Forever and a Day (27 page)

JJ went to the door and opened it and found Thomas leaning against the opposite wall waiting for them, “Hi Thomas.” JJ said and held the door for Halo as she gingerly walked out the door.

“Halo, do you need a wheelchair? You are not walking well.” Thomas asked as he watched her come into the hall.

Halo waved him off, “I’m ok, my back is really sore. I tweaked it when I kicked Johnny I think.” She paused and looked up to Thomas, “Were you waiting here the whole time?”

“Joseph and I were taking turns. Deacon was here too, he had some things that needed him. He left a little while ago.”

“Ah, thanks Thomas.” Halo said appreciatively.

Thomas gave her a nod and held his arm out to her for support; she took it thankfully, as they headed out of the emergency room and to Joseph and the 4Runner.

Back at the hotel JJ did her calling and booked a flight leaving in a three hours to Brisbane. They began packing their bags when a knock came at their door.

JJ walked over, “I’ll get it.” She opened the door to see Thomas with an irritated look on his face. He jerked his thumb behind him.

“Joel and Deacon would like to talk with Halo.”

Halo called out, “Fine, let them in.”

Thomas stepped inside and took up a place by the door as Joel and Deacon came in. Joel had a worried look about him as he glanced up at Thomas as he walked by him.

Deacon was the first to speak, “Halo, how are you doing? Uh… what are you doing?” He asked seeing the open suitcases on the beds.

“Uh, leaving.” Halo said plainly, ignoring both shocked men.

“Halo!” Joel said worriedly, “I’m so sorry this happened! You don’t need to go! Call your actor you wanted! Please stay!”

Deacon chimed in, “Halo I too am sorry, please don’t go! I know this must be horrible for you, but, but you can’t just leave the production like this!”

Halo shook her head, realizing how it sounded, “Oh hell. No, I mean I am leaving for Brisbane for a brain MRI. They don’t have one here and Doctor Apulu was quite insistent. And! Xander Kostinos is on his way and will be in Brisbane, in what two days?” Halo turned JJ and shrugged.

“Well since Australia is over the date line, then yes you are right.”

Both men collectively sighed together. Deacon spoke up, “Good to hear it, how are you doing Halo?”

“I hurt all over, where that asshole gouged me? It hurts to walk in pants.” Halo shot Joel a shit look.

Joel flushed, “Halo, I really am so sorry. Johnny didn’t say anything other than, he’d give you a squeeze. I warned him, I did, really! He said he was just fucking with me…”

“We should have listened to you in the first place Halo, I am sorry.” Deacon added.

Halo glared at Joel, “Since Johnny committed a crime he lost everything. I gave his contract to Xander Kostinos and I don’t care what you think. So just sign it.” Halo turned to JJ who began digging in her bag for the paperwork. Shortly she produced the contract with Halo’s and Xander’s signature, she handed it to Joel with a pen.

He nodded without a word, quickly signed and dated it, then handed it to Deacon who did the same. JJ took it back, “I’ll fax it out at the front desk before we leave.” JJ said to Halo.

“Halo, we have a problem with the charter. We won’t have it back until next week. And the next flight from Brisbane back to here, isn’t until four days from now.”

“So? We take a few days off, Deacon can get some ‘B’ roll footage.” Halo suggested.

Joel shook his head, “Problem with that is the fucking sand got into the dolly wheels and the damn bearings are shot now. It won’t roll smoothly and squeaks, go fucking figure. Doug wants to bring the second unit’s dolly and crane back. This little island hopper plane can’t handle it. Sarah checked. So we are going to lose over three hundred K just sitting on our asses waiting on the charter jet.”

Halo sat down on the bed with a sigh. With all the shit she is dealing with, she has to help with this crap she thought. Halo looked at Deacon, “What do you think?”

Deacon shook his head, and smoothed his shaggy blonde hair out with his hands, “I’d like to film as soon as we can. If you need time to recover, then you need to take it.”

Joel cleared his throat and held up his hand, “If we get back here quick, we can film the new guy’s scenes and at least get it done with while you recover. Isn’t it nice enough here to get some relaxation in?” Joel started quietly tapping his foot on the tile, “Time is money?”

“Uh, what do you mean we? As in get back here?” Halo asked with a wrinkle between her eyebrows.

“Oh, I booked a flight out on tonight’s plane too.” Joel said, “I need to get there and get another charter, and that’s gonna cost a shit load.”

“Fuck.” Halo sighed, “I was hoping to take a day or two. Fine.” She groaned and turned to JJ, “Call Alessandra.”

“No… Really?” JJ asked surprised.

“Yes, do it. Tell her it’s me personally who’s asking for a charter out of Brisbane.”

JJ did a quick mental calculation, “It will be early there, I think.” She looked at her boss and nodded, “I’ll go out on the balcony.” JJ grabbed her phone and iPad and left the room to make the call.

“Halo, who is Alessandra?” Joel queried.

“The owner of Virgo Airlines private secretary, you know… Vicente Assandri.” Halo sighed.

“Oh. Uh, he and your dad know each other, right?” Joel asked quietly.

“Yeah, Ari too.” Halo trailed off.

“Thanks for doing this, Halo.” Joel said quietly. He knew Halo wanted them to handle everything on their own, without either of their parents help.

