by Leslie Pike
As I fall asleep, I try to dwell on something good. I think about the story of the roses. I’ll be adding that, and Carl’s comment to my script.
Two days and nights at the Kennedy Compound was the right thing to do. I got out of my head for a while, and into caring for someone else. Actually we cared for each other, only Carl didn’t know it. By the time I left, we were both the better for the visit.
I can still see him in my rearview mirror, bidding me goodbye with a peace sign.
As I drive toward Pacific Grove, I’m steeling myself for what’s ahead. I wish I could snap my fingers and everyone connected with the movie would forget they ever met me. We could start again and be cleansed of the mistakes I made. I don’t want to eliminate these people from my life, I just want a reboot.
I’d steer clear of Steven and Caprice and my troubles would be gone. But short of that scenario, I simply have to go through this as it unfolds. Don’t be embarrassed, Bliss, just be strong. After all, I didn’t do anything wrong.
I twist Mary’s ring around my finger.
I’m home. There’s the gate to the cottages. Why has it taken on such a different look? This was always the point in my journey where I felt at peace. But tonight, it almost looks foreboding to me.
It’s only six o’clock, but because of the weather it looks later. There’s fog and mist and the sea is dark. That’s about right. “It was a dark and stormy night.” Exactly what I’m feeling inside. Cue the thunder and lightning, and we’d have the scene.
No one is outside of their cottages, and for that I’m grateful. I’d rather face them individually than as a collective. I make it inside. As I drop my bags I see this isn’t going to be easy. I lean against the door.
All around me are reminders of Steven. There’re photographs and that card he gave me with beautiful butterflies on the front. I see one of his jackets thrown over a chair. And I haven’t even made it into the bedroom. That will be a mine field.
I remember how he felt to be in my arms. How he felt in my bed.
What happened to me being strong? I feel weak right now. Emotionally weak. My heart is breaking all over again.
There’s a loud knock on the door right above where my head rests, and it startles me back to the present.
Steven’s voice breaks the last remnants of the trance.
“Bliss! Open up. We’ve got to talk.” I just freeze.
“I’m not leaving here till you talk to me. Even if I have to I’ll pound on this fucking door all night.”
I know he will. Better to get this over with. I open the door.
There he stands. He looks tired. I think I detect tears in his eyes.
Boy, he’s really trying to sell his innocence. He looks like I feel. Good. My emotional weakness is fading.
He tries to put his arms around me. I quickly stop that from happening.
“Oh no. Don’t do that.”
“Alright. Listen, Nicki told me why you’re upset. I know what you think you saw.”
I cut him off before he can finish that thought.
“It’s not what I ‘think I saw,’ it’s what I actually saw. I’m not delusional, and I’m not confused. Caprice was putting on a nice little show, and you were sitting there. Right there, asshole.”
He grabs the sides of his head in frustration.
“It didn’t happen! I was home alone all night. I went to bed early because of my call the next day. No one was there! I don’t know what you saw, but I know what I did and did not do. Please believe me, Bliss! I love you, and would …”
“Just shut up, Steven! You’re never going to convince me that I didn’t see what I most definitely saw. Boy, you must have been with some naive women in the past. Did they actually buy your bullshit stories?”
“It’s NOT bullshit! I can’t explain what you say happened, but I’ll get to the bottom of it and make sure there’s no doubt in your mind. FUCK ME! I’m telling you the truth. And it’s really starting to piss me off that you don’t believe me. I thought we had something stronger than that. I love you.”
That last comment just pisses me off.
“Well fuck you and your brand of love. You blew it. I’ll never forget this. NEVER! Get the hell out of here. I have nothing left to say to you. It’s done.”
“No, it’s not. I’m not giving up.”
I go around him and open the door. He angrily walks out.
Chapter Sixteen
STEVEN
Ridiculous. I’m being punished for something that I not only didn’t do, but that couldn’t have happened. How did Bliss see what wasn’t there? And yet I know she’s not making something up. What would be the endgame of that? How was she convinced that she saw Caprice?
I’m going to go to the source.
As soon as I’m inside my cottage I give her a call. She answers on the first ring.
“Caprice.”
“Yes, darling. What can I do for you?”
“Were you inside my house last week? At night.”
“What?”
I know she heard me.
“Were you inside my cottage when I didn’t know?”
“Of course not, Stefan. Why would I do that?”
“For any number of reasons, Caprice. I know you were there. Someone saw you through the window.”
“Was that someone little Bliss?”
Fucker. She did it. I’m sure of it now. And she can’t resist letting me know without having to cop to it. “Listen. I don’t know how you did it, or why. But …”
Her sickening sweet persona drops. She gets serious.
“I’m telling you I didn’t do it. Really, Steven, how would I even get in your house? You’ve got quite an ego, don’t you? I think you’d better look elsewhere for your intruder. I’ve got to run now, I’ve got company.” She disconnects.
“Mother fucker,” I say out loud.
I’m going to Jack’s. He’ll help me think of a way to out Caprice. I won’t let this go till Bliss hears the truth, and she’s back in my bed.
