Chapter 44
A Rock in the Road
Martin was up late reading his script so when the phone rang he let it ring a few times before he decided to see who was calling. He came awake quickly when he saw it was almost noon and it was his mother on the phone.
“Hey, Mom. Good morn . . . afternoon.”
“Good morning to you, too. And, how are you?”
“I’m tired. I was up late reading.”
“When do you read for the part?”
“I’m not sure - soon. They keep changing the date. How are you and Dad?”
“We’re okay. Your dad’s working too much as usual and I’m fair, but I’d be better if I heard from my children more than once a month. And, a text doesn’t count.”
Here we go with the lecture.
“Why not? It’s a form of communication,” he said, sitting and running his fingers through his hair. He rubbed his back as he walked across the room. He didn’t like this hard mattress and was thinking about going down to his apartment for a few days. He was still staying at Mike’s place and sleeping in the guest room.
“Sending a text is something teenagers do. I do enjoy getting them but it’s not going to replace a good, old fashioned phone call or a visit in person.”
“Mom, I’ve told you to call anytime.” Martin put on his ear bud and went to the kitchen to make coffee.
“I know you say that, but I don’t like to call so much. It would be better if you called me. I would settle for every two weeks. I don’t think that’s too much to ask.”
“It’s not. It’s just I get busy during the day and when I look up it’s too late to call. It’s not that I don’t think of you.”
“That’s good to hear, but your sister does more than think. And, if it were not for her, I wouldn’t know anything. She’s kept me filled in about you and Randi, and Celia.”
“What’s she been telling you? Fill me in and I’ll tell you if she’s up to date.”
“She said that you are still dating Randi, and that Celia is staying at your house. I’m not sure that is wise, but I figure she didn’t have anywhere else to go.”
“You’re right. She’s broke and broken. I’m thinking about setting her up in an apartment. I really want to sell the house, but I need to figure out how to do that. I wish she’d go back East to her family. Instead, they’ve all come here and are staying at my house.”
“What? Are you housing the whole family again?”
“Just her mom and her brother, Roger. Her mother came to help. I’m sure her brother is here to sponge.”
“That is not good. I know you, Martin. You’re going to have to watch or they will take advantage of you. You were always a giving child.”
Martin smiled. “I’ve got a question. You’re a mother and I know you’ll be prejudiced, but I have a problem.”
“What’s that?”
“It’s about Randi’s mom.”
“Okay, I’ll help if I can. What’s the problem?”
“Well, she dislikes me so much she’s pushed Randi out of the house. I feel terrible, but I don’t know what to do. We’ve never met, but she told Randi if we didn’t stop dating, she’d have to move out.”
“Wow, Martin. I hate to hear that. What’s she going to do?”
Martin stopped and looked up. This was not good. When he told his mother what he had in mind, she was going to hit the roof. So, he decided to go with a different tactic. “I’m not sure. I told her she could move in with me, but I doubt she’ll do that.”
“Martin, you need to learn your lesson from before and don’t allow that to happen. You’re not ready for that kind of pressure and neither is Randi.”
“I don’t think she can afford an apartment on her own, with two dogs, but the only other option I have is to move her into the mansion with Celia. And before you start screaming, I don’t plan on ever doing that.”
“No. Please don’t do that. I’m sure you can work something out. By the way, where are you staying? Are you at the mansion, as you call it?”
“No. No way. I wouldn’t do that to Randi or Celia. I’m staying at Mike’s and he’s staying at the mansion. He and Celia are doing some work on a house, and to be honest, I think they might like each other.”
“What? Your friend, Mike, and Celia? I hope you’re not trying to match make just to get Celia out of your hair.”
“Mom, I hope you don’t think I would do that.” When the line was silent, his brows furrowed. “Goodness! If you can even think that, it’s no wonder Randi’s mother is like she is. So many people have such a jaded idea of how we live in L.A.”
“Martin, you were always giving, but you were also mischievous. And as far as how people live out there, you only need to watch the Stars News for a few minutes and you’ll see why people think what they think. You are just going to have to go out of your way to show her mom that you’re not like that.”
“But how? She doesn’t even want to meet me.”
“There’s always a way around a rock in the road.”
“Feel free to offer suggestions. I don’t think she’s even willing to meet me.”
“Okay. I’d start with something she can’t say no to… flowers and a nice card.”
“I can do that.”
“Great. Talk to Randi and see exactly what the problem is. Tell her you want to know what her mother said. I’m assuming she’s afraid you’re going to hurt Randi and depending on what she says, be sure to assure her mother that you are not moving in with Randi, that you respect her and care for her. You’ve got to change her opinion of you, if you want to have a relationship with Randi.”
But he did want to move in with Randi. “I guess you’re right.”
“I know I’m right. Now, don’t you dare let Randi move in! Get her a motel room or rent an apartment. If you work fast, she might be able to move back in with her mother. The ball is in your court. Show that lady that you’ll make a great son-in-law, and that you’re not like most of the people she reads about in the gossip papers.”