Starbright

by Richland, Alexandra

  Kazan pointed to the door. “I don’t care who the hell you are. This a closed set!”

  The men crossed their arms and squared their shoulders, which only made Aidan more aggressive.

  Kazan turned to his temperamental star. “How about you take a breather, Aidan?”

  His face tightened in fierce dispute. “No fucking way, Gadg.”

  Kazan placed a hand on Aidan’s shoulder and spoke to him in a low, gentle murmur. Beth couldn’t hear what the director said, but whatever it was convinced Aidan to back off and return to Joe and Mary’s kitchen.

  Beth watched Aidan pace the set for a few moments, waiting for his shoulders to lose their tension before she made her way over to him.

  “Are you all right?”

  Aidan didn’t respond, but scornfully observed Mr. Mertz’s henchmen, who were now having a quiet discussion with Kazan.

  “Would you like a drink of water?” she asked, hoping to get his mind off their visitors. “I don’t know about you, but I’m parched after our scene.”

  He still didn’t acknowledge her.

  “Aidan, please?”

  He exhaled deeply. When he finally turned to her, he no longer looked hostile. “I apologize for my behavior, but you know how much I hate Mertz.”

  “I know.” Beth smiled reassuringly. “Come, let’s have a drink.”

  After another irate glance at the two men, Aidan accompanied her to the cooler and filled two paper cups with water. Luckily, everyone else was too busy focusing on the discussion between Kazan and Mr. Mertz’s spies to pay them any attention, so Beth could speak to him without interference.

  “Is this going to ruin our day?” She kept her voice at a whisper.

  Aidan shook his head. “It won’t. I’m cool, I promise.”

  Concern drifted across Beth’s face. “I don’t want you doing anything drastic on account of me.”

  “If I’m defending you, it’s worth it.” Aidan’s expression remained insistent, stubborn.

  Beth had no choice but to let the matter drop. A conversation like this deserved complete privacy. She didn’t want to risk anyone overhearing them.

  “Actually, Beth, I wanted to ask you something.” Aidan downed his water quickly. “Will you go somewhere with me tonight when we’re finished here instead of going directly home?”

  Beth’s eyes brightened. “Of course I will. Where are you taking me?”

  Aidan tossed his empty cup into a nearby garbage can. “I don’t really wanna say in advance. To tell you the truth, I’ve been debating whether I should actually go through with it.”

  “So it’s a surprise?”

  “I guess you can say that. It’s… well…” He looked to the floor. “Listen, it’s best if I don’t say anything. I just hope… ah, hell, never mind. You’ll see tonight.”

  Beth frowned. “Are you sure you’re all right?”

  Aidan cast a pensive gaze across the set. “I’ll be fine.”

  While Beth finished her water, Mr. Mertz’s men left the soundstage and Kazan apologized to the cast and crew for the interruption.

  They spent the rest of the day filming another interior apartment scene as well as a scene with Joe and Sal conversing in a drugstore, with Joan’s fellow extras acting as counter girls—roles reminiscent of Beth’s time at Schwab’s Pharmacy.

  As the drugstore scene progressed, Beth noted some aspects that were not true to reality. When she mentioned them to Aidan during a break in filming, he encouraged her to voice her opinions to Kazan. At first, she was nervous their director would believe she was intruding on his job. Instead, he welcomed her input and made the changes she suggested.

  The scene was short, and the counter girls were not even the focus, so initially, Beth wasn’t sure if her concerns were important. After speaking with Kazan, she realized that cutting corners or deeming some scenes more vital than others was where films went wrong. No detail was too small. Once the changes were implemented, the scene played out beautifully.

  By the end of her fifteen-hour day, Beth’s feet hurt and she felt exhausted, but it was hands-down the best experience she’d ever had since joining Starlight Studios. Working with Aidan played a big part in it, as well as her joy in working with Kazan.

  What thrilled her most about Aidan’s acting style was that with multiple takes he never did the same thing twice, nor did he follow the script word for word. The additions he made were always so instinctive—so right—for the scene.

