Extortion

Recycled Gifts

Tuesday 21St 10:30pm. The Sternwood Residence, Upper Montclair New Jersey

The forty four minute drive from the offices of PD Sternwood Financial Services and Investments in Exchange Place New Jersey felt twice as long. Prudence is exhausted every sinew of her body aches, she wheezes heavily, an early start at the tv studios and another long day in the office. The cool air circulated her two year old luxury Lexus LT to stop her from nodding off. "I'm going to have to hire a driver" she mumbles to herself.

She slowly stalls her SUV at the gates of their family mansion, she presses the clicker to open the electric gates into compound. The gates open she slowly drives in. She dials Donald on her cellphone which sits on a phone stand on her dashboard. "Hey Pru, you near home love, you must be tired!"

The mention of the word tired, makes her yawn "I'm exhausted!!, Donny I'm driving in the drive, would you mind helping me in with my stuff and Arabelle, if she's home?"

"We will of course!! see you in a sec!"

"Perfect thanks Donny, chat in a sec!" and she hangs up. Prudence parks her SUV as close to the large dark oak door as possible and switches off the engine.

She places her left hand on the drivers door as she wiggles out of the drives seat carefully placing her left leg on the running board, then her right and then carefully makes contact with the ground. Donnies moist lips connect with her lips "Darling!" he states.

Prudence smiles "Darling", they are in the trunk!" She feels Donald right hand rest on her back as she leads a slow tired walk to the trunk which she opens.

Donald stares at the red roses and a box of Recchiuti chocolates, completely stunned. "Did the tv station, give you them?"

Prudence stretches and hands them to him "Holly gave them to me"

"What did you give her", askes Arabelle.

Prudence's jaw drops at the site of of Arabelle dressed in pink pyjamas bottoms and hello kitty white t-shirt. Prudence's parents were very strict on attire, they said pyjamas were for bedtime and bedtime only. A believe she too shared.

"Did I get you out of bed Arabelle?"

Arabelle grabs her suitcase and lifts it out of the trunk along with the suit bag "Are you going to give me your pyjamas lecture?"

Prudence adjusts her glasses on her nose and extends out her hands "I'm too exhausted, all I'm going to say is at eighteen I respected my parents house rules"

Arabelle turns her back to Prudence with the suitcase following behind her in her right hand and suit bad in her left "You are such an old-timer. Zachs mum says your comfortable that's all that matters".
Donald places the flowers on the kitchen mahogany table. He opens a storage cabinet and takes out a large Waterford Crystal Vase, fills it with water and places the flowers in it. His thoughts on Holly. How could she treat him so badly. He spent a lot of money on the flowers and chocolates and for her to do this. He worries that she is trying to manipulate Prudence, build a closer relationship to use against him. Holly constantly threatened him about telling Prudence. He loves her but is also afraid of her.He is terrified of her brothers, he never met them but can't be sure Holly is bluffing with the threats they make against him.

He exists the kitchen and returns back outside.

Prudence sighs, removes her laptop bag and hands it to Donny "I placed the flowers in a vase in the kitchen".

"Thanks Donny!". Prudences shuts down the trunk of the suv. Zachery Maroney is Arabelles boyfriend. He is Arabelles age. His forty one year old mother a yoga and fitness instructor is the complete opposite to Prudence. Prudence destests how Arablle looks up to Jessie Maroney and not her.

12am
Donald is in their bedroom ensuite. Starting at his droopy belly. Holly's jeering about his weight ringing in his ears. He worries that he is the wrong side of sixty to make the changes she wants, however he has no bargaining chips with Holly.

From her plush upstairs office, Prudence groans as she slowly rises from her soft dark brown leather swivel chair. Every bone in her body ached. In another six hours time she will rise and do it all again.

Her legs felt like tree trunks as she waded out of the office, turns off the light and quietly shuts the door behind her.

She opens her bedroom door "I think I'm going to hire a driver darling" but Donald was in bed. He was standing at the ensuite, dressed in only his suit trousers, standing by a mirror examining his stomach.

