Fame

by Susan X Meagher

  “I really can’t. I’m in charge of these guys, and if they’re squawking all night it’s my job to calm them down.”

  “How’s that going?” Piper asked, putting her hands on either side of her mouth for amplification.

  “Better than it was.” Haley opened the cage and Bobby jumped right in. “Maybe he wants to be alone. I think I’ll partially cover his cage and see if that helps.” She wrapped a light blanket around three sides of his big house, allowing him to see the other birds, but not the door or the windows. “Let’s go outside,” Haley said.

  Piper didn’t comment, but she’d been ready to leave the minute she’d arrived.

  The clouds were still thick and threatening, but the rain had mostly stopped. Tiptoeing through the puddles, they headed back to the permanent set pieces, seeking quiet after the cacophony of the birds.

  “So…you’re sick of room service?” Haley asked.

  “I really am. I guess I just need some variety. I have a club sandwich every night.”

  “Then eat here. You can go back later,” Haley said, cocking her head a little like Bobby did.

  “I’m going to ask Tim to send the chopper back for me?” She let out a laugh. “Even I’m not that full of myself.”

  “Take the ferry,” Haley said. “It usually leaves between seven thirty and eight.”

  “Ferry?” Piper was sure she was cocking her head in just the same way Haley had, but she was flummoxed.

  “The ferry,” Haley said, frowning. “You don’t know about the ferry?”

  “Do I look like I know what you’re talking about?”

  “Not in the least,” Haley said, chuckling. “How do you think we get fresh fruit and vegetables? Who brings over office supplies, fresh towels, parts for machines, etcetera, etcetera?”

  “Never thought about it,” Piper had to admit.

  “Well, there’s a ferry that runs over to Oahu every single evening. You could catch a ride. No problem.”

  Taking a look at her watch, Piper said, “So, I’d have like an hour? Is that enough time to have dinner?”

  “Maybe more than that.” She smiled, showing that charming grin she could whip out at a moment’s notice. “I could probably sweet talk the guys into waiting a little while. Want me to?”

  “Um, sure. I guess.”

  Haley grasped the walkie talkie from her waistband, turned up the volume, then said, “Marine base. Come in?”

  “Marine base.”

  “It’s Haley the bird trainer. Do you have room for a passenger tonight?”

  “Ahh, anything for you, Haley. When do you want to go?”

  “How about eight thirty? That’s not too late, is it?”

  “Eight thirty it is. See you then, sweetie.”

  She handed the device to Piper. “Wanna call Charlie? She’s probably still in wardrobe.”

  “Sweetie?” Piper asked, raising an eyebrow. “You know you made it sound like you were going. Are the guys going to mind taking me?”

  “Nah. I just didn’t want to say who you were in case they said something snotty. They’re not crazy about the talent, and I assume that goes for the talent’s sister.”

  “What? Everybody loves Charlie.”

  “She’s talent,” Haley said patiently. “It’s nothing personal. The guys just get jerked around a lot and they assume most requests are frivolous…because they are.”

  Rolling her eyes, Piper got hold of Charlie on the walkie-talkie and offered dinner on the island, which was promptly refused. That wasn’t surprising. Charlie liked to strip down to her underwear, order room service, and watch something mindless on TV to unwind, something you couldn’t very well do in the dining hall.

  “I’m set. But don’t you have to get back to your birdies?”

  “They’ve quieted down,” Haley said. “Didn’t you notice?”

  “I’m not attuned to them,” she admitted. “I wouldn’t make a good bird mommy.”

  “That’s not a title I’d be happy with either, just because of the way birds feed their young.”

  “I don’t even want to know,” Piper said, turning to head to the dining hall for some much-needed variety—as well as a little quality time with Haley.

  ***

  After dinner, they cut across the encampment to reach the ocean. They hadn’t been on the island all that long, but Haley seemed to know everyone, stopping to talk and introduce Piper to so many people she was sure it would take an hour to make a loop.

  When it started to get dark, the crowd thinned out, with Piper commenting, “Do people go to bed this early?”

  “Why? Because we’re nearly alone?”

