"Maybe it's the traffic," Pia said, giving her a warning look.
"Yeah, well, bleedin' traffic or not, e's late. S'not nice to be late
for your own wedding."
After fifteen minutes, Pia slipped out of the room, found a pay phone
and called Jimmy's apartment. There was no answer.
Nature cornered her in the corridor. "What the ell's going on?
Where is the scummy bastard?"
Pia shook her head. "I have no idea."
"You wait downstairs," Nature said, "while I keeper busy here."
Another twenty minutes passed and Jimmy still hadn't shown up.
Pia called Samm out of the room and Nature joined them in the corridor
for a conference.
"Looks like e's dumped her," Nature said. "What a lowlife!"
"Has somebody called his apartment?" Samm asked.
"Yes. I did," Pia said. "There's no answer.
Samm shook her head, she'd had a feeling about Jimmy Cassady.
"What shall we do?" Pia asked.
"Fuck im!" Nature said. "Men! They're all no bleedin' good."
By the time an hour had elapsed it was obvious Jimmy wasn't coming.
Lauren took the news stoically, although she was breaking up inside.
Pia, Nature and Samm accompanied her back to his apartment.
There was a note pinned to the refrigerator door.
Sorry! Gone on assignment to Africa. Be back in a few months.
You can stay at the apartment until you find a place.
Lauren read the note twice before handing it to the others.
"Bastard!" exclaimed Nature, scanning it quickly.
"Oh, dear," said Pia.
Samm was more eloquent. "That lousy son of a bitch! I never trusted
him."
Lauren felt totally blank. Another rejection. It didn't matter.
Nothing mattered. One thing she knew. She would never trust any man
again. Never. Of that she was sure.
I he proposition was this-Manny wanted him to take the limo across the
border into Tijuana, pick up a passenger at the Tijuana Sunset Hotel
and then drive back into the U.S. It sounded simple enough.
"That's it?" Nick asked warily.
"Easy, huh?" Manny leaned back in his oversized chair, double chins
wobbling.
"Sure," he replied. "Depending on what the passenger's carrying."
"Let's make it none of your business," Manny said, rubbing his chin.
"That way you don't know from nothin'."
Nick decided he wouldn't trust Manny with a nun, but he sensed an
opportunity to make money, and since his stash from Chicago was fast
running out he investigated further. "How much?"
Manny shot him a knowing wink. "More than you're making now."
iisten," he said, "I don't know what I'm bringing in, but I ain't
crossin' the border for less than two grand."
That's a lotta money."
"The way I'm hearin', it's a lotta risk."
"Okay, okay," Manny said grudgingly.
The fat man had agreed too readily. Nick immediately wished he'd asked
for more. "When's this supposed to take place?" he asked.
"Sometime next week. Things are bein' set up now.
"Who's the passenger?"
"A schoolkid."
"A schoolkid?"
"Yeah. Wanna make something outta it?"
Nick knew he was stepping onto dangerous territory. There was no way
Manny's activities were legal. Did he really want to get involved?
Yeah-for two grand he really wanted to get involved.
"I got somebody for ya t'meet," Manny said.
"Who?"
"A special broad, so keep her outta your dirty mind."
Oh? Like he was going to hit on a girl that had anything to do with
Manny. Fat chance.
Manny hit a buzzer and the door opened.
"Say hello to Suga," Manny said, presenting her as if she was the Queen
of England. "Suga an' me-we been together five years. Married for
two," he added proudly. "Happy as a coupla sandbugs."
Suga was twenty-three, looked sixteen and acted as if she was twelve.
Her dress of choice was black rubber, barely making it to the top of
her chubby thighs, worn with lace-up white boots and as much fake gold
jewelry as she could manage without falling down. She was top-heavy,
short, her flesh was rosy and her hair shoulder-length spikes of dyed
blond with inch-long black roots. She smoked nonstop, chewed gum and
bit her nails.
Stationing herself next to her husband she stared balefully at Nick.
She had small beady eyes surrounded by too much makeup and mean little
lips curved in a perpetual sneer.
"Suga's a classy broad," Manny said, talking about her as if she wasn't
present. "Helps me with a lotta things."
Yeah, Nick thought, I bet she does.
