“Mexican Stand-Off”

by Jo, Layne and Stacey

Liana had seen the strange-looking house before, but she'd never actually been there.  Locating the door, she walked up to it and rang what she hoped was the doorbell.  As she waited, she thought once more about what Ben would say if he knew she were here.  Then, the door in front of her opened.

Sid cocked an eyebrow when he saw who was darkening his door. "You?" he sniffed. "Why would you come here?"

She took immediate offense at the haughtiness in his voice.  This was the man who had the nerve to say such terrible things about Ben?  For Kate's sake, though, Liana attempted to be pleasant.  "For one, I was hoping to see Kate."  She made her tone polite, but it held no warmth at all.

"You mean Katherine, I presume...my wife. Well, my wife is still upstairs resting." Sid grinned almost wickedly. "We've spent the afternoon in bed." He let his eyes roam slowly down Liana's body. "I see you're looking...round. Who knew Mr. Weed had it in him?"

Reacting to the look of this hateful man, one of Liana's hands went protectively to her belly.  And her temper flared at Sid's further insults to her husband.  "I'll thank you to call myself and my husband by our proper name, which is Wade!  W-A-D-E!  Not that I'd expect you to know how to spell.'

She almost shuddered at the thought of spending any time in bed with Sid.  How could Kate stand it, she wondered.  There seemed to be no warmth, no kindness, no--human-ness--in him at all.

Her voice as sweet as she could possibly make it, she went on, "Who knew you had it in you, Mr. Harbor?  Kate's been looking quite round lately herself.  Unless, of course, you don't really have it in you?"  Like everyone else, Liana had heard the rumors that Kate's baby was Colin's and not her husband's.

"I assure you, Mrs....Weed, that what I have in me supplies everything my wife needs...and more.  And what business could you possibly have with my, my little woman? Hmmm?" 

Ignoring his continuing use of Weed, Liana replied, "Well, I assume you know that we went shopping together for maternity clothes and baby things.  I haven't seen her since and I simply wanted to talk to her.  You know, one pregnant woman to another.  We women do that sort of thing."

"But since I'm here, I'd like to know why you would say such offensive things about Ben in that little rag of a newspaper called the Glen Tattler, which everyone knows you bought and paid for, by the way, since no one would say anything positive about you otherwise!"  Liana stopped, having run out of breath and amazed at herself that she could say such things. 

She'd never been one to insult people, but this man's, or anyone else's insults against Ben were something she could not bear.  "My husband is a good, kind, loving man who has given a lot to this community, and I will not listen to him be slandered by you or anyone!" 

Sid smiled and walked calmly to a small drawer from which he produced a pair of ear plugs. He held them out toward Liana on the flat of his palm. "May I suggest these?"

Liana gave him a look of pure hatred and anger.  "May I suggest you go to hell?!"  Then, aghast at herself, she stopped. 

Just as he always was, Ben had been right about Sid Harbor.  It was best if she simply stayed away from him.  Already, she was saying and doing things that she'd never done before.  And she was getting all stressed and upset.  It wasn't good for the baby and she wouldn't do anything in the world to harm her child.

Forcing herself to calm down, Liana smoothed  a hand over her belly again.  "Please, could I see Kate?  I'd really like to speak with her."

"I would summon her for you except I have contradictory directives from you, Mrs. Weed. Do you wish I should do the first and go to hell or the second and provide you with the opportunity to be in the presence of my incubating wife?" Just then Katherine appeared on the stairs and Sid wondered if she'd heard their intruders heated remark

"What's all this?" Kate asked, looking from her husband to the woman standing in front of him. "Sid? Liana? Is everything alright? I thought I heard arguing just now." She walked cautiously down the stairs and took her place beside her husband.

Not seeing Kate at first, Liana smiled sweetly at Sid again.  "If you do the first, I could just get her for myself."

"My darling," Sid greeted happily, pleased at Katherine's timing. "You shall decide this matter for us both. Shall I go to hell or let you know Mrs. Weed has come to our fair abode?"  He knew she'd have no idea what he meant, but therein lay the fun of it.

Kate cocked her head at him, "What ever are you prattling on about, Sid?" she giggled, then turned to her guest and smiled brightly, "Liana, please, do come in and excuse my darling husband's sense of humor. He always loves to tease but truly is just the sweetest bloke you'd ever meet... aren't you, Sid?" She smiled lovingly up at him and wrapped an arm around his waist.

