by T A Williams
‘Would you mind if I did a bit of sketching?’
David shook his head. ‘Of course not. Why don’t you stay here and I’ll walk on a bit further? I’ll come back in… what, a quarter of an hour or so?’
‘Or a bit longer if you see something that interests you. You know me when I start sketching.’ She pecked him on the cheek, released his hand and sat down on the bench, pulling out her pencil and opening her pad. She normally worked in oils, and she felt sure a good sketch of this view could form the basis for a full painting when she got back to Bristol. In all likelihood, given that she had just seen Zoë, it would become a permanent memory of the charming location of her last-ever dealings with AAATV.
However, before she could start drawing, her phone bleeped and she saw that she had an email. Her excitement grew as she discovered it was from the auction house in London. She opened it and, to her delight, she saw that she had been shortlisted for the position. While she started to read it through, she found herself giving a little squeak of pleasure. As she did so, she heard an answering squeak from behind her – well, not so much a squeak as a brief high-pitched yelp – and she turned round to see what sort of animal might be on the other side of the fence. At first she could detect nothing in the dark shadows cast by the thick canopy of trees, but then she noticed some movement. From the depths of the forest, a far from wild animal emerged and trotted across towards her.
The dark shape emerging from the undergrowth was a dog, a handsome big black Labrador. He was wagging his tail and continuing to make little whining noises of canine pleasure as he came towards her. There was absolutely nothing of the aggressive guard dog about him and Alice felt confident he had identified her as a friend.
She had always loved dogs, but had never been able to have one. Her mother was allergic to animal hair and since Alice had left home for university – and then the USA and then university again – it just hadn’t been feasible for her to keep one. Although she hadn’t finished with the auction house email, she set down her phone on the bench, got up and went over to say hello. The fence was taller than she was, so the only way she and the dog could get acquainted was by him sticking the tip of his nose through the wire. She rubbed it with her fingers and he emitted a series of happy grunts.
‘Hello, dog.’ It occurred to her he would probably respond better to Italian, so she tried again. ‘Ciao, cane.’
In response, her fingers received a lick from the tip of his tongue. She wondered where his owner might be. His leather collar was a bit scruffy but his coat was glossy and he certainly didn’t look underfed, so it seemed unlikely he was a stray. She had just spotted a silver medallion attached to his collar when she heard a piercing whistle from somewhere in the woods. The dog immediately spun round and charged off, crashing through the dry undergrowth as he obeyed the command to return to his master.
Alice went back to her bench and sat down again, returning her attention to the email from the auction house and reading it through carefully to the end. It contained more details of the conditions of employment and the salary on offer which, as expected, wasn’t great by comparison with Hollywood. However, she knew she had more than enough extra money coming in from her royalties to enable her to live comfortably, even in an expensive city like London, if she got the job. The email informed her that she was invited to a second interview in ten days’ time and, as they knew she was in Italy, they offered to pay her airfare.
She picked up her sketch pad, settled back and let her eyes run over the lovely, relaxing Tuscan scenery before her. The email had come at exactly the right time. Of course, there was no guarantee they would offer her the job but, if they did – and hopefully she would know by the end of next week – this would give her an attractive alternative to making a return to Hollywood. If, as looked likely, Zoë was indeed to be the director in charge of the new series, Alice felt pretty sure she would decide to walk away. Millie wouldn’t be too happy, but she would survive – as would the others.
Alice had come here with serious doubts about picking up her acting career again, and now she was reasonably hopeful that she might get the offer of an excellent alternative job. It could prove to be the way into a fascinating and fulfilling future, relying upon her brain, rather than her appearance, and drawing upon the expertise she had studied so hard to develop. Of course, she knew she would feel some regret at not being able to work with her friends again and drop back into the glitzy showbiz world once more, but if Zoë was going to be involved, she would certainly be better off out of it.
