by G S Binkley
“Yeah, like I said the other night…. he’s family.”
Not getting the answer she was searching for, Lacy redirected her question. “The two of you are involved, I mean, together?”
“Yes. Mark and I are partners.” Gage said, dashing the star’s hope that they weren’t intimately involved and at the same time sparking a surge of jealousy that took Lacy by surprise.
“Oh.” The writer noticed the beginnings of an expressive wave of disappointment cross Lacy’s face. For some reason, Gage felt the need to explain further. “We’ve only known each other for about a year. You see, we’re business partners.”
“Oh?” When that expressive wave Lacy held hit the shore on her face it had turned into one of delight.
“We met after Mark read one of my stories. We both shared a dream of being in the movie making business, so with Mark’s connections and financial resources and me, well, I…. just finished my second screenplay. That’s why I came up here…..no distractions.” Gage said. “Well, except for a little daredevil flying through the air right into my arms.” Gage mussed Derek’s dark hair causing him to look up and smile. “I wanted to get it done before we start pre-production on my first screenplay.”
“Any good parts for me?” The actor in her asked. “Seriously, I’d love to read it.”
“Which one?”
“Both.” Upon hearing her daughter squeal, Lacy turned her attention away from the writer. Watching Dani reel in her biggest catch of the day, Lacy congratulated her. “That’s a big one. Maybe Gage will clean it and we’ll have fish tonight.”
Dani tossed her latest catch into the cooler with the other three fish she’d caught. Seeing Gage shake her head in disgust, Dani smirked. “Guess we’ll have to do it, mom. She can cook.” Having baited the hook again, she flipped the line as far as she could.
“I’ll make you a deal, you clean what Derek catches and I’ll help Dani clean hers.”
“Now, that’s a deal I can’t refuse.” Patting his head once again, Gage encouraged Derek. “That’s it. Keep splashing.”
“But you have to fry them.” Lacy insisted. “I’ll be busy.” Ducking her head sideways to get Gage’s full attention. “Hopefully reading?”
“I don’t know about that.”
“Come on.” Lacy pleaded.
Throwing her a doubtful look, Gage said. “What kind of stories do you like to read?”
“Different ones.” Lacy answered. “But, there’s a new author that I’ve been reading. Ballantine. The latest one just came out. I was hoping to read it while I was here. I forgot to bring the book and couldn’t find a copy of it at the store the other day.”
Interested by Lacy’s comment, Gage light heartedly said. “I see. So you’re desperate to read anything.”
“No. Come on, please.” The writer was on the verge of giving in at her request. “What kind of stories do you write anyway?” Lacy quizzed.
Before Gage completely caved and disclosed a relevant piece of information, a strong voice interrupted them. “Mrs. Levine?”
Twisting around, Lacy watched the sheriff and his deputy approach. “Sheriff? Hi.”
Removing his hat, the sheriff nudged his young deputy who was gawking at the television star dressed in the scantly two-piece electric blue swimsuit. Waiting for Deputy Simmons to don a professional demeanor, the sheriff stated the facts. “Ma’am. We’ve caught the perps.”
Flashing a white smile, the deputy translated. “He means the two guys that broke into your place the other night.”
“Ted, I can do this by myself.” If you weren’t my sister’s kid, I’d have thrown you off the force. The stern look he drilled into his nephew hit to the core. I may still do that yet. “Actually, it was Sally’s kid, Ned, and his friend, Buddy Dunston. Sally’s not going to press charges. She’s piss…. upset though since she was ranting and raving that some crazy nut broke into the cabin.” He smiled at that thought. “But you can, since you were the legal occupant of the dwelling at the time and it was your stuff they took.”
Ted supplied the information he found to be relevant. “We haven’t recovered your under….” Realizing two children were nearby, he cleared his throat. “Personal items. They both claimed they threw the items away though.”
“What about my broach? I don’t care about the other things.” Lacy asked.
“We haven’t recovered it. Matter of fact, they maintain they didn’t take it.” The sheriff said. “You want to file a complaint?”
