by M Howson
‘Good night Amy, I’ll see myself out.’
‘Good night, Justin.’
She pressed the buzzer to lock the gate after he left. What an evening! It had been an unnecessary disruption to her well-organised life.
Chapter Twelve
Justin received a call from Frank’s lawyer in the middle of the night. He had an easy task explaining the problem to him. However, Frank’s lawyer informed him that everything had already been taken care of.
Things went more smoothly than he’d anticipated. Frank’s lawyer, a Mr Bennett, requested a meeting with Justin in the morning.
The next morning when he arrived at Justin’s office, Mr Bennett produced a stack of papers.
‘Mr Orban has a proposition for you Mr Blakes. Please take a look at the documents.’
Justin studied the papers. It was an offer to purchase his recording company - a very generous offer.
‘Frank wants to buy the company?’ He asked the lawyer, in disbelief.
‘Yes, he does; that is, in a way. If you would prefer Mr Orban as your partner but not as the owner, we can also arrange that.’
Justin was thinking,… Frank never slept. When did he have time to come up with this? Mr Bennett dialled a number and handed him the phone.
‘Good Morning Justin.’ He heard Frank’s voice.
‘Just the man I wanted to speak to.’
‘I have taken the liberty Justin, of making you an offer. I don’t want to control you or your company. If you wish to sell, I am interested. If you want a partner, I’m in too. Also, I can get lost if you choose that.’
Justin liked the idea to get Frank on board. His label was a well-established, successful business but he wanted to move on and try different things.
‘I tell you what, Frank. You lend me your people for some time and I’ll think about your offer.’
Frank started to chuckle. ‘You’re a sharp man Justin! I like it! I’ll get a team together for you in the next few days.’
Justin was suspicious. ‘This was easy?! You were expecting this!’
‘I want you on my movie kid. If the only thing holding you back from working for me is your business, then I am here to help you out. I am old enough to know how things work. Your business is your life, you worked hard for it. I won’t be the one to take it away from you. Besides, you might want to keep it.’
Frank was satisfied. Justin was a kid, he never had, with his willingness and stamina; rare in the ruthless world of show business. He was also a good writer, he’d discovered. He could hardly wait to see what Justin and Monica would make of his movie.
‘We spend too much time together Frank, is there anything you don’t know how to handle?’ Justin asked.
‘This is just the beginning! More to come.’ Frank said confidently.
‘That’s what I was afraid of!’ Justin passed the phone back to the lawyer.
‘Thank you Mr Bennett, your help is much appreciated. I will read through the proposition.’
‘You can reach me on this number in the future.’ He gave Justin his card.
‘Thank you. I hope you aren’t too busy.’
‘I always find time for my clients.’ He said pleasantly.
Frank must be paying him megabucks, Justin thought. Now he was able to concentrate on his new venture. He had to admit, he was excited to work on a movie. On an impulse, he called Monica.
‘My brother is phoning me?’ She answered after a short ring.
‘Yeah, I am – believe it, beautiful.’
‘There is something you want to tell me! You never call me beautiful.’
‘Maybe.’ Justin felt like a kid.
‘Out with it!’
‘Same old story?’
‘Come on Justin, you know I can’t wait when you start your sentence like that!’ She pleaded.
‘How do you like the idea of working with me?’ Justin blurted out, fully prepared for a rebuff or a speech.
‘You’ve done it!’ Monica exclaimed.
‘You know?’
‘I don’t, but there could be only one explanation; Frank.’
‘You’ve got it!’ Justin felt relieved. ‘Frank is behind everything, as you know.’
‘I like the sound of that, tell me ….!’Monica asked curiously.
‘I’ll tell you when I see you, it’s a long story.’
‘What? You can’t just call, give me a bite and; see you later!’ Monica was fuming.
‘I’ll see you sooner than you think, got to go sis.’ Justin laughed.
