No Silent Christmas

by Barbara Goodwin

  Scott hated seeing Maggie in pain. He felt her physical discomfort. He wanted to take it away and make it his. “You didn’t answer my question.” He watched Maggie closely. He wanted her to say yes so much it hurt. The thought that she’d refuse actually worried him. What would he do if she said no?

  “Yes.”

  A huge sigh of relief rushed out of Scott. “Thank God. I was afraid you’d say no.”

  “I’d love to celebrate New Year’s Eve with you. Where are you taking me?”

  “It’s a surprise. Just wear your best dress.” Scott jumped up from the table. “I have some errands to do.” He leaned over and kissed her. She tasted like sunshine and Starbucks, not that there were any of those here. His heart pounded and his blood ran hot. “Be prepared for the time of your life.”

  Chapter Eight

  With her best friend Sandra Cummings at her side Maggie went shopping. They found the perfect dress at a little boutique. “Sandra, what do you think?” She twirled around in the dressing room.

  “I think it’s stunning. You look gorgeous. That color of blue, so deep and fathomless, brings out your eyes and creamy skin. A little stage makeup and no one will see your bruises.” Sandra smoothed a fold in the ankle-length skirt.

  “I hope not.” Maggie turned her back to the mirror and studied the front of the dress in the opposite mirror. “It seems a bit too daring. I don’t wear dresses like this.” She pulled up the deep, scooped neckline that barely covered her nipples. “Look at this. It even makes my bust look bigger. This ought to get Scott’s attention, don’t you think?”

  “Sweetie, you’ve already got his attention,” Sandra laughed. “You could wear a blanket and he’d drool. That man wants you.”

  Maggie knew she didn’t need the dress. Last night’s powerful attraction still pulled at her and she felt twin spots of color stain her cheeks. “I’ll buy it.” She nodded her head as she said it, knowing her decision was final.

  “Let’s have lunch before you go back to the studio,” Sandra said. “I want to catch up. Funny, we’re working on the same film, yet we hardly see each other.” The two friends walked up Santa Monica Boulevard until they found a small diner.

  Amid much laughter and a few tears, Maggie and Sandra finished their lunches of roast beef sandwiches and potato chips. “Well, I’ve got to go,” Maggie said. “I have to be on the set at four o’clock for my scene with Carey Chambers.” Maggie grinned. “This is the first time I’ll be working alone with him. I mean, he’s a matinee idol, after all.”

  Sandra laughed. “You’re not alone, darling girl. There are about thirty other people there too.” She gave her a long hug. “Go have fun. And remember to tell me about your New Year’s Eve dinner, okay?”

  “Absolutely. See you soon. Bye.” Maggie waved gaily and turned to walk in the opposite direction from Sandra. She hummed as she entered the lot. If there’d been time she would have taken the clothes to the apartment her father had rented on Sunset Boulevard. She was supposed to be staying there. It seemed she spent most of her time in her trailer, though. It was so convenient to the set. She hung the dress in the tiny closet and rinsed her face. No use putting any makeup on, she’d have that done professionally before she walked onto the set.

  Maggie stretched out on the sofa. She imagined the look on Scott’s face when he saw her in the dress and giggled a little. Her stomach danced with butterflies as she wondered where he was taking her to dinner.

  New Year’s Eve was tomorrow night. She had two scenes to film with Carey Chambers today and then she could plan her evening and take all day to prepare tomorrow. The crew had tomorrow off. Maggie grabbed a glass of water and drank it, fluffed her golden hair and bounced down the steps of the trailer.

  * * * * *

  “Ready on the set,” roared Damon Westerly. Everyone became quiet. “Cue music. And…Action!”

  Maggie forgot the camera was following her. Her character Susie stalked behind Chambers’ character William.

  “Don’t bring up Alex to me again,” Susie said. “You don’t know what happened between us, and I’ll never tell you.”

  “You’re being a shrew, Susie,” William said in a rough voice. “Is it because you still love the man who jilted you? Or is it because you want me to turn over the ranch to him?”

  Susie slapped William. The crack sounded loud and Maggie gasped.

  “Cut!”

  “I…I’m sorry, Damon.” Maggie turned to Carey and placed her hand on his reddened cheek. “Are you all right? I didn’t mean to slap you so hard.”

