Chapter 60

After three weeks of rehearsal, we traveled to Oregon to shoot some exterior scenes. Mrs. McGuire, Des, and I stayed at a nice hotel, and I commuted about an hour each day to the movie location. The shooting was completed by Friday and we returned to LA.

When I got home, I found that Heather and Sheri had arrived for their visit. They had already had hours to get used to the house but they were still gushing about it when I got there.

"This is, like, so unbelievable, Crystal," Heather said. "We went swimming in your outdoor pool this afternoon, and I can't get over how big it is. And you have another one inside the house. This is just so… unbelievable."

"I can't get over the size of my bedroom," Sheri said, "nor the size of this house. It's like a palace."

"It is, isn't it. Did Carol tell you its history?"

"She said that it was built by some film star in the 1930's but, like, wow. We thought that she was exaggerating… until we saw it," Heather said.

"That was the truth. It was a bit run down when I bought it, but Mom spent months working with the contractors and it looks great now."

"It sure does," Sheri agreed. "I love it."

Mom came into the living room to tell us that dinner was ready so we walked to the family dining room. During dinner, Heather and Sheri told us what they had been doing, and I told them about the movies and the television show that I had been in. I hadn't seen them in a long time so we had a lot of catching up to do.

After dinner, we continued talking until it was time to go to bed.

*****

Sheri and Heather came out to the pool as I was swimming in the morning. Having just arrived from back east, their internal clocks were still adjusted to Central Time, accounting for their early rising. I was used to getting up at this hour in order to be on the set early. I did two more times around and stopped for a rest. I climbed out and picked up my towel to pat my face dry.

"The water's great," I said.

"This is so cool," Sheri said. "You can just go out your back door and go swimming every day. And in the winter you have a pool inside."

"Yes, it's a beautiful prison."

"Prison?"

"Sure. Not to keep me in… but to keep others out. Both of you, and Carol, will probably go to the beach and the malls over the next two weeks… but I can't go with you. I have to stay here where the bodyguards are, or I have to travel with one. Even when I travel, I have to avoid places and situations where I'd be vulnerable to attack by 'loving' fans. People who have given up their personal freedom substitute those privileges with creature comforts. This part of California is filled with beautiful 'prisons'."

"You make it all sound so terrible," Heather said.

"I guess I do… but it's not really so bad. Sometimes, I just wish I could go out and be a 'nobody' again, if only for a short time like the prince in the 'Prince and the Pauper'."

"I'd switch places with you in a heartbeat," Sheri said.

"Me too," Heather agreed, "you have it all."

"Not quite all," I said.

Carol came out of the house just then, dressed in her nightgown and robe, stretching and yawning. She plopped onto a chaise and started making plans for the day with Heather and Sheri while I returned to the pool. When I was done, I climbed out and joined them.

Mom came out of the house a few minutes later to tell us that Mrs. McGuire was making breakfast and that it should be ready in a few minutes. We all got up and went inside to the family dining room.

Since I had to work during the week, Carol, Sheri, and Heather postponed the start of their sightseeing until Monday, and we spent the weekend at the house.

*****

On Sunday, Sharon came up to the house with the twins. Both Sheri and Heather made a big fuss over them and didn't want to put them down. The twins enjoyed the attention and smiled and giggled for the girls. At lunchtime, Sheri and Heather did the honors and fed the babies. It was a nice break for Sharon.

Sharon stayed until after 8 p.m. We helped her load the twins and the baby paraphernalia into her car as it was getting dark. We all waved goodbye as she drove down the driveway and disappeared from view.

I left the house a little after ten o'clock to go down to the condo with Des and Mrs. McGuire. I said goodbye to Carol, Sheri, Heather, and Mom, and told them that we'd see them on Friday.

*****

We began shooting at the studio on Monday. The early scenes had my costar, Alan Harrison, and me in many tight embraces. We spent a lot of time doing retakes until we had the early, all-important love scenes done to Mr. Banister's satisfaction.

Alan was a good actor, and in his first starring role. We established a good relationship early on so the hours in close proximity weren't a hardship.

At lunchtime I usually went to the cafeteria with Alan, Stuart, or other cast members. Since my only contacts, once the shooting day was over, were with Des and Mrs. McGuire, I made the most of my time during the day.

*****

On Friday, I returned to the estate. It was nice to be home at the estate, even though I still looked upon the condo as sort of a home. With Carol, Sheri, and Heather, at the estate, it almost seemed like old times.

