Just Like Me (30 page)

“Hello!”

              I was standing on Meredith Jett’s front porch, her husband Cal standing behind her. Taylor greeted her with a smile, sunglasses in place over his blood-shot eyes.

“Hey, Mom”

              She opened the door and Taylor stepped through, kissing her on the cheek. She kissed his cheek in return and wrapped her arms around him in a warm hug. She pulled back slightly and I heard her whisper in his ear.

“Are you hung over?”

There was a pause and he nodded. She sighed, then ushered him inside while snatching the sunglasses off of his face. She offered me a smile when I stepped through the door. She had bleached blonde hair and I instantly recognized that Taylor had her brown eyes.

“You must be Kale!” She kissed me on the cheek and shut the door behind me. “I’m Meredith; this is my husband, Cal.” Cal waved awkwardly. He wore thick black glasses and had thinning light hair. He looked very uncomfortable in a collared shirt. “Please, come in, sit down.”

              We did just that. Taylor plopped down on a light suede couch, he wore a completely different demeanor from yesterday.

“I apologize, Kale. Were you with Taylor last night?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Taylor must have been a handful.”

“Sorry?”

“This.” She said and motioned her hand towards Taylor. “This is the result of a very miserable night for you.” I hesitated, sitting down next to him on the couch. “See? Taylor, she’s so sweet she won’t even admit that you are an absolute pig.”

“I was.” He agreed and draped his arm around my shoulders. “I felt awful. I apologized. She forgave me. Nothing else to it.”

              Meredith raised an eyebrow but let it go. She stood up and casually brushed her hands against her pants.

“Kale, I could use some help in the kitchen. Do you mind?”

              I cast a nervous glance at Taylor. He withdrew his arm from around my shoulders and nodded encouragingly. I smiled and felt slightly off balance when I stood up. She returned my smile and headed off down a hallway and into a bright green kitchen. I stepped inside and began admiring the interior. A roast was in the oven and there were different assorted pots on the stove.

“Would you mind stirring beans?”
“Of course.”

              I stepped over to the stove and wrapped my fingers around a wooden spoon that had been driven into a pot of beans. Meredith shuffled around me and pulled out the roast, checking the temperature of the meat. If she was loaded, you couldn’t tell. She didn’t have a staff in her house and she seemed completely content doing everything herself.

“I just can never get these things right,” She commented and slit it back into the oven. “I always like to impress people with a great roast, but it always proves an ill measure when it doesn’t turn out right.”

              She rubbed her hands together and leaned across the counter to a glass of wine that sat on a countertop. A red lipstick smudge lined the top of the glass. She studied me as I stirred; I tried to keep my eyes on the pot. She had an easy going demeanor, the type of person who’s never met a stranger.

              I was worried about the silence. Then I was worried about what she would ask when she did speak. Would she bring up the same inappropriate topics as my mother or Taylor’s father? What should I answer with? Was there a line that I wasn’t supposed to cross; were there specific details that Taylor was hoping I’d keep to myself about us?

              I considered all these things as I scraped the spoon along the bottom of the pot.

“So, you’re going to be a teacher?” She asked and reached into the fridge to pull out a bottle of wine and also a huge pitcher of tea.

“Yes…well, maybe.” Taylor’s request floated across my mind.

“What grade do you want to teach?”

“First grade.”

“Ah, so little ones.”

              Oh no. Is this where she was going? She wasn’t about to bring up Taylor and I having kids, was she?

“I wanted to teach fifth grade when I was younger.”
“Fifth? That seems like it would be tough.” I remarked.

“Yes, but those plans changed quickly when I met Jonathan. We had Taylor young, and it became more about Jonathan’s career and then eventually Taylor’s career.”

“Would you still want to teach, if you had the chance?”

“No. I guess I wouldn’t know the first thing about it.” She paused and swirled her wine around in her glass. “Taylor said that you two are pretty serious.”

“I guess so.”

“Hm.” She seemed to take a sudden interest in pulling glasses out of a cabinet. After she had four set out she began ladling ice from the freezer into them.

“If you’re worried I’m doing it because you think I’m dating him for the fame or the money,” I said too quickly, “I’d like to reassure you that I have no desire for any of that. That’s not why I’m with Taylor. All of this fame is the last thing I want. I wish he was just another student on campus. Not that I’d change him…” Sheesh, get a grip, Delaney. “I’m not a girl who will just use him for his money, I what I’m trying to say, I guess.”

“I didn’t think you were that type of girl.”

“Well, I’m sure you were wondering?”
“Taylor’s a smart guy, and it’s clear that he has feeling for you.”

“Oh?”

“Darling, you’re the only girl he’s ever brought home.”

              I looked up to meet her gaze. She was setting a bottle of wine in an ice basket to be chilled. She put her hands on her hips, admiring her handiwork.

“He’s never brought anyone else up here?”

“No, you’re the first. Sure, he’s dated girls. He rarely mentioned them to me. He never was able to keep a girl more than a few months. I’d ask him to bring them by, that we’d love to meet them. But that never interested him. This time around? He’s the one who asked me if he could bring you to meet us.” She chuckled and shook her head. “You’re bringing out the best in him.” She circled around to me and gazed into the pot on the stove. “Taylor has always been kind of impatient and bad-tempered, it was rare to see him happy. He always had a snide comment. I know it can’t be easy on you, this whole world you’ve suddenly been dropped into. I would know, I raised the boy. I just wanted you to know…when I talked to him after he met you, I heard life in his voice.” She rubbed my shoulder and reached for the spoon. I held it out and she took it and continued stirring thoughtfully. “Don’t give up on him.” She finally finished. “It won’t be easy. He’ll let you down, Kale. More than once. And it will hurt him just as much as it hurts you. But he’s worth it. He’s worth the bad times.”

