Who: Marrie Jenkins and Robert Stone When: Saturday, January 12, late afternoon Where: Outside All that Glitters acting studio, then by the docks What: Meeting Rating: PG-13 Status: Complete
Inside the empty shop front that was to become the lobby of her acting studio, Marrie surveyed the empty space and smiled. It was going to be perfect, absolutely perfect. At one point, the realtor had told her, it had been a dance studio, complete with a half-stage in the back, and dressing rooms. Really, she couldn’t have asked for a better situation to find herself in. She was back in the place that had been the most home since leaving Iowa, and she was finally fulfilling her dream. If only the space she’d purchased hadn’t been so run-down.
Turning around, Marrie surveyed the large bay window that looked out into the street, which was covered by plywood, and frowned. “First thing, that’s coming down,” she said with a nod, hating the lack of natural light in the room, as the open door didn’t do much. Standing on an overturned milk crate, Marrie palmed her hammer and then slid the teeth underneath one of the nails holding up the wood. As soon as it was free, the whole piece of wood went, right on top of her, as she fell back onto the floor. “Son of a bitch!” Marrie yelled, coughing from the dust and trying to shove the plywood off of her body.
After spending the morning unpacking boxes and setting up his condo, Robert had given up and decided to find his way around the little island. So far, things were just as he wanted them to be. Quiet and he was left alone. His first destination was the grocers for food. A man couldn't live on water and anger alone. He had to eat sometime. Making his way down the street, sunglasses hiding his eyes and his head lowered, he heard the loud crash and glanced up to see a dusty window that was partially shattered. A large corner of plywood jutted out from the glass. Picking up his pace a little, he came up to the open doors and glanced inside. "Alright?" he asked.
When he saw hands attempting to shove the plywood off he moved inside and grabbed the corner of it. "Don't move eh." he told the woman and pulled up. He nearly lost his grip and tried again, this time righting the piece and setting it back against the window. "What the fuck are you doing?" he asked, extending a hand down to her. "You can hire people to do this for you, you know.” he said.
“Help?” Marrie coughed when she heard a voice nearby. Thank God someone had seen her go down, it would have taken ages to get out from under that piece of wood. She pushed while he pulled and together they got it off of her and Marrie let out a groan before taking the offered hand and standing up, dusting herself off. “Thanks a lot,” she said with a little smile, and then laughed at his advice.
“You know, I think you may be on to something there,” she said with a tap to her nose. The guy looked familiar, but with the glasses and the dim lighting, it was hard to place him. Probably a summer resident or something down for a break. “I was hell bent on doing this myself, but if this is a preview...” she laughed a bit. “No thanks.” Making sure her hand was clean, Marrie extended it to the guy in front of her. “Marrie Jenkins,” she offered, hoping a name would clue her in to who this guy was.
Helping her to her feet, he dropped her hand and stepped back shoving his hands in his pockets. He ignored the smile and the laughter because he knew that for most it was a ploy to put him at ease and then fuck with him. He listened to her and nodded slightly. A quick glance to her outstretched hand and he stared back at her through the dark shades. "Don't do that." he said but took her hand anyway. He shook it firmly and let it go. "Robert Stone." he said glancing towards the door. "Be careful here eh?" he said. He may not have trusted women but he knew attractive ones when he saw them and this girl was indeed attractive. He cleared his throat and shuffled his feet a little. "If you're alright...I'm gonna go." he told her.
The hesitation made Marrie’s brow wrinkle and her head tilt to the side a little bit, but then she smiled again when he shook her hand. He had a good handshake. Solid and dependable. Marrie put a great store in how people introduced themselves, and other than the momentary pause, he’d done a decent job. Then she had his name and the light bulb went on.
“Oh right,” Marrie said with a nod. “I think I might have said hello to you on the journal things, but who knows?” she shrugged. She knew he was an actor, but given that she was too, it didn’t really make much of a difference. His attempt at a quick exit made Marrie shake her head a little bit. “You don’t have to run off, you know,” she said pointedly. “I’m not going to bite, and I swear I won’t ask for an autograph,” she joked, grinning at him. “You’re new, and I’m...effectively, not. No harm in being friendly, is there?”