*****

We spent Saturday at the house, but on Sunday we took a ride up the coast. There wasn't enough room for all of us in the one car, so Des followed along in mine. We drove as far north as San Luis Obispo, stopped for lunch, and then drove back.

I left for the condo around 9 p.m. I told Carol, Sheri, and Heather that I would arrange for passes so that they could get into the studio this week. Sheri had expressed a desire to see the set.

*****

I was in my dressing room, on Tuesday, when Carol, Sheri, and Heather, arrived at the studio. We drank tea and talked until I was called for my next scene, then we walked as a group to the set.

The scene that we would be shooting was a confrontation between my father, played by Stu, and me. We had rehearsed the scene several times already, so we were ready to begin filming.

I didn't have to show Sheri and Heather where to stand so as to be out of the way since Carol was with them. I took my place on the set and concentrated on getting into character as Stu took his place and prepared himself. The technicians worked on getting their equipment ready and made final last second arrangements. When Mr. Banister said 'Action', Stu delivered his first line in a loud voice. I responded with my lines in an equally loud voice. Stu moved in closer as he raised his voice still higher. I stood my ground and screamed my lines almost into his face. He raised his hand, as if to strike me, and I held my ground, silently daring him to do it. He suddenly went limp and dropped his arm, then turned away from me. I let my features soften slowly, unclenching my jaw, and then let my body relax as I turned my back on Stu and took a couple of short steps. We stood like that until Mr. Banister said, 'Cut'.

Mr. Banister liked the completed scene, but he wanted us to do it again. He gave us a couple of minutes to prepare ourselves before starting the process of doing another take.

When we were done with the wide-angle shots, the equipment was set up to do the close-ups. It took another two hours before we were finished with the scene that would only last less than two minutes in the movie.

Afterwards, I went back to my dressing room with Carol, Sheri, and Heather.

Sheri said, "That's it? That's all you're going to do?"

"No, we'll be doing another scene in a little while. They have to get set up for it. Until then we just sit and wait."

"And this is all you do all day?"

"Basically, but I also study my lines, practice my delivery, practice my facial expressions and body movements, and deliver my performance when called to the set. Some scenes are easy and some are miserable. A lot of the shooting down in Mexico fell into the miserable category. And when you have to work in hot and dirty conditions, freezing conditions, or even just wet, windy, and cold conditions, you really feel that you're earning every penny that you're getting paid."

We talked about the various movies and television episodes that I had been in and gave them more instances where the life of an actress wasn't all that glamorous. It was almost 40 minutes before I was called to the set again, and then spent the next two hours working on another scene.

When we wrapped for the day, I said goodbye to Carol, Sheri, and Heather. Mom was expecting them home for dinner and I would be staying at the condo. I would see them again on Friday night when I returned to the estate.

*****

Carol, Heather, and Sheri weren't at the estate when we arrived home for the weekend. They had gone to Disneyland for the day. I wished that I could have gone with them.

*****

I got up early on Saturday and went down to swim in the lagoon pool. Carol, Heather, and Sheri hadn't been home yet when I went to bed, and they didn't come down until almost 9 o'clock.

It was their last full day here and they wanted to do something different. They had been to the amusement parks, aquarium, zoo, beaches, piers, and every other major attraction over the past two weeks. We sat at the breakfast table and tried to figure out what else they could do for their last day.

After much discussion, Heather and Sheri decided that what they wanted to do was to go shopping, on Rodeo Drive. We went to get ready and left about an hour later, taking two cars because there were six of us. Des was too large to fit in with the other five, so he again followed behind in my car. I didn't wear my wig, just a pair of sunglasses. I had Des to protect me, and it wasn't like we were going to a mall.

We parked the cars and walked along looking at the shops. Des was never more than five feet away from me.

We entered a few shops and were surrounded by sales help within a minute. It wasn't the way that I liked to shop, which is why I had only come down here once before, but at least I knew that I wouldn't be attacked by mobs of fans here, they couldn't get through the salespeople.

Sheri and Heather oohed and aahed over the clothes that the sales people brought to them. I knew that they had large clothing budgets, but they'd use them up in a few minutes if they started buying things here the way that they buy things in the mall back home.

I was surprised to be recognized in stores where I had never shopped, while I was still wearing the sunglasses. I guess that the salespeople have an eye for spotting famous people. If they could do it, then I would surely be spotted in a mall. I wondered if they would have recognized me if I had been wearing my wig.

