Subj: DS: Future Imperfect 4
Date: 6/24/02 3:47:19 PM Central Daylight Time
From: Aesgaard

Carolyn Stoddard Loomis was signing checks at the desk in the drawing room when she heard the front door. She looked at the clock as she rose, stroked the hair out of her face and opened the front doors wide as Ally stood there with her neices. The two of the cherubic brown-eyed darlings were trussed up as if they were sherpas crossing the Himalayas. She dropped to their
size as she helped them out of their coats.

"You two little angels....."

"Angels ?" Ally scoffed. "Yeah, right."

"You're so cute I could eat you up." Carolyn spoke babytalk as she remembered her own kids at that size. "And speaking of eating up, there's two bowls of ice cream in the ice box for both you."

Fettered from their coats, Elaine and Georgia cheered and scampered through the drawing room for the back way to the kitchen. Once gone, Carolyn stood up straight and looked at Ally. She yawned and tiedly fumbled with her coat as she hung it behind the door.

"Carolyn," She started. "Thanks for watching them but William's mother is still under the weather. He and I really need some time together alone."

"I can see that." Carolyn lead her to the drawing room sofa and gestured her to sit down across from her. She reached to the teapot on the table and poured her a cup. "How are things going ?"

"Great !" Ally claimed. "William and I are gone a week out of every month, him for his ghosts, I for Boston." She sipped her tea. "Richard still wants me for partner despite what Nell and Liza want. Billy and Georgia come visit every so often, my parents every three months...." Ally grinned at the prospect at having her parents so far away.

"But what's bothering you ?"

"Um...uh..." Ally tried to find a way to ask what was on her mind.

"Does....um,uh......" She grinned platonically. "William's cousin, Amanda, have......." She lightly giggled. "Any feelings for.... him ?"

"Oh god, she isn't still in love with him, is she ?"

"What ?!" Ally nearly turned over her tea.

"Ally," Carolyn handed a towel to Ally as she sat back. "You're a Collins now, and you better know now that there are a million little dirty secrets about everyone in the family." She sipped her tea as she tried to think back. Ally had become silent as she listened.

"You know Jamison, right." Carolyn continued. "Amanda's brother ?"

"Unfortunately."

"Jamison is a womanizer, just like his father, my cousin Quentin."

Carolyn shifted her weight as she talked. "Only worse. Worst off, he terrorized Amanda pretty bad growing up. I don't think he ever liked having a little sister. That and being the only redhead in a thousand miles, Amanda developed some self-esteem issues. On the other hand, William being the oldest always looked out for her the same way he did for Sara, and I guess
in her mind, Amanda decided that he was in love with her. Needing that sort of connection, she decided that she was in love with him. It's been like that since they were kids."

"Is she dangerous ?" Ally asked.

"Heavens, no." Carolyn reshifted her weight. "Not that we know of. She's been in and out of therapy since high school. I mean, remember Paula Anderson."

"Paula." Ally remembered the girl William almost married.

"We think Amanda may have poisoned her so she could go to the movies with William in her place, but we could never prove it." Carolyn recalled. "But that was years ago. Amanda's changed. She's been to therapy. She's dating now."

"Um, well," Ally spoke up as she took a cookie off the tray. "She scares me. It's almost as if she's plotting something."

"Ally," Carolyn placed her cup down and poured more tea. "It's just your imagination. You've nothing to......"

"Mommy !" Georgia was screaming. "Tell Lainey to stop pinching me !!!"

"She pinched me first !!!!!" Elaine had a face covered in chocolate ice cream as she raced for Ally.

"Now, these kids....." Carolyn grinned. "That's what you should be afraid of."

Dark Shadows is a Dan Curtis Production.