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She nodded, yes. "I think I would like a bite to eat in a little while. How about giving me the grand tour?"
"Sure. No, wait where are your bags?" he asked as he picked up her purse that had fallen to the floor.
"They're still in storage at the airport. I wasn't sure if you'd see me so I just left everything and caught a taxi to your place. I can afford another one way ticket to just about anywhere else; after that I'm out of luck. Listen, if you want me to leave I can go. I've got reservations at a hotel for the night."
"Don't be ridiculous! You can stay here," Josh heard himself say.
"Oh, no, I wouldn't want to impose."
What did she think she was doing now? he thought. Then Josh realized she hadn't expected to end up here anymore than he had. "Let's go get your bags, then we'll see how things work out from there, okay?"
"What time is Missy supposed to show up?" Larynn asked.
"I don't know. It depends on what time her rehearsal gets over. Not until after 9 at least. We've got plenty of time to get your stuff and get you settled in." Josh suddenly got a conspiratorial look in his eyes.
"Hey! Wait a minute!" Larynn protested, knowing exactly where his thoughts were going.
"Don't you see? It's the perfect solution. She'll think I've hooked up with you. We can put on a really good show for her then, hopefully, she'll leave me alone. For good."
"I didn't realize things had gotten that bad."
"Oh, you don't know the half of it. Did you ever see that Clint Eastwood
movie 'Play Misty for Me'? I can really relate to that guy.
I generally try not to put anyone down, I really do, but this chick is
driving me nuts. She surprises me at work with 'romantic
picnic lunches' then freaks if my attention isn't absolutely on her.
I've had the boss talk to me at least once about her calling me on the
job. My work is important to me and I know I can help some of those
kids change their lives around but how the hell am I supposed to set a
good example when all I want to do is strangle her? You'd be
doing me a big favor. Please?" he begged in a childish voice putting
on his best 'puppy dog' face.
"Oh, all right! What the hey?" she shrugged.
"Thanks!" He hugged her. They were startled apart by a loud "Squawk" from the other room.
"That must be Danny-Boy, can I meet him?"
"Sure, come this way." He shook his head. What was it about her? She'd been here less than an hour and his mind was already in the gutter. The picture had its appeal though... he led her into the living room where a large white bird was kicking seeds out of its cage. "Larynn, allow me to introduce 'my' horrible creature." Josh glared at the bird. "Hey Baby" it whistled. Josh rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Sorry," he muttered. To his relief, she just laughed. "Let me take care of him," Josh said, "then we can get going."
She nodded, and in a short while they were headed out to the airport in Josh's old sedan. For a thursday evening, the airport traffic wasn't too bad until he got behind a "road paladin" He grumbled about this too.
" 'Beg pardon," Larynn asked.
It's nothing. Never mind, 'lawful good drivers', he said absently.
She didn't understand the reference and remained quiet. In a few more minutes
they were at the airport parking lot. They had no trouble
getting her bags and were able to leave without paying for parking.
Both had been very quiet during the whole trip and they arrived back at
Josh's place shortly after 9pm. It had started to rain again but they managed
to get all of her stuff inside without it getting too wet. He carried two
of the suitcases up the stairs to a guest bedroom. She followed him with
her others; a small overnight case, a shoulder-tote and her purse. He set
the bags down near the door and turned on the light for her.
"It's not much," he apologized.
She put her hand on his arm and said, "It's more than I expected." She was interrupted by a loud knocking at the front door.
"That'll be Missy I expect." He grabbed Larynn's hand and led her down
to the door. He draped his arm around her shoulders then opened the door.
Sure enough, there was Missy, still in her stage make-up which had started
to run. One of the things that annoyed him about her was that
she never bothered to wash it off before bed and it ended up on the
pillows.
In the glare of the porch light her hair looked even more brassy. Larynn
could tell the dye job was fading. You'd think an actress would
have a little more pride in her appearance, Larynn thought, looking
down at her own well-traveled look. Giving her the benefit of the doubt
she mentally
added unless that's how her character looks. She hadn't
expected someone like that to appeal to Josh; then again, she didn't.
