Note: I made up a name for David's mother since I either can't remember it or never heard it. I also gave Maddie's dad a middle name.
Play Moonlighting For Me
Part II
I hear there's trouble in Shangri La
--Stevie Nicks
"Whoa, whoa, excuse me? Paul McCain. The old DJ guy? Did you say this guy we haven't seen for 15 years and know nothing about needs OUR help?"
"I meant he needs YOUR help. He feels like you went to bat for him once before. Maybe you'd be willing to do it again."
"If you will recall, Maddie, you were the one that 'went to bat' for him. I thought he was guilty. And now he's suspected of killing his wife? Is this the same girl he professed to love so much?"
Grace enters the kitchen, staring at her parents.
"A.J. and I are going to bed. Try not to keep us little children awake ok?"
She somberly kisses and hugs her parents goodnight and leaves holding A.J.'s hand.
Maddie waits until the children are out of earshot before she continues.
"He did love her! Look David. You're the one who was just saying how boring work has become and by happenstance this murder investigation lands in your lap. I just thought you could meet with him, maybe have a dinner meeting here, don't make any commitments but sort of feel him out. But if you don't want to do this, don't do it."
He hates it when she uses words like "happenstance".
He spits at her, "Well, 'happenstance' or not it sounds to me like you are the one who wants this case. Maybe you should 'feel him out'. You might enjoy that."
"You're disgusting. I've had it with you tonight. You are acting like a jealous schoolboy and if this conversation keeps going at it's current pace, they'll be investigating your murder. I'm going to tuck the kids in to bed and then I'm going too. You can sleep down here tonight."
She quickly leaves the room and David can hear her stomping upstairs.
He is motionless for a moment, looking after her. Then he goes to the fridge and grabs a beer, retreating to the family room couch and the big screen TV he gave Maddie for her last birthday.
He takes a long swig of beer, then starts to contemplate the events of the day and how he ended up here.
When he got home he was feeling totally sick of his boring job, his life and if the truth be told by his wife.
First of all -- how is it possible to be bored with her when just the sight of her across a room has always excited him beyond reason. What the hell is the matter with him?
She's mother of the year that's for sure. She's turned into a gourmet chef, a champion gardener, a flawless interior designer, even if she doesn't appreciate the big screen he bought just for her. He toasts it with his beer bottle.
There's no passion any more, no fireworks. Maybe she's bored with him! He ponders all this for awhile and concludes that it's more than boredom, he just doesn't feel a part of her world anymore. He's angry and jealous. "God, I've become one of those pathetic bastards that go on Oprah and whine about how their wives don't pay enough attention to them since the kids came along."
And what about this case? If it was anybody but Paul McCain, would he have jumped at it? Maybe he is jealous of this guy. So maybe he has reason to be. Maddie has confessed to him since their marriage that she spent a rainy night in this guy's apartment all alone with him "just talking". Now this guy is back and his wife is dead. What if he killed her? Maddie obviously wants to get involved in defending him, and if he's guilty this time, would she be able to see it? And come to think of it, how did he get their home phone number?
***
Upstairs, Maddie is changing for bed. She discards the black silk negligee that she originally wanted to wear for her husband tonight and grabs an old cotton t-shirt from his drawer. She is really angry but mostly hurt by the things he has said to her tonight.
He went way over the line.
She goes into the master bathroom and sees the candles she placed around the jacuzzi tub where she had planned a romantic interlude. "Well, this night was a total waste of make up," she says to herself in the mirror. She notices a few new wrinkles as she washes her face and the fact that her figure isn't perfect any longer. Stepford wife, huh. I'll show him a Stepford wife. What a jackass! If I didn't know better I'd think he is falling out of love with me.
This thought hits her like a ton of bricks as she looks at herself in the bathroom mirror. Suddenly a completely unfamiliar feeling comes over her - desperation. What if he doesn't love her any more? What if he leaves her? Or worse, what if he replaces her with a younger version of herself? Men in the middle of a full-blown mid-life crisis have been known to do things totally out of character.
She feels her heart start beating faster and faster and her breathing getting more rapid as well. She breaks out into a cold sweat. She's either having a heart attack, an anxiety attack or just entered the fast lane toward menopause. She wills her breathing to slow as she grips the marble counter in a death grip. Eventually, all her faculties start to return to normal except that now she is feeling dizzy from all that rapid breathing. She lies down on her bed and begins to regain her composure.
