by Kaira Rouda
“We always did, Josh,” she said and then she closed her eyes as the makeup artist powdered her face. Josh walked away, finding Roger behind the camera.
“I love that extreme long shot,” he said to the DP. “The panoramic view of Laguna rocks. It’s different than Laguna Nights, but definitely alludes to it. Perfect. Nailed it. Great establishing shot.”
When Roger pulled away from the camera, Josh took a deep breath and said, “Hey, I’m fine with the changes. Just wanted you to know. It’ll be a great pilot.” He hoped he sounded sincere.
“Good, kid. Just do your part and everyone will make some money,” Roger said. “Let’s get this opening shot. Where’s Madison? Oh there she is. Lovely.”
Madison had walked onto the set. The picnic basket and towel had been moved and a white picnic table had been brought into the scene. From reading the script, Josh knew the two of them would be sitting on top of the picnic table for the show’s opener, another allusion to their painful break-up on camera fifteen years ago. Madison seemed fine with it, though, and so was he. Josh watched as she hopped up on the table, her legs pivoted at an angle. This would be a close-up of his face and then would pan out to reveal his co-host, both of their faces framed on camera just like all those years ago.
Josh took his place next to her on the picnic table, giving her a tight smile.
“Speed,” the DP yelled, and the cameras were rolling. Anger had replaced his anxiety, Josh realized.
“Hi, I’m Josh Welsh and welcome to the first episode of Journeys with Josh and Friends. I’m excited to be able to travel the world with you, take you to places you haven’t been before, and maybe show you some exciting secrets hidden within the places you’ve already been. As you can see, I’m back home in Laguna Beach. I was born and raised here, and then as a teen I was a cast member on a little show you might remember called Laguna Nights. We covered a lot of ground on that show, but there are still some secrets right here in my hometown, and I’m going to share them with you,. Welcome my special guest, Holly Alcott!”
Josh knew the camera angle had widened to reveal Holly sitting next to him. The script was clear her name was Holly. Josh turned to look at her, his best bad boy TV sneer planted on his face. “You sure look a little different, Holls,” he said. It wasn’t scripted, but he knew it would work. And he also knew that look would hurt her by bringing back memories of the other show at the same time.
He felt Holly stiffen next to him but she held her own, making eye contact with him while delivering her first line. “You’re right Josh, a lot has changed in fifteen years. You have, I have, Laguna Beach has.” And then she turned to the camera and said, “It’s great to be reunited in a place I also called home and still do. In fact, we still have a lot of secrets to share, don’t we? So stay tuned.”
Josh closed the shot, he knew the camera had zoomed in, framed his face in a close-up, his alone. He flashed the dimple and said, “We’ll be right back after this. Thanks for taking the journey with us.”
“Cut,” said the director.
“That’s what I’m talking about,” said Marty who smiled at Josh and gave him a thumbs up before hurrying to Roger’s side. The two men were deep in conversation at they ran the entire take back on the monitor. It would be a while before they would tell him if it was a wrap.
Madison pushed herself off of the picnic table and walked toward the ocean. Josh stayed where he was. He was back in the saddle, his career was about to take off again. It felt familiar, actually. He’d depended on Madison to feel secure, but then, even though he hadn’t done anything, she’d turned her back on him when he needed her most. Sure, he could understand, after he’d seen episode four, but still. Josh realized this time he’d be the one to turn his back. He watched Madison standing at the edge of the ocean, and told himself not to care about her anymore.
Marty joined Josh on the picnic table, sliding into Madison’s position. He said, “Hey. So we’re going to try the opening again. They’re not sure they have the story right yet, not sure it resonates. Ok for take two?”
“Sure. I mean I didn’t expect to nail it on the first take,” Josh said.
“Great. Ok, well, here’s the script,” Marty said, handing him another four pages. “This time, Holly has the open. Don’t freak. Just go with it. You don’t want them to use your expression as the money shot. Because they could be filming, right now.”
Josh’s heart had stopped beating and he felt sick. He looked down at the revised script and read, “Holly and Josh’s Great Adventure? What the fuck Marty?”
