Unfinished Symphony (Logan 3)

"Yeah, I remember. So?"

"So don't you see?" She turned to me. "Melody came after me, following me, looking for a career herself," Mommy said. He turned from her and gazed at me with sudden interest.

"Younger sister? Looking for a career herself, huh?" He sat forward. "Come a little closer," he ordered.

"Go on, honey. Richard doesn't bite," Mommy said with a smile.

I took a few steps toward him and he raised his lusty green eyes to look at me, lingering over my body in a way that made me feel naked beneath his gaze. His lips curled.

"Yeah, she's a looker now, ain't she? How old are you again? Never mind. From now on, you're twenty-one, see?"

"Twenty-one?" I looked at Mommy, but she just smiled and nodded. I turned back to Richard. "No one will believe that," I told him.

"Of course they will. They won't care if you're lying or not anyway, which is more important. Yeah," he said nodding and smiling as his eyes burned through my clothes, "I can find her some work."

"I'd rather find my own," I said and he stiffened. "You got any money?"

"Yes. Grandma Olivia gave me traveling money."

"Well, that's not much. The rent here's high and groceries and everything else costs a lot. If you're going to stay with us, you're going to have to pull your fair share, right Gina?" he said.

For a moment I had forgotten that was the phony name Mommy had taken for herself. I squinted with confusion and then remembered and looked at her.

"He's right, Melody. You're big enough and old enough to make your own way now. And besides, Richard might just make you a star too."

"I might," he said nodding. "I always thought she was a pretty girl, being she's your daughter," he said, smiling at Mommy. She beamed. "So," he said sitting back, "you saw your mother in the En Vogue catalogue. I got her that job," he bragged, "and we made some money on it, didn't we, Gina?"

"Yes, we did, Richard."

"Course, we spent it all, but I got her another job yesterday too. I just wrapped up the deal, honey," he said.

Mommy squealed.

"Oh, that's wonderful. See, honey? I am making it here. What's the job?"

"You're going to demonstrate some new perfume over at the Beverly Center and then be a model for makeup demonstrations," he declared.

Mommy held her smile, but it lost most of its bright light.

"Well, what about that role in the movie, Richard?" she asked softly.

"We'll see. They're still thinking about you," he said. "You might get a call back tomorrow in fact."

Her smile warmed again.

"Good. Well, Melody has to return to where she was staying and get her clothes and things, Richard."

"Oh yeah? Where were you staying?" he asked me.

"With the sister of a friend in Beverly Hills," I replied.

"Beverly Hills? Well, well, well, ain't we coming up in the world?" He laughed. "You sure you want to lower yourself and come live here with us common folk?"

"I was leaving their house tomorrow morning anyway," I said. "Mrs. Livingston was just doing her sister a favor by helping me."

"All right. I'll take her to go fetch her things. I like driving around Beverly Hills, gives me a chance to pick out the house I'm going to buy real soon," he said with a faraway look in his eyes.

"Oh, that's so nice of you, Richard. You see, honey? We'll work it all out as long as you listen. Isn't that right, Richard?"