Sugar Valley (Hollywood's Darkest Secret) (51 page)

Dennis whispered back, “Oh, alright. Hey,
after this, I have to discuss some important matters with you.
Actually, one important matter.” He turned away and added to Darell
and Tom, “So what are you guys talking about? I have to catch
up.”

Darell grinned and answered, “Oh nothing,
it’s just my agent, he always wants his way, but he’s not going to
get it this time.”

Henry gaped at Tom in a repulsive fashion,
explaining, “We were just discussing Damen Schultz. Tom doesn’t
think it’s a good idea to have Damen as the co-star. Dennis, tell
Tom Fryer that it’s a very good idea to have Darell’s best friend
in the movie.”

Dennis paused, thinking of what to say, he
was nervous at the question. He knew that Damen wasn’t going to be
in the movie after all, but also knew that Jose was. Being that
Jose Rodrigo was also good friends with Darell O’Conner, Dennis
replied with leaving the friend’s name out, “Yeah, I agree with my
brother. It’s a very good idea to have a friend work with you, it
makes it easier to act.”

Henry patted his brother on the back,
speaking, “I didn’t even know that Darell knew Damen—good work,
Dennis.”

“See, Tom, even Dennis agrees,” Darell stated
in a childish way. “I’ll be right back, I have to go to the men’s
room.” Darell got up and walked away, leaving Tom, Dennis, and
Henry there to speak amongst themselves.

Henry saw that Darell’s body was walking
farther away from them, so he turned to his brother and questioned,
“Hey, what was it that you had to discuss with me?”

“It’s about Damen.”

Tom rudely jumped in the conversation,
cutting off Dennis, and asking, “What about Damen?”

“Hey, bud out, this isn’t any business of
yours,” Henry said in a vicious way. He knew the way Tom was, and
at this point, he wanted to treat him like a child.

Dennis then finished with, “Well, anyway, I’m
not hiring Damen.”

“Why can’t you hire him?” Mr. Fryer
asked.

Henry looked at him again in an even more
repellent manner, shouting, “Butt out.” Henry rubbed his temples on
his head and gave a deep sigh, looking at Dennis in confusion, and
speaking, “Well, why can’t you hire him?”

“Because he’s a drug addict. His other best
friend told me. Even Julienne Wells said so herself,” Dennis
responded, seeing his brother Henry lighting up a cigarette. Mr.
Fryer formed a small grin and blew out a sigh of relief after
hearing the doors of Hollywood had been shut on Damen; his mind was
at ease.

Henry was aggravated and looked at Dennis
with stress-filled eyes. “Who’s his other best friend? Are you sure
he said this to you?”

Dennis stared at his brother’s question,
watching his eyes, seeing how he could answer it. Dennis took a
swig of his champagne, answering, “His name is Jose Rodrigo. I’m
not sure if he said anything about it, but I’m positive Julienne
did.”

“Well, Julienne is well-known for lying a lot
in Hollywood, that’s why I want to know for sure about Jose,” said
Henry.

“Listen, we haven’t got time for an
investigation. I’ve got everything under control,” Dennis
stated.

Tom just listened, and then saw Darell
exiting the foyer and walking toward the table again. Looking at
Darell walking toward them, and trying to listen in on the
conversation between the two directors, Mr. Fryer suddenly took a
drink of his champagne as well, lit up a cigar, and sat back in his
seat, watching and listening, and drinking and smoking.

“What do you mean? How have you got it under
control?” Henry asked in an aggravated fashion, smoking his
cigarette heavily.

Dennis spoke, “I’m going to hire Jose for the
job.”

Tom looked at him with shock, interrupting
Dennis once again, and saying, “But Jose has a scar on his neck.”
Mr. Fryer knew that Jose was going to be a challenge for Darell; he
knew that Jose was better-looking and smarter than him, yet he
didn’t take him as a client because of his scar. He didn’t think
that Jose would make it in any movie because of that mark on his
neck. But he was wrong, and he hated that.

Henry shouted, “I told you to shut up.”

“Anyway, like I was saying, Jose is gonna be
Darell’s co-star, I’m gonna get the contract to him in the middle
of the week,” said Dennis.

Darell came and sat back down in his seat,
smiling with his glory, happy to hear that Damen will be working
with him soon.