“Not unless it would help me get my broach back. It belonged to my grandmother.” Lacy felt all hope was lost in finding the family heirloom.
“How’d you find out it was them?” Gage asked.
The sheriff answered before his nephew spoke. “Loose lips. The boys, they were drinking at the time, were boasting about being in Mrs. Levine’s bedroom and what kind of…. nightwear she wore.”
“When they described the red panties, I knew.” Ted smiled.
Finalizing her decision, Lacy answered. “No. I just want the matter closed.”
“Mrs. Levine, perhaps we could take another look through the cabin and see if it was misplaced.” The young deputy offered.
“Thank you, deputy.” Lacy stood up, covering herself with a swim wrap. Thinking Lacy was going to head off with the deputy right then, Gage jumped up, knocking back her chair. Then Lacy added. “I may talk with Mrs. Raye about checking out the cabin later to look for the broach. If I do, Gage can go with me.”
Nodding, the sheriff corralled his frisky deputy and headed back to their patrol car, taking their leave. Gage, relieved by Lacy’s comments, came up next to her. “You okay?”
“Yes.” Looking into concerned green eyes, Lacy asked. “You will go with me, won’t you?”
“Absolutely. I’ll call Sally right now if you want.” Gage offered. “Come on, kids.”
Grabbing the writer’s arm, Lacy stopped her. “Maybe I should call her. I don’t think she likes you.”
Gage chuckled. “She doesn’t.”
Lacy quirked an eyebrow in question.
“It’s Mark she really detests. You see, Sally owns all the cabins on this side of the lake except for this one. Mark refuses to sell. You wouldn’t know it by looks, but she’s a shrewd businesswoman. Owns the only grocery store in town and the only bar.” Gage helped Derek pack up his fishing gear and motioned for Dani to join them. She reluctantly did, picking up her cooler full of fish. “You call and we’ll…..” Astonished that she was actually going to make the offer to undertake such a disgusting task, Gage said. “Clean the fish.”
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After the fish was cleaned, fried and eaten, Gage and Lacy debated whether they all needed to search the cabin for Lacy’s broach. A compromise was reached. They walked the short distance to the cabin together. Dani took the opportunity to gather a few rocks that were definitely keepers. Derek squirmed in Gage’s arms when they passed the knoll he had taken flight from. Apparently, wanting to give it another try.
When they reached the cabin, Lacy handed the key she still had to Gage. The writer checked the house out first then waved the rest of her entourage in. Lacy set Derek loose after telling him what he was searching for. “Go on, Derek.” He scrambled off in search of the missing item like a well-trained bloodhound.
The actress explained to Gage that while they had stayed at a hotel once, Derek, who has a natural instinct for finding things, retrieved what he described as a ‘battery holder’ from under the bed. “Suffice it to say, it was a….” Lacy scratched her forehead, then reluctantly confirmed. “A vibrator.”
Gage’s jaw dropped, looking at the star in disbelief.
“No. It wasn’t mine.” Lacy admonished the writer.
Backtracking fast. “I didn’t say anything.” Gage hurried off, joining the search.
The half hour search yielded nothing. So, Lacy called off her little hound dog who retrieved a lost treasure trove that included a small yo-yo, f
ingernail clippers and his favorite find, a loud, very loud whistle dangling from a cord. Blowing it over and over again, Lacy swiped it from his mouth. “Let me clean that first, Derek.”
Handing it to Gage, the writer made a closer inspection of the noisemaker, noting the slobber on it. “I think he already took care of that.”
Snatching it from Gage, the young girl strung it around her neck and dropped on one knee to her brother. “Derek, can I have this? It can be for my birthday.”
Nodding his head, Derek agreed, but not without a demand. “Blow.”
Like the pied piper, Dani blew the whistle loudly as she led her followers out of the cabin, down the shoreline back to Gage’s place.
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When it was time to go to bed, Lacy and the kids got ready and without prompting followed Gage down the hallway, finding their way to what had become the community bed.
