Of Damsels & Dragons

by Nona Mae King

  ~*~

  Garret left a little before ten in order to make it to his meeting at a restaurant a little ways down the street. Amy escorted him to the door with a pleasant “Thank you for coming, Mr. Harrison. Have a nice meeting.”

  To which he responded “Thank you, Miss Burke. Good day.”

  Then, when Amy went back into the living room, she noticed that Garret had left his wool jacket on the back of the couch, so Amy had to hurry after him. She caught him by the elevator doors, holding out his wool coat with a smile that accused him of doing it on purpose. Garret drew her and the wool coat into the elevator with him just as the doors closed.

  He pulled her close, wrapping her up in the wool coat so that she couldn’t escape. He looked down into her face with a slight smile. “You were superb. In the scene as well as in so adeptly showing the personal conflict Mark and Vanessa had with their roles. Thank you.”

  Amy smiled. “I thought you would want to know.”

  Garret glanced up at the floor indicator for the elevator. “Hm. Not nearly enough time. Ah well.” He looked back down to her, and his smile twitched upward. “Bestow upon me a touch of your warmth, sweet muse, that I might remember your presence here so close and tender.”

  “Take what you will, poet mine, that you might never feel the chill of my absence.”

  Garret pressed his lips gently against hers… again… and again… and then again before lifting his head and caressing her cheeks and eyes with his lips. “Amy, Amy, Amy…” he whispered as he pressed his lips against her throat. “Never cease captivating my mind and heart. Never cease being true to that self I find so intoxicatingly unique.”

  Amy pressed her lips against his soft and warm skin, squeezing her eyes shut tight in an effort to hold back the tears. “I promise.”

  Garret pulled back, sent a quick glance to the floor indicator, and then kissed her again. “Until our dreams,” he whispered in a rough voice as he stepped back.

  Amy nodded slowly as she watched him shrug into his wool coat. Then the elevator doors were opening and he stepped toward the exit. “I love you, sweet muse,” Garret whispered as he passed.

  Amy blinked after him, the elevator doors closing off any response. She leaned back against the elevator wall with a deep breath.

  When Amy arrived back at her apartment, Mark and Vanessa were talking intensely amongst themselves. They looked up at her entrance. She smiled and motioned over her shoulder. “He had already made it to the elevator. I had to go down.”

  Mark stood, and his frown clearly showed he was upset. “Why’d you tell him what we told you, Amy? Geez!”

  Amy blinked. “I didn’t. I simply asked him why he cast you as ‘Cloud’.” Amy looked to Vanessa. “I didn’t even ask him about you. He volunteered it, and that was before I asked about Mark.”

  Vanessa changed her gaze to her hands, which tinkered with the hem of her dark rose blouse.

  Amy looked to each of their faces. “You don’t believe him, do you?”

  “And you do?” Mark scoffed. “I knew he was a good actor, but he--” Mark swore.

  “That was uncalled for,” Amy said as she arched an eyebrow and crossed her arms. “I’m a lot of things, Mark, but I’m definitely not gullible. I’ve seen and experienced my fair share of smooth-talkers, liars, and con-men.”

  Mark opened his mouth for a retort

  “Don’t even go there. I have both feet firmly planted on the ground, thank you very much, and he hasn’t been in my pants, skirts, shorts, or sheets.”

  Vanessa raised her gaze from her hands. “Amy, are you sure he hasn’t manipulated you?”

  Amy bit back a retort and said “I’m not sure of anything, Vanessa, but you said I was more than welcome to give him the benefit of the doubt. So, I am. And I don’t think it’s asking too much for you to do the same thing.”

  Vanessa looked over at Mark. “Mark?”

  Mark threw up his hands. “What the hell.”

  .:Ten:.

  Schedules

  The last days of rehearsal went by too fast for Amy.

  Garret continued to stop by at or near seven in the morning to share breakfast with Amy and Renee, proving to Renee that he wasn’t a ‘tight-ass’ at all. Just a workaholic as Amy had suggested for so long. Renee kept Garret up-to-date on her portfolio revision and on the find of her new photographer and agent. Garret promised to spread the word of his inside track to the ‘newest and freshest face’ in modern modeling, thereby assuring her of continually growing interest until her agent was ready to act. Renee was thrilled. Amy was relieved. Garret was amused.

