Fame

by Susan X Meagher

  “I can just picture you,” Haley said fondly. “Here, it’s just past dawn, and I’m walking on the beach. There’s not a soul around, and it’s as tranquil as you can imagine.”

  “Alone? All alone? Is that safe?”

  “Sure. Everyone on the island works on the movie. I guess we could have some nutjobs, but I haven’t met any.”

  “All right,” she said warily, “but keep your eyes open for trouble.”

  “Got it. So…here’s the thing. As you know, I was furious at being sent here. I was mad at Spike, mad at Charlie, and maddest at Piper. Having to come here was one of the low points of my adult life, and I’ve had my share of those.”

  “You certainly have. And all of them have been because of those movie people.”

  “Right. So…why am I loving it?”

  “Loving it?”

  “Loving it,” she said with gusto. “I think it took a change of scenery to realize how bored I was at the shop. I dealt with the same problems every day. The same entitled owners. The same flaky guys on staff. This has been challenging. For the first time in years, I’m using my talents.”

  “Oh, Haley, I didn’t realize you were unhappy at the shop.”

  “I wasn’t, Mom. Not really. I had a steady job with a fairly regular schedule. But I’m not drawn to steady.” She realized she’d said the word with a little more distain than she’d needed.

  “No, you’ve never been interested in taking a safe path. Your father still threatens to do a DNA test on you. He’s pretty sure some grifter passing through town is your dad.”

  “He’s just trying to escape responsibility,” she said, chuckling at the familiar old joke. “I think it’s hard for a guy who prizes order and predictability above all to understand my doing something as wild as moving to California.”

  “He’ll never get over that, honey. I promise you that.”

  “But you understand, don’t you? You get why I love variety.”

  “I don’t need a lot of it,” she admitted, “but you always have. You like change, honey. I think that’s why training animals appeals to you. You like to change their personalities.”

  “I do,” she said, nodding to herself. “People think it’s funny that I don’t have a pet, but once I’ve trained a dog, I’m ready to move on to the next. That’s what I was drawn to when I signed up for my first movie.”

  “When you first went to work on Quote The Raven, you were as high as a kite. I was afraid you were on drugs.”

  “Mmm, I was so enthralled by Alicia I hardly remember anything else. It wasn’t until I was working on the second movie in the trilogy that I realized I was in a dark, dank castle. Never again,” she pledged.

  “Well, you’re an adult now, and you know your own mind. So why not work on films again?”

  “I’m worried that’s like taking away the support beam for a house of cards. If I really want to work on movies, where do I get off decreeing I won’t date a woman who works on them? If the people in Hollywood are manipulative, deceitful jerks…why would I choose to work for them?”

  “Those are very big questions for a Sunday morning, sweetie. Maybe you should go to church and ask for guidance.”

  “I’m a long way from a church, Mom, and the morning ferry has already left. I think I’m going to have to figure this out without divine intervention. But I really appreciate having you to bounce ideas off.”

  “That’s what parents are for, honey. Keep me posted. Just remember that you’re talking about two separate issues—even if they might seem the same. Most everyone works for people they don’t entirely trust. But being romantically entwined with that kind of person is a fool-proof recipe for heartache.”

  ***

  The turtles had wrapped, letting Chandler pack up his charges and load them onto the ferry for the trip back to Oahu. That freed up a cabin, and Haley claimed it for the little prince. She didn’t have the ability to outfit it for such an important cog in the wheel, but Delta didn’t seem to know that a card table, a folding chair and his bed weren’t deluxe accommodations.

  Zandra had dropped him off so she could catch up on email and make a few calls, and the little guy pranced around the space, happy as a clam. The cabin bore the lingering scent of turtle, an aroma Haley couldn’t put words to, but was easily able to recognize, and it mesmerized Delta, keeping him busy for close to an hour. It certainly wasn’t a tough job to sit on a chair and watch a dog sniff, but Haley was nearly bored to death.

