The Facade

Chapter 20

After Marlon walked me away from his sister and Wally, he took us over to the bathroom. Once again I was star struck at the sight of who stood in front of the door.

"Humphrey, Lauren, if you'll excuse us." Marlon asked politely. Then, he brought me inside of the bathroom and shut the door.

"Is something wrong?" I asked, but I already knew the answer. Everything was wrong. We were in way over our heads.

"I hate lying to Wally like that." Marlon admitted. "But most of all, I hate lying to my sister."

"I know that must be hard for you." I touched Marlon's shoulder, brushing it to calm him down. His large hand wrapped around my wrist, removing my hand from his shoulder.

"It's fine. All that's left to do now is to get drunk." Marlon announced. He pushed past me and exited the bathroom, heading over the group of men in the kitchenette. Paul Newman jumped up and down as he provided Marlon with alcohol, excited someone else was willing to join him in his drunkenness.

I sat amongst the other actresses, but I didn't say a lot. They spoke about their jobs, their lives as celebrities, their loved ones. I found it impossible to relate to any of it. Rita joined the conversation, enjoying how out of place I was.

"How about you, Rose?" Rita asked. I looked up at her, coming out of my daze of self pity. "Who did your makeup today?"

"Me." I answered. The women all looked to each other. Rita bursted out laughing.

"You?" Rita mocked. "On your wedding day?"

"I think she looks beautiful." Marilyn spoke up. "She didn't need a makeup artist, she looks gorgeous without it."

"You know what? I can agree." Gene smiled at me. The women rallied around me easily, which I didn't expect. Rita got nervous that people were now not agreeing with her.

"I just found it funny that you married Marlon Brando but still lacked a makeup artist." Rita smiled widely. "It's the funniest thing."

"Actually, I cant remember the last time you'd have a proper makeup artist." Grace smiled. "What was the last big film you were in? Singing In The Rain? Many years ago was that, Rita?"

Rita scowled, then walked away from the conversation. I looked to the girls who exhaled after Rita left. "Thanks for sticking up for me."

"It's no problem, you always stick up for us," Marilyn told me.

"How?" I asked her. "I barely see any of you."

"We don't see you writing sleazy stories in the papers about us." Grace admitted. "You always tell the truth and that's what we like about you."

That comment hit me hard. I always told the truth. Little did they know I was lying to all of them. I was even lying to myself.

"My wife!" Marlon stumbled over to me. "My beautiful, beautiful wife."

"Marlon..." I looked at him in the side of my eye. He smelled like alcohol. I was thoroughly embarrassed.

"You're all mine!" Marlon announced. Then, he stepped up onto his coffee table and stood tall for the whole party to see. "Everyone, this is my wife!"

The whole room cheered and laughed at Marlon's spectacle. Marlon took my hand and helped me up onto the coffee table. I didn't want all of that attention, but he loved it.

"Now!" Paul Newman announced. "Allow them to consummate their marriage in front of the court!"

"Consummate?" Marlon and I said in unison. Marlon hopped off of the table, then helped me hop off by holding my waist. The crowd surrounded us and began pushing us towards the bedrooms.

"Paul, will you cut it out?" Marlon asked as everyone began pushing us forward. A lot of the crowd were drunk in Hollywood fashion. Many of these stars achieved so much in their lives, yet they all drowned themselves in a bottle at parties.

"You know— when Joanne and I got married I couldn't wait to get her into bed!" Paul laughed drunkenly.

"Isn't your wife Jackie?" Marlon furrowed his eyebrows. Joanne Woodward hid her embarrassed face as she made her way out of the apartment.

"Hail the King and the Queen! Marlon and Rose! The peanut to his jelly! The milk to her coffee!" Paul announced as he got us into that bedroom. Marlon and I stumbled in together as everyone looked on.

Marlon tried to exit, but Paul only slammed the door shut. Now it was only he and I. A part of me wanted to sleep with Marlon, another part of me wanted to keep it simple. I couldn't decide what I wanted for the life of me.