“Thank you,” said Anna May, her elfin face still in shock.
“There is one thing, though,” said Lena, “and feel free to say no.”
Anna May’s face fell. “What is it?”
Lena reached for Anna May’s hand. “You’ve been in Los Angeles for some time now, and I suspect you are well-versed in the lay of the land. These girls are going to need someone to look up to, someone they can go to for advice.”
“Like a big sister?”
“Yes, exactly. So,” said Lena, praying she’d get the answer she desired, “I would like you and one of your friends with similar experience to be big sisters to these girls.”
“Really?” Her mouth fell open, her eyes wide.
“You’re perfect for the job. And I’ll be available if you need me. Also,” she said, “I’ve organized for some actresses, and myself, to give the house free acting, singing and dance lessons as our schedules allow.”
“Really?” Anna May laughed. “Sorry, that’s the only word I can think of. I’m quite shocked, to be honest.”
“Why?”
“I just never thought anyone would care,” said Anna May.
“There are plenty of people who care.”
“Thank you. Thank you so much!” Anna May wrapped her arms around Lena, squeezed her hard then pulled away. “I will be the best big sister, just you wait!” Anna May’s excitement was contagious. “Does this place have a name?”
“Why don’t you name it?” said Lena, full of joy.
“What about Stepping Stones?”
“I love it! Stepping Stones it is.”
Chapter Thirty-two
1952 – Hollywood
Lena stood in the study with the telephone pressed to her ear. She’d been expecting this phone call for hours and finally, after much hand-wringing, it had arrived.
“Thank you,” she said, trying to take it all in. “I’ll let George know.”
Lena hung up and turned to face her best friend, who waited on the leather Chesterfield. She replaced her earring and sat next to him, taking his hands in hers.
“The lawyers haven’t got any further.” The words were hard for her to say.
George hung his head, his shoulders sagging.
“I’m sorry, George.”
“I can’t even begin to thank you for all the trouble you’ve gone to.” He sniffed.
“You don’t need to thank me. I just wish there was something more I could do for you. If our team can get one of the Hollywood Ten’s lawyers on board, we might get more insight as to how to best fight this.”
“But they lost.”
“Their experience could help us figure out to do this time around.”
“It’s worth the chance.” This was the first time George showed a glimmer of hope since HUAC had started sniffing around him.
“I think it’s a chance worth taking,” she said, still not entirely convinced. Given the severity of the outcome if it went the other way, everything was worth a try.
“You know your helping me could incriminate you,” he said.
“I really don’t care.” Although she did care, a lot, especially since everything else in her life had fallen into place. “You’re my best friend, and I would never desert you.”
“If you did, I’d understand.”
“Nonsense.” She waved her hand dismissively. “We’ve always been there for each other, so why stop now?”
“Because you could end up being accused, and the studio could drop you, and your career would be dead in the water. Or you could end up in jail.”
“I won’t. You won’t. Everything will work out.” She wished she believed it with as much certainty as she’d said it.
The doorbell rang, and she got up to answer, having given Rita the night off to go to the movies with her friend. Anticipation raced through Lena knowing Reeves would be on the other side. She swung open the door. “Well it’s about time you—oh.”
She gripped the doorframe to steady herself.
“Good evening, Miss Lee,” said Ned Ramsay.
Her small kernel of confidence deflated the second she saw the HUAC representative. She looked around for Ramsay’s offsider and spotted him smoking a few feet away.
“You really should lock your gates,” he said. “Anyone can let themselves in.”
Lena stared at the entrance to her property. There was absolutely no way Rita would have left the gate unlocked—she was one of the most reliable people Lena knew.
“Mr. Ramsay.” She straightened her spine. “It is very late, and I would prefer you visit another time, if you don’t mind.” All she could picture was George sitting in the study, waiting for her to return.
“As promised, we did some digging and—”
“Miss Lee!” Reeves jogged up the driveway, then took the flagstone steps two at a time. He waved a script in the air. “Please forgive me for being so late to our rehearsal.”
Lena stared at Reeves.
“For our scene tomorrow.” Reeves raised his eyebrows.
“Oh! Yes! I’m sorry, Mr. Garrity, I didn’t realize the time. We have so much to get through, and the last thing we need is to have to keep filming the same scene because we can’t get it right.”
Reeves turned to Ramsay. “I am sure you can understand the urgency of the matter. Perhaps you could make an appointment with Miss Lee for tomorrow? After she’s finished filming for the day?”
Ramsay narrowed his eyes and pursed his lips.
Reeves slid past Ramsay and into Lena’s foyer. Ramsay stepped forward and Lena blocked his progress.
“If you call administration, they will be sure to give you a suitable time,” she said, all the while hoping the tremble spreading throughout her body wasn’t visible.
Ramsay mumbled something and took a step in the direction of the driveway. Lena let her body relax.
Ramsay turned to face her. “You can tell your friend George we will be talking with him tomorrow too.”
