-nod and a feeble attempt at a smile. She closed it quietly behind them and turned to Singer.

He was applying the white base of his makeup and looking fit and determined. The momentary reflection in the mirror of that vigor threw Bettina for a loop; but it was only momentary.

Nevertheless, she had to do what she had to do.

She went up behind him. "Father, tomorrow is Christmas Eve, and the last day of Glen's Santa gig."

"Yes. We'll pay him off and be rid of him."

"Dad, that's not what I mean. I mean – "

"I'm busy, Bet. We can discuss things in couple of days, when we're on the train to Florida."

"Singer, it can't wait that long." She felt flushed determination creep onto her face.

He held his daughter's gaze in the mirror. "It will have to."

For a moment, Bet paused. His request seemed so reasonable, but then the plain truth of her not being on the same train as her dad – or with the troupe at all – hit her.

She placed a hand on his shoulder.

He froze in his motions, glaring a challenge at her in reflection.

"It can't wait."

He suddenly put down his grease sponge and turned to face her. His chair protested angrily against the floor, and to Bet's eyes, the sadsack clown never looked so menacing.

"Glen and me," she continued. "We're engaged. I'm going with him to Texas."

"Engaged? Oh, no. Not without my permission." He rose to his feet, forcing Bettina to back away.

"I love him, Dad. And he loves me – "

"He didn't ask for my permission."

"Believe me, we both want your blessing, but – "

"But without it, you'll leave me anyway?!" There was more demand than question in his tone.

Bet began to wonder… "Yes, your good wishes, but we don’t need them. I'm grown up, Singer – twenty-one – so, you can't stop – "

"Bettina! This is not how you were raised to talk to your father!"

His shouting almost reduced the girl to tears. She lowered her head, but slowly, thanks to the recalled image of Glen Curtis leaning in the doorway to fetch her, she grew confident that she was doing the right thing.

She held her father's eyes. "One way or the other, Pops. It's our life, not yours."

He blinked as if realizing he'd overplayed his cards. His hands shot out to latch onto his daughter. "Yes, Bettina, your life, but I can't sit idly by and let you waste it."

"Waste it…?" Bet was stunned.

"Yes, waste it. Look, I can't stomach the idea of a daughter of mine being used and left by that 'cowboy.'"

The girl's blush returned, only this time it was due to feeling incensed. "Glen is not like that. Do you think I'd be with him if he were?!" She pulled out of his grip.

Singer began to tear up; tracks of wetness forming un-smeared across his white cheeks.

Her heart thawed, but not her resolve. "You can't cling to 'old times' forever, Father. Things must change, grow, or else they wither and die."

"Don’t leave me, Bet – not like your mother."

"Dad – "

"It's true, Bettina. I 'cling' to the past, but for a reason. I've been so restless, always keeping the troupe on the move, knowing – just knowing in my bones – that one day she, your mother, would see my name on a poster, or in the paper, and come back to see me. I want my daughter by my side to 'prove' I was a decent father; to show that my daughter loves me; and make that woman regret all these years we could have been together as a family."

A cruel vindictiveness had arisen in Singer's voice as he finished his statement; Bet apparently never knew the man. She pitied him.

"For twenty-one years," she asked quietly. "You've limped down the road on the fumes of revenge? That's sad, Singer. Just…it's too sad to think about. But, you can't make me a part of it anymore. Glen and I have a shot – a real shot, in this place and time – and we're gonna take it."

He crumpled into the chair, and Bet knelt by his side.

She placed a hand on his leg and said, "I'm sure you understand, Father. It's just the kind of happiness she took from you. So why – how – could you deny it to me? To your own flesh and blood?"

Singer's limb began to quiver. A confirming look up into his face told Bet he was vacillating between acceptance and rage. The scales were tipped; his eyes were burning bright with indignity. He shouted as he rose to his feet, "You will do as I say!"

Bettina scrambled on the floor to get away from him.

