Once Upon a Time…
Chapter 10
"The summer job"
Once Upon a Time, there was a young man named Marcus, who was in boarding school and he hated it! He wished he could stay with his family and see them every day when he came back from school. He wanted to do his homework and ask his family for help, not be in a dorm room in a sordid school in London. He had been on stage and he had felt alive. The end of the play was a brutal return to the disappointing reality… He missed his family and they hadn't come to the May Festival! His mother promised she would come and he was expecting her! She probably had another urgent matter, once again, as usual! He always came second to her, after the homeless children. But he couldn't be jealous of children who didn't have anything… he had a roof over his head and all the clothes he needed, all the electronic gadgets which allowed him not to be bored. He had game consoles and he would play with his friends. He had studied his role, because he wanted his mother to be proud of him, even if she didn't care about show business, she took care of homeless children, the rest of the world didn't matter to her, him included… Fortunately, he had his friends. After having fun on stage, a couple had come to see him… he blew them off, because he was so angry his mother hadn't come.
One of his friends, name Leo, who was the son of a diplomat, came to see him.
- Hey dude! You were magnificent on stage!
- Yeah…
- Aren't you supposed to be happier?
- My mother didn't come…
- Oh… did she call you?
- A last minute emergency, as usual!
- Listen buddy, don't let that ruin your life. You mother loves you, you know that right? She probably have a good reason for not showing up…
- As usual… she doesn't like showbiz and everything that has do to with the theatre… that's probably why she didn't come to see me on stage…
- The day she'll see you on stage, she's going to be proud…
- She will never come to see me for that…
- So become an actor, in a big production, that way she would be forced to see you on the big screen…
- Yeah right! And If I win the Oscar for best actor she's going to be forced to admit that being an actor is not that bad?! He said ironically.
- It could be a way to get her attention on what you like…
- There's a guy who came earlier to ask me if I wanted to be in his movie, and I told him to get lost…
- Very funny…
- I'm not kidding…
- What? You know who it was?
- I don't know, I didn't really looked at him…
- Why don't you look for him?
- What for?
- Well, if he's serious, it could be a way for you to show your mother…
Marcus remained silent. The conversation which started as a joke and irony was becoming serious, all of a sudden…
- You really think I could do it?
- If the guy is serious, why not?
- Maybe it's for a porn…
- They don't look for minors for that… You really don't know who it was? He didn't give you his business card or his name?
- I was busy blowing him off… I don't remember…
- Would you recognize him if you see him?
- I suppose…
- Then, let's look for him…
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Terry was with his family at their table. Julie arrive to sit next to her brother.
- So? Did you see him? What do you think?
- I need him for my movie, said Terry.
- But he blew us off, said Susanna.
- Oh…sorry, said Julie, he clearly told you that he wasn't interested?
- He was crystal clear, said Terry.
- You're giving up?
- Of course not! That boy is perfect! I need him…
- How do you expect to convince him?
- I'll find a way, said Terry.
- Offer him a lot of money, he wont say no…
- He's here in St. Paul, a private school, he doesn't need money, Susanna.
- Well rich or not, everybody needs money…
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Marcus and Leo were with his family. He stood up with his friend to see some girls, they found girls looking at someone at a table…
- Hi girls! What are you looking at? Asked Marcus.
- Over there! Said one of the girls named Libby, isn't he just gorgeous?
- Who is it? Asked Leo.
- Terrence Grandchester! He used to be a student here! I wish I was here during his time! Said Libby, he's handsome like a god!
- Who is that Grandchester? Asked Marcus.
- Are you kidding me? He's only the biggest actor of his generation! You don't know him? He's Julie Grandchster's big brother!
Leo and Marcus looked at the actor…
- It is him, said Leo, he looks better in person… and he reminds me of someone…
- Oh…, said Marcus.
- What?
- That's the dude...
- What dude?
- The one who wanted me to make a movie with him?