  “Time to get our blood moving, little man,” she said, smiling when his head snapped up as she started for the door. “Yes, I’m taking you with me.”

  She didn’t do any complex training, not wanting to overtax him until the basics were so ingrained he followed them no matter what. So they went over a few commands again and again, practicing walking on a leash, sitting, and staying, commands that would be much more vital when they were back in the city. Ideally, she’d have him trained well enough that he could be off leash most of the time, but they weren’t quite there yet.

  When Delta’s focus started to flag, they went over to help Haley’s friends in wardrobe get costumes organized for a big scene they were filming the next day.

  She liked hanging out with every single person in the costume department, guessing that was because Myra only hired nice people who were team players.

  The group she was going to help today were part of the running wardrobe crew, the people who were in charge of making sure each actor was properly attired for that day’s work.

  Besides the large cabin where the principal cast members got dressed, the crew managed six cargo containers, each filled with carefully annotated racks, specifying the time period they were attached to. Haley had figured out that each character had at least three costumes, each one showing different levels of wear. To add to the realism, one character would have a fresh, vibrant green tunic on, clearly recently woven, while his spouse’s would be tan and tattered and in need of replacement.

  Of course, when you were shooting scenes out of chronological order, an actor might have to wear each of his three costumes in a single day, making things a lot more complex.

  Haley had learned the system well enough to be able to help pull costumes, and Delta loved being around the activity, following her around like they were attached at the hip. He was a game little guy, perfectly content and calm as long as he wasn’t alone. They were going to have to do a lot of work on his separation anxiety—if she was ever allowed to. Charlie didn’t like to disappoint him in any way, which was all well and good until you had to leave him alone for six hours. Then what?

  They had all of the costumes pulled and labeled by five, and Haley decided to take Delta outside to work on his least favorite command—stay—for a few minutes.

  They went over to a spot not far from the dining hall, where the grounds crew had set up a sun shade and a bunch of sturdy tables. Various crafts used them throughout the day when they had to be outside and wanted to avoid the sun, but no one was around this late.

  When Haley was in charge, she fed Delta only as a reward. She wanted him to get all of his calories from paying attention and being alert to her cues, and the best way to do that was to have a slightly hungry dog and a pocket full of kibble, along with a few pieces of some noxious smelling doggie sausage. Delta would walk on a tightrope to get a piece of that, so she reserved it for urging him to do things he really didn’t want to do.

  They worked for about fifteen minutes, his usual max. Repeatedly, she had him sit, then turned her back and walked away, staying in sight but otherwise ignoring him. She was about twenty feet from him, and he hadn’t yet made a peep. Turning, she watched him, looking like the nerdy kid in school, the one who waved his hand so frantically his arm almost fell off. The little guy was squirming and shifting his weight between his paws, and his expression was enough to break your heart—total need and dependency. She got down on her haunches and called him and he took off so fast he made sparks. At that
moment, he needed hugs and reassurance more than food, but she gave him both, finishing off with a piece of his beloved sausage.

  The sound of a person clapping caught her attention and she turned to find Meredith Legrand smiling with approval.

  Haley swept Delta up and stood to walk over to her. They’d never actually spoken, which was to be expected. Meredith wasn’t technically involved in the movie, and she wasn’t the type to hang out and socialize with the crew, even if she’d been around much, which she hadn’t. But she seemed very approachable, even dressed entirely in black on a hot day in Hawaii.

  “That was something to see,” she said, a warm smile lighting up her face. Somehow, she was prettier in person than in the photos of her that seemed to appear everywhere. Younger, fresher and definitely friendlier than her usual pose, in which she always came off aloof and sultry.

  “I’m trying to get him to tolerate being ignored. Small steps.”

  “Meredith,” she said, extending her hand.

  “Haley. Good to meet you.”

  “Are you a dog wrangler? I didn’t know there was a dog in the script.”