We didn't go overboard, but we did purchase things in almost every store where we spent time. The salespeople centered most of their attention on me and I did most of the buying. I really did need the things that I bought. Mom and Carol went shopping often, but I rarely went anymore. It was usually only safe for me to go at Christmas because everyone was so preoccupied that I could go unnoticed with my wig. Besides, most people wouldn't expect a 'big star' to be shopping in the mall. I had concocted a story about being a look-alike if anyone ever asked, but I hadn't had to use the story so far. Last Christmas, I had bought lots of clothes for myself while Carol and I shopped.

It was late afternoon by the time that we had completed our shopping and were ready to head back to the house. At least the traffic wasn't too bad since it was Saturday and the regular commuter crowd wasn't on the road.

*****

Carol took Heather and Sheri to the airport on Sunday morning for their trip back home. They had to return to their colleges next week, as did Carol. I would have gone but it could have created problems, and then Des would have had to come also, so it was better that just Carol took them. I said my good-byes at the house before they left.

Sharon came up to visit on Sunday afternoon. The babies had begun taking their first steps and she wanted to share the joy that she felt. Mom, as always, had her camera handy and shot two full rolls during the afternoon as we played with the babies and watched them totter around the living room.

*****

We continued to make good progress with the movie over the following weeks. Alan and I worked well together. The only real problem occurred when I had to cry on cue during a close-up. While I could feign misery while acting, I just couldn't make the tears come. It was one of the things that I had always had trouble with, and had, fortunately, been spared any such scenes in the past.

After a frustrating morning of attempts, we broke for lunch. The makeup people had even tried some substance like glycerin to simulate the tears, but in the tight close-up, it just didn't work because it didn't roll down my checks like real tears would have. While little girls are permitted to cry openly, little boys are always taught to suppress their tears. Even my four years as Crystal hadn't prepared me for this.

Rather than going to the cafeteria for lunch, I asked Denise to get me something and I went to my dressing room to work on my problem. Some people can make the tears come as if they were turning on a faucet. I tried and tried to force the tears to come, but couldn't get them to come out. I finally hit upon a method when I thought about the most miserable day that I had ever had. That was the day when I had learned that I had been turned down at CMU. I immersed myself in the memories of that day and I felt the tears running down my cheeks. I had thought that I was completely over the disappointment from the rejection, but I now used it to my advantage.

After lunch I told Mr. Banister that I thought that I could do the close-up now. He got everything set up and I was cued. I started to think about receiving the letter while I was in Maine working on 'Under the Scarlet Maple'. It was difficult to concentrate on both my lines and the memory of the rejection letter, but I managed to do it somehow and we got a good take. Mr. Banister wanted another take, but I didn't think that I could do it again. I told him that I had put everything that I had into that one take and that if he wanted another, we'd have to do it another time. He asked if I could do it if I had a break, and I said that I might, so he called a fifteen-minute break. I tried to compose myself as Makeup repaired the damage that the tears had done. Fifteen minutes later we tried another take. Again I was able to make the tears flow after being cued, as I thought about the day that I had cried my eyes out.

When Mr. Banister yelled, "Cut," he was smiling broadly. "That was wonderful, Princess. One of the two will do us for sure. Do you need another break to compose yourself for the next angle?"

The next angle wouldn't see my face, as the camera would be seeing Alan from a shot over my shoulder, so I wouldn't have to make any tears. "Yes. Ten minutes should be enough."

"Okay, Princess. You come back when you're ready. We'll get things set up."

I didn't leave the set, preferring to sit in my chair as the makeup person touched up my face. When I was ready I told Mr. Banister and we went on with the shooting.

*****

In September, Mom went back home for a visit. She wanted to see all her friends at the school, and she also intended to pack up some things at the house. I wished that I could have gone with her but I couldn't get away since the movie was still in production.

I did make it back while she was still there, though. I needed to have a final fitting for my gown for the 'Princess' premiere that was scheduled for mid-October. It would be held in LA rather than in Vancouver since the shooting location had nothing to do with the supposed locations in the movie.

Des and I flew in on Saturday, a week after Mom had arrived, and Mom picked us up at the airport. The house was filled with moving cartons, some already sealed and some empty. I could see bare spots on the walls where pictures used to hang, the un-faded and still clean paint clearly showing the size of the picture that had hung there.

Just after noon we went down to the theatre to meet Barbara and Marge. They were, as usual, playing cards in the makeup room, and both stood up as we came in. Mom had stopped in last week, but I hadn't seen them in a few months.

"Hi Barb. Hi Marge. It's great to see you again. Who's winning?"

