Washed Up and Laid Bare

5.

Eddie met them at the Doctor’s entrance. His eyes widened as Robert approached, and he looked nervously towards Lana.

‘Is this really happening? Someone pinch me!’

Robert chuckled, amused at the very flustered Eddie. She’d never seen him lose his cool before and sighed heavily. She had wanted her friend to perform a makeover of sorts on Robert, before he faced the attendees for the luncheon, but this wouldn’t work if he was too star struck to use his scissors.

‘Eddie focus’ she hissed, as she fell into step with him. ‘I promise I will put in a good word with my neighbour for you if you just behave.’

He looked past her, checking out Swanson unashamedly.

‘Eddie! I swear to God!’

He snapped out of it, shrugging his shoulders. ‘Not every day you’re let loose on a Hollywood legend.’

Robert grinned from ear to ear, a twinkle in his eyes. ‘Now this guy, I like.’

She went to the ladies room to get dressed into the outfit Phoebe had lent her. Eyeing the beaded dress warily, she slipped it on, wishing she had brought tights. There was far too much leg on show for such a formal occasion, and she didn’t want Robert getting the wrong message about her. She ummed and ahhed about putting her suit back on, but it didn’t fit the event and she wanted to blend in rather than look like the odd one out. At least it was black and the neckline was decent enough not to expose her cleavage. With a spritz of perfume, and twisting her hair up high in a knot, she looked in the mirror and frowned. She hoped Robert was nearly finished, she didn’t want them to be late.

Swinging the door to the Men’s room open, she heard laughter, and as she stepped inside, she saw Robert washing up at the sink and Eddie singing into his hair brush.

‘Eddie what the hell.’ She chastised, pulling him to one side. ‘Is he even finished?’

‘Yes!’ Eddie said, pulling free of her grip and rubbing his arm. ‘I was just cerenading him. Remember? When Gwyneth Paltrow cerenaded him in A gift for Valentine?’

She looked at him completely befuddled.

‘You haven’t seen it?’

No’ she retorted. ‘Thank you for helping me out Ed but I really need to work now.’

‘What hasn’t she seen?’ Robert butted in. He turned his head, and she felt herself suck a deep breath in through her teeth. She knew Eddie was a wizard with a hairbrush and scissors but she had no idea that this undeniably, sexy specimen of a man had hidden under that matted hair. He looked years younger, the silver in his hair restored to a deep jet black. They perfectly accentuated his bright blue eyes, that before now she had no idea were so blue.

‘She hasn’t seen ‘A Gift for Valentine’ can you believe that?!’ Eddie responded, and stepped forwards teasing Robert’s hair this way and that.

‘Oh really.’ He grinned, giving her the most seductive, smouldering look she had ever witnessed in her entire life. Either the floor beneath her sagged, or her knees just got a whole lot weaker. She shook herself out of it, this was business and he was about as much bad news as you could come by. Getting involved with him would be the world’s most stupid idea. In spite of his breath taking good looks, he was the kind of man that she was repelled by. Curse her female hormones.

She passed a slip of paper to him without meeting his eyes and helped Eddie pack his hair styling products back into his wheel along case.

‘What is this?’ he asked, unfolding it.

‘You’re to make a speech in five minutes in front of the hospital board, the senior doctors and the esteemed guests. Stick to the script, no improvising, no jokes. If you go rogue then this as good as over.’

He raised an eyebrow at the petite woman, now wearing a shapeless smock. Her matronly attitude was starting to irk him, even though he had to admit her friend had done an amazing job restoring his look to it’s former glory. Bed head back to it’s best and the fine lines around his eyes adequately covered, he’d humour her and deliver the speech. As they walked out into the corridor he read the first few lines and winced.

‘You’ll read it with conviction.’ She assured him. ‘The local press are here, so let’s go out there and show them what you’re made of.’

‘Can I at least have a drink first?’

She stared daggers at him. She was definitely asserting control.