It didn’t take long for the kids to curl up and find their way to sleepy town, but only after an acute discussion about when Dani was going to get to explore the cave. Lacy quickly diverted her daughter’s persistent request by bringing up the county fair that was starting in a few days. Lacy knew she would finally cave in, literally, and allow her daughter to explore it, but she needed to talk with Gage about it and maybe even have her scout it out first. The vivid memory Lacy carried of her harrowing experience in the cave years ago still played havoc in her mind like a bad rerun.
“With everything that happened I forgot to read your screenplay.” Lacy turned toward the writer.
“That was the plan.”
“Seriously, I’d love to read it.” Lacy admitted.
“Okay. But not without a price.” Gage waggled her eyebrows a little more seductively than she intended.
Cocking an eyebrow, Lacy played along. “And that would be?”
Thinking quickly, Gage made her request. “Tell me about your career.”
Surprised by the request, and unexpectedly disappointed that Gage hadn’t requested something a little more personal, she complied. “I got lucky getting a few commercials when I first arrived in Hollywood, which paid the bills for awhile until I got the part in that movie you were watching with the kids which led to my TV series that just ended.”
“I know all that.” Gage assured her. Targeting specific questions to the answers she wanted, she continued. “Do you like it? Is it what you thought it would be? What kind of parts are you looking to do?”
“Well, I really love acting. And it’s mostly what I thought it would be… except for the public persona the fans have of you. You play a cop for five years and they get the impression you are that character.”
Gage propped herself up on her elbow. “I’ve watched your show. And, there are some similarities between you and your character.”
“You’ve watched the show, huh?” Lacy smiled, sitting up.
Having admitted something she’d avoided up till now, Gage relented. “Yes. I said I did. And, yes, I liked it.”
Lacy felt privileged to hear the writer’s admission. “I’ll admit that as an actor you do put something of yourself in your character. I would imagine you do the same in your stories.”
Gage thought about it for a minute. “I really didn’t think about it. That’s true, I guess.”
“And you’ll find that people will conclude that everything you write about is about you or you had those experiences.” Lacy suggested. “It’s just that they get a certain impression and it’s hard to live that image every day. I have good days and bad days like everyone else. But you’re not allowed to be yourself.”
“Why not?” Gage truly didn’t understand her dilemma.
“Your agent, publicist, producers….everyone demands that you act the part even in your private life.” I know David demands that we put on our best faces no matter what. “I realize because of my job that my private life is played out in the public arena. I just don’t understand why people associate my work, whether they like it or not, to what I do in private. It shouldn’t matter whether they approve of my life or not… if they like my acting then that should be enough.” Lacy relaxed back down. “I’m just whining, aren’t I?”
“No.” Gage insisted. “It’s hard for you, isn’t it?”
Shaking her head. “Yes. My greatest fear is that one day my private life will come into direct conflict with my professional life and I’ll have to choose one or the other.”
It happened when Lacy became pregnant with Derek. To hear David rant and rave you’d think she just committed a sin putting her hugely successful show in jeopardy. He tried forcing her in making a decision and, suffice it to say, her up and coming executive husband demanded that she choose her career. It was the one decision she staunchly refused to be swayed his way. So, in every other decision regarding her career Lacy placated her husband wishes to avoid the inevitable confrontations. Following her husband’s directives and posturing a perfect public persona, Lacy went on automatic pilot.
“You’re extraordinarily talented, Lacy.” Gage said sincerely. “I’m sure your fans would understand whatever you choose to do in your life.”
“They’re not really the ones that concern me. It’s the perception producers have about what they think the public will accept, that’s the real issue.”
Shooting for some brevity, Gage asked. “You’re not thinking of donning a covert façade and sell secrets to other countries like a Mata Hari, are you?”
It must have done the trick because Lacy let out a very relieved laugh, slapping Gage across the arm. “Get outta here.”
