Chapter 42

The night didn't reveal anything new to Meredith. Darla was home. Her fiancé and his children were still in Malibu until the end of the month. Darla was getting remarried on New Year's Eve and the family would take up residence at her home in Beverly Glen. The boys didn't seem to care that there was no pool.

Randi was withdrawn, even more so than during the phone conversation. She was preoccupied with the script until Meredith pulled it out of her hands. Then Randi was just pissed off.

"You're going to burn yourself out," Meredith told her. "You don't shoot for two months. Seriously, how many times to do you think you should read this before rehearsal starts? How many times do you think Tiffany will be looking at it?"

"She's still shooting her other series," Randi replied.

"Which is exactly my point," Meredith told her. "Yes, go ahead and learn your lines. But you can't spend every waking moment with this in your hands. You're excluding everyone and everything else. Your Mom said you barely said two words to her when you came home. You barely spoke a dozen words to anyone in Phoenix. That's what has Brock worried."

"I still say he's jealous," Randi shot back.

"If anything, he's confused," Meredith replied. "He said he couldn't figure out why someone would want to be a big-time Hollywood name."

"Says the guy whose face pops up a thousand times a day on some channel or website," Randi said.

Meredith sat back.

"Are you sure it's not you who's jealous?" she asked.

"Please," Randi said dismissively. "What do I have to be jealous of?"

"Brock's fame, my presence," Meredith said.

"Brock is not famous," Randi insisted.

"You told him he was," Meredith pointed out. "But even if he isn't, he doesn't want to be. What about the other thing?"

"I didn't understand it so I can't answer you," Randi said, bitter at having her words used against her.

"Brock told he me had wondered where I would wind up if we split," Meredith said, hoping it would shock Randi into thinking about what was about to happen. "He's laying the seeds to keep at least one girlfriend," Randi shot back. "You can do what you want. I won't force you to choose. Can you say the same about him?"

"I'm not some child in a divorce battle," Meredith said. "I've done that once. Thankfully only one party wanted me around so it was easy. Randi, do you see what's happening? Things were going really well and then they weren't. The only thing that has changed was you landing this role. Is this role worth that much to you?"

"Sure," Randi said instantly. "Come on, Meredith. It's Hollywood. Relationships come and go. Great roles can cement your career for a lifetime. If I pull this off, I can name my own price. I can print my own ticket."

"At what cost?" Meredith asked.

"If he really cares about us, he would be supportive," Randi said. She wasn't about to touch Meredith's question.

"He is supportive of Randi Darby, the person," Meredith said. "Isn't that what you've always wanted? Someone who can see through the Randi Raver persona and care about the real person underneath. You have that now. You have two people who think the world of Randi Darby. In fact, I think you have far more people than that. You're willing to risk all of that for a role in a TV show that will last three or four seasons at most?"

"It's not the show!" Randi yelled. "It's the chance. It's the opportunity to take my career places no one thought it would ever go. Once I'm calling the shots, I'll get back at all those bastards who screwed me over."

"Revenge is that important to you?" Meredith asked.

"It's not revenge," Randi said. "It's justice."

"If you want revenge or justice, go to the cops," Meredith said. "The statute of limitations on child sexual abuse has been extended to 20 years."

"Now you're just being stupid," Randi retorted.

"Why do think that?" Meredith posed. "I'm serious. Why not just hire someone to take them out? Brock knows people like that. He could probably make a single phone call and their bodies would start turning up in ditches the next morning. It worked for my sister. He got that done inside a secure facility. He'd probably do it if you asked him."

"I'm just sick of people making decisions for me," Randi declared.

"What decision did we make for you?" Meredith wondered.

"About therapy," Randi said, rolling her eyes.

"You put us in a very difficult position," Meredith replied. "Brock wasn't going to say anything until later. It was only the way you started acting in Phoenix that brought things to a head."

"I don't want to talk about this anymore," Randi stated.

The pair went to bed – in separate rooms – shortly thereafter.

Brock was still asleep when Randi and Meredith trudged over the next morning. Randi fixed herself a glass of juice while Meredith went upstairs to wake Brock.

Meredith found Brock cuddled up to her pillow and smiled sadly.