Sid leaned and kissed his wife, a nearly obscenely long kiss, and quite deliberately meant to be so. "So true," he finally said, "so very true." Still holding Katherine, he looked over at Liana. "Why don't you explain what I meant, Mrs. Weed."  His gaze plainly said if you can.

Swallowing what she had been about to say to Sid, Liana returned Kate's smile.  "It's so good to see you Kate.  I see you're in about the same shape I'm in!"  She nodded toward Kate's belly, almost as round as her own.

"Yes, well, round is a shape," Kate sighed, patting her expanding belly.

Liana could hardly believe, though, that Kate thought her husband sweet.  Hadn't she heard any of what Sid had just said?  Had he never insulted anyone like this in front of Kate? 

"Oh, your husband and I were just talking about...the elections."  Liana seized on that topic with relief.

"Oh yes, the election... isn't it exciting? My husband, Sid - the first town Mayor!" Kate beamed.

Sid dipped his head modestly. "Yes, this village really needs someone to guide it on the paths of righteousness. There's all too much," he looked with a smile at Liana, "outlawry around here."

"So very true, darling," Kate agreed, "First order of business should be clearing out the riff-raff, I say." She, of course, was thinking of her ex, Colin.

Liana's eyes narrowed at Sid.  "Just what oulawry would you be referring to, Mr. Harbor?"   Privately, she was thinking that the only way Sid Harbor would be mayor was if someone stuffed the ballot box.  And she wouldn't put it past him.

To Kate, she said, "But the Glen is a nice little town.  True, we've had our share of problems lately, but those problems are cleared up now.  Dwayne Campbell is dead.  The killer of that girl named Marce was taken care of long ago."

"There may have been some problems here, but every town will have their share.  All in all, I think Sheriff Biebe and those working for him--Mr. White and Mr. Grant--they've handled things for us very well."  Startled, she thought that, for a moment there, she sounded like the woman who was running for town council more than herself.

"Why, Mrs. Weed, you want to be mayor, too?" Sid grinned in an odd sort of way. "You know, though, by 'outlawry' I didn't mean the murders. I had more, um, shall we say 'classic' outlawry in mind. You know anything about that?"

Putting on her most surprised and utterly innocent face, Liana gasped.  "Why - Mr. Harbor!  What could I possibly know about 'outlawry', as you put it?  That's a rather old-fashioned term for such a modern, educated man as yourself."

"And since you ask, no, I don't want to be mayor.  But I am running for one of the town council posts, you know.  You and I might, perhaps, be working together.  Unless, of course, Captain Aubrey is elected mayor."  She'd scored a point or two against Sid with that, Liana could tell.  His eyes had narrowed at the mention of his opponent.

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Some little ways away, but able to see the little group clearly through his binoculars, Frank Parker had to grin.  Ben Wade might think his little lady meek and mild, but she had a tongue and some brains on her.  She might not be able to match Sid insult for insult, but she wasn't backing down.  For the first time, Parker began to have a little more respect for the woman he was guarding.

He'd nearly had a heart attack when one of the two operatives he was using on this job called to tell him that Liana Wade was turning into Sid Harbor's driveway instead of merely driving past it as she usually did.  That was definitely a place Ben didn't want her to go.  And Parker himself knew how dangerous Sid could be.  He'd immediately come over to assess the situation.

Thanks to bugs planted on Liana Wade's purses and shoes, they could hear every word being said.  As Liana didn't know anything about Parker or his men and Ben wanted to keep it that way, Parker had decided to keep his distance unless something happened.  Right now, though, Liana Wade was keeping him amused.

And thank goodness Sid knew nothing about the real reason Parker was in the Glen and had no idea that he was, at this moment, being listened to and watched.

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Sid regarded Ben Wade's wife through narrowed eyes. The woman would admit nothing, but, then, he himself never did, either. "Mexican stand-off," he breathed, barely audibly.  He knew good and well that her husband gave new meaning to the word 'outlaw', both past and present. He knew because it was only good business to be aware of the activities of his companions, so to speak, in this little venture in communal living.  But he was not yet sure how he felt about Ben Wade's wife being friends with his own. He turned his gaze briefly to Katherine, standing there, lovely as always, though fading rather rapidly in the slender torso department. She seemed utterly loyal to him, defensive of his good name. He liked that. It might even be enough to get her through these next
mis-shapen months.  He didn't want her mind polluted by being with Liana. That he'd have to monitor. He hadn't bugged her yet, but he would see to it before she spent any time with the irritating female again.

