Stars Collide

by Janice Thompson

  He nodded. “Tia Morales.”

  I rolled the name around on my tongue. Sounded familiar, but I couldn’t place it. Then again, there were so many directors and producers around these days, it was getting harder and harder to keep up.

  “What has she directed?” I asked.

  “Give Me Liberty.”

  “Wow.” Great nighttime drama about life in the military. I’d gotten addicted to it a couple of seasons back. The stories were incredibly powerful, and the actors weren’t shabby either. “That show was up for an Emmy,” I said.

  “Yes, but when they didn’t win, it fizzled out after just two seasons,” Scott threw in.

  “Not even two full seasons,” I reminded him. Hollywood could be a tough town. You were in one day, out the next.

  “I know all of that,” Rex said. “Trust me when I say I’ve done my homework. I wouldn’t bring someone aboard who wasn’t qualified.”

  Scott did not look convinced. Not that I blamed him, exactly. The show had been through enough ups and downs over the years. Seemed every time we turned around, we encountered another change. Hadn’t Rex just joined the team a month ago? And hadn’t one of our secondary characters been dropped without warning? Seemed the more things shifted, the less stable we all felt. And unstable was never a good thing in Hollywood.

  “So . . . this Tia Morales . . . she knows drama, but how is she with comedy?” I asked. “They’re completely different animals.”

  “She’ll do fine, Kat.” Rex gave me a warning look, his green eyes peering directly into mine. “We just have to give her time to get adjusted. I’ve already filled her in on what’s been filmed thus far. She’s totally on board to see Jack and Angie cement their relationship with a proposal. And she won’t be wishy-washy, I’ll guarantee you that.”

  “Wait . . . a proposal?” Scott’s eyes widened. “So soon?”

  “There’s nothing soon about it,” Rex said. “This thing has dragged on for three years. I’m of the opinion that’s why the ratings are down. Viewers have given up. And network executives agree, by the way. I’d think you two would as well.”

  “I’m anxious to get the ball rolling,” I said. “But . . . a proposal? You don’t think that’s a bit much?”

  “The kissing scene won’t even air for a few weeks,” Scott said. “Can we really expect the viewers to make the jump from just kissed to engaged? Most relationships don’t move that fast in the real world.”

  “Don’t worry. We’re dropping hints that more is coming,” Rex said. “Much more. If you took a look at this week’s script, you’ll notice the l-word.”

  “Saw that.” The tips of Scott’s ears turned red.

  “And we’ll have four or five episodes between the kiss and the proposal. So it will be fine.” Rex grinned. “But if I have my way, you two—or rather, Jack and Angie—will be engaged quickly and married by the season’s end.”

  “M-married?” For some reason, the word stuck in my throat. I felt like I’d somehow ended up on a roller coaster, one that sent me plummeting from the highest heights to the lowest lows. Thank goodness all of this was happening to Angie, not me. Personally, I found it all a bit overwhelming.

  Apparently, so did Scott, who gave his watch a nervous glance.

  Rex ran his hand over his balding scalp. “Maybe it’s because I’ve lived longer, I don’t know. I just don’t see any point in dragging things out. If you’re in love, you’re in love. None of this modern-day living together or sleeping together even. We’re going to handle this the right way. And not just for the sake of the kids.”

  “And we’re grateful for that,” Scott said. “I wouldn’t be doing this show if it wasn’t family friendly.”

  “Same here,” I added. I’d made up my mind early on that I wouldn’t take any work that compromised my beliefs, and I’d already had a couple of opportunities to prove it. Take the audition for the nighttime melodrama Soap Floats, for instance. Supposedly I was physically perfect for the character of Bridget. I went through with the screen test, bubbling with excitement . . . until I found out Bridget the bombshell was known for her sexual promiscuity. Thumbing through the script for the pilot, I’d figured out it wasn’t the role for me.

  I thought again of Doris Day and her girl-next-door persona. She never compromised herself in any of her roles, and the fans adored her for it. If purity had worked for her, it would work for me too. Hollywood needed more people willing to stand up for what they believed. Too many had sold out.

