by Julia Bright
Now that he had a movie and he was working, he wondered how he’d spent so long not working. Of course, the money had slowed and he would have had to take a job waiting tables or working in a shop. It was an inevitable fact for many actors, and Zach was about to have to face that reality.
Cam arrived at the facility about five minutes early and had enough time to use the restroom before being checked in and allowed through security. The place was quiet, calm, and looked way too sterile. He hated that Zach had been left here, but what else could he have done?
Cam took a seat at a table and let his mind wander as he waited for Zach. The last two weeks had been the best of his life, and he had Rose to thank for that.
A door opened and Zach stepped into the room. Cam wasn’t sure what to think. Zach looked like himself, but something was missing from his eyes. For a moment, Cam wondered if he’d messed up big and done wrong by his brother. The pressure here must have been too much. Then Zach saw him and a real smile spread across his lips.
“Cam, I didn’t think you would show up.”
Cam stood and faced him. “Why wouldn’t I have come?”
Zach glanced away, his cheeks turning red. “You’re in that movie.”
“You’re my brother. I took a few hours off. They’re doing scenes that don’t include me. It’s all good.”
“Okay. I was just…I’m sorry I was such an asshole. I didn’t mean to be a total jerk. It just happened.”
“Zach, you weren’t a total jerk.”
Zach sat across the table from where Cam had been. He decided to sit too. It was weird being here. His brother was a good guy, but he’d been too into drugs, and now he had to pay the price for all the partying he’d done.
“No, I was an ass. I’m sober now, which I haven’t been sober for months, maybe years. It’s weird. I like how it feels. It’s different. It’s like I can really think. It feels good.”
Cam nodded and weighed the words Zach had said. “I’m happy you feel better. Ar-are you ready to go home?”
“Yes. And I’m ready to be a real brother, and I think I’m ready to work.”
Cam smiled, feeling like maybe he’d gotten his brother back. “If you’re serious, Andrew may have something for you.”
Zach nodded then gave him a sad smile. “I’m not sure anyone who works with Andrew would want me. I’ll try, but I’m not going to hold out much hope. Actually, even if I can’t get acting work, I think I’d enjoy just doing something. You know, doing retail or food.”
“Zach, I’ll support you in whatever you decide to do.”
Zach nodded, his gaze staying on the table. “Thanks.”
Worry flashed. There was something wrong with Zach, but he couldn’t pinpoint the problem. Maybe it was just this place and not Zach. Perhaps he was inviting problems. “Okay, so what’s the process of getting out of here?”
“I’ve already had my exit interview and I’m ready to go. I think I just need to check with my therapist and I’m good.”
Cam was proud that his brother had stayed sober. It would take more work, but he had done this much. It had to just be this place that made Cam feel weird. Zach would be good after this, he knew it.
After only a few more minutes, Zach was checked out and they walked out of the facility together. Once outside, Zach pulled Cam into a hug and held him tight for a long moment.
“Thanks for taking me here. I really appreciate it. I know I was mad at first, but once I got sober and could actually talk to someone about everything I’ve been feeling, I’m better.”
Cam stepped back from his brother, happy that he’d been able to help him change. They got in the car and Cam turned the engine over, excited to be spending time with his brother again.
“I head out in a few days for Paris.”
Zach stared out the passenger window, his fingers drumming on his knees. “That’s wild that you got a film role so quickly.”
“Yeah. It was just being in the right place at the right time. I feel for Cole Jackson. I’m not sure if he’ll ever be able to act again. He’s having a hard time of it.”
Zach turned to look at him, his brows bunched together. “Really? I didn’t know.”
“The wreck was bad. From what people are saying, he may be paralyzed.”
“Oh God, that’s awful. So how are you doing, you know, with that girl thing.”
Cam’s stomach flipped. “The girl thing? You mean Rose?”
“Yeah, Rose.”
“She’s pretty awesome. I’m falling for her.”
Zach grunted. “Really? You just met her and she weaseled her way into your life. How can you say you’re falling for her?”
“You know, maybe right now isn’t the best time to discuss this.”
“Fuck yeah, it is.” Zach’s fingers were tapping faster. When Cam pulled to a stop, he turned to look at Zach. There was something off about his brother. Zach’s mood had gone from happy to something less than pleasant. He thought Zach was going to snarl at him.
“So she’s still around?”
“Yes, she’s still with me. We’re living in the little bungalow off Franklin. It’s not too far from our house.”
Zach narrowed his eyes and shook his head. Cam knew Zach wasn’t happy with the change, but he had to think of his future. When everything had been going bad, it had been going very bad. He didn’t like leaving Zach, but they were still brothers, and he wasn’t leaving him, just creating a healthy separation since Zach didn’t respect his decision to scale back on the drinking and drugs.
Zach grew quiet, and they were almost at Zach’s place when his brother began speaking again.
“I can’t believe you moved out.” Zach’s voice was harsh and full of anger.
“I need my own space for right now.”
“But you left for some bitch.”