- What? Said Leo, you blew off Terrence Grandchester?! Are you insane?
- Marcus, said Libby, Terrence Grandchester wants you for his movie and you said " bullsh*t"?
- I was in a mad mood… my mother didn't come…
- Oh… the baby wants his mummy? Boo freaking hoo! Said Libby.
- Poor little thing, said Leo.
- That's enough! Said Marcus angry.
- Go! Said Leo, tell him you accept his offer… you want your mother to take you seriously and support you in your choice, don't you? You go for it!
- All right! I'm going, said Marcus, I hope he's not going to blow me off…
- Good luck, said Leo, be positive!
Marcus looked at Terrence Grandchester, he looked at him very well and he felt all funny… he approached him…
Terry was talking to his family, when he heard a voice…
- Excuse-me…
Everybody at the table stopped talking and turned to Marcus.
- I…I would like to… apologise.
- You were in a bad mood? Said Terry.
- Something like that… my family didn't come.
- I'm sorry about that…I'm sure they regret not seeing you on stage…
- Exactly… that what I wanted to talk to you about your offer… if it's serious, to see me on the big screen would get their attention…
- That's a little drastic, said Terry.
- I know someone who took their father's new Rolls Royce for a joyride, just to get his father's attention, said the duke.
- Making a movie, is not that bad, said Julie smiling.
- All right! I get it! Said Terry.
He stood up to walk with Marcus.
- Let's go for a walk…
- All right…
Leo and the girls and a lot of other students were looking at them stunned…
- I will need your parent's authorization, or from the person responsible for you…
- I'll get it, don't worry.
- Very well, are you ready to spend the summer filming a movie instead of going to see your family?
- Absolutely! I'm sure my family fill find a way to not spend time with me…
- I'm sure that's not true…
- My mother didn't come…
- That's what hurt you the most… All right ! You want to impress her on the big screen… this is not a game, there's going to be discipline, you're going to behave like the kid you are… no party, no booze.
- Why is that important to you? I don't have a father! Everybody doesn't give a dam about me!
- Well I'm going to care about you! During the filming, you're going to be under my responsibility and there is no way I want to be responsible if you screw up… You've got talent… don't waste it… this movie is going to be a blockbuster, don't let it go to your head… I don't want you to be seduced by Hollywood's glamorous life…
- I won't need an agent?
- I'll take care of it, don't worry…
Terry felt the need to protect this young man who strangely looked so much like him. He felt like he understood him. Marcus was also feeling good with Terry. He felt like they understood each other without having to say it… it was the beginning of a great friendship…
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Candy was in Calcutta with her organization. She had managed to rescue a lot of abandoned children form the streets. Most of them were orphans. The girls would become prostitutes very young and the little boys would become beggars, pretending to be blind, sent by men without scruples, who didn't hesitate to make the children really blind so they would look more real. Candy and her organization were fighting to get those children off the streets. She had managed to find a family for some of them, and they were adopted by American families.
She was in her office, and she was trying to call her son, but his cellphone was off. She left him a message…
- Honey, I'm sorry… I had a conference with Unicef… and a lot of work with the children in India… I know you're probably going to think that I'm playing Mother Teresa instead of coming to my son's May Festival to see your play… Baby, know that I'm proud of you, even if I wasn't able to come… I will come to see you as soon as I get some free time…
She knew her son was going to be disappointed. But she rather throw herself completely into her work… she loved her son more than life itself, but he reminded her of his father… She could've contacted him and tell him the news… But, he never contacted her either, even to say just hello and then he became an actor. She had stopped caring about movies, like everybody did, just so she won't get any news on Terry, it hurt too much. She wished he would've contacted her; he would've encouraged her, or called her even just once. She was too proud to contact him first, even if she had all the rights to do it. If William wasn't in her life… If William wasn't in her life, she probably wouldn't had been involved with Terry… She wouldn't have gotten pregnant and all her projects for her future wouldn't have been ruined. She wished she didn't take after her mother, getting pregnant out of wedlock by a man who was inaccessible… But she knew that if she had wanted, she would've contacted Terry… Terry… her heart was still beating every time she thought about him, she thought that in time it would stop, but she had had his baby… which only reinforced her feelings for him. Her mother was also in love with her father and she had spent her life alone, heartbroken… she was cursed to finished like her mother… a woman who was helping other but who was bitter and who was also avoiding her own child because he reminded her of her relationship with his father. Of all the things she thought she would've taken after her mother…
Her son called her back a few hours later.
