Chapter 18

The open gate was in a stone wall, and looked like an electric one, with a speaker set into the gatepost. The gravel drive led towards the house, but I saw older farm sheds on either side as we entered. The house was a barn conversion, single storey for most of it, but I could see a second storey towards the back, on both sides.

We were met by the agent, who just opened the doors and let us look everywhere. There were more bedrooms that I knew what to do with, and too many toilets for one person to clean and still earn a living. It was ‘U’ shaped. With the high ceilings and roof braces showing.

The main reception room was the front of the building, with one wing having a large, empty, room off the lounge, with mirrors, which the agent said had been used as a gym. It would make a wonderful rehearsal room. Next was a home office, fully connected, and then the large bedroom suite. I looked in the huge master bedroom and asked Jeff if he liked it. I think that the gleam in his eyes said it all. There was a door, at the end of the corridor, which led straight into a fully furnished, new-build, annex, with open plan downstairs and two bedrooms and a bathroom upstairs.

The other wing led off the dining area, straight into a chef’s kitchen, and then to another corridor, with a laundry, then three bedrooms, all ensuite, and another door to the second annex, the mirror image of the other one. The corridors, on both sides, looked into the enclosed garden that would be wonderful to laze in, with a drink besides you, while reading screen plays.

As I looked around, things that had passed through my mind came back to me. I thought of a driver, a butler or maid, and a cook. Here, I could employ all three and house them. I asked Jeff, straight out, if he would live here, with me, and he gave me a hug and a deep kiss. I told Michael and the agent to work with the paperwork and let me know when I could move in.

The agent told me that I could move in as soon as they saw the money. Michael took out his phone, pressed a few buttons, asked for the account details and the amount needed to pay for six months. While they were doing the business, Jeff and I looked at the outside. There had been a tennis court next to the back fence, from seeing the high wire netting that was still there with floodlights, but the garden side was now fully open, with a shelter that housed an outside chemical toilet, barbeque, and kitchen units. I could see big outdoor parties. The garden was sheltered by high bushes with poplar trees as windbreaks.

The land was, I guessed, about two acres, and when we looked in the farm sheds near the entrance, we found one had been set up with an artificial turf and goalposts, the pitch big enough to play five-a-side. The shed on the other side was a garage with space enough for about a dozen cars. Back inside, the business had been done and the money transfer verified. The agent handed me several bunches of keys.

“Welcome to your new home, Miss Leigh. When I saw your film, I couldn’t have guessed that I would be standing next to you. My wife cried at the credits.”

“You can tell her that I still do, and I’ve seen it about six times. This house is perfect for me with movements in my career. Jeff will be in the next film, with me, and we’re going to be in the U.S. for a few months. Is there a security service?”

“There is, and a cleaning service and gardening. They have all been looking after the house since the soccer player that was living here went to play in Spain. They have keys, so it wouldn’t be a problem to keep them on. I’ll arrange it for you and email your agents the alteration in fees. We will cover the first six months, as we had contracted for almost that time, anyway.”

Michael nodded and we had a last look around before leaving. The agent showed me all the doors that the keys opened and gave me a bit of paper with the security code and showed me the three keypads that could be used, coming, or going. He asked that if I changed the code, to let him know, so the security could be notified.

He left us and I showed Michael the two sheds and the party area at the back. He, like me, thought that it was perfect for hosting gatherings of our friends. I was already planning a party for the other girls, and their partners, as a housewarming. We set the alarms, locked up and left the house. On the way out, I found a fob with a button, and pressed it as we went through the gate, with it closing behind us.

Michael took us both back to the office. Horatio had received a bunch of contracts for the next film. All the other girls were there for both, with decent up-front payments. I signed mine, and Jeff signed his. He had been offered two million a film, not bad for a guy who hasn’t yet graced a screen. I knew that a lot of the others were with different agencies, so the negotiations would be up to them. Jim told us that our bonus would be paid in, overnight, with the rest deposited over the next three months.

Horatio took us aside and spoke about savings and investments. He explained how easy it was to be cast aside with nothing. I signed an agreement for the agency to invest half of my net earnings into blue-chip stocks. He also showed me another piece of paperwork which would make my future different.

It was an application to set up my own company, which would give me tax breaks, employ people, and claim costs in carrying on the business, such as equipping my lovely new office. With that, I could have that cook and that driver, if I wanted them. This all placed me squarely in the sights of the taxation office, somewhere I had only known that my passengers had worried about. I filled it in, with my new address that was on one of the keyrings, with just my work mobile and email address as electronic contact. For a company name, I thought long and hard, and put down ‘Julialee Holdings’.

