Excess All Areas (20 page)

‘
It’s OK, I’m dealing with it. What worries me more is that she told Russell the truth about me. I don’t think she knew he was in a relationship with me, but she obviously told him all about her only daughter. Although it is surprising she would wax lyrical about someone she’s virtually disowned,’ Freya announced.

‘
Oh my God, no. Oh Freya, after all these years,’ Emma said, concern in her voice.

‘
I know, I’m so scared I feel sick. And the worst thing is, with all the press sniffing around because of Nick, it’s only a matter of time before someone picks up on it or Russell decides to make a few quid, which I think he’s set his sights on getting from me,’ Freya spoke.

‘
What are you going to do?’ Emma asked.

‘
I’m not entirely sure yet, but I think I’m going to have to do something I haven’t done before. I think I’m going to have to tell Nick before someone else does,’ Freya said with a heavy sigh.

‘
Oh Freya, maybe if you speak to Russell and reason with him, no one will have to know anything and everything can go back to normal,’ Emma suggested.

‘
Well he was all for telling everyone in Kassiopi last night. He wants to meet with me to talk about it, but I know what he wants, he’ll want money for his silence. It will be money I don’t have and even if I did have it I don’t think I can trust him. Oh I don’t know, it’s all a bloody mess. My feet are starting to get itchy and if I don’t make a decision soon I’m going to be hailing a cab to the airport again,’ Freya told her.

‘
Oh no you don’t. Perhaps this is a good thing. Maybe if the truth does come out you can finally put it all to rest once and for all,’ Emma suggested.

‘
I don’t know. I can’t see my parents wanting me to reappear on the scene,’ Freya stated.

‘
Who cares about them? You hate them. Why should you care what they think?’ Emma asked.

‘
I don’t care what they think. I care that they will cause me no end of problems if it’s all brought up again, after all this time,’ Freya said.

‘
Well you know I’m with you one hundred per cent whatever you decide to do,’ Emma told her.

‘
Thanks Em,’ Freya replied.

‘
So, are you seeing Nick today?’ she enquired.

‘
Yes, I’m going to show him the lake at Korisson. I figured the paparazzi wouldn’t find us down there,’ Freya told her.

‘
I wouldn’t bet on it. How are you getting there?’ Emma asked.

‘
Motorbike,’ Freya announced, smiling to herself.

She could see Nicholas was already there waiting as she rode up the main road from Kassiopi towards Harry’s Place. He was wearing a white t-shirt and black cargo style shorts with sunglasses on his face. She pulled the motorbike up beside him, turned off the engine and removed her helmet.

‘
Good morning,’ she announced with a smile.

‘
Hey, look at this thing. She’s a beauty,’ Nicholas remarked, admiring the motorcycle.

‘
She’s nice isn’t she? The best the Kassiopi bike rental shop had to offer. No Harleys I’m afraid, but you can see the similarities,’ Freya spoke as she got off the bike.

‘
Yeah, lots of chrome, two wheels - she’s fine,’ Nicholas told her.

‘
Well I’m glad you’re making friends because you’re going to have to drive. My arm started hurting the minute I left the harbour,’ Freya admitted.

‘
That’s OK, as long as you don’t mind wearing the pack,’ Nicholas spoke and he indicated the rucksack in his hand.

‘
That’s fine. Shall we go? I’m becoming ever fearful that photographers are going to jump out of places you’d never expect them to be,’ Freya said, putting her helmet back on and getting back on the bike.

‘
Yeah, me too. Mmm is this my helmet? Very Seventies,’ Nicholas said with a smile as he prepared to put it on.

‘
I thought Eighties actually. It reminded me of
CHiPS
. Now if they ever make the film you could be the new Eric Estrada,’ Freya told him.

‘
With Bruce Willis as Jon Baker? You just want to see us in those tight uniforms. So, where are we headed,’ Nicholas asked as he tightened up the helmet.

‘
South. Now come on Poncherello, step on it,’ Freya replied.

Nicholas started up the engine and set off up the road.

They headed south and travelled down through the resorts of Ipsos, Dassia and Gouvia and then on to Corfu Town. The island’s capital was by far the most congested, with lots of city traffic.

Freya was enjoying the scenery. She had only hired a motorbike once on Corfu and that was some years ago now and it was far more enjoyable with a partner than it was on your own. She was also enjoying being at close quarters to Nicholas. He had a solid build, slim but muscular with a broad back and well defined shoulder and arm muscles. Like it or not, he was every inch the archetypal movie hero.

They reached Limni Korissia in a little under two hours and parked at the edge of the lake.

‘
God it’s beautiful here,’ Nicholas remarked as he took his helmet off and viewed the landscape around him.

‘
This - well scenery like this - is the whole reason I got into photography,’ Freya told him as she unstrapped the bag on the back of the bike and removed some bottled water.

‘
Seeing this today I can understand that,’ Nicholas replied.

‘
Here,’ Freya said and she passed him the bottled water.

‘
Thanks.’

He drank some of it and passed it back to Freya.

‘
Well, what I thought we would do is have a walk around the lake so I can take some pictures and then we can find a nice spot and eat the picnic I’ve prepared. You might have to carry the basket though because I’m injured,’ Freya told him.

‘
No problem, it sounds great,’ Nicholas answered.

‘
Good, well let’s go,’ Freya said excitedly.

‘
Hang on, just one second. I’ve got something for you,’ Nicholas said.

He picked up his rucksack and produced a plastic bag from inside it.

‘
A present?’ Freya enquired.

‘
Well I know it was your birthday the day we met and I just thought I’d get you something. Here,’ Nicholas said and he gave her the bag.

‘
You shouldn’t have bought me anything - oh my God. Oh Nick, this is the same one that that guy from Channel Nine had,’ Freya exclaimed as she produced a leather case, knowing from the outside that it contained a camera.

