The director stormed into the green room. “What the hemorrhaging fuck was all that?!” he barked.

Gina decided that was her cue to leave, and quietly excused herself to let Drew, Ryan and Colin deal with the incensed man. She wandered the halls in the direction Fenny had gone, listening to the low grumbling of the bewildered audience. She soon spotted Greg and Fenny leaning against a wall, talking in hushed tones.

“You ok, Fen?” Gina asked.

“Yeah, I think so,” Fenny replied. “Just finding more new and exciting ways to screw up my life,” she chirped in mock enthusiasm. “Don’t think anything’s gonna top that display, though.”

“I wouldn’t say that,” Greg smirked. “So,” he continued, turning to Gina, “what did you say to Drew and Col and Ry?”

“I told them about you two and Brad.” Fenny closed her eyes as Greg shook his head. “I had to. I told them not to tell anyone else though. I don’t know what they’re telling the director. He was pretty upset when I left.”

“If he was bothered by Hitler and Cosby, I don’t even want to think about what he’s gonna say about this,” Greg said with a sardonic chuckle.

Fenny let out a sigh. “Sorry I ruined your show, Greg. Would you apologize to the others for me?”

“Brad?” he asked with raised eyebrows.

“Him too. Tell him I’m sorry.” There was a certain amount of defeat in her voice. “I should get going. Before I do something else stupid.”

“The taping has probably been scrapped anyway,” Greg declared. “Hard to get an audience to take you seriously after something like that. And I think we’re all a bit frazzled, anyway.”

Fenny nodded. “Well, good luck dealing with everybody, I’m sorry, really. Maybe I’ll see you around?” She smiled weakly at both of them and turned to go.

“You’re sure you’re alright?” Gina asked.

“Yeah, absolutely,” Fenny called over her shoulder before disappearing around a corner.

Greg and Gina shrugged at each other.

Fenny had been sitting on her hotel bed for the last hour, drawing those terrible silk flowers in a desperate attempt to keep her mind occupied. Not that it worked; she kept replaying the scene in her mind, screaming at that wholly deplorable Ritza, watching Brad storm after the Australian woman without so much as a glance in Fenny’s direction. He’d made his choice, in front of a whole studio audience. It was bad enough that all of her friends and everyone at Echoes knew her as a miserable two-timer, but now another couple hundred strangers knew, too. At least their scene wouldn’t get aired—she could only assume it would get cut, what with the language they’d used and poor Ryan and Colin so confused. Of course, it was television…. What would her brother have to say if he saw that?

Her brother. “Crap,” she muttered to herself as she lunged for the phone, then paused. The last thing she needed to do was explain the last month or so of her life; Sully had as much compassion and sympathy as a sick sea cucumber. She’d just give him a simple story to keep him from doing her bodily harm for abandoning work. With a deep breath, she dialed his work number to leave a message on his voicemail.

“Hey, Sully, it’s me, Fenny. I know I haven’t been in for the last few days, and I’m really sorry. A friend of mine…Gina. She’s flown in to LA and I came down to see her, but, well, she’s been having some problems, guy issues, you know how it goes, and she’s been absolutely inconsolable, so I’ve had to stay here, watch after her, make sure she doesn’t try something stupid like kill the guy or something, guess I got caught up. I’ll probably drive home tomorrow morning. I’m sure the GW Record Store people won’t be too upset that their poster that I was supposed to be done with yesterday is gonna be a week late. If you want, give the project to someone else, I haven’t been able to do a thing with it. Sorry again. And don’t try to kill me, ‘cause I’m not above tattling to mom.”

She hung up the phone, hoping her brother wouldn’t see through her story, and decided that what she needed was a nice, long shower and a good night’s sleep.

Fenny had only just pulled on her pajamas when there was a knock at the door. She froze.

“Please don’t let it be Brad, or Greg for that matter. Let it be one of the overly-emotional Mexican maids,” Fenny mumbled to herself as she padded across the floor and unlocked the door.

“Hey,” Gina smiled.

“How did you know I was here?” Fenny asked, shocked.

“I’m a journalist…I can find out where anyone is,” Gina perked. “So can I come in or are you going to leave me to be harassed by some mad Spanish woman?”

