JUDITH STOKES LINFORD, from FOR NOW AND FOREVER
Bio provided by author:
Judith is a spoiled brat, pure and simple. Born in Manhattan to wealthy parents Nelson and Leticia Stokes, Judith is the oldest sister of Janet and Jillian. She thinks she should be the only person who matters and is used to getting what she wants. Her mother is wise to her, but her father continues to be blinded. Judith uses her Daddy's devotion to her advantage. She married Mark Linford (who she schemed to get), but didn't realize that he was using her to gain access to her social status and family's business contacts to advance his own career. Shortly after the marriage, she realized what a mistake she'd made, but feared what a divorce would do to her social status. She began a series of brief affairs (and he likewise) until she fell in love with poor Burt Lamont. Burt wanted her to run away with him, but she refused to give up lifestyle for him. After Burt left town, Judith realized she was expecting his child. Fearing scandal, she let her husband to believe the child was his. Actually, Mark was away of her dalliances and the true paternity of the child, but insisted on claiming the baby as his for his own professional reasons. Recently, Judith has learned that Burt is dating Janet. He is unaware that Janet and Judith are sisters.
Judith has always enjoyed a rather close relationship with Jillian, though there can often be a touch of rivalry between them. Judith is rather fond of terrorizing Janet for sport especially concerning Janet's involvement in a family secret that has yet to be revealed. Judith's true reasons for her harassment of her sister have yet to be revealed, but with the revelation of Burt and Janet's relationship, this harassment has intensified. Judith is not a very nice person, but her clever barbs make her quite entertaining.
SCENE #1:
The Sunset Hotel, Jillian and Janet's suite
"What are you doing?" Jillian asked as she stood in the doorway and watched Judith packing the last of her things. "I thought the doctor told you that you needed to rest?"
"He did." Judith replied as two bell boys stepped out of the bedroom carrying an overabundance of luggage. "You actually think I'm going to carry my own bags?"
"That's not what I mean and you know it!" Jillian scowled at her sister and rushed up to pull the much smaller bag out of her hand. "The doctor warned you not to travel. He said that you needed to stay in Albanyville for a while for the sake of your baby. That spell you had could be a sign of something more serious than just fatigue."
"Would you please just stop with the 'mother hen' routine?" Judith stood with her hands on her hips and glared at her. Why did Jillian think she had to be the caretaker of everyone? Heck, she was the baby of the family! She was doing good to just take care of herself. "I am not going anywhere! I am following the doctor's orders and I'm staying here in Albanyville. I'm just not staying here with you."
"What? Why not?"
"Do you really expect me to stay here in this...this little hotel room with both you and Janet?" Judith rolled her eyes and sighed at the foolishness of that idea. "Please! It's like a can of sardines in here, as it is! The only way I could stay here would be to kill one or both of you off!"
"Then where are you going?" Jillian kept her eyes firmly locked on her. Why did Judith always have to be so overly dramatic?
"I've rented one of the penthouses upstairs. Of course, it's not the Waldorf, but it'll have to do. They're rather quaint, actually." Judith waved towards the bell boys who again picked up her bags and carried them out the door. "These nice young men were just helping me move."
"Well..." Jillian rested her hand on her chin as she thought. "I guess it's okay. I'd rather you'd stay here so I can keep an eye on you and your baby, but I guess since you'll only be right upstairs, it's okay."
"Thank you, Mummy." Judith rolled her eyes again and did a mock curtsey. "Now, if you're finished interrogating me, I need to go up to my room and fix that atrocious decorating that this hotel seems to think passes for style."
"Hello," Janet spoke up as she walked in through the open front door. She looked curiously at the bell boys as they carried more of Judith's luggage out of the suite. "Um...what's going on? Who's leaving?"
"I'm moving upstairs, dear. There's only so much of you two a civilized person can take."
Jillian shot Judith a stern glare before turning her attention towards her other sister. "So, Janet, where have you been?"
"Out," Janet replied without further explanation.
