The year is 1950, when the Golden Age of Hollywood is at its peak and the hate of Communism is rampant in American society. Caught in the middle, are two unexpected lovers.....
She is a wickedly handsome seductress with a tragic past and a hunger fo...
"You don't call...you don't write...yet here you are at my doorstep. What have I done to deserve such a treat?" Michael questioned humorously.
"I'm not obligated to contact you all the time...it's not like we're a couple" Ethel replied matter-of-factly as she stepped into his plush penthouse. She stopped to take in his appearance. His hair was sticking out in all directions, his eyes were bloodshot, and he wore only a bathrobe and loafers on his bare feet. He looked quite awful, though he was still handsome, she must admit.
"Then what do you call what we did a few nights back?" He quipped smartly under his breath.
Anger rose in Ethel's chest as she heard his statement. Yes, she was undeniably attracted to him and had slight feelings for him, but she wasn't here for a relationship or her feelings...she was here for her dreams and her future.
"That," she said as she held up a single finger, "was in the spur of the moment, and it probably shouldn't have happened in the first place!"
Those words stung Michael's heart, even though he tried to ignore it. His feelings for her had been growing so strong that he hadn't been with any other woman since he had been with her. He scoffed and spread his arms out defensively. "It wasn't like you were objecting to my affections! In fact, you were demanding it!"
"You're supposed to be helping me, not romancing me!" She exclaimed. "I think you only want my body, not my talent" she retorted angrily.
"My God!" He pinched his nose in exasperation, "It's not like can't make you a sensational star overnight!"
"I'm not expecting to be a sensational star overnight" she said as she put her hands on her shapely hips. "You complain about me not communicating, but I wasn't the one who suggested all this. YOU could at least follow up with me! Perhaps get to know me better as an entertainer, not just by my womanly charms..."
He shook his head and grabbed a bottle of scotch, prepared to pour himself a glass. Ethel strutted over and grabbed the bottle from his grasp, giving him an unwavering stare.
"I don't think you understand how much I need this" he argued, reaching for the bottle again.
"That's no excuse, Michael" she said, keeping the bottle from his reach. He gave Ethel a heated glare, before slamming his glass down and rolling his eyes. "This is exactly why I'm not married"
He plopped down by his desk, and put a clean sheet of paper in his typewriter, pounding the keys with agitation. Drafts were strewn all his desk, trashbin, and floor...it was chaotic and stressful sight to behold.
He continued to ignore Ethel, focusing intently on his work, too intently. Ethel chewed on the inside of her mouth, watching him carefully.
"I ran into someone you know today" she said as she casually circled his cluttered desk. She watched him from the corner of her eye, to see his reaction, but there was none; he only continued to type away furiously. She didn't give up though. "I don't quite remember his name though?" she murmured, scratching her head. "He had blonde hair...a rather boyish face" she said gesturing her hands around her face. She snapped her fingers, pretending to rack her mind for his name, even though she had never forgotten it. "Oh! That's it! His name was Jimmy White!" she dramatically exclaimed.
The minute she uttered his name, Michael's head shot up, his attention completely focused on her words.
"Did you say Jimmy White?" He questioned suspiciously.
"Who else would I be talking about?" she replied impudently. "He offered me a job..."
She was only telling a half truth, but how else could she get Michael's attention?
"Now, Ethel, you must stay away from him" he said lowly.
"Why so?" her eyebrow raised as she challenged him.
"He's bad news, trust me!" Michael rose from his seat, fuming. "He's a backstabbing sonofabitch"
"He didn't speak highly of you either...why should I believe either one of you?"
"Listen to me, Ethel" he said firmly, looking her dead straight in the eyes. "Stay far away from him..."
"I didn't have a choice but to go to him!" she narrowed her eyes at Michael. "I lost my job because of you!"
Michael cocked his head in confusion.
"Do I have to refresh your memory? Remember when you called me down to visit you, about the party and the dress?"
"Yes..." he answered slowly and unsurely.
"Well, I got fired for being an hour late to work, due to you!" she exclaimed accusingly. "So, when you can get me a new job, don't tell me who or who I can't see!" With that, she prepared to leave his apartment, storming angrily towards his door. That is, until he grabbed her arm with desperation.
"Don't go just yet" he softened his tone. "I think I may have something for you"
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"What is this?" Ethel asked as she ran her fingers over the smooth parchment of the booklet Michael had just handed her.
"It's the play...finished editing it yesterday" he replied. "I want you to read the female protagonist part for me"
She flipped through pages, briefly scanning the lines for a few minutes. "Look, Michael...if you think this is going to—"
He clicked his tongue, holding his hand up. "Just read it..."
Looking up at him with an angry glint in her brown eyes,, she cleared her throat and began to act. At first, her voice was forced and frigid, slighted with defiance. However, the more she read, the softer and more rounded the modulation of her voice became, with an intense sentiment of understanding for the character she was portraying. The words, the emotion, the message, flowed freely from her soul, as though she were born for the part. The cadences of each phrase swelled like the waters of an ocean, rolling off her tongue with ease. Michael gazed at her in amazement...he had found his star.
She paused for a second to look up at Michael, waiting for his approval.
"I want you to audition for the director" he said as he clapped at her impressive ad hoc performance.
"Audition?" she breathed nervously.
"There's no need to worry" he assured her. "They would have you read a few lines, sing a song or two...no biggy"
Ethel opened her mouth in immediate protest, panic settling in on her beautiful features.
"You said you wanted me to get you a job" he reminded her, "well, here you have it..." he said, tapping on the thick layer of papers in her hand.
