Chapter Six

Octopus’s Garden

“So then this wave comes at me and I can either let it pass over me, or I can ride her. And the wave is coming up to meet me and I’m paddling like hell and the next thing you know I’m on the perfect wave that was ever constructed by Mother Earth and it’s just…it was just magic, Penny. Magic.”

 The smoke is hanging above us in a cloud and I nod in approval as he passes the pipe over to me. I usually don’t smoke pot while I’m in the middle of a shoot, but after today’s script reading with Justin, and Valora ripping me a new one because I wasn’t familiar with the beginning of the script, I need to take a load off.

 And Pepper is helping me tenfold.

 “That sounds really awesome, Pepper,” I say before I quickly take a hit. Pepper had been out running around in Long Beach and Huntington, but he’s come back again because he was running out of gas and food money. I keep telling him that he should join up with a surfing school so he can make some extra cash doing something he loves, but he’ll hear none of it.

 “I don’t want to ruin the vibe, man,” is what he tells me every time I bring it up. So he continues to come back to Elle’s house and mine and live in the guest room and supply us with pot that I’m sure he’s growing in the back of his van.

 But that is his Man Cave as Pepper calls it, and we are not allowed to enter under any circumstances.

 “It was awesome. I don’t know if I’ll ever find a wave like that.”

 My brother and I are taking some time to hang out tonight since it seems like we just don’t have the time. Even though Pepper is here every day, I’m the one off at work and when I return, I just go straight to bed. It’s insane because I’ve felt more energy during shoots where I’m putting prosthetics and bullet holes on people, but this production is just sucking the life out of me.

 I don’t know, maybe I’m just getting older.

 Elle is off at a writer’s meeting and I have no idea when she’s going to get back. She might have decided to actually have a life and go out with some of her co-workers. It is Saturday night after all and I hope this is the case. Elle doesn’t get out much because she’s a slave to her craft. It would be great if she could go out and let loose.

 The text message alert goes off suddenly on my phone and it makes both Pepper and I jump. We look at each other and start to giggle uncontrollably. Looks like the drugs are taking their effect. Thank God.

 “Who is that?” Pepper questions as I look down at my screen. I can’t hide the smile that spread across my face when I realize it’s from Jude.

 “No one,” I say quickly and put the phone in my pocket. I’ll make some excuse to use the bathroom and then go off and respond in a couple of minutes.

 Pepper gives me a knowing glance and sends a wink my way. I purse my lips and shake my head to indicate I don’t want him to bring it up.

 Jude and I are just friends. End of story.

 So why is my heart flipping around like a dolphin at Sea World?

 “Wanna go watch Labyrinth?” Pepper asks suddenly and I grin widely, nodding like an idiot. “I’m gonna go get chips and dip. Get the movie ready, Penny Lane.”

 I reach out and try to muss with his mess of blonde curls, but he evades my grasp and disappears into the house.

 Once he’s gone I immediately pull out my phone and look at Jude’s text message.

 ‘Hey there, love. Enjoying the night off?’

 ‘Just spending the evening with my brother. V. chill.’

 I shove my phone back in my pocket and head inside to get the movie ready. Something tells me I won’t be able to stop eating and laughing at David Bowie.

 Best. Saturday. Night. Ever.

--

 Pepper and I have made it an hour into Labyrinth when my phone starts ringing loudly in my pocket. I’m already somewhat miffed because Jude hasn’t responded to my text message so I nearly catapult off the couch when my phone begins to jingle.

 “Where’s the fire?” Pepper asks with a laugh as he pauses the film. I motion for him to keep going, because I could probably recite this entire film by heart.

 I ignore his question and head into the kitchen. I glance at the clock on the microwave and notice that it’s just past midnight. If Jude thinks he’s going to be getting a booty call he’s sorely mistaken.

 But when I manage to focus on the caller ID I see that it isn’t Jude, but Holly.

 “Holly? What’s going on?”

 “Penny? Can you hear me?” It sounds like she’s been crying. Great. Who did she stab with an eye pencil this time?

 “Are you all right?”