"I figured you two should meet," Manny continued, touching his wife on
the thigh, "on accounta it's Suga you'll be collectin' in Tijuana."
Jesus Christ, what was he getting into? "You said it was a
schoolkid."
"Don't worry-she'll be dressed like one.
7
"You're putting me on.
Suga spoke up, her voice a shrill squeak. "Screw you," she said,
chewing gum like an angry cow.
This was going to be some trip.
Joy Byron's acting class was held in an empty warehouse on the wrong
side of Wilshire. Joy Byron herself was an elderly Englishwoman with a
voice like a hacksaw. She wore a long flowered dress on her bony body
and carried a parasol, giving her a somewhat eccentric Madwoman of
Chaillot look.
Nick would never admit it to anyone, but he was dead nervous. "So uh,
like, what do I do?" he asked, trying to sound cool.
"Nothing," Annie said. "You're merely an observer. Will you relax."
"Okay, okay," he said, wondering why he was putting himself through
this.
She grabbed his hand. "Come on, I'll take you over to meet her."
Reluctantly he allowed himself to be led across the room.
"Miss Byron," Annie said, "this is a friend of mine. Is it okay for
him to sit in?"
Joy Byron turned around and studied him. "And what is your name, young
man?" she asked in imperious tones.
"Nick," he mumbled.
"Do we have a surname?"
Nick Angelo."
"Lose the 0."
"She gestured theatrically. "Nick Angel-I can see it on marquees
now.
"Yeah?"
"But of course." She turned to speak to another student and Annie
pulled him away. "She likes you."
"How do you know?"
"I can tell."
He grinned. "Yeah, well, I'm not just anybody."
"That's what I like about you, Nick-no ego. Come on, we'll grab a seat
over here."
His eyes darted around the large musty room. There was a bunch of guys
in T-shirts and jeans doing their best Brando imitations, and lots of
pretty girls who seemed to take themselves much too seriously Actors.
Just like him.
When everybody was settled Joy Byron stood at the front and addressed
the class. "Today we shall speak about motivation," she said.
Long dramatic pause. "When I worked with Olivier, Gielgud, in fact all
the English greats, one of their first thoughts before going on stage
was motivation, motivation, what exactly is my motivation."
/> Nick could see this was going to be different from drama classes with
Betty Harris way back in Bosewell. And he was right. Joy Byron
reveled in lecturing her students on what she thought they should know,
talking a great deal about her fabulously successful career in
England.
"Was she some kind of big star over there?" he whispered fo Annie.
Annie nodded, eyes shining. "She's a great teacher."
"How come she gave it up?"
"I don't know."
Halfway through the class Joy summoned two of her students to the front
and instructed them to improvise a scene expressing anger.
Nick watched carefully as the two young actors went to work.
They were good.
He was better.
After they were finished Joy stood up again, gave a long harsh critique
and then invited the class to comment. Some of the students couldn't
wait to pick the two actors to pieces, while a few of them were quite
flattering.
"You have to take the good with the bad," Annie murmured.
"Everybody has their say. Believe me-it can be brutal up there."
He couldn't make up his mind whether to get involved in this shit.
Acting in Bosewell was one thing, but this was Hollywood and who needed
criticism?
On his way out Joy Byron stopped him, laying a dainty blue-veined hand
on his arm. "You've got the look, dear boy," she said in her gravelly
English voice.
"I have?" he replied carefully.
"Oh, yes. I always recognize it," Joy said. "You've got the look."
He took a deep breath, inhaling her scent of musty roses mixed .."
..
1A 1,ir i* "On your next visit youl perform She fixed him with watery
eyes.
something for me."
"I haven't joined the class yet."
"Ah, yes, but sometimes I accept students without fees. We'll see.
Next time come prepared."
"What did she say?" Annie wanted to know as soon as they were
outside.
When he told her she got really excited. "My God, you never even did
anything and you made an impression on her."
"Maybe she's horny," he joked.
Annie was unamused. "That's not funny," she said sternly. "Joy Byron
is a true professional."
He took her arm. "Hey, there's something I've been meaning to ask HIo
you have a permanent guy in your life?"
"Why?" she asked suspiciously.
"I thought you'd help me out. Like if you don't have a boyfriend you'd
come by my place on Saturday night."
