Ten
Maddie
My work-out routine had been interrupted by a sudden bout of sickness, and as I leaned over the toilet bowl, I realized the sashimi Nancie had brought home the night before had given me food poisoning in the worst way possible. I spent a solid hour vomiting and had just finished when Martin called, reminding me of our scheduled meeting.
I had managed to take a shower and make myself look presentable within an hour, and arrived at the modeling agency only 10 minutes late. Martin was used to me being late. In fact, he started scheduling our meetings 15 minutes earlier than he wanted to see me, so technically I was still five minutes early.
I met him in his office, a man in his late 30s with an attractive face and kind eyes, and sat across from him. His hair was a dirty blond, shaved on the sides of his head with an inch styled on the top, and he wore plaid button ups with black and white pin-striped trousers. He wasn’t the most marketable agent, Nancie had nearly chewed me out after first meeting him, but he had been the only one who didn’t give me the creeps or attempted to cop a feel. Which was in instant win, in my book.
“Maddie!” He smiled widely and patted my shoulder. “How have you been?”
“Fine,” I said. “Keeping up on my accounts and promotions.”
“Good, good.” He nodded and took a seat. His thick framed glasses covered dark brown eyes, and they sat on a nose slightly too small for his head. “How many new followers?”
“Since two weeks ago?” I counted in my head. “About 1,500.”
I recognized the look of disappointment that crossed his face, but he was quick to disguise it. “That’s a number we can work with. Do you have any ideas on how to double it, though? Any upcoming promotions, or maybe cross-promotions?”
“Tomorrow is my weekly cross-promo with Nancie,” I said. “And there’s a new flavor of energy drink coming out at the end of the week. I’m on the list for one of the first ones.”
“Energy drink,” he said as he copied my words onto his laptop. “That should get you at least another thousand. Good.”
“I was hoping there might be some auditions,” I said. “I haven’t auditioned for anything in over a month.” Which was unusual for me. Normally I would have had at least one audition a week.
“Nothing’s popped up for your profile,” he said after a few clicks. “Of course, you’re always free to audition un-agented. I’m sure there are a few commercials needing brunettes around here.”
I grimaced. Auditioning for anything un-agented was a sure-fire way to be passed by before being given a chance.
“So nothing then?” I leaned back in my seat. Why was I surprised?
“Well, there is something,” he said and showed me his laptop screen. It was an offer for a contract. “There’s a small photoshoot in the area for umbrellas. Pricey ones, actually. It’s on Friday at seven am.”
“That’s something,” I said, hope fluttering in my stomach. “What does it pay?”
“That’s the thing.” He sighed. “It only pays $200, so you’ll take home $180.”
My agent received 20 percent of everything I made, which usually wasn’t so bad when the jobs paid more than $500, but it definitely hurt on anything less.
I had no choice though; it was a job, and it paid.
“I’ll do it,” I said. “Send me the contract, and I’ll forward my signature.”
“Perfect,” Martin nodded and closed his laptop. “Anything else new?”
I considered it for a moment. There was nothing I could tell him, nothing that he would be useful for anyways. I shook my head and stood.
“Thanks, Martin. I’ll let you know how the shoot goes. And please, if you hear anything about any commercial auditions, think of me.” I turned to leave.
“Some people are just better standing still in front of a camera than walking around,” he said. “Keep that in mind.”
I rolled my eyes and left his office. He believed that modeling was a more promising gig that acting, which plenty agreed with. Nancie herself had given up acting a while ago, but that was only because she was getting modeling contracts at a steady rate. It wasn’t that I didn’t love modeling, it had its perks, but I would have done anything for another acting gig. Even the shortest commercial, with a single line or glance at the camera, could get my heart racing like nothing else.
I leaned against my car and unlocked my phone to tell Nancie about the photoshoot when it rang. An unknown number appeared, and I hesitated for a moment before answering it.
“Hello?” I asked.
“Maddie?” Gavin’s voice replied. I gasped inaudibly and covered my mouth with a hand. Gavin was reaching out to me! But for what?
“Yeah,” I said after a moment. “It’s me. Is this Gavin?”
“Yes,” he said curtly. He didn’t sound happy, but of course, he almost never sounded happy. “Can you meet me for dinner tomorrow night?”
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.
“Yeah, of course,” I said. I thought I heard him laugh, but when he spoke, he was stoic as ever.
“Six o clock at the Jazz Bistro,” he said.
“I’ll be there,” I said. “Thank—” He had hung up before I could even thank him.
I got into the car with my jaw wide open. He wanted to meet me. Was he accepting the offer?
My face paled. That meant he was offering to pay me. How much would he pay? How much would I ask?
I remembered all the kind things my parents said about him, and how much he loved his mother. Maybe I shouldn’t ask him for the money. Maybe this is something I could do for free, to help out a son with a wish from a dying mother?
My phone chimed, and I opened it to find an email from Martin. The contract for the photo shoot, I realized. In the contract, it listed the amount, and I electronically signed my name beneath the $200 amount.
I shook my head. My career wasn’t going anywhere. It would never go anywhere if I remained here. My life was waiting for me in Hollywood, and with the money from Gavin, I would be able to pick up my life and restart it in the hills of Hollywood.
I knew what I had to do, but would I be able to do it?