PATTERSON MONROE, from FOR NOW AND FOREVER
Bio provided by author:
Patterson Monroe is a college student who is studying to be a doctor like his father. After a relatively easy life (not counting the childhood trauma of being kidnapped by an angry mobster who blamed Patterson's father for the death the mobster's son), tragedy struck when both of Patterson's parents were killed in a plane crash. This left Patterson to raise his five year old brother, Todd, alone. More studious than anything else, Patterson had little time for romance until he met Lorraine Blake shortly after his parents' deaths. For him it was almost love at first sight. Patterson and Lorraine dated for a while, but Lorraine found the relationship to be missing the passion she so wanted out of life. They broke up, but he continued to love her and he supported her when her next relationship with Trevor Callison hit the skids. After Trevor and Lorraine broke up, she agreed to give him another chance. Things were going well until Lorraine impetuously slept with Douglas Davis (she accidentally drank a drugged drink, a fact she still doesn't know) after misunderstanding a kiss between Patterson and Stephanie Lake (he's helping her reform her scheming ways). Later, Lorraine found herself to be carrying Douglas' child. After much soul searching, Lorraine agreed to marry Douglas and ended her relationship with Patterson (without telling him about the baby). Traumatized, Patterson found himself drawn to Stephanie. A second kiss sparked feelings that he is having trouble dealing with.
SCENE #1:
The Riverview Nightclub
"You kissed Stephanie Lake?" Dane gasped as he looked at Patterson closely. "Have you lost your mind?"
"I knew I shouldn't have said anything to you about it." Patterson sighed and hung his head. "It was totally on an impulse. I didn't plan it or anything."
"Still! I can't believe you even allow yourself to get within 50 feet of that little lying tramp." Dane quickly turned to down the rest of his drink in one gulp and promptly ordered another. "You know everything she did to Reginald and Jillian! You know how she tried to pin all of that mess on me!" Rightfully so, too, but Dane wasn't about to admit to that.
"She's changed, Dane. She really has."
"Yeah, and I've got some swamp land to sell you!" Dane shook his head at the preposterousness of it all. Patterson Monroe kissing Stephanie Lake. It was like trying to marry off St. Peter to Mary Magdalene. Suddenly, a thought struck him and he cocked an eyebrow as he turned back to face Patterson. "If you're kissing her, of all people, then how does that fit in to your undying love for Lorraine?"
"Well, that's just it. I don't know! I really do love Lorraine, but...but I've got this strange attraction to Stephanie." His hand flew up to his mouth as that realization hit him. It was the first time he'd even admitted to himself, let alone anyone else, that he did have some feelings for her.
"Look, I can understand you being a little needy considering what's happened with Lorraine, but don't get yourself mixed up with Stephanie! This is all just some sort of rebound thing."
"I was trying to tell myself that." Patterson sighed and looked down at the bar. "But I've been having these feelings since before I found out Lorraine was going to marry Douglas. H-how can I explain them? How can I have feelings for Stephanie when I'm so in love with Lorraine?"
"You should be asking yourself how you can have feelings for Stephanie period! Lorraine or no Lorraine." Dane reached over and squeezed Patterson's shoulder. "Maybe these feelings are trying to tell you that you're not as in love with Lorraine as you thought you were."
"No! That's impossible!" Patterson shook his head in disagreement. "I've loved Lorraine for a long time. Even through that entire disaster of a relationship she had with Trevor. I've fought long and hard to win her back. I can't just let her go."
"Maybe that's my point." Dane looked him square in the eyes. "Maybe you haven't been really in love with Lorraine all this time. Maybe you've only been in love with the idea of being in love with her."
"H-how can that be?"
"Look, you met Lorraine right after..." Dane hesitated for a moment. Should he really be bringing this up? "Well, right after your parents died. Here you are left all alone to raise your little brother. That almost didn't happen, remember?"
Patterson nodded when he remembered the conflict he'd had with various aunts and uncles who had insisted that Todd go and live with them. They'd said that Patterson couldn't take care of him on his own...that Todd needed a mother figure that Patterson couldn't provide. He'd finally convinced them otherwise, but, soon after, he started to date Lorraine and Todd fell head over heels in love with her.
"Maybe you just wanted so hard to provide the proper home for Todd that you latched onto Lorraine?" Dane kept his eyes firmly planted on him as he allowed his assessment to sink in.
"Maybe," Patterson finally spoke. "I-I really don't know. I don't know much of anything anymore." As he began to grow increasingly uncomfortable with these newfound inner revelations, he looked down at his watch and noted the time. "I-I have to get home. I've left Todd alone too much with Mrs. Oliver lately. He's my responsibility and I need to take care of him."
"I understand," Dane said as he reached around to pat Patterson on the back as he rose to leave. "Just think about what I said. Maybe that's exactly what's wrong."