"Hi, hon," Barbara said as she hugged me. "Marge is ahead, but I think that she's cheating," she said with a wink.

"Meeee? This is the first time that I've been ahead in two days," Marge said smiling. "Hi, doll, how's everything in La-La land."

"About the same. We're still hoping that you can come for a visit this year."

"We'd love to, but you're always working when we're free, or we're involved with a production when you're free."

"I know," I said sadly. "We'll keep trying though. How are things going here?"

"Our last play was a bust. If this was Broadway, it would have closed after the first night. We're really living up to our non-profit status. Neil is just not making it as a director, and the plays that he's selecting to put on… Well, all that comes to mind is one word, 'awful'. They may have a certain following in New York City, but they'd be WAY Off-Broadway. Only mainstream plays are ever going to make it here given the community that we're serving."

"I'm sorry to hear that things are so bad. Keep plugging away. Eventually Neil will see the error of his ways. I'm sure that he's not happy about playing to empty houses."

"We can only hope," Marge said. "How about a cup of tea?"

Des went for a walk while Mom and I sat down to have tea with Marge and Barbara. After about an hour, we all went over to the wardrobe department for my fitting. Barbara had created another masterpiece, but I wasn't overjoyed. My 'gown' was a tuxedo made from pink silk and satin.

"Barb, I told you that I was kidding about the tux idea."

"I know, but it was an inspiration anyway. Just put it on, hon, and I think that you'll like it."

I removed my skirt and blouse and put on the tux. It was nice and soft. Nothing like the clothes that I had had to wear for the movie. Barb had me step up on the platform that she used for fittings and had me turn around as she marked a couple of places with the white chalk that she always carried.

"How does it feel, hon?"

"It's comfortable, but it's a tux."

"Oh, come on. No guy in the world is going to wear a pink silk and satin tuxedo like this. It's as feminine as a mini-skirt. If it makes you feel better, here's the over-skirt."

Barbara wrapped the skirt around me and zipped it. From the back, it now looked like a regular gown, but in the front, there was an inverted v shaped slit that made it perfectly clear to everyone that I was wearing pants underneath. It reminded me of a cape that wouldn't close. Still, it made it a little better.

"I hope that I don't get laughed out of the theater when I show up wearing this."

"The week after you show up wearing this, they'll be duplicating it in New York."

I doubted it, but I didn't say anything. The fitting continued for another two hours as Barbara made alterations until she was satisfied that it was perfect. When we were done we went back to the makeup room for another cup of tea and some more chatting until it was time to leave.

As we prepared to leave I hugged both Marge and Barbara and told them that I'd see them again in a few months. Even if we didn't get together for other reasons, I was still going to need a gown for the premiere of the movie that I was currently working on, and perhaps one for the academy awards, if I was lucky enough to get nominated, or at least invited, again.

Des was sitting in the hall outside the makeup room and jumped up as we left. For tonight we would stay at the house and then return to LA tomorrow afternoon. We cleared off Carol's bed to provide a bedroom for Des. Mom had stacked up Carol's things, that she was preparing to pack in one of the large shipping cartons, on it.

*****

Mom returned to the estate two weeks later, and a week after she had returned, a moving van arrived and unloaded the things that she had packed up and shipped. She had left most of the furniture, but had virtually cleaned out the closets and dressers. All personal items such as pictures, ornaments, and decorations had been packed up also. According to Mom, there was almost nothing of a personal nature left at the old house. The estate would finally start to take on the feeling of home that we had always felt in the old house, and we would have our cherished tree decorations for Christmas this year.

*****

In October I attended the premiere of 'Princess to the Mob'. My co-star on my current movie, Alan Harrison, escorted me and I assumed that we would shortly begin seeing stories in the tabloids about steamy affairs on the set. Alan was happy to attend with me. We had become friends as a result of working together and the exposure was also good for his career.

Despite my trepidation, Barbara's creation seemed to be a hit. I would have to wait until the weekend papers came out to be sure though, because I had seen reporters rave about a gown, only to see it panned in the papers.

The movie had been edited very well, and the special effects and postproduction effects came off as spectacular without being overdone. Judging from the reaction of the audience, the movie appeared to be on the road to financial success. I was uncomfortable seeing myself as a male again and I sent up a silent prayer that it wouldn't jog any memories of Cary, who had now been gone for over 4 years.

The reporters all congratulated me on the way out of the theatre and told me how much they had enjoyed it. I thanked them and told them how glad I was that they had liked it. The limo was waiting as we reached the curb and it sped us off to the post-premiere party.