In a blinding second of confusion, Alden came crashing through the door. He immediately sidestepped the girl and grabbed Singer from behind. He attempted to lock his arms around the troupe leader's shoulders, saying calmly: "That's enough now."

The angry man's fists flailed on Alden's hands and arms where he pinned Singer, but in that momentarily delay, Bet was able to stand up.

"Let go, you damned fruit!" Bettina's father yelled and tried to twist out of the other man's grasp.

"Not until you say you're calm again. And stop shouting; the kids can hear you!"

Suddenly, Singer was perfectly still. His breathing remained heavy, but he offered no resistance. Alden loosened his hold by slow degrees, and then finally released Singer once that man showed no signs of restarting his aggression.

Alden moved around in front of his boss. He stood by Bet's side.

Astounded by the realization, Bet asked her father quietly, "So, your collapse, that was all a ploy to get me to give up Glen?"

Singer rolled his eyes, but did not answer.

"Look," Alden offered in a reasonable tone. "It's over, Singer. It's time to let go, or you will lose her forever."

Without warning, Singer Martin launched himself at Alden, grabbing ahold of him by the neck and punching him in the gut.

Alden's air escaped him as a pain-wracked grunt, and Bettina let out a scream.

Alden pushed Singer back and put up his dukes.

The men danced around one another for only a moment until a knuckle-busting sound broke across Singer's face. He punched back, but Alden ducked, and landed a solid jab into Singer's abdomen.

The struck man mumbled a pain-filled profanity about Alden and lashed out again.

"Stop it!" Bet screamed.

A hard punch landed right against the side of Alden's eye socket and reeled him back in agony.

Singer struck again, landing an upper cut to the man's jaw, and shouting, "I trusted you… I trusted you!"

Alden fell to the floor on one knee.

Singer mercilessly delivered a right hook that sent his opponent cheek-first to the dusty boards under his feet.

"Oh, Singer," Bet said as Alden slightly groaned, and her father stood over the man with cocked fist, panting heavily. "He trusted YOU – and so did I…" The girl broke down in dry-heaving sobs.

All color drained from her father's face. It was as if Singer had awoken from a nightmare. "Bet…"

She ran to the door, and wrestled momentarily with Lowell Fredricks trying to re-enter.

She bolted down the hallway, hearing her dad's voice trail "Wait" after her.

 

˚˚˚˚˚

 

Lowell stood aghast just inside the doorway of the green room. Bettina had rushed past him only moments ago, and her father had roughly knocked his shoulder to move the man out of his way as he darted after her. To the adman's horror, Alden was groaning, and groping for a chair to try and raise himself from the floor.

Lowell flew to his side, slid the last foot or so on his knees and gently grabbed the beaten man from behind. He yanked out his handkerchief and forced Alden to look at him.

Besides the dark swellings of a black eye forming while he watched, thick blood trailed from the corner of Alden's mouth.

A bible verse formed itself out of Lowell's desire to soothe. "Oh, Alden, I will be your comforter." He rocked him gently.[1]

"It's over, Lowell. I can't stay with Singer after this."

"Yes. But it will be all right. Sometimes change is good."

Alden was moodily silent, and the adman thought of a way around it. "They all talked about you, you know."

"Who?"

"Your troupe members. They all told me how you touched their lives, and made them better."

Again, silence greeted Lowell's attempt to cheer him up.

"But you know," started the adman with a growing confidence. "There's one more interview I need to do."

"With who?"

"With you."

"Lowell – "

"Okay, but one question then."

Alden reluctantly nodded, and Lowell Fredricks' eyes flickered with tears. "Do you love me? Because I really love you."

Alden scrambled to kneel right before the adman, but never withdrew his eyes from Lowell. He lifted his hands and placed them on Lowell's cheek. "I've never cared for anyone the way I do for you. Yes, I love you."

Lowell felt Alden pull him into a kiss, and through his tightly closed eyes, his tears became ones of joy; ones where the salty-iron taste of his beloved's life force entered directly into him.