  “I’m in charge of birds, but they don’t need as much attention as this guy does.” Delta went into his “aren’t I the cutest thing you’ve ever seen?” act, wagging his tail and sticking his pink tongue out, clearly hoping to be able to lick Meredith’s face.

  Surprisingly, she leaned over and let him do just that. If Haley owned that face, she wouldn’t let a strange dog possibly take a bite out of it. Just because an animal was small didn’t mean his teeth wouldn’t leave a scar.

  Tickling under his chin, Meredith said, “Is he yours?”

  “Charlie’s. Several of us trade off watching him when she’s on set.”

  The door to the dining hall opened and one of the Banks-Legrand girls stepped out, paused, then raced for them. When she arrived, she held back a little, leaning against her mother’s leg. “Can I play with him?” she asked.

  “This is Greer,” Meredith said. “She’s wild for dogs.”

  Haley squatted down, holding Delta tightly. “He likes to have his head touched like this,” she illustrated, using two fingers to smooth his fluffy hair back.

  “Be gentle,” Meredith urged. “Puppies are very small and he thinks you’re very big.”

  Greer did a good job, not being too rough or too abrupt in her movements.

  She tilted her head and stared up at her mother. “Can we get a puppy? Please, Mama?”

  Meredith rolled her eyes at Haley. “The constant refrain.” She touched Delta in the same way her daughter had. “What do you think, Haley? Would it be mayhem to have a dog?”

  “Mayhem?” Haley thought for a moment. “How old is your youngest?”

  “Almost four.” She lowered her voice and added, “But we might have one more addition. We’re waiting to hear.”

  “It wouldn’t be easy. If I were going to bring a dog into a house with kids, I’d go for an older one, one who wouldn’t be easily riled up.”

  “But people give their dogs away for a reason, don’t they? The last thing I want is a pet with serious behavior problems.”

  “Everyone has a reason for getting rid of a dog, but some of the reasons are pure selfishness.” Delta was squirming, wanting to get down. She placed him on the ground and he immediately made for Greer, who squatted down to let him lick her face, while she giggled wildly. “There’s a rescue organization I know that takes pets from people who’ve died or had to enter nursing homes. That could be a great match.”

  “What a lovely idea.” Meredith reached into her tote bag and removed her phone. “Do you have the name?”

  She thought for a moment. “There are so many organizations, I get them mixed up. I don’t have my phone on me, but I’ll check it and send you the info.”

  Meredith flashed a lovely grin. “And how will you remember the email address I give you?”

  “Good point.” Haley laughed. “I’ll run over to my cabin and grab my phone.”

  Placing a restraining hand on her arm, Meredith said, “You don’t have to go out of your way. We’ll walk you over there.”

  It was strange walking through the compound with one of the most photographed women on the planet. Haley reminded herself that celebrity meant next to nothing. Some perfectly awful people were famous and many perfectly lovely ones completely anonymous. But her stomach was still filled with butterflies. Fame simply screwed with your perceptions of people, whether you wanted it to or not.

  Meredith followed her in, with Delta and Greer both struggling to get up the fairly steep steps. Haley found the website for the organization and turned the phone around to hand it to Meredith. It was cool that she didn’t have one of her underlings take the info down. Was it possible she handled little details like this herself? Speaking of underlings, Haley hadn’t seen a nanny, which seemed odd.

  “Are you and the kids staying on the island?”

  “Uh-huh. For another week, I think. Longer if the kids get a vote.”

  “No nanny? I’d need one or two if I had four kids,” she added, trying to make it clear she wasn’t judging her.

  Those dark eyes shifted to Haley for a second, then a smile bloomed. “We have two, letting us keep things running in some semblance of order. But when I’m not working I like to give Krista and Jasmine time off. They’re at our home in Kauai, enjoying the silence.”

  “It must be hard,” Haley said, not sure where she was going with that thought.

  “Having kids when you’re surrounded by paparazzi?” Meredith asked, raising a dark eyebrow.

  “Yeah, I guess that’s what I meant.”