A definite pout bloomed on her face, protesting. “But it’s my bed!” With a quick glance across the bed, seeing she was out numbers by the Levine brood, Gage conceded. “It was my bed.”
Chapter Fourteen
Luxuriating in peaceful contentment Lacy stretched languidly closer to the source of tranquility she craved. Dragging her eyes open from a deep and restful sleep, Lacy found herself draped over the writer. A slow satisfied smile crawled across her face before she dropped her heavy eyelids and edged even closer. Lacy let her body and mind lounge in the wonderful feeling of being in a place where she wanted to be for the rest of her life. Her mind drifted, basking in this welcoming thought. She inhaled long and slow, breathing deeply until suddenly an alarm bell screamed in her head at the realization of the position her body was in and that this wasn’t a dream.
She jerked up, pushed herself back practically rolling over her daughter who had taken up residence on her left side. This abrupt movement woke the remaining sleeping occupants.
Containing a surge of frantic confusion at being abruptly awoken, a startled Gage asked. “What? What is it?”
Regaining her composure, Lacy calmly announced. “Nothing. I…must have had a bad dream.” Yet, it was anything but a bad dream she grudgingly admitted. No, not a dream. It was real. I…. felt….I can’t think about this now. The previous fleeting feelings toward Gage had been effectively shoved back only to resurge, bombarding her senses into overload. Lacy stubbornly refused to pursue these intimate thoughts any further. It led down a path she’d never considered before. A road wrought with the unknown and on the surface grated against what she was brought up to believe. I’m married for God’s sake.
“Come on, kids.” Lacy pulled Derek from the bed and nudged Dani off the mattress. “We need to get dressed.” Trotting them out the door and down the hallway.
Before Gage could say a word, they were gone. Confused by the star’s actions, the writer stumbled out of bed herself. Mumbling, she asked. “Wonder what that was all about?”
Gage was fixing breakfast when Lacy and the kids emerged from the second bedroom. The kids settled themselves at the table, receiving a glass of milk from Gage. Returning to the frying bacon, Gage covertly watched Lacy collect the plates and silverware. It was apparent Lacy was edgy and avoiding Gage, slipping around her with downcast eyes.
“Excuse me.” Lacy shifted past Gage, averting her
blue eyes.
Pulling the last piece of bacon from the pan, Gage sifted some flour in it, stirring till it turned golden brown then added some milk, creating a delicious gravy. “It’s about ready.” Turning abruptly to make the announcement, she nearly collided with Lacy who had retrieved some napkins.
After a few awkward passes around each other, Gage settled down to the table while Lacy filled her children’s plates. The silence was unsettling. The writer would briefly catch Lacy looking at her, only to see her turn away quickly.
Lacy felt the compelling yearnings about Gage begging to be considered overpower her already distraught emotions when a reprieve from her daughter broke the deafening silence. “What are we gonna do today?” Dani asked hopefully.
“We have to get some clothes washed this morning….. clean up this place.” Lacy said quickly, eyeing the living room that wasn’t really dirty it just looked lived in. “And we need to…..” Lacy continued, apparently starting on a long list of unappealing things to do.
“I wanted to barbeque some hamburgers and hot dogs for lunch then take the boat out. What’d ya say?” Gage just as hurriedly inserted, diverting Lacy from the tasks she was listing.
Finally, looking straight into the writer’s concerned and questioning green eyes, Lacy acquiesced. She hasn’t done anything. I don’t know why I’m taking it out on her. “Actually, that sounds great.”
A bright smile flashed across Dani’s face. At least that will get me closer to the cave than staying here. She jumped off her chair, helped her brother down and towed him along toward the bathroom. “We’ll get ready.”
“Honey, first we’ve got to wash some clothes. Why don’t you gather them up?” Lacy called after her impatient daughter.
Dani rolled her eyes, but complied.
Gage collected the plates and dropped them in the hot, soapy water. She immediately started washing them without saying a word to her silent friend.
Within a few moments, Lacy joined her, drying the washed dishes. “I’m sorry.”
