by Hamel, B. B.
“God, if you ask about another TV show, I swear,” I grumble.
“No, no. It’s about your dad.”
I sigh. “Okay. What about my dad? Yes, he wore suits a lot. No, I’ve never seen him in sweatpants.”
She giggles. “When did you realize your dad wasn’t perfect?”
I frown at her and tilt my head. “That’s one hell of a question.”
“I have an answer, if you want to hear mine first.”
“Go for it.”
She looks away at the sheet hanging from the ceiling. “I was eleven,” she says. “My dad brought me to a business lunch. It was nothing special at first… but then he had a few too many drinks. He got a little drunk, you know? But then he started talking too much… kind of embarrassed himself. On the walk home, he puked in some bushes, and it was right in that moment that I realized my dad was a human. I think that’s around the time his drinking picked up.”
“Huh,” he said softly. “That must’ve been hard to see. So young, too.”
“Well, yeah. It wasn’t great. I got over it, though.”
I snort. “I’m sure you did.”
“Now I’m used to him being a drunk asshole. Right, Dad?” She shouts the last part and laughs.
“I suspect he’s not watching more,” I say.
“No, you’re probably right.” She looks up at me. “So answer the question. It’s your turn. And remember, you can’t lie.”
I stare at her and sigh again. “I was maybe eight, younger, I don’t know,” I say. “It was a normal Tuesday night. We were having dinner and my dad was late to the table. He walked in like he had just woken up and my mother did this thing she does… she stood up and looked him in the eyes and was like, ‘You were busy.’ That’s all she said, just, ‘You were busy.’ And he sort of flinched away from her and melted and apologized without having been accused of anything. That was when I knew my father didn’t run the family.”
“Huh,” she says softly. “That’s… kind of odd.”
“Really?”
“I mean, I guess I understand it.”
“My family isn’t like a normal family,” I say. “We’re more like a business. Whoever runs the business has all the power. It’s not like we’re all equals and we love each other. We’re all in competition, me and my siblings, or at least we’re supposed to be. We all decided we’re not playing the game, but still.”
“What game?”
“Inheritance. We each have a trust, and that’s good, but there’s way more money to inherit. I think we’re all just… leaving it up to Mom and accepting whoever she chooses.”
“I thought the oldest boy would get it?”
“No,” he says, shaking his head. “That’s how we used to do it, but I think my mother intends to go against that. My oldest brother isn’t interested in running the family, anyway. I think she’s going to give it to Lora.”
“Really? Your youngest sister?”
I nod. “She’s the smartest of us. She’s the most like our mother, even if she doesn’t act like it.”
“You don’t talk about your siblings that much,” she says. “I just realized I don’t know all their names.”
I chuckles. “My oldest brother is Brent. His wife is Amber. Then there’s Jacob, my next brother, and his wife is Valerie. Then I’m the next oldest, and my wife is you, although you don’t know that yet.”
She blushes and glares at me. “Stop it.”
“Whatever you say. Then there’s Delia, and her husband is Max. And finally, there’s Lora.”
“No husband for her?”
“Not yet, but it won’t be long, at the rate we’re going.”
She laughs. “You’re all pairing off.”
“We are. Including me.”
She bites her lip and looks at me. “You keep doing that.”
“Doing what?”
“Looking at me like there’s no escape.”
“Oh come on, little Klara. Why do you think there ever was?”
She’s quiet for a long time before looking away. The clock continues to tick along as I move closer to her. I’m so tempted to grab her hair and pull her against me, but that camera is still running, so I have to be on my best behavior.
We end up talking more about our lives, and as the last hour counts down, we fall back into rapid-fire questions. I think I ask the same ones over and over before I’m so exhausted, I can barely think straight. We keep pushing each other, trying to make sure the other one doesn’t fall asleep.
Suddenly, an alarm blares. I blink around me and the lights come on, bright and intense. For most of the night, we were only using the light from one conference room, just enough to see and to keep us awake, but not so much that we were sitting under heavy fluorescents all night.
