Book 2 - Follows "Crushed."Chapter 1
Christmas Eve, 1996
"Neely, what do you think of these?" Tiffany called out from across the aisle at Nordstrom. I'd been busying myself flipping through a rack of neckties in search of one last gift for Dad.
I looked up and over, snapping my bubblegum loudly. It was a coping mechanism. The gum I mean. Every time I had to engage in some one-on-one time with Tiffany in order to make my father happy, I needed a wad of gum.
She held up a pair of plaid golf pants for my opinion. "Won't these be perfect for the cruise?" she asked in her bubbly voice.
"Yeah, they're great," I lied. "He'll love them."
He'll look like a complete dork, but he'll love them.
The last part was the absolute truth. My father loved everything about Tiffany. Her face, her body, her hair, her words, the air she exhaled. Well, I was probably overly exaggerating on that one, but the rest was true enough. I turned back to the ties, ready to make a selection.
"Or are these better?"
I looked back over to where she was now holding up a pair of bright celery green golf pants that had a bright yellow belt included. "You know, with his yellow Polo shirt. What do you think?"
She was looking at me expectantly, as if my opinion really mattered to her. "Definitely those," I said, putting some conviction in my voice. "I can picture Daddy in those perfectly."
I snickered inwardly. He'd look like something plucked from our garden back in Tennessee. What was it about adults turning pure idiot in the name of love? What magic spell had Tiffany woven so intricately with the delicate heartstrings of my father? It was all totally beyond me.
"Oh, what the hell," she said, releasing a hard sigh of indecision, "I'll get them both I guess. It's not like we can't afford them."
I shrugged and selected a royal blue silk tie for him. Now this was definitely my father. Just then a gaggle of ladies approached. Their stares and excited whispers gave them away immediately.
Fans.
It invariably happened no matter where Tiffany went. I often used that as a reason to beg off from accompanying her. I wish I had today, but her relentless whining had finally won me over.
"Are you Tiffany Blume?" the redheaded lady with dark blue eye shadow asked as the group closed in on my stepmother.
"Why yes," she gushed, giving them an appreciative smile, "yes I am."
"I told you, Elaine!" the lady continued, grabbing for a piece of paper from her shopping bag. "Would you mind terribly giving me your autograph? We all just love your show, Lotus Pointe. Watch it every Thursday night. I even record it on my VCR so I can watch it over and over again."
"So do I," a blonde woman in the group added. "I think you're the best female villain ever."
Tiffany was positively gushing as she took the pen and scribbled her autograph on the pieces of paper being thrust in her face.
"Will Austin come out of his coma before the season ends?" the redhead asked, her forehead creased in concern as if the actor who played Austin on the night time soap was actually in a freakin' coma.
Tiffany giggled her evil 'Libby' giggle--the character she played on Lotus Pointe--and handed the signed paper back to the woman. "Well, you know I'm not supposed to tell, and to be honest, even the cast has been kept in the dark on that one, but let's just say that the producers are trying to negotiate a new contract with Julian…I mean Austin," she corrected so the women would be clear on whom she was talking about, "and rumor has it it's not going well," she finished with a smug wink.
The blonde lady clearly wasn't happy with this little nugget of news, I could tell. I stood there silently and rolled my eyes. There wasn't anything on television that had ever fascinated me the way this show seemed to enrapture these women.
Truth was, I'd only watched about ten minutes of Lotus Pointe one time at Tiffany's prodding. It wasn't as if I wanted to see my stepmother's face or hear her voice anymore than I already did. But she'd whined until I had finally capitulated.
I think she wanted me to see just how villainous of a character she played. In retrospect, maybe that was her way of getting it across to me that she had it in her to be a force to contend with should I ever have the urge to challenge her position within our blended little family.
"They can't write Austin Benedict out!" the blonde woman finally blurted once the implications sunk in, "He's Cassidy Ryan's first love! What will happen to her if he dies?"
Oh, for Christ’s sake!
Tiffany smiled and patted the woman's shoulder comfortingly. "Now don't despair. Remember, anything's possible in Hollywood, dear."
The women finally moved on, chatting away at the possibilities of what might happen with these fictional characters if the actor didn't sign a new contract with the studio.
"Sorry about that," Tiffany said, smiling in faux apology, "Just part of the job. I made a promise to myself long ago that I would always treat my fans with kindness and respect. They are, after all, my bread and butter."
"I guess," I replied, totally disinterested in the whole conversation, not to mention bored. "Are we ready to check out?"
"Oh, yes. Then how about we grab some lunch?"
Perfect.
Not.
"Sure," I conceded as I popped another piece of Bazooka into my mouth, "why not?"
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