Missys 'look' left no doubt, in anyone's mind, that she was not not pleased to find 'her man' with someone else."Is this one of your charity cases?" she asked sweetly.
"No, Miss, this is Larynn. We've been friends for oh," he counts on his fingers, "6 months, atleast." He looked over to Larynn for reassurance. She just smiled and nodded. "She's been having some trouble at home so she's going to be staying here for awhile, isn't that great?"
Larynn's mouth dropped open. She couldn't believe what he'd just said
about her! Like, they had something going. He was gonna pay big time for
this. "I'll just go upstairs now, Josh, and get ready for bed. I know you
and Missy have a lot to talk about. Goodnight," she said, winking.
She was going to enjoy torturing him over this she thought wickedly.
------
Larynn was asleep when Josh finished talking to Missy. It hadn't been
as bad as he'd expected. Of course, he hadn't been entirely truthful about
his relationship with Larynn and had allowed Missy to think exactly what
he wanted her to think, that he and Larynn were, maybe, a little more than
friends. He'd have to make it up to Larynn somehow, but her timing couldn't
have been more fortuitous, for him. He really wanted to know what had happened
to her that she was desperate enough to fly out to the home of someone
who was basically a stranger and seek sanctuary. He'd just have to wait
until she was ready to talk to him.
Thinking back on Missy's reaction to Larynn's presence he had to laugh.
"My God, Josh she's older than you. What are you going to do with her?"
"Only by six years or so, Miss. If the roles were reversed no one would have a problem with it. As for what I do with her, I imagine, that's up to her."
"But, Josh! She's not even that good looking," Missy sniveled.
"God, you're shallow!" Josh thought out loud.
"What was that?"
"Never mind. I'd appreciate it if you didn't talk about her that way. Or at all. She's a friend in need. I could hardly turn her out on a night like this."
"Couldn't you get her a room or something?"
"Drop it, Miss!"
"Fine. Why did you want me to come over tonight?"
"Take a wild guess." Missy shrugged and shook her head.
"It's over, Missy. In fact, it never was. I want you to stop bugging me at work and don't bother calling me here, either." He picked up a shopping bag that was sitting on the antique and handed the bag to Missy. "I've packed up everything you left here, you can do whatever you want with the pictures."
"But--why, Josh?" She started to sob.
"Damn you're good, that little trick should get you plenty of sappy roles." She stopped crying immediately. "It won't work on me anymore, Missy." Missy had started to react, when they were interrupted by a knock at the door. "Now, who the hell could that be, at this hour?" Josh asked. Both turned towards the sound and Josh opened it. There was a rather young man (younger than Missy, Josh noticed) who (very) slightly resembled one of Hollywood's current heartthrobs, standing there.
"Hey babe, you gonna be much longer?" he asked.
"Geez, Miss. Looks like it didn't take you that long to 'get over' us! Here!" Josh snapped, thrusting the bag at her. "Get out!" She took it and turned away in a huff.
"Come on Lennie, let's get outta here!" She grabbed his arm and pulled him along with her as she left.
"Nice meetin' ya, man." Lenny called out.
"Oh, shut up!" Missy screeched as they got into his car and drove off.
Josh watched them leave then burst out laughing, in relief. He closed and
locked the door, turned off the lights, checked in on Danny-Boy and then
headed up the stairs. He checked in on Larynn but she appeared
to be sleeping soundly.
-------
Larynn heard Josh come upstairs after Missy left. She wasn't used to
closing her bedroom door at home and had forgotten to do so here. When
she heard him stop at her door she pretended to be sound asleep; a tactic
she'd developed fairly well due to her husband Don's sometimes exotic tastes
in the bedroom. She listened to Josh working out then showering and going
to bed. She knew that he worked out, every night, to wind down from the
day's stresses. Some sort of martial art as she recalled. She was too tired
to think about everything that had happened in the past two days and drifted
off into a fitful sleep.
