X-ray machine. ‘See that nurse over there?’ the doc says. The guy is puzzled as shit, says, ‘Yeah?’ The doc whacks him on the back and says, ‘Well, I’m bopping her.’”
Paige stared back at him.
“You don’t think that’s funny?”
She bit her lip, searching for words.
“Okay,” he said. “You’re right.” He raised his hands in surrender. “Maybe this is more to the point: Guy takes his wife to a doctor, she’s been acting strange, the doctor looks her over, says he doesn’t know if she’s got AIDS or Alzheimer’s…”
“Stop it, Marvin,” Paige said, her voice rising sharply. She felt she was about to scream.
He dropped his act as if she’d flipped a switch. “Sorry,” he said. He stared at her, contrite, slumped like an old circus bear in his seat. “It’s not a lot of fun, that’s all.”
“I want to come see her,” she said.
“Sure.” Marvin nodded. “Anytime, you know that. It’d be good for her.”
“Maybe this afternoon,” she said. “I’m on my way out of town. That’s what I came by to tell you.”
He stared at her, puzzled. “Out of town?” He glanced at his desk calendar. “Don’t we have something this week? Friday or something? With the idiots at CMA?”
“My mother’s in the hospital,” she said. “My sister called this morning. She’s dying.” Paige heard the words come out of her mouth. Flat, she thought, flat as she felt inside. If it were a reading, she’d never get the part.
Still, Mahler was out of his chair, shambling around his burnished desk to throw his arms about her. “Ah, sweetie. Jesus. I’m sorry!”
She wanted to fold into his arms, draw some warmth from his bearish hug—she was desperate for warmth from somewhere—but it was hopeless. She’d spent a lifetime shielding herself from what was happening to her now. What she needed would take more than a hug to fix.
“It’s okay, Marvin,” she said. “Really.” She patted his shoulder until he eased his hold on her, stepped back to grip her shoulders.
“Look, what can I do? Anything you need…”
She shook her head. “Nothing. I’m fine. I’ve known this was coming.”
He shook his head. “And you didn’t say anything?”
She shrugged. “We’re a tough bunch, the Nobleman clan,” she said.
Oh yes
, she was thinking.
I’d like to take a flying leap out one of those big broad windows, show you just how tough
.
She tried to work up a smile. “Can you cover for me at the meeting? I know I’m letting you down…”
“Are you kidding? Forget about it. I’ll kill them. There’s nobody else they can use for that picture.”
Paige nodded. “It would mean a lot to me, Marvin. It’s a different kind of film for me, and…”
“Sweetie, it’s not the Schlock Brothers we’re talking about. This is a British company.” He jabbed his finger at her. “The Brits! They asked for you in the first place. They want you in their movie. You got nothing to worry about.”
Her smile, when it came this time, was genuine. “Thanks, Marvin. I’ll call Jean with my phone numbers when I get in.”
“Go,” he commanded, holding up his hands. “We’ll take care of things on this end. How about Paul—he going with you?”
She bit her lip, shook her head. “He’s got a shoot.”
And hasn’t been home for two days
, she thought.
“You need a car?” Mahler was already reaching for his intercom.
“I’ll get a cab,” she said. “My plane’s not ’til six…”
“Jean,” Mahler barked into the intercom. “Call down, tell Eddie he’s taking Ms. Nobleman to the airport.”
He released the phone button in the middle of the secretary’s acknowledgment, turned back to Paige, checking his watch. “You want to, tell Eddie to swing by the house. You have time.”
Paige nodded. “Thanks, Marvin.”
“Are you kidding? Ask me to kill somebody. Then you can say thank you.” He gave her a sorrowful look. “I’m sorry about your mother, sweetie.” He
Paige stared back at him.
“You don’t think that’s funny?”
She bit her lip, searching for words.
“Okay,” he said. “You’re right.” He raised his hands in surrender. “Maybe this is more to the point: Guy takes his wife to a doctor, she’s been acting strange, the doctor looks her over, says he doesn’t know if she’s got AIDS or Alzheimer’s…”
“Stop it, Marvin,” Paige said, her voice rising sharply. She felt she was about to scream.
He dropped his act as if she’d flipped a switch. “Sorry,” he said. He stared at her, contrite, slumped like an old circus bear in his seat. “It’s not a lot of fun, that’s all.”
“I want to come see her,” she said.
“Sure.” Marvin nodded. “Anytime, you know that. It’d be good for her.”
“Maybe this afternoon,” she said. “I’m on my way out of town. That’s what I came by to tell you.”
He stared at her, puzzled. “Out of town?” He glanced at his desk calendar. “Don’t we have something this week? Friday or something? With the idiots at CMA?”
“My mother’s in the hospital,” she said. “My sister called this morning. She’s dying.” Paige heard the words come out of her mouth. Flat, she thought, flat as she felt inside. If it were a reading, she’d never get the part.
Still, Mahler was out of his chair, shambling around his burnished desk to throw his arms about her. “Ah, sweetie. Jesus. I’m sorry!”
She wanted to fold into his arms, draw some warmth from his bearish hug—she was desperate for warmth from somewhere—but it was hopeless. She’d spent a lifetime shielding herself from what was happening to her now. What she needed would take more than a hug to fix.
“It’s okay, Marvin,” she said. “Really.” She patted his shoulder until he eased his hold on her, stepped back to grip her shoulders.
“Look, what can I do? Anything you need…”
She shook her head. “Nothing. I’m fine. I’ve known this was coming.”
He shook his head. “And you didn’t say anything?”
She shrugged. “We’re a tough bunch, the Nobleman clan,” she said.
Oh yes
, she was thinking.
I’d like to take a flying leap out one of those big broad windows, show you just how tough
.
She tried to work up a smile. “Can you cover for me at the meeting? I know I’m letting you down…”
“Are you kidding? Forget about it. I’ll kill them. There’s nobody else they can use for that picture.”
Paige nodded. “It would mean a lot to me, Marvin. It’s a different kind of film for me, and…”
“Sweetie, it’s not the Schlock Brothers we’re talking about. This is a British company.” He jabbed his finger at her. “The Brits! They asked for you in the first place. They want you in their movie. You got nothing to worry about.”
Her smile, when it came this time, was genuine. “Thanks, Marvin. I’ll call Jean with my phone numbers when I get in.”
“Go,” he commanded, holding up his hands. “We’ll take care of things on this end. How about Paul—he going with you?”
She bit her lip, shook her head. “He’s got a shoot.”
And hasn’t been home for two days
, she thought.
“You need a car?” Mahler was already reaching for his intercom.
“I’ll get a cab,” she said. “My plane’s not ’til six…”
“Jean,” Mahler barked into the intercom. “Call down, tell Eddie he’s taking Ms. Nobleman to the airport.”
He released the phone button in the middle of the secretary’s acknowledgment, turned back to Paige, checking his watch. “You want to, tell Eddie to swing by the house. You have time.”
Paige nodded. “Thanks, Marvin.”
“Are you kidding? Ask me to kill somebody. Then you can say thank you.” He gave her a sorrowful look. “I’m sorry about your mother, sweetie.” He
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