Joel looked up to Thomas who glared at him, he shrugged and went and sat down on the chair by the desk. Deacon quietly took the orange fabric covered swivel chair by Thomas.

Deacon looked his actress up and down, noticed all the bruises on her legs. As Halo brushed her hair back in contemplation, he saw the swollen and bruised hand, “Oh hell, Halo. Let me get some ice for your hand! I just noticed it!” Deacon got up as Halo looked at her hand and sighed.

“Thanks, Deacon.” Halo said and watched him grab a plastic bag from the ice bucket and skirted around Thomas and out the door to the ice machine.

“Damn, that looks bad. I didn’t see it either Halo. That must fucking hurt…” Joel said.

“You think?” Halo said as she covered her hand up.

“Um, Johnny didn’t… you know?”

Halo shot him a dirty look, “No. He certainly fucking tried. I should have stomped on his hand too. He gouged me down there good.”

Joel stared at her for a long moment doing his best not to look to her crotch, he felt himself get warm thinking about bloody scratches by her pubic hair. He had always fantasized she was blonde down there…

A knock came at the door and Thomas let Deacon in. He headed straight to Halo and lightly grasped her swollen hand and placed the bag of ice on it, “There you go Halo. I’m so sorry.” She nodded to him and he gave her a gentle hug, then went and sat back down to wait.

After a few minutes of silence, Joel broke the quiet, “Plane leaves in three hours, how long do you think it will be with JJ?”

Halo shrugged and tried to turn towards the sliding glass door to the balcony, she winced hard as her back reminded her of its strain and she quickly faced back forward.

“Here she is.” Deacon pointed to JJ as she brushed the curtain shears aside and stepped in with the phone held to her shoulder. She came up to Halo and faced her.

“Alessandra is going to hold while I tell you the terms.” JJ said.

“Oh so soon! Ok, shoot.” Halo exclaimed.

“Here it is: a 737 VIP charter at Brisbane in two days from our time. It will be ready right before Mys—Xander arrives. Uh, it will cost in dollars, Fifty thousand, plus fuel…“

Joel practically jumped off his chair, “We’ll take it! That is great!”

JJ turned to Joel and gave him a look, “There is more.” JJ turned back to Halo and continued, “…a week, the jet will be at our disposal the entire time. We are to tip the crew generously… it was suggested. A Virgo jet needs to be shown in the film under product placement. The Air carrier of choice in the credits and a special thanks to Vicente.”

Halo nodded, “Yeah that is a really good deal.”

“One more thing, Halo.” JJ said looking to her boss, “Vicente says you have to do a meet and greet at an event of his choosing.”

“Oh. Well, that’s fine then.” Halo looked to Joel and he gave her a thumbs up, “Tell Alessandra it’s a deal and thank Vicente for his help.”

JJ put the phone to her ear and left for the balcony again. Halo looked to the three men in her room, “Ok, then. I would like to take a shower before we leave, so gentlemen if you would?” Halo gestured to the door. Thomas quickly opened it as Joel and Deacon got up.

“Thanks Halo.” Deacon said with a wave and a smile.

“Halo, great job. I will see if anyone else needs to go to Brisbane, maybe Doug?” Joel gestured towards JJ.

“Yeah, that would be cool and whoever else too I guess. I think a 737 can handle a few people on it.”

“Ok, I’ll see you at the airport, and again I’m sorry.” Joel brushed past Thomas without a care and left Thomas to nod at her and he pointed to the lock once again and shut the door.

Joel headed towards Sarah’s room, thinking thoughts of Halo gouged up were making him hard. Sarah would handle him, and he knew whom he would be thinking of…

Halo’s face contorted as she stood up, her foot shot a painful stab up to her heart, “Fuck.” She muttered and gingerly walked to the bathroom. She turned on the shower and began stripping off her clothes. It was slow going, as it seemed like everything now hurt.

Once inside the shower, the hot water cascading over her weary body felt good. She quickly washed herself, when she watched the water rinse away the sand from her hair; she saw the black and purple raised bruise across the top of her entire foot. From her foot she looked up and saw the scratches on her thigh, she followed one red welt that went to her blonde pubic hair. She felt her lip began to quiver and then her vision became blurred by her tears.

First guy to touch her there in such a long time, and it was that slime ball. With that thought her chin began to tremble, she fought hard to hold it back but a sob choked its way out bringing with it a wash of tears. Her shoulders began shaking as she held her aching hand to her mouth as she tried to keep quiet as the sobs wracked her tired, bruised body.

“Oh! Halo, oh no!” Halo heard JJ call out. The curtain came open with JJ peering in, worry written all over her face.

“I—I’m ok.” Halo got out through sobs.

JJ grabbed the white towel off the towel bar and pulling Halo close she wrapped her best friend in the towel and held her close, “It’s ok! I’m here; just let it out—just like you always told me.” She felt Halo nod and her shoulders began shaking as she cried on JJ’s shoulder. JJ pushed Halo’s wet hair away, gave her friend a kiss on her forehead, and rocked her back and forth, “That asshole… that fucking asshole.” JJ muttered. She worried for her friend and the upcoming filming of the same scene with Mystery man; they are going to have to tell him. Hopefully he will understand and he and Halo can work it out together before shooting.

JJ felt Halo begin to calm down, her sobs turning to sniffs and nose wiping with her towel. Halo looked up to her friend, “I love you JJ, thank you for being there for me.”