Our Mennonite helpers were also working on the orchards to cull out old or dead trees and plant new ones. The local furniture maker took all the cherry wood. The black walnut trees were in good shape, and they’d planted a new section of late-harvest apples.
On the goat front, she hadn’t had to off any of them after the one she’d used for our ‘Chicago’ dinner with Wolf, Tim, and Tami’s families. I would think seeing their friend taken out would have snapped them into line. I never did learn what the poor guy had done to deserve his fate.
Yuri’s grandmother talked to me for a minute and told me I had to come visit so she could cook for me. Grandma Dawson warned me that might not be a good idea because she was getting fat. In the background, I heard, “He too skinny.”
◊◊◊
“Uhm … God, yes … right there,” Bianca whimpered as I gave her a massage.
There was a knock at the door.
“Don’t get it,” Bianca pleaded.
I swatted her greedy butt and left her lying on my bed. I looked out the peephole and saw it was Sarita.
“Yes?” I asked as I blocked her entry into the room.
“We need to talk,” she said as she pushed me out of the way.
“What about?” I asked.
“You need to help me get an apartment since you got me kicked out of my home. It’s the least you can do since Cassidy hurt my dad. Did you know he has ringing in his ear now?” Sarita asked.
Paul had been right. As far as Cassidy knocking her dad out, I figured it was either him or me. I was a little selfish when it came to who she’d try her new trick on; I would pick him every time. But I decided to play along.
“How much is it going to cost to get you a new apartment?” I asked.
“Ten grand should cover it,” she started, when Bianca came out of the bedroom.
I’d told her about Sarita, so she was up to speed.
“Are you serious? Most people can support their families on $1200 a year. Are you looking to live in some luxury place just because you think he can afford it?” Bianca asked.
Sarita had the grace to blush. She recognized one of her idols.
“He was able to pay four or five hundred a night when we were going out. I didn’t think it would be a problem,” she admitted.
Bianca gave me a look.
“He made me pay for dinner,” she mock-complained.
“But I’m worth it,” I said.
“
I wasn’t sure what she said, but I thought
I stepped over to my dresser, where I kept some extra money. I counted out a thousand bucks and handed it to her.
“This is it. I don’t want to see you or your dad ever again.”
Sarita nodded, and I let her out. I found Bianca where I originally left her.
“Where were we?” I asked.
“You were making me feel better.”
“Ah, yes. Let’s get back to that, shall we?”
She just moaned her pleasure as I got back to work.
◊◊◊ Friday June 3
“What are you doing?” Bianca asked.
“Sketching you,” I said and showed her my drawing.
The morning light and the image of her lying in my bed had inspired me to get out my sketchpad and pencils.
“Can I have it?” she asked.
I signed it and then tore it off the pad. It wasn’t complete, but you got the broad strokes. For goofing off, it was more than enough, as far as I was concerned.
I heard the door open and wasn’t surprised when Cassidy came in. She took in the scene and gave me a smirk.
“The movie’s back on. You need to get downstairs and eat. They want to get started right away,” she announced.
I shooed Cassidy out and then crawled back into bed with Bianca.
“What are your plans for the day?” I asked.
“I have a show tonight. Is it okay if I stop by after I’m done? It might be late.”
“You have a key.”
I took my shower and got dressed. When I came out, I saw she’d fallen back to sleep. Bianca was used to sleeping until late morning because she didn’t usually get to bed until after midnight. I was more of a morning person now. It hadn’t been that way when I was younger, but my routine of getting up to run for the past three years had changed that.
◊◊◊
The atmosphere on set, while somber, was much better; the tension level was way down from where it had been before. I discovered that the venom Laurent had spewed hadn’t only been at me. He’d also verbally abused the crew who now seemed more focused, and you could tell they wanted to make Kitty look good.
The end result was that my acting was also much better. I’d thought I could put aside the insults that Laurent had thrown my way and still do a good job. What my performance today showed was that I’d been holding back due to fear of what he would say. Kitty Ellis and her directorial technique put me at ease and encouraged me to take chances.
She also wasn’t worried about Laurent’s wrath anymore. Her direction could be summed up in what she told Heath between takes.
