Neighborly. | Old Hollywood Fanfic

Chapter 16

Denise

"You know, their grass is hardly green. It has a little tings of yellow, as if they haven't been taking care of it." I whispered to my husband as we stood on the front steps of the Newman house.

"They just moved in..." Gary shook his head. "Paul barely came to this house anyway."

"You know who did?" I asked, gripping the pedestal that contained my famous chocolate cake inside the glass dome. "His wife, Jackie. That's who came here."

"That's not his wife anymore." Gary grumbled, rubbing his eyebrows together to ease the tension of a headache.

"They have a son!" I hissed at him. Both of us stopped bickering at the sound of footsteps behind us. I whispered over to my husband. "Look. Brando already made friends with the Evans."

"Anywhere there's a negro, there's Brando." My husband shook his head.

"Marlon! Rebecca! Stanley!" I smiled at them as the approached the front door. "You all are looking spectacular tonight."

"So do you." Rebecca complimented me. I squinted at her right dress, her body was way too voluptuous to be showing that much. Why wear clothing if it was going to trace every detail of your body?

"And that dress fits you just perfectly." I noted. "Fits you like a snug glove."

Rebecca's face looked like she didn't know how to take that compliment. I grinned, looking forward at the door.

"You two don't understand exactly how hilarious Stanley is!" Brando wrapped an arm around Mr. Evan's shoulders. His finger that was ornamented with a black onyx ring pointed to Stanley. "This man is the next Bob Hope."

"I guess we'll all have to sit down and have one of our wives make us a drink someday." Gary nodded.

Finally the door open and there stood Joanne Woodward. "Welcome, everyone!" Her southern bell accent boomed.

"Hi there!" I smiled, lifting my pedestal dish higher. Joanne invited us all inside, waving us in. I was shocked to see how beautiful the house was. I hadn't remembered it looking so nice last time I'd been inside.

"I must say, your house is gorgeous." I noted with a smile. Joanne placed a hand on her heart at my compliment. Then I rose my eyebrows. "Did you re-decorate?"

"Yes, I did. I'm so happy someone finally noticed... some people were saying the house looked exactly the same!" Joanne laughed. "But they only had nice things to say."

Lifting up my pedestal dish, I extended it toward Joanne. "I just wanted you to know I made chocolate cake..."

"Cake... yum!" Joanne pursed her lips together as she looked down at it. I was very prideful... this was my best recipe. "Although I already made a chocolate cake..."

My face fell.

"Two is better than one!" Joanne spoke like a southern belle. "Come on, let me show you to where everyone is!"

We walked over to her living room where the guests were. Everyone seemed to be having a wonderful time. I felt a pit in my stomach. I'd never seen people have such a time at one of my get togethers. "All the men and women in one place!"

"Of course!" Joanne laughed. "That's how the real fun starts."

"Well what if a girl doesn't want her husband talking to a certain woman?" I said in a low voice.

"Your husband will go where he wants regardless..." Joanne rose her eyebrows, then smiled at me.

"I guess you know that more than anyone." I mumbled. Joanne squinted at me, but that was interrupted by Paul walking over to us.