Cover Girl [Completed]

Chapter 16

Grass looks greener on the other side
But I can't get there my hands are tied
And if I do, don't be surprised
Oh,gotta figure it out another day

[Nick]

I'm a complete nervous wreck. I'm sitting inside the Bootleg Theatre in Los Angeles with Macie, the kids, our mothers, a few of our friends and some film executives that Macie invited to see the movie. I keep biting my nails. I keep looking over at my mother to see what expression she had on her face. I keep looking at the kids, who hadn't seen the movie yet.

I'm just a nervous fucking wreck.

I feel like I'm in way over my head. I can do camera work on a television show. I can even make a small low-budget movie with the girl I'm crazy about. But these Hollywood types being here, critiquing my work, wondering if I'm actually good or if they are wasting their time by being here is surely going to cause me to have an ulcer.

I keep seeing Macie looking at me, smiling and I just wish we could leave. I know she loves it. I know I love it, but what are these other people going to think. What is Macie's mother going to think about it? If she hates it, then that's going to make her hate me and I'm pretty sure she's already wondering why her daughter, this beautiful actress who models, is doing with a low-life from the ghetto of Tampa Bay.

And then what if my mother hates it? What if she's going to tell me that I just need to move back home, forget this move making fantasy of mine and go back to construction work? What if Zoey and Zach hate it and think their father is even more of a loser than they thought all along?

This is the shit that's running through my mind and I feel like I'm having a panic attack. That or a heart attack. Can a 28-year-old have a heart attack? I'm sure it's happened before.

Fuck, my chest hurts.

[/Nick]

Nick leaned back in his seat, watching the end of the movie. He stared at Macie up on the big screen, delivering her narration lines perfectly. He still couldn't believe that she nailed Julie's character just how he imagined her to be.

Hell, he still couldn't believe the girl up on that screen loved him and was sitting next to him, holding his hand.

As the movie ended, everybody stood up as the lights came on, clapping and Nick stood up slowly, smiling bashfully. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to do. Was he supposed to clap also? Was he supposed to bow as if he was the King of fucking England? Instead, he just grabbed Macie's hand, holding a firm grip on it until he felt his mother rush up to him, hugging him tightly.

"Oh Nicky, I'm so proud of you," Jane said as Nick stood there, wanting to laugh at the looks on his kids' faces. "I always thought you joked about making movies, but that was really good."

"Thanks Mom," Nick smiled, backing away from the hug to see Brian, the director of "Cover Girls" and now "Cover Girl" walking up to them. "Hey Brian, I didn't see you come in."

"Snuck in as the movie started," Brian said, shaking Nick's hand. "That was an awesome film for your first time out and you did it all by yourself?"

"Well we had some of the guys from the show who were out of work help us," Nick said as Brian smiled.

"And Macie, you were great," Brian laughed. "We need to make you more diva-like on the show."

"Thanks," Macie grinned as her mother walked up to her, pulling her off to the side. "What's up, Mama?"

"I know I don't say this kind of stuff to you very often because I'm so critical of you, but you were amazing," Cindy said as Macie stared at her mother in shock. "I always thought this acting thing was a joke because your character on your show is so much like you in real life, but this was really acting. I'm proud of you."