Chapter 11
Even at the end of the summer, the heat in the city was still intense. There had been little time over the past few months for picnics at the beach or outings into the country and the four were looking forward to a long period of relaxation during the autumn. Roberts had capitalized on the exceptionally fine weather that year to shoot a number of scenes outdoors and it had been pleasant swimming naked in cool mountain streams or frolicking on the beach for the benefit of the cameras. But the work had been tiring all the same and the group had been in a state of high nervous tension for the nine weeks it had taken to complete the film.
They had staked nearly everything on this one motion picture. Allan and Bill had borrowed heavily to invest in the film, using their camera equipment as collateral for the loan. Even Sandy had drawn her meager savings out of the bank and Val's jewelry was all in hock. If the film bombed, they were out of business and they all knew it although no one dared even to mention the possibility.
Val and Sandy were at home doing the housework and chattering while both men were at the Roberts building attending a screening of their film for some distributors. Everything rode on what these hard, crafty businessmen thought of their work and how much they would offer them for its purchase. The two women had decided not to attend the screening, partly to avoid distracting attention from the film itself, but mostly because they felt they were too nervous to make an effective contribution to the negotiations.
"Shit, I'm going to get some clothes off," announced Val. "I wonder if the old guy next door has got his binoculars out. It's a great day for bird-watching."
"Who cares?" answered Sandy casually. "Besides I think he's far more interested in cats than birds."
"Cats!" the other girl questioned. "What do you mean?"
"Well whenever I take a shower, he focuses on my pussy," joked Sandy. "The guy is a real nature lover. There he is now, hidden behind the curtain."
"How can you tell he's there?" inquired Val.
"Because he always leaves the light on in the bathroom except when he's spying on us. Then the lights go out so we can't see him. But you always notice that the curtain on his window is moving. He must be breathing hard." She stretched languidly as Val stepped out of her clothes. "Well, I think you're right. It's too hot to sit around all bundled up." The slender, buxom girl stood next to the open window and stripped off the sweater and skirt, pretending to be unconscious of the old man in the next house. Suddenly, Val burst into laughter. "What's the matter?"
"I can't get over you, Sandy. I've never seen anyone change so fast in such a short period of time. When we first met, you were a virgin who worried about her moral standards. Now you're the sexiest woman I've ever met. I think you'd walk naked down the street if we'd let you. You ought to be ashamed of yourself, deliberately exciting that poor old man."
"What's to be ashamed of?" retorted Sandy calmly. "This is the only pleasure he gets out of life. If he gets his cookies watching my boobs through a pair of binoculars, then I'm doing him a charitable favor. Besides, he's a nice old guy. I think I'll go over there some day and borrow a cup of sugar or something and really give him a thrill."
"You'll give him a heart attack!" laughed Val. "Really Sandy, I can't get over you. You're so different now it's amazing."
"No," replied the young blonde woman thoughtfully. "No, Val I don't think I have changed, really. I don't know how to explain this properly, even though I took a course in psychology in college. Before we all met, it was as if I was wearing winter clothes all of the time. There was a real Sandy underneath all those garments, but no one ever saw her, even me. When you and Allan and Bill came along and made me take off all my real clothes, you took off my mental clothes too. For the first time in my life, I became really free to be what I am. I was there all the time, but I was hidden, disguised. Now I'm out in the open. I can see myself and other people can see me too, for what I really am."
"But ... it's still hard to believe. I never thought Bill and Allan could get you to do that part. If Elias, that actress, hadn't been sick, this all might not have happened."
"Oh Val, we can stop pretending about Elias. Bill confessed to me a week ago that she never existed. He was right to have done what he did. Had they walked in and announced to me some morning that they wanted me to do a sex film, I would have blown my top and said no. Tricking me was the only way. I don't suppose Bill even knows how to spell psychology, but he understands a lot about human nature. I needed some kind of violent trauma, something really drastic. That scene where I was taken by five men at once did it for me. It was like electroshock treatment. It liberated me from all the nonsense I'd been thinking for twenty-three years. My body is beautiful and so is yours and I can understand that now. Love is beautiful and so is sex! Am I confusing you?"
"No, no," laughed the other girl. "I just never heard anyone make a philosophy out of fucking before. You should write a book."
"It this movie flops, that's what I'm going to have to do. I wonder what's keeping those guys? They should be home by now."
