The Club

CHAPTER 22

I thought Hollywood was supposed to be glamorous. I'm standing on Hollywood Boulevard and I feel like going back to our hotel room and taking a shower. The streets are dirty and there are all of these cramped little shops that are full of tourist shit. The typical t-shirts, shot glasses, and postcards. But of course you can't go to Hollywood without getting your own Oscar or star on the Walk of Fame. They're pre-printed with common names and while I find plenty of Erica's I'm a little disappointed that I don't find any Erikas. Not that I was expecting to but it would have been fun to find one.

I remember when I was younger and I thought Hollywood was the place where dreams come true. That all you had to do is make it out to Hollywood and suddenly things would start happening for you. Like Tinkerbell will sprinkle her fairy dust on your head and you will fly right to the top of your perfect life. Now? After standing here looking at the grungy stars on the walk of fame, especially Donald Trump's, the scattering of tourists, and scantily clad dressed girls all I can think is this is the place where dreams go to die.

It's the furthest thing from glamorous and the smog in the air is thick with desperation. The majority of people who come out to make it never do sadly. It's a tough market to crack whether they're here to be an actor, a musician, a fashion designer, and I could go on. You name it if they aren't in New York, then they're out here in L.A. If it weren't for the deal I made I wouldn't be here right now. At least, I don't think I would?

Graham tightens his grip on my hand as we race down the street and back to where he parked the car. One more place checked off the list and again no connection whatsoever. If anything I want to run far away from here and never return. As we run faster and faster I can't help but giggle. We probably look like a couple of crazy people to everyone we pass by but I don't even care.

When we reach the car we're both out of breath and lean over laughing and wheezing at the same time. I've never felt so free in my life than I do right now and I owe that all to Graham. He came with me on this ridiculous trip and stayed by my side through all the craziness. I hold up my left hand and admire the gorgeous ring sitting on my finger. Some girls might wish for the big huge party, because let's face it that's all it is, with tons of guests and presents and I'll admit I used to be one of those girls but when you find your soulmate, all of that becomes unnecessary. I couldn't care less about who spends the day with us. Because as far as I'm concerned, I could have done without the witnesses and the dude who married us. As long as we're together, that's all that matters to me. We got married and it feels so incredibly right.

I can't help but smile thinking about it. My manager is going to flip when he hears about this but I don't even care. I'm really starting to lose interest in going back to work altogether. This time that I've spent with Graham has really enlightened me to the life I've lived the past six years and I'm not really sure I want to go back to that lifestyle.

In a gentleman like fashion, my husbandopens the passenger side door for me before going around the front of the car and getting in on the driver's side. Turning the car on he reaches over and grabs my hand bringing it up to his mouth for a quick peck. My smile gets bigger as each little thing he does makes me melt in a puddle.

Before we head to the hotel for the night, Graham stops off for gas and I decide we need snacks for the evening. After he fills up the tank, we both head inside. The small convenience store is nearly empty. There's a Norman Bates look alike over in the corner by the coffee, a young couple in one of the aisles, and an older guy over by Norman. I'm guessing the older guy belongs to the semi out in the parking lot.

Graham squeezes my hand to get my attention and tells me, "I'm going to the bathroom."

"Ew, gross." I shudder just thinking about gas station bathrooms. I'm not some princess that needs to sit my ass on a solid gold toilet but I don't want to sit on one that could pass me diseases. "Do you know how dirty those bathrooms are."