Just a Fan (20 page)

I could barely look into the camera for embarrassment. Thousands of people would be watching this - thousands of people would be itching for a closer look at Connor MacGowan's mysterious girlfriend. And every single one of them would see a blushing girl with messy brown locks, boring old trench coat and very underdone makeup...they would probably trample all over me, and criticize every single detail about me. Worse still, they would probably criticize Connor for loving a complete nobody...

'What's your relationship with Connor MacGowan?' the man asked me eagerly, adjusting his camera feverishly.

With that question, I suddenly felt a surge of courage. I had to show them. I had to show them all that I was not embarrassed or ashamed about admitting to this. I had to do just as Connor had done - state the facts calmly and casually. Most importantly, I had to prove to myself - and eventually to Connor - that it was possible for me to maintain a cool head and give only the barest, most essential details.

'We're dating,' I stated firmly. I imagined the rich, beautiful girls competing for Connor who would be watching this and gnashing their perfect pretty teeth.
Deal with it!
I thought, feeling ready for anything all of a sudden. For the first time in my life, I was ready to really fight for what was mine.

'What's your profession? What sort of career do you have around here?' the paparazzo pressed on. Abruptly, I found that in my eyes he had gone from daunting surprise interviewer to just some guy with a camera. I began to feel slightly more relaxed...but still quite tense in this new situation.

'I'd rather not say,' I told him in a modest tone, but with a hint of haughtiness to put him in his place and make him careful with his questions. I felt extremely lucky that I had seen (and laughed at) several surprise-street-interviews before and had admired the tactful answers given to pestering cameramen. In fact, all of them were interviews of Connor, and I was undescribably glad that I was managing to follow his example and be polite and even quite professional about it at the same time.

'Oh...you don't wanna say? OK. Well, did he take you someplace just now?' the man asked, considerably more respectful. I was pleased to find that this guy knew how to keep his distance with ladies - especially with ladies who were not well-known.

'Just for a drive,' I replied vaguely as the cars passed behind me.

'What's that?'

I repeated myself, my eyes flitting to the red light on the pedestrian crossing and willing it to turn green so I could get away.

'OK. Did you have a good time out with him?' he asked me politely.

'Yes, I did,' I said succinctly. Come on, green light, come on...

'How long have you guys been together?'

I had to think; so much had happened, it seemed like an eternity.

'Since...about...the end of last year,' I answered finally. The paparazzo was definitely going to be very rich indeed after this mini-interview.

'Plans for the future?' he enquired.

'We're taking things as they come,' I said mysteriously, not yet having actually considered what the future would hold, but simply improvising. I looked at the light again, and to my relief, it turned green and people began to cross.

'OK. Well, glad you had a good time. Thank you!' the paparazzo said, and then, to my delight, turned off his camera and let me go on my way.

As I crossed the road to get home, I began to realise that maybe this wasn't as bad as I had first thought it to be. Perhaps they would eventually leave me alone once they had all their information about me? I hadn't thought that the paparazzi could be polite at times. It was probably because this guy was on his own and wasn't sure what to expect from me...I smiled to myself. Well, anyway, I had managed to assert myself, and I had shown a courage and clear-headedness that Connor was sure to be proud of! I couldn't wait to tell him...

As soon as I had taken off my shoes in my flat, the telephone rang. Beaming, I skipped over to it, bursting with news.

'Hello?'

'
My, you sound happy today, darling!
' a very different voice to that which I had expected commented.

My smile became a little forced.

'Mum? How nice to hear you...' I lied guiltily. It was nice to talk to my dear mother once in a while, but now I had really wanted to speak to Connor...

'
What's put you in such a good mood, eh?
' my mother asked me, then gave a gasp. '
Oh! Is it your famous man?
'

'I -'

'
Oh, of course it is, I knew it
!' she carried on excitedly, not even letting me begin. '
I'll have you know I've had Sue in from down the road, and Betty, too, along with Letitia and Karen from next door to watch some of your Connor MacThingie's films! None of them could
believe
you were going out with him, but luckily Betty and Letitia had both seen Mr Wells' show and had heard it all for themselves, so they knew I wasn't just telling porky pies! Oh, my darling...it really was something to be seeing that Connor MacWhatsit of yours acting so remarkably in his famous films and knowing that he was in love with my own dear little girl! All of the ladies here think you're very lucky indeed - we watched
Esquire
yesterday, and they were sighing at the sight of him every five minutes!
'

'Oh...well...that's nice,' I replied a little weakly, slightly overwhelmed by her enthusiastic prattling.