  Like all actors trained at Starlight Studios, Beth was told that sticking to the script was imperative, but she liked his way much better. He kept her on her toes and gave her something to react against, which improved her performance instead of throwing her off.

  Aidan’s technique was much less stressful than focusing on striving to repeat the exact same performance every take. It allowed her to approach a scene as she saw fit, according to the emotions she felt while tapping into her character in that particular moment, instead of concerning herself with memorizing specific actions and deliveries, and running the risk of coming across as unnatural or unauthentic. The best part was Kazan encouraged this approach while many other directors found it frustrating. This was what made Kazan extraordinary.

  In her opinion, a great director was part visionary, part showman, part critic, and part father. Kazan was all of these things. His greatest gifts were his abilities to highlight and release the interior drama of conflicting desires and cast roles with intuitive brilliance by decoding his actor’s core. He stressed that energy was not a substitute for emotion, and actors must analyze their script and characters to play a role well. It couldn’t be faked.

  Given these qualities, Beth now understood that she and Aidan were not cast as Mary and Joe for superficial reasons. Even without auditioning them, Kazan knew they had the feelings of their characters in them, which he could draw out—that they possessed the emotional and imaginative ranges needed to play Mary and Joe effectively. This was why he chose them.

  On set, Kazan objectified their personalities and exploited their good parts and bad in order to get the best performances out of them. On the other hand, when things were going right with a scene, he stayed out of the way, which helped them act it out naturally instead of trying to guess what he wanted and focusing on satisfying him.

  When Kazan had something important to tell an actor, he huddled with the person privately rather than instruct before others. He had a highly developed understanding of structure and psychology, and a strong ability to motivate performers. Beth was astounded by his complexity, his dedication to his craft, and his thorough understanding of the single encompassing motive that powered Golden Gloves and every character: the core sentiment, or what he termed the spine.

  After changing into her own clothes, Beth met Aidan outside her dressing room and followed him down the corridor back to the soundstage, where several crewmembers tidied up. Kazan had retired to his office to work on tomorrow’s scenes, and all of their cast mates had gone home, except one.

  Joan lingered by the exit, wearing her own provocative clothing again and checking her lipstick in a handheld mirror. She snapped her compact shut and smiled at Aidan. It was as if Beth wasn’t even there.

  “Aidan! What a coincidence, you and I are leaving at the same time. I was just about to catch the bus home, alone, at nighttime. It’s a one hour ride, you know.”

  Aidan placed his hand against Beth’s lower back and led her to the door. “Have a nice trip.”

  “I’ve finished my work on this film,” Joan called after him. “That means I won’t be back.”

  Aidan pushed open the exit door and ushered Beth outside.

  “Wait, does this mean you aren’t interested?” The door slammed shut, muffling the rest of Joan’s inquiries.

  Beth gave Aidan a curious look as they walked to his Porsche. “Do girls like that bother you?”

  “Opportunists bother me,” he said, opening the passenger door.

  As Beth w
as about to sit down, Aidan took her hand and pressed his lips to her cheek. She scanned the parking lot, thrilled to find no one else around so she could share this moment with him without worry.

  “What you and I have is the real deal,” he said. “I love you with all of my heart.”

  Beth smiled. “I love you, too.”

  Aidan assisted her into the car and they set off toward their mystery destination, eventually parking on Melrose Avenue near North Fairfax. Beth couldn’t guess why they stopped there since all the stores in the area were closed at this late hour.

  Aidan cut the engine and stared at the road ahead, the hesitancy in his eyes highlighted by the glow of the moon. Beth sensed that whatever they were doing here was very important to him and patiently waited for his readiness. Finally, he exhaled a deep breath and turned to her.

  “Okay, let’s go,” he said, though he looked no more confident than before.

  Aidan escorted her to a darkened storefront with a sign that read Lou’s Music Shop and unlocked the front door with a key he pulled from his pocket.

  He led her inside. “Wait here a sec, okay?”

