Making it Work
Sequel to "Well Worth the Wait"
Chapter 3
A week later, Brenda could tell Sonny was very preoccupied as the plane took off for LA. It was the first time since their trip to Mexico that he'd left his people behind to deal with things on their own, and he wasn't feeling too confident in their ability to do so. "You're such a control freak," Brenda told him with a smile. "Huh? What?" Sonny asked, turning to look at her. "What'd I do?" Brenda giggled, "nothing. I can just tell you're all worried because you're not going to be there to keep an eye on things." Sonny smiled, "you're too smart for your own good; you know that?" "No, I just know you. It'll be OK Sonny." Sonny nodded his head half-heartedly. The stewardess appeared at his elbow. "Can I get you anything sir?" she asked with a bright smile, staring at Sonny. Sonny smiled back, "sure, gimme a scotch; a double." The woman's smile faded, "uh, I'm sorry sir, I'm only allowed to serve one drink at a time per customer; a double counts as two drinks." Sonny glowered at her, and Brenda quickly spoke up, "then give me the other one." The woman then look at her, "can I see some ID?" Brenda rolled her eyes and took out her fake ID…the expertly crafted fake ID that Sonny had someone make for her. Satisfied with it, the stewardess gave each of them a scotch, and walked off. Sonny immediately took Brenda's, opened the tiny bottle, and poured it into his plastic glass along with his own. After a long gulp, he felt himself relaxing a bit. "Better now?" Brenda asked. Sonny turned a bit in his seat to face her. "Yeah, come 'ere woman." Brenda giggled again, and leaned in for a kiss. Sonny took her face in his hands and kissed her thoroughly. As he did, Brenda wondered how he could think for a second she'd ever leave him for anyone or anything.
Sonny called Harry Silver from the limo on the way to the hotel, and then again when they got to the room. Harry assured him that everything was fine, and if anything came up, he'd call Sonny immediately. Brenda had a call of her own to make; the talent scout Marty Brier. Before scheduling the trip, she'd made sure that Sonny was satisfied with Marty's credentials. Sonny was…he had indeed had the guy checked out so completely the man felt like he was under investigation with the FBI. But he knew he wasn't dealing with the Feds when one of Sonny's men paid him a visit in New York before he left to go back to LA. The man stopped him in the lobby. "Marty!" "I'm sorry, do I know you?" Marty asked. He prided himself on remembering names and faces and was puzzled that he couldn't place this one. The man put out his hand, which Marty shook. But when the man didn't release it, and strengthened his grip, Marty got nervous. "Just a friendly message for ya buddy," the man said quietly. "Brenda Barrett…she's an important lady; has important friends. Don't fuck with her…understand?" Marty nodded his head, and let out a shaky, "y…y…yes." The man smiled, pumped Marty's hand again, and then walked off. Marty then tried to figure out what was going on…because he didn't understand, at all.
"Marty, it's Brenda Barrett," Brenda now spoke into the phone. "We're here in LA!" "We?" Marty questioned. Since his encounter in New York, he had surmised that Brenda's "friends" must be gangsters, and was concerned that she'd brought a whole troop of them to LA with her. "Yeah, me and my boyfriend Sonny," Brenda answered, looking at Sonny. "Sonny?" Marty asked, hoping to get a last name. Sonny shook his head at Brenda, not wanting her to give out any more information about him, and she replied, "yeah; so what's the schedule for tomorrow?" Marty wrote "Sonny ?" down on his notepad, and then answered her question. "Uh, tomorrow, right. The audition is at 2:00 PM, so get a good night's sleep; eat a good breakfast or brunch…but not too late, and be there by 1:30." He gave her the address, and then hung up.
"What was he asking you?" Sonny inquired, suspicious as usual. "Oh, he just told me where to go tomorrow. Why do you ask?" "He wanted to know my last name, didn't he?" "Yeah, but I didn't tell him. What does it matter anyway?" Sonny shrugged, "maybe it does, and maybe it doesn't." But Sonny was street-smart and savvy; he knew it meant something. "He also told me to get a good night's sleep," Brenda added. "So how about we order room service, and then you see what you can do to help me with that?" She was looking at him with a gleam in her eyes. Sonny laughed, "you got it sweetheart!"
Marty Brier fingered the business card lying on his desk. He
wondered if he'd overreacted to the man in NY, and was making a big mistake…a
mistake that would affect his entire life.