Anger flashed through Cam. He didn’t want their relationship to be this way. He wanted his brother who was proud of him for making a leap of faith and pushing forward. “She isn’t a bitch, and one day she might be your sister-in-law.”
“What? I can’t believe you’d fall for her lies. She’s manipulating you and you just can’t see it.”
“Zach, I’m happy with Rose. Maybe this is something we don’t need to talk about.” He wanted Zach to be happy for him, but it didn’t seem like that was going to happen.
“You can’t be serious. It’s been a couple of weeks. Fuck her a few times and get her out of your system.”
Cam had no idea how this conversation had gone so far off the rails. Zach didn’t understand how he felt about Rose or that Cam really did see them together in the future with kids, growing old together and enjoying life. He guessed having his brother be glad that he’d found someone to love was too much to ask for. His anger was ratcheting up and he was about to blow his top when he realized that would probably just push Zach to drinking. He didn’t want his brother running around halfcocked, ready to liquor it up, or worse, turn to drugs.
Cam took a calming breath. “Maybe we should talk about something else.”
“Maybe you should get your head on straight and figure out what your priorities are. I thought I was important to you.”
Cam pulled the car into the driveway and cut the engine. “Don’t you get it? You are important to me.”
Zach threw his hands up and his lips turned down in a frown. “Is that why you dumped me at that place, so you could go off and have your fun without me?”
“What are you talking about?” Cam had no clue what was so wrong with Zach. He’d been okay at the facility, but now he was ranting about Rose.
“Have you gotten all of your crap out of the house?” Zach’s question was barked out.
“Don’t be this way. Can’t we talk like—”
“Like adults? Adults don’t run out and leave their family behind.”
“I’m not leaving you behind.”
Zach jumped out of the car and headed to the porch. Cam had to follow. He couldn’t
leave Zach alone when he was acting like this.
Thankfully, Zach headed inside before he started yelling again. Cam watched as Zach rifled through the cabinets. “You fell for her trap and then you left me. You moved out all because of her.”
“That’s not what happened. I needed to move out anyway.”
“Why, because I don’t look good enough for you and your new career. You always thought you were better than me.”
Guilt filled him. “That is not true.”
“You never wanted to get your hands dirty with the—with the women. I always had to be the one to get them and pay for them.”
Cam’s blood pressure intensified as anger flowed freely. He took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. “Have you thought that maybe I didn’t want prostitutes.”
“You sure as hell didn’t have any problem sticking your dick inside them.”
He cleared his throat and tried to keep a level head. “You were out of control and wouldn’t let me say no. That, more than anything else, is why I had to leave.”
“I’m not out of control,” Zach yelled.
Cam stared at Zach, wondering if he would ever catch the irony of his statement. He doubted Zach was thinking clearly. “You are out of control. You’re not going to find any alcohol or drugs. I cleared it all out.”
“You what?” Zach turned on him and stalked closer, his fists balled at his sides.
“This is what I’m talking about—why I left. I can’t deal with you being drunk all the time.”
“I don’t have a problem. The problem is you.” Zach was acting irate, totally and completely opposite of how he’d been at the facility.
Cam turned to leave but whipped around and squared his shoulders. “Zach, you have a problem with drugs, alcohol, and prostitutes. You’re falling apart and it’s not good. I can’t live like this and you won’t change. I hope that you keep getting help, because right now, you’re a danger to everyone, including yourself. I’m leaving for now, but I’ll be back once you can discuss things rationally.”
When he stepped outside, Cam heard something shatter against the door. His brother was in rare form. He’d seemed so pleasant before they’d left the facility, but now, Zach was out of control and that scared the shit out of Cam.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Cam’s bad mood had filtered over to Rose, and she’d yelled at Mike on her Saturday shift. Everything had been going okay at work, but she was tired. Cam had spent the evening before tossing his clothes into a suitcase and hadn’t said much to her. He and Zach had had another fight. She didn’t understand what was going on with them since Cam wouldn’t talk about it. Now Cam was on his way to Paris, and they’d barely even kissed before he’d left. When Mike had asked her to take out the trash, she’d lost it, telling him he could shove his trash. That hadn’t gone over well.
Now she was out back, tossing another bag into the trash, totally confused about what was happening. Cam had been moody and now he was gone. He’d been so distracted, and she wasn’t sure exactly where they stood. Before Zach had left rehab, Cam had asked her not to leave, but after he’d picked Zach up, Cam had been so distant.
The plan was to announce they’d lost the baby and then she’d move out and they’d be done. She had the meeting with the director for the pilot that Andrew had set up, but after that, she doubted she’d see any more parts being tossed her way.
“What is wrong with you, girl?” Mike asked when she came back inside.
“I just have a lot on my mind. I’m sorry I yelled at you. I think I need some coffee and maybe a muffin or cake, pie would be nice too.”
“Goodness. Get the food and coffee then get back at it. You’re my best waitress but today, not so much.”
