Laguna Nights (25 page)

Josh smiled at Francine’s dark humor and walked outside. It was another beautiful day in paradise. Since he’d started working with his dad, learning about his investment portfolio, he’d been the happiest at work that he’d ever been. As his father had predicted, Josh did have a quick mind for math and he was a focused learner. He was even considering going back to business school at his dad’s urging. But for now, what he didn’t have in formal schooling, he more than made up for with charisma. Not only his father, but even his brother seemed to be coming around. The whole clan was talking about spending Thanksgiving together, a first since Josh graduated high school.

Josh dumped the recycling into the large green bin and pushed it to the curb. As he was finishing, Madison pulled into the driveway. He smiled and pulled her door open, giving her a hand as she stepped out of the car. Even though she wasn’t showing too much yet, he’d felt extra protective of her, and their unborn child. He still couldn’t believe they were going to be parents, that they were building a future together. It was his fault he’d forgotten to wear a condom, something he’d never done before. Once they’d both gotten over the shock, they’d decided together that it was meant to be, with Madison blaming herself as much as Josh for the lack of protection.

“Hey honey, anything wrong,” Josh said as they embraced on the driveway.

“Forgot my darn power point clicker,” she said. “I swear, this baby is sucking up all of my brain power.”

“That’s good. Smart babies are the best,” Josh said.

“But what about smart fiancés? I mean, this critter may leave me mindless by the time he or she arrives,” Madison said as they walked toward the cottage.

“You’d just have to stay home, be my sex slave,” Josh said, pulling her close.

“You couldn’t handle it,” Madison teased.

Josh looked into her eyes, and said, “I can handle anything as long as you’re by my side.”

“Me, too,” Madison said, her eyes clouding with worry. “Hopefully, even this stupid show premiering tonight. They’ve aired enough promos for it the whole country will probably tune in.”

“Even that. Hey, wait here, I’ll get your clicker,” Josh said, racing up the steps, two at a time. He returned a moment later with the clicker, retrieving it from the kitchen counter. Madison had practiced her speech repeatedly in front of him and Francine. The presentation was perfect. “Here you go! Good luck again. And we’ll have fun with this thing – whatever it is – tonight.”

M
adison left work early, thrilled to have landed the huge group for next year due to her perfect presentation. She was exhausted, but that was nothing new. Since almost the moment she had discovered she was pregnant – a certain love-making session on a hotel tabletop the likely culprit – she’d been tired. And elated. She’d dreamed of having a child, but never thought the dream would come true. And with Josh? They’d been inseparable since leaving the hot tub scene, and everything had fallen into place, almost as if it were destiny.

Since Josh had moved in a few months ago, she hadn’t had to worry as much about her mom. Josh’s office was nearby, his hours flexible thanks to his dad, and he regularly helped out with Francine, bringing her mom lunch, and sometimes even sitting with her when she had the energy to paint. Madison had more time to focus on her job and on taking care of herself. Josh had insisted. And on the nights and weekends when she did have to work late, Josh would make sure a healthy meal was served to her mom and was waiting for Madison when she returned home. And the best part, he seemed to enjoy working for his dad. That was another huge blessing.

As she pulled into the driveway, the cottage glowed with warmth. She was relieved they’d declined repeated invitations to appear on the red carpet for the premiere of the pilot of
Reality TV Triple Play
, “reality to the third degree”. Even though so much had changed since they had filmed the show, she didn’t want any more exposure on a red carpet or otherwise. The sooner this episode aired, the better.

But still, so much good had come out of the experience for her and Josh that she knew they could withstand the firestorm of bad social media that was sure to follow, as long as they stood together. The show was the reason they had found each other again, she kept reminding herself. As Scott had told them that night, social media had been on their side so far. But who knows what viewers would believe once the show aired. She had learned fame isn’t just fleeting, it’s fickle, too.

Madison knew one thing as well as she knew Laura: Whatever Laura was releasing tonight would make Laura out to be the beautiful hero, and would make Madison look
fill in the blank with a negative term
: Stupid, sad, needy, depressed, ugly, less. It was a guarantee. But this time, none of those things were true. This time, she had Josh by her side and her life on track. This time, the stigma of reality TV wouldn’t haunt her. She’d embrace what she liked and ignore the rest, for herself and for her baby. The money so far was enough to pay for their child’s college fund. And this time, they’d receive residuals if the series went into syndication. All was good, she reminded herself as she closed the garage door. Josh was waiting on the steps to the garage.

“It’s almost show time. I’ve got popcorn popped, a fire in the fireplace, your mom propped up in her favorite chair, so what can I get you?” he said.

“I have all I need,” Madison said as they shared a tender kiss and headed inside. “We’ve got this, right?”

“We do,” Josh said.

They sat side by side on the couch and Josh turned on the flat screen TV above the fireplace. The show opener rolled and Madison took a deep breath, trying to push down the panic that had invaded her like an alien. Her pulse was racing.

“Hey, we’re ok, look at me,” Josh said, pulling her against him, cradling her face in his hands. “We’re taping it. We can watch it later.”

“No,” she said, pushing down the sick feeling in her stomach. “I’m fine.”

Laura appeared onscreen, standing on the edge of the hillside near her parents’ home. “I’m Laura Kinkaid. Welcome to
Reality TV Triple Play
. Each week, we’ll reunite popular cast members from some of your favorite reality TV shows. They’ll think they’re being cast in a pilot of a new show, but you’ll know it’s a Triple Play. It’s reality to the third degree. We’ll get started, after this.”

