The Facade

Chapter 36

With a grin, I leaned one of my hands on the balcony railing. My luxurious robe glistened in the sunlight. "Do you know Harry, Marlon?" I asked, although I already knew the answer.

"Harry and I were school mates." Marlon told me as he looked up at us in the sky. "I haven't seen on him a long time."

"I haven't contacted you after that embarrassing display you put on at Copacabana." Harry rose his eyebrows.

"Copacabana? You never told me this." I whispered to Harry. His eyes were directly at Marlon, waiting for him to say something.

"If you don't tell her, I surely will." Harry warned. My stomach turned as I prepared myself for what I could hear.

Marlon blew air between his lips then shifted his feet, his hands in his pockets. He lifted one of his hands before speaking, his expensive watch flickering in the sunlight.

"After I tried to kiss Dorothy at the Oscars, Harry expressed to me that he wasn't totally okay with that." Marlon said bluntly. "He'd been seeing Dorothy since the production of Carmen Jones and uh... he was jealous to say the least."

"Jealous? I was not jealous. You were simply in the wrong and you know it!" Harry angrily shouted down at Marlon. Marlon stood stories below totally unbothered, rolling his eyes.

"Afterwards we were all in New York at Copacabana. Let's just say Harry walked in on something no boyfriend wants to see." Marlon nodded.

"You had a girlfriend?" I asked Harry with furrowed eyebrows. "This whole time?"

"Come on, Rose, you must've known. This is showbiz, you get love where you can find it." Harry shook his head. But then he looked down at Marlon. "However it's never okay for a man you consider to be your friend to be caught with your girlfriend!"

"Oh, you're made I was with your girlfriend?" Marlon asked then extended an arm up at us. "You're up there fucking my wife!"

"You were sleeping with her in my own dressing room!" Harry shouted down at Marlon.

In response Marlon laughed and shook his head. "Oh, you're temporary dressing room for the night? Come back to me when you have your own trailer at MGM."

"Marlon, you know how it is. Tit for tat. I never thought a sex addict like you would ever be in a relationship, but I was gladly proven wrong!" Harry gripped the balcony railing.

"This is what this was all about? Tit for tat?" I crossed my arms at Harry.

"No, don't take it that way Rose. The first time a few months ago it was magical. You're obviously a beautiful woman... but usually I don't sleep with married women." Harry stepped toward me but I only stepped away

"See Rose? He's not being one hundred percent honest either." Marlon put his hands on his hips. Then he thought for a moment. His face convulsed. "What do you mean 'a few months ago was magical'?"

"I got there first, Brando! You may get all the roles but this time I got there first!" Harry boasted from the balcony.

"Actually, I'd already..." I began, but then quieted myself. No one was supposed to know about Marlon and I's beneficial "friendship" before the marriage.

"I'll always get there first, Harry, believe that. You know, you were a brother to me! I always shared blossoms with you!" Marlon exclaimed. "You really were a brother to me."

"What brothers..." I began again, but this conversation only had room for two people. Harry immediately began talking back.

"And I enjoyed that, Marlon, but Dorothy was different. I considered on really taking it to the next level with her." Harry fisted his hands.

"Well why don't you then? What is the problem?" Marlon asked from below.

"She won't take me seriously. She knows we are friends." Harry shook his head.

"You know, Harry. I'm sure if you call her up and tell her all of this she'd understand. Maybe you can start over." Marlon said. Harry thought for a moment, then nodded in agreement. Finally, the two men were resolving their issue. At this point, I was invested in it too.

"Why don't you go downstairs? Hug it out?" I touched Harry's shoulder. He walked into my bedroom and put on his shirt. Then both he and I walked downstairs to the front door.

Once it opened, Harry walked to Marlon and stood there with his head held high. Marlon finally spoke, admitting his fault. "I'm sorry for sleeping with your girlfriend. I didn't know she was anything more to you."

"And I'm sorry for changing your wife's life with my addictive love. It'll be hard for you from this moment forward." Harry joked. Both men burst into laughter as if there wasn't an issue in the first place.

Marlon patted Harry's back and Harry turned to me. He kissed my cheek. "It's been lovely, Rose."

"Just like that...?" I asked, but Harry was already walking off down the sidewalk. He'd washed his hands clean of his tension with Marlon.

Now it was just Marlon and I standing there. There was a silence between us. Neither of us knew what to say. I walked down my pathway and shut the metal gate to my yard that Harry left open.

Suddenly my body was pressed against the gate. Marlon stood behind me, then covered my hand that was on the lock. He cupped that hand in his, then brought it up to his lips. I shut my eyes as my cheek pressed to the cold metal of the gate.

His lips touched my ear. "You really thought another man could please you like I do?"

"He pleased me fine." I told him, and he pressed his hips to my backside. I felt his hard bulge through his slacks, it pressed against the satin fabric of my robe. From the moment he'd held me that way, I had to give in. All of my inhibitions were down. I needed Marlon right then and there.

"Fine." I sighed, turning around to face him.

"Fine what?" He asked, holding my waist that was cinched by the belt of my robe.

"Fuck me." I commanded.