Starlight

by Alexandra Richland

  All eyes at the table focused on her again.

  Jane waved her off. “Honey, it doesn’t matter. Either way, the guy is a psycho.”

  Olivia placed a hand on Beth’s under the table, as if reminding her to keep her composure. Beth was about to reply to Ms. Russell’s remarks as calmly as possible when Connie spoke.

  “That’s unfair to say, Jane.”

  Beth looked to Connie with wide eyes. So did Nathan and Olivia. Even Matthew looked shocked she was sticking up for Aidan.

  “I’m not saying he’s a saint,” Connie amended. “I just don’t think he has any ill intentions.”

  Beth couldn’t believe this was the same woman, who, only a few weeks ago, was thrilled when she thought Aidan tried to kill Richard Rooney. She wondered what caused her friend’s change of heart.

  Marilyn nodded. “I agree with Connie.”

  Olivia squeezed Beth’s hand under the table. “Me too.”

  “So do I,” Beth piped up, a little too enthusiastically.

  Marilyn looked at Nathan.

  “I would just love to be introduced to him,” she said, answering Beth’s question about how well she knew him.

  Nathan laughed off her comment and the matter was put to rest.

  Matthew took a drag on his cigarette. “I agree with you girls. You can’t kick a man when he’s down. It’s also unfair to talk poorly about someone you know nothing about.”

  Jane rolled her eyes. “All right, this is obviously the Aidan Evans support table. But I still wouldn’t associate with him.”

  Marilyn stared at her wine glass, leisurely tracing her forefinger around the rim.

  “Well, we all have our problems,” she whispered.

  In that moment, Beth felt sorry for Marilyn. She seemed very lonely, even though she was at a table full of people, amidst a crowded nightclub.

  Beth wondered if Aidan felt lonesome and tried to hide it like Marilyn did. She was glad most of the people at this table stuck up for him, but who knew what sort of reactions he dealt with regularly at the studio or around town, and how well he coped. It couldn’t have been easy for him. He had more friends than he probably realized and she wanted him to know she was his biggest supporter. If only he would let her in.

  After they ordered their food, Olivia changed the topic by announcing she officially quit the Elite Clothing Boutique and notified Santa Monica College she was not returning to her studies. A bottle of champagne arrived at their table. After the waiter filled their glasses, they rose from their seats.

  “To Olivia!” they toasted.

  Beth lifted her flute to meet the others in the middle of the table with hope in her heart that she, too, would earn a permanent position at the studio and one day soon be reunited with Aidan.

  ***

  Throughout the month of August, Beth was on location in Monterey, filming her second motion picture with Will, Forever and a Day. They started shooting only three days after Sparkling Meadow concluded, so her life had been a whirlwind all summer. She even missed Connie and Olivia’s birthdays. According to Nathan, Mr. Mertz was very pleased with the final cut of Sparkling Meadow, which was a relief after all the work she’d put into the film.

  Recently, Will became engaged to one of the studio’s newest ingénues, Anita Young, and Mr. Mertz wanted to capitalize on their genuine relationship by casting them in a film together as soon as possible. This was exciting news for Beth, because it meant Forever and a Day was her last picture with Will for the time being.

  Two days of filming remained on Forever and a Day and then Beth would return to Los Angeles to start rehearsals on her next motion picture, Venus Rising, which would be filmed in Technicolor. Basil Bankson, a renowned master of grand spectacles, was the director. Rehearsals and filming were taking place solely on Starlight Studios grounds, which she looked forward to after living on location during the production of her current film.

  The only downside for Beth regarding her next project was it was a musical and her costars were two professional dancers, Jack Peters and Lydia Dale. Editors would dub her singing voice in post-production, but the dancing was still a major concern for her. Her only consolation was that the storyline was fresh and the role would challenge her, unlike Forever and a Day, which was filmed in black and white, and nothing but a fluffy love story with one-dimensional characters––nothing close to the depth Sparkling Meadow possessed.

  Rehearsals for Venus Rising would begin almost immediately upon her return to L.A. and continue for just over two weeks, after which Beth and Will would embark on a three week, cross-country Sparkling Meadow press tour to promote the film’s release on October third. Beth was excited but also disappointed she had to leave Los Angeles again. She didn’t like leaving her friends and living in hotels, but knew she had to get used to it; it was part of her job.