 “No. Can you come get me?” I pull the phone away from my ear and look down at it. What the hell?

 “Um. Where are you? Where’s your car?”

 And soon Holly is telling me how she had left the studio lot with Justin who asked if she wanted to go to a party that evening. And now she was in some residential community of Beverly Hills stranded because Justin wouldn’t drive her back to her car or phone her a cab.

 “And I left my wallet in my car so I have no way of paying a cab driver myself,” she wails and I can tell she’s also been drinking. “I didn’t know who else to call, Penny. I’m sorry.”

 Just like that most of my buzz is gone. Awesome.

 “It’s okay,” I say with a sigh as I turn around and grab my purse off of the counter. It’s going to take me at least forty minutes to get to Beverly Hills from my house. “I’ll come get you.”

 “It’s just he won’t help me because I wouldn’t sleep with him,” Holly blurts out and now what was left of my buzz has been replaced with anger.

 Is this man for real right now?

 “I’ll be right there, Holly. What’s the address?”

 I hang up the phone after Holly has relayed the address and throw it into my purse. I careen into the living room so I can make my way to the front door. Pepper is still engrossed with the film.

 “Where you going?”

 “I have to go rescue one of my coworkers in Beverly Hills.”

 “I’ll come with,” Pepper groans as he pulls his lumbering frame off of the couch. “You shouldn’t venture into such dangerous places on your own.”

 I don’t say anything. I could use the company, honestly.

 Forty minutes later and I’m trying to find somewhere to park my Prius on a very busy residential street in Beverly Hills. There are cars parked everywhere and I can see a house in the distance lit up like the Fourth of July. I’m guessing that’s where I’ll find Holly.

 “So what does she look like?” Pepper asks as he opens up the sunroof and pokes his upper body out. 

 “Brown hair, petite, her name is Holly…”

 “HOLLY? HOLLY? IT’S PENNY AND PEPPER! HOLLY!” Pepper is screaming like a lunatic out the sunroof and I’m surprised he hasn’t turned on any car alarms with the piercing ferocity of his voice. A dog starts barking in the distance and I shake my head in disdain.

 “Pepper would you get back in the damn car?” I grab the bottom of his T-shirt and try to yank him back inside but he suddenly starts waving his arms and jumping up and down on my passenger seat.

 “I see her! I see her! Move forward young Penny! Move forward!”

 I must be the only normal person in this entire family.

 My headlights illuminate a figure standing on the sidewalk in front of the well-lit house. She’s got her arms crossed against her chest and I notice the mascara running down her face. I park my car in front of the driveway and hurry over to my blubbering makeup artist.

 The fact that she’s acting this way when I told Justin not to go sniffing around infuriates me to no end.

 “Thank you for coming to get me,” she manages to get out through her furious tears. I wrap an arm around her shoulders and lead her over to my car. Pepper has gotten out and has opened the back door so she can climb in.

 “It’s no problem. Is Justin still in the house?” I ask her as Pepper assists her into the car. She nods and I immediately turn around and start to march up the long driveway.

 “Penny, where are you going?” Pepper calls after me, but I ignore him. I know he’ll stay with Holly. I just hope he doesn’t forget where he is and leaves me stranded here. That’s the last thing I need when I have an eight AM call tomorrow morning.

 It takes me five more minutes to stalk up the driveway that’s completely jam-packed with cars. There are people sitting on the lawn in various stages of undress and it looks like a frat party rather than some swanky Hollywood bash.

 The front doors are big enough to drive Pepper’s VW Van through and they’re wide open to let partygoers in and out freely. The foyer is massive and I feel like you could fit three of my houses in there. The place is alive with bodies flittering this way and that no doubt trying to network movie deals or score some drugs.

 It’s this side of Hollywood that I hate with a passion.

 “Excuse me,” I grab the nearest person I can find. It takes me a moment to realize that it’s one of Hollywood’s up and coming actresses with a huge bag of cocaine in her hands. She looks at me as if I’m a homeless person from Santa Monica who’s somehow wandered into this party by accident, “Can you tell me where Justin Timberlake is?”