He hung up before Monica could tell him what she thought of him. She wondered what the deal was about. She had to wait, which wouldn’t be easy as patience wasn’t her strong side.
****
A few days later Amy awoke to the sound of the phone. She checked the clock; six in the morning, who was it so early?
‘Amy?’ She heard a man’s voice. ‘This is Frank Orban, we met at Jack’s.’
Amy recognised his distinctive voice. ‘Good morning Frank. You are an early riser!’ She said, trying not to sound too sleepy.
‘I am Amy, at my age you can’t sleep much.’ Frank said. ‘Besides, it’s a beautiful sunny morning.’
‘I can see that.’ She said, wondering why he’d called her.
‘Are you free for a few hours today? I am having lunch with Monica Blakes, - you met her the other evening.’ Frank enquired.
‘Yes, I remember her, Justin’s sister.’ Amy answered.
‘Say, around one? My driver will pick you up from your office.’
‘I’m at home Frank.’
‘Great. Where do you live?’
‘I’ll meet you there. Where is the restaurant?’ She didn’t want Frank sending a car for her; she wasn’t a girl who needed picking up. She had her own independence!
Amy jotted down the address on a back of an envelope she found in the drawer of her bedside table.
‘You got that Amy?’ Frank asked eagerly, but wondered why she didn’t want to be picked up.
‘Yes, I’ll see you there.’
Amy didn’t know where to start, when she thought of the last few days’ events. She was glad that the episode with Ed was over but how had she ended up at Jack Harvey's house?! A completely new world had opened up there. She was amazed that she’d met some nice people. Living in LA and working for the rich and famous made her somehow want to keep away from them. Some people thought if they had money, they had power and this didn’t help their personality.
She lived in a city where every other person wanted to be famous or rich, or both. Nevertheless she met some ordinary, pleasant people too, who didn’t want to keep up with this fast changing world. She was glad that she’d met Jack and Frank; the two men were fun and full of character, … and then there was Justin.
She wasn’t looking for a man; her priority was to gain some independence in business and make enough money for a decent living. The day after she met Jack, she handed her notice in to Carter’s.
Mr Carter wasn’t pleased when Amy called him.
‘Where are you Amy, aren’t you coming in today?’ He snapped.
‘No, I’m not, I am resigning Mr Carter, from today.’
‘You can’t resign Amy, what you are talking about!’ He said, surprised.
‘I believe I can and I’m giving you my notice.’
‘Oh women, they always want more money!’ Mr Carter announced. ‘How much do you want Amy?’
‘Nothing, Mr Carter. If you organise the relevant paperwork, that will do.’
‘Look Amy, I don’t know what’s happened to you but you have a good job here why do you want to leave? Has someone offered you more?’
‘I’m working on my own, that’s all.’
‘I see.’ Mr Carter guessed what had happened; she must've gained some clients on the way. Amy was an excellent lawyer.
‘All right Amy.’
‘Thank you Mr Carter.’
‘I expect you to finish off your open cases
!’
‘I intend to, there are only two left.’
‘You stay in touch Amy.’ He said, after realising that Amy could be useful in the future.
‘Thank you.’ She knew Mr Carter was leaving a back door open for his potential gain.
Amy poured herself a glass of orange juice and sat down on a stool facing the glittering pool.
The housekeeper arrived ready to start her day.
‘You working from home today Miss Amy?’
‘I am Maria, yes for a few days.’
‘Very good, I can make you some nice lunch?’ She offered cheerfully.
‘No thank you, I am out for lunch today.’ Amy stood up. ‘Come on Maria, have a coffee with me on the terrace.’
‘Ok Miss Amy, I make the coffee.’ Maria quickly made the drinks and placed them on the small table outside.
‘Tell me about your son. How is he doing?’ Amy asked as she lit a cigarette and offered one to Maria, who accepted.
‘Thank you.’
‘I have to do something about this smoking, it isn’t good for me.’
