WILLIAM
All you’ll do is screw her.
STEVEN
Screw you.
WILLIAM and STEVEN stare each other down.
STEVEN’S GRANDMOTHER (O.S.)
(Filtered)
Stop!
WILLIAM and STEVEN stop and stare at the phone.
STEVEN lifts the phone and holds it so both he and William can hear.
STEVEN
Yes, Grandma.
STEVEN’S GRANDMOTHER (O.S.)
(Filtered)
Listen here. She is staying here, neither of you is coming here. She is going to learn her place and her worth and she will make it back to where she belongs. Do you understand me?
STEVEN and WILLIAM nod.
WILLIAM
What are we supposed to do?
STEVEN’S GRANDMOTHER (O.S.)
(Filtered)
The two of you are going to learn patience and what you want. Only when you act like men can a woman be a woman.
STEVEN
We agreed to find her together.
STEVEN’S GRANDMOTHER (O.S.)
(Filtered)
If you were ready to confront her, you would have known where she was. Now tell me you love me.
WILLIAM
I love you.
STEVEN wrinkles his nose and shakes his head.
STEVEN
I love you.
STEVEN’S GRANDMOTHER (O.S.)
(Filtered)
Go figure it out.
A dial tone echoes through the room and William and Steven stare at each other.
Chapter Nine
ERIN DIDN’T DISAPPEAR.
Drew hovered his fingers over his keyboard. Work eluded him, concentration left him, and focus didn’t exist.
No, Erin didn’t disappear. Instead, she stayed.
Not wanting to face if she had left, he arrived home late. When he spotted her car in the driveway, he braced himself for the conversation they needed to have, but while she didn’t disappear, she ended up being a no-show. She remained in his guest room completely and utterly silent.
In the morning, he snuck out of his house, leaving her nothing but coffee and a note and ran for the office under the guise he had a ton of work.
Actually, he did have an enormous amount of work, but none that would get completed while he sat at his desk contemplating if she would be there when he arrived home today.
Since she showed up on his doorstep, they tiptoed around the other as if they were terrified to break any sort of bond they managed to forge together. In all truth, except for her running off at the Hollywood Stardust gala, she’d faced him and his reappearance head-on, being completely genuine about what she wanted.
On the other hand, he had morphed into the game player. If he didn’t want to explore anything with her, he shouldn’t have appeared in the first place. Did he want to be with her or did he want to prove a point?
With a glance at his blank screen, he finally admitted work defeated him, lifted his phone right as someone knocked on the door. It wouldn’t be out of character for Erin to simply show up once she rehearsed her lines. “Come in.”
Bambi peeked inside. “Do you have some time?”
He slumped back in his chair. “Sure.” While he may have been defeated by work, work wanted to make sure it knocked him out.
“I just wanted to go over some projects with you.” She sat in the chair across from his desk. “I’m working on all the things for the road trip next week. Am I still going with you?”
“The road trip?” The road trip. His mind cleared enough for him to remember his job, the one where he owned a laboratory and had clients, clients he needed to visit, hence the road trip. Bambi had taken to coming with him. The last trip they’d tried to resume their relationship. The whole road trip and the fact he invited Bambi sort of slipped his mind, and he pulled at his lower lip. “If that’s what we planned.” He didn’t know what to answer.
Bambi nodded. “What do you need done with Hollywood Glow? I collected some containers, but without knowing the ingredients or formulas it’s a little difficult.”
He stared off at his far wall filled with pictures of construction of the lab and Beaker as a puppy. With his secret out, he could add his pictures of him and Logan, and even the one with him and Erin. Maybe he would keep that one on his desk. “I’ll be working on that with Erin.”
“Oh, I see.” She turned her face down to the composition notebook she always carried with her.
“Bambi?” He had only seen her like this twice before. Once when she messed up an order for a customer, and the other time when she came to his office the day after they decided they weren’t going to be anything other than coworkers.
“She’s the one, right?” Her voice came out barely above a whisper.
“What?” he asked, even though he heard her. Maybe he needed some time to stall.
“She’s the one, right?” Bambi raised her head. “The reason you changed your name?”
“Partially.” He grabbed the arms of his chair. “Mostly.”
“Also the reason you revealed your true identity?”
Somehow, she made him sound like a superhero, but he was far from that. “Yes.”
“She’s also the reason we…” Once more she lowered her head.
“I haven’t seen her in twenty years.”
“But she was still there.” She spoke to the notebook.
“I’m sorry.” He couldn’t even deny her statement. At the time he wanted them to work, he tried, but as she said Erin was there. Bambi knew it even if she couldn’t name the person.
“Will you do me one favor?”
“Anything.” Life would have been easy with Bambi. Their work, their lifestyles, their interests were all compatible. They meshed everywhere but where it mattered. If he could figure out how to put that intangible in a capsule he would be a billionaire many times over.