  “All right.” Beth heard him shuffling about in the darkness, followed by the strike of a match. A solitary flame appeared, illuminating his handsome face. He lit a nearby candle, and another, and another, until the entire perimeter of the room consisted of dancing amber flames.

  Pianos and metal stands adorned with sheet music crowded the showroom floor and various smaller instruments hung on the walls alongside portraits of accomplished musicians. Beth placed her purse by the cash register. How had Aidan gained access afterhours?

  “The owner, Lou, is a friend of mine,” he said, as though she’d asked the question out loud. He crossed the room toward her, the candlelight flickering in his intense green eyes and turning his brown hair a fiery copper. “I asked him to help me because I wanna play piano for you.”

  “Oh, Aidan. Thank you. What an honor!” Beth’s smile widened. “Now that you own a house, perhaps you could buy a piano from him. You have plenty of room…”

  Aidan’s frown emerged. “I have a particular piano in mind, but it’s not here. I have to wait until… well, until I can get it back.”

  “Oh.” Beth was confused by his words but could tell he didn’t want to explain further right now.

  “I guess I should get started.” Aidan tossed his car keys and the store key next to her purse.

  Beth gestured to the room. “Please, go ahead. I’ll follow.”

  Aidan took her hand. They walked past several beautiful instruments, all of them more than worthy of his talent, but he didn’t acknowledge any of them. Instead, he selected an upright piano in the back that was more scoffed than polished, more neglected than loved.

  Dust floated in the air, catching the glow from the candles, as Aidan sat on the bench and lifted the lid. He took a moment to prepare and then finally raised his hands. They trembled… until he pressed down on the keys.

  As silence blanketed the room again, Beth wondered if he would continue, when suddenly, his fingers shifted and the most exquisite melody she had ever heard drifted from the instrument—a tune of serenity and contentment underscored by sorrowful memories he would never forget.

  While Aidan immersed in the piece, Beth remained perfectly still, afraid of breaking the spell he cast with every chord, every crescendo, until the notes became softer, infrequent, and he brought the song to a close. Then she tentatively sat beside him on the bench.

  Aidan retracted his hands and looked to his lap.

  “Did you like it?” he asked quietly, timidly.

  Beth rested her head on his shoulder. “It was beautiful.”

  “I wrote it for you.”

  She sat up quickly. “For me?”

  “You’re the first thing in years that has inspired me to feel joy when I play.” He shrugged. “Sure, it hurts sometimes, too, but not like it used to. Not by a long shot.”

  Beth gazed at him in wonderment. “I inspire you?”

  “In every way.” He brushed a reverent hand to her hair. “I composed this song after our conversation in the theater during your Venus Rising rehearsal last summer. I couldn’t get you off my mind. It practically wrote itself.”

  Aidan drifted his hand to her cheek. “Beth, similar to the candles that adorn this music shop, you ignite a hope in my heart that I can, one day, triumph over my past—although, you’re more like the sun than a small flame. I’m so grateful to have you in my life.”

  Tears pooled in Beth’s eyes. “Does the song have a name?”

  Aidan frowned and retracted his hand. “No.”

  “Is it all right if I name it?” Beth traced her fingers across the keys, lightly enough that they didn’t make a sound.

  “Of course, baby. It’s yours.”

  “I’d like to call it ‘Awakening.’ And I’d also like to think of it as our song from now on. Did you happen to write sheet music for it?”

  Aidan shook his head.

  “Can you teach it to me?” Beth looked at him sheepishly. “I won’t be able to learn the entire thing, but perhaps just the basics?”

  “Sure.” His reply sounded uncertain, but he slid over on the bench and allowed her to sit in the center. As he placed his hands to the keys, they shook.

  Beth touched his shoulder gently. “Are you all right?”

  Aidan stared blankly at the instrument. “My mother used to teach me the same way when I was a boy.”

  Beth brought her hand to her mouth. “Oh, goodness, I’m sorry. I forgot.”

  “It’s okay. I’m honored you asked me to teach you how to play. It’s difficult, but I mustn’t taint my love for music, my mother, and my love for you with painful recollections.” He took her hands and kissed them before placing them to the piano. “Do you know the names of each key?”

