Cover Girl [Completed]

Chapter 18

You know the time will come
peace on earth for everyone
and we can live forever in a world where we are free
let it shine for you and me

[Nick]

Christmas. Typically it's my favorite holiday because I get to surprise Zach and Zoey with something they really want and didn't think they would get. This year... as someone who's only working part-time at a television station, I'm not getting to spend as much as I wanted.

But I think Macie's more than made up for it. I don't think I've ever seen so many Christmas presents under one tree before. She claims that it's because she typically has no one to buy for and this year, with the kids, she does. Whatever makes her happy and I think buying the kids stuff does make her happy.

I just wish she would be happy about my decision in telling the guy from Universal to go suck his own nuts. She supports my decision but I can tell she's a little upset that I didn't take it, but I just couldn't do it. Sure, I might regret that decision in 20 years when I'm still working as a camera man, but I care too much about Macie to fold into what we both hate about the industry.

If Universal was interested in it that quickly, I still say that someone else has to be interested in it the way it is. If not, then I made the movie I wanted to make and I'm happy with it.

And besides, we start shooting "Cover Girl" on January 2nd, in like a week, and I'm really anxious about that. Since some of the other people found other jobs, Kevin called to tell me yesterday that I would be getting a promotion. I had him swear that it had nothing to do with the fact that Macie and I were together and then realized that Kevin didn't even know. Nobody at work knew, even the ones that helped us on the movie.

Maybe that's a good thing? I'm sure it won't last long.

[/Nick]

"Macie, you're an excellent cook," Jane said as she helped Macie and Zach get the dirty dishes off of the dining table. It was Christmas Eve and Jane was staying in Los Angeles for Christmas before heading back to Florida.

"Yeah, everybody says if this whole acting or modeling thing doesn't work out, I could become a chef or something," Macie said as she walked into the kitchen.

"I can tell Zach's put on a few pounds since moving out here, probably due to your cooking because you probably know Nick doesn't cook unless it involves grilling out or something," Jane said as Macie laughed.

"Hey, I'm not getting fat," Zach said, putting the dirty dishes in the sink. "It's all muscle."

"Right," Macie smiled as Zach ran out of the kitchen to wherever Nick and Zoey had ran off too. "That kid is something else."

"He's just like Nick was when he was his age," Jane said as she helped Macie load the dishwasher. "He's like a 20-year-old in a 10-year-old's body. I just hope he doesn't mess up like Nick did."

"You mean getting a girl pregnant?"

"Yeah, I worry about that."

"I think he's seen what's happened to Nick and he knows better," Macie said as Jane finished putting the glasses in the dishwasher and Macie washed her hands. "I think with everything that's happened to him, it's made Nick more mature than most guys our age."

"He has grown up a lot," Jane said as Macie looked down at the black top she had on, making sure it was clean. "I wasn't sure about you at first, Macie, but being here, I think you're good for them."

"They're good for me, too," Macie smiled, looking up at her.

"And you're a good role model for Zoey," Jane said as Macie nodded. "She needs a woman around, especially now that she's becoming one herself. That just freaks Nick out."