The Unkindness of the Paparazzi

by Odette Botha

  “That won’t be necessary,” Josh said so a mater of a fact.

  I could hear Jack chocking on the food.

  “Unless you guys have had one drawn up without me knowing, yes it is necessary,” he said in between coughs.

  “No we aren’t getting one,” I said

  “The two of you are worth millions separately,” he said trying to prove a point.

  “Yes and together we are worth billions,” Josh said.

  “You can’t be serious. Joshua think about it.”

  “I did think about it and we spoke about it, we are going to take our chances,” Josh said kissing me on my cheek.

  Dean and Alex also had the look of total disbelief on their faces.

  “You both know that without a prenuptial agreement if this marriage goes down in flames, she can take you for everything you have and the other way around?”

  Jack explained pushing the plate of food away.

  “The only way that this marriage will go down in flames is if one of us cheats,” Joshua said.

  “Yes and if its him that cheats I will kill him, so then the money is useless because I will be in jail,” I added.

  Joshua turned to me and smiled.

  “Like wise baby,” he said kissing me.

  “You two aren’t thinking clearly, obviously too much sex isn’t good,” Jack said pulling the plate of food closer again.

  “Or the sex is really good,” Alex said smiling.

  Josh looked up and showed four fingers forming the word ‘times’ with his mouth.

  I hit him on the arm.

  “Stop doing that,” I said laughing at him.

  Chapter 27

  After breakfast, Jack followed Josh into the room. Josh was on his way to get dressed. We had decided to return to LA.

  Jack kept on trying to get Josh to see reason.

  “I see everything is going well again this morning,” Dean said.

  “He isn’t going to book us on a separate flight back home?” Alex asked in a panic. “No you are coming back with us,” I assured him.

  “Katie I know I have no business asking you this but, you are still on birth control aren’t you?” Dean asked concerned.

  “No I went off it a couple of months ago,” I answered.

  Dean jumped up and bumped a glass over.

  “What? Are you off your head?” He asked.

  He was so loud that Josh and Jack came running back into the room.

  “What is wrong?” Josh asked worried.

  “It’s nothing Joshua, Dean was just clumsy,” I said widening my eyes at Dean. Joshua and Jack walked back into the room to continue their conversation.

  “Does he know?” Dean asked trying to keep calm.

  “Yes he asked me before we had sex the first time,” I answered.

  “But what if you fall pregnant?” He asked.

  “I don’t care and neither does he, we never spoke about it again.”

  Dean just shook his head.

  “But you don’t even like kids,” Alex said.

  “I don’t like other people’s kids,” I defended myself.

  “Your relationship is just so young and unstable it wouldn’t be the greatest idea having a baby now. You should really talk about it,” Dean said calmly.

  “I know but how do I open the conversation?” I asked.

  “Just ask him how he feels about having kids. And according to what he says you take it further. It’s no use you ignore or avoid the subject till you get into a situation where there isn’t a choice anymore,” Dean reasoned.

  “You are right I will speak to him before the end of the day.” I promised.

  Dean hinted with his eyes that Josh just walked back into the room.

  The flight back was nice we laughed allot and everyone got along, it wasn’t at all like the trip there. Jack was with us on the plane, and he shared some stories of him and Joshua. Dean did the same about us. The flight home didn’t seem as long either it was because we had so much fun.

  When we got back Joshua’s bags were already packed and the hotel had sent them over.

  “Home sweet home,” Josh said as he put our bags down.

  “We need to talk,” I started.

  “Oh boy, am I in trouble?” He asked, looking a bit worried.

  “No it’s not that, come sit by me,” I said patting on the sofa.

  “What is it?”

  “How do you feel about having kids?”

  “You don’t waste any time,” he joked.

  “Please I am serious, you asked me if I was on birth control the first time we had sex and I was honest with you, I said no. We have had sex a couple of times after that and we haven’t spoken about it.”

  I was red in the face again. I didn’t want to have this conversation but Dean was right I couldn’t avoid it any longer.

  “I have actually also been thinking about it. We have been pretty reckless; honestly I don’t want kids right now. But if something were to have happened in the last couple of days, I wouldn’t be upset. Why, what do you want?” He asked as he pulled up his eye brows he had a hint of a smile on his face.

  He was also not ready for this conversation but he did say he had also thought about it.

  “I am so glad you just said that, I feel the same. I will go see the doctor tomorrow.” He looked concerned again.

  “Are you really happy with what I said or are you just saying so? You need to be sure; most women I know can’t wait to fall pregnant. I need you to be honest with me,” he said.

  “No I am happy; I don’t want kids now I am not ready. I want us to have fun and I want it to be just the two of us for a while,” I said.

  “I really got lucky with you,” he said.

  I got on to his lap.

  “Kiss me,” I said softly.

  He put his hand behind my head and pulled me closer.

  The next day I was sitting in the waiting room. I was nervous of going to the doctor. The smell of the surgery made it even worst.

