A Scarlet Christmas Carol
Chapter 1: Christmas Eve
By Teala373
"This is all Greek to me! I'll have Jerrica go over it when she comes in!" the redhead muttered as she threw the contract on her desk. She closed her eyes and began massaging her temples, hoping to ease some of her headache away.
She should be happy. She was a highly-sought after film actress with an impressive resume to her name. After her military career ended, she joined up with Starlight Music as a song writer. When the thriving company expanded their talents to cover the film industry as well, Shana O'Hara found herself an international sensation over night. Still, her life was miserable and empty.
She opened her eyes and was saddened to discover that they had landed on a photo of her and Lady Jaye smiling out on the airstrip. Narrowing her eyes, she slammed the picture frame down and fought back the tears lingering behind her lashes. She was grateful for the knock on her door that interrupted her thoughts.
"It's me!" Jerrica Benton, owner of Starlught Music and Film, and also her manager, walked in with a smile. "We have just a few things to run through and then I'll take the contract down to legal. I'm sure you didn't even try to tackle it."
Shana gave a small laugh. "I took a glance at the first paragraph and it made my head spin. Why can't they write in normal, conversational English?"
"Because that would be too easy, dear."
"What do you have for me?"
Jerrica flipped open her Palm Pilot. "The Holograms are shooting their new video next week. Since the song is from your film, you might want to put in a cameo appearance."
"Alright. Give me the stats."
"We're just going to shoot it downstairs in the regular studio and add lots of computer effects, so it won't be too big of an ordeal. Usual directors, Anthony Julian and Vivian Montgomery, though Vivian will be working more on the effects. Of course, Howard Sands will be producing, and I'll be there since you and the Holograms are my two biggest clients!"
"Ok - I'm in. I like that crew. What else?" Shana was glad that her personal assistant, Pilar entered because she could tell Jerrica was about to rattle off a list of things she needed to take care of.
"The usual - the Countess Du Voison wants you over in her latest show, Courtney called five times about the photo shoot, Regine needs to do another fitting, Kimber wants to go over lyrics with you, Marvin sent another invitation, Brad's show is coming to the airport, Rob's big race is this weekend, Ron would like to know if you plan on making any of his openings, and Conrad called... again." Jerrica took the contract off the desk and replaced it with a small stack of invitations and phone messages. "You can't ignore your friends forever. I'll be back for our meeting at 5."
Shana barely waited for her manager to leave before firing away at Pilar. Luckily, the young assistant was familiar with the codenames of her employer's military friends. Shana didn't seem to like to use their real names. "Schedule the Countess in for brunch next week and get a fitting time from Regine. I'll see Kimber later, so I'll deal with that." Shana seemed to be ending the conversation.
"Miss. O'Hara? What about the others?"
"What about the others?" she snapped, causing Pilar to take a step back.
"They continue to call and send letters each week..."
Shana sighed and waved her hand in impatience. "Fine, fine. Call Cover Girl's office and tell them I'm too busy to do a photo shoot. Call my brother Sean and have him stop at Roadblock's for me on his way to my dad's. Give Ace's airshow tickets and Cross Country's racing passes to my nephews. I won't be able to go to Dusty's gallery opening, but I'll send Kimber instead, she likes that sort of thing. Maybe my brother Michael will take her..."
"And what about Mr. Hauser?"
"I'm too busy to take or return his calls..."
"I'm running out of excuses to tell him."
"Well, just think of some more! I pay you enough! Is it that difficult to say that I'm busy and take a message?" Shana practically roared at her assistant.
"Ms. Benton would also like me to remind you that you haven't talked to Mr. Faireborn in quite some time..."
"I'm sure Flint has no interest in talking to me!"
"Ms. Benton thinks..."
"He's fine! He has his family and I'm sure the boys keep in touch. If any of my military friends call or send messages, just deal with it accordingly and don't bother to inform me of it! I can't be bothered! That will be all!" Shana slammed her hands down on the desk as she pulled herself to her feet and stalked out of the room. Pilar sadly shook her head as she walked over to the phone and prepared to break the news to Shana's friends.
--
Conrad Hauser, formerly known as Duke, made his way to the back kitchen of CRB, the hottest restaurant in town. He smiled when he spotted Marvin Hinton wiping off his formica counter.
"Roadblock! How are you?"
The former Joe strongman gave his old CO a hearty greeting. "You're back in town early!"
"I wanted to spend sometime with you guys before the big event tomorrow. Even though you reserved the ballroom for us, I know you still have to accommodate your other clients."
"Yes, you wouldn't believe how many people actually come in here on Christmas Day!"
'Well, it'll be nice to see some of the gang again..."
Marvin sighed. "I hope you didn't turn down spending Christmas with your family and fly halfway across the country just on the chance that Miss high-and-mighty film star might show up. She'll probably do the same thing she does every time I send her an invitation to come dine here - send Sean and say she's too busy to even remember that I own a restaurant!"
Conrad sighed. "Yeah, I guess Courtney's been having a hard time tracking her down. Brad, Rob, and Ron all invited her to the projects they're working on, but Ron said she hasn't made it to one of his shows yet. Says she always sends a friend."
