No Ordinary Life

by Suzanne Redfearn

  “I suggest you choose option one,” I say, pivoting and walking out the door.

  103

  I walk to the commissary to pick up Molly. In my purse are the release contracts for Molly and Tom. I feel like a gladiator returning from the Colosseum triumphant, not so much euphoric as relieved to still be standing, battle worn and exhausted, ready to leave the arena behind and never raise a sword again.

  Henry and Molly sit with Mack playing cards at a picnic table. Each has a pile of Sweeties candies in front of them that look like they are being used as poker chips. Molly’s stack is the largest by at least twice.

  “Ready to go?” Mack says, standing.

  “Now can I eat them?” Molly asks Henry, looking longingly at her winnings.

  “Yep. You won them—now you can eat them.” He grabs a handful of his own winnings and fills his mouth, then around the candy, he says to me, “Hey girl, crazy news about Beth, don’t you think?”

  My skin flushes with guilt as I nod.

  “Good thing that camera in the sound lab has a backup drive. Chris would never have believed it if she hadn’t been caught red-handed. Of course Mitten and Gabby confirmed it. Both said Beth was the one who set them up.”

  I swallow. “What backup drive?”

  “Those shots of Mitten and Gabby, the camera they were taken from has a backup drive. Griff pulled the footage, and he said that clear as day, it showed Beth taking the memory card. Craziest part of it all is that it turns out Mitten is innocent. Gabby was coming on to him, not the other way around. Gabby caved as soon as Chris confronted her, and now she’s saying she’s dropping the lawsuit, that it was all a lie. She’s been posting on Facebook and tweeting all afternoon saying how sorry she is for not coming out and telling the truth. Some sort of come-to-Jesus moment, saying how she owes Mitten her life, that he was the only one willing to give a Mexican migrant worker a chance, the only one who saw past her weight to her talent. She’s getting serious props about it, like it’s so brave for her to be so honest. There’s even buzz about her being asked to be on the next Dancing with the Stars.” Henry stops then cocks his head. “You okay?”

  I manage a nod and a strangled, “I left something on the set.” I whirl and race back toward the soundstage, tears flooding my eyes. He chose us. It came down to a choice between the show and us, and he chose us.

  Ten feet from the building, a voice stops me. “I should never have trusted my heart to a squid.”

  I turn to see Griff standing in the alley between the buildings. I start to move toward him but stop before I’ve taken a step, my shame overwhelming me. My eyes drop to the ground, and I wrap my arms across my chest. I want to say I’m sorry, then I want to thank him for what he did, then I want to tell him how much I love him, but I can’t form words.

  “Wasn’t right what you did,” he says.

  I nod and my chin quivers.

  He steps toward me, closing the distance between us in a stride, then he lifts my chin, and his eyes lance me with his anger and his hurt.

  “I needed to get them out,” I mumble.

  “That wasn’t the way.”

  “There was no other way.”

  “Bradley didn’t deserve that.”

  I nod, and again my shame decimates me, the tears I’ve been holding back leaking from my eyes. “Or Beth,” I say.

  “No. Beth deserves what she got. Nobody messes with my family.”

  It takes a minute for the words “my family” to register, and when they do, my eyes blink rapidly, refocusing on his to see the devotion piercing through the anger.

  “What about the show?” I say.

  “It will go on. They need a new AD, a couple new kids, a new director of photography, and possibly a new writer, but they’ll regroup and be fine. Chris is very good at what he does.”

  “A new director of photography? You’re leaving?”

  “I have some personal business to take care of.”

  “What kind of personal business?”

  His right eyebrow rises, he gives an Elmer Fudd grin, then his lips come down on mine.

  Note from Author

  Dear Reader,

  One hour before John Hinckley shot President Reagan in a desperate act to get the attention of Jodie Foster, he wrote a letter that began:

  Dear Jodie:

  There is definitely a possibility that I will be killed in my attempt to get Reagan.

  He went on to say how much he loved her and the ways in which he had tried to prove it:

  Over the past seven months I’ve left you dozens of poems, letters and love messages in the faint hope that you could develop an interest in me…I know the many messages left at your door and in your mailbox were a nuisance, but I felt that it was the most painless way for me to express my love for you.

  He ended it with a final overture of his unrequited love:

  I would abandon the idea of getting Reagan in a second if I could only win your heart and live out the rest of my life with you…By sacrificing my freedom and possibly my life, I hope to change your mind about me…I’m asking, with this historical deed, to gain your love and respect.

  I love you forever,

  John W. Hinckley

  Hinckley got off six shots before he was tackled by police. He wounded the president, two security officers, and President Reagan’s press secretary. The letter was used as evidence in the trial against Hinckley, and everything about it is so disturbing that I thought it perfectly illustrated how obsessive fans can become and how scary it would be to be the object of such twisted devotion.

  The world of celebrity is fascinating. It is the topic of thousands of magazines, talk shows, news shows, reality shows, and websites. But what would it be like to be swept up into that world? Or to have your child swept up into that world? Thrilling? Terrifying?