Whatever she decided, the unresolved dilemma remained David. Taking the job in London would mean either an exhausting and expensive commute every day from Bristol for her, or a change of university for him. If she accepted the Hollywood job, it would mean even more upheaval. Either way, it would be complicated – assuming they stayed together. Hopefully, the next few weeks here in Tuscany would provide an answer to the viability or otherwise of their relationship and that, in turn, would help with all the other decisions.
David returned from his walk half an hour later, still enthusing about the villa, the grounds and the stunning panorama all around. He sat down beside her and she told him about the email from the auction house. He sounded happy for her, but surprised.
‘Are you really sure that’s what you want? After all, ninety nine per cent of the world’s population would give their eyeteeth for the chance to star in a high-profile series like Pals Forever. You’d be famous – even more famous than you already are – and I’m sure you’d be very well paid. Take a look around you. This sort of place could be yours.’
Alice checked him out. That same dreamy expression was back on his face again as he stared down at the villa, but she did her best to explain. ‘Don’t think I haven’t considered it, but it wouldn’t all be glamour and riches. First and foremost, it looks as though it would mean working under Zoë and I’m not sure I want that stress all over again, but it’s more than that. When you’re a celebrity, your whole life changes. You have no privacy – unless you spend a fortune on security, private jets and all the rest. For a woman, it means never eating a square meal again. Appearance is everything – well, almost everything – in that world and it demands sacrifices. Yes, you can get rich, but I know from experience that it isn’t all a bed of roses.’
He nodded, but she could see he didn’t get it. To him – as to so many people – it must seem like Willy Wonka’s golden ticket to a happy life. She reached across and caught hold of his arm, hugging herself against him. ‘Anyway, I haven’t decided anything yet. Let’s see how the next few days and weeks pan out.’
She closed her sketch pad on her drawing and they made their way back down the hill to the villa. Two people were sitting under a parasol on the terrace and, as she drew nearer, she saw that Layla had now arrived – and so had Benny, the writer. There was no sign of Richie and she wondered where he had gone – hiding from Zoë, most probably. The good news was that, at least for now, there was no sign of her either.
She knew that Millie was definitely coming, although Harry remained an unknown quantity. Maybe the idea of meeting up with Layla, his ex-wife, had put him off, and Alice wondered for a moment what difference to the dynamic of the show his absence might make, if he decided not to join in. Together with Layla, Harry was one of the lead characters, and if he deserted the new show, there was a real risk of his absence damaging its chances of success. And, Alice realised, if she too were to turn her back on the offer, Pals Forever might never even get off the ground. She went across to greet them, genuinely pleased to see Benny and Layla again after so long.
‘Hi guys. It’s great to catch up with you again.’
‘Alice, darling, how absolutely wonderful to see you.’ Layla’s language was as extravagant as ever. Alice vaguely noticed that the five years since they had last met up had removed almost all trace of her Australian twang and replaced it with a pretty convincing California accent, but the passage of time certai
nly hadn’t removed any adjectives from her vocabulary. ‘You look simply gorgeous, stunning, even more beautiful than before.’
Alice slipped seamlessly into Hollywood-speak in return. ‘And you just keep on getting more and more beautiful, Layla.’ Suspiciously so. Were her boobs bigger now? She glanced across at David’s face and almost burst out laughing. His eyes were bulging out of his head as he came to terms with being in the presence of such a world-famous actress, and the extravagant language from both of them probably reinforced his sense of having set foot in an alien world. Alice caught hold of his hand and introduced him to them.
‘Layla, Benny – this is David. David, I’m sure you recognise Layla, but you also need to meet Benny. Without him, Pals would never have had the success it did. His comic scripts are second to none.’
Layla extended a languid hand in David’s direction and gave him her most alluring smile. ‘So pleased to meet you, David. Have you and Alice been together long?’
‘Almost two years now.’ His voice sounded hoarse and he actually had to clear it as the emotion of finding himself in such illustrious company sank in. ‘It’s amazing to meet you in person. I’m honoured.’ After reverently accepting and shaking Layla’s hand, David greeted Benny.
Alice grinned to herself. She had never seen him as tongue-tied as this before. Somehow, she got the feeling that this week was going to be a real shock to the system for a simple university lecturer.