‘
It should be. I had to phone the network and ask what kind of cameras they were using these days,’ Nicholas admitted.

‘
You didn’t! Oh God, this is the best present I’ve ever had,’ Freya exclaimed as she continued to admire it.

‘
Do I take it you like it?’ Nicholas spoke with a smile as he enjoyed her enthusiasm.

‘
It’s amazing, it’s fantastic, thank you so much - let me take a shot of you,’ Freya said as she set the camera up and aimed it at him.

‘
I thought you said no photographers would find us today,’ he joked.

‘
I don’t count because I won’t be selling any I take to feed the gossip hungry masses,’ Freya told him.

‘
I’m shy,’ Nicholas responded.

‘
Come on Mr Big Movie Star; give me a movie premiere smile - gotcha!’ Freya said as she snapped him.

‘
Now your turn,’ Nicholas said, trying to take the camera from her.

‘
No, I’m sorry. You can’t give someone a present and ask for it back so soon,’ Freya told him and she practically ran away toward the lake.

‘
To not let me share would be selfish and cruel,’ Nicholas called, chasing after her.

‘
I’ve always been cruel and selfish, anyone will tell you,’ Freya replied.

‘
Come here, let me take your photo,’ Nicholas insisted and he took hold of the camera and wrestled it from her grasp.

‘
Only if you promise to let me have Claude back straight away,’ Freya bargained.

‘
You’ve named the camera,’ Nicholas remarked.

‘
I name all my cameras. Now do we have a deal?’ Freya asked.

‘
Claude is all yours for the rest of the day,’ Nicholas agreed.

‘
OK, well come on, get on with it, my face hurts if I smile for too long,’ Freya spoke as she smiled for him.

‘
That’s nice, really good. So now with your top off honey,’ Nicholas said, zooming in on her chest.

‘
Give Claude here! Topless shots are purely for the bedroom,’ Freya said, snatching back the camera.

‘
I’ll remember that,’ Nicholas replied and he took hold of her hand.

They began their walk around the freshwater lake that was only separated from the sea by sand dunes and grassland. Freya pointed out the bird and plant life she was familiar with and took photographs when something particularly caught her eye.

‘
What’s your film about?’ Freya asked Nicholas as they walked.

‘
Where did that come from?’

‘
Well it just struck me suddenly that I don’t know the name of this film you’re making or what it’s about and I really think I should. What’s the plot?’ Freya enquired.

‘
Oh it’s really thin and flimsy,’ Nicholas admitted.

‘
So why do it? I would have thought you could pick and choose your films now you are where you are, you know, at the top of the acting tree,’ Freya spoke.

‘
I can and I do the majority of the time. But the parts I enjoy getting stuck into aren’t necessarily the kind of role people want to see me playing, so I have to take that into consideration. I do a few big budget action films which please the fans and then I do more serious and demanding roles in smaller budget films for me,’ Nicholas explained.

‘
So what’s this one about?’ Freya asked.

‘
It’s called
Captive
. I’m the hero - obviously - and Hilary is my love interest…’

‘
Obviously,’ Freya added.

‘
My character, Nathan, has got into trouble with a nasty Mr Big who’s played by Bob.’

‘
Ironic,’ Freya replied.

‘
And basically Hilary’s character gets kidnapped and Nathan decides in his wisdom to go and get her back without telling the cops,’ Nicholas explained.

‘
That sounds like a bit of a rip off of
Commando
,’ Freya announced.

‘
You like Arnold Schwarzenegger too?’ Nicholas asked.

‘
I have his entire catalogue on DVD,’ Freya told him.

‘
We seriously need to talk about your film library,’ Nicholas remarked with a smile.

‘
I do have one of your movies,
Turncoat
,’ Freya admitted.

‘
And did you enjoy it?’ Nicholas asked her.

‘
I wouldn’t say I enjoyed it. I cried most of the way through it. But I really lost it when Boris got killed at the end. I was sort of expecting it, but I was still surprised when it actually happened,’ Freya told him.

‘
Good, that was exactly the idea. So how was my performance? Any room for improvement?’ Nicholas enquired.

‘
You won an Academy award for that role. You don’t need me to tell you how good your performance was,’ Freya replied.

‘
Maybe I do,’ Nicholas responded.

‘
Well, I thought you played the character with sensitivity. You made him appear vulnerable even when he was torturing people, that was pretty amazing. But I think, what I liked best was the way you made him a real person with all the complicated feelings that real people have. I mean he was a vile, evil Nazi, but by the end of the movie I was sympathising with him. I mean it wasn’t really about the war or him being a Nazi, I thought it was really about the fact he started out as just an everyday person. He was just an ordinary man in an extreme situation having to make decisions about right and wrong and trying to understand his humanity,’ Freya told him.

‘
That is the best synopsis I’ve heard. You totally got the film. Do you know when I won the Oscar I wasn’t even sure whether the people that nominated me even understood what it was really about,’ Nicholas spoke.

‘
Everyone has a unique interpretation of things, perhaps it doesn’t matter whether they did or not,’ Freya said.

‘
I think everyone has a bit of Boris in them. You know, someone scared of their past, uncertain of their future, struggling to make sense of life. I know I have,’ Nicholas admitted.

‘
Me too, but I think I’ll hold off on torturing anyone just for today,’ Freya spoke with a smile.

They found a shaded area close to the lake and Freya laid down the blanket she had packed. Nicholas sat down and watched as Freya busied herself getting out containers of food.

‘
Won’t you let me help? I feel redundant just sat here watching,’ Nicholas told her.

‘
No, it’s fine, all under control. Besides you would only peek. Now, if there’s anything you don’t like I apologise, but I’m not as financially able to order an entire shop like you,’ Freya spoke.