Get a grip Maddie. He's not going anywhere. That little jealousy bit over Paul McCain shows he still cares. You're just feeling insecure because he's younger than you. You need to focus. Call Mom in the morning and start planning a dinner meeting with Paul for tomorrow night -- with or without David.
She pulls down the covers and crawls into his side of the bed. She buries her face in his pillow and breathes in his scent. "I hate you, Addison," she whispers as she begins to drift off into a fitful sleep.
***
The next morning, Maddie wakes up late, goes downstairs and sees her children playing the Nintendo with the volume off. Really, Grace is the only one playing; she has given A.J. a dummy controller and he is playing with a look of total delight on his face.
"Hey, Guys. How long have you been up?"
"We got up early with Dad. He got us breakfast."
"Oh. Is he still here?" she asks as she looks toward the kitchen.
"No, he went to work already. He said to let you sleep and to only wake you up if we burned the house down."
"OK.... Well, I'm going to get some coffee then we can start getting you two packed and ready to go to Grandma's."
She shuffles into the kitchen in her slippers and goes to the cupboard for a coffee cup. She sees several empty beer bottles lying in the recycling bin.
Oh, David. I wish I knew what's bothering you.
She hears the children laughing in the other room.
Maybe you're not cut out for this kind of life. Maybe you've gone about as far as you can go. She twirls her wedding ring on her finger and starts to feel the anxiety from last night returning. She pours herself some coffee, then thinks, oh yeah, like I need this right now. She pours the coffee down the sink and gets on the phone to her mother.
As soon as Maddie had given birth to Grace, Virginia and Alex Hayes had sold their home of 40 years in Chicago and moved to Los Angeles. That was and is how important their grandchildren are to them. They only live 15 minutes away now and would take the kids every weekend if Maddie would let them. And both Grace and AJ feel the same about them. Maddie and David feel so fortunate and grateful that they are still healthy and able to have fun with their grandchildren.
"Mom? Is Daddy there? No? Good. Listen I have a big favor to ask you. David and I are going through something right now... No nothing serious but we need some time. I was hoping that I could bring the kids today instead of tomorrow and that they could stay a few extra days... Oh Mom, what would I do without you? Thanks and don't worry. I'll bring them by later this afternoon."
***
You can consume all the beauty in the room, baby.
-- Stevie Nicks
Later that evening, around 7PM we see Maddie in the formal dining room of her home. She looks more like she did in her Blue Moon days. Her hair is softly curled, and she has taken the time to get perfectly made up. She is wearing a simple black dress and a string of pearls David gave her years ago, from an insurance settlement when he killed his Yugo. She touches them and smiles at the memory.
She is trying not to think about the fact that she hasn't seen or heard from her husband all day as she lights ivory tapered candles, which sit in the middle of a beautifully set table, with formal china, crystal wine glasses and antique silverware. The decor in the dining room is elegant; with cream silk brocade draperies, a chipendale dining set and crystal chandelier. The room is very French and much in a style she has always wanted but has never had. David thinks it it is too stuffy and stiff, but she loves it. This is the one room in the house where her decorating didn't go untailored and kid friendly.
She hears the doorbell ring and goes to answer it. Through the peephole she sees a man with a bouquet of flowers; an older version of Paul McCain, with much less hair but still those penetrating sad eyes. She remembers listening to his radio tapes and talking to him that rainy night long ago; the man had looked into her soul. When he rings the bell again she snaps out of her trance and opens the door. They instantly grin and embrace each other. Maddie is taken back in time as she smells the same aftershave he was wearing that night they spent together in his apartment.
She shows him into the living room (she has stashed the Nintendo), offers him a seat on the sofa and a drink. After she makes them both a gin and tonic, she sits next to him on the sofa at a comfortable distance. They start conversing about innocuous subjects, not wanting to bring up the real reason he's here.
"So those pictures I see in the bookcase must be your children."
"Yep, that's my 10-year-old daughter, Grace Virginia and my 3-year-old son, Alexander James."
"Pretty impressive names."
"I guess so. We wanted to give them names that meant something to us and that they could grow with. You know, especially with girls. Amber or Tiffany may be cute when you're twenty, but can you picture an old lady named Tiffany?
Anyway, Grace is named after David's mother and my mother. A.J. is named for my dad."
"No David Jr., huh. That kind of surprises me with his sense of self-worth -- and I don't mean that in a bad way."
"No, no, I understand. David is already a junior so our son would have been a 'third'. That was just a little too pretentious for my husband." She suddenly gets a very gloomy expression on her face and looks and feels like she might cry.
Paul notices this and is curious that mentioning David makes her look that way.