‘You will Miss Amy. When the time is right, you will stop. I have people telling me how bad this is for me, but until I think myself it is bad, I won’t stop smoking.’
‘When are you going to realise it isn’t good for you?’ Amy asked teasing her.
Maria laughed. ‘That’s what I don’t know, but any day now. Until then I want to enjoy it.’
Maria had a delightful personality, just what Amy needed - happy people in her life.
‘Tell me about your son.’
‘What is there to tell?’ Maria said taking a sip of coffee. ‘He's been out of prison for a month now. He's not rushing to find a job! I don’t know what he's thinking Miss Amy, he is all closed up – like an old book.’ She said, wildly gesticulating, tears welling up in her eyes.
‘Oh Maria, I didn’t mean to upset you.’
‘No, no it’s ok. You helped him and the least I can do to repay you is to tell you what he's up to. I am very grateful to you Miss Amy.’ She said tearfully.
‘Look, I didn’t do much as I told you before. He needed someone to point out his rights and that’s all I did.’ Amy couldn’t help feeling Maria’s pain. Her son Paco had got involved with the wrong crowd, only for a brief time, but enough to land him in prison for a month.
‘What does he want to do?’
‘I don’t know, he's not speaking to me. I don’t want to push him. I’ll wait for him to sort his head out first.’
‘Paco knows me, right?’
She nodded. ‘He speaks to you Miss Amy, he does.’ She said pleading.
‘Call me Amy please or I’ll start to call you Mrs too.’ She saw a faint smile on Maria’s face. She was wondering how to help Paco. Amy believed in giving second chances to people.
‘How old is he?’
‘He's twenty five.’
‘Why don’t you ask him to give me a call today? I can’t promise anything but I might be able to occupy him for some time.’ Amy offered.
‘Oh Miss … Amy that would mean so much to him.’ She said, all excited.
‘Good. Now, I need to get some work done and I have a lunch to go to. I need to get a taxi!’ She thought about driving to the lunch venue; she would struggle to park and then there were the aggressive drivers – not what she wished for.
She could actually employ a driver. Maybe Paco would be up for the job. ‘Is Paco free today?’
‘Of course he is. Do you need him?’ She was already looking for her phone to call him.
‘Do you think he wants to be my driver?’
‘Yes! - he will, he will. I call him now.’
‘Let me call him.’ Amy imagined Maria giving orders to her son, which will not be received well. She wanted to find out how Paco felt about working for a start.
‘It’s ringing Amy.’ Maria said.
‘Si?’ Paco answered.
‘Hi Paco, this is Amy Ronay.’ A long pause.
‘Yes, Miss Ronay.’ He recognised the lawyer who’d helped him to get a short sentence.
‘Paco I have a problem and I was wondering if you were free this afternoon?’
‘Yes.’ A man of few words.
‘I need a driver; do you think you could help me?’
Paco sounded excited. ‘Oh yes, Miss. I am a good driver and I know this city well.’
‘Great. Do you want to come to the house, say, before one? I have a lunch to go to.’
‘Yes I will come. Thank you Miss Ronay.’ He sounded eager.
Amy hoped this would help him to get his life back on track. She had better organise some meetings for the afternoon to keep Paco busy.
Amy put the phone down. ‘All done, don’t worry, he will be fine.’
‘Oh thank you very much for helping him.’ She said gratefully.
‘Don’t think of it.’
Maria rushed off to the kitchen, and then Amy followed to go upstairs to have a shower and get ready. She stopped in her home office and made some calls. When she went downstairs around lunch, she was glad to see Paco in a dark suit having his lunch with Maria.
Paco jumped to attention.
‘Don’t get up Paco. Enjoy your lunch; your mother is a great cook.’
‘He needs food; look at him - skin and bone he is.’
‘Mother knows best!’ Amy announced.
Her black BMW parked on the drive, was gleaming.
‘My car looks clean and shiny!’ She said.
‘Yes I washed it!’ Paco announced proudly.