  We’ve all heard the train wreck stories. Headlines about Disney stars’ tragic downfalls, miraculous recoveries, and outrageous antics plaster the covers of magazines on every newsstand. That story didn’t need to be told. And I had no interest in rehashing a Mommie Dearest tale about an overzealous stage mom. The story I wanted to tell was about someone real who finds themselves catapulted into superstardom and what that does to them.

  I struggled figuring out who that person was, but then I read Pattie Mallette’s autobiography, Nowhere but Up: The Story of Justin Bieber’s Mom, and was struck by the idea of writing a story about a woman similar to her—the story of a young, struggling single mom whose child is discovered on YouTube and becomes an overnight sensation.

  Other autobiographies and biographies inspired me as well, but none more than Melissa Francis’s story, Diary of a Stage Mother’s Daughter. What struck me about Melissa’s book was that the story wasn’t about her. It is a tragic memoir about the damage Melissa’s celebrity did to her family, especially her older sister, Tiffany, who died a young death from drug-related heart failure. The story struck a visceral chord, and after reading it, I knew the story I wanted to tell—the story about the destruction a child star’s celebrity causes not just to her but to those around her. I wanted it to be Faye’s story, Emily’s story, Tom’s story, and Sean’s story as much as Molly’s and for Molly’s fame to be the catalyst for what happens to each of them.

  No Ordinary Life is not meant to be a statement on the entertainment industry or a generalization about young actors. It is fiction, designed to be dramatic and fraught with trials and tribulations. So though this story was inspired in part by real stories, it is not real. Many young stars not only survive their young celebrity; they thrive because of it, going on to live happy, fruitful adult lives both in and out of the spotlight. Molly is a figment of my imagination as is every other character.

  I hope you enjoyed reading the story as much as I enjoyed writing it.

  Sincerely,

  Discussion Questions

  Do you think Faye is a good mother, a good person? Do you think she failed Emily? Do you think some of her decisions we
re selfish?

  Faye was Molly’s manager, and sometimes the line between doing what was right for Molly her daughter and doing what was right for Molly the star became blurred. Do you think Faye handled the double role well?

  Sean was an opportunist who returned to ride the coattails of Molly’s success. Faye protected the kids from the truth of why he came back as well as the truth about why he left in the first place. Do you think this was the right thing to do? Do children see themselves as a reflection of their parents? If so, is it better for them to view their parents in the best light?

  What do you think of Sean? Do you sympathize with him at all? Were his motives entirely selfish or do you think he returned hoping for reconciliation? Did he redeem himself by walking away? Do you think he is out of their lives forever?

  Was Faye to blame for Emily’s rape? Sean? If Emily had not been raped, how do you think the story would have played out?

  Everyone wanted something from Molly. How much is too much? Should Faye have brought Molly to the suicide scene to save Ethan? Is Faye to blame for his death?

  By sabotaging the show, Faye betrayed Tom, who had found his place in the world and was thriving. Do you think Tom will revert back into his shell or continue to thrive? Did Faye choose the welfare of Emily over the welfare of Tom? If Tom discovers what Faye did, how will it affect him? Will he be able to forgive her?

  What do you think lies ahead for Molly? Will her celebrity follow her or will she be able to return to a “normal” life?

  As Faye discovers, celebrity is more than just fame. With it comes money, power, privilege, enormous responsibility, lack of privacy, danger, and stress. Do you think, had Faye realized what she was signing up for, she would have been more equipped to protect her family? Or do you think, regardless of how aware she was of the perils, celebrity by its very nature is corruptive?

  The media played a significant role in the story. How do you feel about the way the media pursues celebrities? Do you think there should be boundaries? What about those celebrities who are under eighteen or those who are famous by association but who didn’t choose to be famous—siblings, parents, the children of celebrities?

  A disproportionate number of child stars have issues. Do you think their celebrity causes them to struggle or are people who choose to be celebrities predisposed to having difficulties? If you believe it is the first, what do you think can be done to protect child actors and their families from the dangers of stardom?

  Does it affect your impression of the story to know that much of it is semibiographical—based on the stories of real child stars? Has your perception of child stardom changed?

  How do you feel about Faye implicating Mitten for something he didn’t do? Do you think the end justified the means? Do you think there was another way?

  Faye frames Beth for leaking the images of Mitten and Gabby. Do you have sympathy for Beth or do you think she got what she deserved?

  Graciela (Gabby’s mom) admitted she sold her daughter for a better life. Is there some validity to this? Is it okay for a child to sacrifice some or all of their childhood to provide better circumstances and a more promising future for the family? How would you feel about your child being the provider of the family? How would it change the family dynamic? How much sacrifice is too much—free time, friends, sports, education, innocence?

  The way the laws are currently written, a child star can end up with little or none of the money they earn. The Coogan Law requires that fifteen percent of a minor’s earnings be set aside in a trust until they turn eighteen. Do you think this is enough? Should parents be able to manage the remainder of the money or should an independent party be responsible? Should parents/siblings be compensated because the child actor’s celebrity affects them as well?

  Molly is discovered through a YouTube video. Do you think there should be regulations on posting images of someone without their consent?

