Lights, Cameras, Outsiders!

Chapter 65

LCO 65

About an hour and a half later, Ralph was coated in rubber latex, Matt was naked except for his briefs, and Susie was now a nurse. I was talking to Emilio and Tommy when Francis called everyone to places and when I saw Cruise show up. When he saw me, he turned away and stared at the wall. I made my way through the crew and made sure Susie and Matt were in the hospital room rehearsing when I got to him.

"Hey," I said.

"Hey," he nervously turned.

"Look, it's okay, it's okay. Matt's okay with me talking to you," I said.

"You sure?"

"Yes. He told me."

"Okay..."

"Look, I know I missed your birthday. So......happy birthday." He smiled with a broken tooth.

"Thanks."

"How's...how's everything with the movie? It's been good?"

"Yeah. Yeah. It's, uh, between me and a couple other guys. But I think I got it in the bag," he said.

"You know what I found out?"

"What?"

"That my parents had another child and didn't tell me," I said. He laughed.

"Gee, they really like you."

"Oh yeah totally...look, Cruise, I'm willing to just forget the whole thing and move on...as friends?" I said. His smile faded.

"Yeah, yeah, I get it," he said.

"Thanks, Cruise."

"You know I'm really sorry, Essie..."

"It's better now, okay?" I said. He nodded.

"I'll see you around," I said.

"Okay. See ya," he said as I walked away and into another hospital room. The door to Susie and Matt's hospital room was shut. I went outside the hospital Ralph was in. He was reciting the Johnny monologue he worked so hard on. Tommy was hovering over him, crying and looking down at the mirror below in order to see him. Roy, our camera guy, stood above the bed and filmed.

They did the scene about nineteen more times before Emilio came in with the nurse and filmed that about ten times.

"We'll film Colette and her scene after Matt's and Susie's," Francis said and everyone picked up the gear and set up before the doorway. Matt was standing straight up in the room and bent down for Susie to whisper something in his ear. She nodded, he smiled, and made his way back to the bed and pulled the covers up to his neck. Christine had become the set photographer months ago and snapped a picture of Matt talking to Susie by his bed and repeatedly took some more.

"Lemme see," I said. She handed me the Polaroids and I smiled.

"Quiet on the set! And action!" Francis yelled.

"What's happened to your gown?" Susie asked setting down a pitcher on the bedside table.

"I threw it away!" Matt snapped.

"I'm going to be so happy when you get-"

"Get out just get out!" Matt laughed when Tommy and Emilio walked in and Tommy sat on the other bed

"Hey how you doin , man?!" Matt said, going to the door and then going back to bed.

"This place is out of it! I want out!" He said, falling underneath the covers.

"Tim Shepard dropped by...said he saw my picture in the paper and couldn't believe it didn't have wanted dead or alive written underneath it. Started rubbin it in about the rumble man...I hate missin it," he said, sitting up.

"You got a cancer stick, Pony?" Tommy tossed him a cigarette from his pocket.

"Thanks...how is he? How's Johnny doin' man?"

"Look, Dally, I don't know about this kind of stuff, but he didn't look too good," Emilio said, playing with his jacket.

Matt turned over and crumbled his cigarette.

"Cut! Cut! Do it again and we'll do the Do it For Johnny scene after!" Francis yelled. I saw Matt sit up and wink at Francis, and Francis winked back. They were scheming.