Forever in Hollywood

by Jovana Rodolakis

  I heard Andrew laugh and then someone kicked my shin under the table.

  “Ow!” My head snapped up and scanned the faces looking at me. Whoever kicked me underestimated their strength. That would bruise.

  “Are you ready to go? You want to meet her at the security gate, don’t you? We should get there before she lands.” Andrew pulled his wallet out of his back pocket and thumbed through it before tossing a fifty on the table. “Come on then, maybe once she gets here you’ll stop acting like a zombie.” He rose from the booth.

  “Wait, what do I owe?” I reached over to grab my wallet out of my bag.

  He shook his head. “Nothing. I covered you. Do you want to stand around and talk about it or get to the airport?”

  “Hey, how about covering my bill, too?” someone teased.

  “You gotta put out first, bitch,” someone else chided, and I choked.

  “Keep your hairy ass away from my bed,” Andrew shot back.

  Chapter Fifteen

  On the way to the airport to meet Jocelyn, I became so excited to see my friend again that I couldn’t calm down. I fidgeted with the radio and shifted my weight around in the seat. Andrew glanced over at me often with a grin spread across his face. “You’re going to explode if you don’t settle down,” he teased.

  I tried to relax so I wouldn’t annoy him, face forward staring out the windshield. It wasn’t long before I started playing with my hair, twirling it around my finger. Andrew looked over at my new movements and laughed again. Shifting my weight, I leaned to my left letting my arm brush against Andrew’s. Then I started playing with the back of his thick hair. This was much more entertaining than playing with my own.

  “I’m going to explode if you keep doing that, love.” He exhaled as he pressed his head back against my hand. A soft, delicious moan passed through his lips, and I forgot how to breathe for a moment. It was one of the sounds he made when we had sex.

  A large sign for the airport appeared overhead. Andrew navigated the turn from the highway and onto the airport road. He pulled into the east garage. Before he cut the engine, he grabbed my face between his large hands. Our lips crashed into each other. The roughness of it took my breath away. I’d never felt such urgency in his kiss before. I returned the kiss, tugging on his hair and moaning at the perfection of this desperate last kiss. Neither of us wanted it to end, but with reluctance, he finally broke away, his bottom lip sucked in behind his teeth.

  “Mmm,” he sighed. “I figured I should get one last good kiss in before I am banned from your hotel room.” His thumb traced my cheekbone.

  I cocked my head to the side. “You’re not banned from the room. You can’t do stuff like that in the hotel room though. I’ll be very sad if I don’t see you outside the set once she gets here.”

  His emerald eyes danced. Clearly his spirits were lifted and he opened his door. “All right then, shall we go save your friend?”

  Andrew was right beside me, and after a quick glance around, he placed a ridiculously large cowboy hat on his head. It covered his signature dark chestnut locks. We walked through the garage and into the airport.

  “Tonight I’m a southern boy.” His southern drawl was pretty good, but I still preferred his natural British accent.

  “Is that a disguise? And do you think it’s necessary?”

  “Maybe, maybe not. But I can do this if I’m not being watched.” With a wink, he draped his arm around my shoulder. It was pleasant to not need to watch our backs for prying eyes.

  After scanning the arrivals board to make sure Jocelyn’s flight was on time, we meandered our way to the baggage claim. After a few minutes of silence staring at the gate where she was to emerge, Andrew spoke up. “You know we have a good twenty minutes before her plane even lands. Would you like to grab a drink?”

  “I would love to. Just one though. We have to be waiting when she gets off the plane.” I started to walk in the direction of the food court we passed on our way in.

  We sat at a nice secluded spot at the corner of the bar and ordered drinks. To anyone outside, we looked like a couple. Our bodies instinctively leaned into one another. We talked in hushed voices yet our conversation was light. We talked about our hometowns and growing up in different countries.

  After our drinks were drained, we proceeded back to the baggage claim. Finally, after what seemed like a decade, the indicator board showing her flight progress flashed ‘Arrived’.

  My heart nearly stopped at the site of Jocelyn emerging like a timid mouse. Her long pale hair was pulled forward over her rounded face, partially concealing a large greenish bruise over half her cheek and eye. A cumbersome blue sling adorned her left arm.