"So where is David? I was hoping he would be able to tell me something about my case tonight."
She attempts to cover her emotions, saying, "I'm sure he'll be here soon. I left a message for him at the office. I suppose he's tied up with something or stuck in traffic. If you like I'll try his cell."
"No, I'm enjoying my present company, thank you." He takes a sip of his drink and just stares at her. "Maddie, after all this time I have to tell you that you are still one of the most breathtaking women I have ever seen."
"Thank you, Paul. You don't know how good that makes me feel right now. It must be the candlelight."
There is an uncomfortable pause in the conversation. Maddie decides to break it first, finally saying her name.
"Laura was a very beautiful woman. I am so sorry to hear about this horrible tragedy, and I wish I could do something to ease the pain you must be feeling."
"These last six months have been the worst of my life. First losing her, then finding out that she was murdered, then that the police suspect me. It's been almost more than I can handle."
"More than anyone could handle. I don't know what I'd do if something ever happened to David and I was a suspect."
"It's a very lonely feeling. It's somewhat ironic that I used to help lonely people and now I am one of them. Laura and I were never able to have children and neither one of us had any extended family so we were everything to each other. I still can't believe she's gone."
"Is there anyone you are close to that can help you through this?" she asks sympathetically.
"I have friends and I've been seeing a therapist since... it happened. Also, my attorney has been really wonderful. We've known her for years and she's been a great friend through all of this. She's here in LA with me. I'll have to get you two together."
"Can I ask you what happened the night of Laura's murder? If you don't want to talk about it, that's ok too."
"No, I guess I need to tell you the details if you're going to help me," he says, then takes a huge gulp from his drink.
Maddie looks down at her drink, feeling guilty for not correcting his mistaken belief that she's still a detective.
"She was shot. At our house at Lake Tahoe. We live in San Francisco most of the time but Tahoe is our special place. It's where we go to reconnect." He realizes he's talking about her in the present, and intense grief appears to engulf him.
His voice shaking, he continues. "I was supposed to go to dinner with a friend that night, but I cancelled to take a drive around the lake by myself. So there went my alibi. I came home and found her... lying on the living room floor." His voice catches and he pauses a moment to regain his composure.
"There was an... autopsy. The findings were inconclusive at first as to whether it was a suicide, an accident or a murder. They ran toxicology tests, paraffin tests and wanted to run more tests, but by then she had been cremated."
"Why was she cremated before all the testing was done?"
"There was a mix up at the coroner's office. They released the body for burial, so I assumed everything had been done and I had her cremated according to her wishes. So I look pretty guilty on all fronts. I don't even know if there's anything you can do to help me but you were the first person I thought of when my attorney said we needed to hire an investigator."
"Paul, I'm not an investigator any more. I'm sorry, I should have told you that last night, but I thought for sure that David would want to help you too. I may have spoken too soon. Not that he thinks you're guilty. It's just that business is so crazy right now. He may have too many other commitments," she states emphatically.
"Maddie, I know what David must think of me. You don't need to try and spare my feelings. I remember he thought I was guilty of murder once before. But the two of you proved him wrong."
"Actually, if you remember, we didn't prove anything. The radio station manager came at us with a gun and confessed."
"Then he tried to kill you both. Yes, I remember everything. But mostly I remember how you believed so vehemently in my innocence. That's why I'm sorry I won't have you in my corner this time around."
Maddie moves closer to Paul on the sofa and touches his leg to reinforce what she's about to tell him. "Paul, regardless of my involvement in your case, I'll always believe in your innocence. I know you're not capable of murder. Especially not Laura's."
The front door opens and closes and David walks into the room, with a drop dead, very humorless expression on his face. He notices the lights down low and that both Maddie and Paul have drinks and look absorbed in conversation. He also notices how closely she's sitting to him. He holds his hand out to Paul at the same time that Maddie and Paul notice him and stand up. The men shake hands tensely, David's eyes never leaving Paul's.
"I was very sorry to hear about your wife. I thought she was a very classy, beautiful woman."
"Thank you, David. She always spoke highly of you as well. We never forgot the part you and Maddie played in getting us together finally."
David spies the dining room from where he is standing. He evidently notices the romantic candlelight and the elegant table and a stab of some emotion he can't quite figure out (although anger is a part of it) overcomes him.
"So Maddie. It smells like you've prepared more than the usual beans and weenies for dinner tonight. Am I invited or is this a dinner for two?"
"Clearly, you're invited dear. If your keen investigative mind can count, there are three place settings at the table."
