Title: From Across The Room Part 14: A Very Frantic Interlude Rating: PG-13 Author: Alsepang E-mail: alsepang@hotmail.com Disclaimer: You know it. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* "I say we do something about it. There's only so much any decent person can take!" A fist slams on the hard and unyielding surface of a table. "Ow." "Right. All this angsty-sob-sob-I-can't- love-him-but-she-doesn't-believe-me stuff has got to stop. I'm getting fed up too." Another fist meets a palm repeatedly, threateningly. A third voice chimes in. "It's not as if they're in some story and must put the readers off as long as possible. For goodness' sake, this is real life! Were two people ever more stupid and irritating? Why can't they just tell the truth?" "They don't believe each other. Worse still, Darien's beginning to lose hope. I would have thought that those letters would melt her." A rather apologetic look crosses someone's face. "Somehow I feel responsible for it. It was my idea, after all." "She's just insecure. I would be too, were I ever to be in her position. Yet she really does love him." "Darien now thinks she never really loved him. Even better, he feels she could never love him." The new voice is deadly serious and very worried. "He's moping and it's all I can do to get him to eat or go out." "Can't we just lock them into a room or a broom closet and make 'em confront each other? I mean, enclosed space, lots of sexual tension, hot lips, kiss-kiss, and voila, they realise they're in love with each other and will live happily ever after!" "..." "Uh, this is not a, you know, romance story being written by a Someone...and how do you propose to lure them into a broom closet or a room? I know it's been done before, but ever since Mina broke into her laptop, Serena's been highly suspicious--" "Hey, if it wasn't for moi, they wouldn't have found each other so quickly! I ought to be given a vote of thanks and gratitude, especially when they've kissed and made up--" "We're wandering from the point. Why does Darien think Serena won't love him, or doesn't love him, or could never love him, or any of that nonsense? He's beginning to sound like her. Andrew, Kunzite, did either of you actually see him read that story? Go and recite some of the mushier lines to him or something. Point out that only a woman madly in love would write such things in her diary--" "What do you mean-her *DIARY*?" "Uh-oh." "Likewise." "No one was supposed to know." "Yeah! At least I won't be the only one she kills!" Knuckles are cracked. "If anyone outside of this room finds out, I'll come looking for you." There is a long pause. "He doesn't know it's her diary." "How did it get, uh, published?" "It's Mina's fault. She was being ditzy." "It was an accident!" "So you're saying that Serena didn't send in that story?" "No. But she did write it." "We should tell Darien. A diary represents innermost feelings." "Will he believe us?" "We should steal it." "Molly?" "You know, she keeps his letters. I think she writes back too, although I've never been able to catch her at it." "He doesn't receive any letters-- he hasn't received anything from her, except a rose." "*What* is it with them and roses...anyway, surely that tells him she cares? I mean, she saved him from that mad driver!" "He thinks it's his fault she landed up in hospital." "Oh, great. Another reason for the hankies and tissue boxes to appear. What is this, an afternoon soap opera? Don't those two know a good thing when they see one?" "Obviously not." Eyes are rolled impatiently. "Otherwise, why would *we* be discussing this?" "We're too nosy for our own good?" "Besides that." "We're digressing again. I suggest we evaluate our goals--" "That's easy. We're trying to get them together." "Yes, but first we must persuade Darien that Serena loves him and that he has a strong chance--" "I have an idea!" There began a series of low furious whispers. "...what...lock-picker..." "Federal felony!!!" "...numskulls..." "...wearing...romantic..." "...It's Christmas..." "...season...leaving day after, for goodness' sake..." "...but..." The football huddle at the end of the discussion spelt a sinister meaning for two people. "Why *me*?!" "I will not---mmph!" The stage was set, the die was cast. (c) 2001 Copyright original storyline by Alsepang Did you know? Hainan Island, at the southernmost tip of China, is now known as the site of the spy plane incident. Historically, it was known as the very furthest end of the Chinese empire. In fact, emperors had a habit of banishing people who were out of favour with them to the far reaches of Hainan Island. If you go to Hainan Island today, there is a huge rock out there, and on it are four words: "Tian(1) Ya(2) Hai(3) Jiao(4)". It may be taken to mean "the furthest reaches of the heavens and the deepest ends of the sea." Hainan means "south of the sea" and is a beautiful place with sandy beaches and coconut palms. Like many other parts of China, Hainan has seen great economic development, probably because it is one of China's Special Economic Zones. Hainan Island was also the birthplace and home of China's famous Song sisters, or Soong sisters. Song Ailing, who married China's wealthiest man, H.H. Kung; Song Qingling, who married China's first President, Dr. Sun Yat-sen, despite her father's disapproval; and Song Meiling, who married Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, who led China after Sun Yat-sen died. Chiang Kai-shek's marriage to Song Meiling was a political one. Marrying her made him related to Song Qingling, the deeply-respected widow of China's revered first President, Dr. Sun Yat-sen. He divorced his first wife and pensioned off his concubine to marry Song Meiling, described by the American journalist Edgar Snow as 'rich, American-educated Soong Meiling'. (Incidentally, Edgar Snow was the first foreign journalist to penetrate behind Communist lines in the early 30s and to bring back the first true stories behind the Communist-Nationalist civil war in China. He also wrote several books documenting the early lives of Communist leaders such as Mao and Zhou Enlai. To this day, China still honours the widow of Edgar Snow). Unlike Mao Zedong's infamous wife, Jiang Qing, Song Qingling did not attempt to take political power, despite the fact that she probably had enough support. She didn't like Generalissimo Chiang. Sure, he ended up being her brother-in-law, but she still did not like the way he was handling her beloved country. He did not seem to be carrying on her late husband's legacy. Song Qingling stayed on in China when the Communists took over. As a matter of fact, she liked them better. Chiang Kai-shek's government was corrupt and the Chinese peasants were treated very badly. To put it bluntly, they had reverted back to the old days of imperial China, where the officials lined their pockets freely. (You can say the same of Chinese officials today, but seventy years ago, it wasn't like that. Most of them were peasants, hailing from the much-bullied lower classes). To cut a long story short, China still remembers the Soong family, especially the three sisters. It is, however, Song Qingling, who is most respected. She and her two sisters were separated by the 1949 Communist takeover. She never saw her sisters again. They went to America-- her eldest sister, Song Ailing, was married to a wealthy capitalist, and youngest sister Song Meiling was married to the Communists' No. 1 enemy, Chiang Kai-shek. The Cold War also helped to keep them apart, since China remained closed to the outside world. In 1981, aged eighty-eight, Song Qingling was made honorary Chairman of China. There is a saying which goes: "Song Ailing loved money; Song Meiling loved power; Song Qingling loved her country."