He reached up and raked his fingers through his hair before dropping his hand and shoving it back in his pocket, effectively closing himself off again. "Sure, whatever." he said, shrugging a little. "You might have,” he agreed. He crooked a brow when she shook her head. Did women never stop? Were things always a game with them? "I actually only came in to town to get some gr-" he stopped and looked at her, his jaw setting. Pulling his hand from his pocket, he reached up and removed his glasses, using the arm of them to point at her. "Look. You could ask, but I'm not giving you one. I'm done with Hollywood. I'm done with the bullshit,” he told her.
He cleared his throat and straightened up a little more. "And I'm done with smiles and niceties. Everyone wants something and I'm fucking tired of giving it to them,” he said. "I came here to get lost, not make friends. I don't need them and I don't want them. We clear?" he asked. "Besides...there's a lot of harm in being friendly. It leads to someone ramming their dick up my ass." he said.
Marrie’s eyebrows crawled higher and higher up her forehead as he went on and on, and her hands came up, palm out, surrendering. Jesus, this guy was either a complete asshole, or he’d been seriously screwed over. “I don’t want one,” Marrie insisted, shaking her head. “It was a joke anyway. You’re done with Hollywood, I’m done with the city. I know where you’re coming from. At least, kind of,” she shrugged.
Crossing her arms over her chest, Marrie narrowed her eyes a little bit. He was handsome, cocky, and arrogant, and reminded her entirely too much of Jason. And everyone in town knew how that had gone. “I don’t want a damn thing from you, Robert. I was just trying to welcome you to the Island.” She turned to grab her cell phone and keys off of a box they’d been sitting on and gestured to the door, heading out before he could. “I’m really sorry that I wasted your time, since, apparently, the last thing you want to do is actually try to escape into a new life. You’re just hanging on to the old one.”
His heart almost melted at the surrender...almost. Shannon used to do that to him, so had his mother. "You have no idea." he said gruffly. This girl either didn't read the rags or she was damned good at hiding what she knew. Either way, Robert didn't want to find out. He watched her gather her things then glanced at the door. He turned his head and watched her leave before following her out. "Thanks for the welcome." he said feeling just a little bad and a whole lot like a shit for the things he'd said to her. "I don't want to escape...if it means anything to you and why the fuck would I want to hold on to my old life?" he asked. "You either have no idea what happened or you're a damned good liar." he told her. He was opting for the latter because really...how could she not know? His life for the last year had been all over the news and papers.
Even his realtor knew about him and had asked one too many questions before Robert had told him where he could shove it. He took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. He really was a nice guy, he just didn't trust people anymore. "For what it's worth.." he paused and put his glasses back on. "I'm sorry."
She had plenty of an idea. Really, who didn’t? Even though she didn’t read the gossip rags, who didn’t look while waiting in the line at the store? Even the headlines were enough to have given Marrie a glimpse into Robert’s life. She listened to the options he gave her and shook her head, softening a bit. “Actually, it’s neither,” she shrugged. “I heard, yeah. Who hasn’t? But there is another option, Robert. I just don’t care,” Marrie said simply. “One of my best friends is a Hilton, and my ex is big in the music industry. I don’t put any stock in what the supermarket tabloids tell me,” she explained.
“It’s fine, don’t worry about it,” Marrie said, waving off his apology, locking the door behind her, though with the busted window, that wasn’t going to do a damn bit of good. “If you want to hide, then hide. But, there aren’t very many people around here who are just being friendly. Maybe because I don’t have loads of money, and don’t want any, I still have a heart,” she shrugged. Giving him one last sad look, Marrie looked down the street and shook her head. It really was a shame, as she could have used a few new people in her life.