“I’ll tell him when I see him,” she said.
“I suspect that will be when you go back inside.”
Lena quickly shut the door and leaned against it. Her temples throbbed, and she found it hard to catch her breath.
Reeves put his hand under her elbow and guided her to the study, where George stood, his face pale.
“I’m so sorry.” George passed her a glass of water as Reeves helped her to the sofa. “I’m so, so sorry.”
Lena gulped the cool water. “He’s been spying on us.”
“I think I better go. I’ve caused enough trouble already.” George collected his hat and jacket. “I’ll call later.”
“No, probably best you don’t,” she said. “Who knows what they’ve done.” She cocked her head in the direction of the telephone. If HUAC made a habit of watching her house, who knew what else they were capable of.
George leaned down and pecked Lena on the cheek. He whispered, “I will make this up to you.”
Lena grabbed his hand and squeezed it. “You don’t need to. It’s society that has it wrong, not you.”
George ran his hand down her face. “I love you, my beautiful friend.”
“I love you more.” She grinned.
George waved over his shoulder as he let himself out of the house. The small room seemed larger than before, a definite chill hanging in the air.
“Thank you so much, Reeves.” She breathed out slowly. “How did you come up with the script idea?”
“I figured I needed a cover to enter your house at this hour, in case photographers were around. I certainly hadn’t expected to see HUAC on your doorstep. Just as well I thought ahead, huh?”
“Just as well, indeed.”
Reeves sat down next to her, and she collapsed into his arms. Resting her head against his chest, sh
e listened to his steadily beating heart, taking comfort in the strength and security she felt in his arms. Although she didn’t need a man, she wanted this one with all her heart.
“I’m worried for you.” Reeves moved so he could look her in the eyes.
“Why?”
“With HUAC sticking their noses in, and the country’s paranoia about Reds under the beds, innocent people are being accused, and their names are being dragged through the mud. It’s getting out of control, and you’ve been pulled into it.”
“It’s not George’s fault.”
“I understand, but it’s not easy watching you get harassed for being friends with someone they’ve targeted.”
“Being a friend means standing by someone through thick and thin,” said Lena.
“Even if you could lose your career? Or worse?”
She moved back. “What are you saying? I should dump my best friend?”
“No, of course not! Maybe you should just…not spend so much time with him for a while. Every minute you’re with him gives them ammunition.”
“I cannot believe you said that.” Lena stood and walked over to the mantelpiece. She picked up a framed photo and held it in front of Reeves. In the photo, George draped his arm around Lena’s shoulders as they both smiled at the camera. Her hair was natural, her makeup understated. She looked so free. So unburdened by the complications of the life she now led. “George was one of my first friends in this business and he’s been with me ever since, riding the rollercoaster. He needs me more than ever, and I’ll be damned if I desert him now.”
“Lena.” Reeves motioned for her to sit next to him.
She shook her head.
“Please.”
“I can’t believe you think I’m the type of person who would leave their friend when they need help.”
“I meant for you to not spend so much time with George at the moment,” he said, his voice low, “not give up on him.”
Lena put down the frame, then crossed her arms.
“I can understand your defensiveness.”
“I’m not defensive!”
Reeves studied her intently.
“I think you should go,” she said. “I’m not in the mood for company.”
He stood, his eyes soft. “I do understand your loyalty to George, and I love that you are standing by him. Everyone needs a friend like you. I’m just concerned about the spotlight onto your private life when you’ve tried so hard to keep it in the dark.”
“I haven’t.”
“Lena,” said Reeves. “We’ve had long conversations, yet you’ve managed to keep the most intimate details of your life a secret.”
“I told you, I’m Australian.”
“And I appreciate you telling me. But I want to know the real Lena Lee. What makes you tick? What was your first pet’s name? What was it like growing up in small-town Australia?”
Whether it was the exhaustion of Ramsay’s visit, worry for George, or the energy it took to keep her true life at bay, Lena felt ready to bare her soul.
“I come from a small town in northern Queensland called Starlight Creek.” Those first few words broke the last barrier. “My family owns a sugarcane farm. My father runs it, and my mother is in charge of the local cinema. People come from far and wide to see movies.”
“Your movies?”
“Yes. But my family are the only ones who know it’s me. I’ve changed a lot since I left Starlight Creek. With my hair and makeup done, I look very different from the country girl who left town at seventeen.”
“I can’t see how people couldn’t recognize your natural beauty, even after all the layers of Hollywood.”
She laughed, feeling lighter by the minute. “Thank you. Though I’m not a natural redhead, I’m blond.”
“I did suspect that was the case.”
“How…oh!” She looked away briefly, trying to compose herself. “Anyway, I grew up watching movies, and longed for a more glamorous life than the sugarcane fields. Don’t get me wrong, Starlight Creek is the most beautiful place, and it’s very dear to my heart, but I always felt like a fish out of water.”
“How on earth did a girl from northern Queensland end up in Hollywood?”
