Page 14 of Off Script
"Yes, normal," I reiterate. "Not to be confused with average or boring, of course, because you're neither of those things. So, c'mon, talk to me. Tell me more about your life and your trust issues."
"Seriously?" Skepticism tinges her voice. "You really enjoy hearing about my life? Most people enjoy talking about themselves more than listening to other people."
"Seriously."
"You're not trying to find out details about my life so that you can steal my identity, are you? Because I will not disclose my mother's maiden name or what street I grew up on."
Chuckling, I assure her that I'm not. "But your trust issues do seem to be rising to the surface, Carlisle. Maybe we should talk about those," I kid.
She makes a funny noise, part exhalation, part groan. “In that case, I’ll take you up on your offer to talk about my trust issues, if for no other reason than to dispel you of the notion that I'm normal.”
"Thank you."
“Let’s see, where shall I begin? I already told you that my dad cut the purse strings after college graduation, but what I left out is the important stuff that preceded that." Her melodic voice grows softer, more hesitant before continuing, "I’m going to apologize ahead of time for getting heavy.”
“Don’t apologize for being real." Then, something foreign overcomes me and I elaborate. "Your ability to be real is one of the things that draws me to you.”
Way to keep Carlisle at arm's length, dumbass.
She swallows audibly. “Okay, I’ll just jump right in then. My mom died at the end of my freshman year of college from cancer, which really sucked because we were incredibly close. Growing up as an only child with a workaholic father, my mom and I were together all the time. Besides Harper, my mom was my best friend."
"Oh, shit, Carlisle. I'm sorry." I noticed during our very first conversation that Carlisle only mentioned her father, not her mother.
"Thanks." With a weighty sigh, she presses on. "Then my dad married his much younger secretary four months later because she was pregnant with twins. It was hard enough losing my mom to cancer, but to find out that my father had been cheating on her while she was on her deathbed was devastating. I felt like the rug had been pulled out from under my feet and that everything I thought I knew about my dad was wrong. The hardest part has been the feeling that my dad just replaced my mom and me. Before my mom even died, my dad had already begun creating a whole new family.”
I grow quiet in the aftermath of her story, not because she opened up too much, too soon, but because her words resonate with me. We may live two drastically different lifestyles right now, but our traumas are similarly rooted in betrayal and deceit.
And that's kind of a mindfuck to realize how much I have in common with Carlisle.
Still awake?
CARLISLE
Yep. Just reading before bed.
Me too.
CARLISLE
What are you reading? Anything good? I'm always on the hunt for a new book.
A screenplay calledLosing Love. It's fantastic so far.
CARLISLE
Wow! How very Hollywood of you, Brent!
Well, shit. As if today's earlier emotional conversation wasn't enough, here's yet another reason to shut this shit down before Carlisle finds out whoI am.
My anonymity provides a safety net for me, but as Carlisle and I get more comfortable with one another, it's only natural for more aspects of my real life to bleed into our conversations.
I'm letting her get too close to me.
And that could be dangerous.
Star Sightings: Busy Weekend for Ben
The normally private actor had a busy weekend! Ben Sutton, 30, star of Studio 67’s upcoming superhero filmCaptain Commanderwas spotted out last night with friends at several Hollywood hot spots.