He listened to her, keeping his gaze on the ground at his feet. If what she said was true and she really didn't care...shaking his head, he looked up at her. "Then you'd be the first." he said, his tone cold. He was about to say that his apology was sincere until she mentioned money. "Yeah, I've heard that before." he said, nodding his head. The sad look threw him a little though. It seemed genuine though he couldn't be sure what was real or not anymore. He thought he'd known the difference all along and he'd been wrong. He was about ready to head in the other direction when he found he couldn't bring is feet to move...the traitors.
Reaching up, he wiped at his nose and cleared his throat. "Might want to you know...put that board back up." he said, motioning towards the hole in the window. "I suppose...I guess I could help if you'd like." he offered while mentally kicking himself. Don't get sucked in by a pretty smile Robert...just don't do it. You'll get hurt again.
“Alright, it‘s old fashioned, and probably pretty stupid, but I put more store in my impressions of people than what others tell me,” Marrie shrugged. “Besides, no one could have had the career you did and still have time to do all those horrible things that they said you did. You’d never sleep,” she said with a little laugh, trying to make him stop scowling. “I’m sure you have heard it before,” Marrie said with an understanding nod, remembering the crap he’d gone through with money as the big kicker. “But, if I held much store in money, I wouldn’t have bought this place,” she said with a wave of her hand toward the studio. “It’ll take more than I’ll ever get out of it to fix it up, but I don’t care,” she smiled. “I want to.”
Marrie’s eyes drifted to the window and she considered his offer, playing with her keys. He wasn’t running anymore, and he was obviously making an effort. She supposed that was all she could ask for. “Sure,” she nodded, unlocking the doors again and throwing them open. “Thanks.” Going inside, she rooted around in her little tool box. “I know I’ve got some nails in here somewhere, those ones are obviously shit,” she laughed. “Ah ha! Got them,” she cheered, straightening up again. “You want to hold or hammer?”
He actually did smile at her little joke. "You may have a point." he said, snorting a little. He glanced at the store front. "Yes, but.." he held up a finger. "It takes money to fix things up." he pointed out then shrugged. "To each his own I guess." he said. He stepped aside so she could unlock the door again and reached up to run his fingers along the back of his head, scratching at his neck a little before dropping his hand and following her in. His eyes widened and he couldn't stop the laugh before it was out. As fast as it erupted it ended and he cleared his throat, putting on a nonchalant attitude again. "Why don't I hold it?" he asked. "Last time you tried...you wore it." he pointed out.
Marrie nodded. “And I’ve been saving up for the last ten years to do just that. Beyond that...” she shrugged. “I just want to be happy.” She looked at him merrily when he laughed, pleased she’d gotten him to shove off the cold exterior, even for a moment. Marrie snorted and then nodded. “Probably a good idea,” she admitted. “Though, I was surprised,” she said, needing to defend herself a little bit, at least. Once he was set, Marrie hopped up on the milk crate again, nail heads in her mouth, and tacked down each of the corners, leaning around him a bit to be able to reach.
It wasn’t until she hopped down and dusted off her hands that she realised the close proximity might have bothered him. “Sorry about that,” she winced. “Short arms.” Putting away the hammer, Marrie gnawed on the inside of her lip for a second. “So, are you still opposed to friends, or did you want to grab a bite to eat or something?” she asked, her stomach telling her before her watch that it was getting close to dinner time.
"Isn't that what everybody wants? To be happy?" he asked. "It's a lie you know. Happiness. An illusion we fool ourselves into believing in. Eventually someone screws it up." Jesus, even to his own ears he sounded like a grade A jaded asshole. "Let me just uhm...yeah...the board." he said, moving towards it. Before grabbing it, he took off his sunglasses and hooked them in the back pocket of his jeans then moved the board in place for her. He watched her get up on the crate and it wasn't until she was bent over his head reaching for the corner that he started feeling slightly uncomfortable. Not because he'd sworn off women, not in the least. Just that who in their right mind wouldn't mind having knockers nearly pressed against their face? He was still male.
