North (A Robert Downey Jr Fanfic)

"The Pretender"

"Mama, what are you doing to your hair?"
"I want to look a little different, do you think I will look pretty with brown hair like you?"
Penny gave her a quizzical look, unsure of the ways of hair coloring.
"I like your yellow hair, mommy."
"Well, Mom is going to try something new," she said, as she squeezed the rest of the brown dye onto her hair, then discarded the bottle and gloves.
"Okay Mommy." Penny said, as she turned her focus back to her coloring book.

While she waited for the color to do its job, Vanessa took inventory of what she had with them. Well over three hundred thousand dollars in cash, two duffel bags filled with clothes and daily necessities for the both of them, a throwaway cell phone and one Mercedes Benz that she would shortly trade for something nondescript and forgettable. She wasn't sure where they were headed, but she knew they wouldn't get much further in her old vehicle. She'd made it out of California okay, but she wasn't willing to take any more chances.

After rinsing her hair, she pulled a scissors out of her purse and began hastily cutting her once long hair into a shorter, shaggy, bob shape. She hated it immediately, but it didn't matter. Hating the way her hair looked was low on the list of important things, which was funny, because at one point in time it would have been high on the list. The first thing on the list, some days.  Short, mousy brown hair was going to have to suit her for awhile. She'd vowed to do whatever it took to make the change necessary for her and her daughter to have a new life.

***

"Good evening, Chip's Lodge. How can I help you?"
"I'm on my way there, do you have anything available?"
"Yes sir. We have vacancies in two of our cabins, a one bed and a two--"
"Great."

Click

"Oh-kay then." She said, as she placed the phone back on its cradle. She returned her focus to the ten hospitality baskets she was arranging for the guests that would be checking in over the next couple of days. Just in case, she grabbed an eleventh so there would be one for the mystery caller if he did, in fact show up.

"Did you finish the dishes, Pen?"
"Almost. What are we going to watch?"
"Whatever you want. I'll let you decide."

She went back to folding towels, sheets and washcloths to fill the baskets that would be placed on the kitchen table in each cabin. Along with the linens she put fresh veggies, homemade salsa, and pickles in the baskets as well.

The sun was just beginning to make its descent into the horizon and it flooded their upstairs living room with red-orange light. Penny's dark hair was lit up and fiery from the light coming through the window behind her. The reflection of the sun off of the lake threw twinkling flashes of light all over the every surface in the room.

"Mom, can we watch Guardians of the Galaxy?"
"Of course we can."
They'd already seen it at the theater in town, the summer before, but that didn't stop them from watching it again. Her daughter was a super-hero movie fanatic, just like her. When the summer came around, they gorged themselves on junk TV and superhero movies.

"I'm going to go clean up and then make some popcorn."
Her daughter nodded, despite her laser focus on her laptop screen, and Vanessa wondered if she'd heard her at all. Summer had begun, so the struggle for attention between mom and technology was in full force.

The change into comfy evening clothes was her favorite time of day. She took her contacts out, and gave her eyes a satisfying rub. Her glasses were black, plastic frames and Penny told her they made her look like a "dork" but she didn't care. She felt like they were a cool accessory and made her look smart and quirky.

Her face was slightly freckled from all of her work outside, and her brown hair had lightened from the sun in spots as well. Every so often, she missed her old look. Her hair was once strikingly blonde, highlighted and golden. After letting it all grow out, she simply didn't color it any more. She did, however need a haircut. She briefly examined a split-ended strand of hair before pulled it all up in a tight knot atop her head, then bounded down the stairs to prepare their movie snacks.

She switched on the radio and found that the local radio station was playing something decent for once, one of her favorite Foo Fighters songs. She jumped around scream-singing, pretending to sound just like Dave Grohl.

"What if I say I'm not like the others?
What if I say I'm not just another one of your plays?You're the pretender.
What if I say that I'll never surrender?"

She'd cranked the music up so loud, she almost didn't hear the ding of the front desk bell.

"I'll be right there!" She called out. Leaving all of her ingredients and the music to wait as she scuttled out of the kitchen.

Her customary greeting got trapped in her throat, and she struggled to even speak at all.
"H...hi. Welcome...can I...can I help you?"
"Foo Fighters, huh? Good song." He smiled, and leaned on the desk.
"Um...yeah. It's good." She mentally slapped herself for her dopey response.
"I called about a vacancy..."

"You? You did? Okay...I um...I have two available cabins."
"One bedroom is fine."
"And how long will you stay?"
"The whole summer."
"Ok. I have a form here for you to fill out, and also I'll need a credit card to secure your stay and also for any incidentals."
"I have cash."
"It's customary for us to swipe a credit card, in case of--"
He slapped a folded up bundle of money on the counter and gave her a pointed look, a look that demanded no further conversation.
"It'll be cash, then?"
He nodded.
"Would you please sign this agreement of responsibility for any incidentals, during your stay?"
He scrawled his name on the sheet of paper, and shoved it across the counter. Her eyes widened, as if she needed any more confirmation that the highest paid, Hollywood actor had just signed up to stay at her lodge all summer.
"If you'll give me a moment, I'll show you to your cabin. Ok?"

She spun around, and hustled back upstairs, only to find Penny, wide-eyed and awestruck.
"Mom. Is that Robert--"
Vanessa held up a hand, halting the train of inquiry.
"Yes. It's exactly who you think it is. No, I don't have any answers for you...I just need to not be wearing pajama shorts at the moment."

Penny rolled her eyes and flopped back down on the couch, returning her focus to her laptop screen, and began tapping away on the keyboard.
"Whatever you do, do not...and I repeat, NOT make it public knowledge that he is here right now. Do you understand?"
"But Mom..."
"Understand?"
"Yes, Mother."

She went to her bedroom and retrieved a pair of denim cutoff shorts and a tshirt and changed out of her pajamas. She gave her daughter a pointed look reiterating that she mind her mother before she went back downstairs with one of her baskets in tow. She found him waiting out on the front porch with Daisy, getting much admiration from her as he scratched her on the head.

"Mister--"
"Call me Robert, please."
"Robert, please follow me. I'll show you to your cabin."

She hoisted her wicker basket onto her hip and made a click-click noise that told her faithful golden retriever to follow her.

"This is the Big Cabin. Anything you might need, just come up and ask. Penny and I are here almost always. We have kayaks, canoes and paddle boards down on the beach there and each cabin has a row boat to use."

They walked a short distance, two doors down from hers, and they reached the front door of a tiny cabin, right on the water. She held out the basket as an offering.

"This is for you. All of your guest information is in there. I pick up linens every other evening, so if you like, just toss them out on the porch and I'll bring you fresh ones. Any questions, just call." she said, and gave him a warm smile.
"Thank you, Miss--"
"Vanessa. Please call me Vanessa."

"Thank you, Vanessa."
"You're welcome, Mister Dow--"
"Robert," he reminded her.
"Yes...Robert. Welcome to Chip's Lodge."