 

˚˚˚˚˚

 

Bettina had lost Singer in the confusion of parents and kids outside the entrance to Santaland.

She had dashed upstairs and gone to the one place in the store she thought she could be alone and safe in public.

Now she sat with a glass of milk, at a window table of the employee cafeteria on twelve.

There were few people around this time of the afternoon, and most of them sat singly at scattered tables. She supposed they all appeared beleaguered, and comprehended how break time on the day before Christmas Eve would mean shell-shocked staff.

Motion and suppressed giggles drew her attention.

In another moment, Lorna slid into the seat across from her. She was still in full makeup and costume, and the older woman carefully removed her straw hat. She placed it on the table, next to Bet's untouched milk, and the girl idly watched the spring-stemmed daisy wink and nod.

"Did Singer send you?"

"No, Bet. I came on my own. I guessed you'd be here."

"Oh Lorna, it was horrible."

She reached out and patted the girl's hands. "It's all right," Lorna said through a sigh. "We can't put the genie back in the bottle."

"So, you've known this whole time he's drug me around to show her what an upstanding father he's been?"

"I… I suspected it, Bet. But it doesn't change the fact that he loves you."

"If he does love me, then he'll want me to be happy."

"He does, and he will. I know he'll accept Glen, but it may take a little time."

"Time is the one thing we don't have, Lorna. I think tomorrow, after Santaland closes, he'll get the boys to take Glen to the train station and make sure he leaves without me."

"It's all right, Bet. We won't let that happen."

"We?"

"Yes." Lorna glanced over her shoulder towards the café doors.

To Bet's great surprise, Lawrie was walking towards them; he too was in full makeup and costume, and he had his satin Ringleader's top hat in his hands. The young man sidled up to their table and into the chair next to Lorna. His elegant headgear came to rest next to Lorna's more rustic example with the bobbing daisy.

"You're willing to help me, Lawrie?" Bettina Martin almost couldn't believe it.

The young man nodded.

"Even though I broke your heart?"

He nodded again, and Lorna placed her arm around him. The older woman said in both admiration and disbelief: "You can't pick who you love, and you can't choose someone you don’t. So, what'cha gonna do about it? Nothing, that's what. My advice to you, Lawrie, is wait. Someone real special and real nice will be picking you soon enough."

That made the boy smile, and Bet felt a million pounds lift off her shoulders.

Lorna turned to Bet. "Look, so Lawrie and me and Alden have an idea to help you and Glen escape, if that's what you really want."

Bettina slowly lifted her eyes. "I'm going to be with him one way or the other, so yes – please help us."

"All right, darling. Don’t you worry; I have a plan. Now, come on, dry your tears. We have to go find Alden and Lowell, and…" She offered up a small chuckle. "I bet we'll find them together."

 

              

 

 

 

 

[1] Lowell's bible reference is to John 14:15-17 kjv. See here

Copyright © 2017 AC Benus; All Rights Reserved.
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Stories posted in this category are works of fiction. Names, places, characters, events, and incidents are created by the authors' imaginations or are used fictitiously. Any resemblances to actual persons (living or dead), organizations, companies, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.
Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you. 
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Chapter Comments

Well, well. Singer sure showed his true colours. Both to Bet and to Alden. Was the “damned fruit” only tolerated because he was good for business ? Things said in anger can sometimes unveil hidden resentment that has been extant for a long time. The verbal paired with the physical attack may well have created a fence, that even Lorna won’t be able to mend.

 

Thumbs up for Bet. She chose her “cowboy” and won’t be stopped. With the help of Lorna and her unexpected ally she will succeed.
Thumbs up for Lawrie as well: a mature reaction, which was a pleasant surprise.

 

And in between all the hectics the last, shortest, but most important interview Lowell conducted.
Love declared at the right time.