"It's alright." he said, nodding a little as she got off the box and he stepped back brushing his hands together. He was reaching for his glasses when she turned and faced him again. He mulled over the prospect for a moment and his stomach made the decision for him by grumbling loudly. "I could eat." he said quietly. "Not sure about friends and all but..." he put his glasses on. "A meal won't kill me." he said, shrugging.
Marrie sighed a bit at his comment. “I used to think that,” she admitted softly. “And I had every reason to, just like you do. But, eventually, you get over yourself. And you realise that happiness is obtainable. You just have to be careful who you let within arm’s reach. And even if the person that teaches you that isn’t around anymore, that doesn’t mean that you can’t still be happy.” She was a prime example.
Shaking her head, Marrie had to laugh at him a little bit as they walked out and she locked up again. “You, Robert, are by far the most entertaining person I’ve met in a long time,” she admitted, smiling up at him. “Okay, so you don’t want to talk to people and you don’t want attention,” she summarized, tapping her fingers on her lips. “There’s a little sandwich shop down the street that is amazing,” she offered with a giddy roll of her eyes. “We could take them out to the docks so you won’t be bothered. And, if you get tired of me, you can always push me in,” Marrie joked, refusing to let his mood ruin hers.
Listening to her, he had to look away. She was so damned sincere that he almost believed her. Hell she was most likely telling the truth but he was waiting for the other shoe to drop. "It's not a matter of getting over myself. I know who I am...it's everyone else that don't deserve shit. All anyone's ever wanted from me is my money, to be beside me in the spotlight.." he trailed off and sighed a little. "I'm sorry. My problem, not yours." he said.
He followed her out and stopped just outside the door. "And here I was trying to be aloof and a jerk. Not working huh?" he asked snorting and making a face. "Talking leads to other things and I'd rather avoid that." he said, nodding a little. "I could do with a sandwich." he said. Furrowing his brows as she continued, he pulled the glasses down a bit and looked at her over the rims of them. "Why are you being so nice?" he asked. "Trust me, you bug me enough I'll push you in and walk away." he said. Well not really but it was a thought he might entertain for a second.
Listening to him, Marrie had her own internal commentary going, contradicting everything he said. She’d said the same things once upon a time, and on the other side, she realised how horribly she had behaved. But, he needed his time to stew, and who was she to take that away? “Well,” she said slowly. “I don’t need money, and I don’t want any more spotlight than I’ve already got. So how about you attempt to take me at my word, huh?” she asked, raising an amused eyebrow.
“No, it’s not working,” Marrie said with a grin. “I’m jerk-proof,” she said proudly, laughing a little. Okay, that wasn’t true, but as jerks went, Robert wasn’t all that bad. She lead him toward the shop and turned to look at him when he asked what he did. “Because I can,” she shrugged. “I was lucky. People were nice to me when I first got here, and even though I left, I always wanted to come back. Sea Island can be home, if you let it.” Laughing a little at his threat, Marrie shrugged. “Go for it. I can swim, and I don’t live far from the docks, so walking home wet is no big deal,” she challenged. They reached the shop and Marrie ordered the house sandwich, which basically had everything in creation on it, and then looked at Robert. “What’s your poison? And I’m paying. You saved me from death-by-plywood,” she insisted.
"I can do that." he said. "For the time being." he said pointing a finger at her. At least until you prove me wrong, he thought to himself. He snorted and shook his head, the corner of his mouth turning up in an almost smile. Following after her, he kept his head low, avoiding looking at anyone and nearly ran into her when she stopped and turned. "I don't want a home." he said. "I just want to be left alone." he said and winced a little at how cruel that sounded. "Sorry." he muttered lowering his head. Okay, so his little threat didn't mean anything to her, which was good considering he probably wouldn't have done it anyway.
When they reached the shop, he held the door open for her and followed her inside. His eyebrows shot up when he heard her order and he had to give her a once over. "Uhm...uh.." he cleared his throat and had to look away to keep from blurting out his question which was where the hell she was going to put it all. "Uhm...I guess turkey on rye. Bit of mustard and that's all." he said, reaching for his wallet. He stopped when she said she was paying. Weighing his options, he decided to accept given that she probably wouldn't take no for an answer anyway and it was easier than arguing with her.