Ryan comes into the room and turns off the countdown timer. Klara sits up and stands, stretching, moving away from me. She sits down on my bed and I lean forward on my elbows.
“Morning!” he says, smiling. He hands me a coffee then gives one to Klara. I sip it and grumble a thank you.
“We survived?” Klara asks.
“Looks that way,” Ryan says. “Not gonna lie. I slept like a baby last night.” He grins at us and I believe him.
“So what now?” I ask.
“Well, now you ask your questions.” He produces the paper we wrote on earlier tonight, or yesterday, or whenever that was. He hands me one page and gives the other to Klara.
I stare at my questions. I barely remember writing them down, and if I could go back and change them, I really would. I wrack my brain, trying to remember as much about the night before as I can, but it all seems almost empty.
“Okay, Klara,” Ryan says. “You start.”
She stares at her paper and clears her throat. “What’s my favorite ice cream flavor?”
I laugh. “Mint chocolate chip.”
She sighs and nods. “That’s right.”
“Point for Shaun!” Ryan claps. “Okay, your turn Shaun.”
“Klara, how old was I when I had my first kiss?”
“Oh, shit, I know this.” She squirms and clenches her jaw. “Shit, shit, shit. I know this!”
“No hints,” Ryan says to me.
I shrug and look away.
“Uh, crap, okay, okay.” She takes a deep breath. “Eleven?”
“That’s right,” I say, grinning.
“Oh, yeah!” She laughs and flops back on her bed. “Oh my god, that was so stressful.”
“One all,” Ryan says. “Klara, you’re up.”
She sits up on one elbow. “Okay. Where did I go to summer camp when I was seventeen?”
I narrow my eyes. “It was something nerdy. I remember making fun of you for, like, ten minutes. Aw, fuck.” I lean toward her, staring into her eyes. “It was… space camp. No, wait!”
“Oh, sorry,” Ryan says. “Your answer is space camp. Klara?”
She grins at me. “Wrong. It was math camp.”
“Even worse,” I groan. “Oh my god, you fucking nerd.”
She cackles with delight. “You’re up,” she says.
I nod and read my paper. “What does my mother do for fun?”
Klara frowns. “That’s kind of vague.” She looks at Ryan. “Is that too vague?”
He shrugs. “I don’t know. Sounds kind of…”
“It’s the only thing she does for fun,” I specify.
Klara lets out a breath. “Shit.”
“Come on,” I say softly. “I told you this. Remember?”
She narrows her eyes at me. She doesn’t say anything for a long moment before breaking out into a huge grin. “She paints!”
“That’s right,” I say, laughing. “Damn, almost thought you’d miss it.”
She groans and throws herself back. “This is so stressful.”
“Okay, Klara’s up two to one,” Ryan says. “You need this to stay in the game.”
I nod once. “Bring it on,” I say.
Klara sits
up. “Okay.” She looks at her paper and laughs. “Oh my god. Okay. How old was I when my father puked in a bush?”
I grin. “Which time?”
“The first time,” she says.
“You were eleven. The same age I was when I had my first kiss.”
“That’s right,” she says.
“Oh, wow.” Ryan laughs. “It’s all tied up at two,” he says. “This is it. If Klara gets this one right, she wins it all.”
She takes a deep breath and lets it out. “Okay. I’m ready.”
“Which one of my siblings got married first?”
She frowns. “Oh. Oh, uh.” She closes her eyes. “Brent, Jacob, and Delia. They’re all married.” She looks at me. “Right?”
“No helping,” Ryan says.
I just shrug. She groans. “Come on,” she says. “Shit, okay. Brent is the oldest. But that doesn’t mean… oh, shit. Okay. I’m going with… Jacob.”
“Is that your final answer?” I ask her.
She glares at me. “Tell me if I’m right.”
“You’re wrong.”