  • Love 1
On 12/24/2015 08:26 AM, J.HunterDunn said:

Well, well. Singer sure showed his true colours. Both to Bet and to Alden. Was the “damned fruit” only tolerated because he was good for business ? Things said in anger can sometimes unveil hidden resentment that has been extant for a long time. The verbal paired with the physical attack may well have created a fence, that even Lorna won’t be able to mend.

 

Thumbs up for Bet. She chose her “cowboy” and won’t be stopped. With the help of Lorna and her unexpected ally she will succeed.

Thumbs up for Lawrie as well: a mature reaction, which was a pleasant surprise.

 

And in between all the hectics the last, shortest, but most important interview Lowell conducted.

Love declared at the right time.

Yes, Peter, now the 'happy ending' seen right at the beginning becomes important. I suppose we glimpse a lot of secret stress in Singer. He has to keep things together and pay off his retired partner. There may have been hidden resentment of Alden as well, as Alden is better at being the golden-boy than Singer can anymore. Such is life, I suppose.

 

Bet does the hard work and becomes hero to herself. I like young people who can do that, and Bet really took on a life of her own in my mind. I hope it shows.

 

And yes, Lowell and Alden – our boys – say what Glen and Bet had confessed earlier. It's going to be a great Christmas for the four of them….but, the adman…he still one last task to accomplish…

 

Thanks for another great review. The final segment is coming in about 8 hours…you should find it under the tree by the time you wake up on Christmas morning ;)

 

Merry Christmas.

Hmm.. I guess Singer isn't coming from an altogether bad place. Those words from Bet's mother, haunted him all this time. I think it sad, he let it him drive all those years. What I don't understand, was how easy it was for him to be so hurtful to Alden. It shouldn't be, but I guess it's a natural defence to be hateful when you're feeling cornered, and being called on your crap. But words have a lasting effect. Especially from people you trust. Singer, more than anyone should know this. It will be tough to move on from there.

 

Bet standing up to Singer, and in effect standing up for herself and Glen was just great. I was even more surprised and happy about Lawrie's reaction. That made me so proud of him in that moment..

 

Then Lowell and Alden.. It could not get any better than that!

 

Wonderful AC!

  • Love 1

Ah AC, nicely done! Explosion - hopeless sadness - followed by hope!

 

Lawrie revealed true love. He only wishes the best for whom he loves.

 

That little explosion also had the side effect of cementing Lowell and Alden. Singer, in his petulant stupidity, accomplished some great things! :o

 

Thanks for this wonderful chapter!

  • Love 1
On 12/27/2015 12:29 AM, Mikiesboy said:

Singer is a foolish man, but he's tortured too. Alden is great until he stands up to Singer and then suddenly he's the 'damned fruit'.

 

And Lawrie comes to the rescue!

 

Full of surprises, AC!

 

tim

All good comments, Tim. Thank you! Part of me was trying to make Singer and Alden different sides of a similar coin, and both represent a reflection of F. Scott Fitzgerald's arch-type of a tortured golden boy. Anyway, that was always in the back of my head; how successful or unsuccessful I was is up to the reader to decide.

 

Thanks for another great review, and for all of your enthusiasm. I appreciate it!

On 12/27/2015 05:51 AM, Defiance19 said:

Hmm.. I guess Singer isn't coming from an altogether bad place. Those words from Bet's mother, haunted him all this time. I think it sad, he let it him drive all those years. What I don't understand, was how easy it was for him to be so hurtful to Alden. It shouldn't be, but I guess it's a natural defence to be hateful when you're feeling cornered, and being called on your crap. But words have a lasting effect. Especially from people you trust. Singer, more than anyone should know this. It will be tough to move on from there.

 

Bet standing up to Singer, and in effect standing up for herself and Glen was just great. I was even more surprised and happy about Lawrie's reaction. That made me so proud of him in that moment..

 

Then Lowell and Alden.. It could not get any better than that!

 

Wonderful AC!

