Page 12 of A Little Christmas: Star
Caelum
Filming was close to wrapping up for Star’s current production, and he was transitioning from production to post-production, he’d explained. So, he not only had to be on the set to film most days—and they were often very long days—but he also had to do a lot of promotional work. The film had been delayed several times due to things out of Star’s control, but the theater release was now set in stone, and he would have to be on TV, on the radio, online. There was even a possibility he’d be hosting a certain late-night show for an evening, filling in for the regular host. Something he was dreading.
“I can’t meet you,” he said in a hushed tone. “We’re on overtime and the producer is having a fit about crew costs. Maybe we can have dinner tomorrow.”
I’d had a long day, too. With the end of the year coming up, there were a ton of annual contracts for policies to be dealt with. Businesses usually went on a calendar year, meaning, they needed quotes for their new policies in December and then everything paperwork that went with that had to be done. While most types of offices were coasting to get the Christmas/New Year’s break, we had to finish everything on our plates for them before they closed.
But despite the frantic pace, I’d been looking forward all day to Star coming to my house for dinner and spending the night. We’d had a plan for him to meet me outside the side door to his hotel, while his assistant made a big fuss of getting in a limo out front. It was a great idea, but from his tone, impossible.”
“How late do you think you’ll be?’
“Remember that talk show?”
“I do. Is that going to happen tonight?”
“No.” He laughed, although it sounded a little tight and restrained. “Thank heavens. Most people think they happen at eleven or whenever they see it, but most tape in the afternoon or early evening. I will be working here until midnight it looks like or, to quote the director, ‘Until everyone gets their head out of their ass and gets it right.’ Tomorrow, I have to fly back to Hollywood to do that talk show, and then back here for more media and filming the next day.”
“That’s brutal, Star. You really need a break.”
“I’ll take one after this current movie is launched. Or at least that’s what I tell myself.”
“Maybe you need a daddy to make sure you keep your promises to yourself.”
Silence. I’d overstepped. He’d managed until now without a daddy, without me. Why should I assume he couldn’t keep that up?
“Maybe you’re right.”
Ohhh my… “Star, you’re under a lot of pressure right now, and I don’t want to be part of that. I want to be someone you look forward to seeing. Not a big decision five minutes after we see each other again.”
“This is why you’re a daddy. A daddy would say that.”
“And a daddy did. Go do what you need to do and don’t let them add more, okay? It’s enough.”
Muffled talking then he said, “Gotta go. Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For being…you.” And he was gone. Someone had approached him, obviously or what would he have said? For being a daddy? For being the one person who didn’t pressure him? I’d have to accept it was for being me. And that was a pretty nice thing for him to say.
But now I had an evening free and no desire to go home alone.
So, instead, I went shopping. Star had made it clear he had almost no little items when we were together and he’d talked about keeping his current collection in a drawer… Locked so his cleaning lady couldn’t take pictures of it and sell them to the tabloids.
He needed more. If he didn’t feel safe with them at his place, he could leave them at mine. Chained had a lot of members who worked in the kink industry. One dom made adult-sized nursery and playroom furniture and sold it over the internet. Another designed crochet patterns which were very popular with littles. And a third had just opened a boutique that sold toys, clothing, and other items that I thought would make Star smile. It was my new goal in life, to see his happy grin as often as possible.
I got the feeling he’d been far too serious for a long time. He needed to play, to relax, and just have fun. A lot of high-powered people showed up in the Chained little room dressed in a onesie or tiny shorts and settled in for an evening of pushing toy trains around, listening to stories, building block towers or—a big favorite—crafts featuring way too much glitter.
Ducking out a little early, I made my way to the shop. Located on a narrow back street, it looked like any other storefront, but shoppers who were not of the daddy/mommy/little ilk did not get to see everything. The owner was also an artist, and the front of the shop held his paintings and sculptures. He was good, no doubt, but he made most of his money from the 60 percent of the square footage located behind the counter. And the only way to access that was by referral.
When I went in, the owner, Bert, was helping an art aficionado select a framed painting for their front hall. The customer was undecided, walking back and forth between a landscape and a seascape and finally ended up buying both. They left with their purchases wrapped in brown paper, smiling and joking about discovering the next great star in the art world.
But I was there to buy something else, and Bert greeted me with a handshake. “I take it you aren’t looking for the next great star in the art world, Caelum?”
“In fact, no, but not because you aren’t good.” In fact, he was very good, and I had a couple of his pieces in my home.
“Of course not.” He rounded the counter and reached underneath.Buzz.The door behind him popped open and he waved me in. “But you are here to buy some things for a special little. Go on in and check it out, see what you want, and I’ll join you momentarily.”
Stepping through the doorway always felt like going through a portal to me. Into an alternate reality. The art gallery was very subtle with earth-toned floor tiles and walls painted a subtle shade of gray so as to not to detract from the muted tones of his brushstrokes. But beyond…