“Okay,” Marrie said with equal seriousness, fighting off a laugh at his finger. He really wasn’t as intimidating as he thought he was, and it cracked her up. Maybe it was the accent. Her mouth went into a frown when he said what he did and Marrie sighed a little. “Well, you’re screwed, I guess,” she shrugged, nudging his shoulder a bit. “Because you’re stuck with me. I like being annoying,” she teased. She smiled and shook her head a bit at the way he walked and leaned in conspiratorially. “This is Millionaire’s Island, Robert. No one gives a shit here. Relax.”
Marrie snorted at the look he gave her and shrugged. She certainly wasn’t one of those girls that refused to eat more than a half a lettuce leaf every day, and she worked out just enough to get away with it. After he ordered, Marrie paid, along with getting a couple of bottles of water, and then lead him out of the shop and toward the docks. “Okay, so the obvious topics aren’t up for discussion,” she mused as they walked. “Have you found a place yet?” she asked, searching for anything, basically. “My realtor is great if you need a name,” she offered, plopping down on the end of one of the unused docks and sorting out their dinner.
"Great." he drawled. "Next you'll be telling me you'll beat down my door at 5 in the morning for a cup of sugar." he fired back. He nodded and offered a small smile. "I'll work on it." he said quietly. When she paid, he reached out for the two bottles of water and followed her out of the little shop and towards the docks. Taking a seat beside her, he set one bottle next to hers and uncapped the other, taking a drink from it. Recapping it, he set it aside. "Yeah, I bought a place. Was actually unpacking this morning when I realized I needed food...which I still haven't got by the way." he said, reaching down to scratch at his knee.
"So millionaire's huh?" he asked, taking his sandwich and unwrapping it. He brought it to his mouth and took a bite, chewing on it as he thought. "I guess my money's safe then." he muttered around the food in his mouth. "Good to know." he said and reached for his water. Setting it between his legs and holding it with them, he uncapped it then brought it up for another drink. "It's a good sandwich." he admitted as he turned his head to look at her.
“Oh no,” Marrie said seriously. “I tend to do my inappropriate door banging much earlier than that,” she teased. “Expect me at around three. And probably because I need help opening a bottle of wine or something. I’m pretty useless in the kitchen,” she laughed. She nodded a bit and swivelled to look back at the shore, pointing a little way down the beach. “I’m right there,” she offered. “See the light, on the second floor? That’s me. Just in case,” she smiled. “Oh shit! I forgot, I’m sorry,” she said with a roll of her eyes at herself. Way to go, Marrie, screwing up this guy’s plans. “I’ll point you in the right direction, or go with, if I haven’t been in the ocean yet,” she grinned.
She nodded around a bite of her own sandwich, swallowing before speaking. “Yup. Millionaires and me, the farm girl from Iowa,” she chuckled. Slipping off her half-tennis shoes, Marrie set them next to her on the dock and dropped her feet into the water, swishing it with her toes while she ate. “They’re great sandwiches,” she corrected, wiping the corner of her mouth with the tip of one finger. “Reminds me of New York. I could eat at that place every day. I’d hate myself afterward, but still,” she laughed. Setting her sandwich aside, Marrie screwed off the cap of her water and took a sip, then leaned back on one elbow. “So, why here? Why not...Antarctica where no one knows your name?” she teased.
He turned his head and just stared at her. "Please tell me you're kidding." he drawled. "You wake me at three I'm likely to smack you over the head with that wine bottle. Or take it and slam the door in your face." he said. He turned his head to look where she pointed and nodded. "I'm that-a-way." he said, thumbing over his shoulder in the general direction of his own condo. "It's alright. Takeaway sounds good about now anyway." he said, biting into his sandwich again. He snorted and looked at her. "Farm girl huh?" he asked, with possibly a hint of teasing in his tone.
