Cassidy,” she blurts out, whether I’m ready to hear it or not.
I don’t say anything for a good three seconds.
“You’ve got to kidding me.” It’s like she just sucker-punched me to the balls.
“I wish I were. But they latched on to the idea and they won’t let go. Will didn’t even discuss it with me before he approached them. And now that he has me here, he’s going to keep me writing day and night until we’ve got something to show them. I don’t know what to do, Eric. Should I just come home?” She’s close to tears, realizing the horrible position Will’s placed her in.
“If you do, what happens?” I need to know all of the details before I can offer her any advice. Will’s too smart not to have covered his ass.
“Then Will’s going to move ahead with the Lauren version of the script in the hope that he can find someone willing to battle her uncle in court. I guess people in the industry are already buzzing about it, and Will’s looking to capitalize on the notoriety, even if it’s not necessarily positive. He’s giving me this last chance of working on the rewrite as a way out. I either do it and he calls off the dogs or I don’t and he throws me headfirst into a legal shitstorm. Either way, I’m going to end up hurting you.” This time she can’t hold back her tears as she begins to sob.
“Ivy, I don’t want to see all the pain I went through marketed and sold like I’m trying to profit off Cassidy’s death. I couldn’t live with myself if I agreed to something like this. It makes my skin crawl.” I shouldn’t be so tough on Ivy, but there’s no way I can bite my tongue. Not when it’s about Cassidy. “But if I don’t comply with Will’s demands, then how in the world am I going to provide for our baby? Lauren’s uncle has the power to take everything away from us, everything I’ve worked so hard for.”
“Eric…I’m…so…sorry.” She can barely get the words out through her tears.
“I’m sorry too, Ivy.” I can’t deny that I’m disappointed in her. I should’ve made her show me the script. Maybe I could’ve prevented all of this if I had known what she was up to. Now my personal tragedy is once again going to be heralded as the nation’s favorite sob story. The agony Cassidy endured will be memorialized as nothing more than a stupid chick flick. I never thought I’d have to betray her memory like this. That’s why I stayed out of the limelight. That’s why I retreated into seclusion. That’s why I don’t speak to the media. I hate to even think like this, but if I’d never agreed to that Gazette interview with Ivy last summer, I wouldn’t be going through this right now. I let her in. Little did I know that I’d be giving up my right to privacy…as well as surrendering my heart.
“I can’t go through with it, Eric. It’s not right. I messed up and you shouldn’t have to pay the price for my mistake.” She’s trying to rally my spirits, but it’s too late. The damage is done. I’m just going to have to suffer through this somehow.
“Ivy, stop. I don’t like it. I don’t agree with it. But it’s happening. There’s nothing we can do about it now. My only consolation is that I know that Cassidy’s memory is in good hands if you’re the one writing the script. I know you will honor her story and tell it the way it needs to be told. If you fight Will on anything, I want you to maintain Cassidy’s integrity in how she is portrayed. Please don’t let them tarnish her image.” I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from crying. I never expected things to unfold like this. I feel like someone just whacked me over the head with a two-by-four. Man, I need to sit down.
“Eric, I promise you that I’ll do whatever it takes.” The conviction in her voice is the only thing that’s sustaining me as I collapse onto the couch. I can’t take this out on her. She got caught in a bad situation. I love Ivy with all my heart, but sometimes
I don’t say anything for a good three seconds.
“You’ve got to kidding me.” It’s like she just sucker-punched me to the balls.
“I wish I were. But they latched on to the idea and they won’t let go. Will didn’t even discuss it with me before he approached them. And now that he has me here, he’s going to keep me writing day and night until we’ve got something to show them. I don’t know what to do, Eric. Should I just come home?” She’s close to tears, realizing the horrible position Will’s placed her in.
“If you do, what happens?” I need to know all of the details before I can offer her any advice. Will’s too smart not to have covered his ass.
“Then Will’s going to move ahead with the Lauren version of the script in the hope that he can find someone willing to battle her uncle in court. I guess people in the industry are already buzzing about it, and Will’s looking to capitalize on the notoriety, even if it’s not necessarily positive. He’s giving me this last chance of working on the rewrite as a way out. I either do it and he calls off the dogs or I don’t and he throws me headfirst into a legal shitstorm. Either way, I’m going to end up hurting you.” This time she can’t hold back her tears as she begins to sob.
“Ivy, I don’t want to see all the pain I went through marketed and sold like I’m trying to profit off Cassidy’s death. I couldn’t live with myself if I agreed to something like this. It makes my skin crawl.” I shouldn’t be so tough on Ivy, but there’s no way I can bite my tongue. Not when it’s about Cassidy. “But if I don’t comply with Will’s demands, then how in the world am I going to provide for our baby? Lauren’s uncle has the power to take everything away from us, everything I’ve worked so hard for.”
“Eric…I’m…so…sorry.” She can barely get the words out through her tears.
“I’m sorry too, Ivy.” I can’t deny that I’m disappointed in her. I should’ve made her show me the script. Maybe I could’ve prevented all of this if I had known what she was up to. Now my personal tragedy is once again going to be heralded as the nation’s favorite sob story. The agony Cassidy endured will be memorialized as nothing more than a stupid chick flick. I never thought I’d have to betray her memory like this. That’s why I stayed out of the limelight. That’s why I retreated into seclusion. That’s why I don’t speak to the media. I hate to even think like this, but if I’d never agreed to that Gazette interview with Ivy last summer, I wouldn’t be going through this right now. I let her in. Little did I know that I’d be giving up my right to privacy…as well as surrendering my heart.
“I can’t go through with it, Eric. It’s not right. I messed up and you shouldn’t have to pay the price for my mistake.” She’s trying to rally my spirits, but it’s too late. The damage is done. I’m just going to have to suffer through this somehow.
“Ivy, stop. I don’t like it. I don’t agree with it. But it’s happening. There’s nothing we can do about it now. My only consolation is that I know that Cassidy’s memory is in good hands if you’re the one writing the script. I know you will honor her story and tell it the way it needs to be told. If you fight Will on anything, I want you to maintain Cassidy’s integrity in how she is portrayed. Please don’t let them tarnish her image.” I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from crying. I never expected things to unfold like this. I feel like someone just whacked me over the head with a two-by-four. Man, I need to sit down.
“Eric, I promise you that I’ll do whatever it takes.” The conviction in her voice is the only thing that’s sustaining me as I collapse onto the couch. I can’t take this out on her. She got caught in a bad situation. I love Ivy with all my heart, but sometimes
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