“Actually, I believe her name is Lola and she has 15 children called Emmanuel. Either that or my sheets are infested with lice. I’ve never been good at Spanish,” Fenny mused and ushered Gina inside.

“Let’s hope it’s the kids,” Gina jeered. “Look, I just wanted to make sure you were ok and apologize for sending Greg to comfort you.”

“I’m fine, really, and Greg followed your orders well,” Fenny announced as she sat on the end of the bed.

“I can’t believe Ritza said what she did. God I hate her. I’ve hated her since I met her. What do you mean Greg followed my orders well?” Gina scoffed as she sat on a chipped wooden chair.

“You two are terrible, you obviously like each other,” Fenny mused.

“This coming from you,” Gina scorned.

“No, this coming from someone who’s had sex with Greg,” Fenny said with a wry smile.

Gina felt her cheeks redden. “So, anyway, Fen. How long are you in town for?” Gina babbled.

“I’m thinking of going home tomorrow. Nothing to keep me here,” Fenny replied, noting Gina’s change of subject.

“What about Brad?” Gina gasped.

“What about Brad? He’s not interested. You’ve seen how tremendously fixated he is on Ritza,” Fenny scorned.

“So you’re giving up? And you think I’m terrible,” Gina said poignantly.

“What am I supposed to do, throw myself at Brad’s feet?” Fenny grumbled.

“Well, you could try a bit harder,” Gina spat. “Have you been able to talk to him alone since you’ve been here?”

“Only once, nothing much happened. We ate donuts and…” Fenny’s voice trailed off.

“And?” Gina mused raising her eyebrow.

“He kissed me,” Fenny smiled.

“And you think he’s not interested? What’s wrong with you?” Gina gushed.

Fenny fell back onto the bed and rubbed her face. “How am I supposed to get anywhere with Brad when that horrible woman is constantly hanging off his arm?”

“So, do it in front of her,” Gina shrugged.

Fenny looked over at Gina. “Why is Brad the only person that likes Ritza?”

“She’s screwing his brains out,” Gina said bluntly.

“You know that’s not what I mean,” Fenny scorned.

“I don’t have the answers you want,” Gina sighed.

“But Greg does,” Fenny smiled.

Gina narrowed her eyes. “Oh ok, I’ll ask him,” she breathed. “But you have to stay in town.”

“I think you’ve got yourself a deal,” Fenny perked as she sat back up.

Gina rolled her eyes.

“I have to ask. Why are you being so nice to me?” Fenny queried.

“Because I know what its like to be in your position, and Greg’s,” Gina breathed. “I was married, he was another journalist, we never saw each other, too busy working. We’d been married a year when I met someone else. He was in the entertainment industry. It all blew up in my face of course, and like you, Fen, I ended up alone.”

“Did you love the entertainment guy?” Fenny asked.

“No, it was just sex. It wasn’t until my divorce came through that I realized I actually loved my husband. He won’t even talk to me now. I think he’s shacked up with a red head called Cheryl now,” Gina sighed.

“Is that why you came to the States? A fresh start?” Fenny said sympathetically.

“Sort of. Seems like that was a mistake. too,” Gina half laughed.

“Why? You’re all but dating a prime time celebrity.”

“Oh hey, there is an upside,” Gina smiled. “It’s just that the paper I work at, the other journos hate me…and I mean HATE. They don’t appreciate some Aussie waltzing in and taking a top job.”

“So get a new job,” Fenny suggested.

“Oh there’s an original idea,” Gina huffed. “I like the job, it’s the people…bloody yanks.”

“Hey!” Fenny said in mock offense

“You know it’s true,” Gina laughed.

Fenny and Gina cracked up laughing and all the tension that had built up disappeared.

“I should probably go now,” Gina mused, eyeing up Fenny’s pajamas.

“Brad bought me these,” Fenny giggled, fingering the material. “Can you tell?”

“Monkeys really suit you,” Gina laughed as she headed toward the door.

“Do you want to do lunch tomorrow?” Fenny asked as she followed Gina.

“That has a whole different meaning in Australia” Gina nodded.

“But we’re not in Australia, are we?” Fenny countered.

“You’re right! In that case, yes I would,” Gina perked and handed her card to Fenny. “Call me,” she added as she left.

Fenny closed the door and placed the card beside the awful silk flowers. Oh how nice it was to have someone who understood.