He reached for his water and took another drink before shrugging. "I opened a map." he said. "Really, I don't know. My lawyer suggested it and here I am. Though Antarctica sounds like it could be my next destination." he said, turning to look at her. "At the very least I could see the ice burgs...possibly some penguins." he said, winking at her.
Marrie laughed, shaking her head a bit. “I’m kidding,” she promised. “Trust me, if I’m going to go banging on someone’s door at that hour, it’s life and death,” she said with a nod. When he made the crack about hitting her with the bottle, Marrie’s laughter stopped and she looked away for a second before shaking it off and recovering.
“Yeah, I can milk a cow and everything,” she said with a smile, fighting to get it back full force. It had been almost two years, little shit like that shouldn’t have bothered her anymore. Listening to him, Marrie took another bite of her sandwich and almost choked on it when he teased. Coughing a couple of times, Marrie took a sip of her water and then shook her head at him. “They’ve got penguins in New Zealand if you’re really that set on them. Don’t go to Antarctica. It’s too cold there.”
He furrowed his brow when she looked away on him. "I wouldn't really...bugger. I've never hit a woman in my life." he told her then cleared his throat and looked out at the water. "I did it for a movie once. The fucking thing almost kicked me." he shrugged and took another drink of water. When she choked, he reached over and patted her back. Yeah Stone, so much for remaining detached and an ass he chided himself. "Alright?" he asked, dropping his hand. "Maybe I like the cold." he fired back. "I've been to New Zealand. Great for surfing." he said, nodding a little.
“I know you wouldn’t,” Marrie said with a little smile. “Well, I don’t know, but I’d hope you wouldn’t,” she corrected awkwardly. “It’s nothing. A million years ago,” she said, waving it off.
Laughing, Marrie nodded and pulled up the side of her shirt, showing a faint, but obvious hoof mark on the size of her stomach. “Damn near broke a rib,” she said with a laugh. “I was probably...six? Something like that. Put me off farm work for years,” she giggled. The help was sweet, and Marrie gave him a grateful smile, swallowing. “I’m okay, thanks,” she said with a nod. “If you like the cold, you moved to the wrong place. You can go to the beach almost all year round here,” she smiled. “You can surf? I’m hopeless. One of my friends that used to live here tried to teach me, and he gave me up as a bad job,” she admitted, teasing herself.
He was just lifting his sandwich to his mouth again when she lifted her shirt. "Wow." he said, taking a bite then leaning in to look at the faded scar. Sitting up he looked up into her face as he chewed. "What happened to the cow?" he asked around the mouthful then used the back of his hand to wipe his mouth. Picking up his water, he took a drink and nodded. "I don't see a problem with that." he retorted. "You can get lost out there. No one judges you. Sharks might eat you but.." he shrugged and took another bite. "Mmhmm." he muttered agreement around the new mouthful. "It's about balance. Sway too far to one side.." lifting his hand he motioned a dive. "Boof...off you go."
Marrie snorted a bit and shrugged. “Nothing. My parents still have her,” she smiled. “It was my own damn fault, screwing around instead of paying attention. Flew about three feet and landed in a pile of shit. Literally,” she laughed.
“Sharks’ll eat you anywhere,” she retorted softly, before she could stop the words from coming out of her mouth. “Proverbial ones, anyway,” she shrugged. Smiling a bit, she nodded and pushed some hair out of her face before taking another bite. “See, that’s my problem,” she said, taking a second to swallow. “I’ve got the dive off perfected, but staying upright...” she trailed off and shrugged. “I’ve been dancing most of my life, you’d think I’d have better balance.”
Robert started laughing and had to cover his mouth to keep the sandwich from spewing all over. "Got you back did it?" he managed to get out. All he could picture was this six year old sitting in a big pile of cow shit. "No they won't...only in the water." he said sarcastically and his laughter died as she finished that thought. "Yeah, you're right." he agreed, looking out to the water. "You dance?" he asked, glancing at her. "I can see that." he said.