Alan and I didn't stay very late. It was Friday and we had worked from 7 a.m. until 4 p.m., coming to the premiere right after a quick dash home to clean up and dress. I had had one of the hair dressers on the movie set fix my hair for me.

*****

The reviews in both the Saturday and Sunday newspapers were great. Even Barbara's tuxedo appeared to be a hit. I saved the pictures and the write-up for her, even though it was a syndicated paper and she probably had a copy already. I would just have to wait now to see if anyone raised the question of Cary's where-abouts.

*****

By Thanksgiving, the new movie was nearing completion. We only had about another week of shooting at the studio, and then we would travel to Oregon for the outdoor shots in the snow. We wrapped for the week on Wednesday night, and Des and I headed back to the estate for the long weekend. Mrs. McGuire had stayed at the estate with Mom this week so that they could go shopping to get the things that they would need for our Thanksgiving Day meal. Des and I had gotten take-out for our meals on Monday and Tuesday nights.

The kitchen counters at the estate were covered with food items in preparation for working on the meal that evening, but Mrs. McGuire had found enough room to prepare the evening meal. Dinner was ready and waiting for us to sit down when we arrived at the estate.

Carol got home from college as we ate dinner, and sat down right away after smelling the food. You didn't get food like Mrs. McGuire prepared, at the college cafeteria.

*****

I could smell the turkey cooking as I went for my morning swim. Carol came down as I was swimming laps in the indoor pool and joined me. I swam for about ten more minutes before getting out for a rest. Carol continued since she had started well after I had. When she was done, she joined me on the pool deck.

"How's the movie going?"

"We're nearing completion, and only have a couple of more weeks to go. I'm looking forward to my vacation. I told Mr. Daniels that I wanted at least a month off so I don't have any new projects lined up, even though he's sent me a couple of scripts to look at."

"Anything good?"

"One's a period piece set in Virginia following the Civil War, and the other's an adventure movie about the search for the treasure on a sunken ship. It's set in the Caribbean, present day."

"Are you interested?"

"Yes. They both look good. Mr. Daniels always seems to come up with scripts that I like. I told him a month ago that I'd do either one as long as they don’t start before February."

"But you haven't heard back yet?"

"No, not yet. How's school?"

"Good. I'm really enjoying the post-production classes that I'm taking this year. I've been spending as much time as I can in the editing labs. I love it."

"Then you think that you might want to get into editing work."

"Maybe."

"You're a senior and you'll be graduating in six months. You'll have to pick a path soon."

"After I finish school, I'll be interning for a while. That'll give me a chance to see what it's really all about. I'll decide then."

"Okay. Let me know when you decide what you want to do. Mr. Daniels should be able to provide some leads and open some doors."

"I've already made some contacts of my own while I was on the movie locations with you, but thanks, sis."

We dried off and went to the family dining room. Mom was eating breakfast while she read the newspaper.

"Morning, Mom," I said.

Carol dittoed.

"Good morning, girls. How was your swim?"

"Refreshing, but now I'm hungry," I said. "What's for breakfast, just eggs and sausages?"

"No, Mrs. McGuire made pancake mix also. I didn't feel like it."

Mrs. McGuire must have heard us talking because she came in and took our breakfast orders. I went for blueberry pancakes, and Carol ordered a poached egg.

"What time are your guests coming today, dear," Mom said to me.

"Sharon will be here with the twins about ten, and Oliver said that he'd be here about eleven. I told them both that we'd be eating about noon."

"How come Oliver's coming on Thanksgiving?" Carol asked.

"Because I invited him. I told him months ago that he should come up to see the house, but he or I were always busy. I figured that he wouldn't have any plans for Thanksgiving so I invited him a couple of weeks ago."

"I would think that he'd go home for the holiday."

"I learned, when we were together at the Academy Awards ceremony, that he's estranged from his family. They didn't want him to go into acting, and have apparently disowned him. They won't answer his letters, so he spends holidays alone, or with friends."

"Bummer," was all Carol had to say.

"That's so sad," Mom said. "Does he have any brothers or sisters?"

"No, he was an only child. I guess that his parents have really strange beliefs. They tried to arrange a marriage for him. I think that he might have been so shy that they felt that they had to. He was running away from that also, when he left."

"Oliver is a such a nice boy. I can't understand how his parents could just disown him, or how any parent to do that to their child. A parent's love for their children should be unconditional."

"Perhaps in time they'll come to realize that. I hope so, for both their sakes and Oliver's. I just wanted you both to understand so that you don't mention his parents while he's here today."