  Lost in my thoughts, I almost didn’t hear Rex’s next words.

  “Scott, thanks for your time. I’d like to talk to Kat alone for a minute.”

  My heart plummeted as I pondered the whys and wherefores. He’d already fired one member of the team. Would I be next? I prayed that would not be the case.

  Mustering up a bit of false bravado, I gave Scott a little wave. He returned it before disappearing from view. I sucked in a deep breath, gathered my courage, and turned my attention to Rex. Whatever he had to say, I could take it. I was a big girl. Besides, I could always get work filming commercials, right? Just last week I’d been offered one for a shampoo product I happened to love. A girl could go a long way on a shampoo commercial.

  The expression on Rex’s face softened with his opening words. “Kat, I hope you don’t find me too nosy, but I’m curious about something. Something . . . well, of a more personal nature.” He looked around, and I sensed he wanted to make sure we were really alone. This only served to make me more nervous. What was he leading up to here?

  “What would you like to know?” I offered. “My life is an open book.” I groaned internally as I remembered the article in The Scoop. Perhaps my life was more open than I’d hoped.

  The oddest look passed over Rex’s face, and his next words were a bit shaky. “Well, not that it’s any of my business, but I’ve been trying to figure out your connection to Lenora.”

  “Lenora? Well, she’s my grandmother, of course.”

  “I know that much,” he said. “But I don’t really know much beyond that. You two live together, right?” He looked up, suddenly appearing shy. Odd. When I nodded, Rex’s brow wrinkled. “Have you always lived with her?”

  “Since I was seven. That’s when my mom . . .” I looked up, lips pursed, hoping he’d take the hint. Talking about my mother’s death, even after all of these years, wasn’t easy. She had been the most important person in my life . . . until that horrible day. And even though I’d lived through nearly three-quarters of my life without her, I still got that horrible lump in my throat when her name came up. Like now, for instance.

  What would I tell Rex, anyway? That the room I slept in was next to the one that had been Mom’s as a child? That my grandmother kept every item in her room as it had been all those years ago? That the haunting reminder of my mother’s presence hovered over me every day, bittersweet and painful?

  Something in my expression must’ve tipped Rex off to the fact that I wasn’t comfortable with this. He reached over to pat me on the arm and gave me a sympathetic look. “I’m sorry, Kat. This is none of my business. I’m a nosy old man. I just wonder about Lenora sometimes. She’s so . . .” He shook his head. “Different from the Lenora Worth I used to know when we were youngsters in this business. Completely changed, I’d have to say.”

  “Wait. You . . . you knew her?”

  “Well, sure.” He looked startled. “We worked together on several projects in the late ’50s. She didn’t tell you?”

  “No. Not a word.”

  “Odd. I would’ve thought . . . Anyway, we worked together. She was quite the star back then. I was just a kid trying to break into show business, and not doing a very good job of it at that.”

  “Really? It took you a while to break in?” For whatever reason, this surprised me. I guess I’d always pictured Rex to be the hotshot Hollywood producer he was now.

  “You have no idea how long,” he said. “Decades. I tried a few acting roles but neve
r garnered the acclaim Lenora did. Ended up working behind the scenes, which, ironically, suited me just fine. Who knew I’d be happiest offstage? Not me. I was sure I’d be the next Marlon Brando.” A smile lit his face. “I was just a small-town kid with big dreams.”

  “So was my grandmother,” I added.

  His face lit into a smile, and I could read the excitement in his eyes. “Oh, but Lenora went on to do great things. Her film work was really something. She made quite a name for herself.”

  “Yes, I’ve seen the movies. She keeps them in a safe at the house. We’ve watched a couple of them over and over again. Grandma wants to keep the lines memorized.”

  “Of course she does.” He laughed. “She’s Lenora Worth, after all.” He dove off into a story about a film they’d done in ’57, sounding almost as nostalgic as she often did.

  What was it with these two living in the past? Maybe someone needed to nudge them . . . right on into the present.

  6

  Who’s the Boss?