  “Jocelyn!” I waved my arms over my head.

  She looked up at the sound of her name and smiled. I noticed then that her lower lip was also swollen—a cut was healing in the corner. I choked back a gasp of shock after I registered the seriousness of her injuries.

  Andrew heard the stifled sound and moved up behind me to place a reassuring hand on my back. “She’s safe now,” he whispered. I nodded, grateful for this understanding man’s support.

  Jocelyn witnessed the simple gesture and gave me a questioning look. Or maybe it was just surprise at seeing this extremely attractive man beside me. I hadn’t even mentioned Andrew to her, let alone told her he would be coming to the airport. It didn’t occur to me how awkward she might feel if a stranger were here.

  “Mari!” She screamed and ran up to greet me. Her eyes danced under marble colored bruises. “I made it!”

  “Barely, just look at you.” I waved my hand to point out the obvious. “What the hell happened?” She frowned and her eyes darted to Andrew as she fingered her purse strap in a nervous manner.

  “Perhaps now isn’t the best time for that, Marissa?” Andrew interjected.

  I pressed my lips together. He was right. I shouldn’t be bringing this up with her when everything was so fresh. She was hurting and probably scared after everything she had been through with that psycho. Starting her life over had to be a terrifying aspect. I hugged her gently. “I’m so glad you’re here. Tomorrow is the first day of the rest of your life.” I had to make some cheesy one-liner.

  She looked from me to Andrew again and again. I forgot he was standing next to me and she had no idea who he was.

  “Oh, I’m sorry, Jocelyn this is Andrew. Andrew, Jocelyn. Andrew is one of the cast—”

  “I’ve seen the other movies,” she interrupted. “It’s nice to meet you.” She stretched out a hand to greet him. He gave it a gentle squeeze.

  “Andrew offered to drive us so I didn’t get lost.” For some reason, I felt the need to explain his presence. “Let’s go get your luggage. I’m sure you’re exhausted after that long flight.” I linked my arm around her good one, and we walked with Andrew trailing behind to the baggage pickup.

  The belt rumbled to life and slowly luggage twirled around the carousel. We stood by watching as bag after bag passed us by.

  “You know, my luck has always been to have one of the last bags come through on the carousel,” I said trying to lighten the mood.

  She didn’t respond. Her eyes locked on the passing suitcases, and the muscle in her jaw worked in a rapid pace. Andrew stood on one side of her. I stood on the other. He didn’t say much, every once in a while when a green bag appeared, he would ask if that was hers and she would shake her head. I stood on the other side with my arm still locked around her. Soon enough, her bags appeared one after the other on the conveyer belt.

  Andrew grabbed them both and walked us to his car. I jabbered aimlessly, trying to start some conversation with Jocelyn. He kept back a short distance to give us a little privacy. We got in the car with myself and Jocelyn in the cramped back seat and Andrew drove with her luggage in the passenger front seat.

  Although the situation was very upsetting, I couldn’t help but notice how wonderful it was to have Andrew there. I also felt a strange swelling in my heart at
how he seemed to sense exactly what I needed during this time, and he was more than happy to do it.

  All the way back to the hotel, Jocelyn answered my questions with short, one-sentence answers. I asked about her parents and family. I tried to talk about her pets or fish tank, knowing she became pretty crazy about saltwater fish when she saw my first tank years ago. She shook her head and explained that her husband didn’t like them so he made her get rid of them all. My lips reflexively turned down, everything he did to her made my blood boil more.

  She wasn’t the fun loving girl I remembered. Sitting beside me was a broken, scared woman with nothing to call her own, and it pained me to see her this way. Something wrenched in my heart to think that I didn’t try harder to push them apart.

  “Oh, Joce!” Instinctively I flung my arms around her neck. Tears welled up in my eyes and spilled over, soaking her shirt. Once the tears started to roll it was like a chain reaction, her tears mixed with my sobs.

  “I promise he will never hurt you again.” I tried to stifle my sobs. Her fingernails dug into my back as she regained composure.