She huffed out a breath and nodded. She didn’t want to be the best waitress; she wanted to be an actress. She could always go home and get a job, but once she went home, she’d never leave again. It would be too easy to rely on her mom for help. She would quickly find a job and then it would all be over. She’d grow old in South Carolina, living in the same town she’d grown up in. That wouldn’t be the worst thing that could happen, but she’d wanted to branch out and do something exciting, not be stuck in hicksville forever.
Cam had called but she’d missed her phone ringing since she’d still been at work. When she’d tried calling back, he hadn’t answered. They’d missed each other on Sunday too because she had to work. On Monday morning, she got ready for her appointment with the director, but she doubted she would get the part.
At the studio, she gave her name to the security guard and was told to drive to a building at the back of the lot. She parked her car and noticed her hands shaking. Her nerves were so tight she didn’t know if she could breathe. She craved this so badly but luck wasn’t ever with her, not like this.
Entering the building, she tripped on the threshold and almost lost her shoe in the process. Everyone turned to stare at her. Tears filled her eyes, but she held them back, trying to keep her composure. Janice would be disappointed.
A man approached, his hand outstretched, a wide smile on his face. “Rose, I’m Daniel. I don’t know if Andrew told you or not, but I’m the director for this little pilot. We hope to hit it big. It’s great that you could come.”
“Thank you. I’m excited.” She hoped he didn’t notice her shaking hands or the sweat forming on her brow.
“Okay, so Leslie has your things and will set you up. She’s next to the coffee cart. Leslie will be your go-to girl on set. She’s working with all of the actors and actresses to keep everything running smoothly.”
“Okay, I’ll go see where she needs me.” Rose turned to leave, but Daniel put his hand on her shoulder.
“So, the baby won’t be an issue. We’ve filmed a lot of actresses who were pregnant and it never showed on screen.”
Her body grew hot and she couldn’t find any words. The nod was automatic before she walked off. If anyone knew she was faking it, they would be pissed. How could she and Cam have faked something like this? They were horrible people. She would surely pay for lying about a baby.
Worry spun through her, and she really needed to talk to Cam, but she couldn’t get him on the phone. It was as if he’d disappeared off the face of the earth.
She found the coffee cart and Leslie. She was given a packet with a short script, which she read through as she wandered over to a table and took a seat, sipping at the burnt coffee while she read. She liked the story, but what did she know. Some of her favorite shows had been canceled and there wasn’t anything she could pinpoint that kept people from watching.
Daniel had them gathered in a circle. There were five actors. One black girl, herself, and three guys two of which seemed white, but maybe one was of Spanish descent. The other guy was Asian, but she was at a loss to his nationality. The guys were cute, young, and eager. The black girl was about the same age as the guys. Rose felt old next to them. They were closer to twenty, and she had spent years in college before coming to LA.
Daniel started speaking and everyone looked at him. “This show should stand out. We don’t want to be what every other show on TV is. We want to be different. It’s hard to stand out when so many shows are being produced. If we pick you for the part, you’ll be invited to film the pilot, which will happen in about four weeks. We don’t have studio space until then. Once we film the pilot, if we show well in front of the test audience, we’ll be given the green light to go in front of the bigwigs at the studio. It’s tough to make it out of this process, but I think with the right group of actors, we can do it. You’ve been vetted by your agents, and I think they’ve chosen well. Now then, let’s get working.”
Rose felt like a total imposter. She’d been handpicked and hadn’t done any reading for this part. She didn’t deserve it at all, not like the other people here who probably worked hard for this audition. After brief introductions that went by too fast for her to remember their names, they started reading and everyone seemed to get wh
at they were doing. When she read her part, she sounded unsure to her own ears, the words sticking on her tongue. No one interrupted her.
“But that’s impossible,” one of the guys said. She’d missed his name but his character was Alex.
“No, if you cross the wires it will work,” the other woman said. Her character name was Julie.
“Wait.” Rose spoke up. “Yo-you can’t do that. You don’t just cross wires just because someone told you it would be okay. Julie, really, why would you tell him to do that?”
“What?” The woman playing the Julie character was very animated, her eyes bright and her smile wide. “It’s what my uncle would do, so I thought it would work.”
“Hold on,” the guy playing the Jason character said. He seemed very bright and chipper too. “Let me do it. I know how to get it to work.”
“This is going to be interesting.” Rose turned to the side and shook her head.
She was feeling more comfortable, but she wasn’t overacting like a couple of the actors were doing. It made her feel totally out of place. Maybe the director wanted that style that was bubbly and overly chipper, but she couldn’t pull it off.
They read for another five minutes before Daniel called cut. She said the appropriate words, thanking Daniel and the rest of the team who’d set up the reading before she fled to her car and then drove away as fast as possible. She headed straight to Andrew’s office because she really didn’t know where else to go. If Cam were home, she would go find him, but he wasn’t around and she couldn’t get him on the phone.
Melissa wasn’t at her desk so she walked over to the door to Andrew’s office and paused when she heard him speaking.