‘Welcome to our annual luncheon, to raise money for our Children’s Ward. It is so wonderful to see so many of you here today, and we hope you’ll dig deep and support our cause.’ Head pediatric doctor, Geoff Parks smiled, looking out at the completely transformed hospital canteen. His eyes found Lana’s and he nodded her cue.

‘Your speech’ Lana whispered to Robert, who so far had not been recognised by anyone. As he walked towards the stage, there was a buzz of whispers and speculation. Heads bowed as people wondered whether that was really who they thought it was, and wondering what he was doing there.

He stepped onto the stage, and squinted as the press headed towards him, flashes firing. He looked a little disorientated as he played with the sheet of paper placed on the podium. She walked through the crowd of journalists and radio representatives and stood at the front, so she was nearby if he decided to flake out.

‘Good Afternoon Sacred Heart Hospital.’ He began, and paused to clear his throat. ‘I came here today to talk about what a great cause this is, and how I plan to devote my time to volunteering here.’

He looked down at Lana, wishing that right now, he was anywhere else but here. Vegas, Monte Carlo, Venice….

How dare she have the audacity to volunteer his time?

The crowd murmured and a few clapped.

The rest of his speech outlined his rehabilitation, with an emphasis on him wanting to be seen as a changed man, and to dedicate his time to becoming more than just the heartthrob or tabloid fodder. She watched as people’s faces changed from being wary, to wondering whether he deserved a second chance. She didn’t hold back on the speech, trying to write as honestly as she could. In her Tremont days, speech writing had been second nature and this was a particularly raw, bare boned speech that left the attendees surprised at his honesty.

As he finished the speech he crumpled it in one hand, making a mental note to throttle Frank later. He wanted to earn the trust of the public but not by looking like some sap, and certainly not with his nanny’s help. He looked at her, as sudden clapping ensued. The entire place on their feet, some whistling from the back somewhere. He was surprised at the reaction being that his heart wasn’t in this and Mary Poppins had been glaring at him the whole time.  As he stepped off stage, flashes fired and he did his best to smile, wondering if Eddie the stylist bleached teeth too. He’d abandoned the drugs and the alcohol, but cigarettes remained his one comfort.

The luncheon reminded him of all the awards dinners where he’d be plonked next to someone he’d never met and they’d engage in egotistical conversation, each one trying to outdo the other. This time however, he was sat next to a wealthy donor, one Evangeline Davenport, a sixty year old spinster who wore what looked like a dead fox around her shoulders. Dripping in jewels and telling tales of John Wayne and Steve Mc Queen, and claiming to have bedded them both, he looked over at Lana, exasperated. Lana had briefed him that the best thing to do was to listen, and not to say anything ‘Swanson-like’. Although he was mildly offended he knew she meant no curse tirades, of the likes that used to spill from his lips every time he was in public. Keeping up with his bad boy persona. For a while the ladies loved it, then they were wooed by the pretty boys with angelic temperaments that visited Africa and adopted orphans.

Lana averted many a journalist who came to the table, itching to have the first interview with him post rehab, and she motioned over to the main doors where a mass of paparazzi waited. News got out fast when one excitable journalist called his friend, and then alerted the tabloids and bloggers. Once their dessert was served, she escorted him through the sea of paparazzi, and soon they were out in the street followed by a mass he’d not experienced in some years.

‘Mr Swanson, what affiliation do you have to The Sacred Heart.’

‘Mr Swanson, a comment about the lawsuit currently held against you?’

‘Mr Swanson, are you clean?’

The call she made to Eddie was a lifesaver. He pulled up outside the hospital and with great difficulty they managed to get him inside and drive away. Looking in the mirror, she knew full well that some of the photographers may have followed. They’d take them on a merry ride, they had nowhere to be. She looked back at Robert sitting in the backseat, hands folded on his lap. The speech went amazingly well, the response was incredible, and though he had a long way to go, this had been the first step. A very successful first step. She expected him to look grateful at the very least, but the fury on his face said otherwise.

What had gotten his goat?