  Upon her return from the press tour, filming of Venus Rising would commence, keeping her busy up until the New Year. The musical was more elaborate than her previous films, hence the longer shooting schedule.

  Checkmate had been released in theaters two weeks ago. Even though Beth had an inconspicuous role, she received a small amount of fan mail from people all over the country, wanting to know who the “pretty girl in the back by the fireplace” was. She felt flattered by the public’s positive attention and hoped it would encourage Mr. Mertz to keep her on at the studio after her probation ended.

  During Beth’s daily phone conversations with Olivia, she found out Mr. Mertz had extended the Spike Rollins shooting schedule because the Federal Communications Commission felt outraged over a scene where Aidan’s character and a member of a rival gang share a heated exchange on a rooftop and pull out switchblades. The FCC deemed the knife fight unnecessary while director Preston Adams argued the scene was essential in highlighting Spike’s adaptation to the streets, as well as his desperation to prove himself to his gang and raise money for his brother’s heart operation. The two sides discussed the matter and decided the scene could remain in the film, but the FCC still demanded re-shoots to tone down the fight.

  Despite the censorship dispute, Olivia told Beth that the buzz around the studio was Aidan’s performance was revolutionary. Beth was glad he’d overcome the backlash that followed his incident and she couldn’t wait to see the film upon its release.

  She had never forgotten about Aidan, even with her busy schedule and absence from L.A., but figured that since it was now two months after their last encounter in the commissary, he had long forgotten about her. Much to her dismay, it looked as though watching Spike Rollins was the closest she would ever get to seeing him again.

  Chapter Thirty

  Aidan lit a cigarette and walked out of a Loews theater on the outskirts of town, refusing to further subject himself to Constance Murphy and Felix Taylor’s horrible acting in the overly dramatic film, Checkmate, now that Beth’s scene was over.

  Nathan told Aidan that Beth was returning to L.A. from Monterey any day now and he decided to watch her performance this morning to cope with her absence in the meantime, after telling himself over the last two weeks since its release that he wouldn’t stoop so low. He knew it was pathetic, but he had to do something, and seeing her on the big screen actually reduced the ache he felt from missing her to a small degree.

  Checking his watch, Aidan tossed his half-finished cigarette to the ground. He had a meeting with gossip columnist Hilda Hooper at noon and he’d promised Preston he wouldn’t arrive late. Ms. Hooper’s write-ups were infamous and people working in the entertainment industry longed for a favorable mention in her daily column. Aidan, on the other hand, couldn’t have cared less if she wrote about him, or what her opinion of him was. He was only meeting her as a favor to Preston, to promote Spike Rollins.

  Aidan hopped on his motorcycle and with a rev of the engine, took off toward Bel Air, thinking that Ms. Hooper’s preference to conduct her interviews in her home was pretentious, and not at all hospitable like most people around town beli
eved.

  He checked in with a security guard at the front gate and rode up the long driveway to the colossal mansion. After parking, he climbed the front steps two at a time and rang the doorbell. The door opened soon after. In the foyer stood an older gentleman dressed in a tuxedo.

  “Good afternoon, Mr. Evans.” The butler’s greeting was blanketed by a heavy English accent.

  “Yeah, you, too,” Aidan mumbled, running his hand through his wind-blown hair.

  The butler regarded him with a scowl. As usual, Aidan didn’t dress up for the occasion. He wore his typical attire, jeans and a T-shirt, refusing to put on airs just to make a good impression.

  The butler stepped aside, gesturing for him to enter. What greeted him inside looked more ostentatious than the outside. Marble statues lined the walls and exotic carpeting adorned the floor. The foyer’s ceiling was at least thirty feet high, and the crystal chandelier overhead looked bigger than Aidan’s rented Hollywood and New York City apartments combined.

  “I will inform Ms. Hooper of your arrival.” The butler stepped into the next room.

