Chapter Eleven

Wow! We're at Chapter Eleven already. It's been almost two weeks since I started writing this amazingly witty BLOG. I'm sure you all (or y'all since I live in Texas) are totally excited. I know I am. This is fun. Right? I think so, but it would be even better if I had more followers. Encourge your friends, neighbors, people you pass in the grocery, etc. to become followers. I want to see at least 10 by the end of next week. That's my goal, and goals are a good thing. I need your help in getting there, though. Help!!

I'm going to keep it short tonight. It's been a long week and an even longer day. I'm so sleepy and a little sick. Woe is me. Whine! Sorry, it's a bad habit of mine. I whine when I don't feel good. Ask anyone. I'm a horrible sick person. Unfortunately, my mind also shuts off when I'm sick. I become decidly dull, so to save you, I'll go straight into Chapter 11. I'll be back tomorrow; I promise. Since it's Labor Day weekend, I'll get to sleep in and be back to full form tomorrow.

Smile... Did you like Chapter 10? Stupid, naive Kate, but I don't know. If you're going to throw up, what better place to do it than in a superstar's arms? Gross, I know.... Unfortunately, like all of us who have had a little too much to drink before, Kate must face the music the day after. Poor thing.

Chapter 11

The thump, thump of intense pounding shot through my head as I woke. I had the overpowering sensation that my mouth was full of cotton. I curled slowly onto my side and groaned, praying for a glass of death and a glass of water.
Oh, God!!! I groaned again as the memory of the previous night’s events came flooding back. Where was I? I could remember the club, Logan, puking…… After that it all went blank.
“Kate? Are you okay?” The handsome face of Logan St. James leaned over me like something out of a dream. Of course, feeling like I did, it couldn’t be a dream. It would have to be a nightmare and that didn’t make sense. Logan St. James could never be someone’s nightmare.
Oh, GOOD God!!
“Kate! Answer me!” Logan’s voice held a hint of panic.
“Where am I?” I was afraid to guess.
“In my suite. I couldn’t take you home in the condition you were in last night.” That was what I’d been afraid of……
“How’d you find me?” He’d swept in and saved me from myself like a guardian angel, but the pieces of the puzzle weren’t fitting together.
“I heard Savannah making plans for the night. I’ve seen her version of fun, so I wanted to make sure you were okay. I’m sorry I didn’t get to you sooner. It took me awhile to find the right club.” Thank God he came. Otherwise, who knew how much further it would have gone. Mom was going to be so mad…..
“Mom!! She’ll be terrified,” I yelped. I struggled to get up, unprepared for the wave of dizziness that hit me with my change in position. When I swayed unsteadily, Logan gently gripped my shoulders and pushed me back to a reclining position.
“Don’t worry. I took care of it. After you passed out, I called Savannah and asked her to call your Mom. She thinks you slept at Savannah’s. I made sure nobody saw us going into the hotel together.” His eyes held a look of disgust as he bit out Savannah’s name.
“Thank you, Logan. I’m so embarrassed. I owe you.” Visions of puking in his arms flashed through my pounding head, causing me to curl into a fetal position and groan in mortification.
This was Logan St. James. Every girl’s dream. And I’d puked in his arms. Oh, HEAVENLY GOD!!!
“It’s no problem. We’ve all been there. I spent several stupid months after my first big movie celebrating just like you did last night. I finally realized it wasn’t worth it, but it took a lot of mornings like you’re having right now.”
“That’s not me. I swear it. It just sort of happened. Please believe me,” I said, pleading with my eyes. He had to understand. I didn’t know exactly why, but it was vitally important he understood the real me wasn’t the girl he saved last night. The real me didn’t get drunk and make-out with some strange man whose name I couldn’t even remember. I shook my head to clear the image, regretting the motion when the evil little men in my head increased the tempo of their pounding.
“I know. Savannah has a lot to answer for.” His eyes were cold with restrained anger.
“It wasn’t Savannah. She’s been a great friend. I was stupid. I’m not used to all of this yet.” His eyes flashed at my words. I sank back a little further into the pillows, waiting for his temper to explode.