  The usually rude receptionist was surprisingly very accommodating.

  I asked to see the doctor without an appointment; she gave me one look and told me she would squeeze me in.

  As she smiled at me, I couldn’t understand it at first but I didn’t let it bother me, I just took a seat and waited for my turn.

  I looked at the small chair and table with colouring books and pencils and thought, ‘what if I was pregnant?’ I got a weird feeling in my stomach as if I could feel something move in there.

  It would be impossible I told myself. I was being paranoid.

  A little girl with soft blond curls was sitting there drawing a picture. She looked at me with her big blue eyes and gave me a sweet smile. I smiled back.

  I tried not to give her too much attention because kids would draw to me like a magnet.

  I grabbed a book from the table and started reading it. It was a celebrity gossip magazine it would make for interesting reading while I waited.

  I was paging through the magazine, not really noticing what was printed in it. I looked up and noticed that two of the women in the waiting room were staring at me. They were whispering to each other.

  I cleared my throat and held the book up over my face.

  I was still paging when there it was a double page spread: ‘Actor marries Author.’ The photos were taken in Vegas. There was only one photo I was aware of; the others were taken when I didn’t notice it.

  There was one with Joshua and I kissing passionately in the club, in that photo I was sitting next to him with my legs over him he had his hand on my leg.

  It could have been seen as a very sexy photo it depended on how you looked at it.

  The other photo was the one I deliberately showed of my wedding ring.

  There was a small photo where we were standing outside the casino, where he w
as standing with his back to me and I was looking sad looking at the floor.

  In the article they described my marriage as being on the rocks before it even started. ‘According to a close friend of ours,’ I was obsessed with his fame and I demanded we get married.

  I couldn’t believe what I was reading, it was rubbish and there was no way that I could defend myself.

  “Miss hmm Mrs Scott.” the receptionist called when it was my turn to go in.

  I never changed my name on the file, so she too had read the article.

  I nodded and walked to the doctor’s office.

  “Katie how are you?” Dr Joel asked.

  “I am really good thank you for asking. Have you had a busy day so far?” I asked making conversation.

  I always think that doctors have stressful jobs, everyone just comes there to complain and they expect a miracle.

  “I have had busier days, what can I do for you today?” She asked politely.

  “I need to go back onto birth control, I am sexually active again and I am not ready for motherhood,” I explained.

  “Yes I have read that you got married, congratulations and all of the best. I love my husband but sometimes I consider killing him,” she joked.

  “Joshua is great, we are still very much in our honeymoon faze,” I said smiling. “Hold on to that dear, for as long as you can because after that faze the fighting starts and then one day you wake up and realise you and your husband are now more like friends than lovers,” she explained.

  “I hope this faze lasts forever then.” I laughed.

  She gave some good advice and not once did she ask me questions I was uncomfortable answering. I had a good relationship with my doctor she was good at what she did. She did some tests and assured me I wasn’t pregnant.

  She inserted an IUD into my uterus and gave me clear instruction to wait at least 24hrs before having sex.

  I nodded but didn’t know how I was going to tell Joshua; at least it wasn’t as bad as the other contraceptives that only take 100% effect in two months.

  After the consultation I walked up to the receptionist to pay the bill. She waited for the doctor to load the information on the computer.

  I stood there with my credit card, waiting.

  I noticed out of the corner of my eye that the receptionist was staring at me. I turned to her and smiled, she smiled back. It was very uncomfortable.

  “Is there something you would like to say?” I asked very politely.

  “What is he like?” She asked, the other two women were also listening in.

  “What is who like?” I asked playing.

  “Joshua Scott of course,” the receptionist said giving a sigh of puppy love saying his name.

  “He is kind and gentle and a fantastic person,” I answered.

  “Is it true, did you guys get married after knowing each other only two days?” She asked.

  “No Joshua and I have been working on a movie set together for the last couple of months.”

  The receptionist looked a bit disappointed at my answer.

  “But the magazine says you guys got married after knowing each other only a couple of days,” she said pointing to the magazine on the table.

  “Don’t believe everything you read,” I shot back.

  “How is he as a lover? I read that, women who have slept with him in the past said that he is fantastic in bed,” she asked smiling.

  I couldn’t believe my ears it was so embarrassing.

  I sighed and looked over to the printer praying that the account was ready. There was still nothing. I saw the other two women were so intrigued in our conversation that they were sitting on the edge of their seats.

  “I saw him on TV the other night, that Taylor girl was with him in the movie. That scene where they make love was incredible,” the one said dreamy.

  “Yes I saw it too; I wish my husband was like that with me in bed.” the other one added.

  “You do realise that was just a movie?” I asked irritated.

  “So he isn’t that good?” The one asked, looking somewhat disappointed.

  I looked at the receptionist face it almost looked like she was about to drewl. How was I supposed to defend him, but yet keep my intimate life private?

  I thought oh to hell with it and smiled a sweet smile, if they wanted me to answer them, I will.

