The Extra

"Nah. My Mom and step-dad Bull Donald have unofficially separated and are keeping their problems quiet, while they've been advised to see a marriage consultant, so they may still end up getting divorced. Because they are big stars now, they never go back to the soap, although their characters have not been completely written out. When Mom sat down with me, she explained the reasons for the separation were because of Bull's continual public disrespect of their marriage by seeing other women in public, particularly his leading ladies."

"Apparently, he is famous for it." Abi agreed, knowing this from bitter experience.

"When I asked about what really happened to break up my parents' marriage when I was 12, Mom admitted it was her long-standing secret affairs with Bull and other leading men or supporting role actors. Love wasn't involved, she insisted, it was just something she felt she was entitled to indulge in at the time. She says it was stupid, but had got away with for so long that she lost her way in the marriage. Since Bull came in to replace Daddy, Mom told me that she had been completely faithful to him, having learned a big life lesson, but the guy she married clearly hadn't learned anything, but then I guess he weren't as devastated as Mom and me when the story broke and with it broke up her marriage and our family. That explained the viral video I'd seen at school five years earlier, the one you know about. My mother had tried to lie to me at the time, saying the video was shot after Mom and Daddy had already split by mutual consent, and blaming Daddy's physical abuse from bad tempered jealousy and rage, that had lead to the break-up."

"I simply can't believe that's the Walker we know," Abi said quietly.

"I know, nor could I, so Mom had showed me the video the Studio had made when I was 12." Sierra paused, "That video I saw at home is the one that I now know had been prepared by Mom's advisers on the show. The Studio had her made up with different black eyes, blooded nose and split lips for still photos in various hair styles and clothing to show a long history of abuse by Walker, to try and preserve her image as 'America's Sweetheart'. Plus they did a short video showing a black eye, split lip and colourful bruises on her arms and throat. That was why she was the one who filed for divorce, not Daddy."

"Oh, I had assumed that, as the wronged party, Walker was the one that filed."

"No. Daddy didn't get a chance. The Studio had the papers drawn up that same day and he was served as soon as their investigator found out from his credit card which hotel he'd checked into. They had a Judge issue a restraining order, too, preventing him going within 500 yards of either Mom or me, because of the supposed violence against Mom. Then he was arrested for the assault on both Bull and my Mom, his passport was taken away and all his bank accounts and assets frozen. There was no way I could have had anything to do with him any more. I was heart broken."

"Didn't the court grant your father access to see your regularly?"

"Yeah, they did. There were these supervised visits which were organised at somewhere neutral, but I hated Daddy by then and I was a no show at any of them. The courts have a lot of leeway where the kids are concerned, so if kid throws a snit and refuses to meet the parent, they don't really force us to. Then, after about a year or so, the invites just stopped coming. My Daddy just gave up, I guess."

"Walt doesn't just give up, Sierra, honey, unless there really is no earthly chance of moving forward. I bet he attended every one of those scheduled sessions, getting more and more disappointed every time. I'm sure it was the court that would've given up after 12 months, but not him, not your Daddy."

"I guess you're right. A couple of days ago I felt a twinge of guilt and googled who exactly pays the professional fees for these supervised visits. I was told that the person requesting the supervised visit is the one who pays, and that would've been Daddy. In my state of California the cost of the visits are sixty dollars an hour, which was two hours a week on a Wednesday afternoon straight after school, that adds up to six thousand two hundred and forty dollars."

"And Walker lost his job at the Studio immediately and I now know that he resigned from the furniture company that he founded, when he was ordered to hand over half the business to her. He simply couldn't bear working for her. He may have taken another job that he would've had to take time off from, or worked the missing hours another day. I know he worked for a power company for a while but I'm not sure we ever discussed what the dates were, I think it was when he first met your mother. He might still have been out of work at the time —"

"— and out of pocket. He must hate me. He never even told you I exist, did he?"

"No, honey, he didn't."

"See? He hates me! Both Mom and Daddy treated me as a kid and in turn I've now cut them out of my life. Now I'm an orphan!"