As quickly as his anger flared, Logan’s eyes calmed and grew tender. “You’re a nice girl, Kate Swanson. And a better friend than Savannah deserves. Why don’t you go and shower? I sent my assistant to your house for some clean clothes. They should be in the bathroom.” He stood from his position on the edge of the bed, helping me up to a standing position. Reaching down to lightly kiss me on the forehead, he pointed me in the direction of the bathroom.
“I need to get to set. We start filming today. Playing the villain is going to be fun. I get to kidnap Anna’s daughter, Sarah. Nothing like having an excuse to push Savannah around!” His eyes sparkled with malicious expectation.
I felt sorry for Savannah. Logan seemed to be blaming her for everything.
Logan paused before continuing, “Don’t worry about your Mom. I did my best to calm her, but you might want to be prepared. She’ll have seen the pictures, and there are a lot of them. Just apologize and promise never to do it again.” He kissed my forehead again before leaving the room.
Following Logan’s directions – because let’s face it, I obviously couldn’t manage to take care of myself, I showered. As promised, a pair of jeans and a t-shirt waited for me on the counter, along with my toiletries and make-up. I’d have to remember to thank Logan again for his kindness.
The pounding dulled to a light rhythmic thump by the time I completed getting ready for the day. I hadn’t even thought about how I would get home until I walked out of the bedroom area and found my keys sitting on a small desk by the front door. A note directed me to the parking garage where my little blue car was parked. Logan’s assistant again – yet another thank-you to add to my list.
The house was quiet when I got home. I knew it would be; mom would still be on set, but this time I was glad. I needed the extra time to process my colossal stupidity. If the paparazzi only caught half of my behavior last night, it’d be enough to get me in the worse trouble of my life. It wasn’t until I heated up one of the silver packets of food in the refrigerator (my stomach had finally calmed enough for food) that I dared open Mom’s computer and face the music.
They were worse than I thought they would, or maybe they were just worse than I had deluded myself they’d be. The ones of Savannah and me entering the restaurant were fine (I looked great!), but after that, they went downhill quickly. In the pictures of Savannah and me leaving the restaurant, my eyes were glazed and overly perky as I waved to the cameras. Then there were those of Savannah and me entering the nightclub – again with glazed and happy eyes. At least I wasn’t still waving. The worst ones were those of Savannah and me in the VIP section of the club. I hadn’t even noticed a photographer. In most of them, I held a glass of clear liquid. In all of them, a group of older, admiring guys surrounded me. Oh, and the pictures of Logan hauling a nearly comatose me out of the club. Those were my favorite.
Oh, Crap!!
When I finished looking at the pictures, I dared to pull out my phone and glance at the missed calls. Mom, Dad, Erik, Melanie…….. They were all there. Since Dad was texting illiterate, at least I was spared a text message from him. Mom, Erik, and Melanie, unfortunately, were adept.
There was only one message from Mom – “I’ll see you at home tonight. Be there. We will talk.” Not unexpected. Even so, my stomach jumped and a fresh wave of nausea engulfed me. I was in big trouble.
There were at least five messages from both Erik and Melanie – each message getting progressively more frantic. Shoot! What could I tell them? Rather than talk to them directly, I fired off texts telling them not to worry. Pictures weren’t always what they seemed. I was fine. What I left unsaid was that pictures sometimes failed to show how bad a situation really was. Heck, if the pictures truly showed everything, they would show my near-intimate moment with a complete stranger. Small favors, but………
Finally, I sent a text to Savannah explaining I would likely be grounded for the rest of my life.
Then I took some ibuprofen and went to sleep, partially to hide from the world and partially because the little men started pounding again.
I was still asleep when Mom got home. The slam of the front door startled me awake, and I struggled to sit up. The delicate clap of her heals announced her climb up the stairs and turn towards my room, I knew this discussion wasn’t going to wait until I had a chance to fully wake up. As she entered my room, I could tell by her look that Mom wouldn’t have any sympathy for my infirmities. Ha! She’d likely say I deserved the pain. I hated to admit it, but I agreed with her.
