Her mother didn’t speak. She just stood there with a slightly smug look on her face. “Where are you going to go? What apartment can you afford that will take two dogs?”
Randi didn’t smile. She didn’t feel as smug as her words were about to sound. “I’m going to move into Martin’s apartment. He has a spare bedroom and they allow dogs. It’s not something I want to do, but if you force me to move out, that’s my option.”
“I raised you better than that.”
Randi stepped back. Her mother had never slapped her, but at this moment, she looked like she wanted to. She tried to put herself in her mother’s shoes and she could understand the anger. What Randi couldn’t understand was why her mother wouldn’t just let her make her own decisions.
“You raised me better, and I’m not going to sleep with him. I told him as much.”
“You’ve already discussed this with him?”
“I felt I had no choice. As you just said, I have nowhere else to go.”
Randi didn’t want to say something that she would regret so she turned to walk away. She had only moved a few feet when her mother spoke. “Are you trying to blackmail me into changing my mind? If you are, it’s not going to work.”
Anger wasn’t what Randi was feeling. It was disappointment and heartache. She didn’t want to cry so she pushed back the tears. “I’m not trying to blackmail you. Change your mind if you want, I’m moving out.
“I know you think you’re doing what’s best, but you’re trying to make choices that are not up to you.” Randi took a few steps toward the entrance to her apartment then spoke a few last words over her shoulder. She was on the verge of tears and she did not want to let her mother see her cry. “This is my decision, not yours. I’ll be out by tomorrow evening.”
Randi was thankful that her mother didn’t call after her. She knew that both of them would more than likely need a good cry and that they’d make up in a few days. At least, she hoped they would.
She focused her mind on the pups and her things that she would need to pack. For now she would take only the essentials and leave everything else for another day. She knew that she should have moved out ages ago, but for years, it had worked fine.
Though she didn’t tell her mother, she didn’t plan on staying with Martin. She wanted her own place. She did not want them to get too comfortable living under the same roof. Her mother was right about one thing; she had raised her better. She knew it was wrong to live with a man, but there was one thing different. She had no plans to sleep with Martin until they were married. It would only prove her mother right if she did something like that.
If it got to the point they were being tempted, she’d go to a motel. She was pretty sure the two of them could behave. They’d not even come close to doing anything while she’d lived in the mansion, or on the trip to Vegas.
The tears came while she packed, but it was more out of hurt. She knew that she had also hurt her mother, and that was part of the reason for her tears. She and her mom had always been close, and she hoped and prayed that, when all was said and done, they could mend their fences, put this behind them and go on, as if none of this had ever happened.
Chapter 44
A Rock in the Road
Martin was up late reading his script so when the phone rang he let it ring a few times before he decided to see who was calling. He came awake quickly when he saw it was almost noon and it was his mother on the phone.
“Hey, Mom. Good morn . . . afternoon.”
“Good morning to you, too. And, how are you?”
“I’m tired. I was up late reading.”
“When do you read for the part?”
“I’m not sure - soon. They keep changing the date. How are you and Dad?”
“We’re okay. Your dad’s working too much as usual and I’m fair, but I’d be better if I heard from my children more than once a month. And, a text doesn’t count.”
Here we go with the lecture.
“Why not? It’s a form of communication,” he said, sitting and running his fingers through his hair. He rubbed his back as he walked across the room. He didn’t like this hard mattress and was thinking about going down to his apartment for a few days. He was still staying at Mike’s place and sleeping in the guest room.
“Sending a text is something teenagers do. I do enjoy getting them but it’s not going to replace a good, old fashioned phone call or a visit in person.”
“Mom, I’ve told you to call anytime.” Martin put on his ear bud and went to the kitchen to make coffee.
“I know you say that, but I don’t like to call so much. It would be better if you called me. I would settle for every two weeks. I don’t think that’s too much to ask.”
“It’s not. It’s just I get busy during the day and when I look up it’s too late to call. It’s not that I don’t think of you.”
“That’s good to hear, but your sister does more than think. And, if it were not for her, I wouldn’t know anything. She’s kept me filled in about you and Randi, and Celia.”
“What’s she been telling you? Fill me in and I’ll tell you if she’s up to date.”
“She said that you are still dating Randi, and that Celia is staying at your house. I’m not sure that is wise, but I figure she didn’t have anywhere else to go.”
“You’re right. She’s broke and broken. I’m thinking about setting her up in an apartment. I really want to sell the house, but I need to figure out how to do that. I wish she’d go back East to her family. Instead, they’ve all come here and are staying at my house.”
“What? Are you housing the whole family again?”
“Just her mom and her brother, Roger. Her mother came to help. I’m sure her brother is here to sponge.”
“That is not good. I know you, Martin. You’re going to have to watch or they will take advantage of you. You were always a giving child.”
Martin smiled. “I’ve got a question. You’re a mother and I know you’ll be prejudiced, but I have a problem.”
“What’s that?”
“It’s about Randi’s mom.”