"No problem, sis," Carol said. "Is Sharon's boyfriend coming today?"

"No, he's on location in Switzerland, or someplace, doing work on a mountain climbing movie."

"Doesn't he ever come home?" Carol asked.

"Sharon says that he's taking every job that's offered, regardless of the risks. He's only home for a few days every several months.

"Kind of like you, until a few months ago."

"That was the old me. I'm not going to do more than two pictures a year from now on, and I want a month's vacation in between. Mr. Daniels understands that I can't keep going non-stop."

"Good for you, honey," Mom said.

"Mom, you said that the estate is listed as a farm for tax purposes?"

"Yes, dear."

"Then can we get animals?"

"What kind?"

"I thought that we might get some horses now. We have the stable available and lots of room. George has done a good job of clearing the fields. I'll be done with the picture in a few weeks and it would give me something to do."

"If that's what you want, we'll speak to George this weekend and see if he can recommend a source for getting some good horses. How many do you want to get?"

"The stable has eight stalls, but I guess that four would be enough, don't you think?"

"Okay, we'll get four horses and whatever gear we'll need. For now, you'd better get going so that you're ready when Sharon arrives."

I had finished eating so I took Mom's advice and went upstairs to bathe and dress. I was clean because I had been swimming, but I wanted to get the chlorine off me so I took a nice warm bath.

Sharon arrived a little after 10 o'clock, and one of the guards, whichever was on duty, opened the gate for her. I heard the chime that indicated the gate was opening and I went out to greet her and help her with the babies and whatever things she had brought such as diaper bags, blankets, toys, etc.

The girls were 22 months old now, and certainly fit the name of toddler as they toddled all over the living room on strengthening legs. Of course we went through the normal rituals of cuddling each baby as we freed them from their car seats. Little Crystal was damp so I took her to the desk in the study and changed her diaper before returning to the living room where Mom and Carol were making a fuss over little Sharon.

The time passed quickly and I didn't realize what time it was until I heard the chime indicating that the gate had been opened again. We were only expecting Oliver so I walked out front to meet him. If it had been anyone that was not scheduled to be there, the guard would have phoned before opening the gate.

Oliver drove up in a brand new, red, Mercedes. "Oliver, it's beautiful," I said as he got out of the car.

"So are you! Hi, Crystal."

"Hi, Happy Thanksgiving! I hope that you brought your appetite. Mrs. McGuire has been working for two days on this meal."

"Great, I'm starving. Wow, this is some place you have here. Perhaps I should say palace instead of place."

"It's become home. I told you about its history, now come on in and I'll give you the five dollar tour."

I held out my hand and Oliver took it, then I led him inside. I took him to the living room first to say 'hi' to everyone, and then I gave him a tour of the downstairs. In each room, he whistled. When we had visited each room I took him upstairs and showed him the bedrooms.

In my bedroom he said, "My God, Crystal, this is almost as large as my entire house."

I laughed. "I guess that Miss LaBarre liked her space. It's large enough to jog in, though."

"Are all the bedrooms this large?"

"No, this is the largest, but they're all very large. Come on, I'll show you."

After we had toured the entire second floor we went back downstairs and out into the back yard.

"Wow, you have an outdoor pool also? That is a pool, isn't it? Or is it a lake? And look at this patio. How many parties have you had out here?"

"No parties. Just a couple of small family meals."

"What? You're not doing any entertaining?"

"No. I'm not into the party scene. This is just my retreat away from the business. If I have to be a prisoner, I'm going to have a comfortable jail."

"Jail? Prisoner? What are you talking about?"

"I told you about getting attacked by fans in the mall back home."

"But that was just one lone incident. Are you still in hiding because of that?"

"Yes. If that can happen in my own home town, I can just imagine what can happen out here."

"Oh, it's different out here. People are used to seeing showbiz types. Half the people in this area either work in the biz or are married or related to someone who does. It's only the tourists that you have to watch out for. You have a bodyguard now. That should allow you to go anywhere."

"I still go out a little. I went shopping on Rodeo Drive a few months ago with my sister and a couple of friends, but I mean things like going to the beach, or to an amusement park. I can't go for a walk along a boardwalk or go to the zoo."

"Sure you can. You just haven't tried. Change your hair from the way that you normally wear it, put on your sunglasses, and deny who you are if anyone asks. Keep your bodyguard close but don't act fearful. Hey, you won't know unless you try. What's that building back there?"

"That's the stable, and the garages are over there."

