“I can explain this to my fans,” she said. “Bob? Theyll understand. ”
“You give moral advice, Nora. ” Bob shook his head. “This is going to be a hell of a scandal. Jesus, weve been promoting you as a modern version of Mother Teresa. Now it turns Out youre Debbie Does Dallas. ”
Nora flinched. “Not fair, Bob. ”
“Believe us,” Jason said. “The trailer-park set in Small-town U. S. A. will not understand that their idol just had to be free. ”
Bob nodded. “When these photos hit the air, well lose advertisers instantly. ”
Nora clasped her trembling hands and tried to appear calm. She knew it wasnt working. “What do we do?”
A pause. A look. Then Jason said, “We want you to take some time off. ”
It was all coming at her too fast. She couldnt think straight. All she knew was that she couldnt give up. This career was all she had. “I cant-”
Jason moved closer; touched her shoulder gently. “Youve spent the better part of the past decade telling people to honor their commitments and put their families first. How long do you think it will take the press to uncover that you havent spoken to your own daughter since the divorce? Your advice is going to ring a little hollow after that. ”
Bob nodded. “The press is going to rip you limb from limb, Nora. Not because you deserve it, but because they can. The tabloids love a celebrity in trouble . . . and with sexy pictures. Hell, theyll be jumpin” up and down over this. "
And just like that, Noras life slipped beyond her grasp.
“Itll blow over,” she whispered, knowing in her heart that it wasnt true, or if it was true, it wouldnt matter, not in the end. Some winds were hurricane force and they demolished everything in their path. “Ill take a few weeks off. See what happens. Spend some time coming up with a statement. ”
“For the record,” Jason said, “this is a scheduled vacation. We wont admit that it has anything to do with the scandal. ”
“Thank you. ”
“I hope you make it through this,” Jason said. “We all do. ”
Jason and Bob both spoke at once, then an awkward silence descended. Nora heard them walk past her. The door clicked shut behind them.
She stood there, alone now, her gaze blurred by tears she couldnt hold back anymore. After eleven years of working seventy-hour weeks, it was over.
Poof. Her life was gone, blown apart by a few naked photographs taken a lifetime ago. The world would see her hypocrisy, and so too--oh, God--would her daughters.
They would know at last, without question, that their mother had had an affair-and that shed lied to all of them when she walked out of her marriage.
Ruby had a pounding headache. Shed slept on and off all day.
Finally, she stumbled into the kitchen and went to the fridge. When she opened it, the fluorescent lighting stabbed her aching eyes. Squinting, she grabbed the quart of orange juice and drank it from the container. Liquid trickled down her chin. She backhanded it away.
In the living room--what a joke; if you were living in this empty room, you were either dying or too stupid to keep breathing--she leaned against the rough wall and slid down to a sitting position, stretching her legs out. She knew she needed to walk down to Changs Mini-Mart and pick up a newspaper, but the thought of turning to the want ads was more than she could bear. The job at Irmas hadnt been much-had been godawful, in fact--but at least it had been hers. She hadnt had to stand in a hot line, begging for a chance, saying Im really a comedian again. As if she were special, instead of just another loser in the string of men and women who came to Hollywood with a cheap one-way ticket and a dream of someday.
The phone rang.
Ruby didnt want to answer. It could hardly be good news. At best, it would be Caroline, her über-yuppie, Junior League sister who had two perfect kids and a hunk of a husband.
It was possible that Dad had finally remembered her, but Ruby doubted it. Since hed remarried and started a second family, her father was more interested in midnight baby feedings than in the goings-on of his adult daughters life. Frankly, she couldnt even remember the last time hed called.
The ringing went on and on.
Finally, she crawled across the shag carpet and answered on the fourth ring. “Hello?” She heard the snarl in her voice, but who gave a shit? She was in a bad mood and she didnt care who knew it.
“Whoa, dont bite my head off. ”
Ruby couldnt believe it. “Val?”
“Its me, darling, your favorite agent. ”