The trio's relationship was over. Meredith understood that. Two enormously stubborn people had taken intractable positions and refused to discuss a resolution. Even if they survived this time, it wouldn't survive the next one.

"Hey," Brock said when he saw Meredith standing next to the bed.

"Hey," Meredith replied. "Can you get up and come down to visit for a while? I know you have a doctor's appointment at noon."

"Give me a few minutes," Brock said with resignation. The tone of Meredith's voice hadn't been lost on him. "I want to shower and take care of everything so I don't have to break away to get ready."

"Sure," Meredith said. "See you in a little while."

Meredith had spent breakfast with Randi and the pair had reached an agreement. Meredith agreed to help Randi prepare for role as best as she could. She felt she owed it to Randi after some of the stuff she had put her through while on tour.

She wasn't comfortable with the plan but she knew Randi would seek assistance somewhere else if she didn't agree. It was the best she could come up with. She only hoped Brock would understand.

"Did he go for it?" Randi asked when Meredith reappeared.

"You think I just woke him up and asked him?" Meredith said with an incredulous tone. "Yeah, that would have worked well."

"I figured you'd crawl into bed and convince him that way," Randi said. The inflection of her voice said she wasn't joking.

"This is a bad idea," Meredith said.

"Come on, it'll be fine," Randi replied.

"No," Meredith said. "Because it is going to take all my self-control not to beat the living fuck out of you every time you open your mouth. I can't see another choice. But if one presents itself, I'm out."

"Suit yourself," Randi said with a shrug.

Brock wandered downstairs a few minutes later. The women had sat in stony silence after Randi's final salvo.

Brock was still pouring a glass of juice when Randi spoke.

"Meredith's going to help me without an ultimatum," she declared.

"Her choice," Brock said, taking a sip to keep his anger in check.

"It's not like that," Meredith said. "Randi, let me talk to Brock alone."

"Why?" Randi asked. "It concerns me."

"No, it doesn't," Meredith said. "It concerns me and him. You're no longer a consideration."

"Whatever," Randi said. Still, she picked up her glass and headed into the other room.

"It's not like that," Meredith repeated. "Look, you know she's going to do something like what we talked about. I don't know what else to do."

"I know and I understand," Brock said. "Like I said, it's your choice. I realized yesterday that I can't live her life for her. I can't stop her from making mistakes – just like I can't stop you from making them."

"You think this is a mistake," Meredith said.

"Clearly," Brock replied. "But like you, I don't see any other way to lessen the impact."

"So you'll help?" Meredith asked hopefully.

"No," Brock answered. "I considered it after you left last night. I was never comfortable with the situation and her actions have made me less comfortable. I'd help in any other way but I can't help in this. I'm sorry."

"I know you are," Meredith said.

"Where are we?" Brock asked.

"I don't know," she admitted. "I'd like to tell you that nothing is going to change with us. That would be a lie and I promised you I would never do that. What I can tell you is that I hope nothing changes. I don't want anything to change. But I'm just not sure."

"Thank you for that," Brock said with a rueful smile. "I guess I always knew I could trust you. You've proven that. I'm sorry we've hit this point."

"Me, too," Meredith said as tears started to fall. "It's my fault. I'm the one who pressed you into this spot. But if something would happen to Randi, I'd never forgive myself. Can we ... can we still date while I'm doing this?"

"If you want," Brock said. "I'd like to. But I think we can both see that your time will be limited. Call me when you get a chance. I don't have much scheduled until February."

"We'll still see each other all the time," Meredith said.

"Uh, yeah, I guess so," Brock told her. "I mean, you'll be next door a bunch. I somehow can't see Sam letting this happen under his roof."

Meredith looked at the floor.

"Darla's new family is moving in after Christmas," she admitted. "We can't really do it there, either."

"No," Brock said firmly.

"Just hear me out," Meredith tried.

"No!" Brock said louder. "You think I would allow my home to be used in the potential destruction of someone I truly care for? No way, Meredith. Do not even bother to ask."

"It's our home, Brock," Meredith said. "We all planned to live here after Christmas."

"Those plans are done," Brock said. "You can live here if you want. In fact, you both can. But you cannot expect to stay here if you insist upon your role-playing game."

"Don't be a hardass," Randi said from the doorway.