Henry smiled, and rubbed Dennis’ head like a
five year old, saying, “Alright, I trust you, you did a good
thing.”

“What are you guys talking about?” Darell
asked.

“Oh, we’re just talking about Jose,” Dennis
responded, feeling Henry pulling him by his collar, and placing his
mouth up to his ear.

Henry whispered into Dennis’ ear, “Right now,
don’t tell Darell anything about the change in co-stars. That’s the
last thing we need, friction, friends fighting. Just let him handle
and practice the script, get his character together, and when all
goes well, Jose Rodrigo will come in Damen’s place. Man, could you
believe the odds of this happening?”

“What about Jose?” questioned Darell,
noticing a nervous look on all three of their faces.

“We were just discussing how Jose is here,”
Dennis slurred, he tried to cover up the real reason why he
mentioned Jose’s name.

“My friend Jose? Where is he?”

“He’s at table 45,” replied Dennis.

Darell got up and looked rapidly for that
table, feeling the excitement of his friend Jose’s presence; he
wanted to find it as fast as he could, before his mind overflowed
with happiness.

Jose spotted Darell looking around the room
like a moron, walking into people, knocking down chairs, and trying
to search for something. “My God, here he comes,” Jose said, seeing
Darell coming into contact with his eyes, finding his table, and
walking toward it.

“Just pretend like you’re glad to see him,”
said Julienne, watching Darell getting closer. “Remember what I
told you a minute ago? Do not discuss anything to him that involves
the change in co-stars.”

“What if I tell him that I got in a
movie?”

Julienne looked at him with an aggravated
image. “Listen to me, you know damn well that Darell already knows
about Damen being his co-star.” She paused her words and looked at
Darell stopping in his tracks by a man asking him questions.

“Yeah, so?” Jose spoke as another man
approached Darell.

“So, if Darell finds out that you took the
part from Damen, then he’s also gonna find out about the lie that
we told to get you the part. Comprende? He’s going to find out
about Damen doing drugs,” she replied in an even stronger tone, the
stress began to form wrinkles on her face.

“So what.”

“So, idiot, that means Darell will tell
Henry, or one of the producers of this movie, that it’s a lie. And
you know what happens next?” Julienne questioned in an angered
voice, she was terribly confused at Jose’s stupidity.

“What?”

“They’ll give the part back to Damen, and
your career will be down a river without a life jacket. It will be
destroyed even before you could call it a career.” She then
squeezed her palms tightly to relieve the stress that he is causing
upon her. “That’s why you have to keep this little secret inside of
yourself until the contract has your name on it.”

“So, let me get this straight, I have to keep
it in for a few days? Then, after I sign the contract, I could tell
whoever I want?”

“Well, after the contract is signed by you,
you can tell a few people about the movie, but you can never say
how you got the part,” Julienne replied.

Darell was freed by the reporters, fans, and
producers that stopped him from coming over to their table right
away and then started his journey toward them once more.

“Alright, he’s coming now. Remember what I
explained to you a second time,” Julienne said, staring at Darell
walking closer to their table. She smiled, and added with sarcasm,
“I bet you’re glad to see him?”

“Well, actually, I’m kind of glad to see
him,” Jose responded. His soul was still whole and full of the
memories he shared in Sugar Valley, while his mind and heart had
given their places to something much more sinful and un-great.

Darell came up to Jose, gave him a tight hug,
and smiled while saying, “Hey, what’s up? Did you hear the news?
Damen’s going to be in a movie with me.”

They released their arms from each other, and
sat down, with Jose speaking, “Really? That’s great.”

“What are you doing here, Jose?”

“I just came along with Julienne. You
remember Julienne, right?”

Darell looked at Julienne, and smiled,
saying, “Yeah, I remember you, we met you at that Starbox
nightclub.”

Julienne shook his hand, and then got up to
go to the bathroom, “I’ll be right back, gentlemen. I have to go to
the ladies room.”

Julienne started walking away, as Jose
questioned in a tone of phoniness, like he didn’t know it already,
“Well, so Damen’s going to be in a movie with you?”

“Yeah, it’s beginning this February. I can’t
believe all that’s happened to me, and it’s all going to happen to
Damen too,” Darell answered. Jose’s soul went into hiding and his
malice mind took over, feeling the jealousy once again, and the
rage of hearing Damen’s name.