  Then Renee would rush out the door to work, excited to be at last trapped within her dream of modeling, and leave the two to a continued discovery of the other. Garret began to share stories and anecdotes hesitantly at first, and then with more ease as he saw Amy’s interest and answered her eager questions. He confessed to adventures in London with neighborhood boys, often ending in being chased by the ‘constable’. He described school productions of A Midsummer’s Night Dream or Romeo and Juliet that had Amy wishing she could have been there. Then Garret would perform select scenes from them, thereby giving Amy a small taste of who Garret Harrison was.

  Amy loved it.

  Garret wove tales of independent productions that caught public attention; his acceptance into the Royal Shakespeare Company; performances in front of royalty; and an eventual interest in the big screen that brought him at first to Los Angeles and then to New York and Broadway. Which of course led to a reminiscence of Broadway productions, ones where Garret had performed the starring role while Amy had watched awestruck. Garret would ask if she had seen a particular production, and most often Amy would enthusiastically reply ‘yes’ and then give a detailed account and synopsis of her favorite scenes, thereby encouraging Garret to do the same.

  Oftentimes the reminiscing led to an attempt at acting out their favorite scenes, Amy doing her best to recall the lines of those roles opposite Garret while he did his best to prompt her. The two would often laugh so hard that they couldn’t do anything but gesture the lines. Then they would surrender the attempt and go back to the couch to sip their coffee and begin another visit to memory.

  Mark and Vanessa never asked how much earlier Garret arrived at Amy’s apartment. Amy wouldn’t have lied to them if they had asked, and she requested that Garret be honest as well. Luckily, Mark and Vanessa never inquired about the pair’s growing relationship. Instead, all focus was on the scenes in the first act, honing and tightening them until Garret was certain they would enthrall the audience.

  Then the rehearsal week was over, the weekend was coming to a close, and Amy was setting her alarm for the early arrival at the studio the next morning. Nervousness and anxiety battled with eagerness and anticipation at the prospect, scaring sleep right out of the picture. Then of course there was the knowledge that she would be receiving tutoring and choreography instruction for the final scene in Act I. Her death. Garret assured her that he had gone over the plans and possibilities too numerous to count. He had also told her it would be easier then a few Broadway stunts he had done.

  That had relieved Amy’s mind more than anything else.

  So Amy bid Renee goodbye, finding it very funny that now Renee was left at home alone, and then made her way out to the bus stop. The bus ride, as usual, was quite the experience with people. Amy enjoyed it, snickering here and there at the funny things people said in response to bus driver quips aimed at the other drivers’ tactics at cutting him off. Then Amy was dropped off at the studio lot and heading toward the security booth.

  Amy wasn’t sure if she should be happy or annoyed that the same man as before stood guard.

  “Name.”

  “Amy Burke.” And she went about the duty of freeing her ID from its specific pocket within her purse.

  “You’re not on the list.”

  Amy blinked and then looked up. “What? Give me that.” She swiped the list from him before he co
uld protest. “Oh for pete’s sake! This is ridiculous! How am I supposed to get any work done if they don’t put me on the list to get in in the first place!” Amy shoved the list back at the guard. “Can I use your phone please?” she asked, frowning.

  “Sorry. Not allowed.”

  “What? How am… Oh forget it.” Amy heard a car door shut. She turned, and her face brightened. Garret looked spectacular dressed in his charcoal silk slacks, cashmere vest of the same color, and antique-white Perry Ellis dress shirt with a gray silk tie. Amy moved toward him. “Good morning, Mr. Harrison.”

  Garret smiled. “Miss Burke. What a pleasant surprise.” He came to stand opposite her, and his smile faded to a concerned expression. “What has happened?”

  Amy gave an exasperated sigh as she motioned over her shoulder. “You won’t believe this. I’m not on the list.”