"Stay out of this," Brock said in an angry voice. Randi took an involuntary step backward.

"I should have a say," Randi said. "We're partners in buying this place."

"We were partners," Brock pointed out. "That deal isn't finalized."

"Maybe I'll just buy it and toss your ass out," Randi shot back.

"You might buy it, but Little Missy, you better know it'll take more than you and your cadre of bodyguards to get me out of here before I'm ready to leave," Brock said menacingly.

"Randi, shut the fuck up right now!" Meredith yelled. "Go the fuck home or whatever. Just get the fuck out of my sight."

"Fine!" Randi said as she spun on her heel and stomped off.

Meredith closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Go with her," Brock said. "I'm fine. She's a mess. We'll talk later."

Meredith nodded and gave him a soft kiss.

"I'll see you soon," she promised.

Brock decided staying around the neighborhood might be the worst idea in the world so he headed to his doctor's appointment and simply stayed away until later in the evening.

He found Darla Darby waiting for him when he arrived. He silently cursed but got out of the vehicle anyway.

"This is a mess," Darla said as she greeted him.

"It was bound to happen eventually," Brock replied as he unlocked the door and let his neighbor in.

"I have heard more yelling in the past two days than I have in the past six months," Darla continued. "I'm sorry, Brock. I really am."

"You didn't do anything," Brock assured her.

"I know part of this is probably because of my wedding," Darla said. "I through Randi was an adult. I thought she would be able to handle things. The past few months have been really good – for both of us. I was finally able to stop worrying about her so much. She had Meredith and she had you. I'll admit I wasn't crazy about that but it was working. Now I have more to worry about than ever."

"I don't know what to say," Brock admitted. "I'm not sure Randi hasn't been playing a part this whole time. She told me something back in August. She said she tried everything to get my attention but she realized that the best way to get it was to act like a human being. I took it to be a figurative statement but I'm not sure she wasn't being literal. She was acting."

"She is not a horrible person!" Darla said.

"No," Brock admitted. "That wasn't what I was saying. I'm saying that her career has always been more important to her than anything else. She sees this role as a chance to become a big name in the industry. She's probably right – if it doesn't drive her insane first."

"That's what I'm worried about," Darla admitted. "I know what you wanted her to do and I support you. I know she told you about what her father did. It's something we've always kept private – not because we're ashamed or anything but because it is still painful for Randi. I know you only want what's best for her."

"I do," Brock replied with a frown.

"Then we agree on something," Darla said. "What's best for her is to lose this part and get back to where she was ... happy."

"Maybe, maybe not," Brock said. "I learned awhile back that what we think is right for someone might not be what they want. Randi is, by all legal statutes, an adult. This is her decision to make. I might not support her decision but I support her right to make it."

"I called Tiffany Wells," Darla blurted. "I explained how Randi's been acting and how different that is from normal. She's taking Randi to lunch tomorrow. She's going to try to talk sense into her. I mean, she's going to explain how getting drawn into a role can cause irreparable harm to relationships. She said she knows firsthand, whatever that means. I just hope you can see fit to wait for a few days to see if it helps."

"Have you spoken to Meredith?" Brock asked.

"Randi hasn't let her out of her sight since they left here this morning," Darla said. "But Meredith told her in no uncertain terms that she was going home tonight."

"She might have meant her Dad's house," Brock pointed out.

"No," Darla said. "She calls that Dad's house. This is where she considers home."

"When Randi was here," Brock replied. "I'm not sure she will view it the same way with Randi somewhere else."

"Oh," Darla replied, reminiscent of Brock's first meeting with the woman.

Meredith did come over sometime during the night. Brock was already in bed because he had a team physical at eight a.m. She wasn't beside him when he fell asleep but she was there when he woke. He gave her a soft kiss on the cheek and went to grab a shower.

"Where you off to?" Meredith asked drowsily when he reemerged.

"Team doctor," Brock said. "The one yesterday told me that I can start back to full workouts. There is no trouble with my heart or lungs."

"Good," Meredith said. "When will you be home?"

"Late," Brock told her. "I'm going to work out and do some long-toss with Zack. I have the photo shoot for the baseball card company at 11:00 and Stan and I are going to go over some endorsement offers he's gotten right afterward."