Alice gave Layla a big hug, before going over to do the same to Benny. She had always got on very well with him – maybe even better than with her fellow cast-members, except for Millie. Apart from being hilarious, he was one of the most genuine, natural people she had ever met in Hollywood. It was this same directness and honesty that had inevitably brought him into conflict with Zoë. If he didn’t like something, he told it like it was. The inevitable showdown had been explosive and Alice wished she could remember more of the absolutely stunning stream of invective that Benny had unleashed upon the director shortly before being hauled away by Security. One line that still stuck in her memory was, ‘You have the charm of a blocked toilet and the moral fibre of a rabid raccoon!’ The upcoming confrontation between them was something Alice was awaiting eagerly, but with considerable apprehension.
‘Hi Benny. How’s it going?’
‘Hi, Alice. I’m good, thanks. It’s great to see you again. It’s been too long.’
After they all sat down, Paolo appeared and asked if he could get them a drink. Layla already had a glass of champagne and a bottle in an ice bucket in front of her, while Benny had opted for a cold beer. David pointed wordlessly towards the champagne, while Alice just asked for a cold mineral water. She was determined to keep a clear head this week.
They sat and chatted for half an hour or so, without any of the others appearing, and Alice sensed that David was gradually settling down. A couple of glasses of champagne probably also helped steady his nerves. Layla went into considerable detail about her career post-Pals and Alice was delighted to hear it was going well. She knew that Layla had made the transition to movies, as she and David had been to see her in a recent thriller – in which she had been remarkably good in a serious role. This, too, was interesting. As Layla already had a good career, it could well be that she might decide not to do Pals Forever, so if Conrad Chesterfield chose to dig his heels in once more, the project could well be destined never to get off the ground. Alice nodded approvingly to herself. If this were the case, it added considerable strength to their collective bargaining power to get shot of their nemesis.
In return, she told them about her years as a student, although she didn’t mention the possibility of the auction house job for now. When quizzed about her feelings with regard to Pals Forever, Alice made her position quite clear.
‘It’s such a pity, really. Zoë’s a good director – no, a great director – but her people skills are non-existent. For the first couple of years of Pals, I managed to put up with it, and there’s no question she deserves a lot of credit for the success of the series, but as the years went by, I found her harder and harder to bear. I felt dehumanised, like a puppet, with Zoë pulling the strings. Life’s too short for that. If Zoë’s going to be out of the equation or if she’s miraculously morphed into a completely different personality – and that doesn’t look too likely – then I think I’m in. Otherwise, almost certainly no.’
Both Layla and Benny nodded in agreement, while David still looked disbelieving that anybody should even consider turning down such a golden opportunity.
‘What about Millie?’ Layla knew that she and Alice had remained close friends. ‘What’s her view?’
‘You’d better ask her yourself, but I get the impression she might be forced into it for financial reasons.’
She saw the other two exchange looks. They both knew Millie of old. Alice told them that Millie was on her way, but neither had any idea whether Harry was coming or not. When Paolo reappeared, he confirmed that Harry and Millie were both expected but had not yet arrived. Alice asked him where Zoë, Antonia and Richie might be and received a slightly puzzling answer.
‘I believe they’re at the pool. It’s round at the rear of the villa.’ He glanced at his watch. ‘But I expect they’ll be in soon, as dinner’s scheduled for eight o’clock.’
Alice thanked him, wondering just who was at the pool. Surely not all three together? The idea of those three relaxing in each other’s company seemed highly improbable. In the end she decided there was only one thing to do. She stood up, followed by David who looked reluctant to leave Layla, told the others they would see them at dinner and headed round to the rear of the villa, in the direction that Paolo had indicated. By this time the sun had disappeared behind the hills and the light was fading fast. As they approached the pool enclosure, screened by a mass of pink and red oleanders in full bloom, she heard splashing and wondered idly what Richie looked like with his shirt off after his new health kick.