  As Aidan stared at a watercolor painting he figured was worth more than his entire fortune, he contemplated what he was doing here and if it was too late to make a break for it. He was tired because of his usual nightmares and lack of sleep and didn’t feel like making small talk.

  The butler announced his return by clearing his throat. “Ms. Hooper is ready for you, Mr. Evans.”

  Aidan walked into the reception room, where Ms. Hooper waited for him, looking as unimpressed with his attire as her butler did. As Aidan stared at her large hat, he determined she was in no way qualified to judge his appearance. The decorations included a broad brim, big bow, fur, pieces of colorful fabric, as well as some sort of fake bird. Or maybe it was a real bird that got trapped in there and died. Aidan couldn’t be sure.

  Ms. Hooper rose to greet him. “Mr. Evans, thank you for coming.” She tried to conceal her disapproval of him by presenting a smile, but failed miserably.

  “Yeah, hi,” Aidan said, avoiding eye contact, not out of intimidation, but indifference.

  Ms. Hooper raised her eyebrows, giving him another good once-over. “I’m assuming you came straight from the Spike Rollins set, considering you look so ragged. Further re-shoots, perhaps?”

  Aidan’s lips curled into a smirk. He sat down in the empty chair across from her. “Actually, we’re done filming now.”

  She gestured to him and scoffed. “Then, what’s the reason for this outfit? Surely you know who I am, and of my reputation.”

  Aidan couldn’t believe the woman’s nerve. “The reason is I’m nobody’s property, and when I’m not working on a film or play, I can wear whatever the hell I want.”

  Ms. Hooper sat down across from him and dropped her charade. “That was a very unwise response, Mr. Evans,” she noted sourly. “You Method actors from New York are quite the troublemakers, aren’t you?”

  “I’m in a class all by myself, lady, but thanks for the compliment.” Aidan drummed his fingers on the armrest, uninterested in listening to her babbling. “Okay, so I’m here to talk about my film. What’d ya wanna know?”

  “Mr. Evans! I’m in charge of this interview, not you.”

  “Aidan,” he corrected.

  Her eyes narrowed. “Young man, I suggest if you know what’s best for you, you’ll keep your mouth shut and only speak when you’re spoken to. May I remind you that you are a guest in my home.”

  Aidan glared at her and stood up. “I don’t need this bullshit. I’m outta here.”

  “Wait, Mr. Evans.”

  He threw his hands up in the air. “Damn it, lady. How many times do I have to tell you to call me Aidan?”

  “Aidan,” she amended quickly. “Now, as much as I despise your attitude, from what I’ve heard, your performance in Spike Rollins is apparently quite good––although I find that hard to believe, judging from your performance during these last few minutes.”

  He rolled his eyes. “You don’t even know me.”

  Ms. Hooper huffed. “Richard Rooney’s mother and I are very close friends and she told me all about your vicious assault against her son. That’s all I need to know. You’re just lucky Luther Mertz didn’t allow me to write about the attack in my column, or else your career would’ve been ruined.”

  Aidan marched up to her, his fists clenched at his sides. “Listen, lady, with all of the inside information you gather from the studio, I know you know the truth of what went on that day, which means you know Richard’s mother is a goddamn liar, and I didn’t attack anyone.” He regarded her with a sneer. “That’s the real reason why you didn’t write about it in your column, so don’t act like you did me a fucking favor.”

  Ms. Hooper remained in her chair, looking unruffled by his outburst. “Preston wants an interview with you published in my column to promote your film. Let me make it clear that I’m only putting up with your nonsense because I respect him as both a man and director. Now, please take your seat.”

  Aidan lifted his eyebrows in surprise. Ms. Hooper’s refusal to compromise with anyone was well known. His appearance in her column was obviously more valuable to her than she was letting on. He pulled his Winstons and a matchbook from his pocket before sitting back down. They both didn’t want to do this interview, but at least now they knew where the other stood.

  Slouching in his chair, Aidan lit his cigarette and flicked the extinguished match into a nearby ashtray. He took a long drag and exhaled with a smirk. “Okay, let’s get this over with.”