“Just do us both a favor and read this. And then nail it, like the last take. Just do it,” Marty said, patting his leg and then sliding off of the picnic table. “We need makeup over here.”
Josh sat on the table, a combination of shock and disdain washing over him. His new lines would be easy. An idiot could memorize them, he realized, as the passive aggressive makeup artist arrived.
“Shiny,” she said as she pulled out powder and began to dust his face. “Close your eyes.”
“Ok, let’s get set,” Roger said. “Holly, get over here.”
Josh opened his eyes and the makeup artist scurried away. He watched as Holly stood at the edge of the ocean, this time, facing shore. Her blue dress was a perfect complement to the sparkling sea behind her. The camera and the lighting board had followed her to the ocean’s edge. The director yelled, “Speed.” As Josh watched, Holly welcomed viewers to her new travel and adventure show.
“Get ready,” Marty hissed, and Josh sat up straight. “The wide shot is coming.”
Josh glanced at his new script. Holly walked across the sand to the picnic table and the shot panned out. Josh forced a smile.
“And here’s my surprise guest host, Josh Welsh. I’m sure you all remember him from Laguna Nights,” Holly said.
The script had Josh standing up and joining Holly in front of the picnic table. Instead, Josh decided to play it his way. “But do they remember you, Holls? Probably not,” Josh said to Holly. Then he turned to the camera. “Thanks for joining us in beautiful Laguna Beach. Many things about our hometown are the same, but so many things have changed.” Josh attempted his dimpled smile, but wasn’t sure it worked. His anger was just below the surface.
Holly said, “So join us as we explore the Laguna Beach you remember, and introduce you to some of the parts of our hometown you may not have visited yet. The adventure is just beginning. Stay with us.”
“Cut,” said the director.
“Are you kidding me?” Josh said. “Holly how could you do this?” Josh had closed the gap between them and was standing close enough to Holly to smell her signature shampoo. He couldn’t believe he still wanted to touch her hair, feel her in his arms when all the while she was ruining his life. He was going crazy.
“Do what, Josh? What have I done?” Madison said, her blue eyes blinking, a hurt look on her face. “I’m trying to help you.”
Over her shoulder, Josh noticed a camera mounted on the rock above them. They couldn’t be filming this, could they? He’d read about hidden cameras mounted inside rooms on reality TV shows. They recorded day and night, and were controlled by a joystick from a behind-the-scenes control room. He took a deep breath. They couldn’t leave, not until it was a wrap, he knew. But he also couldn’t let them capture this reality – what was really going on?
“We need to talk. But not here,” Josh said, his anger was subsiding enough to realize they both were vulnerable. He reached for her shoulders and gently pulled her closer. “There may be a separate agenda here. A real story we don’t know about.”
“What are you talking about?” Madison said, looking into his eyes. “You’re freaking me out.”
“I’m sorry. Let’s just get this wrapped. We’ll be fine,” Josh said, staring into the small lens of the camera embedded in the rock behind Madison. He hoped it was just a security camera tied to one of the houses up on the cliffs far above them. That could be all it is, he
told himself, realizing if it wasn’t, this situation was much worse than he’d realized.
She’d done everything she could to help Josh and now he was acting as if she’d betrayed him, or done something wrong. Sure, he’d apologized, but still. She knew he had been angry, she could feel the tension from across the beach. As she’d approached the picnic table during the scene, it grew worse. It had taken all of the latent acting skills she possessed to act like she was glad to see him. She was certain he hadn’t pulled off the same feat.
Josh had pulled her in close, though, and standing here, talking quietly, just the two of them, it seemed like his mood had shifted again.
“Ok, let’s get this wrapped. I agree. But they keep changing the scripts,” she said, and she felt Josh’s hold on her shoulders tighten.
“You’re not a part of that, right?” he said, his blue eyes dark, his jaw clenched.
“Of course not,” Madison said.
“Here comes Marty. Just stay calm,” Josh said.
