Two Weeks After the Peach Festival Incident

"Tally!" Jeremiah's voice echoed through her room.

She rolled over hiding her head under her blankets. "What?" She moaned.

"I'm done with this. You need to come back to the living." He yanked the comforter from her body.

Talia groaned pulling the pillow over her head now. "The land of the living is overrated."

"Yeah well, if you don't get your ass moving, your mama has threatened to send your grandpa to visit us. We don't need his naked ass around our apartment."

"What did you just say?"

"Your mama is threatening to send your grandpa here. Now, get up and call her so that we don't have him showing up and stripping down."

"Alright."

Talia grabbed her phone. The time on the phone read 12:15pm. She sighed then pushed her mother's contact on her phone.

"Talia is that you?"

"Yes, mama." Talia said flatly.

"How could you just disappear like that?"

"I asked Rex to tell you I was leaving." She flopped down on her bed.

"Yes, Rex did tell me, but you didn't. Are you trying to break your mama's heart?"

Talia rolled her eyes and stared at her ceiling. "Mama, I didn't leave because of you. I needed to figure things out. I'm sorry I didn't call."

Her mama was quiet. "Have you talked to Zechariah since your spat?"

Talia sighed. "No, Mama."

"Well, when I talked to his mama on Sunday she said he was really upset about it. You should reach out to him. She said he's in some third world country shooting a movie though. I think its New Zimbabwe."

"He's in New Zealand."

"See you still care. I don't think this is something you can't get past." She encouraged.

That was a road she wasn't ready to head down. Her heart still felt raw. Just looking at the pictures on her phone, which she did way too frequently, gave her physical pain.

"Well, I gotta go, Mama. Give Daddy my love."

Before Talia hung up, she heard her dad in the background yell, "Tell her I made room to mount that boy's balls on my wall."

Her mama's muffled yell back, "Oh stop it. I'm trying to help her fix this."

"She doesn't need to fix shit. That boy is the one who pulled that shit on her. She deserves better." He yelled.

"Ok. Bye, Mama." Talia finally hung up before she heard any more.

Talia rolled out of bed and headed toward the bathroom. The bright sunlight still stung her eyes from Jeremiah ripping open her curtains. Stepping into the bathroom, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. She looked like roadkill left out in the sun too long. Her face still held remnants of the last time she had make-up on. Hair was matted and greasy around her face. Purple smudges under her eyes showed her lack of sleep. Breathing in deep she realized she smelled like the roadkill too.

Stripping down she stepped into the hot shower. It was hot enough to scorch but she barely felt it. The water pounded down on her exhausted body. Talia had been hiding since she returned to L.A two weeks ago. Her room had become a sanctuary no one could penetrate.

During the first week, Jeremiah let her be. He'd come in and comfort her. His encouragement to move on fell on deaf ears. A few times he even had Chrissy on Facetime to try to convince her to get up. Jeremiah told her during the second week that the paparazzi were no longer at their door. It seemed that without Zeke around they weren't that interested. Still, it wasn't until her mama's threat of sending her grandpa that got her out of bed.

Once the shower began to turn cold, Talia moved out of the shower and ran across to her room with only a towel on. Her room seemed different. Since the shower washed off the grime of the last two weeks, she felt she needed to wash everything else in her room. So, she gathered her laundry and sheets then hauled them downstairs to the laundry room.

"Finally." Jeremiah said standing in the doorway of the laundry room.

Talia ignored him as she poured detergent into the washer.

"Looks like you finally showered too."

"Is there a point for you standing there bothering me?" Talia slammed the lid to the washer and spun toward him.

"Well, aren't we snippy? Did you call your mama?"

"Yes. We won't be getting a visit from grandpa, but my dad may be trying to find Zeke soon to mount his balls on his wall."

Jeremiah smiled an evil smile. "I'll help."

Talia left the laundry room with Jeremiah following. The doorbell rang causing a shiver to go down her spine. An irrational fear of the paparazzi knowing she was finally up and about made her freeze in her tracks.