“Yeah, apparently they don’t like their tails pulled,” Marrie said with a grin and an innocent shrug. She was growing to quickly find that she enjoyed making him laugh, and that, when he let himself do it, it was a really nice sound. There was a moment’s pause, and Marrie let the thought float off before speaking again. She nodded and took another sip of her water.
“Dance, sing and act,” she rattled off with a nod. “Spent the last decade or so in New York, with a brief stopover here, then back. I did pretty well, but now I’m done,” she said modestly. Pretty well was an understatement, as she’d been offered roles that most people would kill for if she stayed in the city, but Marrie wasn’t one to toot her own horn. “Now, I’m here, and if my studio stops trying to kill me, I’ll be teaching,” she laughed.
"So that's what that building is for then huh?" he asked. He gnawed on his bottom lip for a moment as he thought. "Much call for that here?" he asked, popping the last of his sandwich in his mouth and wiping his hands on his jeans.
“Yup,” Marrie said happily, taking one last bite and wrapping up the rest of her sandwich. She shrugged a little bit and took a sip of her water before answering. “I don’t know. I mean, there’s interest, but it’s mostly for the kids. There are so many around here that are the offspring of rich people who shouldn’t be parents...I want them to have something constructive to do, aside from learning how to swipe a credit card at the age of four,” she said with a scowl.
Robert nodded. "Well I hope it works out for you." he said. "Children always need something to do." he said, thinking back on his own childhood. "Who knows...you might teach the next generation of...me." he said, only half teasing. "Then again..." he trailed off and looked out at the water.
Marrie had been rinsing the tips of her fingers off with a bit of her water, letting the mess go into the sea while he talked, but her head shot up at his comment, and she looked him over slowly. Wiping her hand dry on the leg of her pants, Marrie covered his hand with her own and gave it a squeeze. “I’d be proud to teach little boys how to be you,” she said with a nod, truly believing under all the attitude, he was a good person.
He glanced down at her hand covering his and his first instinct was to snatch his own away but he found it strangely comforting. "I wasn't always like this." he said quietly and did finally pull his hand away, albeit slowly. Turning it over he stared at the lines on his palm. "I used to think there was good in everybody." he told her, not looking up from his scrutiny. "I didn't have a bad word to say about anyone." he continued. "Then I had my eyes opened." he said, finally looking at her. "What an eye opener that was." he said, clearing his throat. "Anyway...you sure I don't owe you anything for dinner?" he asked.
When he didn’t pull his hand away, Marrie smiled softly. She’d already decided that Robert was going to be a challenge for her, the kind of challenge she needed in her life. John had done it for her, and now, she could bring someone else back from the pit of despair. It probably wouldn’t work out the way it had with John, but that didn’t mean the effort wasn’t worth it.
“No, you don’t,” she said first, quickly. “And I’d like to think that there is good in everyone. It’s just...some people, they are afraid of it. Or they hate it. One of the two. Think about Hollywood - hell, even Broadway - goodness, kindness, it’s exploited. You know that better than anyone. How could people in that situation not be afraid of it? I’m not excusing what happened to you, Robert, but please, please don’t hide yourself away. You’re too good for that, and I can see it, no matter how hard you try to be an asshole. It’s just not you.”
"Why are you pushing?" he asked. "I mean...why does it matter to you who I am or...what I do?" he asked. "You have to have some reason for all of this. What is it?" he asked. "What do you get out of this?" he asked her, turning and pulling his knee up onto the dock as he did. "And I'm not hiding myself away. I just don't know that I can trust anybody anymore. My own mother Marrie. My own fucking mother and the girl I meant to spend my life with...I'd already spent nine years with her and they both took advantage of me." he told her.
"It's not like I didn't give them anything either. Anything they wanted all they had to do was ask." he said. "Shit...the last thing...the thing that ended it all and destroyed my faith in them...I'd have given it to them but they lied. They stole from me, forged my signature.." he trailed off. "And when that wasn't enough, when seeing me broken like that wasn't enough for them they made up bullshit and sold it for money." he said. "All because I didn't do what they wanted me to." he said. "That's what trust got me. That's what letting anyone close to me got me. My life torn apart for everyone to see." he finished off.
