Chapter 12

The next few weeks flew by, we worked a lot of weekends, and as a result managed to make up a week on the schedule. Eventually, on the Thursday of our sixth week of shooting, the director said the most welcome words I’d ever heard.

“Ok, folks, that’s a wrap. Thank you all for your efforts.”

We were done. I was finished and had a whole week free. I couldn’t decide whether to go home a week early or be a tourist in LA.

I had dinner that night with James and his family, and broached the subject with him.

“I could make a few calls tomorrow and see if I can get you a couple of days work on TV shows,” he said, “that would make it worth your while staying. Otherwise, just ring the airline and change your tickets.”

“Can I do that?”

“Yes, you have flexible tickets, so you could just switch flights. Let me see what I can do, then we can make a decision.”

“No,” I said, making a decision myself, “I’ll change my tickets. I can go and spend a week in Munich, at least I’ll see Cal in the evenings then.”

“Your decision,” he said, “we’ve enjoyed having you in the garage apartment, and if ever you want to come back, it’s yours for as long as you want it.”

“Well, I’m relying on my agent to find me a project for next summer, so thanks, I’ll accept that offer.”

After dinner I helped Amanda with the washing up.

“This girl of yours is really special isn’t she?”

“She is to me. I’m certain that she’s the one.”

“Well then, I hope it works out for you. You’ve certainly done well at fending off some girls around here for the past few weeks”

“Tempting as most of them were, they had no chance.”

“Well, you’re welcome back any time, we feel like you’re part of the family.”

“Thanks Amanda, I feel that way too. But just one question.”

“What is it?” she asked.

“If I’m part of the family, does that mean that James won’t be charging me fees anymore?”

She laughed.

“I don’t think so,” she said.

Once we’d finished the hand washing up, loaded the dishwasher and put the clean, dry dishes and pans away, we went back into the living room, to find Marta curled up on her dad’s lap watching television with him.

“You know I could get jealous of that,” I said, quietly.

“I’d be happy to sit on your lap” Marta said, eagerly, “anytime.”

“I meant having a daughter to curl up in my lap like that. Not that you wouldn’t be very acceptable, if I didn’t have Cal.”

“Oh, boo, I’m only acceptable, as a substitute,” she said.

“Maybe one day I will,” I was wistful.

“There’s nothing like it,” James asserted.

“James, how would I go about changing my flight?”

“You’re certain about going home early, now you’ve finished?”

“Not exactly, I’m going to fly to Munich and surprise Cal.”

“Let me have your ticket, I’ll sort it for you. It may take me a day or so.”

“Thanks James, I appreciate it.”

“What are you going to do with all the gadgets you bought while you’ve been here?” Amanda asked.

“I thought Millie might like to look after them for me until I come again.”

“I’m sure she’d love that,” Amanda said.

“If she doesn’t I will,” Marta put into the discussion.

Melissa agreed with her.

“I’ll tell you what,” I said to them, “if your Mum and Dad say yes, I’ll let you two look after my Playstation and games.”

“Yay,” Melissa enthused.

We sat and watched TV for a while, before I went out and climbed the stairs to the flat. I sorted out my ticket to give to James in the morning, took a shower and went to bed and had no trouble getting to sleep.

The following morning I delivered my flight ticket to James, before he set off for the office, and was invited to join them for breakfast.

After eating my fill of Waffles, eggs and bacon, I helped Amanda clear up and do the dishes, which in this case only involved loading the dishwasher.

“Are you OK with me leaving the Playstation with the kids?”

“Yes, of course, it’s lovely of you to think of them. And it will get better care taken of it than if we bought them one.”

I laughed at her remark.

“Do they have a TV set to play it on?” I asked, “I’m not sure you’d appreciate them using the one in the living room.”

“We’ll get them one,” she said, “don’t worry about it.”

“Well, I want you to know I appreciate all your kindness this last six weeks, especially you just making me one of the family.”

“Oh no, David,” she answered, “we didn’t make you one of the family, you did. The two girls just think you’re their big brother, and I know James looks on you as the son we never had.”

“And what about you?”

“Me?” she said, “I just go with the flow.”

But she smiled as she said it.

We walked back into the living room once everything was cleared away, where the two girls were sat watching some kids show on the Disney Channel.

Marta stood up as we entered.