“Yeah, that’s great.” Jose’s voice showed
jealousy, so he his eyes began to look around the room, trying to
make this feeling vanish from sight. He was so jealous toward Damen
and a little bit toward Darell that he couldn’t even look at him.
He then looked back at Darell and asked in an evil manner, “Did I
tell you I’m going to be in a movie too, this February?”

“No, remember I haven’t seen you for seven
months? What’s the movie called?” Darell questioned with a tone of
excitement.

“What?” Jose then stopped his words,
remembering what Julienne warned him about. He wanted so
desperately to tell him about the movie, but he knew he
couldn’t.

“What’s the movie called?”

“Oh, um, I forgot. So much has happened this
week, it must have slipped my mind somehow. I’ll tell you when it
comes to mind again,” Jose responded in a shaky fashion.

Jose Rodrigo wanted to speed along the
conversation, stopping and thinking about how Darell knew him good,
and could tell when he was lying or not. So, he looked at Darell
again, and questioned with speed, “Well, what’s your movie called,
you know the one you’re doing in February?”

“Oh, it’s called ‘The Point of a Well.’ It’s
going to take place in England,” he replied as a waiter came to
their table, taking away the old dishes. “I’m so happy Damen is
gonna be acting in this film too. It’s gonna be cool.”

Jose looked up at the ceiling, feeling the
jealousy returning once again. Hearing Darell talking about the
movie with Damen once more, he tried to control his jealousy, but
couldn’t. His mind and thoughts spun out of control. How did I get
in this position? That’s it, I can’t take it anymore, I’m so sick
of hearing about Damen and Darell together in this movie. I mean,
if Damen was in my position, he would have probably lied and said
the same thing to get the part from me. I might as well tell
Darell.

He looked at Darell’s face and said, “I just
remembered what my movie’s called. It’s called...” Before Jose
could finish his sentence, the waiter interrupted him and gave
Darell a note.

Darell read it, saw that it was from Tom, and
said, “Oh, I’m sorry, Jose. I have to get back to my table now. Hey
listen, tonight I’m gonna sleep in the Beverly Hills Hotel. But
tomorrow I’m coming back home with you guys, at least for a day.”
Mr. Fryer yelled out his name suddenly, having Darell yell back,
“Alright, I’ll be right there.” He got up from his chair and shook
Jose’s hand.

“Why are you only staying for a day?” asked
Jose in a sad way, when in actuality, he was happy. He felt he only
had to keep the secret in for a short time, and that brought relief
to his mind.

“Well, I have to leave for New York the day
after tomorrow, I’m having some photos taken of me for a few
magazine covers. After that, I’m gonna practice my script there for
the movie, that will take a few weeks to do. When all that’s done,
I’m off to England.”

Julienne walked out of the ladies room and
saw Darell talking to Jose, standing up, and looking like he was
ready to leave.

“Alright, then I’ll see you tomorrow,” Jose
said, seeing Darell beginning to walk over to his own table.

Jose stared at Darell’s back for a moment,
watching his tuxedo moving with his body, when out of nowhere, Jose
remembered, evoked something from his thoughts. So, he yelled, “Oh,
Darell, I forgot to tell you, we moved to another location.”

Darell turned around and started walking
toward Jose’s table again, with Julienne walking toward it too,
seeing this all taken place from a short distance. He came back to
the table, as Jose began writing the address down on a cloth
napkin, and said, “So that’s why I couldn’t contact you guys.
What’s your new address?”

He handed the napkin to Darell, saying, “Here
you go, see ya tomorrow.”

Darell began walking back to his own table
when Julienne approached Jose. She sat down next to him and started
looking at Darell in a nervous manner as he reached his table. She
looked back at Jose and rubbed her eyes; the nervousness caused
them to water. She asked, “What did you tell him?”

Jose sat silent, watching Darell sitting down
at his own table, he then turned to Julienne and responded with
stress, “Nothing yet, he knows about Damen. He’s all excited about
Damen being in the movie with him. He’s gonna come home tomorrow
for a day, you know damn well he’s gonna tell Damen about the
movie.”

“Jose, you just have to find some way to
prevent Darell from discussing it with Damen.”