"What about Gracie and A.J.?" he asks.
"They're staying with my folks for a few days, remember?"
"Oh yeah. I guess you couldn't have had them call the office and say goodbye to their dear old dad."
"They're not going on a world cruise. You can call them any time you want."
Their eyes are shooting daggers at each other.
"Maybe this meeting wasn't such a good idea. I think I'd better leave," Paul says uneasily.
"Nonsense, Paul. Everything's FINE!" Maddie says, gritting her teeth.
"Yeah, FINE!" David glares back at her.
"And if you gentlemen are ready to DINE, your feast awaits."
"I really think I'd better go so you two can talk." Paul begins to walk toward the front door.
Maddie grabs Paul's arm. "I insist you stay. I worked all day on this meal. As soon as David has a glass of wine he'll become human again."
They proceed in to the dining room, Maddie and Paul in the lead, David sulking behind them.
During dinner, we see animated conversation between Paul and Maddie as David mopes and drinks too much wine.
"So how did the two of you finally get together?" Paul asks.
"How much time do you have?" she laughs. "I think we just got tired of fighting each other off. And once I made the decision that I loved him, it just seemed right. Don't you think so, David?"
"Hmmm? Yeah, that's right, honey." David says absentmindedly.
"Paul, would you excuse us for a moment? I need to speak to my husband about dessert." Maddie frowns at David as she starts to move her chair away from the table.
"Oh, Maddie. This was such a wonderful meal. I don't think I saved any room for dessert," Paul says approvingly.
David leans toward him and in a conspiratorial whisper tells Paul, "That's ok. She really just wants to ream me and she doesn't want to do it in front of you."
She pushes him into the kitchen behind closed doors.
"David. What the hell is the matter with you? You are really embarrassing me, is that what you want?"
He's just giving her his best sexy smirk, looking her up and down. "What I want is to go to bed, with you."
She throws her arms up in the air disgustedly. "You're drunk. For the second time in two nights. This behavior is unacceptable and intolerable...what are you smirking at?"
"You sound like my old boss."
"I am your old boss!" she hisses, trying to keep Paul from hearing them. "You obviously don't want to discuss what's really going on with you and that's your problem. But I am telling you that if you don't take his case I will."
"You will? You haven't done anything for 11 years," he says, his voice getting louder.
"No, I haven't done anything but raise your children and make us a nice home. Since you don't seem to appreciate that, I'm going back to the office and I'm going to solve this for Paul." Her voice has gone up a few notches as well.
"'For Paul', Maddie? You don't know this guy. You haven't seen this guy in like 15 years. How do you know he's not some psycho? I don't like the way he looks at you, and the way he hangs on every word you say.
Look, I'm sorry for the way I've acted tonight. Hell, for the last hundred nights. But something about this guy bugs me. He shows up out of the blue, sweeps you off your feet. Maddie he may have killed his wife. And I don't want my wife to be next. You are a stay-at-home mother now and I don't want you to have anything to do with him."
"Oh, could we please lower the level of testosterone for a minute, Tarzan? I'll do whatever I please. Why don't you want me to have anything to do with him, because you love me so much? Or does he threaten your territory in some way? You've been avoiding me, David. You treat me like I'm some kind of brainless lump who's only capable of having babies. You seem to forget I was instrumental in building Blue Moon into the success it is today. And I do know this man. He loved his wife more than his own life. He never would have killed her."
They are definitely yelling now.
Maddie turns around at the sound of the kitchen door opening.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to open a rift between the two of you. I really think it's time for me to go. Maddie, thank you for your hospitality and I regret we won't be seeing each other again."
"Paul, I..." she stops, not knowing what to say.
Then David says unexpectedly, "We'll take your case McCain. Come to the office in the morning and Maddie and I will meet you there and try to get this straightened out. Bring any info you have that can get us started."
Paul gives him a startled but grateful look. "Thank you, David. I'll do that. I do think it's time for me to go, though. Maddie, you're a wonderful hostess. Would you mind if I took a rain check on dessert?"
"Not at all. But I hope you're not leaving because of anything you may have heard us saying in here." she says sheepishly.
"No, I'm still feeling pretty jet-lagged. I think I should go back to my hotel and get a good night's sleep. I'll show myself out and see you in the morning."
He starts to leave the kitchen, then stops and looks back at them thoughtfully. "You two seem to have built a pretty nice life for yourselves. Don't forget that it could all end at any time. You need to talk. Goodnight."