  Carey Chambers grinned a bright, devilish smile and pulled her hand away from his face. He stroked her knuckles and kissed the tips of her fingers. “It was nothing, my dear.”

  “But…it’s so red.” Maggie stroked the red streaks. She could see the marks where her fingers slapped him. “I’m so very sorry.”

  Carey took her hand in his and pulled her to the nearest chair. “Maggie, darling. Really, I’m fine.” He ran his fingers up and down her arm and Maggie shivered.

  “Carey…what are you doing?” Maggie heard the quaver in her voice. Carey was a very handsome man. He was noted to be the most handsome man of the decade.

  Chambers leaned forward and whispered, “I’m trying to get your attention. I’d like to ask you out for New Year’s Eve. I’ll take you to the grandest parties.”

  Maggie pulled her hand away from Carey’s roving fingers. She was touched that he’d asked her out. “I’m sorry, Carey. I already have plans.” Two of the best looking men in the world had asked her out. Maggie couldn’t help but feel pretty and attractive.

  Chambers let out a long, dramatic sigh and stared her straight in the eyes. His hands crossed over his heart and he said, “You wound me, dear lady. I’ll have to take my miserable self off to my trailer to reclaim my spirit and my joy in life. I cannot go on.”

  Maggie laughed. “Always the actor. Bravo for a wonderful performance.” She clapped her hands with joy at his mini scene.

  Carey’s face changed from professional actor to humble little boy. “Really, I’m sorry that you already have plans. Is there any chance you can break them?”

  “No, she can’t,” Scott stated. “She’s going out with me.”

  Maggie and Carey jumped.

  “And we have a few things to discuss right now, Chambers, so if you don’t mind….” Scott purposely left the sentence dangling. Maggie knew he didn’t want to say “if you don’t mind leaving now” knowing that he and Chambers still had many scenes to film together.

  “Scott—” Maggie said with a warning look.

  “Come, love.” He grabbed her hand and in front of Carey Chambers he twined his fingers through hers. After a quick peck on her cheek, Scott gave Chambers a triumphant look and steered Maggie out of the room.

  Once the door had closed behind them Maggie rounded on Scott. “You were rude to Carey. Why? He didn’t do anything to you.”

  “The man’s a drunk and a buffoon. You’d do well to stay away from him. Just being seen with him could ruin your reputation.”

  Maggie wouldn’t tell Scott that that’s exactly what she wanted to happen. She nodded vaguely and said, “I’ve got to get back on the set. We haven’t finished the scene.”

  “All right. When you’re finished come over to my trailer,” he raised his eyebrows in a leer, “I’ll have ice-cold Cokes ready and we can talk about dinner tomorrow.”

  Before Maggie could reply, Scott pulled her off her feet and kissed her. He wrapped his arms around her waist. Maggie moaned. Scott’s tongue swept across her teeth and pushed into her mouth. He put one hand behind her head and pushed gently forcing their lips closer together. Maggie felt as if she were one with Scott. Her hips ground into his, her feet rubbed up and down his shins and she didn’t know when her arms had wound their way around his neck. Maggie had completely forgotten that they were outside the door to the set.

  Snap.

  The bright flashbulb startled them
apart.

  “Gotcha, Maggie Ingram!” said a reporter. “Just give me the name of your boyfriend and I’ll put it in the society section of the Los Angeles Times!”

  Maggie didn’t know what to do. This wasn’t when she’d expected her picture to be taken. She’d planned to have it taken at dinner on New Year’s Eve. That’s why she’d bought that indecent dress. Yet wouldn’t this get back to her father just as well? She had to play the innocent. “Oh, please. Don’t print that. I-I…mean, nobody’s going to be interested. They don’t even know who I am.” At least she hoped they didn’t. If a picture like that made it into an east coast newspaper then everybody would know who she was. But here in Hollywood? Oh, she’d been to a few parties with Sandra Cummings but that was only to tag along. Most of the time no one knew who she was, but back East they all knew her because of her father’s fortune.

  “Lady, you’re in a movie with Carey Chambers,” the reporter said. “It’s big news. Everybody will be interested.”