When she reached the pool, she found that Richie had already changed into shorts and a T-shirt but, considering she was here with David, that was probably for the best. Beside him, an attractive blonde in a bikini had clearly just emerged from the water and was patting herself dry. In the half-light it was hard to tell whether the hair colour was natural, but Alice had to admit that she looked good. Two things were immediately clear – Richie had also exercised his right to bring a companion, and from the affectionate way the woman was looking at him, they were more than casual friends. Alice was happy for him. Clearly, his therapist had done a good job.
‘Hi, Richie. I thought I’d just come and check that you weren’t being held against your will by our director friend.’
‘Oh hi, Alice, that was a nice thought but no, I haven’t seen Zoë since she spoke to you. Maybe she’s sulking… or sticking pins in wax figures of us. This is Carrie. She’s a good friend.’
A good friend? As a description, this was open to numerous interpretations but, for now, Alice just held out her hand.
‘Hi, Carrie. I’m pleased to meet you, and this is my boyfriend, David.’
‘Gosh, I’m just so thrilled to meet you, too, Alice. You’re my hero. I often dreamt of being like you when I was growing up.’ It would appear that Carrie was a good bit younger than Alice had first thought – maybe mid-twenties or even less, which would make her a good bit younger than she was – or Richie. ‘I even used to try to dress like you, but my mum kept forbidding me from buying the stuff I wanted. She said it was too provocative.’
‘I take it you mean you tried to dress like Polly in Pals, not me.’
‘Yes, sorry, I meant Polly.’ Her eyes strayed to Alice’s T-shirt, shorts and dusty trainers. ‘So you don’t dress like her normally?’ She sounded quite disappointed.
Alice shook her head. ‘It’s taken five years, but I’m gradually getting the message across that Polly and I are two very different animals.’
‘Oh…’ Carrie looked even more disappointed n
ow, but she soon snapped out of it. ‘Well, I’m still really pleased to have met you, Alice.’
‘Me too.’ Alice returned her attention to Richie. ‘We’re waiting for Millie, and I’m surprised to hear that Harry’s also coming – is that definitely true?’
‘He’s coming. He called me a week or so ago to see if I was up for it. When I told him I was coming, he said he would, too. I think he mentioned that he was flying over to Switzerland first to stop over with a friend, but he’ll be here, I’m sure.’
No prizes for guessing the gender of the friend with whom he would be breaking his journey. So, Alice thought to herself, all five of the cast – plus Benny – had elected to come to this meeting, which meant all of them, to a greater or lesser extent, were at least considering getting involved with Pals Forever. No doubt Conrad Chesterfield would be well pleased, although it seemed clear from talking to Benny and Layla that the show would only go ahead if Zoë were no longer at the helm. Alice wondered how that little conundrum was going to work itself out.
Together, they walked back to the villa and, just as the other two disappeared up the stairs, the front door opened. Paolo appeared, pushing a trolley holding two big suitcases, and was followed, just a few paces behind, by Millie.
‘Hi, Al. What a gorgeous place.’ She gave Alice an enthusiastic hug, kissed David’s cheeks and then turned back to the door, glancing out into the twilight. ‘Harry, Alice is here. Come and say hi.’
So they were all here. The pals were reunited.
Chapter 5
Millie appeared at Alice’s door just before eight, all dolled-up in a dress that must have cost a fortune – which she most probably didn’t have – and refused to let Alice go down to dinner in her dusty T-shirt and shorts. Under pressure, Alice reluctantly changed into a relic of her former life, a light summer dress by Stella McCartney which had been hanging at the back of her wardrobe for over five years. It felt really strange to be wearing something so pricey and, for that matter, revealing. She had completely got out of the habit of wearing the sort of clothes that young Carrie would no doubt have identified as ‘Polly’ clothes, and she found herself apprehensively checking her appearance in the mirrors in the hallway before walking through to the dining room. French windows at the end of this fine room opened onto the terrace, where a dinner table had been prepared outside, illuminated by a line of imposing silver candlesticks running all the way down the centre of the table.