Horatio said that it would all be in place when I was out of the hospital. That made me stop and think. I was booked to go there on Tuesday, which left me five days to get my life in order. I asked Jeff if he wanted to shift to the house, and if we could do it together. His smile, and kiss, was all I needed.

When we left the office, we hailed a taxi to take us home to my place first. Jeff said that he would hire a van so that we could move on Thursday and Friday, and that he would see to getting the house ready when I came home to it. I went up to the apartment that had been my home for some years, feeling a little wistful at saying goodbye.

I sat and made lists. I looked in the wardrobe and drawers, I looked in cupboards and the fridge. I listed all the items that I had bought since I moved in, as it had been partially furnished. I made sure that I listed my bedding and cleaning items, and the washing machine that I had bought before I found the laundromat. I knew that the house had everything in it, but I wanted to leave no loose ends. When I thought about the house, I made another list. On that was office equipment, assorted electrical goods and good televisions. Jeff could sort some of that out before I joined him.

The shops were still open, so I went to a large hardware store, buying a toolbox with a bunch of tools for use around the house. I had a guy carry them to my car, using some boxes from their pile by the check-outs. These would come in handy to transport my old foodstuffs. Too busy to sit and eat, I went through a fast-food servery on the way home. That evening, I emailed the agency that handled the tower, telling them that I was giving my lease up, and asking them to let me know how quickly I could leave. I spent a pleasant evening packing my cases.

Jeff rang while I was having breakfast. He was getting a cab to take him to pick up a Transit and would load some of his things that he could move single-handed. Then he would come by my place, and we could load up the easier things of mine. That gave me time to finish eating, clean up, and get dressed in an old tee, jeans, and a plain sweater, with my boots. I had the cases by the door before he knocked, with just enough picked out to see me dressed if we needed to do more the next day.

When he arrived, we put my things in the back, along with his, with boxes of household items. When I looked around, there was nothing we could move today. I pointed out the washing machine and settee I had bought, and he said he had a few bigger items left at his place. On the way to the house, we stopped at a hardware store and bought a sack-truck, putting it in the back.

At the house, I discovered that the master bed was bigger than anything we had, so I took some measurements, using my new tape, and then went to look at all the other beds. The annexes and three spare rooms were the same size as my old bed, so we left one set of sheets in each room. We thought we would have to buy blankets, but Jeff found doonas in the wardrobes. We saw that there was central heating, but nothing had been turned on, so we found the controls and got it going for a steady twenty degrees C. The wardrobes were so vast in the master bedroom that the clothes that were busting out of my old one now only looked like I had just started collecting.

Jeff filled a separate wardrobe, and we allocated the drawers. We stopped, every now and then, to hug and kiss. When we had cleared the van, I suggested that he should give Larry a call, to see if he was available to help with the bigger things. I said that I’d treat them to a good dinner. When Jeff rang, he asked the question, listened for a while, grinned, and told Larry that we would pick them up in a couple of hours.

“Them?” I queried.

“You know how Larry would always put the two of us and our friendship down?”

I nodded.

“He discovered who you really were on that flight. It was his mother that saw it first, and when he realised that it wasn’t a problem for her, he finally had the courage to tell her that he’s gay. That’s why he never had girlfriends for long. He has been in a relationship with another boy for a while and now he’s out in the open.”

“So, it was all a double bluff! Who’s the boy?”

“Do you remember Brendon, the mad soccer player?”

“Him! He was built like a brick outhouse when he was fifteen. So, Larry is now a bottom?”

“That is something I don’t know and have no desire to even think about. Anyway, with Bren helping, all of the furniture will be a doddle. I’d better get in a dozen beers for the after-move social, before you buy us all dinner. Where are you taking us, anyway?”

“If I pick up my car when we load my stuff, I’ll lead you back here. That way, I can take the others when you take the van back, then we can go to see Mama Alcone.”

We went and had lunch, and then we stopped at Larry’s house. We were invited in, with his mother still enraptured by the film. Brendon was there, still a big guy, but far more engaging than I remembered him. Perhaps, at school, he had been bottling up his own true feelings. When we got away, we went to Jeff’s place first, loading up a couple of chairs, his bedside cupboards, and a bar fridge. He had a good look around and gave his mother a kiss before we left.

