 |
| Steven (George Reinholt), Rachel (Robin Strasser), Russ (Sam Groom) and Alice (Jacqueline Courtney). |
The Soap Box
Vol. IV No. 6 June 1979
by Bryna Laub
(continued from Part 5)
In the morning Rachel expected a continuation of the night before, the most exciting and passionate night of her life. She was confused when Steven matter-of-factly sent her on her way with no plans for a later meeting. When she then found he was constantly unavailable to her frequent calls she began to worry, but then he set a lunch date with her.
To her dismay his reason for the lunch, he explained, was to apologize for what had happened between them and to tell her it wouldn't happen again as it had no future. Rachel, unable to believe that night hadn't meant as much to him as it did to her, tried to convince him there was more to their relationship than he was ready to admit. But she knew better than to push him.
What Rachel didn't know was that Alice had realized her accusations were groundless and had called Steven to apologize. They were seeing each other again and Steven was taking no chances on losing Alice this time.
A few weeks later, recognizing the symptoms, Rachel saw a doctor and confirmed she was pregnant. She immediately went to Steven, completely convinced he would marry her as soon as she told him she was carrying his child. To her incredulous shock, Steven refused to even consider she could be telling the truth about not having made love with Russ for several weeks before that night and passed off her claim that the child was his as one last attempt to get what she wanted.
Devastated, Rachel confided in her mother but Ada's suggestion that she confess to Russ left her in too much danger. No, she knew what she had to do. Rachel packed and went home to Russ, tearfully claiming this separation had convinced her she loved him and wanted to be with him forever.
Her overwhelming passion overrode Russ's skepticism at her sudden reversal and Rachel then threw herself with a vengeance into building the image of a loving wife and contented homemaker. And when, the following month, she insisted on seeing a doctor to confirm she was carrying their baby for she wanted to be pregnant again, Russ had no reason to doubt the expected child the doctor verified wasn't his.
The next few months were bitter gall for Rachel as she had to pretend deep love for Russ while watching Alice and Steven growing closer and closer. When they finally announced their engagement it was the last straw for her. She made one last attempt to convince Steven the baby was his but again he refused to even consider it.
Mary inadvertently rubbed salt in Rachel's wounds by making it impossible for Rachel to refuse to hostess Alice's engagement party. Rachel bitterly turned the arrangements over to her mother and virtually had to be dragged to the party by Russ. Once there, she suddenly found herself alone with Steven just before the guests arrived.
 |
| George Reinhold played Steven Frame on Another World. |
Rachel went upstairs to Alice's room and, savoring every minute of the cat-and-mouse game she played, told Alice Steven was marrying her for convenience as she, Rachel, was carrying his child. Alice retorted Rachel was lying, reminding her that after all this time she knew only too well how conniving and rotten Rachel could be.
But something in Rachel's accusations struck home and Alice found herself puling away from Steven when they danced together that night. She told herself that Rachel had lied, but something inside her froze whenever Steven touched her. At the end of the party she pleaded fatigue and cut short their usual loving goodnight.
Continue reading Part 7 of a very detailed flashback series, Another World - The Story of Steven, Rachel & Alice...
RELATED:
- INTERVIEW: Robin Strasser Reflects On Constance Ford
No comments:
Post a Comment