‘Thank you it looks very nice.’
Paco looked very efficient, his dark hair was smoothed down with a lot of gel and his bright smile suited his pleasant features.
Amy explained to Paco that she needed a driver for now, and will see about the future. He wasn’t saying much but was happy to work for now.
Amy was ready to leave; she showed Paco the address, who nodded. He proudly opened the car door for her.
This should work out just fine – Amy thought.
Chapter Thirteen
Frank, an early riser, had plenty of time to clear his head and get ready for the day ahead.
He enjoyed his morning swim and workout. He couldn’t help his thoughts turning to his early days in the movie business.
It wasn’t easy at that time but he’d received a chance; and he intended to take it. There were a lot of ‘power hungry’ people around in those days and it was hard to beat them; still he'd done it – his way.
Learning the language was one main obstacle and resisting the many attractive women was another. Frank wasn’t a Saint, he was a man like any other, however he had seen many of the stars fall because of a woman. His smooth manner and good looks had given him the opportunity to have any actress or showgirl he wanted - but he resisted.
The poverty he’d left behind was still fresh in his mind and this was the driving force for Frank to make it in a foreign country. His life in the movie business seemed to have raced along the years.
He was glad he wasn’t starting out now – but this movie, he hoped, would make some people think.
Making movies should be about entertainment and not just money. He couldn’t agree with the aggressive movies of the modern days. They gave ideas to people, the wrong ideas. Drugs, sex and violence were not entertaining, - but they sold books and screenplays, – to the new generation.
Old age was making him nostalgic; it was time to move on. He thought about Justin. He’d been thrilled when he handed him the screenplay. It had been suggested to Justin before that he should write the stories down, but he never thought the kid would deliver a screenplay. How he had managed to capture the true life in the early forties he didn’t understand, but what Frank did know, was, that it was so real, he was re-living every moment of it!
Frank and Jack regularly had their late night drinks talking about old times, where Justin was an eager listener. Frank remembered talking about the glamorous girls with b
lackened eyelashes, elegantly smoking a cigarette placed in the essential long, thin holder. They told Justin about an actress, who insisted on blackening her eyelids with coal ash and requested her dressing room to be painted peach to complement her skin tone. They were the divas, sweet demanding girls but they still had style and understood what being humble and respectful meant.
Frank flicked through his diary, checking his appointments; - his next few weeks were empty. This had never happened before, as his secretary pointed out. No, never because he’d carefully organised these two weeks to stay empty. Work was his life and now, after all those years he was ready to take a break, even if it meant going through some painful memories.
Frank’s private line rang out in the house and he knew who it was …..
‘Rumour has it you are set to film a new movie, - a special movie.’ Frank heard the soft voice on the other end of the line.
‘I hope you don’t mind.’
‘Have you taken care of the details Frank?’
‘To a certain extent!’
‘Should I be concerned?’ She asked gently.
‘No darling, it is taken care of!’ Frank reassured her.
‘Want to tell me about it?’ She pursued.
‘Tell you what?’ Frank took a deep breath. ‘That I was a major fool to let you go? That I loved you and only you all my life?’ Frank said sadly.
‘Oh Frank, that is the past, things are different now.’ She said soothingly.
‘I know Ellie, but I can’t compensate you for the years we have lost and that I wasted without you.’
‘You can Frank, you know you can.’
‘One day, I will!’
‘Why make a movie now?’
‘To put things right, the press has been fishing in my past for many years, now is the time for revelations.’
‘I see….’
‘You’re ok with the story, right?’
‘I don’t think I fully understand the storyline Frank.’ Ellie hesitated, she knew more than she revealed to Frank but felt apprehensive about his decision.
‘Justin knows there was a woman I was seeing …. in secret. He heard all about it through the years, but he doesn’t know her name or any other details. Nobody does, not even Jack. Look Ellie, it was your choice, not to reveal you were with me, I suppose you didn’t want the other actresses to know.’