Prudence gasps in worry and slowly stands beside him placing her left hand on his back "Everything all right Darling?"

"I'm weak fat old man!"

"Ah Donald" Prudence Stretches her face upwards and kisses him on the cheek "Your still the same Donald Sternwood to me". A thought crosses her mind 'if he thinks this of himself what does he think of me?'.

"I met Harry Zimmerman today he's seventy in a few years time I'll be his age and he's in much better shape than I and I don't want to be a burden on you in five or so years time" he lies

Prudence adjusts her glasses "Darling your a wonderful husband and father, look neither of us have lived the most active lifestyle" She begins to rub his back with her hand "Let's do something together to help us be more active and lose weight.

Apartment 136, Building 98 Absecon Boulevard Atlantic City
Florence Baker tossed and turned in bed in her small two bed apartment. She couldn't sleep. Her conscience challenging her on what she was about to do. It worries her about the health of Prudence, she doesn't want to hurt her but the money oh the money. She will be able to get out of the dingy apartment leave her crappy badly paid administrative job at the Atlantic City Discount Savers stores head office. She worries about getting into Europe and hopes her fake passport will work. She smiles at the thought of being near her daughter and grandson. How she missed missed. She would have to be careful where she meets her daughter in case authorities get on to her. Her attention runs to her daughter Sandy, she really hopes she will forgive her but assures herself she will when she realises why she did. Sandy didn't like how everyone was jealous of Prudence, she didn't like Gretchen, warned her mother to keep her distance from her but once she gets her money she will cut all ties off with Gretchen.

Her mind returns to Prudence, she can still her her deep gasps for breath between sentences on the tv. she worries that as soon as they snatch her the experience along will give her a heart attack and then there would be no big pay day. She hated herself for given her the name Rolypoly Prudence, she closes her eyes but can't get the image of hurt in Prudences face from all those years ago.

New Jersey Town Square Parking Garage March 18th 2001.
Florence checks each door on her three year old Volkswagon is locked. She hears a baby crying and a female voice she recognises. She Stretches her head forward. She sees the back of a woman in a grey suit, as she tries to calm a crying baby while struggling to remove her from her baby seat. Eventually the woman has the crying baby gently in her arms as she places her in a pram. It is Prudence. She is overcome with guilt, she curses her drunken state three weeks previous when at a small family gathering came up with the nickname RolyPoly Prudence. She decides to say hello, Prudence is very unlikely to punch her.

She walks towards them and waits until Prudence has the crying Arabelle in her pram. "Hello Prudence"
Prudence jumps causing her oversized black frame glasses to nearly fall off. She turns in fear towards Florence "Oh Florence" her voice unenthusiastic at the sight of her cousin "You startled me"

"I'm so sorry, oh wow she's so cute, hello Arabelle" she stares in at the crying baby,"She's a real beauty, how old is she now?"

"Two months" replies Prudence in annoyance

"Two months already wow, and your looking great Prudence!"

Prudence eyes narrow "Don't lie to my face" her tone now from annoyance to emotional anger "I know what name you made up for me, HOW DARE YOU!!"

Florence looks away in shame "I'm sorry I was drunk".

She watched as Prudence's eyes turns from fiery to watery "RolyPoly Prudence, how could you!!"

Florence bites her lower lip as her own eyes water "I really regret it"

Prudence hands a teddy to Arabelle in the hope it will calm her "Regret it!! Regret it, Guess what it's stuck! I had Gretchen abuse me down the phone calling me it"

"Oh, I'm sorr-"

"Don't lie to me, your not sorry, crying your crocodile tears. I struggle with my weight, 2 weeks maternity leave before I'd to go back to the business, trying to be a mother and businesswoman all at once, I would have thought I'd get the support by a fellow woman but obviously not".

"Prudence please"

Prudence extends out her left palm "Don't!!, if you genuinely wanted to apologies you would have done it weaks ago, you would swear butter won't melt in your mouth. Now please get out of my way, I've to get Arabelle to creche and a business meeting to go to!"