|
Pretense 13 November
It wasn't like I could just drop everything and run to him. It was what I wanted to do, but I also knew it was impossible. There was no more hold up from trying to figure out the lingering question. That had been solved. If I could do anything, act on the knowledge I hadn't come up with anything as yet. Getting away right now was the best thing for me to do. Staying in Austin wasn't helping things. I was having less and less contact with Thom and there were other people I'd preferred to be avoiding right now. And my life, my actions, my moves - whether imagined or not - were being watched carefully. One could say it was paranoia, but when you catch a blurb in a rag that tells the world you are not living with your husband at present and Colin Firth was still unavailable and unfound, you tend to think somebody out there has a beat on your comings and goings. Even if Colin had a solid hold on what was important and protected his privacy I now knew what he dealt with when he got photographed going anywhere. Just out for a walk or grocery store or taking in a movie or a play. Okay so I wasn't being photographed - that I knew of - but it was damn annoying and intrusive. I felt like a prisoner, daring to not leave my suite or 'cell.' Yes, I was going to go. But there were things I had to do before I could. I contacted Colin again and thanked him for his foresight in the name he had put on the tickets. Explained the delay in my leaving here and arriving there. The problem now was that I had to get documentation to back up the facts. My passport and/or birth certificate weren't going to cut it. Yes, Marie Dixon was a pen name. It also happened to be on my birth certificate as Diane Marie Dixon Shover. But I was married and the maiden name was Shover, not Dixon. That had been my grandmother's maiden name and a family name that was added as a second middle name. Did that make sense? Middle means middle. I had four. Oh well. I was more than aware I couldn't get the real legal stuff in that name. I could get a state ID card for getting on the plane in fifteen minutes for five bucks by putting that down as my name and using my hotel address; that was the easy part. How the hell I was going to get either of the other two in that name would be the test. I only needed one or the other. That's what it said. A US, UK or Canadian citizen needed either a passport or birth certificate and I could stay for six months. Not that this was a part of the plan. Fortunately I had connections, so did Hilary. I would have to delve into it further and see what could be done. So when I could leave and notify him to be watching for my arrival was up in the air. Okay so it had only been two days since I opened that envelope. I had the picture ID, but the other was still a problem. Hilary had a big case in Federal Court downtown that was keeping her out of pocket for everything and neither she, nor I, had any idea when I could reach her. I had emailed her because her cell was off. No reply yet. I left a message on her cell. Still nothing. Talked to Jack as he was on his way out the door and out of town last night. He said he'd leave a note. I thought about standing out in front of the courthouse as a lone protestor, with a sign, just so I'd be there if she ever got a chance to come out for air, but I don't have that kind of time to waste. So much for modern methods of communication, eh? Then there was the other, newest problem to deal with. Pattie had called the house repeatedly. Leaving messages with Thom that she really needed to talk to me. How was I supposed to get in contact with her? I didn't want anyone besides Hilary to know where I was. Okay so they knew where I was. But I wasn't using the hotel phone and I didn't want to use my cell phone. That would only give away my number to anyone I called on it. It wasn't like I didn't want to talk to people, I just didn't want to talk to people. Is that clear? I hope so. Not only that, I had to make arrangements to get out of Dodge in the most inconspicuous fashion. Use evasive tactics. Cover my trail. Cover my ass, until I was gone and they would realize too late to track me down.
----- Original Message -----
Houston. It wasn't a lie really. It was better to leave from there than here. I could make up a business meeting out of town easily enough. Now I had to wait on Hilly and I had to call Pattie. A pay phone outside the Suites would be easy enough, but I knew someone was lying in wait, so a bar was the next best thing. I jumped in my car and headed a few miles down the road to North X Northwest, pausing at one of the lights and pissing off all the drivers around me because I didn't floor the accelerator when the light changed. I was lost staring at the Staybridge Suites. Had that been so long ago? Unavoidable. The place was right there, a block away from my chosen destination. There was a phone at the bar I could use, but not for very long. They sort of knew me here, just from the past month. There was a pay phone outside that I could charge to my credit card. I had to stand around on the music patio trying to decide which would be easier, or less noisy to try and hear or talk. I didn't want to be shouting and I wanted to hear what she had to say, what she wanted. Then I needed to get back in case Hil had the chance to get back with me. After fighting with the valet, trying to convince Steve I didn't want my car parked as I wasn't staying. (I'm positive he didn't believe me) I decided the outside pay phone and dialed. I almost hung up. Had once already, but dialed it again anyway and waited til the fourth of five rings I knew would send me to her answering machine. "Gallaghers" "Pattie?" "Diane? Is that you? Where are you? You're. This isn't your phone." "I don't imagine that comes as any form of surprise to you. Does it?" "Oh, right. I'm sorry. I forgot about you and..." "And?" "Hey, I'll stay away from that if you like." So who did she mean? me and Thom? or me and Colin? "Hey, I don't have much time, but Thom said you've been calling. Is there something of import you needed or wanted? If it's about the job, the website building...don't worry. I'll have regular checks sent by my accountant until I get back into the swing." "Oh God no. I don't need that money. Just, you know, whenever. Let me know." She didn't need the money? I took her on when I didn't need any help really - A. because she was so good at it and B. because she needed a little extra cash...a second job. So now she didn't? What a surprise. "Pattie, regardless. I have to keep my shit straight. The books. I can't have you as an employee that gets paid and I stop paying you and the money's there. I don't need tax trouble. I'm dealing with enough as it is." "Yes...I imagine you are." "You want to explain that remark?" "Oh Diane, come on. It's all over the place. You left Thom, split up and it's all because of him. I told you you'd get burned. Seems to me you're still in the burn unit. Will be for a long time." "Well, gee, thanks for the moral support Pat. I can use all the encouragement anyone is willing to give. That sure makes me feel a whole lot better about everything." "Isn't your lack of morals what got you here in the first place? Diane, I've tried to tell you this for going on the four years I've known about it. It was bound to blow up in your face. You were just totally blind to the whole thing. You wouldn't listen. I do want you to know I still care and if you want. Hey, why don't we grab a drink somewhere next week? Monday, Tuesday maybe?" "Pattie..............fuck off. First of all I'm going out of town. I have a meeting in Houston Tuesday, so I'm kicking down Monday and I wouldn't even go to the grocery store with you now for all the money in the world. You're not my friend and don't bug Thom again." I slammed, no, plastered the receiver into the unit that held it so hard that it vibrated back on my hand. I owed her nothing. "Arrogant bitch." "You upset Diane?" "Oh, sorry Steve. Just leaving is all. See I didn't need your help tonight, but here's for your trouble." "No way. Hey, I do know about...you know. Hope things work out. I could have said something before, but thought not. I don't think it's such a bad thing if you really do care about the guy. Actor, just a job title. Not who he is I ....." "Appreciate. I'm working on it. I do have to go." Christ, even the valet at a bar here knew. Hilly was right, everybody knows.
----- Original Message ----- "Hilly pick up the damn phone." I dialed her up as soon as I saw the email at eight-thirty, upon the return from the bar. I had been checking as much as possible since I wrote her and I'd been away, though a short time, too long already. I fidgeted in place until.... "Don't talk, listen. I need to get a birth certificate." "I thought you had one. Sure you do, I've seen it." "Well of course I do, doesn't everybody?" "Have you been drinking?" "No, stone cold sober. I need you to pull some favors. This is a big one and I need it yesterday...." |
|
|