  “I need to call my parents to let them know I made it in. May I borrow your phone?” Her voice was flat and tremulous. It was clear she didn’t want to speak about him or her situation right now.

  Of course, her parents had a right to know she was okay. They were no doubt extremely nervous about this whole situation with their only daughter flying across country to escape abuse.

  “Jocelyn, I understand you need to contact your parents, but we should probably wait till we get you a pre-paid phone. I don’t want him to get my number.”

  Andrew’s eyes met mine in the rearview mirror and he nodded, letting me know he understood my reservations. Next thing I knew, his hand extended into the back seat. Sitting in the palm of his hand was his phone.

  “He’ll never get any information out of my number, it’s unlisted. Call.”

  Jocelyn reached for the phone but fear made me snatch it from Andrew’s hand right before she got the chance.

  “I should call and get your mom on the phone, then I’ll give it to you.” She looked at me, her eyebrows puckered. It was a reflex reaction, but there was a dread feeling in my chest that if I let her make the call... Obviously, she still couldn’t comprehend how careful she needed to be to make sure he never found her.

  I dialed her parents’ number and waited. The phone rang four times before someone answered.

  “Jocelyn?” the voice on the other end of the line bellowed. Terror coursed through my veins. It had been a few years since I’d heard that angry voice. He was already looking for her. I heard yelling in the background. Her dad was shouting at Raymond to leave and hang up the phone.

  Quick thinking and improvisation classes helped me quash the fear causing my hand to tremble. If I hung up the phone, he would know it was her calling.

  “Yellow, may I speak wit’ Mrs. Trailman?” I disguised my voice with a raspy accent as best possible. I knew he probably wouldn’t expect me to be on the phone, so I shouldn’t be as scared as I was. Years, and a marriage hopefully left me a distant memory for him.

  “She’s busy. Who the hell is this?” The sound of his voice made me want to reach through the phone and choke him dead. Jocelyn froze in her seat, and terror crossed her face. She must have guessed why I was talking funny.

  “Dis is her work, I need to speak wit’ her.” I kept the strange made-up accent flowing effortlessly. He bought the act.

  “Hello?” Mrs. Trailman answered the phone after a brief silence on his part.

  “Mrs. Trailman,” I almost whispered. “Is everything okay over there?”

  “Yes.” She paused.

  “She’s here and safe. Tell him your work is asking something about time you have to take off or make something up if he asks. Is it safe to put her on her phone?”

  “Yes…” she replied.

  I handed the phone to Jocelyn, but before I let go of it I warned her. “If you hear his voice, hang up right away. Keep your voice low!” She nodded and I let my hand drop.

  I looked up into the rearview mirror to steal a glance at Andrew; he gazed back at me. I let my lips twitch into a hint of a smile for a brief second before looking back to Jocelyn. Her voice escalated as she sobbed and spoke with her mom.

  “Jocelyn, wrap it up, he’s in the house.” She looked at me like she wanted to protest but nodded and as I asked, she said a quick goodbye.

  “I’m sorry, Jocelyn, you have to be very careful right now. If he gets even the slightest idea of where you are, he’ll follow that lead.” That would be extremely dangerous for her as well as me. I wasn’t foolish enough to think he would leave me alone if he found out, the person who orchestrated and hid his personal punching bag would feel his wrath.

  “I know. This is just really hard.” She sighed.

  I took the phone from her hand and passed it back to Andrew. As I did, I let the back of my fingers linger on his bicep. He laid his hand on top of mine and gave it a reassuring squeeze then, discreetly he trailed his fingers over my wrist. The contact made the hairs on my arm stand up.

  Turning my attention back to Jocelyn, I said, “It’s going to be a while before this gets easier. Whatever you do, please don’t go back to him, that’s all I ask.”

  “I won’t, Mari. I’ll never be able to repay you for everything you’re doing for me.” We embraced again, this time without tears in our eyes.

  We were still hugging when Andrew cut the engine at the hotel parking lot. He sat silently in the front seat waiting for us to make a move. Then he went to retrieve her luggage from the trunk.

  “I can take it,” Jocelyn insisted.