  The following day, Rex gathered the cast and crew together on the set for a meeting. I couldn’t read the expression on his face. Only when he said, “Meet your new director,” did it sink in. Tia Morales had arrived.

  A petite woman about my age stepped up to the front of the group. Her gorgeous olive skin contrasted perfectly with that jet-black hair and those dark brown eyes. Yowza. Talk about pretty. I twisted a loose strand of hair around my finger and squinted to give her a closer look. I hadn’t counted on our new director being such a knockout. Obviously, neither had the cast and crew. Several of the guys stood with wide eyes.

  Rex introduced Tia, listing her credits. She did indeed have an amazing résumé. But I still had my doubts as to how that would transfer to our stage. And how would our crew take to working with a woman? Some of our cameramen were a little rough around the edges. I couldn’t imagine them treating a female director with the same respect they’d given Mark.

  To their credit, the guys in our crew gathered close and seemed ready to hang on her every word. After the somewhat elaborate introduction, Tia dove right in. “Thanks for that intro, Rex. Glad to be with you. I’ve been around the block and seen a few things, so I think I’ve got something to bring to the table.”

  For someone so petite, she had quite a booming voice. Must’ve taken acting lessons. The gal really knew how to project. And project she did. Her lyrical accent only made her more intriguing, and I could tell she’d cast a spell on the guys with her gorgeous physique. And with the build-up Rex had given her, who could blame the guys for being intrigued? This woman was part Wonder Woman, part technical guru, and part . . . Miss America.

  She stared us down, her voice all business. “People, I’m here to take this show from the number four spot up to number one. That’s why Rex called me and that’s why I responded to the call. I’m a fun person, but not on the set. Once those cameras get rolling, it’ll be all work and no play. You might as well get used to that now. I’m a go-getter. Like to see things done, and done right. My reputation is on the line and so is yours.”

  Several eyes widened, including those of a few guys in the crew. No doubt they’d pegged Tia as a pushover, based on her natural beauty and petite form. But she was clearly no pushover.

  Okay. So this would be interesting.

  Scott leaned over and whispered in my ear, “Does this stage have an escape hatch? If so, I’d like to utilize it.”

  “Me too,” was about all I managed to squeak out.

  On and on Tia went, talking about how she planned to run a tight ship. How the only way to make a mark was to give 110 percent. How she planned to stay up nights figuring out the best camera angles, the best timing for our lines, and the best scene layouts.

  I kept a watchful eye on the kids, who looked . . . well, terrified. I felt our family environment slipping away bit by bit with each word she spoke.

  Thankfully Tia turned her attention to the guys in the crew, talking about technical things. While they looked a bit more reserved now, I could see a tremendous amount of respect in their eyes as she shared her vision for how the show would be filmed from now on. Jason Harris, our cameraman, was the only holdout. He shook his head and turned to one of the other guys, whispering something. Hmm. I sure hoped we could all just get along. There had been enough tension on the set already, and for the sake of the kids, we needed this to be a calm and safe place.

  Speaking of children, they gathered around the edges of the stage, their little eyes wide as Tia talked. A couple of the youngest ones still looked frightened, but Candy rolled her eyes and leaned back against the stage, clearly bored. Lovely. Someone needed to teach that little diva some manners. Could she at least feign some respect? The kid was an actor, after all. She could certainly act respectful.

  I couldn’t help but think that Tia’s arrival had ushered in a new season of sobriety for the cast and crew. No more pranks while the cameras were rolling. Yikes. How would we handle that? Our crew members made a sport of playing pranks on the actors, and vice versa.

  There had been that time one of the boom mics whacked me in the back of the head midscene. I’d been told it was an accident but suspected foul play based on the laughter from the camera crew. And then there was the time I’d opened the onstage refrigerator to what was supposed to have been a stash of diet sodas, only to have thousands of walnuts roll out on top of me. From what I’d been told, it had taken the tech crew hours to get them in there and they had only one chance to film it. I challenged them to be more original next time, knowing they’d stolen the idea from an old Dick Van Dyke episode.

  We always had fun at each other’s expense. In a healthy way, of course. And all of these things made for great outtakes, or so I was told. But would all of that end now that Tia had arrived? Would she put an end to our merriment altogether? Only time would tell.