I hear the music as I walk up to the door. Nicki and Jack are lost in each other, and I understand them wanting to listen to music. All of a sudden all the lyrics make sense. That’s exactly how Bliss and I were just a week ago.
Jack answers with a big grin on his face.
“Brother! Where have you been? We were calling you. Come in.” I walk inside and see Nicki’s bringing food to the dining table. It’s set for three.
“Hi, Nicki. Sorry, I didn’t think. It’s dinner time.”
“No. We were calling to ask you to join us. See, three plates. Stay.”
“Nicki cooked, so I guess it’s a national holiday. I’m not sure she’s familiar with the kitchen,” says Jack.
“No need to be. Hire a cook if you want someone to fix you your meals. Or make it yourself. How did we get to this point in our civilization where grown people can’t make themselves a meal?”
Jack thinks this is hysterical.
“See all I have to do is press her button, and she’ll give me ten minutes of sass. I love it.” He growls.
She laughs too. It’s all just their game.
“How do you know tonight’s not just an elaborate rouse. Maybe I’m going to snag you with my gourmet skills.” Jack grasps her in a playful embrace.
“That’s not the skill set I’m interested in. And besides I’m already in your trap.”
“Hey, you’ve got company here. I take it things are going well for you two?” I say.
They look conspiratorially at each other.
“You could say that,” Jack says.
“Good, I’m happy to hear that. But, I need to talk with you both. I need your advice, Nicki.”
“You’ve got it.”
“And Jack, I need your creative thinking to help me solve a problem.”
“Creative thinking. I like that. It’s much better than twisted outlook. Sit, let’s brainstorm.”
We sit at the table, and as Nicki brings out the food
, Jack pours us each a glass of wine. It’s always a good thing to drink wine with Jack. You’ll have bottles that most wine lovers only dream of being able to afford. For Jack, every day’s a special bottle day.
I turn to Nicki.
“So, here’s the thing. I’m innocent of what Bliss thinks happened. Caprice wasn’t with me. Not that night or any other. Not since our one hookup on our last film.”
Nicki looks directly into my eyes. She’s not feigning ignorance of what happened, and she’s got an opinion.
“Well, here’s my thing. Bliss is neither a liar nor a drama queen. I’ve never known her to fabricate a story. Not for her benefit or for effect. So I’m having a hard time.”
“I know that. Believe me, that’s the problem. She actually saw something but I don’t know how it happened,” I say.
“I’m telling you, Nicki, he didn’t do that to her,” Jack adds.
“That’s the one reason I’m tending to believe your story, Steven. Because of Jack. He’s saying what Bliss saw is somehow not so. I hardly know you. For all I know you could be a player. I know you might think I hardly know Jack either, but I do, and I believe him. So tell me how I can help.”
“I need you to tell me exactly what Bliss said happened. I’m trying to piece together enough details to figure out how to prove my case.”
“Here’s what I know. She was walking to your place, and she looked in the window. Caprice was completely nude. She was dancing and laughing in front of who Bliss thought was you.”
“I don’t understand that. I was sleeping in the bedroom. I didn’t hear any laughing, or music.”
“She said she saw Steven?” questions Jack.
“She saw the top of his head. The window is only low enough to see the top of someone’s head if they’re sitting on the couch. She saw his hair.”
“That’s not seeing him.”
“Oh, and she said your favorite cashmere pants were thrown over the floor lamp.”
“What?” I say.
“Well that just proves beyond a shadow of a doubt it wasn’t him. He treats those fucking pants like they’re spun out of gold,” says Jack.
“I’d never throw them over a lamp. Sounds like a 1960’s movie scene. More likely though, it sounds like something Caprice would do if she was staging a seduction.”
“That’s it. She staged it. For Bliss’s benefit,” Jack says.
“But how did she get in without you knowing?” Nicki asks.
“My key. It was under the mat. I left it for Bliss. But I have no idea how she knew it would be there.”
“I do,” says Jack.
“How?”
“One word. KikiCoco.”
It all comes together now. The talkative makeup girls must have repeated our conversation in the trailer that day. Caprice was their next appointment, and somehow she got the information she wanted.
Jack’s already calling them.
“Kiki Rhodes’ room please.”
He waits a beat and takes a sip of his wine.
“Kiki, it’s Jack … Hello to you too … No, I’m here at the cottage. No parties tonight.”
He looks at Nicki and raises an eyebrow to her pretend expression of anger.
“Listen, can we meet tomorrow? Steven and I would like to talk to you and Coco about something … no dear, don’t worry. You didn’t do anything wrong. At least nothing that can’t be corrected.
Would twelve o’clock work for you? Alright, good. We’ll take you to lunch away from the set. Just the four of us … great. And Kiki? Please don’t tell anyone other than Coco about this … We’re counting on you.”
He disconnects.
“More wine anyone?” he says.
“What the hell? What are they going to tell us?” I say.
“They’re going to tell us everything. But that’s not all we’re going to talk about. We’re going to get them to have another talk with Caprice. One where she talks about her performance at your place.”
“Why would she do that?”
“Because she’s an egomaniac, and she’ll want those two girls to hear how she outsmarted you and Bliss. She’ll figure they’re not about to rat her out. They’ve got jobs to protect.”