***

Sierra held back a long way behind Abi as they entered the workshop at the TV studios. Abi was well known and well liked by the security guys and they also waved the pretty girl Sierra through without question, instantly coming up with a Visitors' Pass on a lanyard to put around her neck.

Walker had his back to the workshop door and was putting a French polish coat on the leg of a chair, which was resting upside down on his workbench, when either he noticed a movement in the corner of his eye or the sound of the door closing and looked up, seeing only Abi at first.

"Hi, Baby Doll, I'm not late for dinner again, am I? Sorry, but sometimes I get so involved —"

"No, sweetheart, but I've got a visitor for you to see."

She stepped to one side and revealed Sierra, who had hunched down a little way behind her, hiding. The girl stood upright, smiled somewhat uncertainly and gave her father a little wave.

"Sierra! My god! It is you!" He rested his brush on the pot, rubbed his hands down his white apron and moved towards his daughter. At the last minute he untied and discarded his apron so as not to mess up her clothes, and then he wrapped his arms around her. He closed his eyes as he breathed in the smell of her hair and kissed the top of her head. "Oh, Sierra, baby, I have missed you so much!"

Sierra was sobbing now, "Me too, Daddy, I missed you all the time, even though I was too stubborn to give in."

"Hey, I'm stubborn, too, babe, I just held onto the hope that one day...."

"I have cried myself to sleep most nights because that's when all the memories used to come flooding back to me, but I was too angry and upset to ring you during the day, even when I really wanted to."

"I know, baby, me too, I cried all the time until recently when I found happiness again." He opened his eyes and looked for Abi, who was standing at the side, almost in tears herself. He reached out a hand to her, mouthing the words "Thank you". She held out both hands too, and moved the three or four steps forward to reach and hold his hand. They both smiled before she reached over and exchanged a brief kiss with her fiancé.

"How'd you get here, find out where I was and even fly here?"

"If you recall, when I shouted for you to come home, you refused to tell me about the break-up, telling me to 'ask your Mom'," Sierra said, "Well, I asked Mom yesterday, or the day before, I think, and now I find that, based on lies, I had cut my lovely Daddy off from all contact for over five and a half years, and it was all thanks to my bitch mother."

"Don't call your Mom a bitch, or any rude names, Sierra, you hear?"

"Yes, Daddy, sorry, Daddy."

"Even," he continued, "if she is."

They all giggled.

"So, how did you get here and does er your mother know where you are?"

"I don't wanna talk to her, Daddy, don't make me, huh?"

"I won't, I guess I will have to call and tell her though, tonight. Now, spill the beans, baby."

"Well, I was really angry at Mom when she told me how she'd lied to me, just to save her career. I had to get away, find you, so I finally opened your letter, the one your lawyer passed to me during the divorce. I was so glad that Mom persuaded me to keep it in one of the drawers in my bedroom when I wanted to throw it away. It took me ages to actually find it."

"You read my letter?"

"Yeah, I did. Through it I found your condo, and that got me here." She sniffed and started crying again.

"Look, you and Abi go back to the car, give me ten minutes to clean up my brushes, tidy the place and lock up, then we can drive home and continue this conversation in privacy and comfort. All right, baby?" He kissed her on the forehead, turned to Abi and kissed her on the lips, "Are you all right, Baby Doll?"

Abi nodded a silent 'yes'.

Half an hour later, they sat in the cool dining room, on the north side of the Victorian house. Sierra thought it smelled, not unpleasantly, of wax polish and a hint of lavender. The chairs were old and dark walnut.

"Are these Gramma's chairs and table?" she asked, thinking that they looked familiar.

"Yes, baby," Walker confirmed, "Your Gramma's moving here in about ten days to a fortnight. We've moved in most of the heavy stuff already."

"I've moved Sierra into the guest bedroom above here, Walt," Abi said, "It's nice and light in the morning and it has its own bathroom. I brought her bags in from her hired car while she had a quick bath and changed. I suppose we better get the hirers to collect the car."

