frightened than anything else. Thanks for stepping in. I could have taken out a couple of them, but fifteen is a bit more than even I could handle.’ I took a deep breath and looked back at the beach. The paps had disappeared to whence they came. The homeless lady was standing halfway between the surf and the skate park, watching me. ‘Who is she?’
‘ Huh?’ Henry looked in the direction I was pointing. ‘Oh. That’s Ann. A pretty regular fixture around here for a couple of years now. We help her out from time to time, but it’s not often. Very independent. Why?’
‘ She always gives me a wave. From a distance, though. Whenever I try to talk to her she mutters something, laughs, and walks away.’
‘ At least she waves at you. She ignores me. Emily manages to elicit a smile once in a while. Mostly she just grabs whatever food we give her and waddles off down the beach.’ He stopped near the entrance to their cafe. ‘Hungry?’
‘ I’m starving. Hold a table and I’ll be back in a minute. I need to rinse the salt off and I’ll be damned if I do it in front of those ass-hats with cameras.’
Henry smiled. ‘I understand. Usual?’
‘ Usual dress-fitting day food. Fruit, wheat toast and some pink grapefruit juice.’
‘ And no strawberries. Once of these days I’ll get you to taste my cooking. Inside table I think.’
‘ Unfortunately. It’s a beautiful day. Those guys had to ruin it.’
‘ Tonight’s a big night. I’m sure you’ve got a long day ahead of you. Go shower and relax. Don’t let them dictate your mood. Take a deep breath and be one with the universe.’ His eyes smiled when he said this.
‘ Okay Master Po. But you better let Emily know about this.’
‘ I usually do. Why?’
‘ You’re going to be on the cover of half the tabloids in town identified as my new boyfriend.’ I smiled and gave him a hug and went back to my apartment.
I stepped out on the balcony. The gray sky and vacant beach had transformed to a hot blue sky and a bustling marketplace. The vendors had set up, ready to foist t-shirts and sunglasses and hats on unsuspecting tourists. Muscle-bound narcissists applied liberal coats of oil before their flex-fest. Roller-skaters, and roller bladers, already populated the boardwalk. It was going to be one of those Southern California days Katy Perry sings about.
I showered off the salt and pulled on some Capri’s and a golf shirt. Tied my hair in a pony-tail and once again thought about getting it cut. After all the publicity, of course. The part of the job I liked the least. But the studio insisted on it. They invested the money in the movie so I guess it was their right to parade me like a trained chimp trying to flog the movie.
H enry had a table reserved for me inside, away from the window. My chilled crystal bowl of sliced fruit - no strawberries - was waiting for me. The crystal bowl wasn’t my idea, honest. Henry thought it was a nice touch and I had to agree, but it made me look a diva.
Emily sat across from me. ‘Henry told me what happened. That’s terrible. You used to be anonymous around here.’ She placed a hand on my arm. ‘In a good way of course. If you ever need refuge, come on in. We reserve the right to turn away anyone and all of those paparazzi assholes will get turned away.’ She shook her head. ‘I’m upsetting you. I’m upsetting myself. Enjoy your breakfast. It’s going to be the last peaceful one you get for some time.’
‘ You’re a champ Emily. I’ll try to keep you and Henry out of the messes I get myself in. I appreciate the offer of refuge, even though my apartment is only ten feet from here.’ I smiled. ‘Maybe I should be offering you two refuge. Those guys are going to haunt this place.’
Chapter Six
The nineteen-year-old kid hammered on the front door again. ‘Breakfast. Mister, it’s getting cold and if you try to stiff me because it’s late I’ll be really pissed.’ He knocked once more
‘ Huh?’ Henry looked in the direction I was pointing. ‘Oh. That’s Ann. A pretty regular fixture around here for a couple of years now. We help her out from time to time, but it’s not often. Very independent. Why?’
‘ She always gives me a wave. From a distance, though. Whenever I try to talk to her she mutters something, laughs, and walks away.’
‘ At least she waves at you. She ignores me. Emily manages to elicit a smile once in a while. Mostly she just grabs whatever food we give her and waddles off down the beach.’ He stopped near the entrance to their cafe. ‘Hungry?’
‘ I’m starving. Hold a table and I’ll be back in a minute. I need to rinse the salt off and I’ll be damned if I do it in front of those ass-hats with cameras.’
Henry smiled. ‘I understand. Usual?’
‘ Usual dress-fitting day food. Fruit, wheat toast and some pink grapefruit juice.’
‘ And no strawberries. Once of these days I’ll get you to taste my cooking. Inside table I think.’
‘ Unfortunately. It’s a beautiful day. Those guys had to ruin it.’
‘ Tonight’s a big night. I’m sure you’ve got a long day ahead of you. Go shower and relax. Don’t let them dictate your mood. Take a deep breath and be one with the universe.’ His eyes smiled when he said this.
‘ Okay Master Po. But you better let Emily know about this.’
‘ I usually do. Why?’
‘ You’re going to be on the cover of half the tabloids in town identified as my new boyfriend.’ I smiled and gave him a hug and went back to my apartment.
I stepped out on the balcony. The gray sky and vacant beach had transformed to a hot blue sky and a bustling marketplace. The vendors had set up, ready to foist t-shirts and sunglasses and hats on unsuspecting tourists. Muscle-bound narcissists applied liberal coats of oil before their flex-fest. Roller-skaters, and roller bladers, already populated the boardwalk. It was going to be one of those Southern California days Katy Perry sings about.
I showered off the salt and pulled on some Capri’s and a golf shirt. Tied my hair in a pony-tail and once again thought about getting it cut. After all the publicity, of course. The part of the job I liked the least. But the studio insisted on it. They invested the money in the movie so I guess it was their right to parade me like a trained chimp trying to flog the movie.
H enry had a table reserved for me inside, away from the window. My chilled crystal bowl of sliced fruit - no strawberries - was waiting for me. The crystal bowl wasn’t my idea, honest. Henry thought it was a nice touch and I had to agree, but it made me look a diva.
Emily sat across from me. ‘Henry told me what happened. That’s terrible. You used to be anonymous around here.’ She placed a hand on my arm. ‘In a good way of course. If you ever need refuge, come on in. We reserve the right to turn away anyone and all of those paparazzi assholes will get turned away.’ She shook her head. ‘I’m upsetting you. I’m upsetting myself. Enjoy your breakfast. It’s going to be the last peaceful one you get for some time.’
‘ You’re a champ Emily. I’ll try to keep you and Henry out of the messes I get myself in. I appreciate the offer of refuge, even though my apartment is only ten feet from here.’ I smiled. ‘Maybe I should be offering you two refuge. Those guys are going to haunt this place.’
Chapter Six
The nineteen-year-old kid hammered on the front door again. ‘Breakfast. Mister, it’s getting cold and if you try to stiff me because it’s late I’ll be really pissed.’ He knocked once more
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