“So how will it make any difference? It’s still just Steven’s word against what Bliss saw,” says Nicki.
“Oh no. It’s much more than that. We’re going to record the conversation then play it back to Bliss. She’ll hear it from the proverbial horse’s mouth.”
“And how are we going to record it? Phone?”
“You’re forgetting something. We have an entire sound department at our disposal. Just let me handle it,” says Jack, waving the whole problem away.
“Like I said. He’s creative,” Nicki says.
For the first time in a week I feel like eating.
Half way through the meal, my eye catches the big rock on Nicki’s left hand. How did I miss its blinding light?
“Um, what’s that you’re wearing, Nicki? On your hand.”
“Jesus, it took you long enough,” says Jack.
“It’s my engagement ring.” She’s smiling as she lifts her hand for me to see.
I’m stunned for just a few beats, but it passes quickly.
“Wow. That’s amazing!” Is this the Jack I know and love?
I get up and come around to each of them. I give Nicki a big hug and kiss on her cheek. Jack rises to meet my outstretched arms. I wrap him in a bear hug. I’m honestly happy for them.
So what if it’s been a month or a year?
“Thank you for not mentioning the fact that we practically just met,” says Jack.
Nicki just laughs. I can see she’s already used to Jack’s sense of humor.
“Time isn’t always the greatest indicator of true love.”
“I’d have to agree with you.”
“We’re happy, Steven. Deliriously happy,” says Jack.
“Have you told anybody else yet?”
“Not yet. It just happened yesterday.”
“When’s the big day?”
“Soon. We haven’t ironed out the details yet. But very soon. We want to do it before the film wraps. To that point, I need a best man. Are you up for it?”
I’m touched that he asked. “Absolutely. I’d be honored.”
“Good. It’s settled. Oh, and no fucking bachelor party, ok? My whole life has been a bachelor party.”
He looks at Nicki. “No, really it has.”
“I figured that one out on my own. And I agree with you. The party’s over,” says Nicki.
“You two are going to make an awesome couple.”
* * *
The next morning, I’m ready to get things rolling. I want to talk with KikiCoco, and set things in action. It’s a night shoot, so our call isn’t until three. Perfect opportunity to talk with the girls, away from the curious crew.
As I leave the cottages, I see Bliss is still inside. Her car is in the driveway and all the shutters are closed.
I see Jack’s car in the rearview mirror, following close behind. This is the guy I’d want in my foxhole. He’s got my back.
We make it to the hotel, and KikiCoco are waiting outside. Shit. Just the way they’ve dressed tells me they’ve got the wrong idea.
Kiki has her fuck me shoes on, and Coco’s wearing an outfit that would work if we were going to a Bon Jovi concert in 1995. It’s low-cut, leopard, and there’re faux fur cuffs involved.
Jack parks his Jag and goes to greet the girls. He brings them to the van, and the three of them climb in. Jack gets in the front. Thank God for small favors.
“So, where are we going?” I say.
“Turn left out of here. We’ll go to the Red House on Lighthouse. Anybody been?” says Jack.
My car could drive there unassisted. That was day one for Bliss and I. Since then we’ve been back many times.
“Yeah. I have.”
I think the girls are slightly disappointed, as if they had something g
rander or sexier in mind. Like kids who open a Christmas gift only to find underwear.
“Oh yeah, I’ve been there. It’s really cute,” Coco says, unconvincingly.
After I park in front of the restaurant, Jack grabs his baseball cap and puts it low on his head. He puts on his sunglasses and makes sure his unruly hair is tucked behind his ears. Twenty-five years of fame has taught him a few things. People will recognize him, but the incognito attempt might buy him a few minutes before that happens.
We make it inside. Right away I see Blondie Braids. That’s what we’ve called her since that first day, and she’s become our favorite ever since. Her flirting has stopped. She really likes Bliss, and Bliss likes her.
She spots me. She’s trying to figure out why Bliss isn’t with me, and why these two girls are. She approaches.
“Afternoon, everyone.”
“Blondie, do you think we could get a porch table? Jack’s with us.”
“Yes. I’ll make it happen. Give me a minute.”
She exits to the porch while we wait at the entry. Jack turns his back to the patrons who are already lifting their cells for a picture. So much for disguises.
Blondie returns and motions us to follow her. She’s put a screen in the center of the porch, which shields our table from the other diners.
“That’s why we love you. Thanks,” says Jack.
We take our seats, and order lattes.
“I guess you’re all wondering why I called you here today,” Jack says with a pseudo serious expression. He’s really getting into his secret agent mode.
“Well, yeah. Why did you?” says Kiki.
“First of all, let me say I know you didn’t do anything to intentionally hurt me or Bliss,” I say.
Both of them look surprised. They didn’t expect the conversation to move in this direction.
“What are you talking about?” says Coco.
“Last week, when we were all in the trailer, Jack, Finn, Bliss and Nicki.”
“Yeah.”
“Remember we were talking about the women going to San Francisco that day? And that they might be back that night? I had told Bliss I would hide the key to my cottage under my front mat. Remember?”