She groans and throws herself back.
“Wow,” Ryan says, laughing. “Okay, so, it’s all tied up at two. I guess… I guess this challenge was a tie.”
Klara sits up straight and stares at him. I stand up.
“Are you fucking joking?” I ask.
“No,” he says, shaking his head. “I was told… I was told there could be a tie. And if there was, there’d be one more challenge.”
“No,” Klara says. “Hell no. We just stayed up all night… for nothing?”
“I’m sorry,” he says, eyes wide. “I’m really sorry. It’s just… we don’t have more time. I have to clean up and get the office back together before people start coming in soon.” He smiles sheepishly. “I thought you two might help.”
I stare at him then start laughing. I don’t know if it’s the lack of sleep or the absurdity of his request for help, but I can’t stop myself. Klara laughs along with me after a second, and we end up hugging and laughing like mad.
Ryan stands there awkwardly watching. I pull Klara away and we head to the door.
“Hold on,” he says. “Can’t you help? Please? It’s going to take so long alone and I already did it once. Please!”
I shake my head and we stumble away from him. We laugh and laugh until we get outside on the sidewalk. The sun’s coming up and we slowly settle down as she continues to lean into my arms.
“This is crazy,” she says. “This is insane, right?”
“Yep,” I confirm. “Insane.”
“I can’t believe he didn’t have a tiebreaker. I can’t believe…” She shakes her head. “Okay. Yes, I can totally believe it.”
I look down at her and tilt her chin toward me. I kiss her without thinking, without caring. She kisses me back then leans her face against my chest.
“Shit,” she says.
“Yeah. Shit.”
I hug her tight for a long moment. “I’m going home,” she says. “I’m going to sleep. And no, you can’t come.”
“Your loss.”
“No. I need sleep. I don’t need you keeping me up more.”
“Whatever you say. Just be careful driving.”
She pulls back and salutes me. “Aye aye, captain.”
I roll my eyes. We walk into the parking lot together then split ways. I watch her go and get into her car for a long moment. I let out a breath then climb into my own car.
I can’t believe what just happened. But I shouldn’t be so surprised. Aldo isn’t exactly a kind man, and he doesn’t seem like the type to think far in advance. It shouldn’t shock me that there was no backup plan at all.
I drive home, trying not to fall asleep the whole way.
13
Klara
After our all-night challenge, I go home and sleep for a few hours. I force myself up at noon, take a shower, and make a ton of phone calls.
I planned for this. Well, not for this exactly. I didn’t expect my father to let this end in a tie, but I did have a backup plan, just in case something went wrong. And now I need to follow through with that plan, because clearly this is never going to end.
My dad doesn’t want to sell. That much is obvious. He wants money, of course, but Truth Hurts is his entire life. He’s nothing without this company. I suspect he’ll take Shaun’s deal, but only because Shaun is letting him stay involved in some capacity.
Which means I need to do something drastic.
I’m in bed by nine and I sleep all through the night. When I wake at my usual time, I feel refreshed, like I didn’t just go through a harrowing and ultimately useless night of no sleep and lots of stress. I get dressed in a solid power outfit, black slacks and a white blouse with a cute small black jacket. I put my hair up, do my makeup, and stare at myself in the mirror.
“No more bullshit,” I say, and head into my living room.
I grab my phone and text Shaun.
Me: I’m pissed about yesterday.
Shaun: Yeah, me too. I’m surprised you haven’t gone to your dad and killed him yet.
Me: Don’t think that’s off the menu.
Me: But I wanted to give you a heads-up. I’m making a move.
Shaun: What kind of move?
Me: Just… a move. Trust me. Okay?
Shaun: Mysterious. I guess I have no other choice.
I slip my phone back into my bag and take a deep breath. “No, you don’t,” I say, and nod to myself before heading out.
* * *
The rented conference room in a business park on the outskirts of the city is almost drab and depressing. I get there early, spruce it up, make sure it’s clean, and put out some water and snacks.
