Rollie Tyler woke up in the morning with a hangover….royally! "Bloody
Hell" he whispered as vague memories of the night before started coming
to him. He looked across his bed and was very aware that he had not
spent the night alone. There was someone on the other side of the bed
hidden under a mass of covers. He wracked his brain for who that
someone might be. Someone had spent the night with him in his bed….but
the only one who had been here last night…he looked at the hand peeking
out from under the blankets with a some small burns and abrasions….OH
NO! ANGIE!
Yesterday had been a very bad day for Rollie….First of all it was the
anniversary of his mother's death. Not many people knew that, but it
was something he had been very aware of as he got up and prepared to
face the day. The day started out badly on location near the docks when
some idiot extra had gotten into the van and pressed a few buttons
...prematurely setting of the blaze he had so carefully coordinated for
the movie "Ship of Death". Angie had still been setting up, and was
only 10 feet away from the edge of the inferno…the explosion had knocked
her flying, and sent Rollie's heart into the pit of his stomach as he
raced towards her. There were some cuts and bruises, but fortunately
she wasn't she wasn't seriously injured. Then some well meaning workers
on a nearby building had called the fire department….the fire hoses had
doused his explosives and the whole days shoot was lost while he ordered
replacements for the spectacular blue explosion the director wanted.
That afternoon as Rollie had been down to see Francis at Midtown
South….he thought he saw Leo….someone who looked just like Leo! He was
almost in shock as he approached the man only to find that it was a
cousin of Leo's….and one who sincerely hated his guts. At a distance
he could have sworn it was Leo…but up close the resemblance ended. The
face was like Leo's but so unlike him…filled with anger and hate and
bitterness.. Rollie found that this was a relative who had been in
trouble with the law and who had no use for any kind of police officer,
especially his cousin. He called Leo an assortment of evil names, and
gave an expletive studded story about how Leo had turned him in and sent
him to jail for selling drugs to another younger cousin….after breaking
his nose in two places. When Rollie told him Leo had died he laughed.
When he got home there was an e-mail waiting for him telling him that
the chemical company he dealt with telling him that the ingredients he
needed for the blue explosion wouldn't be available until the following
Monday due to a backlog order for a movie that Rollie had turned down.
That movie had changed directors since he turned it down and would have
had him working with Steven Speilburg.
Finally…after a burnt dinner…..and another call telling him that the
extra hadn't been found so the film company wanted to blame him for the
premature blaze and wanted Tyler FX to pay the levied fines….he sat
alone. He started off drinking beer and thinking about lost friends…his
mother, Leo, Mannie…others he had loved…..until Angie had shown up. She
had some ideas for a commercial series they were working on, but seeing
his mood, she put that aside and joined him on the couch with a beer.
They had talked about old friends…and then just talked…really talked for
the first time in it seemed like ages. When the beer ran out they moved
on to the stronger stuff…and the flashes of memory that came to him of
the previous evening….well he wasn't sure if he hoped they were true or
not.
Rollie got up as slowly and pulled on his blue jeans. He moved as
quietly and softly as he could as he went downstairs to his
workstation. He put his head in his hands and thought. He had to be
sure what had happened. "Wait…Bluey….maybe bluey would have some
answers. Maybe it wasn't even Angie…maybe she had gone home and someone
else had come in?" he thought to himself. "Bluey" he said in a quiet
voice….after turning off the voice of the little robot. "Video
playback." Rollie put headphones on and watched the monitor. He turned
up the sound until he could hear quite clearly. There was no doubt
about it….it was Angie. He listened to the conversation growing more
serious….talking about life…death…even his mother…and then the
conversation got a lot more personal.
"You know Ange….I really like having you around. I mean I love having
you around. Leo was a great friend, one of the best…but you've always
been my best friend. When I remember the danger I get you into it tears
me apart sometimes….like this morning. You almost bit the biscuit
Ange."
"I'm ok, Rol." He heard Angie's voice chuckle.
"I know…but it makes me realize some times how much it would tear me
apart if you ever got hurt….if you ever left me. Ange…I love you."
She had turned to hit him on the shoulder. "You're okay yourself you
big misfit." He heard the grin in her voice.
"NO Ange… I mean it….I mean it like this!" Rollie watched himself as he
leaned over and caressed her face….as he very softly kissed her lips,
and as his hand moved over her back so he could turn her towards him and
look her straight in the eyes. He kneeled on the couch looking at her
and said "Angela Maria Ramirez…you are my best friend and somehow that
has turned into a lot more….you are like a ujndai ...that is Aborigine
for much deeper friendship….like a…." The Rollie on the screen
appeared to search for the right word. "like a soul-mate to me." He
pulled Angie closer gently and again kissed her lips softly. "I love
you Ange….more than anything."
Rollie winced and shut his eyes….he didn't know if he wanted to see
anymore….but he knew he had to. He opened his eyes again to look for her
response….he had to know.
"Oh Rollie" she laughed. "I love you too. But…."
The Rollie on the screen looked totally dejected…."but like a brother.
Right." He sat down on the couch and buried his head in his hands. "I
know. God, I've really blown it haven't I. That's why I've never said
this before. I knew it would wreck our friendship."
"No…not like a brother…..but I want to have this conversation when we're
sober….when I'm sure you're going to remember it. So look…You're
drunk….I'll put you to bed….and I'll even sleep here if you want….I said
sleep and nothing more….and if you want to have this conversation
tomorrow morning when I know you're sober … then we'll talk."
Rollie remembered what he said now…all of it. He closed his eyes. It
wasn't that he hadn't meant what he had said….he had with all of his
heart…he had. But did he want to act on it? The voice behind him said
"well?"
He looked around and saw Angie….looking very much like she had slept in
her clothes….and he looked at her as if he was looking at her for the
first time….he looked deep into her eyes and saw the hope and love
burning there. He grinned.
"Ange….I don't ever want to risk of friendship….that's why I have never
said anything earlier….but I meant every word I said….every thing" ……he
reached out and gently took her into his arms and looked down at her
face.
Angie looked at the hope in his eyes….and leaned up against him with her
arms around his neck….as she chuckled "no wonder I never had any luck on
blind dates….I've been comparing them all to you….my best friend." She
met his kiss, and as their lips touched and the kiss deepened in
intensity and longing and complete fulfillment….the blue explosions of
yesterday paled in comparison