  “It is, but I’m certain it’s harder to be a single mother, trying to juggle kids and a job and getting meals on the table. When you have money, you can make a lot of problems disappear.”

  “Sure. But money doesn’t make all of your problems go away.”

  “True enough,” Meredith said, her smile so attractive it made Haley squint to dim its luster.

  Greer was running around in a circle, chasing Delta, who thought this was a pretty fun game. The kid was distracted enough that Meredith obviously felt she could talk about her. “Having kids is tiring, no matter who you are. But the hard part for us is when they’re young—like Greer. When there’s a crush of people, all firing off flashes, she can get anxious.” She turned to watch her daughter run and giggle as she lurched after Delta, sure she was going to catch the puppy. “Being here is wonderful for them. I’d like to stay until the shoot wraps, but…” She sighed. “I’ve got loads of promotion scheduled for my next film. It’s always something, I suppose.”

  Haley heard footsteps coming up the stairs and she froze. The door whipped open and Piper jumped up the last stair, landing with a thump. “Who missed me?” she called out, flinging the door open.

  Delta ran to her, jumping on his hind legs with glee as Greer shrieked with laughter, yelling, “Mama! Look!”

  Meredith coolly assessed Piper, starting with her rapidly paling face. “You’ve clearly been missed.” Turning to Haley, she said, “That might be Charlie’s dog, but I’m not sure he realizes that.”

  “He’s pretty confused,” she admitted, trying to control her heart rate, which was probably faster than Piper’s. “He thinks he belongs to the world.”

  “Meredith,” Piper said, her voice a little strained. “Good to see you again.” She looked down at Greer. “Are you helping with my puppy?” She squatted down, picked up Delta and held him still when Greer approached and petted him on the head again. “He’s a good dog, isn’t he?”

  “Uh-huh.” She whirled and fixed her mother with a plaintive look. “Can we get one, Mama?”

  “We’ll talk about it,” Meredith said. “Maybe we’ll have a family meeting.” She met Haley’s gaze. “We try to have a vote before we make any major decisions.”

  “Very democratic,” Haley said.

  “More like a way to get everyone to buy in. If we
get a dog, everyone, including you, will have to help raise it,” she said, locking her gaze on her daughter. “Dogs need a lot of time and attention and quiet.” She extended her hand and the kid ran to her and took it. “Would you be quiet so the doggie could sleep?”

  “I’m very quiet,” she said, whispering. “See?”

  Meredith grasped her and patted her back. “They’re hard to say no to. Especially this one. Tim would let her play with a machete if she batted her eyes at him.” Rubbing her briskly, she said, “Time to get going, little one. Your sister and brothers will think we got lost.”

  “Can we go swim?” she asked, her big eyes locked on her mother. “You promised.”

  “As soon as Daddy’s done for the day. I can’t watch all of you in the ocean by myself.”

  “Can the doggie come?”

  “No, honey, the doggie lives here. He wants to be with his mommy.” She gave Piper a thin smile. “Enjoy your dog. He’s truly adorable.”

  “Thanks,” Piper said. “He really is my sister’s.”

  As Meredith strolled by she brushed surprisingly close to Piper. “I think it’s already been established that you’re simply irresistible.”

  When the door closed, Piper stumbled across the floor, dropping to the chair. “Holy fuck,” she whispered. “How in the hell did she wind up here?”

  “She saw me working with Delta.” Moving to stand right next to Piper, she said, “She looked like she wanted to stab you.”

  “I think it’s been a while since anyone refused her—in any way.”

  “That’s because you’re simply irresistible,” Haley said, plopping onto her lap and giving her an over-the-top grin.

  Piper’s eyes widened for a moment, then her cheeks got a little pink. “I don’t want to be irresistible. At least not to Meredith.”

  Realizing she was teasing a little more than she should have, Haley gave Piper a gentle pat on the cheek, then got to her feet. “You can’t control your powers of persuasion, Piper. You’ve got to take the good with the…” She turned and smiled at her. “Iconic.”