Ch28

Brooks Kennedy took in the scene around him. As stressful as the past couple of weeks had been, it was nice to finally see some of his friends together again, laughing and talking like they'd done before things had all gone to hell. Being back in Oliver's home brought about feelings of nostalgia, taking him back to a time when they'd all been much younger and less jaded. When Hollywood still seemed a dream instead of the nightmare it actually was.

His eyes surveyed the familiar house, finally landing on someone he hadn't thought of in ages. Is that Natalie McGee? Time has not been very kind to you, has it? She's almost unrecognizable. Her features were sharper, more pointed, than he'd remembered, eyes small, face frighteningly narrow, hair a duller shade of red. It was unfortunate. He'd never considered her to be a great beauty, she'd always seemed a bit out of place, but now . . . she was even more so. 

The last time he'd seen her had been on the final day of filming, when she had awkwardly asked him out after the day had wrapped up. He'd felt bad turning her down, but he just wasn't interested. Not only was her father Oliver McGee, and dating the bosses daughter was a huge no-no, he just hadn't been attracted to her. There was something off about her, but he'd never quite been able to put his finger on what it was. For some reason she had made him uncomfortable during their years working together on set, she just seemed . . . unsettled.

He could tell now his instincts had been correct. He watched as her dark eyes shifted nervously around the room, occasionally landing on him before darting off quickly in the opposite direction. What was she thinking? Why did she seem so out of sorts?

Maybe I should say 'hi', he wondered. That way I can prove I don't feel weird about how things ended. Maybe she'll even loosen up a bit. Casually, he walked over and was standing right in front her of before she even noticed.

A bright shade of red decorated Natalie's cheeks once she realized he was there, and Brooks watched her swallow nervously before stepping back. "Hey, Natalie," he offered as easily as he could. "It's been a long tome. You're looking well." He gave her a smile hoping to ease her tension, which seemed to be building by the second.

"Hel-hello," she stammered, her eyes dropping to the floor. "It's good to see you, too, Brooks." She shifted her weight back and forth between each leg, and nervously lifted one hand to the side of her face, brushing invisible strands of hair away from her cheek.

"So . . . This meeting came out of the blue, eh? I'm anxious to hear what your dad has to say," he said, running a hand through his tousled hair in a way he knew was appealing. Briefly, their eyes met and he tried to dazzle her with a smile before continuing. "I can't even begin to imagine what he wants to discuss."

Natalie gave a slight shrug and smiled back weakly, clutching the bag at her side protectively. "I'm sure we'll find out soon."

Brooks' attention was diverted to the entrance of the room when one more familiar face joined the group. "Um, please excuse me," Brooks said to Natalie, but his eyes were locked firmly on the newcomer. He made his way across the room until finally he was standing next to Anna.

"Hey," he said, the grin on his face growing wider. "I didn't realize you were coming."

Anna gathered the wet hair that clung to her neck and gently pushed it behind her shoulders. "I wasn't expecting to be here, but Claire asked if I would come." She gave him a smile that lit up the darkened room, and Brooks' wondered again if he had ever seen anyone look so pretty.

"Can I get you something to drink," he asked as he helped her out of her wet jacket.

"No, I'm good for now. Thank you." Carefully, Brooks positioned her hoodie across the back of a chair, and a small puddle of droplets began to collect on top the hardwood floor.

"Looks like it's still coming down out there." Brooks racked his brain for something more to say, hoping to keep her to himself for a little while longer, but within seconds Miller and Juliana joined them. "Anna, what are you doing here? Is Claire with you?" Miller asked, looking behind her toward the massive foyer.

Anna shook her head. "No, she's back at the house. We made good time at the doctor's office, and she asked if I would stop by the meeting for her."

Miller's eyes were wide with concern. "How did everything go? Is she okay?"

"Is Claire sick?" Juliana asked suddenly, her eyes filled with concern.

"She has a virus or something," he answered, his eyes never leaving Anna's. "She's been laid up for the past couple of days. So," Miller asked again, more anxiously than before, "Is she alright?"

"Well, I didn't get to go in with her, but when I saw her afterward she said everything went fine. Better than fine, actually. She looked really good."

"Thank God," Brooks stated with relief. "Maybe at least one of us is on the mend."

"Alright," Oliver announced suddenly, gathering everyone's attention. "I know we're still waiting on Ashton, but I'd like to get started. I'm sure you're all wondering why I've called you here tonight." Oliver's small, dark eyes sought out each face, making contact with everyone in attendance. His eyes danced mischievously as he gained his audience's attention.

"With the recent media coverage of certain pictures that have come to light," Oliver said, clearing his throat nervously, "I thought you might be in need of some positive press. Now, as you all know, our work on Paradise Cove was the catapult that kick-started your careers and turned you into stars. I want us to try and capture that magic one more time. I was thinking of a reunion—something to bring us all together again. We made a great team before, I think we could make an even better team now."

He paused briefly, as if allowing what he'd said to sink in.  "I want this to be bigger than before. I'm thinking a movie, on the big screen not on television. I would love to take this to the next level and I think we have the clout to make that happen. First, I would like to offer—"

Just then, Oliver's speech was interrupted, and everyone's eyes turned toward the source of the unexpectedly outburst.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

"It's you," Ashton called out from across the room. Her breath caught in her throat at the sight of Oliver McGee, a face she had known since childhood.

