Daddy's Girls (62)
“I’d be willing to be stuck at the North Pole to play that part.”
“And you don’t mind having a co-star this time?”
“I can live with it. It looks like a beefy part for me.”
“They say it is. They want both characters to be equally strong. I’ll call them. Talk to you tomorrow, and, Gemma, congratulations! I’m happy to see you back on top again.” In reality, it hadn’t taken long, only three months, but it had felt like centuries, thinking that her career was going to tank. But it hadn’t. It was on the upswing again.
Three dozen roses and a magnum of champagne appeared at her house the next morning, and Jerry had the contract in his hands at noon. He was having it checked by his legal department, and she’d have to have it seen by her lawyer too, and add any special conditions she wanted. But Jerry knew that Gemma was usually reasonable, and didn’t ask for the absurd stipulations and perks that some actresses did. He had told the producers that too.
Rufus called her himself that afternoon. “I can’t begin to tell you how happy you made us, and me personally. I’ve loved watching you on your old show for years. I think this is going to be a very exciting shift in your career, more dramatic, historically based, we want to give it real substance, and keep it on the air for as long as we can. I don’t quit when we’re on top,” he reassured her.
“I’m really excited,” she said, and sounded like it. “When do we start shooting?”
“We’re going to need you in Zimbabwe around December fifteenth, or thereabouts. Right in time for Christmas. But I meant what I said, we’re going to make it as pleasant as possible for the cast, and make it a very special experience.”
“I can’t think of anything better,” she said. She was floating.
“See you in Africa then.”
She looked over the contract that afternoon, after Jerry cleared it. She added a few minor things, and sent it to her lawyer. They emailed it to Rufus two days later with her signature. He countersigned it, and by the end of the week, the deal was signed, sealed, and delivered. She called Kate as soon as it was.
“I have a job!” she screamed into the phone and told her all about it. “The show is based in England, so I’ll be in London eight or nine months a year, but I can come home for three months in the summer, and you can come and visit me.” Kate was thrilled for her, though sorry to hear she would be so far away, but three months in the summer would be wonderful. And Kate promised to try to come over, although she hadn’t been away in years.
As soon as Gemma hung up, her phone rang again. It was her tenant from the summer. He had decided to make an offer on her house. It was raining blessings on her. She had already decided on a price, based on comparables in her neighborhood, and had communicated it to him. He knocked ten thousand dollars off the price on principle, and she accepted the offer. He said he’d have the written offer to her by the next day, and he did. He wanted a sixty-day closing and expected her to balk at it, but it was perfect for her since she was leaving for Africa in mid-December and could empty the house before. She told him she was planning to put all her furniture and art in storage. He called her back two hours later. For another two hundred thousand dollars, he wanted most of her furniture, which was a fair price for it and close to what she’d paid. She’d only have to store what he didn’t take, her art and some personal effects. She was planning to sell some of her clothes, the ones she knew she’d never wear again. She was trimming down her life in every way.
She texted Kate about the house, and called Caroline, who was standing in the totally bare room that had previously been their bedroom. She had gotten rid of everything and was starting fresh. She was planning to go to the Galleria in the city, and redecorate her bedroom exactly as she wanted it, without a hint of Peter in it, or Veronica Ashton. She couldn’t wait to start, and planned to sleep in the guest room in the meantime, and then replace that bed too.
“That’s not a good sign,” Morgan whispered to her brother when they saw it. “She’s getting rid of everything that reminds her of Dad.” She had already told them that they had decided to extend their time-out until the end of the year. But at least they hadn’t filed for divorce yet. There was still hope they might get back together, but they were worried about the empty bedroom. Morgan was feeling stressed about it, and Billy didn’t like it either. Now that they were home from the ranch, their parents’ separation seemed all too real to them. Their mother tried to reassure them without lying to them. She didn’t want to make promises she couldn’t keep, and the future of their parents’ marriage was uncertain.
Later that night, Caroline told Gemma about her new bedroom, she thought it was a great idea, and Gemma told her all about the new show she was going to be on. She made Caroline promise to come over and visit and bring the kids during a school vacation.
“We’ll come in February, for ski week,” she promised. So they both had something to look forward to, and Gemma was very happy with the money they were going to pay her for her co-star role. The money from the house sale was better than she’d hoped for, without a realtor’s commission to pay. She was on top again, and even better than before. Losing the show had been a powerful wake-up call to her, and had taught her a lesson. She was never again going to let her finances slide out of control, with nothing tucked away. She was just lucky that she’d had part of the ranch to sell, and a house. And her salary on the new show was higher than the old one. She was on top of the world.