  “Yeah, it looks like it. My mum would never let me live it down if I didn’t help.” He rolled the luggage up the parking lot not accepting her persistence to take her own luggage.

  Billy and Whitney pulled into the parking lot and parked next to Andrew’s Firebird. Whitney got out and waved to me. Billy, on the other hand, surveyed the scene.

  He still looked indignant at the situation between Andrew and me. He had connected with me on my first day on the set and had tried his best to take me under his wing, and protect me from being swallowed into the hectic vortex of the entertainment world.

  Billy was no fool though; he saw the moment I ran headfirst into said vortex.

  “Hey, Whitney,” I said with a wave. “This is Jocelyn. She’s one of my oldest friends from Florida. Jocelyn, this is Whitney. The quiet one is Billy. They are actors in the movie, too. Billy here—”I smiled sheepishly at him—“is my great love interest, and a pretty decent kisser I might add.” Yes, I would embarrass myself, and him, to lighten the mood in effort to get Jocelyn to smile. A counter effect I didn’t anticipate was the rigid look on Andrew’s face. Surely he knew Billy was gay.

  “Hey,” she greeted them both hesitantly. Both Billy and Whitney shook her hand and welcomed her to Los Angeles before also exchanging a quick hello with Andrew.

  “So did you call the rental car company? What was wrong with your car, Marissa?” Of course Billy would ask. I scrambled for an acceptable answer.

  “No, I ran out of gas like an idiot.” I grimaced and waited for Billy to give me another sideways glance telling me how disappointed he was, but they seemed to buy it.

  “Only you, Marissa.” Billy laughed a billowy sound. I shrugged.

  “Well, I’m sure you’ve had a long flight; we won’t keep you guys. Will we see you around set?” Whitney asked.

  I answered for Jocelyn. “Yes, she’ll be there. Thanks guys, we will see you later.”

  We followed Andrew up to my room where he laid the bags against the wall beside the door.

  “Sleep well tonight, ladies.” He turned to leave.

  “Andrew...” I wanted to stop him; my body needed him next to me tonight. It was going to be a lonely night even with my friend in the room. Hearing Raymond’s voice brought back a flood of ancient fears. I needed Andrew’s
strong arms around me, but Jocelyn also needed me. Her fears were so new, so were her broken bones. I looked over my shoulder for more than a year after I went into hiding. How long would she have to do the same?

  “Thank you for everything tonight. It was really nice of you.” I wanted to reach out and touch him. His lips pulled into a wide crooked grin before he winked and disappeared down the stairs.

  I dragged Jocelyn’s suitcases into the room and closed the door.

  “Mari, he’s hot,” she exclaimed, rather boisterous. I’d hoped the door was completely shut before she enlightened me to his attractive status.

  “He knows.” I rolled my eyes and we laughed.

  The closet had been cleared in preparation for her, and I had cleaned up my toiletries on the bathroom counter. They were now neatly sitting on a hand towel against the wall, giving her room for her possessions.

  Instead of staying up to discuss her future or even the details that led to her escape, we opted for bed. No doubt she felt as exhausted as she looked.

  I closed my eyes, but sleep wouldn’t come to this tired soul tonight. Faint sobs emanated from the bed next to me after some time—she probably assumed I was fast asleep by now. I got out of my warm cocoon and crawled into the bed next to her and held her until she cried herself to sleep.

  I wished to slip off into a rejuvenating REM sleep as well but instead, memories from the past flooded my mind. Something I never spoke of to anyone kept pushing its way into my awareness.

  I remembered hearing a crash. The sound, so seemingly innocent at the time, foreshadowed one of the most horrific moments of my abusive relationship. It echoed in my mind.

  From the shower it sounded like one of my roommates breaking yet another glass in the kitchen. I thought nothing of it until seconds later the shower curtain swung open. Raymond was standing in front of me breathing heavily. He hadn’t shaved in what looked like over a week. Dark purple circles under his brown eyes made him look menacing.

  In an instant he leaped inside the bathtub with me, his large frame pinning me against the white subway tile backsplash. I tried to jostle him off me, but his sheer mass restrained me.