  Ms. Hooper adjusted her hat and smiled. “All right, Mr. Evans, first question …”

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Beth rang the doorbell of Hilda Hooper’s palatial Bel Air estate anxiously. She had only returned to Los Angeles the day before and Mr. Mertz already put her to work. This evening, she was scheduled for her first official sit-down interview since joining the studio and it was with the most famous and influential columnist in the business. Beth hoped to make a good impression. She was told it was imperative for actresses in Hollywood to have Ms. Hooper’s approval if they wanted success in the industry.

  The door opened and a grinning gentleman greeted her from the foyer. “Miss Sutton, welcome. Ms. Hooper is looking forward to your meeting today.”

  He ushered Beth into a reception room, where Ms. Hooper welcomed her with a large smile. Beth thought Ms. Hooper’s attire was … different. She was a plump woman and her floral dress didn’t flatter her figure at all. Then there was her hat, which Beth could only describe as busy, if she were to go the more polite route.

  Ms. Hooper clutched her hands to her chest. “Hello, my dear! Thank you for arriving promptly for our appointment.”

  “My, what a lovely hat you’re wearing, Ms. Hooper,” Beth lied, following Nathan’s advice on complimenting her.

  Ms. Hooper giggled, patting the brim lightly with both hands. “Aren’t you a doll? Thank you. This one was made for me in Paris, according to my own design.”

  Beth forced a smile, wondering why she would design something so unfortunate looking for herself. “Well, it truly is stunning.” She cleared her throat. “And, uh, thank you for inviting me to your home.”

  Ms. Hooper nodded approvingly. “Aside from great taste in hats, you have wonderful manners.”

  Beth blushed. “Thank you, ma’am.”

  “Your visit is a refreshing change from my earlier interview with Aidan Evans.” Ms. Hooper frowned. “What a rude young man.”

  Beth’s stomach did flip-flips. “Aidan Evans was here?” She looked around the room as though he would miraculously appear out of thin air.

  Ms. Hooper scowl deepened. “Yes, unfortunately.”

  She didn’t elaborate. Beth let the matter rest.

  “Please, Miss Sutton, have a seat.” Mrs. Hooper gestured to an antique chair in the middle of the room. “Would you like some tea?”

  Beth sat down and crossed her legs. “Yes, ma’am, th
ank you.”

  Ms. Hooper rang a handheld bell as she took her seat across from Beth. A maid entered and poured tea into two china cups, leaving only after Ms. Hooper dismissed her.

  Ms. Hooper took a sip and sighed contently.

  “Well, where should we start, Miss Sutton?” She set her teacup and saucer down on a nearby table. “Let’s see … my readers are always interested in learning about the romantic liaisons of their favorite stars, so how about we begin there?”

  Beth was surprised by their first order of business. “Um, all right. What would you like to know?”

  Ms. Hooper placed a notepad and pencil in her lap. “I heard that while filming Sparkling Meadow, you and Will Everett were an item. Then, just prior to starting Forever and a Day, he dumped you for that blonde floozy, to whom he is now engaged.”

  Warmth fanned across Beth’s cheeks. “Pardon me, Ms. Hooper, but I thought I was here to talk about my film.”

  Ms. Hooper waved her off. “Yes, of course, we’ll discuss your film. Eventually. But first, just for the record, I didn’t hear a denial about your relationship with Mr. Everett, did I?” She smiled as she scribbled something on her notepad.

  “I didn’t deny the story outright, but––”

  “Wonderful! I will let my readers know that after a whirlwind courtship with one of Starlight Studios’ most dashing leading men, Miss Elizabeth Sutton is now a single woman.”

  Beth’s eyes widened. “But––”

  “That tidbit will intrigue my male readers,” Ms. Hooper continued without acknowledging her, “and women all over the country will be green with envy. Your popularity will skyrocket because they’ll think if you’re good enough for Mr. Everett, then you must be a very special girl.”

  “Will and I never dated.” Beth clutched her teacup with both hands. “And he is now engaged. I don’t think it would be wise to write we had anything more than a working relationship, since that’s the truth.”

  Ms. Hooper’s expression fell. “Hmm, I see,” She jotted down another note. “All right, I’ll scrap that particular story, but I must make some comment about your romantic life. So, please, tell me if you have a beau.”