“We’re going to need a drink.” Lena got up and prepared martinis. In a short moment she was back by Reeves’s side, handing him the cocktail.
He took a sip. “This is yet another talent of yours. How did you end up working in a cocktail bar?”
“One step at a time, Mr. Reeves.” She sipped her martini, the alcohol taking the edge off the nerves. Exposing herself like this made her vulnerable. Not even George knew the full story. Maybe she needed to reel herself in, but the freedom she now felt far outweighed the caution she’d clung to like a life raft in a stormy ocean. “I spent my childhood watching movies with my favorite actresses—Vivien Leigh, Katharine Hepburn, Bette Davis, Greta Garbo—all very strong and inspiring women.”
“Like you.” Reeves held her hand.
“You are the most excellent charmer,” she said, her voice shaking. Why was she so nervous?
“I don’t set out to charm,” he said. “Please tell everything, I want to know all about you.”
“So,” she continued, measuring her words, “I dreamed about being an actress in Hollywood, but never in a million years thought it could happen. When I was seventeen I went to visit my cousin in Sydney and a photographer spotted me. Next thing I knew I had an agent and was modeling swimwear, which led to work for fashion magazines.”
“Do you have any photos? I’d love to see a young—younger—Lena Lee.”
“Nice save there,” she joked. “Anyway, the American branch of one of the magazines saw my photos and asked me to come to the States. I didn’t need much encouragement, so I got on a plane and found myself in New York, meeting modeling agents and eventually seeing my face on billboards.”
“Impressive.”
“It was an easy ride, which always made me wary.”
“Very smart thinking.” Reeves stroked the side of her face. “Beauty and brains.”
Lena closed her eyes, reveling in his warm touch. Although she wanted to remain like this forever, she also wanted to continue with her story. Needed to continue. “Modeling paid the bills, but it didn’t fulfill me. I despised being judged solely on my looks, and I knew the gravy train wouldn’t last forever. A prettier, younger model could come along at any minute and take my place, then where would I be? I decided to invest in my future and took acting classes. I did a few small plays and musicals off-Broadway, but they didn’t change the world. Certainly not mine. Though they did light a fire in my belly. I remember reading an article about Mae West being thirty-nine years old when she started in movies. It gave me hope. And I’d also remembered reading about her clever negotiation with the studio head.”
“Ah, yes. Didn’t she ask him how much he earned?”
“She did, and then she asked to be paid one thousand dollars more, because then she’d be the highest paid at the studio, which would secure her position.”
“Very clever.”
“Absolutely,” said Lena. “With my sights set on making it in the movies, I arrived in Hollywood and realized no matter how much I wanted something, there were no guarantees I’d get it.”
“Do you have what you want now?”
“Yes.” Without a second thought, she leaned forward and kissed Reeves. His arms wrapped around her tightly, pulling her close, his musky cologne tingling her nose.
“Maybe we should continue this conversation upstairs,” she whispered.
“Perhaps we’ve done enough talking for tonight.”
* * * *
Lena lay in bed, enjoying the warm breeze dancing across her naked body. An orange glow filled the room, the darkness of the night a faded memory. Rolling over, she studied R
eeves sleeping soundly. She ran a hand along his arm, across his chest and placed a finger on his lips.
His smile was slow and alluring. “Good morning.”
“Good morning,” she said. “I like that you’re the first person I see when I wake up.”
Reeves looked at her with his dark, hypnotizing eyes. If only they didn’t have to be on set shortly….
“We could make this a permanent thing,” he said.
“How?”
“Marry me.”
“Pardon?”
“Marry me, Lena Lee. I love you.”
“How can you love me when you still don’t know everything about me?”
“My heart knows enough. I want to be with you forever. I want to whisk you away to a tropical paradise, you and me being ourselves, away from all the nonsense that drags us down, makes us full of self-doubt.” He sat up. “Let’s do it.”
“Reeves…”
“I’m serious.”
“Reeves.” She sat up next to him. “I love that you want to do this. But it’s not practical. We’d never work again if we left right now.”
“We might never work again anyway.”
Memories of last night’s HUAC visit hit her like a punch in the gut. “Please, let’s forget that. Let’s just be in this moment, enjoy it for what it is.”
“What is it?”
Lena placed her hand under his chin and kissed him slowly, longingly, with all the desire that surged through her. “I love you.”
“So you’ll marry me?”
There was only one answer.
“Yes, I will marry you, Reeves Garrity,” she said with conviction.
Lena wondered how one of the biggest decisions of her life could be made in a split second. It was as if this moment had been brewing since the minute they met.
Reeves jumped out of bed and pulled on his shorts, then trousers. He grabbed his shirt and buttoned it, all the while bouncing around like an excited kid. “You have made me the happiest man on earth!”
“And I’m the happiest woman!” Lena laughed, got out of bed and put on her silk robe. She helped him with the buttons on his shirt. “There’s just one thing.”
The Cinema of Lost Dreams Page 31