  “Yeah. There isn’t anywhere else to be, is there?”

  “Movies,” Haley said. “We get one just about every night. Two if they’re short.”

  “Nice life,” Piper said, smirking. “If anyone saw that I was in a swanky hotel, they’d think I was getting the better end of the deal. But I’d trade with you in a minute.”

  “No thanks,” Haley said, showing a cute smile. “I know I’ve got it good.” They continued to walk, now able to go a little faster because of fewer interruptions. “Are you a movie buff?”

  “Uh-huh. Well, I’ve had periods where I watched a lot of them. Not so much now.”

  “Lost interest?” Haley asked.

  “No.” She was just about to blow off the question, but changed her mind. “Watching old movies can make me sad.” A surprising wave of emotion washed over her, making her feel like she might break down. “Wow,” she said, stopping and putting her hand on her chest, feeling her racing heart. “I don’t know where that came from, but…”

  Haley was facing her now, gazing at her with concern. “Tell me,” she urged gently.

  “My mom,” Piper said, voice shaking. “We had a few years where we watched a movie every night before bed. Just anything old.” She let out a laugh that didn’t sound very jovial. “If it was in black and white, she’d watch it.”

  Haley tenderly ran her hand along the back of Piper’s head, stroking her a few times, clearly trying to soothe her. “You’ve said so little about her I was afraid you had bad feelings…”

  “About her?”

  “Yeah.”

  “No. No.” She swallowed, her mouth dry as dust. “I…um, I have some very good memories. But having her sick for so long made things really tough. I was too busy to really…” She closed her eyes tightly. “Time just flew by.”

  “Tell me a good memory,” Haley said, taking her hand and starting to walk, continuing to give Piper an encouraging look.

  “Um, I guess those were the best times,” she said, thinking. “She knew a lot about movies, and she told me stories about all of the actors.”

  “That sounds like fun,” Haley said. “And you did that for years?”

  “Uh-huh. A few years.” She thought of the time line, not sure she had it right. “Between husbands.”

  “Mmm.” Haley nodded, obviously not digging into those details.

  “She worked late a lot, but when she was home, we watched movies,” Piper said, sure of that fact.

  “Who watched you when she worked?”

  “Nobody.” That must not have been common, given the startled expression on Haley’s face. “I was old enough to be alone. She always came home to sleep.”

  Haley let out a sigh, but she turned and added a wan smile. “I’m sure you were. I bet you were a very mature little girl.”

  A memory hit her at that moment, something she was sure she hadn’t thought of in years. “I was…” Swallowing around a lump in her throat, she said, “One night, I heard some scratching or something at the door and went over to look through the peephole.” She stopped again and closed her eyes, feeling Haley’s hand grip hers more firmly. “She was fighting off a guy. He had his hands on her, pushing her up against the wall.” Piper took in a deep breath, muttering, “Asshole.”

  “She was on a date?”

  “Her boss,” Piper sa
id, filled with disgust. “She was young, and pretty, and he just assumed he could give her a ride home and assault her.”

  “Oh, Piper,” Haley breathed. “What did she do?”

  Opening her eyes, Piper just looked at Haley for a moment. “Do? She didn’t do anything. She needed that job. I assume she tried not to be alone with him again, but I don’t know that for a fact.”

  “Did she know you saw her?” Haley asked gently.

  “Yeah. Yeah.” She took in a cleansing breath and let it out slowly. “She was shaken up, I was shaken up. It was a real cry-fest.”

  “I’m so sorry.”

  “Me too. She put up with a lot of shit. An awful lot of shit. If she hadn’t had me…”

  Haley stopped and wrapped her arms around Piper, holding on tightly. “I bet she thanked her lucky stars every single day that she had you.”

  She wanted to change the subject. Or even insist that had been a single bad evening amidst hundreds of fun-filled days. But that wasn’t the truth. Her mom had worked hard to earn little, all the while trying to find a guy who’d provide for them both.

  Piper hadn’t made a point of it, but Haley’s harping on the low moral code of Hollywood was BS. Bad people took whatever advantage they happened upon, no matter what they did for a living. You could be a manipulative asshole whether you were supervising a bunch of secretaries or auditioning starlets. It wasn’t the industry that made you a monster. It was your empty soul.