  “He is fantastic. The one time it was so fantastic that it felt like I was going to have a black out. It was unbelievable; I couldn’t walk for two days.”

  I looked at their faces they were shocked. I saw the account come out the printer and gave the receptionist my credit card. She took it from me with her mouth hanging open.

  I signed the slip and waved at the ladies as I left.

  I was sitting in the car laughing, I knew that was going to come back to bite me later but it was just so funny. Warren asked me why I was laughing but I just couldn’t tell him.

  I asked Warren to take me passed Dean’s office so I could go say hi and maybe have a quick coffee.

  Chapter 28

  I told Dean what happened and all he said was Jack was going to have a heart attack.

  We joked and laughed about it for a couple of moments before moving on to the next topic.

  I spend most of the afternoon there with him, I lost track of time.

  I sent Josh a message to tell him I am safe and where I was.

  Dean asked me about New York and I explained to him that I would come visit when ever I had the chance. I also promised that when ever he felt lonely or that he missed me we would talk on the phone or that he could use the plane to visit. He looked more comfortable with the situation after talking about it.

  Things with him and Alex were also better than ever. I was happy because he was looking so happy and excited; it was a look that I hadn’t seen on him for a very long time.

  He started getting busy so I told him that I was going to leave but I made a date with him to visit us that evening. Joshua and I weren’t aloud to have sex anyway, so it would be a great distraction.

  “I am home,” I said closing the door behind me.

  Joshua was on the phone so he just waved at me.

  I went to the bedroom and took off my shoes. I put on comfortable clothes, and walked out back to the living room. He was sitting on the sofa busy on his laptop.

  He had the biggest smile on his face.

  I walked towards the kitchen to get me some juice.

  “What are you smiling about?” I asked as I walked passed him into the kitchen. “Nothing just looking at a website Jack told me to go check out,” he said.

  “I am sorry I was out all day, I was at the doctor’s and then I went to Dean’s office. We spend the afternoon drinking coffee and catching. By the way he is coming for dinner tonight. He is bringing a couple of sushi platters.”

  I said still busy in the kitchen.

  “Alright that’s fine, what did the doctor say?” He asked.

  I sighed about telling him that we couldn’t have sex for twenty four hours.

  “I got the birth control I will come tell you now,” I said putting the bottle of juice back in the fridge.

  I walked out and plonked myself down next to him. I explained to him that we weren’t aloud to have sex and how the devise works. He listened but he still had a huge smile on his face. I didn’t ask him again why he was smiling, I just continued to talk.

  I couldn’t take the smiling anymore so asked again, “why are you smiling?”

  He closed the laptop and put it on the table, he turned to me trying to pull a very concerned face.

  “What did the doctor say about your black outs?”

  I put my hands over my face. I should have known better than to think it wouldn’t get back to him.

  He started laughing.

  “No comment,” I shot back from beh
ind my hands.

  “Jack is having a fit about it but I kind of think it’s very funny,” he said still laughing. He pulled my hands away from my face.

  I was blood red in the face.

  “Apparently you couldn’t walk for two days. That must have been terrible?” He joked again.

  I put my hands back on my face.

  “I was just so irritated with all of the questions. They didn’t stop and I just wanted to shut them up,” I said trying to defend myself.

  “Its fine, don’t worry about it. It does my ego good and according to a website here, the fans love it,” he said pointing at the laptop.

  “I am sorry, I didn’t think,” I apologised.

  “Its fine really I will deal with Jack. You should just be careful what you say because words get twisted,” he warned.

  “So twenty four hours?” he asked pulling his face.

  “I know it’s not ideal but maybe tonight we can feel what it feels like to get into bed and sleep,” I said raising my eyebrows.

  “That doesn’t sound nice at all,” he said frowning.

  “We can try some other things,” I said putting my hand down the front of his pants. “Don’t do that I might just get rough,” he joked referring to what I had said in the doctor’s rooms.

  I pulled my hand out and shot him an irritated look.

  He tried to kiss me but I turned my face away, I sat there with my arms folded over my chest pretending to ignore him. But I couldn’t keep it up for much longer; I was putty in his hands.

  The sun was setting and the room was later filled with darkness.

  We were still kissing on the sofa.

  He was laying on top of me caressing me with his hands. I felt like a teenager making out with boyfriend. I knew that we wouldn’t be able to keep it up for very long, we had a dinner date.

  “You go take a cold shower; Dean must be on his way by now.”

  The truth was I too needed a cold shower. It was like being on a diet; you crave things you aren’t supposed to crave.

  He gave a disappointed sigh and got up; he put out his hand to help me up. He pulled me into his arms and gave me one last kiss before going into the room.

  “Why don’t you do something sexy and romantic tomorrow night?” Dean asked me when Joshua left the room.

  “Like what?” I asked interested in his suggestion.

  “I don’t know, go out and get slutty lingerie or something.”

  I laughed at that.

  What did he want me to do, buy a whip and spank Joshua? The idea of it made me laugh.