"It's a real nice room, Daddy, not as big as the one I had at home, but the bed feels real comfy. Anyway, I went to your condo in LA, using the combination lock number that you sent me in the letter. The apartment was small but fully furnished, most of the furniture lovingly was made by Daddy, Abi, I even recognised some of the pieces we used to have at our old home, bringing back lots of memories of us when we were all together. I could see that you'd since clearly moved out of the condo, the fridge and freezer were emptied completely and switched off —"

"Yeah, your Gramma was seriously ill two and a half years ago, so I dropped everything then and came over. I go back for a few days each year to keep an eye on the place."

"Mom was busy on a film at the time Gramma was ill and couldn't go. My step-dad offered to take me, but I thought no, especially as Aunt Sharon said you were flying over, and at that time I didn't want to, well, sorry, Daddy."

"You're with me now, babe, and as far as my visitation rights are concerned, I reckon your Mom owes me six months with you all to myself at least. So, was my condo still ok?"

"The place was clean though, the doorman told me the facilities management company that manages the block are paid to keep your place clean and aired on a regular basis. With my ID and passport, plus the photos in my purse of me and you, Daddy, the company bent over backwards to help. They told me that you were in England but were unable to tell me exactly where."

"I didn't know how long I'd be here or where I'd be staying, so I never informed them of my address. I'm over here for good now."

"Knowing that you were here was good enough for me, Daddy, I'd come over and stay with my Gramma, even if you wouldn't have anything to do with me. Outside in the street, I cried and was angry at my mother. Because of her lies, I had not communicated with Gramma as much as I used to and I had ignored all the birthday and Christmas cards received from you for years, Daddy. I hate my Mom and I'm never going back to live with her. I need my Daddy, now more than ever."

"How did you afford the air fare?" Abi asked.

"I used money from the trust fund, Daddy'd set up for me, to fly to London. Again, you had left all the details of how to access the fund in that unopened letter. There was an American Express card, a cash card for a bank account with my monthly allowance being paid in over the years."

She looked up at her Dad, "I called up the statements online. Soon I knew I could afford to fly over and not have to rely on Mom to bail me out. I bought the ticket online for the next flight to London, and took my bags with me that I hadn't even bothered to unpack at the condo. You weren't there and my home is where you are, if you want me."

"Of course I do, baby, c'm'ere." Walker and Sierra hugged.

"Sierra, our home is always your home," reiterated Abi, also standing, and was summoned by both to join them in a group hug.

"You are tired, Sierra, I guess you didn't sleep much on the plane."

"No, I guess not."

"It's six o'clock, if you were up all yesterday. flew overnight and didn't get any sleep on the plane, plus I expect you were up all day today," Walker said, noting her nod in affirmation, "then it's well past your time for bed, young lady, so you can be fresh tomorrow. Then we can both talk to your Mom and get her to agree to where you are staying. But bear in mind that if you stay here you need to work at your studies. What are you studying?"

"Biology, math and science, I want to be a veterinary surgeon."

"Good for you, baby. But it's still bedtime."

"I'll take you up, it's a bit of a warren, this old Victorian house," said Abi.

"I don't know your Mom's cell number, baby." Walker asked.

"It's on my cell phone in my hand bag. You can use it to phone Mom. Don't worry about seeing any of my friends' texts. As you know, I am gonna major in biology, math and science, and without doubt I'm the most boringly nerdish good girl in my class."

"There's absolutely nothing wrong with being a good girl," Abi laughed, smiling at Walker, "good things can still happen to good girls."

Sierra was still soaking in the steamy bath, when Abi knocked on the closed door and called out that the bed was made up ready for her and she and Walker were only going to be down the stairs if she needs anything.

"It's all right for you, Abi," Sierra called out, "you've hit the jackpot with Daddy. In the business that Mom's in, all the mature guys that I ever meet are creepo paedos."

"There are plenty of good guys around, Sierra. When you find the right one, just take it slow but don't let him go."

Lying in the comfortable bed and on her own again, Sierra was still angry at her Mom and, at first, she had been angry at this Abigail too, providing another barrier between her father and daughter. Her natural inclination was to not like Abi, especially as she was another actress like her mother. She was also very pretty and looked only a couple of years older than herself. But over the past couple of hours she had seen how comfortable her father and Abi were together, like a proper loving couple. And she was not only cute looking, she seemed like such a lovely person, too. Soon, she thought, maybe they could learn to get along like sisters.

