Chapter 1: The Dark Days
June 26, 2021, Los Angeles, California
"Bye, sweetie!" I call to my daughter, Crystal, as she heads to the park. "Have fun and be back by nine!"
"Okay Mommy!" she replies, then disappears down the elevator of our apartment building.
I am Sonny Cooper (formerly Sonny Munroe), former star of the sketch-comedy show So Random!, current Hollywood blockbuster screenwriter, mother of ten-year-old Crystal Dana Cooper, and wife of former Mackenzie Falls star and current silver screen star Chad Dylan Cooper.
Sometimes I don't feel like that last part is true, though. See, over the years, Chad's become quite the workaholic. He's almost always in the midst of shooting the Hollywood's next hit movie. I understand that it's his movies (along with my screenplays) that allow us to live in this lovely neighborhood, surrounded by many of our friends, not to mention all the hottest clubs and boutiques in L.A., but still. It's getting on my last nerve, especially during this past year or so. I hope our upcoming trip to N.Y.C. in a couple months will bring our family back together again.
The door opens. It's Chad. "I'm ho-ome!" he calls.
"Hey," I say. "Why are you so perky this evening?"
"I got the part in that movie. You know, the one about the guy who opens his own bar to pick up chicks?"
"I know the one," I say, trying to seem happy, even though it's hard. I was kind of hoping he wouldn't get the part for this flick. It's hard to watch your husband hit on other women, even if it is only for a movie. "Did you accept?"
"Hell, yeah!" he says.
"So, when does it shoot?"
"It starts at the beginning of August and runs until mid-October."
"That's great!" I say, trying to sound enthusiastic. "But… what about our trip?"
"What trip?" he asks.
"Ha-ha, very funny, Chad." I say sarcastically.
"Huh?" he asks.
"Come on, cut the act," I say, annoyed. The trip, to New York? What about it?"
"Trip?" he asks, still confused. "Oh, that little trip we planned? Oh, yeah, that is in August. Oh, well." He shrugs. "Guess we'll have to cancel. You understand, right?"
I try not to show my anger. How could he forget something like that? All he seemed to care about these days was his films. "Well," I begin. "I would understand if it was the first or second time you'd done something like this, but it's not. It's the SIXTH TIME YOU'VE DONE THIS IN THE PAST 2 YEARS!" I can't hide my anger now. "How could you do this to me? To Crystal? Do you know how much she's been looking forward to this trip? Oh, that's right, you don't, because you're NEVER HERE ANYMORE!"
"Well, maybe I'd be around more if you actually earned enough to at least SOMEWHAT SUPPORT THIS FAMILY!"
This continued on for about an hour and a half, and just kept getting worse and worse until Chad packed up his stuff and just left.
I just slumped into a ball and cried for a long, long, time.
I probably would have cried forever, but then the phone rang, and I picked it up.
"Hello?" I said, trying to muffle my sobs.
"Yes, is this the Cooper residence?" a voice asked.
"Yes," I replied.
"Is Mr. or Mrs. Cooper there?"
"Speaking," I said.
"Your daughter, Crystal, has just had a severe asthma attack. She's doing much better now, but she's not quite back to normal, and she'll be spending the night here at Southern L.A. General Hospital."
By now I've forgotten all about Chad. "Thank goodness," I say with relief.
"We need you to come down here as soon as possible to sign some forms."
"I'll be right there," I say. "Thank you."
I hop into the car and drive to the hospital. I'm so relieved. I've already lost Chad, and I don't want to lose Crystal, too.