At my place, we loaded my washing machine, the settee, and a Scandinavian easy chair. I had brought back an empty suitcase, so filled it with the rest of my clothes and the sheets off my bed, leaving the place as bare as when I had moved in. Jeff and Brendon went in the van, and Larry opted to ride with me in the car. On the way, he was full of apologies for his attitude at school, saying that he felt that he had to hide his own feelings of strangeness. I told him that none of it mattered, now, and that all we need to think about is our future, and how we carry ourselves forward.

He told me that his relationship with his mother was a lot closer, but his father still thought of him as a queer. Brendon was a wonderful find, in a pink bar that he had gone into, on a whim. He laughed when he said that it had been awkward before they both decided to tell each other the truth, after a few pints. He told me that he loved the film, and was quite jealous of Jeff’s friendship with me, even back in our schooldays.

When we arrived at the house, I opened the gate from my key fob, and Larry gasped at the sight when we drove in.

“You’re going to live here! It’s huge.”

“It’s the right size for when I get a couple of employees. It used to be the home of a soccer player, and the shed on the left has a five-a-side pitch in it. Let’s get the things unloaded, then you can have a look around. After that, I’m taking you to eat Italian.”

It didn’t take long for the guys to put the odd bits of furniture in the mirrored room, to be used as props in the future. The fridge was sent out to the party area, where it went into a space in the shelter, alongside a power point. I put my last case of things in the bedroom, and the washing machine went into a space in the laundry to be connected up. At least I’ll have one thing that I knew how to use. After that, we showed Larry and Brendon around. They were excited with the soccer pitch and the three lads kicked a ball around for a little while, while downing a six-pack of beer.

Larry went with Jeff in the van, and Brendon came with me as we took the van back. He admitted much the same as Larry, that he had been keen on me in school. I had to laugh, there was I trying to talk to girls when I would have been much more successful talking to boys. Larry had cajoled him into seeing the film, which he didn’t think he’d like. He had thought that a lot of it looked very real and loved the taxi chase. He also asked me what it was like to kiss Kurt.

After Jeff had returned the van and finished the paperwork, I took them to see Mama, who welcomed us in like old friends, to seat us at a prominent table, ‘fit for my film star clients’. We had a nice meal and then took Larry and his partner home. Then Jeff and I went back to the house, walking in as the new residents for the first time. I say, ‘walking in’, as he opened the door and carried me across the threshold, only putting me down to kiss me.

We made sure the gate was closed. And then explored the security, finding that we could alarm the outside while the inside was free of sensors. I could see that we could, if we wanted to, alarm the whole house, and monitor that with an app, which also linked to cameras in the house. I left that to Jeff to sort out, and we went to the spare bedrooms to make up the beds in two of them. Tonight, we would still sleep apart, and tomorrow we would go looking for sheets and a bigger doona for the main bed. We agreed that we wouldn’t sleep in that one until we could do it as a man and a woman.

We went to the main bedroom to sort out our nightwear and toiletries to take into our temporary bedrooms. It would be just four nights for me, until I was in hospital. After that, we would sleep together.

Friday morning, we both checked our bank accounts to see that our bonus’ were paid in, had breakfast from what we had brought in, sitting in our gleaming kitchen. I felt quite regal, after what I had lived in before. We tidied up, then went to our own showers, and then dressed. After the day in jeans, I opted for a blouse and skirt, to be covered by my old trench coat. At the bedding shop, I was recognised, and we attracted some fans. The security guys kept the peace as I spoke to them and signed autographs. The sales staff offered to look for what we were after, so I gave them my note, with the sizes, and said what colours I liked.

When we were able, we looked at what they had collected and I bought the lot, with a couple of lads taking them out to the car. One asked me why a film star was driving a six-year-old Ford, so I told him that I was just forming my own company and would be leasing something better then. He asked me if he could buy it from me, so I got him to write down his details on a bit of paper, for me to contact him later.

From there, it wasn’t far to the electrical store, where we got new radio / alarms for all the bedrooms, and Jeff looked at TV’s, referring to some notes he had. He ordered, and paid for, three super-sized sets, and one smaller. They were for the lounge, dining room, and master bedroom; with the smaller one to go into the kitchen. For the life of me, I couldn’t see why you have a big TV in the bedroom – you go there to sleep – but he pointed out the inbuilt DVD /USB slots and said that we could watch ourselves in our films, giving each other points.