"What could you possibly know...indeed," he finally replied.  "Well, my darling wife, I think I shall leave you to your feminine plans." He kissed her somewhat less protractedly yet still most thoroughly, briefly steadied her as she, as usual, had begun to tremble under his touch, and left the room without another word to Liana, a rather complete system of wife-bugging now on his mind.

Kate was let out a little sigh and was still smiling ear-to-ear as she watched Sid leave the room. When he was completely out of view, she turned back to Liana, "So... um... forgive me... please, Liana, have a seat," she motioned towards an armchair, "Now, what was it you came here for?"

Liana took the offered chair, still trying to calm herself after speaking with Sid Harbor.  "Oh-" She answered Kate a little distractedly.  "Just wanted to see you and to let you know why I haven't spoken to you."

"Ben's-" She stopped there, not sure how to put it.  "Well, he's a little overprotective these days with the baby coming.  Not sure what he thinks could happen to me, but he rarely wants me out of his sight."

Smiling up at Kate, she went on, "It can be aggravating, but it's sweet."

Kate looked at her for a moment, her brow furrowed, then said, "So, what... your husband doesn't approve of me then? Is that it?" She was hurt and a bit angry by the thought of it all. She knew people in this town talked and spread lies about her husband, Sid, and about her, too. She of course blamed Colin for this, but until now it hadn't really bothered her much. Not until now when it interfered with her friendship with Liana.

Oh dear, how could she put this?  "It- It's not you Ben doesn't approve of, Kate.  It's-  Well, it's your husband.  He said some pretty nasty things about Ben and now-" Liana dropped her eyes.

"Now Ben doesn't think I should see either of you.  He's out of town on business and that's why I came here today.  I felt I ought to at least give you an explanation."  She looked at Kate anxiously.

"My husband? And you believe all the lies everyone says about him, too?" Kate told her, disappointment in her voice, "Oh Liana, I'm sure if Sid said anything at all about your husband it was taken completely out of context, if it wasn't totally made up to make him look bad. Colin has been trying to discredit Sid from months, and I see now you and Ben have fallen for his lies. Well, if you don't want to be friends with me just because of something my husband may or may not have said, that's really, really sad. Sid is a wonderful man, I just wish you and Ben could see that."

Liana stiffened a little at Kate's words.  "What he said about Ben was quoted in that newspaper he owns, the Glen Tattler.  Since he owns it, I'm taking it that his quotes in are accurate.  He called Ben a criminal!"

Kate stared at her, shocked by what she was hearing. "I'm sure if Sid did in fact say that he must have had his reasons. However, if he does indeed think your husband is a criminal, I'd think he would be the one to tell me not to associate with you, not the other way around."

"You'd have to ask him about that."  Liana was angry now.  Kate might be devoted to her husband, but Liana was equally devoted to Ben.

"As for reasons, he couldn't possibly have any reasons to call Ben a criminal!  Other than to cause him problems or hurt him!"  Liana's face was flushed now.  She didn't want to lose Kate's friendship, but she couldn't stand by and allow anyone to call Ben a criminal.

"I understand you standing by your husband, Liana, but understand that I stand by mine, too. Sid is a good, decent man and I know how this town has treated him so very unfairly, how they talk and gossip about him behind his back and even treat him rudely to his face. Again, IF Sid did in fact call your husband a criminal, I'm certain in my heart he had good reasons, as I've never known the man to tell a lie. On the contrary, he's often quite outspoken with his feelings and intentions." Kate was getting quite upset now, tears were beginning to well up in the corners of her eyes. "If your husband has forbid you to be friends with me - which, I might add is totally absurd - then perhaps you should be a good wife and do as you are told. Now, if he changes his mind, you know where I live. G'day, Liana." She stood up and walked towards the front door, opening it wide for her guest to make her leave.

Liana had a few tears in her eyes too, which she swept angrily away as she walked to the door which Kate was holding open.  Stopping, she faced Kate.  "I'm always a good wife to Ben."

"Why don't you ask your husband about his 'reasons'?  Ben has never done anything to deserve being called a criminal."  Despite knowing about Ben's past, Liana believed what she was saying wholeheartedly.  Whatever Ben had done, he had had good reasons for doing it.  She'd always stand by him.

"And he's never done anything to your husband either.  There's no reason in the world for Sid to say such things about him."  She stepped through the doorway. 

"Good day to you too, Kate.  I wish you well."

Kate watched her walked swiftly to her car, then shut the door and turned to find her husband.