  ***

  At eight thirty on the dot, the ferry pulled away from the dock in the cove. Piper stood in the wheelhouse with the pilot, an older guy who handled the big boat like a toy held in his massive hand. “How long will the trip take?” Piper asked.

  “Not long. With the wind at our back, about an hour.”

  Nodding, Piper realized she wouldn’t get to bed before ten. She’d increase her sleep deficit, but it had been wonderful to sit on the dock in the warm, heavy air, just chatting. Haley had cheered her up after that shaky few minutes, making Piper talk about her mom more than she had in years. That was something she needed to do more often, but it was so rare to find someone who was truly interested. Someone safe. Someone like Haley.

  ***

  They were shooting on the windy side of the island, where the surf broke high enough to make an impression. It was a warm day, but the breeze was at a steady ten miles per hour, keeping them all cool.

  They were going to go late to capture every moment of sunset since they’d lost the opportunity the day before, so Tim allowed them an hour for lunch, a nice treat.

  While waiting for their lunch to be delivered, Piper lay down on the massage table in the tent the crew had set up for Charlie to cool off in. It was a nice table, with a cradle for her head that she was able to adjust perfectly. It was so nice to stretch out and clear her mind of…

  Jerking up into a sitting position, Piper’s head thrashed around for a few seconds, finding that her sister had been tickling her face with a decorative sprig of dill.

  “What the fuck?” she grumbled, collapsing once again.

  “Five minutes, Pip. If you want your lunch, you’ve got to wake up.”

  “Oh, fuck. I slept the whole time?”

  “Yeah,” Charlie said, her smile dimming. “You’re not getting enough sleep,” she said, stating the obvious.

  “I know that. Tell me where another two or three hours are hiding.” She sat up again and took a look at the tray, finding the usual healthy, fresh vegetables and fruit. But today there was a surprising addition—a tall glass with what looked suspiciously like the remnants of a chocolate shake pooled on the bottom. “Is that what I think it is?”

  “Sure was,” Charlie said, patting her belly. “Had one last night, too.”

  “None for me?” Piper asked, staring at the healthy crap she had no interest in.

  “You didn’t ask for one.”

  Piper looked at her sharply. “What do you mean ‘ask’? Don’t they just bring us food?”

  “Nope,” Charlie said, smiling haughtily. “I order lunch every morning. It’s the only way I’ve been able to make sure you won’t keel over on me.”

  Piper got up and started to pick at the fruit, beginning to munch on perfectly ripe mango slices. “Why tell me now?”

  “Because you saw the shake, you dope,” she said, chuckling. “I guess it’ll be all burgers from here on in, huh?”

  “Nah.” She patted her own belly, kind of pleased at how flat it had gotten. “I’ll let you order for me. God knows my instincts aren’t good.”

  Charlie got up and walked over to briskly rub the belly in question. “Before long, I’ll have you doing yoga on the beach. I’d love to be in charge of you.”

  Piper raised the shake glass to her lips and drained the little bit that remained. “Best of luck with that. But I appreciate that you want me around for a long time. I definitely echo that wish.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  THE SCENE THEY’D SHOT TO FINISH THE DAY HAD CHARLIE WITH her normal hair, meaning Piper didn’t have to undo anything complex. She patted Charlie on the shoulder and said, “I need to talk to Tim for a second. You go ahead and get out of your sexy rags.”

  “What are you talking to Tim about?” Charlie asked suspiciously.

  “Your hair. What else? Go,” she said, giving her a push. “You don’t want everyone to have to wait for you to go back home.”

  Frowning, Charlie obeyed, hopping into a Jeep to be ferried back to the wardrobe cabin. Because darkness was coming on fast, the camera crew was hustling to get everything squared away while there was still enough light to work by. Tim was standing by the director of photography, and Piper approached, waiting for him to look up. “Got a minute?” she asked.

  “Sure,” he said, cocking his head quizzically. “What’s up?”

