I wrote Something New in
four days in June. I got an idea and ran with it. Fortunately, the
muse was willing and it came easily. I fell in love with Austin. The
rest of the characters are also endearing, but I particularly love
him. He's an absolute doll.
Austin
is an actor on a show that is an Americanized version of Dr. Who,
called The Magician. He has a run in with one of the guest directors,
a pervy man named Irving. Irv the Perv tries to entice Liat, Austin's
new leading lady, to do something unspeakable. Austin intervenes.
Irving got fired and is now trying to sue Austin for slander and the
network for wrongful termination.
Austin
is having lunch with Liat, her mother Elaine (the show's producer)
and Dwight, his assistant. They get a call from the God of
the Network, and are summoned to the Presence. Austin isn't quite
sure what to expect, but it certainly isn't what's waiting for him.
Moments
later, a tall, dark haired man with broad shoulders and muscular
chest, came to greet them. He trotted down the steps and stopped in
front of Elaine, holding out his hands. She took them and he raised
her to a standing position. His arms went around her waist, pulling
her close, as he kissed her.
"Hello,
darling," she said with a smile. "How was Paris?"
"Boring.
French." He winked, patting her on the fanny. "You've had
some excitement. Hello, Precious." He greeted his daughter with
a kiss and hug.
Austin
and Dwight stood, waiting anxiously. Liat's father was an
intimidating man. He stood over six feet tall. His black hair was
shot with silver, his blue eyes penetrating. His voice was a loud and
rumbling baritone, laced with a distinctive Oxford accent.
"You've
studied Shakespeare," Austin said as he stepped forward.
The
man's blue eyes twinkled. "I have indeed, young man. Royal
Shakespeare, 1971 through 75. Astute." He shook Austin's hand.
"No
one rumbles like a Shakespearian," Austin replied. "Which
must make you Gordon Vogel."
"It
must, indeed! Gordon Oliver Desmond Vogel, God for short." He
turned to his wife, smirking. "You told me he was sharp. Who's
your friend?" He held out his hand to Dwight.
"Dwight
Wales. He's my personal assistant and good friend."
"Everyone
needs those," Gordon said, shaking Dwight's hand. "Friends,
I mean. Assistants are a dime a dozen."
"Not
good ones," Dwight said confidently. "We go for a dollar a
dozen."
Gordon
burst out laughing at the silly joke. "I like this one too. Can
we keep them, Mummy?" He sounded like a child, directing the
comment to his wife. "Sit, everyone. Beverages. Sam-u-el!"
He drew out the name like a battle cry.
The
windows shook when he called the name. An elderly gentleman in a
black suit came to stand by the sunken room.
"You
bellowed, sir?"
"Beverages,
Samuel. Tea?" He asked the room in general. "Yes, tea. The
Oolong."
"As
you wish, sir." He bowed, turning his back to the room.
"Great
man. Deaf as a post," Gordon muttered.
"I
can hear you," Samuel said. "I'm not deaf."
"He's
not. I just like yelling. Sit!"
He
took a seat beside Elaine, his arm around her shoulders. Liat sat
next to Austin, gripping his hand.
"You've
been busy. Mummy tells me you've been masquerading as a Fogleberg."
He tipped his head, narrowing his eyes, but his smirk gave him away.
"Are
you mad?"
"Why
ever for? You got the part, didn't you, all on your own merits."
"Yes."
"Then
why would I be mad? What's all this crap that's been going on with my
network in my city? What's that annoying pimple of a man doing now?"
"He
doesn't mean me, does he?" Austin whispered to Liat.
"No,
silly. Irving."
"He's
saying Austin insulted him and called him names in public,"
Elaine explained.
"Did
you?" he directed at Austin.
"No,
sir. Unless he's a mind reader."
"Mind
reading," Gordon waved it away, making a rude noise. "Very
hard to prove in court. What did you do to make Irving so angry?"
"I
took Liat to my trailer." He held up a hand before her father
could comment. "I'll rephrase that. Pervy Irv was bothering
Liat. Rather than see her karate chop his flabby arse, I took her
with me to my trailer. We ate dinner, studied our lines and she went
home. He didn't like that I showed him up." He shrugged.
"That's
it?"
"I
called him sir in a snarky tone and did my best to follow his
obtuse directions."
Gordon
burst out laughing. His blue eyes twinkled merrily. The tea arrived
and Elaine poured, passing the sugar and cream after. Once they
served themselves, they went back to their conversation.
"After
inappropriate snarkiness, what did you do?" Gordon asked.
Austin
thought a moment. "Said my lines, hit my marks and nailed the
scene."
"Why
is the gimpy cretin saying that Austin called him names? Did you call
him names?"
Austin
shook his head.
"Why's
he saying that?" Gordon persisted.
"I
flirted with Liat in front of him."
"Did
you kiss her?"
"Later.
It was scripted," he hurried to explain. "Pants on, I
swear."
"Yes,
of course." Gordon couldn't keep a straight face. He understood
the young man's distress, but he wasn't angry, simply confused. "Then
what's he banging on about?"
"No
idea."
"Then
this is all just stupid, isn't it?"
"Yes,
sir."
Gordon
leaned back, running his hand through his hair. "There are
people starving in this city and he's trying to raise a stink over
something that never happened?"
"Precisely
my point, sir."
"Are
you sleeping with my daughter?" Gordon shot at him unexpectedly.
"No,
sir. I'm not."
"But
you'd like to."
"Don't
make me answer that one, please. I'm thirty-two, single and she's
gorgeous."
Gordon
laughed, nodding. "The same thing I said about her mother
thirty-six years ago when I met her. Have you had lunch?"
"Yes,"
Elaine replied.
"Good.
Did we have anything else to discuss to resolve this nonsense?"
"We're
opting to let it blow over. Babs is setting up interviews and
arranging his schedule with Dwight and Sandy."
"Everyone
wants you, kid. How does that make you feel?"
"Terrified.
It's like being the tenderest steak in the shop. Everyone wants to
grill you and have a bite."
"Couldn't
have put it better myself. We'll get you ready, no fear.."
©
2014 Dellani Oakes
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