Gavin sits alone in the quickly darkening living room of the small mansion he'd rented sipping a tumbler of scotch. Intermittently rubbing his temple as he reviewed the schedule they had for next week. There wasn't a single moment that he could get off.
"Damit!" He grumbles as he walks to the window pushing back the curtain to watch the storm clouds roll over the mountains their foreboding blackness and ominous rumbling matching his mood.
All the pieces were falling together and he wanted to get over to "Harbinger Falls" to see Marjorie and check on the progress of his personal project. According to Marjorie, his family in Scotland secured the property right from under Him without him ever being aware of the transaction. He'd never had any doubts they would since he had already prepared everything they needed and he'd given them all the money necessary to do so. The property had been purchased with the backing of the town counsel ground had been broken. He'd even managed to carve out a twenty acres or so and made sure it reverted back to the Van Dorn kid three acres more than his rival. He'd need a nice foot hold in that town besides controlling interest he and his friends maintained in the business once the word got out he'd thought. Much to one particular parties chagrin she'd said. Her exact words were "Literally hopping mad" when he'd left the planning board meeting. Good! He hoped he was fuming mad. He hoped he grew madder by the day as they proceeded. He hoped not knowing who was behind it all ate at him like a cancer. He thought smiling to himself.
"I hope when it's all over you rot in hell you bastard!" He mumbles as he takes a sip of his drink then places the tumbler down on the table beside him. He reaches for the the light's switch and turns it illuminating the darkened room pulling him out of his machination. He had immediate work to do if he was going to get the time he needed he chided himself. First thing first the newest script for "Raising Fire" and Erica's notes on the subject and of course Corbin's.
If nothing else it was good to be away from both of them and have a moment of peace. Between Erica's rantings and Corbins it was a wonder they were as far along as they were and his head hadn't exploded. Oh and least he forget the cast of "New Beginnings" and the constant bickering and squabbling. At least from what the director was telling him all the cat fighting was great energy on camera and Corbin said it was "Talk Show Gold" Hopefully it would be the same with a real audience as it had been with the test one. Personally he'd been too distracted with other matters so he would have to take their word for it.
He walks to the desk and retrieves his folders and script placing them on the coffee table then walks to the fireplace and lights the kindling blowing it till the flames grew and began to ignite the wood above. He walks back to the table by the window to get his drink before settling down on the sofa just as the first patters of rain began to hit the window panes. He reaches for the latest script Corbin had left with the corrections and additions in the margins and everywhere else he noticed as he flipped through the pages then tossed it back down on the table choosing to go through the proofs "Tempo" had sent over just as the doorbell rings. He shakes his head as he rises and grumbling as he opens the door to find Erica. She stood soaked from head to toe a puddle already forming around her feet looking more like a drenched cat then the goddess of fashion she normally was.
"Erica! My God come in!" He says ushering her toward the living room who's fireplace was now roaring. He stands her in front of it then pulls the afghan from the back of the sofa and wraps it around her wet shoulders.
"Thhhhhank you." She says between chatter teeth while Gavin pulls the cord next to the fireplace for a servant who comes to the door almost immediately.
"Broden, please bring some towels and a robe for Ms.Kane. Also please have Anabel put on some water for tea thank you."
"Certainly sir! I'll be back in a jiffy!" He says cheerily in his thick Scottish brogue before disappearing down the hall as Gavin walks back to Erica.
"He'll be right back are you feeling any better?" Erica looks up at him and sniffs pushing a wet tendril of hair from her face as she speaks.
"Yes thank you! I don't know what happened as soon as I stepped from the car the sky just seemed to open up!" She manages between shivers.
"What are you doing here?" He asks looking at her confused. Erica shrugs then smiles.
"I called several times but my calls kept going to voicemail.
"That's because I didn't want to be disturbed." He says in that infuriating cool tone he'd adapted as of late.
"So I decided I would just come over instead." She continues ignoring the tone in his voice.
" I needed to speak to about some of the revisions Corbin has made to the script he sent out today." Gavin rolls his eyes as he crosses his arms across his chest.
"And that was so important that you had to rush over here tonight?"
"Of course when I couldn't reach you on the phone! Obviously I had to come over!"
"Obviously!" He says his voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Well I couldn't just let him get away with it!" Gavin walks to the table and retrieves his drink downing the contents as he walks to the bar.
"Of course not! We couldn't let that happen!" He replies reaching for the bottle and filling the tumbler as she speaks.
"He can't just keep rewriting history! He just can't!" She states firmly shaking the wet tendrils back from her face. Gavin shakes his head as he walks returning to the seat on the sofa he's abandon earlier.