  The waitress from the steak house slept with Chris hoping Chris would help her get her foot in the door, and Chris called it “a fair exchange.” Do you think sex for opportunity is a fair exchange or is it a form of prostitution? Faye almost slept with Chris because she needed “a little fun” in her life, convincing herself that she could have “meaningless” sex. Do you think sex can be that uncomplicated or does it always come with expectation?

  Have you ever experienced celebrity? If so, how did it affect you and those around you? Most of us want to be acknowledged as special or for doing something well, but do you crave fame? Would you rather have constant recognition or anonymity?

  After reading this story, do you feel differently about celebrities? Who is the most famous person you’ve met? What was the experience like? How do you think the experience was for them?

  Who was your favorite character? Why?

  Movie time: Who would you like to see play each part?

  Acknowledgments

  Special thanks to the incomparable Nick Ellison, whose sage counsel, unrelenting faith, and much-needed humor keeps me optimistically pecking away at the keys. Thanks also to everyone at the Nick Ellison Literary Agency, especially Blair Beusman, Danielle Zuckerman, and Chloe Walker.

  Thanks to my editor, Alex Logan, who stuck with the story through its many twists and turns and to the entire team at Grand Central, particularly Beth DeGuzman, Julie Paulauski, and Kristin Vorce.

  Also thank you to Lindsey Boyd for her insight into the world of Hollywood. To Paul Peterson for his input and for his advocacy for young stars through his organization, A Minor Consideration. To Regina Szal for sharing her expertise on selective mutism. To Sally Eastwood for always reading my stories before they’re ready and giving invaluable feedback. To Anne Emigh, Kari Larsen, and Tami Cahill for their early reads and encouragement. To Wieke, Amy, Bettina, and Jenny for always being there to toast in the joyous moments of our journey together. To Suzy Missirlian for always having my back and for her relentless support. To April Brian for her talent and generous spirit. To Russell Pierce for sharing his expertise. To my daughter Halle for her incredible attention to detail and unwavering honesty.

  To the rest of my remarkable family, without whom none of this would be possible.

  And finally, thank you to Jodie Foster, Melissa Gilbert, Melissa Francis, Shirley Temple, Pattie Mallette, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, Jodie Sweetin, Maureen McCormick, Barbara Cameron, and Miley Cyrus for sharing their stories, which allowed me a glimpse into their remarkable lives.

  About the Author

  Suzanne Redfearn is a summa cum laude graduate from California Polytechnic University and is an architect, in addition to an author. She is also an avid surfer, golfer, skier, and Angels fan. She lives with her husband and children in California.

  To learn more about the author, visit her website at SuzanneRedfearn.com.

  Also by Suzanne Redfearn

  Hush Little Baby

  Praise for

  Suzanne Redfearn

  and

  Hush Little Baby

  “This psychologically astute, swiftly paced story will leave you wondering ‘what if’ even after the last page is turned.”

  —Christina Schwarz, New York Times bestselling author

  “Chillingly realistic and pulsating with suspense, this deftly told story will leave you breathless.”

  —Heather Gudenkauf, New York Times bestselling author

  “This snappily paced, cinematic novel about the dysfunctional modern American family from architect and first-time author Redfearn contains heavy doses of violence, danger, and fear. Events hurtle along with great urgency to a rousing climax. A smart, suspenseful debut.”

  —Publishers Weekly

  “A compelling tale of the deceit, violation, and anguish that undergird the myth of suburbia. Redfearn’s debut ratchets up the tension page by page, as husband and wife try to inflict the most damage on each other without harming the kids. Every character hides something, and each surprising revelation torques the plot further. The emotional
and physical injuries mount, driving inexorably toward a surprising climax.”

  —Kirkus Reviews

  “Having recently read Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn and Lie Still by Julie Heaberlin, I was thinking that the chance of finding another book that would have me sitting on the edge of my seat, practically holding my breath, was pretty close to nil. I am pleased to say I was wrong. Hush Little Baby is the type of book that you don’t put down.”

  —BookBinge.com

  “Top Pick! 4 1/2 Stars! With clear, efficient dialogue and authentic scenes, this story rings universal. Equal parts suspenseful and moving, Redfearn’s skillfully told, candid story flows easily within a well-defined plot, making this novel a stunning and captivating read.”

  —RT Book Reviews

  Suzanne Redfearn tells another riveting story about a devoted mother fighting to protect her young children in

  Hush Little Baby.

  Please turn the page for an excerpt.

  3

  Eat,” Gordon says. “You need to be out the door in half an hour.”

  My body protests as I push to sit up against the pillow. He hands me a plate with a slice of whole-wheat toast and a soft-boiled egg.

  He doesn’t mention the reason I’m in the guest bedroom and neither do I.

  It’s moments like these I wonder if I’m the one who’s crazy and if maybe the nightmare didn’t actually happen.

  He pats the comforter over my abdomen, and my battered ribs flinch at his touch, reminding me with no uncertainty that the nightmare was, in fact, real.

  “Morning, son,” he says with a celebratory grin, as though his earlier performance were a glorious triumph of baby-making to be rejoiced. On his cheek is a red scratch barely an inch long, a pitiful testament to my lack of resistance.