  The meeting ended, and she seemed to soften a bit. A smile lit her face as Rex drew near. She extended her hand, obviously thinking he wanted to shake it. In usual Rex style, he swept her into his arms for a fatherly hug. She looked a bit taken aback at that but didn’t say anything.

  Grandma watched this transpire in silence but then took a few steps in my direction. “What do you think of her, KK?”

  “She’s, um, something else.”

  “Sure is. She reminds me of someone. What about you? Who does she put you in mind of?”

  I was torn between Attila the Hun and Mommie Dearest, so I said nothing.

  Thankfully Grandma Lenora did all of the talking for me. “I know! She reminds me of that lovely young woman who delivers the flowers, don’t you agree?”

  “Delivers flowers?” Frankly, it had been so long since I’d received any that I couldn’t say.

  “You know, honey,” Grandma said, patting my arm like she would a small child, “when I was under contract to Paramount and used to get flowers weekly. Beautiful pink sweetheart roses. The same girl would deliver them. I’m pretty sure that’s her.”

  “Ah.” Should I tell her Tia wasn’t born yet when she was under contract to Paramount? Nah. I’d let it go.

  “I like her,” my grandmother said with a nod. “She’s just what this show needs. Business and spunk. A nice combination indeed.” Leaning in, she whispered, “And I’ll bet if you asked her, she would tell you she used to work for a florist.” Grandma gave me a wink.

  I paused to think about what she’d said, the florist comment aside. Mark had been all business too, though he had trouble sticking to a plan. But having someone in charge with a nice personality would be good. Hopefully Tia was just trying to make a strong first impression.

  Grandma gave Tia a look of pure admiration. “You know, back in my day, a woman would never have become a director, so I think it’s wonderful. She’s made inroads into a man’s world, and that’s pretty impressive. I always said a woman could give a man a run for his money.” Giggling, she added, “I know I’ve given a few men a run for their money, anyway.”

/>   I didn’t even want to know what that meant.

  Grandma ventured off to the dressing room to touch up her makeup, and I made up my mind to speak to Tia. After a deep breath, I headed her way, ready to break the ice. Might as well get this over with.

  “Tia, I’m Kat. Kat Jennings.”

  She turned to me with a warm smile and took my extended hand. “Of course. I’ve seen you on-screen so many times. Good to meet you in person. Rex has told me so much about you, and I can’t wait to get started working with you. I’ve loved this show since its inception and see such great things happening in the future.” Releasing my hand, she gave me an inviting smile.

  Okay, so maybe she wasn’t Attila the Hun. Now I was confused, trying to figure out this mysterious director Rex had hired.

  Her gaze darted to him. “He, um . . . well, he told me to come on strong so that everyone would take me seriously. I’ve always worried a little that people won’t see me as a professional in my field, but he said making a vivid first impression would help. Do you think I went too far?”

  Ah, so that explained it. She didn’t have a heart of steel after all. She was just intimidated.

  To my right, Jason messed with one of the cameras, swinging it a bit too close for my liking. A statement, perhaps? Nah, probably just a coincidence.

  “I guess time will tell,” I said. “But one thing’s for sure—everyone will line up and walk straight. And I do think you’ll take this show up a notch in the ratings. I feel sure of it.”

  “Good.” A wide smile lit her face. “That’s the goal. Oh, and Kat . . .” She leaned in, lowering her voice. “I didn’t even know they were letting Mark go, so none of this was planned or anything. I want you and Scott to know that. I wasn’t out to get his job. I would never do that.”

  “Oh, I didn’t think you were,” I assured her. “I just assumed this was . . . is . . . God’s timing.”

  “Wait . . . you’re a Christian?”

  When I nodded, she said, “I’m so glad. And to go back to what I was saying a second ago, it’s no fun to get ahead of God. His ways—and his timing—are perfect. If I’ve learned anything in my life, it’s that. Well, that, and it’s not wise to get ahead of him. I’m pretty bad about taking the reins myself. Just part of that type A personality, I guess.”