Chapter 6: A New Hope

It was their last breakfast together in Oregon. Not being obvious about it, Natalie was taking stock of the five cast members as they scarfed down their breakfast. After such an arduous location shoot, she was expecting something different. Tiredness, crankiness, frustration, all these were commonplace in her experience.

Instead, everyone was smiling. Of course, she knew what was responsible for her own mood, as well as Gary’s.

“Brent, uncharacteristically, was almost ebullient! Oh, I need to remember that word to tease Gary with. Oh, I see Brent’s hand is on Sally’s thigh. She’s whispering back and forth with Lila, and Lila just fiushed red. I wonder what that’s about. Now Dan is getting another cup of coffee. Oh, it’s for Lila. And she just kissed him! Um, enthusiastically.

“What is happening here?”

Nat picked up a knife and tapped her ceramic mug. When she had the floor, she addressed the group.

“I don’t claim to be Hitchcock or Spielberg, but I am an experienced director.” Lila snorted derisively, but then smiled to take away the sting.

“Something’s going on with you actors, and I want answers.”

Lila: “You want answers?”

Nat: “I think I’m entitled!”

Lila: “You want answers?!”

Nat: “I want the truth!”

All five of the actors: “You can’t handle the truth!”

Lila decided to reveal the “truth” after they had all finished gleefully imitating Jack Nicholson in “A Few Good Men.”

“Just like you, Natalie, we’re in love. Stuck out here in the wilderness, we finally succumbed to our mutual attractions. I guess you noticed me whispering with Sally.”

“I did; I’m glad now that’s all out in the open.”

“Yeah, no more secrets. Right, Sally?”

“Right!”

Lila reached up to pull Sally down for a sloppy smooch. Dan and Brent burst out laughing.

“Lila, you’re terrible. I know it’s you and Dan,” Gary smirked.

“Sorry, Dan,” said Brent.

“Your loss, Brent. Once you go blue, you’ll always be true.”

“Oh, barf!” Lila rolled her eyes.

“The things I put up with just to get half-decent sex.”

Lila kissed Dan before he could complain about the “half-decent” slight.

Later, the six of them were in a big 16-passenger shuttle on the long road to Idaho. From Boise, they would fly back to southern California. At least in the shuttle, they could sit comfortably together in pairs for the four-hour journey.

Gary began to sing.

I’ve been through the desert on a bus with no name
It felt good to get off the locaaa ... tion
In the desert, you can’t remember your name
And there ain’t no one for to give you no lame ... scripts.

The rest of them yelled, and he quit singing.

For a while, there was silence. In this dry landscape, passing the “Mountain Time Zone” boundary sign was the most exciting event on this lonely road (US Highway 20).

Time Zone Boundary [on US 20]

Lila and Dan put their heads together and chatted quietly.

“I guess we’re dating now. Right, Dan?”

“We could be ‘going steady,’ if you want. We could hold hands down at the malt shop.”

“After that, we could get in the back seat of your dad’s Buick, and I can show you ‘Paradise by the Dashboard Light.’ But seriously, Dan, we need to talk.”

“Oh, shit. How could I have screwed up already?”

“Not at all. It’s just that, well, I’m a single mother. I have an 18-year-old at home.”

“Lila, you’re shitting me! Didn’t you tell me you were 30?”

“I AM 30. I have never been pregnant. My child is adopted. Dan!”

Suddenly, her eyes were brimming.

“I know I shocked you. I’m sorry. Is this a deal-breaker for you? Better that we quit now, then.”

“No, I’m sorry. But this has got to be a hell of a story.”

“It’s crazy, but let me explain. My whole family is a disaster zone, or a toxic waste dump. It was during my elementary school years that everything fell apart. My parents were addicted to meth and neglected me. I needed help with my medical and growth issues. But they were too impaired to care very much about me. And, looking back, they certainly didn’t have any health insurance.