- Mum?
- Baby…. You forgive me?
- Of course mum…
- You want to come and join me for the summer holidays?
- No… I have a job…
- A job? What kind of job? Where?
- I'm… going to be a waiter in a restaurant, he lied.
- All right… it's good to work! My first job was also as a waitress in a bistro… I'm happy you're following into my footsteps… I'm proud of you…
Marcus, didn't like lying to his mother, but he had no choice… he couldn't tell his mother the truth…
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The summer holiday went on fine for Marcus. He was shooting the movie in London and Los Angeles with Terrence Grandchester. Getting the permission was easy.
William was his guardian and he had allowed him to make the movie.
- You won't tell mum?
- I'm sure she won't hear me if I tell her…
- If you're telling her about the movie, she's going to ear you, believe me! She hates showbiz!
- So why are you doing the movie?
- To show her that if I make a movie, I'm not worst than the rest of the actors out there… Do you know why she doesn't like actors?
- You'll have to ask her… she's not interested in showbiz, that's all, she likes the lost causes of homeless children…
- You don't need to tell me that…
- She always makes sur you have everything you need.
- Except for her presence! I love the theatre! I want to be an actor and I can't even talk about it with her!
- Listen, buddy… make your movie, then she will be forced to confront you…
- All right… I hope this works…
- It's going to work, said William smiling.
- Thank you uncle William…
That's how he got the permission to make a movie with Terrence Grandchester during the summer holidays with the blessing of his uncle William.
Working with Terrence Grandchester turns out to be very fun, it seems so natural for him. The shooting went on very fast since they almost never had to reshoot a scene with both main actors, which was perfect for Marcus who had to go back to school in September. He had finished all of his scenes just in time for back to school. Terrence had insisted with the producers that everything get done in that time frame.
- There you go! Just in time for back to school! Said Terry.
Marcus seemed a little sad.
- Yeah…
- I can assure you that the movie is going to be a cracker… you will have your mother's attention…
- I'm going to miss you…
- I'm going to miss you too…
- I had the impression… to have a father for a few weeks…
- Oh Marcus! Said Terry moved, I was happy to work with you too…
Marcus approached him and he hugged Terry hard.
- Listen, you can call me anytime you want, I will always be available for you…
- All right… You can call me too…
- All right… we stay in touch…
They spent the rest of the day together, then Terry took Marcus back to school. The latter was really said to leave Terry.
- Hang in there, buddy! I'll come to see you!
- You promise me?
- Yes, I promise you…
- All right…
Terry kept his word; he called Marcus every day and he would send him text every day, like his mother did… Marcus became happier and more radiant than ever. Ever since he had met Terrence Grandchester, he had the impression that he was the missing link in his life, the masculine presence, for some reason, was different than his uncle William's… An idea started to grow in his head; what is his mother meet Terrence Grandchester? What if they liked each other? Then Terrence was going to be in his life for good and his mother too, with a man in her life, she wasn't going to go away all the time leaving them alone to go help the homeless children in the whole world. She will be able to delegate… and take care of her family. That impossible project didn't seem that crazy; he wanted a family, he was going to do everything in his power to have one. He was going to make sure that his mother meet Terrence Grandchester and pray that they fall in love with each other, that way, he will have his mother and the father that he wanted, the father that he chose himself…
Once upon a time, a young man named Marcus, just had a very good idea…
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