As they hear the front door close, neither one wants to pick up this fight where it left off. Paul's profound words are echoing in Maddie's head. Most of the anger has dissipated. Now all she is feeling is sorrow.
They both stand in the kitchen for a moment, saying nothing, not looking at each other. Finally, Maddie speaks.
"Thank you, David. I don't know why you decided to help him but I appreciate it.
Now if we could just do something to help ourselves..."
He purposely overlooks the last part of her comment.
"Look, Maddie. You're like a dog with a bone over this thing. You were never going to let it go, so I gave up. We'll take the case. Now, I've had too much to drink and I didn't sleep so great last night. Would you mind if I slept upstairs with you tonight? I promise I won't touch you, if that's what you want."
"It's pretty telling, David, that the only time you do want to touch me is when you've been drinking," she says, close to tears now.
"Come on, Maddie. I don't want to do this," he groans and starts pacing the kitchen like a caged animal looking for a way out.
"Maybe I'm only exciting to you when you've had a few drinks," she says quietly.
He stops his pacing, a dumbfounded look on his face.
"You can't possibly believe that! I don't even know what to say to that."
She's looking sadly down at the ground, not wanting to meet his eyes. Afraid that all she'll see there is anger or worse, pity.
He moves toward her and says softly, frowning with growing realization,
"Is that what you've been thinking? That I don't want to be with you? That I don't love you? That I want to leave?"
She nods, still looking down at the floor. "I know I don't look or act like I used to and our lives are definitely not like they used to be, and I guess I've been ignoring the fact that you're miserable. Until yesterday, I didn't realize just how unbearable this marriage had become for you. I guess now I understand. I don't want to see you so mad and unhappy all the time. So if you want to go, go."
He reaches out to her, pulls her close, and runs his finger lightly down her face, wiping a tear from her cheek. "No, honey, you don't understand. I'm sorry. I never wanted to hurt you. I've never wanted to leave you. You just never seem to have the time for me and my needs. You're always taking care of the kids and the house. I guess I am a whiny ass crybaby, but I need you too."
Then he takes her hand and kisses her fingers lightly.
"I love you so much, Maddie. I've always loved you. Since the first time you walked into the office." He embraces her and whispers into her hair, "How could you ever think I'd lost interest. You'll still be exciting to me in the nursing home when I'm 105." Now he's close to tears as well.
Still being held to his chest, she asks, "Then, what's wrong with us, David? I feel like a broken record. I must have asked that question a hundred times in the last two days. If we love each other so much, we need to work this out. Paul's right. God forbid anything should happen to either of us, but it could. And I can't leave things between us like this.
And you're right too. I know I need to pay more attention to you. We need to talk. We need to spend more time together, just the two of us. We need to laugh more often." The tone of her voice changes abruptly from sad to sultry.
"We need to do this more often."
She pulls out of his embrace slightly and starts kissing his lips softly and loosening his tie. She gets it undone and drops it to the floor. Then she untucks his shirt and begins unbuttoning it, slowly at first, then ripping the buttons off it. He takes a deep breath and closes his eyes as she begins kissing his chest. As she moves down his body with her kisses, she begins to hurriedly undo his belt buckle. Unexpectedly she stops what she's doing. Looking up at him, she smiles and takes his hand, pulling him into the dining room.
They look at all the dirty dinner dishes still on the table. He's thinking, there goes the moment. Now she'll go into "Stepford" mode and want to clean up the mess.
She surprises him by blowing out the candles and placing them on the buffet. Then she pulls up the four corners of the antique linen tablecloth into the center of the table. As he watches her, she picks the tablecloth up from the center, with all the dishes in it, then slings it over her shoulder like a knapsack and drops the bundle to the floor with a loud crash of breaking china and crystal. She shrugs her shoulders, leans on the table, undoes the clasp on her pearls and removes them.
"Wouldn't want anything to happen to these," she says huskily as she places them gently on the buffet.
Their eyes meet. She unzips her dress half way down her back.
"Could you help me with this, Jungle Boy?"
He's shaking with awakening passion, trying to get his shirt and pants off and stumbling over to her. He reaches around her back, kissing her neck as he's attempting to get her out of her dress as quickly as possible.
"I think this table is pretty sturdy," she says nonchalantly, looking up at the ceiling as her dress slips to the floor. "You know, we never did initiate this dining room properly."
She leans back further on to the table and brings him on top of her.
"No time like the present," he whispers breathlessly.
They are too engrossed in each other to notice eyes watching them through the slit in the dining room curtains.
END PART II