“Kathryn Raquel Swanson! I cannot believe I am having this conversation with my daughter. Never before have I had reason to be ashamed of you. This morning changed all that. I’m very disappointed in you.” Her words started out angry but calmed to the reasonable, sad tone parents take when they want to make you feel really guilty. It worked.
“I’m sorry, Mom.” I hung my head and looked at the floor.
“What were you thinking, Kate?
“I wasn’t, Mom. One minute I was having dinner. The next I was out of control.” I mumbled my words, still looking at the floor.
“ I can’t believe you pulled poor Logan into this mess. He’s such a nice young man. I was mortified to even look at him this morning.” Shit! It was one thing to think it to myself, but to have Mom verbalize my thoughts only made it worse.
“I know, Mom. I already told him I’m sorry.” And would repeat my apology every day for the next eighty years or so, assuming he ever talked to me again.
“Savannah is a bad influence. I don’t want you around her.” My head snapped up at her words. Not be around Savannah? Why did everyone blame Savannah? I wasn’t a child; I made my own mistakes.
“Savannah’s my friend, Mom. She’s really helping me get settled. It wasn’t her fault I acted so stupid.” I looked directly into her eyes.
“Savannah Sears is a manipulative bitch who is using you to get back at me for taking over “her” role as Anna. Don’t delude yourself into thinking this is about you, Kate. I’ve seen girls like Savannah before. They don’t do anything for anyone but themselves. Her mistake was trying to get to me through my daughter!” Mom’s eyes were furious.
How dare she talk that way about Savannah? I was not naïve or stupid. Savannah might be a bit self-centered, but she was my friend. Besides, how could Mom know? She was too busy with Kyle! Handsome, wonderful, EX-FIANCE Kyle was keeping her very busy!
“Savannah’s done more to help me get used to being Kate Broucheriou than you have, Mother.” I was boiling mad and let it show in my voice.
“Kate Broucheriou? What are you talking about, Kate?” Her expression was puzzled.
“Do you honestly believe I can be Kate Swanson here? Here I am Bridgette Broucheriou’s daughter. Kate Swanson is gone.” Looking into her eyes, I knew she didn’t understand.
“You are and will always be Kate Swanson. Who do you think “Kate Broucheriou” is?”
“Kate Broucheriou is sure of herself, poised, and wears nice clothes. Kate Broucheriou doesn’t get scared or nervous or embarrassed. Kate Broucheriou doesn’t care half as much about her mother lying to her for the past sixteen years about Kyle Thomas as Kate Swanson does. When were you going to tell me, Mom?”
A panicked look entered her expressive eyes, but she spoke calmly, “You can’t possibly understand what you’re talking about, Kate. Who told you?”
“Savannah. She told me all about how you and Kyle were engaged. He was your first love, Mom, and you didn’t even bother to tell me.” Tears streamed from my eyes almost causing me to miss the quick expression of relief that crossed Mom’s face.
“The fact that Kyle and I were engaged was never relevant. I don’t see why it matters.”
“It matters because you never got over him, Mom. It matters because now you’re back together, and you’ve forgotten all about me!” The tears continued to stream down my face. I attempted to hide my anguish, pulling my blanket over my face to hide my eyes.
“Katie, honey. Is that what you think? I love you more than anything else in the world. You are my world. I’m sorry if this is all a shock to you, but never think that I’ve forgotten you. Kyle and I are just friends. That’s all.” I peaked from beneath the covers to search her eyes for a lie, finding none. Of course, she was an actress.
In spite of my doubts, I lowered the blanket to stare at her for a moment before throwing myself into her arms. Rather than quieting, the tears turned to full sobs as I let loose all of the stress and fears of the past days. I wanted to believe my mom. I really did. I needed her too much. As she patted my back, it occurred to me that perhaps I was being selfish. Why couldn’t I accept that my Mom might find love again? No, it wasn’t Mom finding love I resented. It was Kyle Thomas. I wasn’t selfish at all; it was self-preservation. Every cell in my body was certain I didn’t want Kyle Thomas anywhere near my mother or me. Something was wrong. Something didn’t feel right, and I wasn’t about to risk either one of us to figure out what it was.

© 2008-2009 Elizabeth Johnson