“David,” she said, “if you’re going to be leaving soon, would you take us to the beach again before you go?” she asked.

“Of course I will, if I can. Let’s wait until your Daddy tells me when I’m leaving and then we’ll know when we can do it, OK?”

“OK,” she agreed.

We didn’t have long to wait, about an hour after he left for work, James rang me to tell me I was now booked onto a Lufthansa flight to Frankfurt from LAX on Monday morning, changing in Frankfurt to a shuttle service to Munich. He’d had to change me from first class to Business to get me on the flight, but that did mean a four-thousand-dollar refund would be due. I thanked him and disconnected the call.

“All right ladies,” I said to the two junior members of the Gordon household, “I’m all yours for the day.”

They both squealed in delight and ran off to get their beach things together.

By the time I got upstairs to the flat and got my own things together, they were back down and ready to go to the beach. Amanda handed me a packed lunch for the three of us, and each of the girls packed two bottles of drink into their backpacks.

They each said goodbye to their mother and we set off for the fifteen-minute walk down to the beach. Once there we found an empty spot and spread our towels on the sand, deposited our backpacks beside them and the girls stripped off their outer clothing and headed for the water. They were both strong swimmers, so I wasn’t particularly worried about them getting into difficulties but kept an eye on them anyway. The two girls spent an hour splashing about in the Pacific, while I worked on darkening my skin a shade.

The girls came back and flopped down onto their towels.

“Can we go and get an ice cream?” Melissa asked.

“Yes, of course,” I replied, and reached into my backpack to get my wallet.

“It’s OK, we have money,” Marta said as I held out ten dollars.

“Yes, but I’ll let you into a secret,” I answered, “Ice cream always tastes better if someone else buys it.”

They skipped off to the snack bar at the top of the beach to get their ice creams and I settled down to soak up the rays.

“Hello David,” a familiar voice said, “enjoying a little free time?”

I looked up to see Alison stood over me dressed in a floral print bikini, which covered the necessaries, and little else. I felt an involuntary twitch in my own swimming trunks.

“Hi, Alison,” I replied, sitting up, “what brings you to the beach?”

“Oh, the usual, Sun, leisure, the availability of cute guys. How about you?”

“I was dragooned into bringing my agent’s two daughters down to the beach. They’re just off to get ice creams.”

“Baby sitting for your agent?” she asked querulously, “I thought he was supposed to work for you?”

“He’s also a friend, I’ve been staying in the flat above his garage for the past six weeks. Taking his girls to the beach is a small price to pay for that.”

“How did you get to be such a nice guy David?” she asked, “you just don’t fit the normal model of young Hollywood actor.”

“Maybe that’s because I’m just a small town boy, who was brought up by loving parents. I go to the local school, have my friends, a girlfriend, an older brother and a younger sister. I work hard at school and at the end of last year I was bullied into playing Shylock in a play at school. A friend of my teacher saw me perform, and as he was a Hollywood producer, I got this part. Now I’ll go home, and if it never happens again, it’s been an adventure. If I get offered more parts, I hope I’ll still be the same small town boy I am now. I wouldn’t want to get as full of myself as some of the people I’ve met on this film.”

“Maybe we need more small town boys in this town then. Do you know you’re the only male actor I’ve played with who hasn’t even tried to get me into bed?” she asked.

“No, I didn’t. Apart from the age of consent over here being so high, I have a girlfriend and I’m not ever going to cheat on her.”

“God, that is so sweet,” she said, “I’ve been an actor since I was thirteen, even then the boys I played alongside thought that I was there as their plaything.”

“That’s just awful,” I said, shocked, “how can they get away with treating girls like that?”

“Because the only way for a girl to get ahead in this town is on her back.”

“Shocking,” I said, “how can anyone get away with that?”

“Because the people doing it, are the people at the top of the industry,” she said, with a sigh, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t lay my peeves on you.”

“No, no,” I told her, “I’m glad you did. I never realised that sort of thing happened.”

“Believe me it does, and some of the biggest actors, directors and producers are doing it.”

“It’s just a cesspit, why doesn’t someone do something about it?”

“I think because whoever did, would never work again,” she said flatly.

We had to quickly change the subject when the girls came back with their ice creams.

“Hello,” they said to Alison, “are you David’s girlfriend?”

“No, she replied, “his girlfriend is back in Europe. I’m just someone he made a film with.”