There was a long pause before she answered. "Nick," she said
hesitantly, "I'm not looking to get involved with anybody."
"Hey, who's asking? All I want you to do is read with me. I have to
prepare something, don't I?"
"Oh." She was embarrassed at having gotten the wrong impression.
"I'd be happy to."
Saturday night his landlady was having her usual weekend party.
He ignored the hangers-on lingering outside and steered Annie straight
through to his apartment. The smell of marijuana was overwhelming.
"Don't breathe too deeply," he joked. "One lungful and you're stoned
for the rest of the week!"
She walked over to the large windows overlooking the beach. "How did
you find this place?"
"Cyndra helped me.
"Nice view.
"Yeah, I was lucky."
The landlady's stereo blasting reggae almost blew them out of the
room.
"This is the downside," he explained. "She throws a party every
Saturday. You gotta be in the mood." He opened his refrigerator and
inspected the contents. "How about a drink? I got root beer or
Coke.
Take your rhoice" "Both bad for you," Annie said. "I'll have plain
water."
"Don't you do anything that's bad for you?" he teased, reaching for a
glass.
"Not if I can help it," she said primly.
He found his precious signed copy of Streetcar and flipped it open to a
scene he particularly liked, handing it to Annie. "How about I read
Joy a scene from this?"
"Hmm." She flicked through the pages. "You want to do it with me?"
she asked, settling on the couch.
"Do I want to do what with you?" he replied, still teasing.
Her cheeks were flushed. "Nick, get serious.
He moved in on her, knowing he shouldn't. "I am serious," he said,
sliding his arm around her shoulders and pulling her close.
She was vulnerable and jumpy as he began to kiss her. Feebly she tried
to push him away.
"Relax," he coaxed, well aware he had her nailed. "You gotta have some
fun in life," he added, pressing his lips down on hers.
Just as he was getting somewhere they were interrupted by a loud knock
on the door. Annie seized the moment to wriggle out of his grasp and
jump guiltily to her feet.
"Ignore it," he said. "It's probably someone looking for the john."
"You'd better see who it is," she said, glad of the distraction.
"Jeer, just when we were getting' comfortable, huh?" he said, walking
over to the door and flinging it open.
Standing there was DeVille carrying a suitcase.
"Hi, honey," she said. "I'm here." ia wanted Lauren to stay with her,
but Nature insisted she'd be more comfortable at her place. Lauren
couldn't care less where she wentJimmy's betrayal had left her without
any feelings. It didn't matter, nothing mattered. She packed up her
things and moved into Nature's huge white apartment without an
argument.
Nature was delighted. She led Lauren into the guest bedroom,
announcing proudly, "This is where me Mum stays. You'll like it. It's
ever so cozy.
Lauren decided it was a good place to hide. Maybe she'd stay
forever-who needed the real world?
Nature yelled at her assistant to cancel all her appointments for the
rest of the week.
"You can't do that," Lauren protested. "You have the Vogue shoot, and
the Antonio session for Harper's. You're booked solid."
"I can bleedin' do what I want," Nature replied tartly. "I'm not a
bloody work machine. I understand what you're going' through-the truth
is it appened to me once."
"What happened to you?"
"Course it was when I was young an' innocent-ha-ha!" Nature threw
herself down on the bed, ready to talk. "There was this geezer I was
seeing before I was a model-a right layabout. I worked in an
airdressing salon, and this bloke used to come in all the time. E
seemed ever so nice. And sexy-wow! Anyway, the truth is e dumped
me-just like that. Ran off with me best friend an' married her. I bet
e's sorry now-she's a fat old cow an' I'm a big star . well, sort
of.
I never forgave im."
"I had no idea," Lauren murmured sympathetically.
"I'm not gonna bloody advertise it, am I? After that I got meself
discovered an' flown to New York. Never looked back. Course, me Mum's
not thrilled-but I am. It's great getting' away from the family.
Where's your family anyway?"
"I don't have anybody," Lauren said, admitting it for the first time.
"My mother and father are both dead."
"That's all right."
Nature jumped up. "Well, listen, you're welcome to stay as long as you
want.
And that's exactly what she did. For two weeks she hid away in the
guest room, huddled under blankets watching television day and night,
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