Thank you, Defiance19. For me, more so than Singer's words, the lashing out at Alden physically was the bigger betrayal. I think you come to the heart of it by suggestion he felt cornered.

 

As for Lawrie, all along Bet was his biggest advocate. She knew he was a gentle and thoughtful guy, so it's good to see her opinion vindicated through his actions.

 

With Lowell and Alden, as I came up to this simple moment, I knew It Had to be Good! lol – so I like feedback that it's working.

 

Thanks again for your compliments and praise. I appreciate it a lot.

On 12/29/2015 03:42 AM, skinnydragon said:

Ah AC, nicely done! Explosion - hopeless sadness - followed by hope!

 

Lawrie revealed true love. He only wishes the best for whom he loves.

 

That little explosion also had the side effect of cementing Lowell and Alden. Singer, in his petulant stupidity, accomplished some great things! :o

 

Thanks for this wonderful chapter!

skinnyD! Thank you for a great review! Yes, I guess Singer cemented both Glen and Bet, and Lowell and Alden together unknowingly – he's more than a bit of a tragic clown.

 

Lawrie's the kind of hero I like best. He just appears when he's needed most, and does what needs to be done, because he knows it's the right thing to do. Good on him!

 

And good on you for leaving me such a wonderful series of reviews. You are kind and generous, and I want you to know I appreciate your comments. Thanks once again.

I can't wait to see what the plan is to help Glen and Bet get away. Lawrie has turned out to be nicer than I'd have expected, and I hope he finds his own true love soon. I'm available if he wants. :)
Well, it sure looks like Singer has ruined the troupe with his actions...but they'd have likely folded in the years to come, though their act was novel enough with the mechanical animals.
On to the next chapter, my dear friend!

  • Love 1
On 04/06/2016 04:21 PM, ColumbusGuy said:

I can't wait to see what the plan is to help Glen and Bet get away. Lawrie has turned out to be nicer than I'd have expected, and I hope he finds his own true love soon. I'm available if he wants. :)

Well, it sure looks like Singer has ruined the troupe with his actions...but they'd have likely folded in the years to come, though their act was novel enough with the mechanical animals.

On to the next chapter, my dear friend!

Thank you, ColumbusGuy, for another wonderful review.

 

With the troupe, we learn at the beginning of the story that they are still together – minus Alden and Bet – and I imagine they will be for many years to come. They are a family too, after all. I think that Lawrie never had any trouble attracting suitable love-interests, but his holding out hope for Bet blinded him to any other possibilities. I think Lorna's advice to him about 'someone real nice' will pay out in Lawrie's life sooner than he knows. He is a sweet boy, after all :)

 

Thanks again for your support and your excellent editing efforts for this tale. They are greatly appreciated.

Lowell did ask the most important question, and it was probably the best comfort he could offer Alden after the betrayal of Singer. With one terrible act he lost his daughter's respect and his best friend and made it easy for them to abandon him. Bet might forgive Singer for herself, but she won't forgive him for beating up her uncle who has always been kind to everybody. Lawrie showed he's a better man than Singer, and he'll be able to warm his lonely heart with the gratitude of Bet and the approval of Lorna. I'm glad you say her prediction will soon be fulfilled.

  • Love 1
23 minutes ago, Timothy M. said:

Lowell did ask the most important question, and it was probably the best comfort he could offer Alden after the betrayal of Singer. With one terrible act he lost his daughter's respect and his best friend and made it easy for them to abandon him. Bet might forgive Singer for herself, but she won't forgive him for beating up her uncle who has always been kind to everybody. Lawrie showed he's a better man than Singer, and he'll be able to warm his lonely heart with the gratitude of Bet and the approval of Lorna. I'm glad you say her prediction will soon be fulfilled.

The stress of everything got to Singer, and unfortunately - tragically - when times are tense, homophobia makes a convenient tool to harm someone, even someone we love. It's awful. But I am glad Lawrie gets to show his true colors, and how much he really loves Bet. 

 

Thanks again, Tim.  

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