Chapter 12: Big Plans

"Hello, She," I said. "How's your bod?"

"Better," she replied. "Can you hold on for thirty seconds while I switch phones?"

"Sure," I said. I had all the time in the world in fact. I was sitting in the hallway on the floor, where I usually talk on the phone, and Charlotte was lying with her head on my lap, looking up at me with her shining blue eyes.

"What's up, Anthony?" Sheila asked. She sounded much more cheerful than she had the day before.

"I've got some interesting news for you."

"Oh?"

"I'm no longer a single man."

"Really?" she said. "Who's the lucky girl?"

"I'm sure you can guess."

"Well I know it's not me."

"Who have I been spending a lot of time with lately?"

"You're going steady with Charlotte Lawsen? Really?"

"You guessed it," I said, lifting Charlotte's hand like a prized possession to give it a kiss.

"I thought she didn't date the guys she fucks. I thought she was all about being free and easy. Uh, no offense."

"She thought so too, I guess. It seems I've changed her mind to some degree."

"Well you always were a charmer." There was just the tiniest hint of sarcasm in her tone, and I wondered again whether she had issues with Charlotte. "So you're basically calling me to brag about landing the hottest girl in school?"

"Well, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't proud of myself, but that's not the only reason I called. I also wanted to know if you're still up for doing this movie with us."

"Of course," she said, without hesitation. "I was actually wondering when you were gonna call about it. We were supposed to get together yesterday, weren't we?"

"Yeah, sorry. Something came up. You free tonight?"

"Sure."

"We're gonna head over to Charlotte's place. Are you pretty much ready to go?"

"I've been ready all weekend."

"I probably should have called. I had a bit of trouble to sort out earlier."

"So you're on your way, or what?"

"I'll be out of here in about ten minutes. See you then."

"Should I bring anything?" she asked.

"Nah. Just come," I said with a smile.

"How did I know you'd say that? Smart-ass."

"See you soon, She."

"Bye-bye, Charlotte's boyfriend."

"Now who's being a smart-ass?"

"What? That's who you are, isn't it? I'm just trying to get used to it."

"Me too, I guess. It's only been since Friday."

"Was it all romantic and shit?"

"It was," I said with a phony love-sick sigh.

"Well, at least one of us has a love life, and as usual it's not me."

"Maybe I can get Char to hook you up with Doug Devone," I said.

Charlotte raised an eyebrow. I covered the phone and told her Sheila was a big fan.

"Oh, god," Sheila whimpered. "Don't even tease me like that, you cruel bastard."

"Just kidding. Sorry."

Then we said good-bye, and hung up for real this time.

"There's Sheila," I said. We pulled up in front of her house and she got in.

"Hi, Sheila. I don't think we've ever officially met. I've heard a lot about you."

Sheila took her hand, and shook it. "Likewise," she said.

"So are you excited about making this movie?"

"Totally," Sheila said. "I can hardly think of anything else."

"Me neither. I've been going crazy ever since we first talked about it. I can't wait to see the finished product."

"Anthony tells me you're a fan of Doug too, and you've actually met him."

"Doug is insanely sexy. Even more so in person I think."

"Does he come over to your place often?"

"Every month or so, unless he's in one of my dad's movies, then he's over there pretty much every day all day."

"Do you need a roommate?"

"I can introduce you to him if you want."

"I'd be too embarrassed. That guy makes me totally crazy, just thinking about him. I can't imagine meeting him in person."

Their conversation was bright and animated now, and I was glad to see them getting along so well.

"Yeah. I'm like that too. He must think I'm this fluffy little air-head, swooning over him every time I'm in the same room as him. He's a nice guy though. He doesn't tease."

"So what's he like? In person, I mean," Sheila asked.

"Well once you get past the whole celebrity factor, he's no more sexy than our dear Anthony here."

"Anthony is a sexy one, I'll give him that. But since you've already snagged him, I'll have to settle for Doug."

Charlotte laughed out loud.

"You're crazy, Sheila! I love it. You're so cool!"

"Thanks," Sheila said. I could tell she was a lot more flattered than she let on though.

"I can see why Anthony loves you so much," Charlotte added.

Sheila paused in thought, looking down at her hands as she fiddled with a piece of thread hanging off of her shirt.

"Well we've got something special, me and him. How long have we been friends now, Ant? Ten years?"

"Ant?" Charlotte said. "That's so cute!"

"He was a shrimpy little kid. I used to call him Ant, and I guess the name stuck."

"You should talk about being shrimpy, Chicken Legs," I threw in.

"Chicken Legs?" Charlotte said.

"Yup. That's what they used to call me."

"I feel left out. I don't have a nick-name."

"Sure you do," Sheila said. "You're Charlotte 'The Slut' Lawsen."

Charlotte and I froze in shock for a moment. Then we both burst out laughing when we realized Sheila was only teasing.

"I fucking love this girl, Ant," Charlotte said. "She's hilarious!"

"No offense," Sheila said.

"Oh don't be silly," Charlotte replied. "I know I'm a slut. It doesn't bother me. I actually like it. No rules, no inhibitions. It's sexy."

"Cool," Sheila said, and I could tell she had just developed a ton of respect for Charlotte from that one little sentence. Sheila had been battling with her own inhibitions for years.

"We're here," I said.

I parked my truck and we got out next to the shiny red sports cars. Sheila gaped at the house without a hint of subtlety.

"Fuck me," she said. "I'm gonna become a porn star when I grow up!"

Charlotte laughed again.

We walked to the front door and headed in.

"Oh my God! This place is incredible!" Sheila said, gawking around.

Charlotte showed her around the main floor.

"Do I get to meet your mom? That's gonna be so weird."

"I wonder if they're downstairs," Charlotte said. "They might be working. Let's head upstairs and get busy. We can meet them later."

We got upstairs and Sheila was no less astonished by Charlotte's bedroom. Eventually we settled down to work.

"Okay," Charlotte began. "First the ground rules."

Sheila was lying on Charlotte's bed on her tummy with her feet up behind her, and a notepad in front of her. I was sitting on the chair at Charlotte's desk, and Charlotte was sitting on the floor in front of me, using my knees as a backrest. She had a small clipboard of her own.