Role of a Lifetime II
By: Kenneth Kirk
(© 2023 by the author)

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kkirk@tickiestories.us

Chapter 4

Mom and Dad came over for dinner on Saturday night.  We hadn’t seen them since Friday morning and hadn’t told them about the conversation with David Dawson or about agreeing to do the movie.  Because we’re all actors who are constantly watching their waistlines, Brant and I made a gigantic chef’s salad with all kinds of additives and a selection of sugar-free dressings.  In a nod to having company, Brant made some spectacular cheesy garlic bread to go with the salads and we served Rocky Road frozen yogurt for dessert.

After dinner, we sat in the formal living room by the fireplace as we enjoyed decaf coffee.  Brant built a small fire, but we had to lower the air conditioning setting to keep from melting in the heat.  Still, it made for a very relaxed ambiance in which to discuss our new movie.

“So,” I stated like an announcement, “we’ve decided to do the sequel to Laying Low.”

“Oh?” Dad asked in his best neutral voice.

“Really?” said Mom.  I thought I detected a slight note of concern in her intonation.

“Yes,” I nodded.  “We told David Dawson yesterday and he’s thrilled.”

“Will it pick up from the mob story?” Dad asked.

“No, it won’t, Brodie,” Brant said.  “There’s no script yet because David wanted to be sure we’re willing to do it before they go to the effort of writing.”

Dad nodded.

“We all agreed at lunch that the mystery wasn’t why the movie was popular and that the death of the bad guys made a sequel rather problematic.  So, this will be a new story involving Marty and Aaron in some other situation.”

“What kind of situation?” Mom wanted to know.

Brant and I exchanged a look.  He was wondering how much to tell them, I think, but I decided there was no point in soft peddling now because the truth would come out eventually anyway.

I nodded grimly to my husband.

Brant took the lead.  “It would focus on the relationship between Marty and Aaron.  They’ll have to face a situation that could be detrimental to their union or could make them grow and be even happier.”

Both my parental units looked a bit confused.  “Uhm, what kind of situation would that be?” Dad asked in an echo of Mom’s earlier question.

“They meet another man,” I said.

“So, one of them has an affair?” Mom guessed.

“Not exactly,” Brant said quietly.

“I don’t quite understand,” Dad stated.  “If nobody has an affair, then, is he a serial killer or something?”

Brant and I chuckled and shook our heads.  “Actually, they both have an affair,” I volunteered.

There was a brief pause as the sharp minds of my nearest ancestors shifted through the clues.

“So, Aaron and Marty have an affair with the same man?” Mom finally asked.

“Bingo!” I said.

Mother tittered.  “That’s deliciously trashy, isn’t it?”

“It sounds like an episode of Beauty Pageant,” Dad quipped.

As we all laughed at Mom’s expense, she said, “Well, a couple of seasons ago, we did have a Miss Alabama and a Miss Alaska who had affairs with the same pageant producer.  Of course, eventually they found out about each other.  After a hair-pulling, knock-down, drag-out, bodice-ripping fight in the dressing room, Miss Alaska did her evening gown promenade with a false eye-lash drooping and a barely concealed bruise on her jaw.”

We hooted.

“What about Miss Alabama?” Brant wanted to know.

“Oh, she missed the whole thing as she was on the way to the ER with a broken arm.  For the first time in history a state was not represented in the evening gown competition.”

We hooted some more.

“Who won?” Dad enquired.

“Miss Texas, of course.”

“Why ‘of course’?” 

“Her father owned the largest Ford dealer in the state so he promised a new Lincoln Town Car to each judge, under the table of course.”

Between laughing jags, I managed to say, “I don’t think our movie will have that much drama or action.”

“I hope not,” Brant agreed.

Dad took Mom’s hand in his.  “You have the kookiest writers in Hollywood, dear.”

Mom grinned and I thought there might be a trace of evil in the grin as she turned the tables on us.  “Oh, I suppose we do.  But at least they’ve never put a wagging willie in the script!”

We all laughed strenuously again.

“I wish Harold Gillespie could hear you now!” I said.

“Oh, speaking of Harold, dear, would you please tell him I want a nice, respectable cameo in this flick?”

To say I was surprised was an understatement.  “Really?”

Dad smirked at me.

“Oh, yes, I’m quite serious.  I may not watch the movie as all those willies on display, especially my own son’s, well, they give me … the willies.”

We all broke up again.

“Anyhow, I still want to support my son and my son-in-law in their careers, don’t I?  And it would be nice to have even a small role in what is sure to be the most talked about movie of the year.”

“Harold and David will be thrilled,” I said, “and I, we, are, too.”

“Gee, Rachel,” Brant said, “have you ever hosted Saturday Night Live?”

“Why, no.  I don’t think I’ve even seen it.”

“Well, get your agent to book you in.  You would be hysterical.”

“Why, thank you, Brant.  I’ll get Shelley right on it first thing Monday.”

Mom and Dad both had a twinkle in their eyes when they said good-night a few minutes later.  Brant must have noticed it, too.

“I don’t think they’re rushing home to get their beauty sleep,” he observed suggestively.

“You’re probably right, but I don’t want to think about it,” I said emphatically.

He laughed.  “What a fun evening, even discussing the movie.”

“Yes.  I think it went well.  It’s so cool that she wants a part.”