"You've been out with your mysterious fellow again, haven't you?" Jillian eyed her closely. She clearly remembered seeing them together at the cafe, but Judith's sudden collapse had prevented her from getting a good look at him, let alone actually meeting him.
"Yes, I was with him." Janet's eyes darted back and forth between Jillian and Judith before she breezed past them in hopes of ignoring their questions.
"You know, Janet," Jillian began tentatively as she turned to follow her. "Judith and I saw you two together at Joe's the other day. We were on our way over to say 'hi' and meet your mystery man when Judith had her attack."
"I know," Judith sighed. "How unfortunate. I so wanted to meet this man whom you've clearly decided to ruin your life with. Haven't you learned your lesson, Janet? You do remember what happened the last time, don't you?"
Jillian threw her hand up to silence Judith. There was no need dredging up such a traumatic past. Meanwhile, Janet kept her back to them as she tried to hide the look of terror that had covered her face. Had they seen Burt? Did they know who he was? Would they run and tell Burt the truth about her?
"So, what have you two been doing? Spying on me?" Janet snapped as she spun around to face them. "Don't you think I know enough to be able to live my own life? Do I have to have you both nipping at my heels where ever I go?"
"Janet, that is most definitely not what we were doing!" Jillian approached her cautiously and quickly looked in Judith's direction for some kind of reinforcement. "Judith and I were simply out shopping and decided to grab a bite to eat. We had no idea you two would be there. It was a complete fluke!"
"Judith wanted to stop in at Joe's? I'm supposed to believe that?" Janet turned and glared at her older sister. "She won't even darken the door of a restaurant that doesn't have a maitre 'd and a well stocked bar!"
"She does have a point, Jillian," Judith sighed as she rolled her eyes. "However, in the state I'm in now, the 'well stocked bar' part has become rather optional."
"If you're not going to help, then just be quiet!" Jillian snapped at Judith before refocusing her attention on Janet. "It was my idea. I drug her down there hoping to show her a little local color."
"That's what you call it?" Judith smirked before Jillian shot her another angry look.
"We had no intention of spying on you or your new boyfriend. Please just calm down and let's talk about this rationally." Jillian carefully approached Janet, but her sister quickly moved away from her. Jillian hated it when Janet got worked up like this. She could be so unpredictable.
"Well, if you want to talk about something rationally," Judith broke in, "let's talk about this man she's seeing. I did get a look at him and I would have thought she could have at least picked someone from the proper social class. Why, he looks like he works on a farm or something!"
"What do you know?" Janet said angrily as she moved closer to Judith. "For your information, he's the sweetest, most loving man I've ever known!"
"Hmmm..." Judith raised her finger to her chin as she thought. "Now where have I heard those words before?"
"Judith!" Jillian's own temper was beginning to rise. It was hard enough to deal with Janet during one of her outbursts without having to referee between the two of them.
"Oh, yes! I remember!" Judith grinned slightly and stepped closer to Janet. "Well, I guess considering everything that's happened, you'd have to take what you can get. No respectable man would even look at you twice if he knew the truth. Well, maybe out of pity or curiosity."
Janet's eyes burned with tears of anger. Finally, unable to contain the rage that Judith's calculated comments were fanning, she delivered a hard smack across her face that set Judith reeling backwards.
"Janet! Stop!" Jillian shouted in fear. "The baby!"
Janet quickly recoiled, frightened by her own actions. She looked quickly from Judith towards Jillian as her body began to shake and tears began to streak her cheeks. Suddenly, she bolted from the room, leaving Jillian to rush to Judith's side to check on her condition.
"Judith, are you all right? Is the baby all right?"
"Oh, I'm fine," Judith muttered as she still held her stinging cheek. "See! See what happens when she's left on her own? I don't know why Daddy pulled those strings. Isn't it obvious that she wasn't ready?"
Jillian lowered her head as she began to assess her sister's observations. Maybe she was right. Maybe their father had been too hasty in making sure Janet could come home. Maybe she hadn't been ready.
As Jillian became lost in her own thoughts about their sister's troubled past, Judith subtly turned away. She just couldn't let her see the wicked grin that was covering her face.