“I don’t normally come here anymore, but it was such a nice night and it’s been a long week. I thought I’d stop by. Take a breather.”
I nodded.
“I meant to drive home after grabbing some firewood, but I came to think of all the times I drove down Mulholland back in the day and I couldn’t resist… It’s still the same wonderful feeling, you know.”
Jeff smiled.
“I do. Never grows old. Unlike us. But you look fabulous.”
His blue eyes traveled all over me, making me self-conscious. I was glad that I was wearing a pair of nice jeans, a cozy but figure hugging ivory sweater and matching ivory coat, as well as the sexy boots. The multi-colored scarf I’d wrapped around my neck, on the other hand…well, I was still me. Colorful clothes and hippie glamour included.
“Thanks. Older, but still fabulous is how I like to view it. You don’t look so bad yourself. Still doing stunts?”
He grinned at me, sheepishly.
“I don’t think I’ll ever grow out of the habit, but I should. Too many broken bones.”
Same old Jeff then — never could resist an adventure.
“Good. You’ll help me climb that fence then. While yoga has kept me fit, I haven’t scaled a fence in many years. Especially not in heels.”
***
A few minutes later, I found myself sitting, looking out over the City of Angels, with my old friend Jeff. We’d always been good friends back in the day — we used to like partying and surfing together.
“So, tell me, what happened to you in the past fifteen, or so, years?” Jeff asked, after we’d stared at the beauty before us in silence for a few moments.
“Well, let’s see. I got married. I moved to a big lovely house in Wood Creek. I gave drama classes to children and as I kept my contacts with casting directors in L.A., I made a few kids famous and became quite popular. That’s about it.”
Jeff looked surprised. Probably because that’s not much for fifteen years.
“And how’s Bill? Kids?”
I shook my head.
“No kids. I left Bill. About five weeks ago.”
Jeff’s eyes widened.
“Wow.”
“Yeah. Wow. Moved back to the canyon. I wanted to go home, Jeff. And I wanted to act again. Not just teach, though thankfully that brings in the money. I know it’s crazy, but it’s what I want to do. Act. Bill cheated and I was miserable for years. Not that he wasn’t nice in other ways, that’s why I stayed for as long as I did, but I wanted kids, I wanted to act… I should have left a long time ago.”
Jeff nodded, looking sad.
“I’m sorry to hear that. But you know, life is now. Yesterday is gone. You’re finally doing what you love, by the sound of it.”
I gave him a small smile. I still felt the hurt in my chest. It was hard not to beat myself up as well — I’d fallen for the oldest trap in the world: staying with someone you don’t really want because youreallywant just a part of them.
“And you?” I asked. “Whatever happened to you?”
A sad smile played across Jeff’s lips.
“In a way you can say I’ve been incredibly lucky. I worked my way up as a stuntman without any major injuries. Then I became a stunt coordinator. Rattled up enough money to make a movie that became a blockbuster. An action film, of course. Filled with my famous, or infamous if you so like, stunts. Invested wisely from there, which allowed me to keep making action movies. Got rich. Got married. You know me — I always loved playing the field, but Jen was different. Made me want to settle down. Maybe because she herself was so unsettled — an actress always away filming, or away with the fairies doing some artistic project, like re-decorating the house in fifty different colors. But she had problems. Alcohol. Then drugs. Lots of them. In and out of rehab. I was never into the drugs, so I thought I could help her. But I also never understood how drugs could alter a person. In the end, she couldn’t take it anymore. She overdosed. On purpose.”
“Oh Jeff, I’m so sorry,” I said, feeling horrible.
“It’s been four years. And I still have my son with me; Shaun.”