“Whatever she did to cause you to change your name and hide, don’t let her do it again.” She stared into his face. “I, for one, would really miss Isaac Abrams.”
The only response he could muster was a nod, and thankfully the buzz on the intercom of his office phone interrupted them.
“Isaac,” Jennifer chimed in through the speaker.
“Yes?”
Bambi went to the small conference table in his office and began setting up the container samples.
“Erin Holland is here for her meeting with you.”
He narrowed his eyes. If they didn’t speak, how did they make a time for a meeting? “All right. Send her in.”
"I'm going to go check some things with QA." Bambi gathered up her notes and scurried to the door.
"Thank you." Unsure if he should remain sitting or stand, he decided to stay in his chair and appear nonchalant. Then he wondered when he entered adolescence again for having these thoughts. Not only did he stay seated, he turned to the computer, but kept one eye on the door.
At last, it opened and Bambi stopped dead in her tracks. His chemist held her notebook up as a shield and stepped back.
"I have a meeting with Mr. Fulton." Erin's voice rang through from the other side, in her perfect imitation of an executive. "Are you part of the product development team, Barbie?"
“Bambi.” She turned back to him.
Without waiting for Bambi’s answer, Erin entered. Though short in stature, she filled up the room. Always a lover of all things fashion, today she played the role of sun kissed starlet and swooped inside in a short, but flowing lace dress, sunglasses and a canvas tote bag.
“Erin, what are you doing here?” At last he stood.
“We need to talk about Hollywood Glow and get this moving.” She marched straight for the table and put her tote on one of the chairs.
Curiosity alone made him join her at the table. “You want to work on Hollywood Glow right now?”
“Drew.” She faced him. “I cancelled other things so I can devote my attention to this criti
cal project. I spent a good part of the morning researching your laboratory, your brands and the competition, and I think it is imperative that we have a meeting post haste.”
Unsure which script she read from, he called her bluff. “What makes it so imperative?”
“While I have absolutely no doubt your formulations are perfection, that is merely one small piece of the marketing pie. I browsed some of your other lines and may I say the packaging and the marketing copy are a little to be desired.” She lifted her chin.
“The packaging is fine and chosen for that product. The copy has to be approved through our compliance department.” Bambi backed up.
“Every one of your competitors is in the exact same situation, so don’t feed me some line.” Erin continued to look at him. “If you want Hollywood Glow to shine, we need to have a meeting, and we need to get it out on the market while the sequel is hot. Right now talk of Hollywood Stardust is abuzz with the anniversary, Logan’s engagement and your coming out, so to speak. We need to fast track this.”
Damn if the woman didn’t have a point. At least if they worked on Hollywood Glow he would not only be privy to her whereabouts, but he would also be getting some work done. “All right, let’s have a meeting.”
“Excellent, can your assistant take notes? Your writing looks more like a squiggle, and I can never read my own writing.”
He glanced between her and Bambi. “Well, she isn’t my assistant, but perhaps she should stay.”
Bambi returned to the table and took the seat furthest from where Erin stood. “I have not been kept abreast of this project.”
“Good, then we can start all fresh.” Erin glanced down at the chair in front of her and then over at him.
Without a thought, he pulled out Erin’s chair for her.
She touched his cheek and sat. “Drew has always been such a gentleman.”
“So has Isaac.” Bambi opened her notebook.
"Drew has the name." Erin sat back and crossed her legs.
"Again, so does Isaac." Bambi took a pen out of her lab coat pocket.
He couldn't allow this to turn into a sparring match, or more of a sparring match, not that part of him didn't enjoy it a miniscule amount. "Why don't we talk about what we envision for the product line?"
"Maybe one simple supplement. We could get that out quickly." Bambi clicked her pen.
"That is simply boring and not at all anything like Hollywood." Erin turned her chair to face only him. "It needs to be a system, a complete regimen so that we can sell multiple steps. That will enable the customer to customize the products for their particular issue. The customer can decide how basic or complex they want to make it."
Erin held up a finger and reached into her tote bag, pulling out some skin care and makeup. "Let's take the Fluency line that you currently sell to physicians. That is your most extensive product with supplements treating a whole host of other medical issues."
"We don't treat, we support." Bambi held her hand up. "Treatment infers we offer a cure."
Erin blinked and continued. "Anyways, your Fluency line offers one, possibly two, support systems for each ailment when there could be so much more."
"What do you mean?" Without taking his eyes off her, he got up and grabbed a yellow pad and paper off his desk. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Bambi scribbling notes.
"Here's my current skin care regimen." She lifted a box housing about seven different items. "There is the cleanser, the exfoliant, the treatment products, sunscreen, eye cream, night cream and extra special boosters should the need arise."
