The Facade

Chapter 19

After entering the apartment, my stomach dropped. My career required me to be around these same stars all the time, but seeing them outside of an interview setting was nerve-racking.

A thin, blonde woman walked toward me in a beautiful designer dress. You could tell it was tailored just for her. Then I realized it was no other than Grace Kelly. She smiled at me, we'd met before in the past.

"Rose Taylor." Grace said in a high-pitched voice. "So nice to see you again... I would've never thought we'd me again like this."

"Neither did I." I joked with Grace. She looked at me in pure curiosity.

"I'm surprised this whole thing has happened... I never even knew you were a friend of Marlon." She said with honesty.

"Well, I'm a very private person you see..." Before I could make up an acceptable lie, we were interrupted by Gene Tierney. "Gene!"

"Rose!" She smiled as she wrapped me in a hug. "I'm so shocked to find you're married to Marlon Brando of all people... I didn't even know you mingled with stars..."

"I don't really." I shook my head. All the women looked at me blankly. "But this star still managed to steal my heart!" I saved myself.

Katy Jurado walked up behind me and tapped my shoulder. "Wow, Rose! You landed Marlon Brando!"

"I can't believe it either." I smiled at her. She rose a brow at me, I couldn't exactly read what her expression meant.

"Say, remember that time I did that interview with you and I confided in you which celebrity had my heart?" She spoke quickly to me. I looked at her blankly, trying to remember the answer. She finished for me. "It was Marlon Brando. I loved Marlon Brando. And now you're married to him! Life is so funny."

"Hilarious." I answered. "I completely forgot that happened..."

"And you look so pretty, too, on your wedding day. Just simple and sweet. Your dress is adorably ordinary. I always said on my wedding day I'd have the most eye catching dress, but you certainly know how to pull off the unembellished look." Katy reached down touched the fabric of my dress. "It's simple but it's expensive, did Marlon buy you this?"

I heard a laugh not too far away, only to see that Rita was invited to the party. She sipped on champagne as she giggled. I knew she wouldn't be happy with this, even if she did tell Marlon no. Rita had feelings for him and everyone knew about it. She wasn't afraid to make an embarrassment of herself because of it.

Someone pushed past Rita, causing her to jolt forward. The champagne trickled on to Rita's dress, leaving a stain. She huffed, then walked off the bathroom to clean it up.

Who needs her? It was Eartha Kitt, the cat herself. She'd yet to meet me yet, so she held back from introducing herself. Although we didn't know each other yet, I could tell that she was in support of me.

After looking to the toner side of me, I noticed another star coming my way. It was Marilyn Monroe. She had just arrived with her latest husband. Her long eyelashes shaded her eyes as she smiled, taking both of my hands.

"I'm so happy for you, Rose!" She said as she wrapped my in a hug. "I can't believe you found love... with Marlon of all people!"

"Yes... Marlon of all people." I repeated with a smile.

Marilyn continued on speaking. "You helped me so much with my personal matters. Remember when you interviewed me?"

"Of course I remember! It was no problem." I smiled as she held my hands.

"Honestly, I felt like I could tell you anything!" Marilyn's eyes lit up. "And now you're married to Marlon! I didn't even know you were friends!"

"Neither did I!" Grace Kelly chimed in with a smile.

"Either way, I just wanted to say I'm so tremendously happy for you." Marilyn smiled then looked across the room. "Look at Joe going over to Marlon."

Joe DiMaggio walked over and patted Marlon on the shoulder. Marlon turned around and wrapped him in a hug. A few seconds later they were joined by Paul Newman who already opened a bottle of champagne. Marlon seemed awkward among the men, but Paul poured him a glass anyway.

"Where exactly is Paul's wife?" Grace asked with a risen eyebrow. "I haven't seen Jackie in months."

"He never brings her around." Gene said in a slow voice. "He's too busy with Joanne."

"Hush your mouth. Joanne is here tonight!" Whispered Marilyn. "You're going to stir to pot and cause drama."

"When isn't there drama?" Gene Tierney asked Marilyn Monroe. Paul began stumbling over toward us. "Speaking of the devil..."

"I can see exactly what you saw in her." Paul stumbled toward me with his bottle of champagne. "She's a stunner."

"Marlon really knows how to pick em'.." Frank Sinatra complimented as he joined the conversation. Grace looked Frank up and down, you could tell she liked what she saw.

"I  don't believe we've ever met, Mr. Sinatra." She smiled as she walked closer to him. Frank smiled and adjusted his bow tie.

"Well it's a pleasure to meet you now." Frank smiled. "How about we get some more privacy?"

The two began walking away from us as Marlon walked toward us. Marlon was in stuck a stupor, he pushed through between Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly while they were having a conversation. "You gotta keep up with it, Fred, the world is changing."

"Dance changes but this new type of swing you fellas have is total garbage." Fred insisted.

"Hosh-posh!" Gene waved his hand dismissively at Fred.

"It's true, when Ginger and I first began on screen... we had to do real numbers. It took real talent, it was real dancing! Now everything is broken down into 'choreography' and no one dances!" Fred complained.

"You mean when you and Ginger were st your height over twenty years ago..." Gene insulted.

Finally Marlon stood in front of me. The girls all got quiet as they waited to see what he'd say. It was like they were all holding their breaths, smiling from ear to ear. Not everyone's smile was a truly happy one.

"I'd like you to meet someone." Marlon asked me quietly. He led me through the crowd to the kitchenette. There were two people chatting to each other there.

Once I was closer, I immediately recognized them. The blonde girl was Jocelyn Brando, his beloved sister. The short balding man was Wally Cox, his very best friend.

"Jocelyn, Wally, this is Rose Taylor. My wife." Marlon announced. Jocelyn looked confused but happy.

"Rose." Jocelyn smiled. "Nice to meet you... especially since you're my sister now."

"A sister-in-law." Wally laughed his contagiously funny laugh. "Never thought you'd have one of those, huh Jocelyn?"

"No, I didn't." Jocelyn answered honestly. She looked me up and down, taking me in. "I just saying to Marlon I didn't know he had plans to ever get married. He always said he'd stay single. All I know is that I got a call from Tony saying Marlon tied the knot!"

"This was all a shock to me too, believe me." I said with a smile. Marlon immediately interrupted, feeling that I was getting to close to the truth. I could tell he had a certain respect for his sister more than the other people in the room.

"I'm probably the most shocked of all." Wally admitted. There was some sadness laced in his mood that day. He and Marlon were such close friends, Marlon would talk about Wally all of the time. The idea that Marlon would keep this from him didn't sit well with Wally.

He wrapped an arm around me. "When you feel the shock of love this strong all there's left to do is get married."

One of Jocelyn's eyes squinted as she thought about the words her brother just said. You could tell she brushed off her doubts in an effort to not be rude.

"Well, I'm happy for you." She told us. Marlon walked me away from Jocelyn and Wally. A wave of relief fell over me as I exited that conversation. I felt close to Marlon as he guided me through the crowd, his hand on the small of my back.