"I'll get it." Jeremiah pushed her toward the living room while he answered the incessant ringing of the doorbell.

Talia listened as Jeremiah answered the door. A voice that sounded like screeching alley cats having sex met her ears. The hushed baritone of Jeremiah brought her attention to the door. Catherine was standing at the door waving her arms dramatically while trying to push past Jeremiah.

Taking in a deep breath, Talia called out, "Go ahead and let her in."

She braced herself for one hell of a tear. Catherine had the look of a thunderstorm on her face. She knew she'd been slacking in the job department, but she figured Catherine had gotten enough out of her from her stunt with Vanessa. Not to mention one of the best articles she'd ever written about Tristan's visit with Zeke, Max and Terrance on the ranch.

"You little bitch." Catherine spat at Talia.

"Excuse me? I believe I should be the one pissed at you."

"For what?" Catherine asked with her hands on her hips.

"Oh, I don't know. You and Vanessa set me up as fodder for the tabloids. I'm still not sure what exactly you got out of it though." Talia was restraining her temper. After all, this woman could make or break her career.

"You think I had a part of that deceitful bitch's plan. You know how I feel about fake stories. She was good though. I never knew she was selling her stories to Tab and my other competitors."

Talia was confused. If Catherine wasn't involved what was she so angry about?

"Why are you here then, Catherine?"

"You went behind my back and published that piece about the sick kid in L.A World."

"I did what?"

She threw the prestigious magazine at Talia. On the cover was a picture of Zeke, Max and Terence with Tristan. She opened the magazine and found Catherine was correct. Her article was published. Throughout the article were candid shots of the three stars with Tristan and Mariah. There were also pictures of Tristan and Annie. Talia's jaw hung open.

"I didn't do this."

"Oh please. I emailed you saying we couldn't run something like that because it wasn't the type of gossip for Dirty Laundry. You probably got pissed at me and decided to submit it elsewhere."

Before Talia could protest, Jeremiah interrupted. "I sent it in."

"You?" Catherine and Talia said together.

"Yes. Me." Jeremiah turned to Talia. "While you were busy wallowing, I was keeping tabs on your emails to make sure you didn't get anymore with stories about you. I was worried you'd spiral farther than you already had. When I saw Catherine's email, I decided to check out a story that was "too good" for the likes of The Dirty Laundry." He used finger quotes for too good.

"I was floored when I read it. It was one of the best things I've read by you. I knew it would be an injustice to let that article sit on a discard pile. So, I pulled a few strings with some people I know at L.A World. They loved it so much they got in touch with everyone who was mentioned in the article and got pictures from them. Hence, the front cover with the beautiful article." Jeremiah plopped into the chair as if he was exhausted from telling the story.

"Well, that makes this a bit awkward then." Catherine said.

"What do you mean?"

"I came to fire you."

Talia nodded her head. "I figured that was coming."

Catherine put her hands on Talia's shoulders. "I know you'd keep working for our gossip rag if I don't fire you. So, I am going to tell you this once and if you ever tell anyone I said any of this I will deny it then come and kick your ass. I have a hard won bitch reputation that I cannot lose." Catherine took a deep breath. "You, Talia, are too good for The Dirty Laundry. Your writing is superb, and you should be doing more with that talent than writing about petty celebrities and their stupid shenanigans. That being said I'm going to do the best thing I can for you, fire you. I will make sure you get a good severance package and I will give any kind of recommendations you need. Now, go out there and write something great."

Catherine spun on her heel then left in a more subdued manner to the way she entered the house.

"What just happened?" Talia asked.

"I think Hell just froze over. The Bitch Queen just paid you a compliment and will be giving you severance. You know what that means?"

"That I am unemployed and won't be able to pay my bills?"

"Nope. We celebrate your freedom by going out. Then tomorrow, you finish your damn book andstart making E.L James money." Jeremiahlaughed walking toward his room.