“Yes, it is,” Brant agreed.  “I almost burst with pride when she said she wanted to support her son and her son-in-law in their careers.  I do love her.”

“Me, too.  I wonder how Harold will work in a part for her?”

“It’ll just be one more reason to see the movie.  She does have a lot of fans, you know.” 

********* 

Before we knew it, Thanksgiving was history.  Our brief holiday was over and Brant had to go back to Miami.  I was glad filming was nearing the end.  A week later I was off to Bavaria for two weeks of exteriors in the frigid snows of the Alps as I tried to remember my German accent for King Ludwig.  This was scheduled to be my final trip to Bavaria, but one can never be sure when filming for a major production is underway.  I had learned that starring in a mini-series is a lot more work than being in a typical movie, even one in which you’re in a lot of scenes.

I returned from Munich on December 16 but Florida filming on Mariel to Miami had a few more days before it shut down for the Christmas holiday.  Juanita Montez had asked me to call her when I got back into the country, so I made time the following day to chat with the wonderful TV host.

“Hola, you sexy muchacho!”

“Hey, how’s my favorite girl?”

“All caught up in my shopping.  I don’t think I’ll be ready in time.  Do you think we could postpone Christmas for a few weeks?”

I laughed.  “I’d certainly like that.  My husband has been spending too much time in Miami.”

“I know, baby, I barely remember what Hector looks like anymore,” she whined.

As I chuckled, she added, with an excited voice, “But I will never forget his beautiful penga!  Oy, baby!”

“I wouldn’t know,” I said, “but I feel your pain.”

“Uh-huh.  So, I want you to come to lunch at my hacienda, amigo, okay?”

“Sure.  That’d be fun.  When?”

“Tomorrow?”

“That would be good.  Time?”

“Not too early.”  She paused.  “How about 2:00?”

That certainly wasn’t too early.  “I’ll be at your door at 2.”

“Wonderful!” 

********* 

Our quiet lunch for two was very pleasant and full of laughter.  Juanita has a beautiful heart and always makes me feel special when I’m with her.  Hector Uvalde is a very lucky man, but then, I suspect Juanita is a very lucky lady, too.  They are two tremendous people and seem very happy and carefree together.

After we finished our soup and salad lunch, Juanita got a call on her cell.  She checked the screen and apologized, “Sweetie, it’s Hector!”

“Take it.  I’m going to find your powder room.”

She clicked off the call just as I came back onto the patio a few minutes later.

“I’ll call him later,” she smiled.

“How is he?”

“Fine, but homesick for my coochie-coochie.”

I laughed and croaked out, “No doubt!”

Over coffee, she startled me by stating, “So, there’s to be a sequel.”

“You don’t beat around the bush, do you?”

“Nope.  But I won’t use the tip unless it’s confirmed.”

“That’s good.  You have higher journalistic standards than most of the networks!”

She chuckled.  “I have a reputation to protect.  And I really care about the people in my life like you and Brant.  I would never want to hurt you with false information.”

I was quiet as my brain conducted an internal debate.  Deny and she will know later I was lying.  Or, spill and possibly get in trouble with David and the producers.

As my hesitation grew longer, she looked more and more quizzical until, all of a sudden, she knew why I was hesitating.  Then her eyebrows flew up and she grabbed my forearm in a vise grip.

“Ah,” she said quietly.  “There is.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“But, if there wasn’t going to be a sequel, you’d follow Nancy’s advice and ‘just say no.’”

I laughed.  “You got me there.”

“So, tell me about it.”

“I can’t, sweetheart.  There’s no script yet, just a couple of ideas and a verbal agreement that Brant and I will star in it.”

“Oh, how fabulous!” she shrieked.  “Bransky will live again!”

“Honey, Bransky never died.  Bransky lives quite often when my husband is at home.”

“Oh, you naughty, naughty boys!”  She threw her head back and laughed.  “Can I leak it?”

“Hmm.”  I considered the idea.  “I think it would be good publicity.  How about giving me a week to check with David about it.  Maybe, just maybe, he’ll give me a little more for you.”

“Of course, Sky.”

Having admitted to Juanita that there was likely to be a sequel made it seem much more real to me.  I started getting a little more excited about it right then.  

********* 

Initially, David Dawson was intrigued by the idea of leaking the information that a sequel to Laying Low was in the offing.  He discussed the possibility with the producers and they agreed to a carefully worded leak.  After a few days, I received the wording and sent an email to Juanita about it.

“Hi, Sweetie!

David and the producers love the idea of you leaking the news about the sequel.  Here is the approved wording: I’ve just learned that Periphery Studios has authorized a sequel to last year’s smash hit, Laying Low, starring the ever-sexy Brant Kimber and Sky Ford.  Bransky will live again!  Watch Hollywood Weekly for more details as they become available!

They would like to drop some additional tidbits as we move along.  I do know there will be some surprises.  How exciting!

Love you!

Sky”

Within about three minutes, I received a reply from an obviously excited Juanita.

“Hon,

What a scoop!  I’ll plant this at the end of Sunday’s show.  My fans will be drooling buckets!  Any chance Bransky could be on the show while you are both home for the holidays?  I’d love to see you guys and also talk about The Gay King and Mariel to Miami.  Oh, we four must have dinner together during the holiday, too.  I’m dying to see Brant!

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Juanita”

To be continued...

Posted: 02/24/2023