With the Halloween revelry stretching into the early hours, Simon drove Sandra back to her West Hollywood apartment first before heading home to the Montana district with the two women.
It was late at night, but the big and small jack-o'-lanterns outside the villa still glowed.
Simon parked the SUV, and the two women got out from the back.
Katherine and Janet's cars were nearby. But after getting out, Janet clung tightly to Katherine's arm, her eyes sparkling as she stared at Simon, showing no intention of leaving for Malibu.
Simon just smiled, going along with Janet's wishes, and said to Katherine, "It's late, Katherine—if you don't mind, you can stay tonight."
Katherine looked hesitant, but Janet was already pulling her toward the door. "Kate, we'll share a room tonight—my new big bed." As she said this, Janet suddenly remembered something and turned back. "Hey, little boy, I think I forgot toiletries. Drive out and buy some. And shower gel, shampoo—oh, towels too, a few towels."
Simon watched Katherine get dragged into the villa, shrugged, and opened the car door again.
He rushed to a nearby 24-hour convenience store, grabbed a bunch of daily essentials, handed them to the women, then washed up himself and soon settled in for the night.
In the other bedroom of the villa.
Katherine came out from her shower, gently finger-combing her just-dried hair. Seeing Janet on the big bed, hugging a pillow and staring intently at the door, she asked curiously, "What's up?"
Janet squeezed the soft pillow against her chest, eyes wide, gazing seriously at Katherine. "Kate, if that little punk comes sneaking in later, I'll hold him off—you run fast."
Katherine couldn't help laughing. "Should I call the cops?"
Janet shook her head immediately. "Of course not."
Katherine went to the bed, pulled back the covers, and sat down. "Okay, Janet—it's late, time to sleep. Simon won't come sneaking in."
"Mm..." Janet flopped down on the bed in frustration, rolled over, and snuggled up to Katherine. "That's what worries me—what if he doesn't?"
Katherine reached out to tidy Janet's tousled blonde hair, still smiling. "Then you'll just have to go to him."
"Actually," Janet said, nuzzling against Katherine, "I just checked— the little punk locked his bedroom door from inside."
Katherine patted Janet's cheek. "Janet, you've been chasing Simon hard enough. Keep it up, and you might scare him off."
"It's not easy falling for a guy—of course I have to keep a close eye," Janet said, then added, "Okay, I'll let him off tonight."
Katherine turned off the room lights, slipped off her bathrobe, and lay down. "Then sleep already."
Janet rustled around a bit, then burrowed under the covers.
Then more rustling, rustling.
A moment later, a little hand reached toward Katherine.
Katherine caught Janet's fidgety arm. "What now?"
In the dark, Janet whispered, "Kate, hold me."
Katherine puzzled for a second, then realized and laughed, lightly gripping Janet's wrist. "There— but I don't have Simon's strength."
"Mm-hmm."
Though Katherine barely squeezed, Janet hummed contentedly as if tickled in just the right spot, looking utterly satisfied.
Then she finally quieted down.
Seeing Janet silent, Katherine suddenly found herself wide awake.
Though.
But.
If.
If he really burst in, should she really run fast?
But.
What if he grabbed her first?
A guy that strong—she definitely couldn't escape.
What then?
Thoughts swirling chaotically, Katherine grew even more sleepless. Janet probably hadn't locked the bedroom door, so should she get up and lock it?
Should she?
Or not?
Unnoticed, a little hand groped over again, startling Katherine from her reverie.
This time Janet spoke first. "Kate, you can't sleep either, huh?"
Katherine feigned annoyance. "If you weren't messing around, I'd be asleep by now."
"Hehe," Janet chuckled softly, her voice dropping low. "Kate, I can tell—the little punk likes you."
Katherine's mind scattered further. "Don't talk nonsense. You two might work, but me and Simon—impossible."
Katherine had studied at the San Francisco Art Institute, then moved to New York, worked a few years, and reapplied to Columbia for a film master's. When she met Janet at Columbia, Janet was just starting undergrad.
So while Janet was still older than Simon, they matched okay.
As for herself, Katherine sighed inwardly—she wasn't one to settle. Her few relationships over the years had fizzled out. No right match, so she'd stayed single.
Sometimes even thinking she might stay that way forever.
Then this year, suddenly two decent guys. But the first was married; she'd dropped those thoughts entirely. As for the other—seemed even more impossible.
Guess she was fated to be single forever.
Katherine thought this self-pityingly. Hearing her, Janet said, "Kate, you think that punk's personality cares about that? But this is my first time falling for a guy—don't steal him, okay?"
Katherine nodded, trying to lighten her tone with a smile. "Okay."
"I knew you'd be the best to me, Kate," Janet said, suddenly hugging the woman beside her, but then added, "Actually, as long as you don't steal him, you two could sneak around behind my back— that's fine."
Katherine paused, helpless. "Me and—I wouldn't do that."
Janet agreed immediately. "Mm-hmm, that's best."
The bedroom quieted again for a moment.
After a bit, Katherine couldn't help asking, "Janet, could you really tolerate your man cheating behind your back?"
Janet didn't hesitate. "Mm-hmm."
"But—but how?"
"Why not?"
Why?
Weird question.
Something off?
Katherine stared into the pitch-black room, stammering, "It's just not okay. Between two people in love, shouldn't there be fidelity?"
"Of course," Janet nodded, then said, "But fidelity and desire are totally separate. A guy as outstanding as the one I want—obviously won't have just one woman. Have you seen any outstanding man with only one woman his whole life?"
Katherine thought, uncertain. "There must be—lots, right?"
"The ones you're thinking of—either you don't know, or they're just putting on a show," Janet said confidently. "Anyway, my man definitely won't have just one woman."
Hearing Janet, Katherine recalled her 'domestic violence theory' from days ago and decided she shouldn't discuss this further with the girl, or she'd get twisted too.
But after hesitating, Katherine still asked, "So, would you tell him you don't mind if he cheats?"
"Of course not—I'm not an idiot," Janet said right away. "And if I catch him, I'll act really mad."
"Then what?"
"Then, kick out the woman I caught him with."
Katherine paused again. "Janet, that's not good. Think—if the man you like falls for another woman and insists on breaking up with you, what then?"
Janet's little hand gently stroked Katherine, her voice ethereal. "God will forgive him."
"Hm?"
Janet murmured again, "God will forgive him."
Katherine puzzled. "And you?"
Janet's tone stayed ethereal. "I won't."
Katherine stayed confused but patted Janet like a big sister. "Okay, I don't get you."
Morning light snuck through the curtain gaps unnoticed.
Maybe from sleeping in an unfamiliar place, though she'd conked out late, Katherine woke early.
Janet beside her still slumbered; Katherine glanced at her a few times, then slipped out of bed quietly.
It was eight in the morning.
Planning to fix something for everyone in the kitchen, she was surprised to find Simon already at the dining table, eating while flipping through a newspaper, a pencil on the table too.
"Morning, Katherine." Seeing her, Simon stood. "Want something to eat? I made breakfast—was just wondering if I should wake you two."
"Morning," Katherine gestured. "I'll get it myself."
She portioned out breakfast from the kitchen, sat beside Simon, and asked, "You heading to the Fox lot today?"
Simon nodded. "Yeah—should finish the first rough cut these next couple days."
Katherine said, "You could rest today—it's Halloween, and the weekend."
"Heh, once the film's done, there'll be plenty of rest time," Simon said, picking up the pencil and casually marking the newspaper in front of him.
Katherine noticed and glanced curiously. "What are you doing?"