"So what are you saying?" He almost didn't want to speak for fear she would stop.
"We need several steps of all different mediums and then we will have a well-rounded line. Everything you offer for Fluency is in capsule form, but clearly you have other ways to deliver the ingredients including drinks and powders."
"Customize your glow." He studied the products she brought with her and his mind went off in a million different directions.
"What if we named the different conditions after film genres?" She leaned in and put her hand on his shoulder.
They stared at each other. There it was, the spark, the chemistry, the intangible something. No wonder no one could ever compare to her, the woman was strong and smart, and once she harnessed her energy she could light a city.
"No one is going to do all that." Bambi shook her head. "Maybe for the spa lines, but even then, we are built on simplicity."
"I can assure you that the type of woman who would purchase Hollywood Glow would most definitely do anything if it offered results." She didn't bother glancing Bambi's way. "Why don't we get the marketing department in here and we can discuss it?"
The room went silent.
"Drew. Where is the marketing department?" Erin asked.
He stared at her.
"Marketing person?" She prodded.
"We focus on the formulas here," Bambi interjected.
"This is why none of your lines have gone retail." Erin smoothed down her hair. "I can see this situation is much more desperate than I thought."
"Erin?" He needed to grab a hook and reel her in. "We are a small specialty boutique formulator."
She stood and paced the room. "This is all right, completely fixable. Many luxury brands are boutiques, but they are still retail. We will run it like any other high end fashion item."
He swore she could be on a sound stage.
She slinked around the back of his chair. "I am so glad you told me the other day how you thought this product line was important and you wanted my input. In fact, I think the word you used would be that I was intrinsic to the process."
Bambi pressed her lips together.
He never wanted to make this worse for his chemist. Somehow, he needed to stop Erin before she went further.
"I'll take over the job of all aspects of marketing for the line. I can work right here." She returned to the table. "Of course, it’s a good thing I'm staying at your place so we can really make this happen quickly."
"You're now going to be a marketing department?" Bambi asked what he wanted to know as well.
Finally, Erin bothered looking at her. "My dear, I have been working since I was a child. An actress is nothing if not a sales and marketing expert and I have been a spokesperson for lines that thrive today. At the end of it all, everyone and everything narrows down to sales. Since Hollywood Stardust hit the screens, I have been a trendsetter."
"Isaac, I need to go do some planning for the road trip." Bambi stood.
He stiffened, not wanting to explain trips.
"Good, that will give Drew and me a chance to discuss the terms of my contract." Essentially dismissing her, Erin smiled and waved her away.
Contract? Of course she wanted to get paid, and of course he planned on taking care of her as she said in her own words. Everything came down to sales, which meant money. He was surprised she didn't bring an agent along to negotiate a better deal.
He went to her because he wanted her, he dangled carrots in front of her to prove a point, and at the end of the day he got beaten at his own game. Maybe she didn't disappear, but nothing really changed.
HOLLYWOOD STARBURST
FADE IN:
EXT. STEVEN’S GRANDPARENT’S HOME OUT IN THE ROCK GARDEN - DAY
ROXY wipes sweat off her brow and smooths out some pebbles.
ROXY
Why do they call it a rock garden? I mean it’s not a garden.
STEVEN’S GRANDMOTHER comes over with a wheelbarrow, drops more rocks near Roxy and sits down next to her.
STEVEN’S GRANDMOTHER
Why is it not a garden?
ROXY shrugs
ROXY
Well, there’s nothing growing. No trees or plants or flowers. Not even grass.
STEVEN’S GRANDMOTHER
How can you be so sure?
ROXY picks up a rock and a lizard darts out from underneath the stone.
ROXY
/>
(Screams)
Help!
STEVEN’S GRANDMOTHER bursts into laughter and pats Roxy.
STEVEN’S GRANDMOTHER
And you said nothing was living in the rocks. It’s okay. This is their land.
ROXY waits for the lizard to scurry away, returns the rock to its place and presses her hand to her chest.
ROXY
I guess what I meant is, it’s not a traditional garden.
STEVEN’S GRANDMOTHER
Nothing is traditional. At one point even the traditions weren’t traditional. I tried growing something here so many times, and nothing would take root. You have to make do with what you have.
ROXY faces Steven’s Grandmother.
ROXY
Does that mean it’s okay to give up?
STEVEN’S GRANDMOTHER brushes Roxy’s bangs out of her face.
STEVEN’S GRANDMOTHER
It is never okay to give up. It is okay to redefine your goals. I may want a garden with lush fragile plants and flowers, but a rock garden can be just as beautiful and much more fitting.
ROXY looks down and runs her fingers across a few of the jagged edges of the rocks.
ROXY
I gave up.
Limelight (Hollywood Stardust) Page 10
