The Blue In Your Eyes

The lunch

It was a ghost house. An empty, big ghost house. There was no sound of conversations, no music, no footsteps, no laughter, no fighting... just me, walking through room after room, with my bare feet. It was starting to get to me. I didn't wanna admit it first, told my self that it didn't matter. But it did. I was so alone. With an angry alcoholic hiding in some big master bedroom. Who would even want to live in such an enormous house if they where all alone. It was very scary, that at the exact moment the thought went through my head, I was not alone anymore.

"Dont look so scared," beautiful Matthew said with a smile, when I startled. I swear, I had no idea he was in the house. Dressed in long shorts and a polo, and very expensive sunglasses.
"I... I didn't know you where here, I am just surprised."
"A good surprise I hope. I am taking my dad out for lunch, and you are also coming... unless you are busy with important PA-stuff."
"I don't think your dad wants me to join you for lunch."
"Well nobody is asking him what he wants.
"He is my boss."
"And I am his son. Are you ready to go?"
Normally I would never say yes to an akward lunch with my mean boss and his way to pretty son, but I was desperate for some company, and that is the unlike reason I found my self at a table with Matthew and Grant Shelby at a small but very expensive restaurant downtown.
Grant Shelby didn't as much as look my way, and I had a weird feeling that he couldn't remember who I was. The man was crazy. He had to be. To much fame and success, could do that to a person. Apparently.

"Order anything you like." Matthew smiled at me. Always with the smiling. Well, if I looked like him, I think I would be smiling to. It was like I was in some kind of a TV-show, playing the awkward and ugly duckling - new in town.
Grant Shelby did not look his best. He dindn't say much, and as he reached for his glass of water his hand was shaking.
"What can I get you to drink?" The waitress had eyes the size of a plate, when she noticed her famous customers.
"I would like a gin and tonic, and you can make that a double." Grant Shelby said, not looking at the flustered girl.
"A water please," Matthew was so polite it was unreal. I ordered a coke.
"Could you for once not start drinking in the middle of the day," Matthew whispered, when she was gone.
"A mans drink is a mans own business," Grant Shelby answered.
"Thats one way to put it. But I would appreciate it, if you could stay sober for just one meal."
"I love you kid, but that is not going to happen." Awkward silence. A blink of hurt in that beautiful face in front of me.
"Why are you here Carol?"
Shit!
"Matthew asked me."
"I see. Did you tell him that the studio will sue the shit out of me if I don't do their stupid third movie."
"No, but you just did."
"What do you mean, sue the shit out of you?" Matthew was no longer smiling.
"Arh you know, somebody wants to make money and are showing their muscles."
"Dad, it sounds serious."
"Not to worry, what is the worst that can happen."
"You loose your house, your income... everything."
"Yes, yes... that could be a problem. Especially for you, Carol."
"Karen, it's Karen, Dad"
I didn't even care anymore, I just shrugged. Grant Shelby ignored his son, and looked straight at me.
"What would you do, if I couldn't pay you anymore?"
"Find another job."
"Well, it will be difficult to find a job that pays as well as this one." Grant Shelby was drinking his gin and tonic like a man just in from the desert.
"That is true, but maybe the boss would be nicer." OMG. That sentence was never meant to be said out loud... but I just said it. To his face.
Grant Shelby looked at me puzzled. Then he started laughing. Like really laughing. It was a wonderful sound. Full of life and power, so different from his hollow appearance. How could such a laughter hide behind those empty eyes?

"I fucking like you Carol, you are not like anyone else." He emptied his glass, and looked at me while Matthew ordered our food. I began to feel uncomfortable. I liked it better, when he ignored me.
"A nicer boss, Dad, you should take that to heart."
"I could be a better boss, a better dad and a better man - no question about that," Grant Shelby said, starting on his second drink.
"I'm sorry Karen, I didn't know my Dad would be such a pain in the ass," Matthew excused, but I just shrugged again.
"I am curious." Grant Shelby tilted his head. "What are you going to do with all that money I am paying you?"
"So not your business - or anybody else's business," Matthews voice was tired. The golden boy had enough of his fathers games.
"I think Carol is the judge of that," Grant Shelby starred at me, and I starred right back at him. Remembering him in one of his movies, where he was this charming thief who could get away with everything and left a lot of brooken hearts in his trail. He still had the charm, the look, the way of speaking that make you listen, that made you want to answer. And answer I did:
"I am going to find my boyfriend."
This was not an answer Matthew or Grant Shelby had ever expected.