"Stable? Do you have horses?"

"Not yet. We just had the building fixed up. We're going to get some horses in the very near future now that the fields are shaping up."

"I love riding. I hope that you'll invite me back when you get the horses."

"Of course. I'd love to have you come back to do some riding."

"How do you take care of all this?"

"We have a farmhand to take care of the land away from the house, a gardener that works during the week to care for the grounds right around the house, a pool maintenance company that cleans and maintains the pools, and two cleaning people who work with Mrs. McGuire to maintain the inside of the house. Then there're two security guards and my personal bodyguard."

"Wow. Where are they all? I haven't seen anyone."

"The two maids, pool people, and gardener are all off today because of the holiday. George, our farmhand, is probably around somewhere because he lives here, but he's off today also. One of the security guards is working in the security room. He's the one that opened the gate for you, and I'm not sure who's on duty, but he's probably watching us right now on one of the monitors. The other is off until his shift starts. Des likes to work out in the side yard next to the servant's wing so he's probably over there, or in the room in the servants' wing that we turned into a small gym. The side yard is fenced off for the use of the staff. Mrs. McGuire can usually be found in the kitchen. The estate is so big that there can be a lot of people around even when you don't see anyone."

Mom came out of the house to tell us that dinner was ready so we walked back inside. The table in the dining room was all set and we took our seats. Mom and Mrs. McGuire were busy carrying things in from the kitchen. The twins had already been put into the high chairs Sharon had brought with her, and they were watching all the activity with interest. I sat next to one of the girls so that I could help with her feeding.

Mom had cut the turkey in the kitchen so we were all ready to eat once all the food had been brought out. As I had done last Thanksgiving, I asked Mrs. McGuire to join us. Sharon and I fixed a little food for the babies before taking our own. Both girls loved the cranberry sauce, and the stuffing, and then played with the finely cut turkey and mushrooms as we ate.

With three show business people at the table, plus one college student about to enter the business, it was inevitable that most of the talk would be about our work. Oliver was finished with the series for the year, and we learned about the movie that Sharon's boyfriend Roy was doing. I told them about the movie that I was working on, and that it was almost completed.

"What's your next flick, Crys?" Sharon asked.

"Nothing scheduled. I read a couple of scripts but Mr. Daniels hasn't contacted me. I'm just looking forward to having a month or two off."

"If I know you, and I do, you'll be climbing the walls after a couple of weeks."

"Maybe," I said, "but I don't think so. I've got the pool, some books that I've wanted to read, and we just decided to get some horses. I think that I'll have enough to do, and if I sign to do a new picture, I'll also have a script to start working with."

"Horses? You didn't tell me about that."

"I told you that I was considering it since I bought this house."

"Yeah, but you never really, actually, set a timetable."

"We just decided at breakfast this morning."

"What kind will you be getting?"

"I don't know much about them. I've only been riding a few times. We're going to ask George to help."

"I have a couple of good friends who can help if George doesn't know horses."

"Stunt people?"

"People who train horses for show business work."

"Okay, thanks. I'll let you know after we speak to George."

Sharon and I spent part of the mealtime feeding the twins, as we participated in the conversation about movies, television shows, and people that we knew in the business.

When the meal was over, everyone complimented Mrs. McGuire's culinary skills. Mrs. McGuire, Mom, and Carol, carried the leftovers and the dishes into the kitchen while Sharon and I cleaned up the babies.

After the table had been cleaned, Mom and Mrs. McGuire brought out the desserts. No one was really hungry, but we picked at small pieces of pumpkin or apple pie as we drank our tea.

We sat at the dining table for quite a while as we conversed, then we moved outside to the patio. The sun was shining brightly and it was a warm day; a perfect day for sharing with family and friends.

We enjoyed a light dinner of leftovers after the sun went down, and then I helped Sharon prepare the twins for the trip home. Once the car carriers were secured on the back seat, Sharon and I hugged and she left for home. Oliver had come out to help and we stayed outside to walk around and talk. It was still very warm outside, even though the sun had set.

"Thanks for a great Thanksgiving, Crystal. It's the best one that I've had in years. I usually wind up at Denny's, or some other restaurant, eating alone."

"I'm glad you could come. We enjoyed having you here with us today."

"I hope that you'll invite me again."

"Of course. You have a standing invitation for holiday dinners."

"Thank you. As I've told you before, I feel very comfortable with your family. They've always made me feel welcome."