“Hey you two. One more take, ok? It’s really getting there. Roger and the director just need one more. Here’s the script,” Marty said, handing both of them sheets of paper. Madison noticed that Marty had removed his suit jacket and, for once, was walking around in a white dress shirt and tie. A little more normal at the beach.
Madison glanced down and read the new title: Holly Alcott’s Marvelous Adventures. She locked eyes with Josh, shaking her head. “I won’t read this.”
“You have to. Just do it. We’ll talk after. Please, just do it, Madison,” Josh said. He looked more sad than angry now, and to Madison, that was worse. Madison sucked in her lower lip and nodded, feeling the resolve she used for business course through her. She could do this. It mattered, for both of them, although she wasn’t certain why Josh would ever agree to such as farce.
“Holly, we need you on set,” the director said. Madison looked over to the picnic table and noticed the scene had been reset. The beach had been raked clean of footprints. It was as if they’d never shot a take with the picnic table before. Holly smoothed out her dress and walked to the picnic table. This time, the script had her sitting on the bench.
“Speed,” the director said.
“Hi! I’m Holly Alcott. Welcome to my new show and welcome back to Laguna Beach. I’m excited to be back with you, fifteen years after you all watched my heart get broken on Laguna Nights. That was the past. On this show, I’m going to show you what is wonderful about this town. And, we might even meet some old friends along the way. So sit back, and enjoy. Laguna Beach has some more secrets to share.”
“And cut. That’s a wrap,” the director said as the crew applauded.
Tears had filled her eyes by the time she made it past the crew and she was thankful she’d grabbed a pair of sunglasses from the picnic basket prop. The crew was telling her “congratulations” and “good job” as they tore down the set. Both Marty and Roger had tried to talk to her but she’d rushed past them, attempting to catch up to Josh who she’d seen walking across the sand to the stairs at the other end of the cove. A crowd of tourists had gathered to watch the filming and they began to crowd around her, asking questions, asking for autographs. She looked up to the top of the stairs just in time to watch Josh disappear.
Madison stood frozen in the sand, fans surrounding her, closing in on her.
“That’s enough, everybody,” a man she didn’t recognize wearing a white T-shirt with the words CREW written in black said to the crowd. “Holly will be filming all week in Laguna and she’ll make a public appearance soon. Right now, we are working. Thanks y’all!”
“Who are you?” she asked as he escorted her to the cordoned off crew area, a private cove tucked into the cliffs.
“Tom, Tom Jacobs. I’m a producer with the crew, I’ve worked with Roger forever,” he said. “Great work today. You must be exhausted. Water bottle?”
“Yes, thank you,” Madison said, as he handed her a cold bottle of water and she realized she was exhausted. All she wanted to do was sit down.
“Come over here,” Tom said, and helped her into a black director’s chair. “So how did it feel, being back on camera after all these years? Your reality show was one of the first. People wonder how it affected your life then, what’s it like now.”
Madison took a big drink of water. She looked at Tom. He was so kind, and protective, it seemed. He looked solid, like a bar bouncer, and had short dark hair like a Marine. That was it, she thought, he probably was in the military. His dark brown eyes were patient, and focused on her.
“You know what’s strange, Tom? I never imagined I’d be back in front of the camera again. But when that red light goes on, it’s a thrill unlike anything else,” Madison said, shaking her head with the reality of it all. “My mom told me I was foolish not to take this chance. She said I was a natural. I really do love it. And then when my boss forced me to do the segment about the resort, well, it made me fall in love again.”
“With Josh?” Tom said.
“What? No, with this, with television, with acting,” Madison said. Was it that she was in love with Josh, too, she wondered.
“Not even a little bit of this was because Josh was, as you said on the Laguna Nights show, the love of your life,” Tom said.
Madison smiled. She was so tired, the cave-like setting was so cozy. “I suppose he does have something to do with it,” she said. “But this is his travel show. Not mine. I’m just helping him out. He’ll take off again, and I’ll go back to my regular life, already in progress.”
