London

Brenda ticked nervously with her fingers as JT read her work. He would run sheet by sheet and laugh every now and then. Good sign.

"If you keep staring at me I won't go quickly anymore," he said without even looking at her.

"Yes I know, it's that I'm nervous"

"Did you send it to Raynolds?"

"For two weeks, but still no answer"

JT continued to read without replicating.

When he finished he looked her straight in the eye

"So?" She asked waiting

"It's brilliant. If Raynolds doesn't take it he's crazy"

Brenda opened up to a wonderful smile. JT was her neighbor. Her friend. Her confidant. He was homosexual like almost all the handsome guys in London well. He was a cooking critic. He took her to any new restaurant. When he came in, the owners were humming and in the meantime they became servile. They almost always had a personal waiter. A JT stroking could have been the end.

"Are you coming with me this evening?"

"Of course, where are you going?"

" At H2O"

"Never heard"

"That's why I'll take you there, at 8 pm?"

"Of course"

"And tell me, how is your brother?"

Brenda laughed "He always has other tastes"

" Yes I know.. but if you change your mind, let me know"

"Of course, but I wouldn't count on it"

"Ah, what a waste!"

Brenda laughed again.

"I have the last show of the season tomorrow, are you coming?"

"Of course," he said.

Brenda put the sheets of her work back inside the card. The hope was that Raynolds would call soon. A musical that could become a hit: 'Beverly Hills' a story at the West Side Story.

JT approached the door stopping at the door.

"Bren?"

"Yes?"

"How much of yours is in that story?"

She stopped.

"Nothing, pure invention," she said. Everything, she thought.

Los Angels

The flight from Washington landed on time. Steve looked nervous. Brandon scrutinized him at the bottom of the arrivals. He observed it for a few seconds. It was always the same. Powerful physicist. Amuse face.

"Hi friend!" He told him.

Steve opened up in a disarming smile "hello friend" they hugged hard giving each other pats on the shoulders.

They took their bags and arrived at the parking lot.

Brandon pay attention to the airport parking lot for a long time. The screeching of the tires, a gun barrel coming out of a window, one, two, three shots... Kelly wound to the ground. He who held her to himself.

It was a moment. A painful flash back that had creeped in with impatience.

"All right?" Steve asked him

"Yes, everything is fine"

They got in the car. It was a wonderful evening.

"Where do you stay?"

"At the Hilton"

"How much are you staying?"

"Three months. There is a vacancy at the Los Angeles headquarters. What do you tell me? The Beat?"

Steve laughs loudly "you can see that we haven't heard from each other in a long time. The Beat closed its doors a couple of years ago. Janet and I got ahead a bit but ended up making a diary of sexy ads and cigarette ads"

"I'm sorry Steve"

"Me too"

"What are you doing now?"

"I have a small publishing house. I learned something too. Technical books. Fitness. Gardening. The I4ever."

"It's not bad"

"I'm in the field"

"What about Janet? What about Maddy?"

Steve got more serious "we're on a pause for reflection"

"Reflection break?" Brandon asked in amazement.

"After the Beat closed things didn't go well at home either. I left everything to her. I took my four junk and now I sleep inside the publishing house which is then the old headquarters of the Beat"

"Really? Why don't you get an apartment?"

"Eh I don't know man.. it seems to me that if I took an apartment it would mean not going home anymore, for now I leave things like this"

"I understand"

"What about you?"

"What do I?"

"How are you?"

"Well. Work, work, work"

"Are you not with anyone?"

"I don't have the time, I don't have the patience. Maybe I have too high standards. Maybe I feel sorry for me as a partner"

"Hey, to whom do you tell.." I laughed in unison.

"Are you in contact with someone?"

"Apart from Brenda, sometimes I hear Andrea," Brandon replied, "but Brenda is my sister and Andrea is Andrea. We felt less and less about you instead."

"How are you?"

"Brenda? He gets away with it"

"Always in London?"

"Yes"

Steve nodded approval.

"What about you?" Brandon asked "you feel someone"

"I went out with Dylan a few times. The few times you've seen around here"

"Uh and how are you?"

" what should I tell you?" Steve made a grimace "he chases the perfect wave, even if it wasn't Body in Point Break; he just has no idea how it's done and what beach it's on...and so he remains a goalless devil"

"Already"

"Did you never hear that anymore?"

"Sometime. On the phone. During his travels"

"Clear," Steve replied, "and Kelly?"

Brandon turned his face to the window "I saw her five years ago. A quick greeting. She had come to Washington for a couple of days. A congress of school leaders or I don't know what, a coffee, nothing more"

"I understand," he replied, "did you warn her that you are here?"

"Ah no.. I only warned you."

"She'll be happy to see you"

Brandon did not answer.

"So, let's go to Nat?"

"Oh yes.. I can't wait"

"I missed you man," Steve said.

"Me too" replied B.

The car slipped fast on the highway and disappeared.