              I wasn’t sure what to say to her. I didn’t know how to ask her about how he’d let me down or if she honestly thought Taylor and I would have any part of forever. Before I could find a response she lifted up the spoon and waved it at me.

“You know,” She spoke up. ”I would hate to teach high-schoolers.”

Dinner went on without a hitch. I learned Cal was a professional gamer, not very accomplished, but Meredith paid the way for his hobby. She didn’t seem to mind. When it came to money, she was obsolete. She didn’t care about money, and I started to realize where Taylor got a lot of his personality from. And possibly his drinking habit, because I watched Meredith polish off at least three glasses of wine.

              After dinner we all sat down in the living room. Taylor was completely comfortable, he leaned back into the couch and carelessly kept an arm around me or a hand on my thigh. Meredith and Cal didn’t seem to care. We were all at home and talked openly with one another.

“So, your friend Lisa would be ok with you moving out?” Meredith was asking, a glass of wine still in her hand. She was sitting next to Cal.

“I haven’t talked to her about it yet, actually.” I answered and felt a twinge of guilt. What would Lisa say about me moving in with Taylor? Would she be ok with this?

“Well, I’m sure she’ll understand if you do decide to move in together.”

“Lisa has a pretty open mind,” Taylor interjected. “I think she’ll be just fine.”

“Taylor, you haven’t told me a lot about the new script you’re thinking about auditioning for.” Cal squeaked.

“What, you mean his murder role?” I asked, looking up at Taylor. He shook his head slightly.

“Actually, I picked up a new script from Jerry.” He cleared his throat; his knee began bobbing up and down. “I’m thinking about auditioning for a new role.” He looked at me, and then at his mother. Meredith looked on, curiously. “It’s a biographical role, kind of. An actor had suffered with a serious drug problem.”

“But you weren’t sure about it?”

“The script is really well done. I am just holding off right now.”

“Why are you hesitating on auditioning, Taylor?” Meredith asked.

“Well, it does have some…scenes. Scenes that would be slightly uncomfortable.”

“What do you mean?”

              Taylor drummed his fingers on my leg, starting to feel uncomfortable.

“The character is a womanizer. A player. He’s also a drunk and a drug abuser. The media would have a field day with it, more than likely.”

“How would they do that, exactly?” Meredith asked, setting her wine glass down on a glass tabletop.

“I don’t think I’m going to do it.” He responded. “I’m not sure I’d be willing to agree to all of the stipulations.”

“Well, there will be other roles, Taylor.” But something about Meredith’s expression made me feel uncomfortable. Meredith met my eyes from across the room and gave me a sad expression. I tried to understand why.

“We better get heading out. I wanted to take Kale by a dress shop before we headed back to South Carolina.”

              We said quick goodbyes, Meredith caught Taylor and whispered something in his ear before he rolled his eyes playfully and stepped outside. She hugged me and then held me at a distance  a moment. “Kale, it was so good to have you.” And then she let me go.

“Thank-you.” I said, hardly loud enough for anyone to hear.

“Bye, Mom. See you later, Cal.”

“Bye, honey. Don’t wait until Christmas to see me again.”

“Christmas Eve.” Taylor called over his shoulder.

              We climbed in the car and shut the doors behind us. Out of the corner of my eye I kept a watch on Taylor. It was dark by now and I could only see his expression based on the glow of the interior. He didn’t say anything as he drove back towards the city.

“You want to audition, don’t you?” I asked softly. I kept my tone as subtle and curious as possible.

“It would be the most challenging role I’ve ever faced, it would also be even bigger than the zombie franchise. But…I just don’t know. I want to do it. But I don’t want-” He hesitated and took a firmer grip on the steering wheel.

“Want what, Taylor?”

“I don’t think you’d be comfortable with this role.”

“Wait, this is about me now?”

“I know how these things work out, Kale. I’ve seen the publicity stuff work on other Hollywood couples. The false rumors spread, and at first it’s ok. But it tears two people apart by the end of it. There are some pretty intense scenes involving women, involving drugs…”

“Taylor, I don’t want to be the reason you don’t go for this. I’m not going to be the reason you don’t go for an audition that you really want.”

“I know. I just…this relationship is more important to me than an audition.”

“So you’re not going to do it?”

“No.” We pulled into a little boutique parking lot. Taylor cut the engine, deep in thought. He ran a hand through his hair. “I’m not going to do it. I don’t want you to think that I’m not doing this because you’re ruining it for me. That’s not the case. I’m not going to do it because I don’t think the gains are worth the risks.”

              We got out and stepped into the parlor. A man and woman greeted us. The man had dark spiky hair with black pants and a silver vest. The woman had on a bright red dress with black stiletto heels.

“Welcome to Enrique Yosef’s dress boutique. Are you interested in trying on anything in particular today?”

              Taylor whipped out his credit card, a bored expression in place. Taylor Jett the movie star was back in session.

“We’re going to be spending an offensive amount of money on this beautiful girl right here. This will be for the Zombie Grave premier this weekend, I expect my girlfriend to look better than anyone else on the red carpet.”

“Of course sir, will you be joining us in the back room?”

“Yes, I will.”

“Very well, follow me.”

              We followed the skinny man toward the back of the store. We went past racks of nice looking clothes and shoe racks before reaching the back. There was a low, round stage that was set up through a back door. The stage was surrounded by long mirrors. There were chairs placed against the wall beside the doorway. A line of doors led to dressing rooms on the right. I guess the regular costumers stayed out front to make purchases. Brides and Hollywood red carpet walkers came back here to try on big items.