"Erica, we've gone over this before. "Raising Fire" isn't an exact telling of your life there are always going to be some deviation for storyline sake." Erica shakes her head coming to stand in front of him.
"I completely understand that but if we keep making deviation what's going to be left to actually keep my fans interested?" She argues back. Gavin stares back at her in disbelief.
"Erica, your fans will be interested because they know you. They'll be able to tell exactly what's fantasy from what's fact. And, I have to be honest I don't see how any of that was so earth shattering that you had to disturb my evening." He looks up at her one eyebrow raised expectantly.
Erica stares back at him coyley.
"Well, there's also the situation with my co-hosts." She stares back at him.
"And there it is!" He mocks at the same moment Broden returns carrying a thick white robe over his arm and towels piled on his palm.
"Excuse me sir, if madame would follow me I'll show you where you can change." He says in the same cheery voice from earlier cutting off anything else she might have said. Gavin leans back against the the cushions closes his eyes and rubs his temples. Erica at this moment was the last thing he needed. Any thoughts of a quiet evening were dashed now Erica's arrival had seen to that. He thought then sighed aloud.
"I placed Ms. Kane in the guest room at the top of the stairs and sent her clothes to be cleaned and pressed. I also took the liberty of ordering a light re-passe a long with the tea. Will ye be needing anything else?"
"No, thank you Broden. You and Anabell can retire I'll take care of any needs Ms. Kane should require.
"I'm sure you will. Goodnight then." Broden says with a smirk and receives a scowl from Gavin for his efforts as he leaves.
"Goodnight Broden." He grumbles leaning his head back against the cushions. He stares out the window watching the drops explode against the window panes as the wind whipped them. In between the flashes of lightening he watched the branches of the large oak shake back and forth then the crash of thunder that shook the house interrupted by Erica's scream.
Gavin bolts from the couch and runs to the foyer taking the stairs two at a time instinctively reaching for the door handle and throwing it open in one swift move to come to a stand still at the sight before him.
Erica was cowering in the corner tears streaming down her cheeks trembling and close to hysterics. He runs to her calling her name as he walks and gathers her in his arms and holds her as she cries.
"I'mmm sorry! I'm sooo sorry!" She stutters clinging to him as she continues to cry.
"Shhhh, it's okay, it's okay." He murmurs gently stroking her hair as he tightens his arms around her as she trembles at the boom of thunder.
"I hhhhhate storms like this!" She stammers.
" Shhhhh you don't have to talk about it. we'll just sit here together until it passes." He soothes waving away both Broden and Anabel who had rushed up the stairs behind him. Erica shrieks and jumps as the the lightning streaked across the sky lighting the room followed by a boom of thunder that shook the rafters.
"Erica! Erica!" He calls to her pulling her attention back to him. "The storm is moving away it will be over soon and I promise I'll stay right here with you." He soothes stroking her hair as he talks. "You know if you count in between the claps of thunder you can tell how much longer the storm will last." He says rocking back and forth trying to quiet her whimpering as the next bolt of lightning lit the sky. Her whimper turning into a yelp as she buried her face in is shirt grasping the fabric as she did and hiding her face in the folds as the thunder boomed in the distance.
"Erica count with me okay one two three four...." He continues as Erica begins to calm his mind drifting back to his own horrible memories of stormy nights understanding the terror she felt having survived his own.
They sat on the floor of the guest bedroom until the last sounds of the storm had passed leaving just the light patter of rain on the window. Erica was the first to let go pushing away from him and turning her face from his her face in full blush.
"I'm sorry I most look a fright." She says rising and walking to the mirror absently checking her makeup. Gavin watches her as he rise knowing instinctively she needed a few moments to herself.
"If you'll excuse me a moment I'm going to go down and root around the kitchen for something for us to eat. I'll be back shortly"
"You don't have to do that I don't want to be any more of a bother than I already have been." She says shyly looking more vulnerable then he'd ever seen her, her expression was almost childlike. Something about it touched him he wasn't sure why. Gavin smiles back at her as he reaches for the door knob.
"You're not a bother at all. I'll return shortly." He says closing the door gently behind him. He walks down the steps still confused as to what he'd just witnessed. He turns at the bottom and walks toward the kitchen passing the script for "Raising Fire" he'd tossed on the table as he'd run up the steps. Then stopping dead in his tracks as he realizes what he'd just witnessed.
* Copyright Takeitish "Pine Valley Chronicles"
Gavin, Opal and Erica
Erica and Corbin, Jack and Tea
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