As the lights dimmed, I saw the theater was full. It looked like Saul’s people had been invited to join us. It was my understanding that this was the first showing of the film outside the studio.
I was both amazed and mortified at the same time. What amazed me was how good the final product looked once they’d done all their magic to it. I was mortified because it was hard to see myself on film. Rumor had it that Megan Fox and Robert Pattinson both hated to watch themselves. I finally had to convince myself that it wasn’t me up there on the big screen.
Halfway through the movie, where I navigate the maze of tunnels and have my big sword-fight scene, Chubby touched my arm.
“This is going to be a hit,” he whispered.
When the credits finally rolled, the lights came up. I made my way to the lobby area and found Rita, Jessup, and Halle.
“Tell me what you honestly thought. Don’t sugarcoat it,” I said.
“Your butt looked huge on screen,” Rita said.
“Did you see his head? He looked like a bobble doll,” Halle added.
I looked at them for a moment until my brain caught up to their teasing. I turned to Jessup.
“What about my package? Did it look huge?”
“Well, I can’t honestly say I was checking that out,” Jessup said.
Rita let Jessup in on the joke of me worrying that my butt looked too big. I don’t think he had a sense of humor.
Saul motioned for Caryn and me to join him in his office.
“You’ve been asked to audition for both movies. They believe your movie will be a success and said you’d carried much of the film. Chubby said you shouldn’t accept the package deal with the other actors. Let the movie be released, then cut your own deal for the next two. After seeing the final version, I agree with him.”
“Okay, Saul. Do what you think is best,” I said.
“What about The Royal Palm? Did they send over paperwork?” Caryn asked.
“Jennifer!” Saul bellowed.
His assistant stuck her head in.
“Did we get anything for The Royal Palm?”
“I put it on your desk while you were watching the movie,” she said.
He stepped over to his desk and opened the packet. Saul glanced through it.
“When does he need to be there?” Caryn asked.
“May 16, like we requested. That’s the week following your finals,” Saul said. “I’ll have my lawyers confirm everything, and then we can sign it. Congratulations! Are you excited?”
The movie was going to be shot in Cuba. The studio was working with the State Department to let us do it and give us access to Cuba.
“I’m excited to see Cuba,” I said as a compromise.
Saul didn’t care, all he saw were dollar signs. I hoped the director and I could work together.
◊◊◊
So, what’s a boy who’s learning to love surfing to do if he has a free day? Take his girlfriend out to lunch. I had Saul call over to the Soho House in West Hollywood so we could have a late lunch there. Halle had heard of it and always wanted to go. When we arrived, there was a handful of paparazzi present. They’re like roaches in a rental house: you just can’t seem to avoid them.
Fritz had some errands to run, so he dropped us off. He was sure we’d be fine once we got inside. I asked that we go to the upper garden again. It was a pleasant, relaxing place.
We sat down, and Halle pointed at someone.
“Do you know who that is? That’s Dana Brunetti, the producer of Fifty Shades of Grey,” she said and then pointed to another table. “That’s Thelma Yates, a talent agent for UTA. She represents Channing Tatum. Now he’s good looking.”
“Better looking than me?” I asked.
“David, in a certain light you might be considered handsome,” Halle said as she caressed the back of my hand.
“Is that so?”
“Why else would I let you hang out with me? Your butt’s a bit too big, though,” she grinned.
I just shook my head. We had a good lunch. I tried their fish tacos on our server’s recommendation. After lunch, I had a hot fresh mint tea and cardamom-and-gingersnap sticky toffee pudding.
“So, what did you want to talk about?” Halle asked.
“It’s about your mom and the massages that I’ve been giving her. I think she’s trying to seduce me.”
“Is that wishful thinking, or do you really believe that?” Halle said as she sipped her tea.
“I’m about eighty percent sure.”
She looked down for a moment, then took a deep breath and let it out before looking me in the eyes.
“Do you know who my dad was?” Halle asked.
“I’ve heard rumors,” I admitted.
“Then you’re aware he died of cancer three years ago,” she said.
That confirmed it for me.
“I’m sorry to hear that. Were you close?” I asked.
“He married a nice lady, and I have a half brother and sister. They separated a few months before his death, and he and my mother reconnected, so I was able to get to know him. He was one of the few people who didn’t treat me like a child, and when you’re fourteen, that’s a big deal. The cancer was diagnosed late, and it took him quickly, but it was still devastating.
“At the time they reconnected, my mother was acting in The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance. Her role was very stressful. Then, on top of that, they discovered his cancer. She turned into a different person; she was even mean to Rosy. It was so unlike my mom because everyone loves Rosy,” Halle said, and I had to agree.
“Anyway,” she continued, “he had me come in shortly before he died so he could talk to me in private. He told me that when they first met, before she was pregnant with me, she was acting the same way. I guess the best word was she was ‘bitchy.’ He told me one day he’d finally had enough and pulled her over his lap and spanked her hard. I guess she cried and cried, but he told me he was so mad he just kept going, and somehow it seemed to help. She actually came to him on the set later on and thanked him for calling her out for her actions.”
Halle looked nervous, glanced around and licked her lips.
“David, this has to stay between us.”
“Of course.”
“My dad told me that back in the day, she would come to him when she was stressed. She would tell him she’d been bad and needed discipline, and he gave it to her. He eventually came to like it, and he told me he thought she did, too. Over time, they escalated to sex, rough sex. I don’t know what it all means, but he told me those sessions always seemed to calm her down.
“He and my mom spent some private time together before the cancer got bad. I don’t know what went on, but it was easy for me to see she was much better after being alone with him. I’m sure he was still helping her cope with stress, but he didn’t talk about that.
“What he did say was that someone she absolutely trusted needed to know about her needs in times of stress. He said she’d a hard time talking about it at all, so he’d decided to tell me. My dad told me he realized that the knowledge might be a burden to me, but he’d been impressed with how grown-up I’d become. He said he thought I wasn’t just the best candidate, but the only candidate for that knowledge.
“I came to realize my mom and dad never really loved each other, but they were always good friends. Mom said he was someone she could trust.”
Halle looked at me.
“I think you’re starting to understand how hard it is to find someone like that when you’re in this business. What I do know is they’d spend time together every now and again, and when Mom would come home, she seemed to be a lot better. She was happier, a lot less stressed, and a lot more outgoing. I hate to speculate, but I would guess that they were having sex. I know I feel much better after I’ve had some good sex,” she said and blushed.