"You are welcome. You've been a good friend since we first worked together on your series, and I enjoy your company." The mood had gotten a little heavy so I tried to lighten it with, "and I can't think of anybody that I'd rather have holding my hand when I fail to get an academy award."

Oliver laughed. "They can't keep passing you up every year. If you get nominated again this year it will probably be a record for best actress nominations in consecutive years."

"No, there have been quite a few. Meryl Streep, Deborah Kerr, and Ingrid Bergman each had nominations in three successive years. Elizabeth Taylor had four successive nominations, and Bette Davis and Greer Garson each had five successive years. Greta Garbo and Norma Schearer were each nominated for two different pictures in 1929, and Janet Gaynor was nominated for three different pictures in 1928."

"How do you remember all that stuff?"

"I don't know. I just have one of those kinds of memory I guess. Things just stick when I read them. It really helps when I have to memorize lines."

"I wish that I could do that. I have to go over, and over, and over the script to get my lines down."

"I'm just lucky, I guess. Have you ever been on stage?"

"No way! I can work in front of cameras, or in front of a small television audience, but I don't think that I could do it front of an entire theater full of people."

"It's actually easier, if you've got your part down. Everyone is so practiced that the show just flows. And the audience response at the end can be electrifying."

"Thanks, but I'll stick to television or movies."

"Well, we should all go with what we're comfortable."

We had walked around the entire house and wound up back in the front next to Oliver's new car. "You said that you're not working in January, right?"

"Yes, I told Mr. Daniels that I wanted a month off."

"How about taking a trip with me?"

"What kind of a trip?"

"A vacation. We could go to Hawaii, or even Australia."

"Well… I don't think it would be a good idea. I've managed to escape from the attention of the tabloids by keeping an ultra low profile."

"I know. I've seen articles calling you the 'Reclusive Princess', 'Princess Enigma', and 'the Garbo of the new millennium'. You can't keep hiding out forever. You have to get out and live."

"I want to… but I'm afraid to. There are probably paparazzi driving past the estate everyday, trying to figure out how to get pictures. I've seen a number of planes circling overhead. They must be taking pictures of the estate, trying to get a few candid pictures of me doing something that they can write about."

"It goes with the territory. Just let them take their pictures. As long as you're not doing anything wrong, and they're not in your face, it's good publicity."

"Now you sound like Jennifer, my publicist. She says that I actually invite more attention from the press because I'm trying to avoid it."

"Sounds logical. By hiding, you become a mystery woman, like Garbo. So, how about that trip? We could leave the week after the start of the New Year."

"I can't. It would start a feeding frenzy in the media. Before the first day was over, they'd be reporting that we were secretly married or something."

"Would that be so bad?" Oliver said.

From the way that he asked, I realized my last statement had hurt him. "Uh… no. You know that you're one of my best friends. I just don't want them saying things about us that are untrue. It might strain our relationship, and once rumors get started they're difficult to stop."

I had been leaning against Oliver's car, with my back against the passenger door. Oliver moved in close and gently took hold of my upper arms. "They can't say anything about us that would hurt our relationship because we know that most of what they print is pure fabrication. And we can easily insure that they don't make up any lies."

"How?"

"Simple, we get married."

I was sure that I hadn't heard him correctly. All I could do was look up at him and stutter, "Wh-what?"

"I'm asking you to marry me. I love you and I want to live with you for the rest of my life."

I just stood there with Oliver holding onto my arms, and my mouth slightly agape. Oliver released my arms and leaned over, trapping me against the car with the weight of his body, as he kissed me in a long passionate kiss. This was no stage kiss, and I was still so shocked that I didn't know how to respond, so as Oliver's tongue pushed into my mouth and began exploring, I reacted as I always had when kissed by a male partner, I put my arms around his neck. I was reacting to his passion in an effort to prolong the kiss because I needed time to think.

 

(continued in Chapter 61)

This episode is dedicated to Debbie Cybill, who passed away while convalescing following surgery to correct a blood flow problem. Debbie was one of my regular editors for this series and is responsible for having made it a more enjoyable story for my readers.

I want to express my grateful appreciation to Lynn Jennings, Kim Em, and Pax Vobiscum for their very helpful suggestions, and proofreading services.

 

 

 

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© 1999 by Crystal Sprite. All Rights Reserved. These documents (including, without limitation, all articles, text, images, logos, compilation design) may printed for personal use only. No portion of these documents may be stored electronically, distributed electronically, or otherwise made available without express written consent of the copyright holder.
Anyone wishing to make comments is welcome to e-mail me at crystal@storysite.org