The Friends We Keep(83)

The doorman buzzed up early evening. Dickie had left an hour before. He was being honored at a gala dinner and couldn’t back out, even though Topher, obviously, couldn’t join him. Not tonight, so naturally, Cookie stepped up in his place, leaving Topher all alone.

“I have Evvie downstairs,” said the doorman, who was clearly impressed at this former supermodel showing up in his building. “She says you’re expecting her?”

Topher wasn’t expecting her, but hearing that she was there filled his eyes with tears. “Send her up,” he said, opening the front door for when she arrived.

“They are all fuckers,” announced Evvie, walking through the door and going straight to Topher, putting her arms around him and holding him tight. And Topher, who for years didn’t much like to be touched, sank into her, allowing her to hold him for what felt like several minutes.

“I can’t believe you came up here,” he said, blinking back tears as he disengaged. “Also, I can’t believe the doorman let you in. Everyone’s been trying to get in all day.”

“He was a fan. I turned on the Evvie charm and he was toast. So, what are we going to do about this? We need to get you out of here. The press won’t go away until a bigger story breaks, and God only knows when that will be. As your fairy godmother, I’ve decided that you should come and stay with me in Westport, and we should move our flights to England to as soon as possible. I’ve already spoken to Maggie and she’s on board. No one will bother you in Westport, and look!” She reached into her giant purse. “I’ve got baseball hats, dark glasses, spray-in hair color, and a fake beard for us. Well, the beard’s for you, clearly. And the hair color.”

“Are you serious about me staying with you?”

“Absolutely. You can’t stay here with all the crazy press. You’ll be trapped in this apartment like a prisoner. And even though it’s lovely”—she looked around with approval—“I know you. You’ll go stir-crazy.”

“How can we get out without them following us?”

“My friendly fan the doorman already said we could use the service elevator to the basement, then go out the back entrance. I can pull my car around and they won’t even know you’re gone. I’m telling you, in another life I should have been a PI.”

“Evvie, you’re amazing. But don’t I have to face the music at some time? My career’s effectively over and I have no idea what to do.”

“Honey, you were always leaving your career. That’s the point of moving to England. We’re all having a redo. It’s time for our second acts to begin.”

“I have no idea what I’m going to do for my second act. Acting’s clearly off the table now.”

“You’ve been wanting to give that up for ages. You’ll figure it out. Your soap never aired there. Nobody cares. This story will be done soon and it won’t matter in Somerset, where you’ll be lord of the manor.”

“Gaylord of the manor.”

“Even better. Come on.” She slipped her arm through his. “I’ll pour us a glass of wine while you pack.”

“Aren’t you going to ask me about the book?” Topher said, when Evvie handed him a glass.

Evvie shrugged. “No. I don’t really care. If you want to tell me about it, you’ll tell me, but here’s what I do know: that you are one of the most honorable and decent people I have ever known, and I have known you for over thirty years, so I think I’m qualified to say that. If you did what they are saying you did, I’m sure there was a reason. And whatever the reason is, I’m sure it makes sense. We all make mistakes, this one just happens to be in the public eye, but it doesn’t make me love you any less. A mistake doesn’t change who you are. I know you, and I love you. Don’t cry or you’ll set me off!” she commanded as Topher blinked hard.

“I know you don’t care, but I need to explain. I did copy paragraphs from the book, but not to intentionally steal. They were so beautiful, I wanted to write like that. I planned to use them as notes, to remind me of the kind of writing I was striving for. I never meant for them to be in the finished version. Thank you for not caring. You’re amazing,” he said. “You really are a true friend.”

“I’m sorry we haven’t seen each other all these years. But I’m going to make it up to you now.” After he packed, she took his hand and they walked to the service elevator, which let them out on the side street, and to the car. By the time they hit 95 and Topher had called Dickie to tell him his plans, the car was toasty warm, the purr of the engine soporific, and Topher was so emotionally drained, he fell fast asleep. When he woke up, they were turning off the highway, and a minute later they pulled up outside Evvie’s condo.

“It’s not much,” said Evvie, climbing out of the car. “But it’s been a good place to lay my hat. At least until we get to our real home.”

Home, thought Topher. The place he had always felt most at home. Somerset. It had all been a romantic fantasy, one that he was eager to play out, but now, given his newfound place in the public eye, he wanted it more than anything else in the world.





thirty-eight


- 2019 -



Topher couldn’t think of anything else but his humiliation. He slept last night, but not for long. Evvie’s Ambien knocked him out, but he was wide awake four hours later. He had promised Evvie he wouldn’t go online, but the temptation was too strong. He got out of the king-sized bed he had shared with Evvie and crept into the living room, phone in hand.