“Okay, I’ll help if I can. What’s the problem?”
“Well, she dislikes me so much she’s pushed Randi out of the house. I feel terrible, but I don’t know what to do. We’ve never met, but she told Randi if we didn’t stop dating, she’d have to move out.”
“Wow, Martin. I hate to hear that. What’s she going to do?”
Martin stopped and looked up. This was not good. When he told his mother what he had in mind, she was going to hit the roof. So, he decided to go with a different tactic. “I’m not sure. I told her she could move in with me, but I doubt she’ll do that.”
“Martin, you need to learn your lesson from before and don’t allow that to happen. You’re not ready for that kind of pressure and neither is Randi.”
“I don’t think she can afford an apartment on her own, with two dogs, but the only other option I have is to move her into the mansion with Celia. And before you start screaming, I don’t plan on ever doing that.”
“No. Please don’t do that. I’m sure you can work something out. By the way, where are you staying? Are you at the mansion, as you call it?”
“No. No way. I wouldn’t do that to Randi or Celia. I’m staying at Mike’s and he’s staying at the mansion. He and Celia are doing some work on a house, and to be honest, I think they might like each other.”
“What? Your friend, Mike, and Celia? I hope you’re not trying to match make just to get Celia out of your hair.”
“Mom, I hope you don’t think I would do that.” When the line was silent, his brows furrowed. “Goodness! If you can even think that, it’s no wonder Randi’s mother is like she is. So many people have such a jaded idea of how we live in L.A.”
“Martin, you were always giving, but you were also mischievous. And as far as how people live out there, you only need to watch the Stars News for a few minutes and you’ll see why people think what t
hey think. You are just going to have to go out of your way to show her mom that you’re not like that.”
“But how? She doesn’t even want to meet me.”
“There’s always a way around a rock in the road.”
“Feel free to offer suggestions. I don’t think she’s even willing to meet me.”
“Okay. I’d start with something she can’t say no to… flowers and a nice card.”
“I can do that.”
“Great. Talk to Randi and see exactly what the problem is. Tell her you want to know what her mother said. I’m assuming she’s afraid you’re going to hurt Randi and depending on what she says, be sure to assure her mother that you are not moving in with Randi, that you respect her and care for her. You’ve got to change her opinion of you, if you want to have a relationship with Randi.”
But he did want to move in with Randi. “I guess you’re right.”
“I know I’m right. Now, don’t you dare let Randi move in! Get her a motel room or rent an apartment. If you work fast, she might be able to move back in with her mother. The ball is in your court. Show that lady that you’ll make a great son-in-law, and that you’re not like most of the people she reads about in the gossip papers.”
Chapter 45
The Agreement
Mike could smell something good when he came out of the bedroom. He’d made mention the night before that he had to get up early and he guessed that Vicky had gotten up to fix him something to eat. She’d told him several times that she appreciated that he’d bought groceries. He had told her that she was more than welcome.
When he stepped into the kitchen and saw Celia in the wheelchair in front of the microwave, he stopped in his tracks. She looked like she’d been up a while, and if he hadn’t noticed she’d changed shirts, he might think she hadn’t gone to bed.
“Good morning. You’re up early . . . or late?”
“A little of both. I’ve been up since five. I just couldn’t sleep.”
“I have those nights now and then. Were you in pain?”
“No. Well, yes, but it wasn’t that. My mind was just working overtime. It’s like I’ve come out of a dream and I can’t wait to start my life over, but here I am stuck in this wheelchair, and broke.”
“Well, the broke part might change soon if we move the house. And, if you can sell a couple of cars, it will go a long way to getting you back on your feet.”
“I can’t wait. I don’t know who I want to prove it to more that I can do this, me or Martin.”
“Do it for yourself and it will mean more.”
“I think you’re right. There’s coffee ready if you want a cup to go with this.” She turned to the microwave and pulled out a plate with a sandwich on it.”
“I hope you didn’t do that for me. You’re supposed to be resting.”
“Oh, don’t worry. I didn’t hurt myself. It’s just a warmed bologna sandwich with cheese and hot sauce. I thought it was the least I could do for you feeding us.”
“How did you know I would want hot sauce on it?”
“Martin. I don’t know how many times he told me that story about how you guys lived on bologna and hot sauce for three days when you went camping and forgot most of your supplies.”
Mike poured a cup of coffee and then sat down, pulling the plate closer. “That was an awful week. It rained almost the whole time, and you’re right, we got in a hurry and forgot everything but one bag of groceries.”
“Tell me again why grown men camp?”
Mike took a bite of his sandwich and grinned. “Because it’s fun. That time we didn’t do a lot of anything but sit in the tent reading and listening to it rain, but most of the time, it’s a lot of fun. Fishing, eating over an open fire, hiking and the scenery is just beautiful.”
“It still sounds like more work than fun.”
“That just means you’ve never been camping with the right person, or maybe, you’ve never been at all.”
“The latter. It never sounded like anything I wanted to do.”
