Thorns On My Rose: A Story of the Daughter of Robert Downey Jr. (EDITING)

Chapter 9 - Part 3 - Donkey Vs. Puss in Boots

Robert's Perspective

As I waited for my dickhead of a manager and my unfaithful wife to arrive I wandered the house, a bottle of wine in my clenched fist.

I was fairly drunk. Not a good idea, really, when I thought about it, because I really needed to have my shit together when the happy couple got here so I could kick Dukes ass or something. But, really, the more I thought about it, the more helpless the situation seemed and the more frustrated I became. My life, right now, was not exactly ideal, and I couldn't cope with that fact sober.

Hence, the two hundred dollar bottle of wine in my hand.

The nanny, Jolenne, had taken Exton out for a while and I was grateful for the silence. I took a swig of the wine and continued the tour around my house. The ceiling in the living room downstairs was incredibly high, arching at the top with the roof, a chandelier hanging from the ceiling was made entirely out of glass crystals. I remembered that when Susan and I were combing through the Greater Los Angeles area, we couldn't find anything that even can close to this place.

The staircase was wide and grand, spiralling up to the second floor. There were six living quarters in the house. The master bedroom, downstairs that Susan and I used, the nursery, where Exton slept, the Pink Room and the Blue room, guest rooms, one other room that Exton would have when he got older and then Alana-Rose' s room. The Stud Room, as I liked to call it, because of the golden studs that were glued to the wall.

I walked up the stairs slowly and went to the theatre room that was a little further down than the Game Room, walking inside, tripping on nothing. I sat down heavily, exhaling.

What had my life really come to? Ultimately, I was nothing more than a man who though was considered to be hugely successful, was really just a poor soul who continued to lose the ones he loved. Whether through death, like Christy, or through just a lack of love, or not enough love, like Susan. Or because of the fact that my own stupid secrets pushed others away. Like Alana-Rose.

I pushed the power button on the projector, starting a slide show of memories that originated all the way back to my relationship with Indigo' s mother. I watched as a picture of me and Idigo flashed up, we were at a park in NYC. He was only one year old.

I was blowing a raspberry on his face and he was screaming, his little teeth in his mouth. He was so young. He still was.

I took another swig of the wine before I placed the bottle on a glass coffee table with a clatter. I heard the door open to the room and didn't even then around.

My visitor came around to the back of my chair, putting hand on my shoulder. I ignored him.

"I know you said didn't want me over but I came anyway." Jude Law said cautiously, massaging my shoulder. He sat on the arm rest, looking down at me. I continued to look at the screen. Seeing a picture of Christy in black and white.

Her hair had grown, was down her back, and she was on the beach. She was wearing a sundress and it was billowing around her legs. Her small baby bump was visible and she was holding a small flower to her stomach, smiling.

And that was when I officially lost it. I felt my eyes blur and I blinked.

" My life sucks, Jude." Jude sighed. He was wearing a pressed black dress shirt and a pair of skinny jeans with some boots.

"I still think that this can be fixed."

"It can't. It cannot be fixed. I failed, I failed my wife, I failed my kid. I failed." Jude shook me, coming around the chair to look at me fully. He grasped my shoulders a serious look in his eyes.

"You didn't fail."

"I think I did." I said hopelessly, reaching fir the bottle, but Jude was quicker. I watched with an incredulous expression as Jude took the bottle and went to the window, opening it before throwing the wine bottle out the window. I heard it crash to the grown, no doubt shattering.

I scoffed, leaning back into the chair, wiping my eyes.

"You're such an ass."

"He is." A new voice declared. I looked up and smiled, rolling my eyes. The relatively tall Black Man entered the room wearing a tight V-neck and Jean pants and some Nike flip flops. Jamie Fox glared at Jude Law who was smiling warily.

"Law, what the hell are you doing here?" He asked, frowning. "I thought Robby said he wanted his BEST friend here with him."

I laughed a little. "Actually I called to tell you not to come over." Jamie rolled his eyes and Jude crossed his arms, looking at me.

"Rob, you do realize that you don't exactly make a whole lot of sense when you're upset..?" Jamie smiled at me, clapping me roughly in the back.

"Ow."

"I think he's got it handled, Law. He's a big boy now." I grunted and stood, my eyes still wet.

"Um, can you guys stick around for a bit, maybe, you know...?" I asked. Jude nodded, a. serious expression on his face. I noticed he was a little bigger, buffer, than normal. Must have a new film coming up.

"I'm free." Jude assured. I looked at Jamie who pretended to think about it. I punched him and he laughed.

"Of course I'm staying, dammit. Who else is gonna help you kick Dukes monkey-ass?" Jude raised an eyebrow.

"Uh, I can always assist, Jamie. I'm also a friend of Robert's." Jamie looked at me, annoyed slightly.

"Play nice, fellas." I said, turning off the projector. But Jamie ignored me, looking at Jude.

"Have you ever seen Shrek, Jude?" Jamie asked, crossing his brown arms, squinting.

Oh boy, I thought. Here we go.

"Yes. Jamie, I have actually." Jude shot back, frowning. "Trying to make me feel unexposed, again?"

Jamie ignored his last comment. "Then you'll remember that Donkey is Shrek' s favorite. He was there fucking first and he will always be there first. He is the fricking real deal. Puss is the second Annoying Talking Animal that was barely even in the movie. He came in the the second movie!!" Jude smiled, amused.

"Actually, Fox, I do believe that Shrek favors that cat a little bit more than the ass, who is repeatedly yelled at and scolded for being a complete idiot." Jude says, smoothly.

I know that it's really playful banter but I know that secretly, yes, Jamie is jealous of Jude.

"Donkey is funnier." Jamie said quickly, raising his eyebrows.

"Girls like Puss better."

"Eddie Murphy is a comedian and can sing."

"Bandereas is foreign, has a sexy accent and gets more girls." Jude said. I cut in.

"Girls, girls, you're both pretty." I said, quoting one of Alana-Rose' s favorite movies, Megamind.

They looked at each other fiercely for a moment before smiling. I noticed that Jamie's was a bit more forced. I laughed.

"You guys are undoubtedly the best." Jude smiled and gave me a bear hug. Jamie patted me on the back.

"We're here for you." He said, to right when the door bell rang. They looked at me, worried.

I froze, knowing exactly who it was.