Banks Dynasty – Day 17 (Part 1)

Michael is asleep in Claudia’s old bed when I wake up the next morning.

Alida: Mike…wake up! What are you doing in here?

Michael slowly wakes up and rises from the bed.

Michael: Sorry…I just didn’t want to deal with Raul this morning.

Alida: I don’t blame you, but you’ll get in trouble if Mama Nadine finds out you slept in here.

Michael: I know. *deep sigh* Although you and I both know that I belong in here a lot more than I do the boys’ room.

Michael has a point.

I leave the room first, hoping that Mama Nadine hadn’t made it to the kitchen yet. Not only is she up, but so is Raul. I shoot a dirty look at him to let him know that I’m still mad at him. There’s no way Michael will be able to leave the room without Mama Nadine and Raul seeing him.

Michael tiptoes out the room anyway. Suddenly Raul speaks up in an effort to distract Mama Nadine…

Raul: Can you show me how you season the omelets to get them to taste so good?

Mama Nadine is happy to show off her cooking skills. She turns her back just long enough to allow Michael  to sneak past without her seeing him.

Mama Nadine: Want to know my secret ingredient? I add garlic powder to everything! *demonstrates* See…all it takes is a few pinches.

I reenter the room after my shower. Raul looks over and winks at me…hoping that what he did for Michael will be enough to warm me up to him. It’s going to take a lot more than that to make me less angry. Apparently, Michael feels the same way. He shoots Raul a couple of dirty looks as well, as he grabs his plate.

We punish Raul further by making him walk to school alone. Yeah, it’s a little petty, but Michael and I are both in that type of mood.

Meanwhile… Robert Beasley has used his resources to locate Mama Nadine’s group home. He scouts the house almost the whole time, while the kids are at school.

My mood is worse by the time we arrive home from school. Not only have I avoided Raul all day, but I’m very close to steering clear of Michael too because he won’t stop talking to me about the texts that he’s been receiving from somebody at school. He won’t tell me who it is, but he insists on reading each text to me…while letting me know repeatedly how cute he…or she is.

Michael: Alida! Come and listen to this one… it says, ‘…can’t wait to see you perform in the next school play. I’ll make sure to get a front row seat!’

I’m over Raul and Michael so I go and sit on the porch hoping to get a few minutes of alone time until it’s time to leave for drama club.

We return home from drama club to an unexpected surprise…I watch as he walks up our driveway, through the side gate and up to the front door. Luckily, he doesn’t see us…but seeing him makes my heart pound all the way in my neck.

Alida: Oh my gawd Mike…it’s him!

Michael: Who?

Alida: Robert Beasley!

My first instinct is to run, but Michael has another idea.

Michael: Let’s sneak over and see what he wants *begins walking closer to the wall that surrounds the house*

I reluctantly follow.

Alida: Why do you think he’s here? What does he want?

Michael: Shhhh, before he hears you!

We peep over the wall as he knocks on the door.

I stand there on rubbery legs feeling like all the blood has left my face as we wait for Mama Nadine to answer the door. I pray silently to myself that she’s out back or in the laundry room where it’s hard to hear the front door. No such luck…she answers immediately.

Time seems to stand still as she stares at the face of the man at her door. Maybe she won’t recognize him or she’ll just shut the door in his face. I hold my breath waiting to see what happens next.

Mama Nadine: Robert? What are you doing here?

Mr. Beasley: Nadine! I’ve been searching for you for a long time!

Mr. Beasley: *continues* I don’t understand…why’d you just disappear? How could you leave without even saying goodbye?

Mama Nadine: You know why I left.

Mr. Beasley: I don’t.

Mama Nadine: Yes you do… *suddenly raises her voice in anger* you know exactly why!

Michael and I simultaneously lean in further, waiting for Mr. Beasley to respond.

Mr. Beasley: Are you talking about Maci? Did you leave because of her? Dini…there was nothing going on between us. You know that.

Mama Nadine: Don’t call me that! I haven’t been…that – in years. *sighs and turns her back* I saw an article – in a newspaper. You married her….in Windenburg – the same place where we were going to get married.

Mr. Beasley: That was after you left. Two years after. *lengthened pause* You were the love of my life – and suddenly you were just…gone. Why? Don’t I deserve to know? …And don’t tell me it was because of Maci. She didn’t mean shit to me back then and you know it. Tell me the truth.

Mama Nadine’s voice gets so quiet that Michael and I have to strain and practically hold our breath to hear her next words.

Mama Nadine: Does it matter? Nothing was ever going to be the same after the accident anyway. Not with my career…and not between us.

Mr. Beasley: You don’t know that. You never even gave us a chance.

Mama Nadine: *turns back suddenly* I do know that! And you know that too! How would a marriage work between a big time talent manager…with a caseload of beautiful, young talented stars – and me…damaged goods – a has been?

Mr. Beasley: A has been? Your fans still loved you! You were never damaged. I could never have seen you as damaged.

Mama Nadine: Yes you did! I could see it in your eyes every time you looked at me!

Mr. Beasley: *raised voice* You saw what you wanted to see… but that’s not how I felt.  I’ve only ever looked at you with love.

Mama Nadine: None of it matters now. It’s in the past. Just leave…go home to your wife. I don’t want you here.

Mr. Beasley: I’m not going anywhere until you tell me why you threw away everything we had.

Mama Nadine: I just told you why…now go!

Mr. Beasley: What did I do to you? Why are you so mad at me Dini… *realizes his mistake* uh, Nadine? You left me. I didn’t leave you! *pauses to think* Does it have something to do with that Alida girl? I had no idea she is only 15.

(Generation 1 Chapter Summaries)