Hello, I Love You

Chapter 2 - On Set with Medusa

Patrick walked to the craft services table, hoping they had something with meat. Valerie was on some vegetarian kick and had pitched a fit that her food was on the same table as "slaughtered animals". Luckily, she wasn't due on set until the afternoon. He hoped the caterer was aware of her absence, because Patrick wanted something heartier than a salad today. He grinned when he saw his co-star David standing at the table with what looked like a hamburger. Thank God!

"I'll have what he's having," Patrick called to the guy working the table. David smirked at Patrick.

"Smart man. Gotta eat before Medusa gets here," David chuckled. Patrick laughed at the nickname David and Mike had given Valerie. The woman was beautiful, but when she was pissed, her words were so scathing that they could turn a person to stone.

"I can't wait until she moves onto some new diet. Maybe we can talk her into a low carb thing. I need my meat," Patrick complained. He thanked the man who handed him a large, juicy hamburger, and followed David to a nearby table. As they sat down, Patrick's cell phone chirped. He looked at the caller ID and grinned when he saw it was Mia.

"Hey, sis!" he answered. "How's it going in the Sunshine State?" He took an enormous and sloppy bite of his burger as he listened for her reply.

"Hey, Paddy! Just wanted to remind you that Kylie is coming today."

Patrick grimaced at the reminder. "Yeah, yeah," he spoke with his mouth full of food. "I left the extra key with the building manager."

"Thanks again for doing this," she murmured. "Kylie's really had a hard year, and she needs this trip. Be on your best behavior, okay?"

Suddenly offended, Patrick answered, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing, Paddy. Just make sure she's comfortable. She's fragile right now."

Patrick could only imagine, and imagine he did. He and Mia had always told each other everything. He wondered if her friend Kylie would want to stay with him if she knew that he had heard her entire life story. He was regretting agreeing to let her stay with him. The last thing he needed was some lonely, boring housewife weeping all over his apartment. But he had never been able to say no to Mia, and she had BEGGED him to help.

"She'll hardly even notice me, Mia. I've got a couple late night shoots this week, and I'm on set most of the day anyway." He rolled his eyes when David looked at him inquisitively.

"Paddy, I'm serious. Don't just leave her alone all week. She doesn't need too much time to think. Alec really did a number on her."

"You didn't say anything about playing host," Patrick argued. "You asked me to give her a place to crash, and that's exactly what I'm doing."

"Paddy, please look out for her," Mia whined.

"Fine," he grumbled. "I'll do my best, but you owe me."

"I'll owe you forever, Paddy!" Mia grinned. "Thank you!!!"

"Love you, Mia," he smirked. When he ended the call, David's curiosity could wait no longer.

"Who is Mia? You got a girl you're hiding?" he teased.

"Gross, man. She's my sister." Patrick frowned. "I'm letting one of her friends crash at my place for the week, against my better judgment," he muttered.

"What's wrong with her, man? Unibrow? Overweight?" David laughed.

"Worse," Patrick answered. "Desperate divorcee, dumped by her husband for being unadventurous and boring." Patrick shivered at the thought of the unkempt woman that he was sure was waiting at his apartment.