Даниэла Стил - Neighbors

Julia sank into the comforts of her grandmother’s home like it was a giant featherbed. She pitched baseballs at Will in the back garden, and helped Daphne dress her dolls, and she had loved Charles when she met him. She said again that he reminded her of her father. They were both very kind men.

Meredith was thrilled to have her there. Julia stayed for a long weekend, and promised to come back again soon, and she meant it. Even though the others weren’t related to them, it felt like a family being with them. Ava, Peter, and Arthur came to meet her. She liked them a lot too. She loved the fact that her grandmother had created a world where people felt loved and at home. Her house felt like a warm embrace now that Debbie and Jack were gone.

And a week after Julia’s visit, Meredith got a shock when she opened her morning paper. It was a small article several pages in, about a couple who had taken a job as property managers of a well-known estate in Woodside, near San Francisco. They had masterminded an art and jewelry heist, and hired thugs to do it, who had tied up the other employees. Over twenty million in art, jewelry, and personal property had been taken. An informer had told the police. Everything had been recovered, and the two ringleaders were now in custody without bail. Meredith stared at the names in disbelief. It was Debbie and Jack. They had obviously become desperate or overambitious, and it hadn’t worked, and now they would both go back to prison, as they deserved. She showed it to Charles that night, and all she could think was how lucky she was that they hadn’t stolen more, although she probably would never know everything that was gone.

—

The call from Sarah Gross, Julia’s agent, came in the first week of February. She apologized for calling Meredith directly, but she had looked it up and discovered that Meredith didn’t have an agent. She didn’t even have a Screen Actors Guild card anymore. She didn’t need one.

“Julia asked me to call you,” Sarah explained to her. “She just got a part in a movie she’s very excited about. I think this is going to be a big career step for her. She wants me to send you the script.”

“I’d love to see it,” Meredith said, excited for her. “Do you know who else is in it?” Sarah reeled off an impressive list of names. The stars were major box office draws. “Does she have an ingénue role?” It was what she’d expect at her age.

“She’s the co-star,” Sarah said proudly. “She earned it fair and square at the audition. She was fabulous. Her acting classes have paid off. She’s grown a lot.”

“By all means, send me the script, I’d love to read it.” It amused Meredith too that the director was an actress she had worked with years before. She was a director now, and a good one.

“I want to be honest with you,” Sarah said carefully. “We have an ulterior motive here. There’s a part in the movie for a somewhat older woman. She ties the whole story together. It’s a key character, and it will need a seasoned actress to pull it off.” She told her who they were considering, which told Meredith it was an important role. “The actress who plays it won’t be in the script for long. Possibly three weeks of shooting, but the scenes she’s in are key. Julia wants you to do it. You’re the right age, the right look, and God knows you have the talent. I know you haven’t worked in a long time, but Julia tells me her life’s dream is to work with you, at least on one film, and this one might be it. It’s a part that’s worthy of you, if you’ll do it. It’s a highly dramatic role. And if you don’t have an agent, I’d be happy to negotiate it for you. Because of your stature, I think I can get you top billing, or lead billing, ahead of the rest of the cast. It would be an extraordinary comeback if that interests you, or a cameo appearance your fans will never forget.” Meredith was stunned by what she said, and that Julia had suggested it. She was too startled to speak for a minute.

“I haven’t worked in years, nor wanted to. I’m not even sure I could still remember lines anymore. My skills aren’t exactly razor sharp after fifteen years in retirement.”

“Will you think about it?”

“I don’t know…I was finished with all that years ago.”

“It would be incredible to have you and Julia in the same film.” Meredith laughed at the thought.

“Julia making her entrance, and me making my exit.”

“It doesn’t have to be an exit. You can come back anytime you want. Your fans would go nuts.”

“I don’t want to make a comeback,” Meredith said firmly. “Let me read the script for Julia’s part, and the sheer pleasure of it. And I’ll let you know what I think when I’ve read it, but don’t get Julia’s hopes up. I doubt I’ll do it.”

“Thank you,” Sarah said, sounding grateful. She sent the script digitally a few minutes later, and Meredith read it that afternoon. The part for Julia was a fantastic opportunity, and the one for her was intriguing and challenging, a role she would have enjoyed doing, but she just couldn’t see herself making a film, even for Julia. She tossed it on her desk, and Charles noticed it that night.

“What’s that?”

Meredith gave him a rueful look. “A movie Julia is going to be in and I’m not. It’s a great script for her. She’ll be a big star after that, or well on her way.”

“How do you figure into it?” He looked confused.

“They offered me a part too,” she said in a choked voice. “It’s a very interesting part. But I’m done with all that. I don’t want to make a comeback, like some pathetic old thing trying to cling to fame.”

“You don’t need to ‘cling,’ you own it. Would you have to go on location to do it?”

“Just to L.A. They could shoot me in three or four weeks.” Julia had sent her an email that afternoon, begging her to do it, once she knew Meredith had the script.

“I think you should do it,” he said, excited by the idea. Meredith looked doubtful.

“I told them I’d think about it. I think it’s a bad idea, for me. No matter how good the part is. The critics will stomp all over me for trying to make a comeback. I don’t want to make a fool of myself, even for Julia.”

“Can I read it?” She handed it to him, and he read it that night.

“Meredith, you have to do it. The movie is going to be fantastic. It’s an all-star cast. Your granddaughter is in it. And I want to see you in it.”

“You’re crazy.” She laughed at him, and he kissed her. “I’m not going to do it,” she said stubbornly, and he ignored her and didn’t comment. She wanted it clear. In her mind, she was no longer an actress.

It took her three days of long walks, hot baths, grumbling, and thinking of every reason why she shouldn’t. In the end, Julia made the difference. If it was Julia’s life’s dream to be in a film with her grandmother, how could she resist? She sent Sarah Gross a text on the fourth day. “I’ll do it. Top billing, or first name to appear alone on the screen, not billed as a cameo.” She wasn’t coming back to do a cameo after fifteen years. She wasn’t dead yet. Charles laughed when she said it to him. And she agreed to let Sarah Gross represent her. She liked her, and it would be simpler than looking for a new agent, since hers had passed away years ago.

—

The producers treated her like returning royalty when Sarah told them she had agreed to do the film. The part was a natural for her. Charles said he was proud of her for having the courage to go back. Julia screamed when Meredith told her. Once she accepted, Meredith was excited about it too. It gave her something wonderful to look forward to. She was going to be making a movie in L.A. in June. It was due out at the end of the year, and the fanfare would be tremendous. And best of all, she was making Julia’s dream come true, to work together. Daphne was right. She was a good witch after all.