Page 36 of The Spirit of Love
“I can manage,” I say.
“Thanks for meeting me here,” Jude says awkwardly, looking around him. “It’s like a scene in a film noir.” He levels his gaze at me. “Should we walk?”
He gestures toward a fork in the path lined with succulents named Silk Pinwheel and Moonlight Jenny. I keep my eyes on the plants and the plaques that bear their names, anything so I don’t have to look at him.
A warm breeze rustles through the plants as we walk,carrying the fruity scent of prickly pears. We’re the only souls in the cactus garden.
“So,” Jude says. “We’re going to be working closely together. Do you have any questions for me? Do you want to know my background, or—”
“No, thanks. I’m good.”
“You’re…good?” he says. “You have no interest in learning anything about me?”
“I know enough.”
“I heard you went to film school at UCLA. That’s impressive. I—”
“Please don’t,” I say. “Just don’t.”
“Don’t what?”
“Don’t play the fancy school game. Rich went to Harvard. Adele went to Yale. You probably went to the American Film Institute. No one cares.”
“I didn’t go to film school. Applied, but didn’t get in.”
“Can I borrow your pocket square?” I ask.
“Sure,” Jude says, reaching into his breast pocket. “Are you alright?”
“I just need to wipe the tears from my eyes. Your story isso sad.”
“Got it.” He tucks away his pocket square.
“Come on. It’s obvious why you’re here. An unexpected delay in the shooting schedule for your next film? Perfect timing to take a giant paycheck. You’re just another masturbating nihilist with a slight sense of humor.”
“You’ve seen my films? You think they’re nihilistic?”
“I don’t need you to pretend to care aboutZombie Hospital, orany of the people who work on it. We already care. We care enough.”
“You’ve got it wrong.”
I laugh. “Oh, I can’t wait to be corrected.”
“I’m a huge fan of the show.”
“Bullshit.”
“It’s true. I—”
“Spare me. Let’s just do the work and then leave each other alone after hours to live our lives.”
“Right.” He nods, as if this is an unusual request he’s trying to figure out how to accommodate. “Are you married, Fenny? Kids?”
“Yeah, I’ve got nine husbands and six kids. They should be around here somewhere.”
“What’s your life like, outside this cactus garden?”
“I don’t have one. The evil fairies won’t let me leave.”