They don’t start arriving until a few minutes after the designated start time. I expected this and greet everyone as they drift into the room.
David Ernez, Si Apex, Bradford Gaup, Willie Rocklittle, Ash Knap, Simo Machdo, and other men file into the room. They’re directors, grips, actors, scriptwriters, and every other job imaginable in Hollywood, including more than a few producers. Once everyone’s seated and settled, I stand up in front of the most powerful men I know and stare them down.
“Thank you all for coming,” I say.
“For a pretty girl like you, anything,” Si says.
A few men chuckle but I notice more than a few give him some sideways looks. I appreciate that and continue.
“I don’t want to waste anyone’s time,” I say. “The message I sent you all is real, and I’m serious about it. My father is ready to step down from Truth Hurts, and it’s time that someone else takes it over. I’m offering you all the opportunity to get involved.”
“How?” Bradford calls out. “And why don’t I just buy it myself?”
“You can’t afford it,” Si says and get a few more laughs with that one.
I smile and put my hands up. “Gentlemen. If I thought any one of you could buy it, I wouldn’t have invited you all here. It isn’t a matter of having the money. I know that more than a few of you do. It’s about having my father’s approval.”
I get a few grumbles. “How involved is he?” David asks. “I mean, we’ve all worked with Aldo. Excuse me for saying, Klara, but your dad’s kind of an asshole these days.”
Everyone laughs, everyone agrees. Even I smile at him, and shrug. “I can’t argue that,” I say. “He’s a total dick lately. Truth is, David, he won’t be very involved at all, not if I can help it.” I clear my throat and begin my presentation.
My pitch is simple. The Divas franchise is poised to take off big time in the coming months. By the time anyone else gets around to buying my dad out, it’ll be way too late, and the production company will be worth way too much. But if we move now, while he’s thinking about selling already and Divas isn’t worth too much, we can all profit.
“Gentlemen, Divas is going to grow,” I say. “You’ve all seen the ratings. What you haven’t seen is the behind-the-scenes
interactions. The website gets huge clicks and views. The Facebook page is active. There are at least two podcasts about the show already, and one of them has thousands of active listeners. Divas is going to be big, bigger than the Bachelor franchise. And now’s the time to invest.”
More grumbling. I can tell a few of them aren’t interested, but more are definitely considering.
So I go in for the kill. I lay it all out, I tell them about the contest, about my dad’s reluctance to sell to Shaun, but his willingness to go with me. I dazzle them with the story, and even drop Shaun’s name in the process. That gets a few more heads turned.
If a Lofthouse is interested, then this business might be for real.
“To finish off, gentlemen, I ask that you put your faith in me. We can buy Truth Hurts together and turn it into something great. Not only will Divas make us all stupidly rich, but we’ll make some great programming for years to come. Divas is just the start. It’s my baby, my idea, and I have more where that came from. I’m young and I’m ready to do big things. Put your faith in me. I won’t let you down.” I smile as they clap. “Thank you.”
Afterward, I give out water, and talk. I meet with each of them, listen to their ideas, hear their uncertainties. I do my best to make them feel better, and as they begin to filter out and leave, only a few are left.
But it’s the few I need. Three big producers and two directors with real money. I get agreements from all of them that if I can make a deal move forward, their money is going to back me. I’ll be the new head of Truth Hurts, and they’ll be the board.
We’ll restructure the business, make it lean and mean, and make some serious cash.
It’s after noon by the time everyone’s gone. I’m left alone in the conference room, feeling exhausted, but elated.
I have a plan.
I just brought in some of the most powerful people in the reality TV industry and I made a play. And I think it might work. I convinced at least a few of them that I’m worth investing in.
What happens from here, I don’t know. Some of them might go to my father, but I doubt it. He’s not loved, and that’s why only a few of them signed on. I think if my father’s name didn’t cast such a cloud over Truth Hurts, more of them would be willing.