Marrie let him have his rant, knowing that he needed it. He needed to spill it all. It was part of healing, and something she’d never really done. The look of abject pity she wanted to give him translated into one of sympathy, and she squeezed his hand again. She really just couldn’t help herself, he looked so unbelievably sad. What she really wanted to do was hug him, but that would have been pushing it.
“I push because I do,” she shrugged. “It’s one of my biggest faults, I guess. I think I can fix everything, and when I can’t...” she trailed off and sighed, looking out to the horizon. “What happened to you was horrible, Robert, it really was. To be abused...I know what it’s like. Someone helped me once, and I just...I want to help you,” she admitted with a sigh, letting go of his hand and leaning her elbows on her knees, leaning over the water. I just hate seeing someone be so unhappy.”
His jaw worked when she squeezed his hand again. He wanted to lash out, every fibre of his being screamed at him to do so. No one could be that nice. "You can't fix this. You can't make it go away. You can't make the looks I get go away. The lies that were spread about me...people believed them. One day I was on top of everything. Everybody loved me...the next...almost over night people actually hated me for words in a magazine." he told her. "I'm glad someone was able to help you...I'm sorry you had to go through whatever it is you did but I'm not you." he said. He stopped speaking and taking in a deep breath, he puffed out his cheeks and leaned over, mimicking her in a way. "I'm not unhappy Marrie. I'm angry." he told her. "There's a difference." he muttered. "Unhappy means I still care." he said, his voice barely above a whisper, and if he kept saying that often enough, maybe he'd start to believe it himself.
“Angry means you still care too, Robert. It was all so recent...if you were fine and dandy, then it would be obvious that either you were over it, or that you’re well..” she winced. “Hopeless.” Marrie sighed. “But this, this rage that’s so close to the surface, this tucking yourself away and pushing people off...It’s actually a good thing,” she muttered, smiling a bit at the ripples as they hit the pillars of the dock. “It means there’s still something in there worth saving, hon.” She turned her head and looked at him, giving him a hopeful little smile. “You can hate me if you want to, scream at me, whatever. It’s happened before. But I’m not giving up on you. You remind me too much of me.”
Bringing his hands up, he rubbed them down his face then fell back, letting his legs hang off the dock and lay there staring up at the sky. "How is it a good thing?" he asked. "Way I see it...I treat people like shit they've a reason to hate me. At least then I know it's a fucking good one and it's a true reason." he said, turning his head to look at her back. "You're persistent." he remarked . "I'm not going to yell at you...I don't know you enough to hate you." he said, looking back up to the sky and sighing. He lay that way for a few minutes in silence. Rolling a little, he sat up quickly.
"You wanna try to help me. Go ahead. I won't guarantee results." he said then got to his feet and looked down at her. "But go ahead. Prove me wrong." he said.
Marrie smiled. “You’ve been treating me like shit, just a little, this whole time and I don’t hate you. So, you may as well give that up,” she said pointedly, standing when he did and picking up her shoes. “I will prove you wrong, Robert. Just you wait,” she grinned, stooping to fetch the remainder of her sandwich and their trash. Straightening up, Marrie put a hand on his shoulder and leaned in, kissing his cheek. “Be a good boy. I’ll see you around,” she promised, and then walked down the dock until she was close enough to the ground to hop off, strolling through the sand back to her house.
He rolled his tongue along the inside of his cheek as she spoke. "Hey, it's your time." he remarked. When she'd gathered her things, he'd meant to say his goodbyes and walk away. However, her hand on his shoulder and her coming at him made him tense up. He pulled his head back quickly but not fast enough to avoid the kiss to his cheek. He just swallowed and stared down at her, too dumbstruck to say anything. Watching her walk away, he found his voice again. "Yeah!" he shouted after her. "Well...well.." he trailed off. "Bugger." he muttered as he stuffed his hands in his pockets and headed off in the other direction towards his own house. "So much for avoidance." he muttered to himself.