"I don't know why we bother..."
"Because it's Scarlet! I know she's kept her distance the past few years, but I know the old Scarlet that we all love is still in there somewhere."
"Yeah, impossibly buried under 10 pounds of make-up and designer clothes!" Marvin snorted. "I'm going to give you some good advice, get on with your life and stop chasing after her. I know you want to resume your old relationship with her, but she's changed, Conrad."
Duke was surprised at Roadblock's bitterness, especially since he had been close with Scarlet, too. He must just have been upset, like they all had, that Scarlet had retreated into her own life and left them behind.
--
It had been a long day of negotiating, contract signings, and dress fittings. People rushed to get their work done so they could go home and spend time with their families, but Shana wanted to continue working. She was scared to go home on Christmas Eve to an empty apartment. She had once again blown off going home for the holidays and she had absolutely no intention of going to CRB.
Quickly downing another another glass of brandy, Shana stumbled towards her bed and prepared to go to sleep early. She absolutely hated Christmas and wondered if drinking more brandy would help her sleep right through it. She cursed as the phone rang.
"What?" she harshly shouted as she picked it up.
"Miss O'Hara, I'm sorry to bother you, but Mr. Hauser is on the line again. He's in the neighborhood and would like to stop by..."
"For the last time Pilar," she could tell that she was starting to slur from the alcohol and also could feel sleep setting in, "make up some dopey excuse and get him off my back! I'm tired and I'm going to bed."
"Yes, Miss O'Hara. Oh, and since I won't see you tomorrow, Merry Christmas."
"Yeah, whatever." she slammed the phone down and threw herself onto the bed, falling fast asleep.
Five hours later, the clock struck midnight and the loud bells of the large grandfather clock in the hallway rang threw the entire apartment.
Shana shot up in bed, her head swimming. "Damn, I don't remember that stupid clock being so loud. Feng Shui my ass - I'm gonna kill that stupid interior decorator!" She swung her feet over the side of the bed and padded out into the hallway, preparing to rip the guts out of the clock. Something white caught the corner of her eye and she turned to see Lady Jaye dressed in white robes standing in her living room. Shana screamed.
"Geez, Scarlet! I forgot how loud those pipes of yours could be! Tone it down, you'll wake the dead!"
Shana looked at her best friend in shock. "Oh dear God, I'm never going to drink that much before bed again! Now I'm hallucinating!"
"You're not hallucinating. I'm really here."
"You can't really be here - you're dead. I should know, it was my fault..."
Lady Jaye cocked her head to the side and raised an eyebrow. "How is it your fault that my plane had engine trouble and crashed into the Atlantic?"
Shana sighed. "You wouldn't have been on that plane if I hadn't sent you the ticket to come visit me in Paris! If I had just listened to you and stayed with you in Covert Ops instead of starting a different career, we would have been together and you wouldn't have ever been in that crash!"
"Shana, that's not your fault..."
"Oh why the hell an I talking to you? You're just a figment of my imagination anyway. I need sleep." She spun on her heel and prepared to go back to bed, but the door to her bedroom slammed shut and locked. "What the hell..."
"Listen to me Scarlet! You are not hallucinating or dreaming. I've come from beyond to give you a serious warning and a second chance."
Shana turned around to once again face the image of her best friend. "LJ? Is it really you?"
"Yes, honey, it is."
Scarlet ran towards her, preparing to give her a hug, but all she touched was thin air as she fell right through her best friend. She picked herself up off the floor and looked at her friend with sad, shocked eyes.
"I'm a ghost Scarlet. Unfortunately, I can't hug you, but I can help you."
"Help me?" Scarlet looked at her friend with confusion.
"Yes. Your life is going down the toilet and if you don't clean up your act, you're going to..."
"Wait a minute! How is my life going down the toilet? I'm a famous actress! I have millions of dollars and tons of adoring fans!"
"Empty materialism. It doesn't mean anything. And stop with that fake bitchy facade. You need to start letting the old Scarlet shine through again."
Shana looked down at the floor and gave a long sigh. "She died four years ago with her best friend."
"She's not dead yet, but she could be. The future is not looking good for you, Scarlet, and like it or not, you're getting my help. You're going to be visited by three spirits that will show you the past, present, and future. If you don't learn your lesson and get it together, you'll be confined to a miserable existence."
"Big deal, I live that now..."
"Because you make it that way!" Lady Jaye snapped. "Man, I never knew you got so pessimistic when you drank!"
"Do you know how hard it's been since you've been gone!" Shana cried, blinking back tears.
"Yes, I do. I'm dead, remember! I have to live without you, too, and I've been watching you self destruct. Don't you see that's why I'm here? I want to help you!"
"Sorry, LJ, but no one can help me now."
"Well, I'm not giving up on you yet." Snapping her fingers, Lady Jaye caused Scarlet to fall to the floor in slumber. While she was sleeping, the ghost made her way into the bathroom and used her powers to make a bottle of prescription pills disappear. "Honestly, your addiction to these things will kill you faster than anything!" she muttered as she made her way back to the living room. She took one more look at her slumbering friend before disappearing into the night, ready to send the first spirit.