Laura’s face disappeared and commercials followed.

“Not bad so far,” Francine said from her chair. “Good popcorn, ego maniac.”

“Thanks, Francine,” Josh said, smiling at her. Madison felt his arm around her shoulder, holding her tight. “Here we go, ladies.”

The show began again with a wide-angle shot of the Mondrian Resort grounds, swimming pool and the glistening ocean beyond. Laura’s voiceover began: “Remember this beach town? It’s Laguna Beach, California, in the OC. The former cast members of my reality TV show
Laguna Nights
have been told that bad boy Josh Welsh is getting a second chance at an acting career, staring in his own travel show,
Josh’s Journeys
. Here we are at the most famous resort in Laguna Beach. It’s Josh’s day to shoot, but he’s got stage fright too severe to go on camera. So, his old girlfriend Holly takes over. You remember poor Holly, right? Josh dumped her for me our senior year in high school. But she’s turned out just fine.”

The camera cuts to Madison, standing by the fire pit, smiling. She looked pretty good, she thought, relieved. She’d been certain Laura would edit in her most unflattering takes.

“You look gorgeous,” Josh said. Madison searched his face quickly for signs of anger at the jabs Laura had taken already, but he remained outwardly calm.

As she looked back at the television, the camera locked on Madison’s face, confident and glowing. “Welcome to my favorite resort. No trip to Laguna Beach is complete without a stay here. We never got to film here when we were taping the show so this is a special treat. These days, I spend as much time here as I can.”
Because I work here
, Madison had said, but they’d edited that out.

Laura’s voiceover cut in. “Holly didn’t want anything to do with this show, and we even had to force her to be a part of it. Her mom helped us, too.”

The show cut to Francine, sitting in the chair in the cottage, where she sat now. “Holly is a natural, I tell you. Everyone said it. I felt like if that ego monster, cheating ex-boyfriend of hers could do another show, well then, Holly should, too.”

Voiceover, while Francine smiles smugly on camera. “We agree, Mrs. Alcott.”

“I look ghastly,” Francine said, as Josh and Madison stared at her, shaking with anger.

“Mom, how could you?” Madison said and her mom just shrugged and Madison turned back to the television.

Laura’s face came on screen. She was sitting at the table at the Mondrian Resort’s oceanfront restaurant, the same place where Madison and Josh met for coffee on the first day they saw each other. “You know, on reality TV, we like to use hidden microphones in unusual places. Like here.” Laura pointed to a tiny gap in the wood railing and the camera angle switched to that camera’s view. Eye level and intimate. “I wonder what Holly had to say to Josh about his lack of, well, performance?”

Cut to a tight shot of Madison and Josh sitting at breakfast. Josh’s face is pale and sweaty on screen. Madison turned to look at him next to her on the couch and squeezed his hand, but he was staring at the screen. Onscreen the waiter has delivered their meal.

“Maybe it was hypoglycemia or something? Low blood sugar?” she said to him across the table. The camera catches Josh swallowing hard, wiping his brow.

“I wouldn’t get stage fright after all these years, right?” Josh said, and takes a deep breath.

“No, of course you wouldn’t,” Madison said. She had to admit she looked good, especially compared to pasty Josh. “But I’m sorry you won’t be in my segment with me. I really went out on a limb today. I hope I didn’t make a fool of myself, like before.”

“You were perfect. I think you’re going to have a lot more segments where that came from. Roger was enthralled with you. I could tell, even through my low blood sugar thing,” Josh said.

The camera panned back and Laura’s voiceover began again. “I wonder if it was low blood sugar or just a guilty conscience? We all remember how he messed around with a certain someone when he had told Holly he loved her. And now, he deserts her during her cameo on his own show. Hmm. Is there anything redeeming about Josh Welsh? Keep watching.”

Josh jumped up from the couch, his anger seeping from every pore.

“Josh, stay calm. It’s not over,” Madison said.

“I’m going to sue her, I’m going to – fuck,” Josh said, punching his left hand with his fist.

“Get ahold of yourself, honestly. This isn’t just about you,” Francine said from her chair.

Josh blinked and let out a huge breath before sitting down next to Madison. She could feel the hot anger pulsing from his body. The show was starting again, Madison realized with dread.

On the screen, the shot was from a helicopter, swooping over Main Beach and then heading south, zooming in at Fisherman’s Cove. Laura’s voiceover said, “What we’re famous for here, our surfer bodies and our pristine coved beaches, spoiled kids and endless summers. Welcome back to Laguna Beach.”

On screen, Madison appeared, sitting in a director’s chair, framed by a backdrop of rock. She was holding a water bottle, drinking deeply.

Oh my god
, Madison realized suddenly. She knew she had been filmed by hidden cameras when she agreed to talk with Tom in the cave. “I’m sorry,” she said, turning to Josh. “I don’t even remember what I said. I had just finished filming. God.”

“It’s alright,” Josh said, his voice tight and low, his hands clasped in front of him.

On screen a male voice said, “So how did it feel, being back on camera after all these years? Your reality show was one of the first. People wonder how it affected your life then, what’s it like now.”

Madison took a big drink of water on screen and said, “You know what’s strange, Tom? I never imagined I’d be back in front of the camera again. But when that red light goes on, it’s a thrill unlike anything else,” Madison said, shaking her head, her blonde hair cascading around her face. “My mom told me I was foolish not to take this chance. She said I was a natural. I really do love it. And then when my boss forced me to do the segment about the resort, well, it made me fall in love again.”