We then went to the computer side, where we chose a desk-top system, with printer / scanner, plus new laptops, and three big monitors, to be delivered with the TVs. We arranged for the shop to organise specialists to come to the house when they were delivered, to make sure that they were properly installed, as well as setting up the computers. By the time I got home, Jeff would be on top of everything.

We went to the café in the shopping complex and had lunch. I felt that we would need home cooking, once a lot of people had seen the film. There were some who looked at us, as if they were unsure, but we were left alone. Who would think that a couple of film stars would be eating toasties in a café?

While we were finishing, my phone pinged. It was a text from Jim, telling me that some screenplays had been delivered to the office, and could we come in and pick them up. We went back to the house and unloaded our goodies, then Jeff drove us to the office.

The screenplays were updated ones for ‘Thirteen Women’, as well as a first draft of ‘Sisters Without Mercy’. There was even a couple for us to read through, to see if we were interested. One was from a very well-known producer and director team, with the other sent in by David. We told Jim that we were both living in the house, and that I had emailed my landlord about stopping my lease. He told us that we were thinking properly. One thing he did tell us was that Wanda was living with her folks in Sydney but would be joining us when we went to the States.

That made me think, and I told him that we would host a small party, Saturday evening, at the house, as a bit of a housewarming. I invited anyone in the office who wanted to come. On the way home, I phoned around, inviting Sherona and the gang, with their partners, as well as Cynthia and the other girls. Then I left a message with the car company, inviting Colin and his wife. Jeff gave Larry another call.

At the house, we made up the master bed, to look all right if anyone looked in. Then took the other sheets and pillows and made up all the beds in the two annexes, finishing off with the third spare bedroom. They would look all right on inspection and would be handy if anyone was unable to drive home after the party. We had bought a dozen towelling gowns and these were laid across each bed.

Saturday morning, I ordered forty assorted pizzas to be delivered to the house at eight, then we went to an off-licence and bought some wine, beer, and spirits, with soft drinks. There was enough for them to offer delivery that afternoon. We went through a fast-food place for lunch and then a supermarket to stock up on food for normal snacks and breakfasts. After that, went home to set up. The fridges – yes, there were three in the kitchen – were checked and wiped out, the food warmers were turned on and checked, and I made sure that all the toilets were clean, with plenty of paper.

Jeff and I went to the main bedroom to see what we would wear. He chose the outfit he had worn on the flight, while I went with my red party dress. The gate was left open, and people started arriving. By the time the pizzas arrived, there must have been fifty of us, sitting and standing, with a lot of chatter. The drinks flowed as well as the banter, with my fan club soaking it all up.

When I had the chance, I took Colin to one side and spoke to him and his wife, Ruth. She was wearing the sweater that he had been given, with a nice skirt. I asked what she worked at, and she told me that she had been a short-order cook in a café that had failed during the pandemic. I asked how her other cooking skills were, because mine were limited to take-away and nuking, with a bit of pasta on the side. She laughed and said that she had been to cookery school. I asked her if she would like to cook for me.

That stopped her in mid-laugh.

“Are you joking?”

“No, I’m trying to assemble a group, around me and Jeff, who will be friends and look after some of the things we can’t do. You can cook and I can’t. That’s simple. The other thing is that Colin asked me if I minded him being my regular driver. I’m asking if he would like to be my driver, full time.”

“What about our having to come here from home?”

“Follow me.”

I took them past the bedrooms and opened the door to the annex, turning on the lights.

“Your own annex, two bedrooms upstairs, with the bathroom, what you see in front of you downstairs, plus a powder room and cupboards. It’s part of your package, should you agree. You don’t have to say anything, now. I have to go and have some treatment, which will be two to three weeks. If you say that you’ll help, then talk to Jeff, who’ll be here. He will take you into the office; my holding company will be up and running by then. Jim and Horatio can take you through the paperwork. When we have the company, we’ll lease some cars, there’s enough room for about ten in the big shed by the entrance.”

They looked at each other, so I thought I’d better back off.

“Look, explore this place, and then have a good look at the kitchen. I’ll be back in the lounge, seeing if our other guests are having fun.”

When I got back to the lounge, it was very quiet. I heard some cheering and went to find where they were. In the shed by the entrance, there was a boisterous five-a side tournament going on, with a girls team against a guys team. The girls were ahead, mainly because they were all from the fan club, and all played soccer at school.

Marianne Gregory © 2024