"I just heard a car pull up in front of the house. Maybe that's them," speculated Val, going to the front window. "No, it's a car from the telegraph company. We must be getting a cable."
The doorbell sounded and Val held a towel over her breasts and answered the door. The messenger was an adolescent, obviously still in his teens and gaped at Val comically as he fumbled with the telegram and a pencil. When Sandy laughed aloud at this ridiculous scene, he noticed her for the first time, sitting casually on the sofa and wearing only a skimpy pair of panties. Val signed for the telegram while the boy conscientiously studied the ceiling and then the floor, accepted his pencil back and staggered out of the house, his face bright red.
"Even the Western Union isn't safe from the new Sandy," commented Val. "This is addressed to Allan and Bill."
"Here they come now," Sandy said, hearing the familiar sound of their old car entering the driveway.
The two men burst into the room, obviously in a high state of excitement. For the moment, it was not clear whether they were upset or out of their minds with joy.
"What happened?" demanded Val. "Stop jumping around and tell us what the story is."
"The story, My Dear Val," announced Bill theatrically, "is that we have got it made. The distributors were climbing all over each other to buy that film. Chris simply held an auction and sold it to the highest bidder. The guy who bought it paid just over four hundred thousand dollars and he told me he expected to make two or three times that with it. Our share of the money comes to almost one hundred thousand dollars and Chris has signed a contract with us to make four more pictures with him over the next two years. They're going to be co-productions and we split the profits right down the middle. Sandy, I think we may be able to afford a cheap little wedding, what do you say?"
"Hey, if Sandy gets married, I want to get married too," announced Val indignantly. "It's about time you made an honest woman out of me, Sarge!"
"Now see what you've gotten me into," roared Allan with mock unhappiness. "What's that, a telegram?"
"You're changing the subject," charged Val. "But here, read it."
"It's from Reddick!" exclaimed Allan, opening the telegram. "He's the producer from Hollywood that Chris knows. He saw our film before the cutting was finished, but Chris said that he liked it."
"So read the telegram!" cried Bill, trying to peer over his friend's shoulder.
"VIEWED YOUR FILM COURTESY RICHARDS STOP AM MOST IMPRESSED STOP WISH TO OPEN NEGOTIATIONS WITH YOUR GROUP FOR WORK ON MAJOR PRODUCTION BEGINNING AFTER NEW YEARS STOP AM ABLE TO GUARANTEE LEADING ROLES FOR BOTH LADIES AND IMPORTANT DIRECTORIAL POSITIONS FOR BOTH MEN STOP PLEASE NOTIFY SOONEST STOP REGARDS REDDICK," Allan read.
"That means Hollywood!" exclaimed Sandy excitedly. "This is too much to absorb in one day."
"We can do another Film with Chris this fall," Bill said, already planning their schedule. "Then fly to the West Coast for Reddick's picture and be back here for Spring. I never liked winter in this town anyway."
"What kind of Films does Reddick make?" asked Val.
"Very serious films," Bill explained. "Hardly a year goes by when he doesn't take an Oscar home with him. He's one of the biggest people in the industry."
"You mean he doesn't make smokers, like Chris?" asked Sandy.
"Hell no," Bill assured her. "He likes to make smokers but he makes very respectable films. No real screwing in a Reddick movie."
"That's a shame," joked Sandy. "I was getting to like it."
"Well, we'll just have to work overtime at home keeping you satisfied," Bill told her, pulling her into his arms.
"And you can start right now," Sandy replied lustily. "Where's that mattress Chris gave us?"
"Coming right up, honey. Just go on in there and lie down and open those hot little legs of yours wide."
"And Bill?" Sandy looked at him questioningly. "Do you feel in a charitable mood today?"
"Of course, baby, on a day like today, who wouldn't?" he answered with a quizzical look on his face. "Why do you ask?"
"Well, I just thought that, in that, we were leaving this place, why don't we invite that lonely old man next door over to join us for a final fling. After all, I've taken on five men at one time, the two of you should be real easy."
"Sure, baby," Bill laughed and moved toward the door. "I'll go over and get him right now. But remember, I'm gonna take you solo from now on. I might just get a little bit jealous of my wife getting it all the time from other men."
"Of course, darling," Sandy smiled demurely as she walked nakedly toward the window. "Just run along and bring him over. I'll be waiting...."