 She points wordlessly towards the first room right off the entrance of the foyer. I thank her, and rush off towards the direction of loud laughter and copious amounts of swearing. I can only hope Justin is some kind of coherent state that he can listen to what I have to say.

--

 I have no idea who’s hosting this party. I don’t even know why I showed up – I think one of my model lady friends texted me earlier today and told me to turn up at this place in Beverly Hills.

 So here I am.

 People are coming and going with the force of a tidal wave so I just stick to my seat on a plush couch in what I can only assume is the living room. Women have been throwing themselves on me all night and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy the attention. It’s pretty awesome, but I do feel bad for kicking Holly to the curb. Sorry, but you don’t put the breaks on when you’ve been giving me the green light for the past few weeks. 

 “You’re going to win the Oscar next year, aren’t you?” a girl who’s legs are perched across my lap croons at me as she nurses a vodka and cranberry.

 “I can only hope,” I return with a wink that sends her into a fit of giggles.

 She’s about to say something else, but suddenly she’s been hoisted off the couch and in her place is a very out of place, and very displeased Penelope Asherbee.

 “Hey! I was sitting there!” Vodka Cranberry cries out indignantly as she pushes herself back to her feet.

 “Sorry,” Penny calls over her shoulder but I can just make out an edge in her usually calm voice.

 “What are you doing here?” I ask her, “Finally letting loose and getting with the party?”

 “No. I’m not. Can we go somewhere and talk?”

 “I’m enjoying myself right where I am, thanks,” I respond coldly. Why is she trying to be such a buzzkill?

 “Yeah, that’s not good enough,” she shakes her head, and before I can figure out what’s happening, she’s grabbed my arm and pulled me up from the couch, a cry of protest rising in every eligible woman’s throat.

 “Let me go!” I yell and I try to look at someone in the party to give me some assistance, but they all seem to think this is some joke. Guys are throwing me the thumbs up and girls are looking quite upset that it seems like I’m spoken for.

 Penny doesn’t stop her incessant pulling until we’ve made it into the backyard of the house. There are people swimming in the pool and trying to climb over some random statues situated in the gardens.

 “What the fuck, Penny?” My buzz is seriously taking a toll here. I’m going to need to do a few more shots to get back up to the party.

 “I could ask you the same question, Justin,” Penny seethes and suddenly the light switch turns on.

 “Oh, is this about Holly?”

 “God are you that much of a dumbass? I don’t care what you do in your personal life, Justin. Please look at my face and look at all the fucks I give. See? There are none. But, what I do give a fuck about is you treating one of my coworkers, and one of yours as well, like a sex object or someone who is less worthy than you. I’d expect that from Valora, but not from you.

 “I told you earlier today that I don’t like how you treat women and this further cements my opinion. The fact that I had to drive down here and tell you that to your face again really pisses me off and I hope that you realize that not only did you ruin my night, but you also ruined my brother’s night and Holly’s, too.

 “You told me earlier today to mind my own business, but I’m past that now. When you go after one of my friends, someone on my team, and hurt them like you’ve hurt Holly, then it becomes my business. So stay the fuck away from her Justin. Stay away from her, stay away from Raven; fuck stay away from Corbin if you ever feel inclined to swing that way. And stay away from me. As of right now, we are on professional terms only. And that goes for the rest of my team.”

 Wow. That’s the only thing I can think of when I look at Penny’s incensed expression and the way her chest is heaving up and down with the effort it took to give me a massive telling off. And I’ve never heard her swear before, so the fact that she’s flinging f bombs almost every other word has also rendered me speechless.

 “Uh…” is all I can muster and she narrows her gaze and suddenly I feel like I’m two feet tall.

 “Enjoy the rest of your party. I’ll see you at work tomorrow.”

 And without another word she’s heading back for the house, her wavy hair, flip flops, flowing tie-dye skirt and black tank top completely standing out from all the short dresses and done up hair that make up the rest of the crowd.

 I can only stand there, my buzz completely destroyed, and think about what a complete ass I’ve been.