All these years, she had only ever looked at him as a leader in his field, and at one point in time her boss. He had created some of the most beloved shows to ever adorn the television screen, turning regular actors and actresses into superstars. She had always followed his career closely, secretly admiring his professionalism and tenacity. But now, she looked at him in a much different light.

Ashton kept her eyes locked firmly on Oliver's as she made her way across the vast room toward him, still unable to believe the information her mother had finally given her.

"Ashton," he said with surprise in his tone, his thin eyebrows crinkling slightly. "I'm glad you could make it. We were just getting started. If you would like to grab a drink, there's plenty-"

But Ashton didn't hear a word he had said. She was focused solely on a new piece of knowledge she'd recently received—something she had never expected. It was the answer to the secret she'd been struggling with ever since she could remember. "It's you," she repeated, standing directly in front of him. She was blind to the confusion that was spreading throughout the room, and hadn't noticed the bewilderment building upon the faces of her friends.

"Ex-cuse me?" Oliver stammered, clearly disoriented by what was taking place.

Ashton stood tall, squaring her shoulders. "You were with my mother several years ago in New York City."

Oliver's fair skin blanched before turning a deep shade of crimson. "It's true, isn't it?" she demanded. "My mother was telling the truth?"

"I'm not sure what you mean," he answered meekly, looking around at the confused faces staring back at them.

"You and my mother spent the night together twenty-two years ago," Ashton stated slowly, carefully enunciating each word. "Oliver—you are my father."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Natalie felt a slow burn cover her cheeks, slowly making it's way down her neck and across her chest. Her eyebrows hitched together and she shook her head in disbelief. What is Ashton saying? What does she mean?

But she already knew the answer. Realization buzzed around her like a swarm of angry bees, and she fought against the dizzy sensation that was threatening to take over. Her breath came out in shallow bursts as she struggled to clear her head.

Ashton Montgomery. My sister? No, it couldn't be! Ashton was only one year older than her, yet younger than her sisters. If what she was saying was true, it meant her father had gone behind her mother's back. He had broken his promise to remain faithful until death departed them. And after everything her mother had done for him . . . may she rest in peace.

Natalie looked at Ashton for what felt like the first time. The red hair, the strong facial features. She could see now how closely they resembled her own, yet Ashton managed to wear them well. Not only had the traits she'd inherited looked good on her—they made her beautiful. 

Natalie felt a nerve underneath her right eye begin to twitch restlessly, distorting the calm expression she struggled to maintain. She stared at the images in front of her and watched as they blended together, as if they were a mixture of colors dancing around in a kaleidoscope. Suddenly, she heard someone yelling—or were they sobbing—it was so difficult to tell. It took several moments before she realized the loud noise was coming from her.

"Natalie," a voice suddenly soothed, hovering offensively near her ears. Was it her father? She could barely make it out. "Natalie," it repeated.

Natalie covered her ears with her hands and began to rock back and forth on the balls of her feet, willing the chaos to disappear. The words and the buzzing; the screams and the sobs . . . God, make it stop!

Layers upon layers of voices continued to surround her, adding to the disorder and turmoil. She flung her arms out, attempting to push away whoever was invading her space, and in her haste, she dropped the messenger bag that clung to her side.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

Everything was happening so fast, it was difficult to comprehend. Ashton was there now, claiming Oliver was her father. Natalie was screaming, a river of incoherent words flowing from her quivering mouth. Brooks had never seen anything like it before—and he'd seen plenty in his life. The girl looked as if she'd gone mad right in front of them! The sight of her was frightening, and he sensed Anna's discomfort as she clung tightly to his arm. He reached over with his hand and covered hers, trying to make sense of what was taking place.

Oliver urgently raced to his youngest daughter's side, but even he appeared to be alarmed by the scene unfolding. Natalie rocked back and forth, arms flailing violently, when suddenly the bag she carried fell to the floor, the contents spilling out for everyone to see.

The first thing he recognized were the pictures. An array of images covered the floor, and what stared back seemed so . . . familiar. Ashton, Juliana, Miller and Claire, Brianna Walters and . . . him. The backseat of his car, inside of his bedroom. Pictures of a dead girl. The pictures from the magazine. Included in the pile was one photograph he had never seen before. An image of Natalie McGee, standing naked . . . in front of his mirror, his bedroom the backdrop . . . taking a picture of the reflection that stared back.

It was her, he realized, a sickening feeling heavy in his stomach. She took the pictures. But why? Brooks' eyes lingered on the photos in confusion before working their way toward Natalie. She stared with wild eyes at the empty bag and it's contents strewn about. Brooks looked back toward the mess when he caught sight of another object.

A gun. Why is there a gun? But before he could fully process it's meaning, he watched as Natalie quickly lunged toward the deadly weapon.

How will Natalie react to her secrets being revealed? Find out in Chapter 29!

Hello, and thank you all so much for reading Fast Lane! If you liked this chapter, please give it a vote/comment.

Thanks again for all of the support you have shown me, I appreciate it more than you know! :)

(Chapter 28 approx. 2,100 words.)