  “How can that be possible? Shooting schedules begin this morning.”

  Amy nodded. “I know, but I’m not on the list.”

  “Well this is very odd, I must say.” Garret smiled. “Come. Let us see what can be done, shall we?”

  “He’s not a very sociable fellow,” Amy warned as she fell into step beside Garret.

  “Yes, well I pay his salary.” The pair came to stand opposite the security guard, who didn’t seem to be at all impressed with Garret’s role as Executive Producer. “Good morning. Might I see the list?” The security guard handed it over. “Thank you.” Garret searched each page before looking up and slightly raising the clipboard. “This is an incomplete list.”

  The guard blinked. “What do you mean?”

  “There is no mention of those scenes scheduled for shooting in Studio 10. Where are the remaining names?”

  The guard shrugged. “That’s all I’ve been given.”

  Garret raised an eyebrow as he handed the clipboard back to the guard. “How odd.” He retrieved his phone and pressed a number. “…Max, we seem to have a misunderstanding at Gate 12…. Yes…. Studio 10’s schedule isn’t among them…. I see…. No, that won’t do at all…. Can you fax it?… Thank you.” Garret disconnected the call and gestured behind the man to the compact fax within the booth. “A fax holding the remaining names should come through shortly.” Then Garret motioned for Amy to precede him through the gate. “Miss Burke. After you.”

  Amy sent the guard an uncertain look. “Are you going to let me go through?” she asked him. “Or should I get my mace out?”

  The guard pressed his lips together and frowned. “Go on. Git.”

  “Gee. Thank you so much.” Amy followed beside Garret with an exasperated breath and a shake of her head. “Someone should sell him some personality.”

  “Nonsense. Shane is our best asset. He simply takes his duties a bit more seriously than what others appreciate.”

  Amy smiled. Then it faded as she sent a quick glance over her shoulder. To her surprise, no one was around. She stopped Garret with a gentle hold on his arm and took his hands in hers as she smiled up at him. “Do you realize you just arrived in your shining white horseless carriage and rescued me?”

  Garret’s lips twitched upward. “Did I? It was quite unintentional.”

  Amy’s crinkled at the corners. “Unintentional or not, the knight always gets a kiss.”

  Garret brought each hand up to his lips. “Unfortunately, sweet muse, I would rather not take the risk. My reputation would taint yours.”

  Amy released a hand and caressed his cheek. “I don’t care about that, but it makes me feel nice that you do.”

  Garret took her hand and kissed the palm. “Come, sweet. Max and the men from the stunt company wait for us.”

  Amy smiled and reluctantly released his hands. They started forward to Studio 10 again. “Will you be coming over for dinner this evening? I was going to make lasagna.”

  “I will do my best to arrange my schedule, Amy. What time?”

  “Seven. If you need it later, just let me know. Or I could bring it here, if you’re working in your office.”

  Garret reached out to briefly caress Amy’s hand. “Thank you, sweet, but that wouldn’t be wise. The tabloids would eagerly put their own story to the innocent meeting.”

  Amy looked over to meet Garret’s gaze. “Garret, when this movie is over, will you come with me to Illinois? I want you to meet my parents. They’d love to meet you, I’m sure, and you could use a vacation.”

  Garret smiled. “The invitation is appreciated.”

  Amy smirked. “But how plausible is it?”

  “That depends on how tenacious I want to be with my schedule.” Garret touched her hand again. “And where you are concerned, sweet, I am always tenacious.”

  Amy chuckled. “Good. I’m glad you’ll at least try. I think you’ll have fun. It’s not Chicago, but Aspen Grove is a really nice place.”

  “It sounds delightful.”

  “Especially since it only has a population of 1500.”

  Garret chuckled. “This I must see.”

  Amy smiled up at him. “Believe me, if you go I’ll show you each and every square inch of it.”

  Garret stopped outside of the door leading into Studio 10. “Do I have your word on that?” he asked with a smirk.

  Amy nodded, still smiling. “You certainly do.”

  Garret stared down into her face for a long moment before placing a kiss on her lips. “Then my schedule be damned.”