  She cast a glance at the DP, not wanting him to hear, but not having the nerve to make it clear she wanted to be alone with Tim. “Um, it’s…”

  “Let’s grab a Jeep and head out,” Tim said. He nodded to the DP, clapped the camera operator on the back and said, “You’ll have the dailies ready by morning, right?”

  “Right,” the guy said, nodding confidently.

  “Okay, then. I’ll swing by the editing room to check them. We’re taking off now.” He put his hand on Piper’s shoulder to guide her to the first Jeep in a row of them.

  After getting in and starting it up, Tim said, “Everything okay?”

  “Oh, sure. I’m just…” She swallowed her nervousness and spat it out. “I’d like you to reconsider the scene where Charlie cuts off all her hair.”

  He slid his glasses down his nose and he stared at her for a few seconds, then put the Jeep in gear and took off. “I’m surprised Charlie didn’t bring that up. She’s usually so…agreeable.” He let out a sigh. “But I can understand that she doesn’t want to shave her head. Not many women would.”

  “It’s not Charlie. She doesn’t know I’m talking to you about this, and I’m sure she won’t like it if she finds out.”

  “Then why?”

  “She’s got a flat head,” Piper said, relieved to get that off her chest. “My mom had to go back to work just two weeks after Charlie was born. I’m not sure this is what did it, but I think they left the kid lying on her back all day at that cut-rate daycare we had to use.”

  “What?” Tipping the glasses down again, Tim slowed and peered at Piper carefully. “Are you really serious?”

  “Totally. I’m not even sure Charlie knows how abnormally flat her head it, but if she’s bald, it’ll be obvious. It’s flat,” she emphasized. “Flat enough that some trolls will fixate on it and make fun of her.” She spoke slowly, making sure he really heard her. “If there’s any way to avoid that…”

  “Shit,” he grumbled. “I have that scene all set in my head. It’s a great way to show how Eve has slowly let go of so many of the niceties of civilization.” His frown grew. “This is just one little thing that Eve has to deal
with. No big deal. She doesn’t even blink when she has to do it, which is a good message for girls, right?”

  He was clearly trying to convince Piper this was a great idea, but he was going to fail. “How many scenes do you want her to be bald in? I don’t even know if you want to show her hair starting to grow back.”

  He shook his head forcefully. “If we want to keep teenaged boys interested, she’s got to have hair. I was going to film that scene last.” He shrugged, looking a little guilty. “I was going to send her home bald.”

  “Isn’t there another way to show Eve’s adapting? I understand you have this scene in your head, but you’ve got a lot of ideas up there. I bet you could come up with another one.”

  “Well, sure, I could,” he allowed. He gave her another look. “How flat is it?”

  “I’ve had my hands on a lot of skulls, and hers is the flattest I’ve ever touched.”

  “I’ll think of something else,” he said, nodding. “There’s no reason to give the trolls more ammunition.” They pulled into the spot where they kept the Jeeps at night, with a young guy running over to take the keys from Tim. “Got time for a walk?” he asked.

  She stared at him for a second, puzzled. “Um, sure, I’ve got time. You’re in charge of when we leave, so I’ve got all the time in the world.”

  “I just need a few minutes. Let’s walk along the beach.”

  That was a surefire way to start tongues wagging, but Piper didn’t care. Let the rumor mill start churning with conjecture about why the star’s sister was strolling around with the director.

  They were barely outside of earshot from a few crew members covering the path with bark, a constant struggle, when Tim spoke. “Ah, this is a little awkward, but I wanted to make it clear I don’t have a problem with you and Meredith getting together.”

  Piper stopped and gawped at him, unable to move even though she knew someone would see her and report on her expression to everyone at dinner. “Pardon me?” she asked, her voice breaking.

  Tim was clearly embarrassed, but he kept talking. “We have an arrangement,” he said, staring straight ahead as he continued to walk. Piper compelled her feet to follow him, and when they were next to one another he added, “Since you’re a little outside of our rules, Meredith asked permission before she spoke to you.” He faced Piper as he was about to turn to walk along the beach. “So, anyway, it’s fine.”