  “I’m sorry. I have to go.” Maggie turned and fled into the set building. She wanted to savor the moment but it didn’t feel right. Doubts crawled through her. This picture could hurt Scott. What would his family think? Maggie sat down on an abandoned chair and studied the set without seeing it. She heard Scott come up from behind her.

  “Are you okay?”

  Maggie smiled at her handsome suitor. “Yes. I just wasn’t expecting that.”

  “The photo?”

  “And the kiss.” Maggie could barely crack a smile. No planning in the world could have prepared her for that kiss. It had rocked her to her toes. She would have given up everything, right then and there, if not for the snap of the picture. It amazed Maggie again and again that she reacted so strongly to Scott.

  “Don’t worry about it. It will probably be buried on the last page of the newspaper.”

  * * * * *

  Scott couldn’t have been more wrong. The picture made the front page of the Los Angeles Times. They must have thought that the making of Ben Hur and its unheard of four million dollar cost was not important to read about. Or that the first TV system wasn’t important enough to write about, or the rumor that Warner Brothers was trying to make talkies sounded like rubbish and wasn’t newsworthy.

  No. The Los Angeles Times had to print the picture of Maggie and him smack-dab in the middle of the front page. Slow news day. Scott rolled up the newspaper and hit it on the table. He’d not be surprised if Maggie called off tonight’s date.

  The knock on the door confirmed his suspicions when he saw Maggie standing outside with the newspaper in her hand. He couldn’t tell if her expression was embarrassment or glee. Scott peered closer as he ushered her inside. “Hey. Come on in.” He suddenly felt tongue-tied. His heart hammered and his palms were damp. He felt all of sixteen again.

  “Did you see this?” Maggie waved the morning newspaper in his face. “We’re front page!” Maggie paced the inside of his trailer. “What will my family think?”

  “Honey. Don’t worry. It’s only a picture.” Scott scrambled for words that would reassure Maggie. He ran his hand through his hair, not realizing that the waves landed in an attractive mess. He hugged Maggie and stroked the side of her face and neck. He had to touch her. He didn’t know why but he thought this newspaper picture thing might pull them apart. Scott couldn’t bear the thought.

  Just then there was another knock at the door. “What the—” He yanked it open to see Selma Benning standing there with another copy of the newspaper in her hand. “Oh, no.”

  “Mr. Goodman would like to see both of you as soon as possible.” She gave him a weak, you-are-in-so-much-trouble look, turned and marched down the steps.

  Scott closed the door and said to Maggie. We’ll go—” Another knock sounded. Scott hadn’t moved from the door yet so he jerked it open again with, “What now?”

  Sandra Cummings stood there with a copy of the newspaper in her hand and a huge smile on her face, which faltered at Scott’s greeting. “Uh, is this a bad time?” She peered around Scott’s shoulders and saw Maggie behind him. “Oh, Maggs. This is fantastic!” She waved the newspaper at her. “Look at the press the movie’s going to get now.”

  Maggie pushed in front of Scott and glared at her best friend. “Who cares about the press for the movie. What do you think my father’s going to do when he sees this. Oh!” She buried her face in her hands and shook her head.

  “He won’t see it for days, Maggie,” Sandra said. “You have time to come up with an explanation. Personally, I think it’s fantastic.”

  “Look, Sandra, Maggie and I have been summoned to Sid Goodman’s office. We need to get going.”

  “All right, Scott. I’ll leave now. But Maggs, I’m so happy for you and Scott. You two look like you’re in love!” Sandra bounced down the steps and waived her hand. “Ta, ta!”

  “Ta-ta,” muttered Scott as he closed the door behind Sandra. He had just turned to Maggie who stood rooted to the floor after Sandra’s pronouncement of love. Someone knocked on the door. Scott pulled the door inward with an exaggerated sigh. “Now what? Can’t we have any privacy?” he yelled as he turned to the latest intruder.

  Carey Chambers stood on the steps with a smile on his face and the newspaper in his hand. “Lovely picture and a good day to you, too.” He waved the photo in the air.

  “Yeah, what do you have to say about it?” Scott knew he sounded surly and couldn’t stop himself. The revolving front door caused him to realize that the picture was a big deal. He might have ruined Maggie’s reputation already. All because he couldn’t keep his hands off her. The smirk on Chambers’ face didn’t help his sour mood any either.

