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Authors: Jane Harvey-Berrick
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letters.
Rhonda smiled. “Yeah, it’ll take some getting used to, but trust me – this is just the beginning. Now, sign here… here, here and here.”
She pointed. I signed.
“We’ll fix you up with a furnished rental space – you can’t camp out in my guestroom forever, Adelita will have an aneurism, the way you walk around with your ass hanging out. I’ve got you a monthly cell,” and she passed me a top-of-the-range Smart phone. I’d never learn how to use it. It probably had more computing power than they had on Apollo 11.
“And you’ll need a car. Oh, and a personal checking account – so we can pay you.”
Finally my brain caught onto something. “Actually, Rhonda, I can’t drive.”
She stared at me uncomprehendingly: guess we had something in common after all.
“Are you shitting me?!”
“Er, no. I never took my test.”
“You realize you have to drive in the movie?”
No. Crap.
She shook her head. “I do not get you Brits. How the hell do you ever get anywhere?”
It was a mystery. Oh wait, didn’t we colonize America 400 years ago?
“You’ll have to learn. I’ll add it to the list.” She sighed.
I stood up suddenly. I couldn’t sit there anymore – my head would explode. I was on the verge of losing it, big time, overwhelmed with this assault of unfamiliar emotions.
“Where are you going?”
“I… I need to get some air,” I muttered. “I’ll see you later.”
She frowned but didn’t try to stop me. “Okay. Try to stay out of trouble, Miles.”
I nodded, barely aware of what she’d said.
I took the stairs, unable to bear the thought of being in a lift with people who might want to talk at me. I needed to get my head together and fight down the panic that was threatening to engulf me. And I needed Clare.
Clare
I’d just started my shift at the local pub when my mobile rang. Or, more accurately, it buzzed against my arse, which wasn’t as much fun as it sounds. But it was enough to make me slosh bitter ale all over the front of my jeans. Oh great – a really unattractive wet patch. And now I’d smell of stale beer all evening. Fun.
There was no caller ID, so I assumed it was probably one of those marketing calls, but I took it anyway, planning to tell the caller to sod off.
“Yes?”
“It’s Miles! How are you?”
I swear my heart stopped beating at the sound of his voice.
“Great! I mean, great!” I stammered. “How are you? It’s great to hear from you.” Oh, please God, give me another adjective!
“Clare, you’re not going to fucking believe this – but I got the job! That film part I was going for. I’ve just signed the contract!”
Oh gawd and does your granny gallop?! He’d done it!
“That’s… that’s just brilliant , Miles. I’m so proud of you – I knew you could do it. I mean, it was a foregone conclusion: they weren’t going to let you get away that easily. And…”
“Yeah, thanks. Thanks. Look, I know it’s a really big ask, and you can say no and that’ll be cool, but it would be so fucking amazing, I mean really great if you could.”
“Could what?” I said, puzzled.
“Oh!” I could hear him taking a deep breath and my desiccated heart jolted into life. “Come out to Los Angeles. I could really use a friend out here, Clare. I’m really out of my depth. I’ll pay for your ticket – I’ll have money. Please say yes, Clare. Please!”
My heart stuttered again. He wanted me. Me. Yeah, I know, just as a friend. But that was enough.
“Are you kidding, Miles? You and me in LA? Of course I’ll come! Just try keeping me away!”
There was a long silence and I wondered what it meant.
“You. Are. One. Awesome. Fucking. Friend.”
He yelled down the phone and I had to hold it away from my ear.
“Yeah, and don’t you forget it!”
I can’t help laughing – for pure, bloody joy.
New Moon
Miles
There was a woman staring at me. I had no idea why, but it was unnerving. I was at LAX, waiting for
Rhonda smiled. “Yeah, it’ll take some getting used to, but trust me – this is just the beginning. Now, sign here… here, here and here.”
She pointed. I signed.
“We’ll fix you up with a furnished rental space – you can’t camp out in my guestroom forever, Adelita will have an aneurism, the way you walk around with your ass hanging out. I’ve got you a monthly cell,” and she passed me a top-of-the-range Smart phone. I’d never learn how to use it. It probably had more computing power than they had on Apollo 11.
“And you’ll need a car. Oh, and a personal checking account – so we can pay you.”
Finally my brain caught onto something. “Actually, Rhonda, I can’t drive.”
She stared at me uncomprehendingly: guess we had something in common after all.
“Are you shitting me?!”
“Er, no. I never took my test.”
“You realize you have to drive in the movie?”
No. Crap.
She shook her head. “I do not get you Brits. How the hell do you ever get anywhere?”
It was a mystery. Oh wait, didn’t we colonize America 400 years ago?
“You’ll have to learn. I’ll add it to the list.” She sighed.
I stood up suddenly. I couldn’t sit there anymore – my head would explode. I was on the verge of losing it, big time, overwhelmed with this assault of unfamiliar emotions.
“Where are you going?”
“I… I need to get some air,” I muttered. “I’ll see you later.”
She frowned but didn’t try to stop me. “Okay. Try to stay out of trouble, Miles.”
I nodded, barely aware of what she’d said.
I took the stairs, unable to bear the thought of being in a lift with people who might want to talk at me. I needed to get my head together and fight down the panic that was threatening to engulf me. And I needed Clare.
Clare
I’d just started my shift at the local pub when my mobile rang. Or, more accurately, it buzzed against my arse, which wasn’t as much fun as it sounds. But it was enough to make me slosh bitter ale all over the front of my jeans. Oh great – a really unattractive wet patch. And now I’d smell of stale beer all evening. Fun.
There was no caller ID, so I assumed it was probably one of those marketing calls, but I took it anyway, planning to tell the caller to sod off.
“Yes?”
“It’s Miles! How are you?”
I swear my heart stopped beating at the sound of his voice.
“Great! I mean, great!” I stammered. “How are you? It’s great to hear from you.” Oh, please God, give me another adjective!
“Clare, you’re not going to fucking believe this – but I got the job! That film part I was going for. I’ve just signed the contract!”
Oh gawd and does your granny gallop?! He’d done it!
“That’s… that’s just brilliant , Miles. I’m so proud of you – I knew you could do it. I mean, it was a foregone conclusion: they weren’t going to let you get away that easily. And…”
“Yeah, thanks. Thanks. Look, I know it’s a really big ask, and you can say no and that’ll be cool, but it would be so fucking amazing, I mean really great if you could.”
“Could what?” I said, puzzled.
“Oh!” I could hear him taking a deep breath and my desiccated heart jolted into life. “Come out to Los Angeles. I could really use a friend out here, Clare. I’m really out of my depth. I’ll pay for your ticket – I’ll have money. Please say yes, Clare. Please!”
My heart stuttered again. He wanted me. Me. Yeah, I know, just as a friend. But that was enough.
“Are you kidding, Miles? You and me in LA? Of course I’ll come! Just try keeping me away!”
There was a long silence and I wondered what it meant.
“You. Are. One. Awesome. Fucking. Friend.”
He yelled down the phone and I had to hold it away from my ear.
“Yeah, and don’t you forget it!”
I can’t help laughing – for pure, bloody joy.
New Moon
Miles
There was a woman staring at me. I had no idea why, but it was unnerving. I was at LAX, waiting for
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