Wrong Number

Chapter 6

Mickey walked through Archie's apartment kicking empty vodka bottles out of path as he did so. Entering Archie's bedroom he saw the star passed out fully clothed on top of his bed.

"At least he's alone this time," Mickey muttered.

Walking round the edge of the bed he could see that Archie was comatose, rolling his eyes Mickey decided to get some coffee ready before he began the task of trying to wake him up. As he passed through to the kitchen he could see the pile of manuscripts mounting on Archie's coffee table unopened.

Shaking his head he proceeded to make coffee for Archie.

Archie groaned as he heard someone calling out his name, the enticing smell of coffee reaching his nose. Blinking, Archie opened his eyes to see the blurry outline of his manager standing in front of him.

"You're lucky you woke up now, I was about to go and get a glass of water to throw over you."

Archie grimaced knowing full well from experience that this threat would have been carried out. Clicking his furry feeling tongue against the roof of his gums, Archie tried to regain some moisture in his dry mouth, from the result of having slept with his mouth lolling open.

Mickey shook the mug of coffee at Archie, which he hastily accepted and gulped down, knowing that it would help with the headache he knew was coming in the post for him.

Gingerly he pushed himself up to a sitting position, awaiting Mickey's lecture.

"Well I must admit, you have improved."

Archie's face contorted in confusion as he looked at his manager.

"What I mean is, at least you haven't got any more senators daughters lurking in your bed this morning, though from the amount of bottles lining your floor you must have had some people round." Mickey mused.

Archie shook his head; he had drunk alone last night, not wanting to venture out for a drink. Preferring his own company for once.

"No? Goddammit Archie how much did you drink?!" Mickey demanded, slamming his hand hard down on the bed in exasperation and desperation. Standing swiftly, it was as though he couldn't bear to look at Archie and he rubbed his eyes with his fingers.

He winced as the level of his manager's voice raised a few decibel's, causing a ringing in his ears.

"Jesus Archie, you're going to kill yourself." Mickey muttered in a quieter voice.

Mickey could see that Archie was in no fit state for this right now, despite how much he wanted to shake some sense into him. No, he had to do this later, and maybe with some reinforcement's, he knew he had Archie's mother's number somewhere.

"Okay, okay look, I won't rag on you today about it, but believe me, I won't let up on this." Sighing Mickey tried a different tack, "Lets have a look at some of these scripts that have come through, there's definitely some in there I know you'll be wanting to have a look at."

"Alright Mickey." Archie acquiesced, knowing full well that the film he really wanted to do would be the one that his manager would yet again turn down, "Lemme just a get a shower first alright?"

Mickey nodded and made himself comfortable in the living room whilst Archie showered.

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Archie emerged twenty minutes later, and more in the mood to stand up to his manager about his career choices. Settling down on to his easy chair with a fresh mug of coffee Archie watched as Mickey unwrap the manuscripts and slid them up the coffee table towards him.