Chapter 9 Crystal

CRYSTAL HAD BEEN frantic trying to find Sierra, as the infuriating girl would not pick up or switch on her cell. It was clear from what clothes she'd packed, and the way she left the drawers and wardrobes open and hangers scattered on the floor of her bedroom, that she was gone and not just overnight. Ordinarily, a mother would assume she was staying with friends, but knowing how Sierra reacted yesterday to her Mom's confession about the lies she told about her father that, wherever Walker was living nowadays, was where she would have gone. Crystal had to admit, the way her second marriage was panning out, she'd go back to steady, reliable and loving Walker in an instant, if only he didn't hate her so much.

Walker's mother was also refusing to pass on Walker's mobile number or his current address, but she did reassure Crystal that Sierra was fine, she'd spoken by cell phone to her earlier in the day and Sierra had told her nothing about leaving home.

So where was Walker? When he first split from her he was staying in various hotels and motels, quite seedy ones, eventually, once his assets had been frozen and the cheap lawyer he used initially wasn't smart enough to get the court to release sufficient means to live on.

She herself had been in shock from the outset, and she allowed the Studio to dictate the way forward to her. She had been left with little choice, because Walker refused to listen to her. She thought that if she could only bring him to his knees, she could get an hour with him to explain to him that he was the only man who she loved and she could assure him that she could change. She had indeed changed, although it did her no good.

Walker was the one she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. The sex with the rest of them was just part of the role she played, and had played since she was 18, to get men to do what she wanted, to get the parts she needed, to keep actors asking for her to appear with them because she was a starlet that put out. It was all a game. These guys meant absolutely nothing to her, and therefore they took nothing of her away from her husband.

When she was with Walker, she knew she was home and safe with no need to act a role because he was her world. Their marriage was the real thing, the rest of it was all make believe. She had even been so careful and discrete before, so she had avoided building any outside reputation; it was Bull Donald who was desperate for her and was the one who kept pushing the boundaries. Perhaps it was because it was just after her 39th birthday, and was dreading being 40, that he finally wore her down and she let him have a taste. He wasn't even all that good, nowhere near as satisfying a lover as Walker, because sex to Bull was all about Bull getting off.

She thought back to when she first met Walker, when he was about 27 and she was 20. She had been in this soap opera since she was 12 and Walker had only been doing walk-on parts in the show for a couple of months. He was tall, handsome, and lean-muscled like a swimmer. He always had a smile on his face, always delighted to be on the set and he seemed to know everybody, and the crew and actors all knew and liked him. He was a complete nobody, and revelled in being such; he had no ambition to be an actor, or anything other than a walk-on extra. He didn't come on to any of the female players or production staff. He didn't seem to have any other agenda other than enjoying whatever he did.

Crystal found out that his full-time job was working nights for the local power company, to provide his core income for rent and to live on. Only later did she find out that all the money he earned from working as an extra went into a separate account, from which he bought wood to make amazing, beautiful furniture of his own design. She didn't find that out until a long while into their courtship. He was quiet and never boastful, but always happy to converse and entertain on a wide range of topics.

Crystal knew she was gorgeous and could have anyone and anything she wanted. Everyone had told her that since puberty, when she had first set her sights on a performing career. So, when she targeted Walker as a lover, she expected him to fold with very little resistance. But he proved to be a hard nut to crack.

For a start, she gravitated to him at every break for lunch. At first he sat with the other acting extras or junior members of the technical crew, so she had to make an effort to cut him out of the herd, by getting him to walk around the Studio plot, or using excuses like "tell me about the real London we never get to see", or "help me through my lines on this tricky scene, woncha?" Pretty soon he was conditioned to expect to see her every lunchtime and the other crew took note and tended to drift away. She made sure Walker was called to the Studio as an extra every day that she was scheduled to be there, although pretty soon, even the chief producer said he was good enough to be useful to have around throughout the week anyway.