'
Last time I called you, you hardly told me anything about him! I had nothing to gossip with the ladies about!
' my mother reproached good-naturedly. '
What is he like - does he treat you well?
'

'He treats me very, very well,' I told her fervently, then blushed, wondering whether I had given the right impression.

'
And what about the future? Do I hear wedding bells anywhere?
' she asked hopefully. '
A celebrity son-in-law, maybe? Gosh, that would be something to -
'

'We haven't thought about anything like that
yet
, Mum,' I told her, stopping her before she could go off on a tangent. 'We're concentrating on the present - there's still a bit of getting-used-to with this new situation.'

'
Alright, then
,' she replied, seeming to have thankfully slowed down a bit. '
Are you getting famous yet? Is he taking you to big parties?
'

I laughed. 'Not yet,' I told her. 'But I have been photographed a few times in the street...and just now somebody with a video camera asked me questions...'

'
I hope you looked nice for it - are you using that face-cream I sent you?
' she asked, concerned. '
You need to put some on every morning and every evening so you won't get wrinkles -
'

'Of course I'm using it,' I lied.

'
I should hope so
,' my mother said. '
Because if you aren't, then you'll get all -
'

'He's taking me with him to America next week,' I interrupted, dropping the bombshell quickly to avoid a lecture on skincare.

There was a pause on the other end of the phone.

'
To
America
?
' my mother repeated.

'Yes!'

'
Oh, Lilly...oh, that's so far
away
!
' she gasped. '
However will you manage?
'

'I'll be with him, so I'll be just fine,' I reassured her. 'You needn't worry about anything, Mum, honestly - he's arranged it all.'

'
Is he paying for everything?
' she asked.

'He's insisted.'

A pause. '
Gosh, what a gentleman indeed
,' she remarked admiringly. '
When will you be back?
Will
you be back?
'

'Well, I'm not sure...' I said, frowning. 'I think we're just staying in New York until he finishes shooting for his new film, but we might -'

'
A new film?
' my mother repeated excitedly, her attention detracted abruptly. '
Ooh! Tell me about it!
'

'It's got miners in it,' I told her stonily.

'
Minors?
'

'Underground, digging-up miners who work in mines,' I specified, in case she was confusing her homophones.

'
Oh, right - I thought you meant underage minors
...'

'No, they're all...mature...' I assured her, suddenly distracted as an image of lamplit muscular torsos and damp curls beneath mining helmets swam across my vision...

I came back to reality just as my mother finished a sentence.

'Sorry?'

'
I said, I called you up some time just after Christmas, but you weren't there
,' she repeated.

'Oh...did you?' I said, slightly guardedly.

'
Yes. The thing is, I wanted to invite you and your lovely film star man home
,' she told me cheerily. I grimaced, feeling
very
lucky that I had missed the call. It would have been hell to inform my excited mother that such a thing was impossible...

'That's nice of you,' I replied vaguely.

'
Seeing as you're away next week, why don't you pop over with him on Wednesday?
' she suggested. '
You can give us a proper introduction. My, how I'd love to see him in real life!
'

'On Wednesday?' I said. That was in four days...hopefully Connor would accept. He didn't seem like the kind of person to refuse to make an old woman happy... 'I'll talk to him about it.'

'
Ooh, brilliant!
' squealed my mother. '
You're a darling, Lilly!
'

'That's OK, Mum.'

'
Well, I'd best be off to put the bin out
,' she told me. '
I'm glad you're happy with your Connor. You are being
safe
, aren't you?
'

I flushed. 'Yes, Mum, we
are
being safe,' I affirmed, more than just slightly mortified.

'
Good, then. Bye-bye, Lilly!
'

'Bye...' I put the phone firmly down.

* * *

'...and then he just said "Thanks" and left me alone!' I was telling Connor on the phone about ten minutes later.

'
I have to say, Lilly, I am very impressed
,' he remarked. '
Your first time faced with a video camera, and you didn't freak out! I know I didn't act so professionally and calmly on my first surprise interview.
' I smiled broadly, bursting with pride. '
I apologise again for having thought you weren't able to handle this stuff...
'