  “I just want to congratulate you both,” Chambers saw that Maggie stood behind Scott and gave her a blinding smile and a wink, “on getting the first bit of publicity for the movie in the newspaper. It takes a real pro to get a front page picture.” Chambers waved the picture again, this time in Scott’s face. His tone of voice didn’t sound congratulatory, thought Scott. “Maggie, darling. Can we talk later?” Chambers tipped an imaginary hat and left the trailer laughing.

  Scott slammed the door with a muttered, “Jerk.” He turned to Maggie. “Well, are you ready for the big inquisition?”

  She heaved a long sigh. “I’m ready.”

  * * * * *

  A jury waited in Sid Goodman’s office. Matt Gant, the lawyer, was back and this time a man Scott had never heard of, Izzy Mayer, the Vice President of Artists Unlimited stood off to the side. Jonas Smith, head of publicity for the studio, sat in a chair.

  After everyone shook hands, Sid said, “Take a seat you two.” While Scott and Maggie sat down he continued, “Well, looks like you started the publicity about the movie a bit early.”

  No one said anything. Scott wanted to hold Maggie’s hand and give her support but she had them primly folded in her lap and wouldn’t look at him. Or anyone.

  “We’re sorry, Mr. Goodman. We had no idea the photographer was out there,” Scott said.

  “Initiation by fire, boy,” Goodman said. “Now you know that they are everywhere.”

  “Yeah, darn paparazzi,” Scott muttered.

  “What’d you say?” Goodman asked.

  “Nothing,” Scott said. “Look, we’re sorry. Is there anything we can do to stop it?”

  “Stop it?” roared Goodman who stood up behind his desk. “We don’t want to stop it. Never in our history have we gotten front page coverage before a film’s finished being shot. You stir up the pot enough and people will flock to the theaters.”

  Scott sat stunned and silent. He focused on how Sid Goodman said theater, pronouncing it like the-a-ter, using three distinct syllables. “You want us to continue having our picture taken?”

  “Absolutely,” said Jonas Smith. “This will build interest in the movie. If there’s an on-set romance that doesn’t involve Carey Chambers,” the man shook her head at the impossibility of that thought, “then people will flock to
see what all the gossip is about. We love it, Mr. Forrester, Miss Ingram.”

  Neither Scott nor Maggie said anything. They glanced at each other with wondering looks.

  “So…we’re not fired?” Scott asked.

  “Not only are you not fired,” Sid Goodman said, “but you are hereby ordered to show yourselves in public as much as possible. You hear me?”

  “We hear you,” Scott said.

  “Well, get going you two,” Goodman said. “It’s New Year’s Eve day. Don’t you have plans? If not, I’m telling you to spend the evening out—together—glittering up the Hollywood scene.”

  Scott and Maggie rose. She hadn’t said a word and Scott wondered what she thought about this little meeting. “Well, er, thank you, Mr. Goodman.” He shook hands all around, placed his hand at the small of Maggie’s back and ushered her out of the office.

  “Whew. That was amazing,” Scott said. “Are you okay?”

  Maggie walked a few more steps before replying. She looked up at Scott and a bright smile widened her features. “I’m great. I can’t believe they were happy with that picture.”

  Scott’s blood roared. Her smile stunned him into speechlessness. He leaned forward and whispered into Maggie’s ear. “In my time the Hollywood celebrities are hounded by people like that reporter. Everyone wants a piece of them. The public demands to know what they’re doing, what they’re eating, wearing and drinking. They have no private life.” He kissed the perfectly shaped shell and blew on it. There was so much more he wanted to do to her and with her, but standing on a street on the lot of Artists Unlimited was too public a place.

  Maggie shivered and leaned forward. She whispered to Scott, “Then we’ll have to stay hidden, say in my apartment or trailer.”

  Scott felt the pounding desire push through every muscle in his body. “If you keep sweet-talking me like that, we’ll never make it out to dinner.”

  “Maybe I’m hungry for something else, some new way to ring in the New Year a little early? Something that doesn’t mean going out in public,” Maggie said breathlessly. She stroked along Scott’s neck and ran her finger around the inside of his shirt collar.