“But that’s not really who you are, is it Holly?” Tom said. Madison closed her eyes for a moment, listening to the surf crashing behind them on the beach and tried to think about who she really was. A daughter, of course, and a loyal corporate employee. She was a good friend, and a decent athlete. But was she meant to be an actress?
“I don’t know what the future holds,” Madison said, finally. “But today was amazing. Josh was an important part of my past and it was fun doing it again.”
Tom smiled. “I bet it was. Ready to go?”
“Sure, yes,” Madison said, following Tom back out to the sand.
Marty and Roger were waiting for her.
“Well, there she is, Miss Laguna Beach,” Roger said, grinning at her and puffing on a fat cigar. “We can drop you at home or at the resort. You did great today kid.”
“My car is at the resort,” Madison said as Marty handed her a folded bunch of paper.
“Tomorrow’s script. We’ll be shooting at Alana, the restaurant downtown,” Marty said as they stared to climb the stairs behind Roger. Madison felt like she was choking on the cigar smoke.
“I’ve got work, and well, fine, I’ll do it,” Madison said, tossing her hands up. “I know, you’ve already cleared it with Bob, and it will help with Josh’s stage fright. Plus I’m enjoying it.”
Marty’s white shirt had been wrinkled by his time on the beach, but otherwise he looked as buttoned up as always. “That’s my girl,” he said. “Oh look, the limo is here waiting for us. How about a glass of champagne on the way back to the resort? You deserve it, my dear.”
Madison slid into the cool, dark car and rested her head against the seat. She pulled out her phone and saw it was only four in the afternoon. She felt like it was midnight. “Sure, why not celebrate,” she said.
The driver popped the cork of a bottle of Veuve Cliquot and handed it through the limo door to Madison. Marty and Roger stood outside, holding a glass of their own.
“Cheers,” Roger said and reached his hand into the limo to clink his glass with hers.
“Cheers,” she said and took a sip. She did enjoy this, she realized, even as she knew it could destroy everything. She’d seen it happen in her own life, but she’d never let that happen again.
Marty and Roger climbed in beside her and the limo pulled away.
“Tomorrow’s scenes won’t be as awkward, promise,” Marty said. In the close quarters of the limo, Marty�
��s aftershave and Roger’s lingering cigar smoke were overwhelming.
Madison coughed. “I didn’t understand the last take, with the show named after me? That couldn’t be helpful in reducing his anxiety problems, could it?”
“Why yes, dear, it was suggested by his therapist,” Roger said.
Madison sank back into the limo seat and tried to enjoy the champagne. She looked out her window and up to the hillside where windows of houses reflected the orange and purple sky. She thought of her mom and smiled.
“Your house is up there, right? You live with your mom, taking care of her. The show will help you, give you some extra cash for her care. Plus, your mom is going to love seeing you on television again,” Marty said. “Such a lovely woman.”
Madison sighed, she was so tired of the small talk. Marty didn’t know her mom. He didn’t know anything about her life. “Yes, my mom is wonderful. I wish she could have been there today. Maybe tomorrow?”
“You just let us know, and we’ll make it happen,” Roger said as the limo pulled into the Mondrian.
“That means a lot,” Madison said as the car stopped at reception. The valet pulled the door open and couldn’t conceal the shock at seeing one of his bosses emerge from a limo, glass of champagne in her hand.
“Welcome back, ma’am,” he managed.
Madison walked with Roger and Marty into the lobby, and heard Chrissy squeal.
“Madison, how was it? We heard about it online!” Chrissy said, bursting out from behind the front desk.
“Call time is eleven tomorrow morning. See you then,” Marty said as Roger waved his hand and they walked away.
Madison grabbed Chrissy’s wrist. “Come to my office,” Madison whispered, and they hurried down the hall toward the executive wing. “It was amazing.”
After unlocking her office, Madison hurried inside, Chrissy close on her heels.
“Tell me everything,” Chrissy said as Madison dropped into her desk chair. “I love that blue on you.”
“Thanks. And, you were right,” Madison said, looking her friend in the eye, “I should feel grateful I had this opportunity in high school, and that it has come back around again. No matter how short-lived. This is a gift.”
