Lights, Cameras, Outsiders!

Chapter 75

LCO 75

Susie finally got a hold of herself and they did the scene at least fourteen more times. And Matt did his Dallas aftermath scene, and there was still darkness at midnight when we finished with the hospital scene so Francis decide to hit the Johnny aftermath at the Curtis house which was knocked out in about 30 minutes after we dolled the boys up in makeup. And Francis thought we could knock the conscience store scene out, which they did, but I headed back to the hotel because Susie asked me to come with ideas for Matt to get into character for Rusty James.

So I went back to the hotel and wrote up a bunch of ways like poker, playing pool, drinking. And I fell asleep and didn't wake up until Matt fell into bed at about seven am.

"Whatcha doing?" I said. He was completely stripped except for his briefs.

"I'm tired," he said, rubbing his eyes.

"Did you test out the squibbs?"

"No, we're doing that tonight. Tonight is the night of extreme pain," he said.

"I know. But look, you're gonna get this over with, and then I'm gonna bawl, and then we're outta here to look at the apartment and then we come back for a little while for the wrap-up," I said.

"Are you really gonna cry when my character dies?"

"Yes. Mostly because in reality, you're gonna get hurt," I said.

"I am."

"And I'm serious, Matt, I want you in bed after this. It's not gonna be a flesh wound and it's over, alright? They're real, solid blanks and you're gonna have some wounds, okay? Nothing that's gonna kill you, but it's gonna hurt," I said.

"I will promise that I will stay in bed if you promise to take care of me."

"Okay. What's this?" He grabbed the paper I was working on.

"Susie wanted me to work on some things to get you in character for Rusty James," I said.

"I already do half this stuff. I was thinking I could get into a couple gang fights," he said.

"What?!"

"A couple gang fights. They still have those you know."

"I do know that. That's why I don't what you going into a gang fight."

"What if it's skin against skin?"

"Oh, it doesn't matter. Someone's bound to have a knife or a chain."

"I thought that was only in the sixties."

"No they still have them, Matt. And they have them here and they have them in Miami. And people get hurt in them and people die," I said.

"No. I'll be okay." I sat up.

"No, please baby, I'm begging you please do not get into a street fight. I love you too much to see it happen to you."

"See what? See what happen to me?"

"Please don't make me talk about it, Matt."

"No. You won't tell me why it's so horrible for me to get into a gang fight."

"Matt," I looked away.

"No, what is it? What happened? Why don't you want me to get into a fight? Hey, look at me, what's the matter?...Jesus, Essie, what is it?"

"I don't want to talk about it, Matt."

"Then Essie, I'm gonna get in that fight if you don't tell me," he said.

"No, please!" I grabbed hold of his shirt.

"Then tell me, damn it!"

"I just know someone that was killed in a gang fight."

"Who?"

"You don't know them."

"Obviously."

"He was someone I went to school with since I was little."

"Okay, and what happened?" I wiped underneath my eye.

"Hey...what happened?" he was gentler with holding my arms and softened his jaw.

"I used to hang around with the gangs when I lived over in Miami. You saw how neighbourhood looked, it's very old fashioned and people still have gangs. And so I always went with the boys to the fights to make sure no one was hurt and they used me as some sort of immunity, as if I was untouchable. And one night, the boys had a fight with some other gang and it was supposed to be skin on skin. And instead, this guy pulled out a chain and strangled my friend to death...I don't want you doing it, Matt, because I don't want to have to pick up your dead body because of some wise guy's surprise," I snapped, wiping my face.

"Hey, hey, hey...I'm sorry...I didn't-you wouldn't tell me, baby, I'm sorry," he said, pulling me closer and hugging me. I began to sob into his shoulder as he rubbed my back.

"Hey....shhhh...it's okay, it's okay."

"But it's not, Matt. He's dead, and no one from that other gang helped him, and all they let me do was find the nearest pay phone to call the ambulance," I said.

"Baby, I'm sorry," he kissed the top of my head.

"I won't get in the gang fight, alright?"

"I don't care if it's skin on skin. It's just there's the possibility of having a knife or chain pop out."

"Look, I said I wasn't gonna go in the gang fight." I wrapped my arms around his neck and he finally pulled back from me and wiped underneath my eyes.

"Matt."

"Now, look, look at me in the eyes," he said and held my shoulders.

"I won't go in the gang fight. If I really want to do it later on, I'll fight a couple of the stunt guys or Nic or Mickey, okay? If you don't want me to, I won't."

"Okay."

"But look...you need to just come right out with these things, okay? The only reason I got rough with you was because you refused to tell me, okay?"

"Okay..." He lowered his hands to his laps and I grabbed them. He smiled.

"And I get it, Essie. We have our past we don't like to talk about, but you could've just told me the whole thing in one sentence: my friend died in a fight. Okay? I love you, you know that?" I didn't do anything but fiddle with his fingers and stroked the back of his hand with my thumb.

"You know that?" He repeated himself.

"Yeah," I bit my lower lip.

"Where's the ring?" He said, looking at my hands.

"On your table," I said. He turned and retrieved it and slid it on my ring finger.

"You see, I'm gonna marry you,

So you have to know I love you."

"Yeah."

"Hey, I have an idea. What day did your friend die?"

"Uh, March 7th, 1978."

"Okay. How about our wedding be on March 7th? In honor of? You think he would've liked that?"

"I think he would've loved it."