“I suppose you’re one of those women who can’t stand a little dirt or breaking a nail. I know the type. They never know how to have fun. I really feel sorry for people who are never willing to try anything new.”
“People always say that, but when was the last time you tried something new that you were confident you’d hate after it was over?”
“I don’t know, but how can you be sure you’ll hate something if you’ve never tried it?” He wanted to laugh when she raised a brow and gave him a disgusted look. An idea came to him and he said, “Pick something you think I’ll hate and when you’re up to it we’ll go.”
She shook her head. “You say that now but when you find out I picked a sewing class or something else just as feminine, you won’t go.”
He took a few bites of his sandwich and wondered what he was getting himself into. She rolled the wheelchair a few feet and he guessed she was about to go back to her bedroom, so he spoke. “We talked about this earlier when I told you I wanted you to go fishing. Well, how about this? You pick something… anything, and if you’ll go camping and fishing with me and Roger, I’ll do it.”
She turned and gave him a look that let him know he might be sorry later. “Anything?”
“Within reason. I don’t want to be modeling women’s bathing suits. If it’s something that men do, yes, but don’t go out on a limb too far because if I go, you’ll have to go, too.”
She turned her chair around and looked at him. “How many nights do I have to camp out?”
“Let’s do it like this. If what you find for me to do lasts four hours to a day, you’ll go camping for one day. If it’s a two day event, you go for two days.”
He could see her thinking it over. He ate the last two bites of his sandwich and took a drink of coffee while waiting on her to answer. She moved a bit closer to the table and asked him, “Where will we go camping?”
“Somewhere close, but not in the backyard, if that’s what you were thinking. It will have to be a real campground and you have to try to enjoy yourself.”
“With tents and eating out of cans?”
Mike laughed. “With tents but we might manage not to eat out of cans this time. I’m a pretty fair cook. Are you game or chicken?”
This had her attention and she crossed her arms. “I’m not afraid to go camping. I’m just sure I won’t enjoy it and have never wanted to go.”
“Sounds like chicken to me.” Mike took his plate and cup to the sink and washed them. He turned around to find her still looking in his direction.
“You’re trying to think of something terrible to put me through, aren’t you? I’ve got to get to work. Is it a deal or not? You don’t even have to tell me now what you’ll have me doing.” He held out his hand. She looked at his hand, smiled and reached out her good arm.
“You’ve got a deal.” They shook hands but instead of turning loose quickly, Mike turned her hand over and looked at it.
“I’ll bet these hands have never been in dirt, put a worm on a fishing line or gathered firewood. I think you’ll enjoy all those things, once you try them.”
He let go of her hand, and gave her a wink, as he stifled a laugh. He walked out the door but could still see her sitting there with that pouting look. She was regretting their agreement, but he wasn’t going to let her out of it, no matter what she came up with for him to do. He was going to get her out into the wilderness and he’d bet his next weeks salary that she would love it!
Chapter 46
The Real Celia
Celia woke up with a start. She looked around the room and Roger was lying on the other bed. He smiled and put down his phone. “You were having a bad dream, Sis. I was just about to wake you.”
“I know. It wasn’t good.”
“What were you dreaming? You were saying, ‘No, don’t do that’.”
Celia shook her head and after a few seconds laughed. “It’s coming back. I was dreaming about a fish. Mike was try
ing to make me clean it so he could cook it.”
“What? You’re dreaming about Mike? You’ve gotten over Martin pretty quickly.”
“It’s not like that. We made this bet about camping and doing things you don’t like. I agreed to go camping if he’d do something he didn’t want to do. Now, I’m regretting it. I can’t think of anything that will be as bad as camping. You know, for him to do.”
“You’ll think of something, but be careful. You might find out that you like playing with worms and fish, or that you like Mike . . . more than you think.”
“Oh, shut up. I’m not ready for that, and by the way, you have to come, too.”
“Me? How did I get roped into this? Not that I would care to go fishing or camping. I bet there are some great places out here.” Roger rose from the bed and looked at her.
“I don’t know. Mike just tossed you in there, I guess, so we wouldn’t be alone. I’m going to try to get out of it if I can. I’m hoping I can find something terrible for him to do so he’ll be the one who ends the bet.”
“You’re not one to give up so easily. What happened to the girl who used to fight me over every little thing? When did you lose all that fire?”
Celia sat up and Roger helped her arrange the pillows behind her back. “I don’t know. I didn’t realize I’d changed that much.”
“I see it’s gone, and that you’ve changed, so why don’t you try to find it again? The old Celia was a lot more fun,” Roger said, setting down on the edge of the bed.
“Well, being grown up isn’t all about having fun. It’s about working and making your way in life. Fun is something that you have when you’re young and don’t have any obligations or bills to pay.”
“No. That’s where you’re wrong. You need a combination of both. I think that’s what happened to you and Martin. You never had any fun. You never talked about going anywhere or doing anything. With all of that money, you should have been doing something every weekend.”
“We went out all the time.”
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