Beyond the end

Chapter 15. At the usual place.

Silver's car door opened loudly. It was necessary to take the car to the workshop for a setup but since Ethan was born, the boy had not had a moment's respite. That was the first "free exit" she had snatched from Donna, even though she wasn't aware of it.

"Love, Josh got me an innovative food warmer and I should go get it back."

"What can a food warmer have innovative?" Donna replied, while tinkering with laundry.

"I have no idea," David replied, "but I trust his advice; I'm going to catch up; he'll have to show me how it works too, I'll waste time."

"Every excuse is good for staying away from this house and this family; go Silver, go take refuge from your friend," he kept not looking at him and looking who knows what in the middle of the clean clothes.

David picked up the arrow in silence, with a smile he couldn't contain, happy to have popped it out with so little. Of course, if Donna had known that David was going to pick up Valerie at the airport she would have choked him in the laundry, suppressing him with violent death, gripping a hormonal spike. So, he hadn't even tried to tell the truth. He didn't feel like arguing and was happy to see Valerie again. And it was mutual, judging by the momentum with which the girl had thrown herself into her arms at the exit from the Arrivals area of the airport. She had spent the entire journey hearing her talk about her life, how she had made the right choices, how satisfied she was with her career, and her "way of being in the world," she called him. David had listened to everything almost without saying a word, dissatisfied as he was with his career, confined for years to a minor radio rather than chasing his dream as a music producer; struggling with Donna who had struggled to recognize since he gave birth. The trip had flown and they were in front of the Hilton's entrance, with a porter collecting Val's many luggage on the transport cart, she checking the makeup in the rearview mirror, and David watching the scene amused. He felt like he had gone back in time, lighter, lighter, around with an old friend. The moment was broken by the ringing of the boy's cell phone. WOMAN. "Valerie, I really have to go."

"Don't you answer the phone?" Said the girl smiling, continuing to look in the mirror.

"Um, there's no need for it; we talk to each other, let's organize something with others" and he cleared away.

"The others who?" Malone said to himself.

The porter, meanwhile, had risked a herniated disc to drag the "bauli" that Val had in tow and had reached the elevator. She, with her Prada handbag that held with an innate elegance, reached him with a sure step. They waited for the elevator to open.

"Brandon?"

"Valerie?"

The two names were pronounced at the same time.

Walsh, with a leather shoulder bag, shirt and "order" jacket was surprised to be welcomed by Valerie, but he knew her friend would be in town.

Val, on the other hand, had no idea that B was in L.A. and seeing him made her abandon his proverbial elegance, threw the bag on the ground and clung to Brandon's neck, branding a kiss on his lips, spontaneously and heartfeltly. Brandon, wide-eyed, suffered that affectionate greeting to say the least;

Val broke away and blurted out.

"How are you?"

B smiled embarrassedly, looking at the boy in his suitcases, sweaty but amused by the scene "eheheh, good Val, good, but what are you doing at the Hilton?" ; "I'll stay there, for at least two weeks."

"Ah, great"

"And you?" Valerie asked.

Peach Pit

The fires were at full capacity as you hadn't seen in a long time and that morning the Peach Pit swarmed with people. Willy looked like a conductor, with his metal scoop twirling through the air to bring burgers sizzling over the plates to order.

Nat twirled between the tables of his room, tired but happy to see all the seats occupied; he collected commands that he transferred to the kitchen with thirty-two teeth. At the usual corner table was Steve sitting between a sip at his coke and a bite at the megaburger, disappearing behind the screen of his laptop just out of the factory. He had decided to fully pursue the transition from paper to digital to online journalism; and he had begun to renew the computer equipment of his editorial creature, starting with a laptop he had given himself. He seemed decidedly impressed with the early beta versions that the two nerds he hired had presented to him with little enthusiasm; they seemed like a great start to him instead. He scrolled through the pages on the monitor and pinned his impressions on a notebook, thinking of submitting it to Brandon's advice. The clinking of the bells announced yet another opening of the door. But for a couple of hours abundant it has been the soundtrack of the restaurant, thanks to the comings and goings of the numerous patrons. So Steve didn't notice. Nat had gone to the back room to retrieve more hamburgers, as Willy's supplies were almost run out; and the "fuochista" was completely hidden by the smoke of meat literally burning under his nose. So no one noticed Valerie who, excited, took her first steps inside the Peach Pit. He looked around and saw no one he knew. He headed to the Juke Box, which still worked. And he started James Blunt's "You're beautiful." She felt it was dedicated to her. He turned his back on the music and went back to scrutinizing the club. It was then that he saw Steve, who was immersed in reading with glasses. He smiled and approached with a plush step.

"A pair of glasses is not enough to set you a tone, Sanders."

Steve looked up and first didn't realize who was in front of him. He needed five endless seconds to contextualize and recognize Valerie Malone, in all her splendor erected before him.

"Valerie," he said, to the amazement and pleasure of seeing her again, "My God, what are you doing here?" He melted in a smile, got up and hugged his chest tightly. Val was happy to see that after all David was not the only friend he had left in LA.

"I'm here for work, I'm going to run an art gallery in Hollywood; I stay at least six months."

"But there's Brandon in town, you know?"

"Yes, of course, and that wretch of Silver hadn't told me anything; while apparently, he had leaked at the four winds of my arrival."

"But I didn't know anything about it; maybe I'm too busy with a new work project."

Valerie showed off her best smile and sat in Steve's place.

"Tell me everything while I eat a hamburger; can I sit with you?"

"But you have to sit down with me! Nat look who's there!" Nat had just returned to the restaurant and seeing Valerie approached exclaiming.

"Then you decided to make me really die of a heart attack this time!" Valerie got up and hugged him "Hello Nat, how are you?"

"Very good, now that you're all going back to the fold, hahahahahah."

They all laughed with taste. Nat did not have enough time to savor the moment, which was sucked into the vortex of the commands; the two boys, left alone at the table, told each other how they had spent the last five years, the separations, the children who lived on the weekend, the transfers, the job choices.

"Listen Steve, since both Brandon and I are in town, why don't we organize something? David pitched me the idea just yesterday, before running away. I think it's done a little bad"

"Yes - Steve laughed - they still have to take the right measures with the newcomer to the Silver house. But that's a good idea. We could organize a barbecue. But Donna and David are excluded at the moment; I'm a "guest" of my newsroom; the rampant managers are guests of the Hilton ... we can do it from Kelly!" "From Kelly?" Said to say the least perplexed Valerie "Why not? - even more convinced and smiling Steve - let me do it."