  Beth shook her head. “I’m afraid I don’t.”

  “Okay, so this one here is middle C.” He touched the proper key. “Outward from there to the right is CDEFGAB, CDEFGAB. It repeats like that. I’ll leave out the left hand component and we can just work on the right.”

  Beth nodded.

  “This one is also C.” Aidan pressed his thumb down on a key. “Just not middle C. So copy the notes I play, but from the keys in front of you that correspond with the same letter.” He pressed three fingers down on three different keys, two white ones and one black.

  Beth copied him.

  “That’s excellent.” Aidan pitched her a generous grin.

  He shifted his hand to the right and pressed down on three keys. Beth did the same, and they delved into the first verse together. Whenever she hit the wrong notes, Aidan stopped and waited patiently for her to try again. He was a wonderful teacher. It was obvious his mother had used the same kindness with him when he was a boy.

  Beth smiled triumphantly as they finished the song together for the first time. Her contribution didn’t sound nearly as good as his did, and they progressed slowly due to her inexperience, but she was still proud of her accomplishment.

  “I wish I could’ve met your mother.” Beth studied their hands resting near each other on the keys corresponding to the final notes. “From everything you’ve told me about her, it sounds like she was a magnificent woman.”

  A smile reached the corners of Aidan’s lips. “She would’ve loved you, without a doubt.”

  Beth sighed. “I’d like to learn the left hand component, too, but I don’t think I’ll ever be able to master the left and right together.”

  Aidan stood from the bench. “Sure you can.”

  He moved behind her and leaned over her shoulder, directing her fingers to the correct keys and pressing them down. They played only the first verse before he began trailing kisses along the side of her face and her jaw, posing an incredible distraction.

  As their lips met, their hands fell from the piano, creating a jumble of notes. Beth turned in her seat and linked her arms around Aidan’s neck. He eased be
tween her legs and bent down, trailing sweet kisses along her throat, his hands roaming her body as lovingly as they had danced across the keys.

  Surrounded by flickering candlelight, Beth stood from the bench and swayed with him in an ardent embrace to the memory of their song, which replayed in her mind as vividly as if they performed it now. With Aidan’s love, she felt certain life would always be this harmonious.

  Aidan fired a combination punch at the pads Rocky held up for him in soundstage eleven on the studio lot, which was set up to look like a professional boxing arena. Today, he was filming Joe’s return to the ring—his character’s first bout since giving up boxing five years earlier. Rocky had arranged an early morning training session to get him ready for it, so he arrived at the studio two hours before Beth’s call time. She offered to get up early, too, but he knew she needed the extra sleep and convinced her to arrive later with Nathan and Olivia.

  The situation cemented Aidan’s decision to buy Beth a car for Valentine’s Day to accompany the more sentimental gift he was giving her. He didn’t like the idea of her asking Mr. Mertz for a studio car if no one else was available to drive her.

  “Hey, Evans.” Rocky lowered his hands and Aidan stopped punching. “What’s going on?”

  Aidan wiped his sweaty brow with his forearm. “What do you mean, Rocky?”

  “The toughness has left your face.” Rocky flashed a sly grin. “You thinkin’ about that broad again?”

  Aidan chuckled. “Aw, hell, is it that obvious?”

  “Nah, I just threw it out there and you confirmed it. In a real match, that would get you KO’d in no time.” Rocky shook the pads to the floor and slapped Aidan on the back. “Come on, that’s enough. You’ve been working nonstop since five thirty.”

  Aidan sat on a stool in the corner of the ring to remove his gloves and the tape wrapped around his hands. The crew continued setting up the arena in preparation for the shoot. Hundreds of extras lined up outside, which took care of the spectators. Kazan ran around sorting out all the last minute details. But Aidan wouldn’t feel ready until Beth arrived.

  Rocky handed him a cup of water and he took a long drink. The match today wasn’t a real fight. The actor playing his opponent had about as much training as he did, but with all the work he put into learning the sport, he felt like a true professional boxer and was dedicated to giving the scene his all.