A Hollywood Story

"What do I want with a cheating whore? Nah, man. She's your problem. But if you don't give me my money you and me are going to have a problem."

"Go fuck yourself."

Bobby jumped to his feet. "You think I'm fucking around here? I have a payroll to meet and suppliers to pay! Give me my motherfucking money!"

"Go fuck yourself," Doug said again, laughing.

"I will kick your ass and then go back to your house and assfuck your whore wife in your bed!" Bobby was enraged. He had always been able to bully people to do his bidding. He couldn't believe this asshole was sitting there laughing at him. If he didn't get paid, he was finished. He played fast and loose with company accounts and he had to have this payment to cover other jobs he had going or he was fucked. Literally, because of who he owed money to. Bobby charged around Doug's desk and raised his fist, bringing it down on Doug's right cheek. Doug rocked back in pain as he reached behind him.

The Emmy statuette is 15.5 inches tall and is made of copper, silver, nickel, and gold. The award weighs six pounds, twelve and a half ounces. It has a circular base that is seven and a half inches in diameter. The award that usually resided on the credenza behind Doug's desk was unique among every other Emmy award ever given in that it was inscribed "For Outstanding Direction in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, Douglas Showalter for The Millionaire Murderer."

After being hit in the face by Bobby, Doug grabbed his Emmy and brought it down with full force onto the top of Bobby's skull.

Bobby gave Doug a look as if to say, 'What the fuck, dude?' before he crumpled to the ground.

Doug first called his attorney. His next call was to Carl Makins. His third call was 911. It was shortly after his call to the police that Doug's cell started ringing.

Sharon.

He hit the decline button.

+++

Doug poured himself a glass of TX bourbon and walked out onto his deck overlooking the Pacific Ocean. He stared out at the water as he watched the sun descend. It was a magnificent sunset and one of the reasons that they had purchased the home. Doug turned to his left towards the outdoor dining table and was startled to find a visitor sitting there.

"Sharon! What are you doing here?" To say that Doug was shocked to see his ex-wife was a gross understatement."

"Hi, Doug. Surprised?"

"Of course, I am. It's been two years since we last spoke."

"I know Doug. I've been avoiding you all this time. I was too embarrassed and ashamed to look you in the eye."

"Why now? Why after two years do you just pop back into my life? Two years, Sharon. Two fucking years!"

"I know, baby. I know I'm a monster. On so many levels. But just because I've been staying away from you doesn't mean I haven't been keeping up with your life. I think we need to have this talk. You need closure to get on with your life. To finally put me in your rearview mirror once and for all."

"Like that's going to happen," Doug said bitterly. "My whole life was uprooted when I found out about your affair. How could you Sharon? How could you? And then to just leave and cut off all communication with me? I thought you loved me!"

"Oh, baby. Don't ever think I didn't love you. The best thing that ever happened to me was marrying you. The worst thing was allowing that snake Bobby Cornwall to seduce me."

Sharon looked out over the ocean and watched as the sun descended towards the Pacific. The sunset at this house was magnificent. That's why they bought it and she never had the opportunity to spend a single night. Her betrayal had destroyed everything.

"He seduced me, but I allowed it to happen. Any reason or excuse I give you is bullshit. I made a commitment to you and I failed to keep that commitment."

"When you have me served with divorce papers, I was devastated. I was wrong to have an affair. Nothing justified what I did. I cheated and betrayed you and broke our vows but I thought we were strong enough to get through anything. For you to cast me off? To throw me away like I was trash? That broke me. And then when you were arrested..."

Doug shrugged. "I had cameras all over that office. I knew that the video would show him hitting me first and me defending myself. Did I try to kill him? Maybe. I wouldn't have lost any sleep if I had. What happened to him is even better as far as I'm concerned. He's in long-term care and can't even go to the bathroom by himself. I stopped by one day to see him. He knew exactly who I was. I've never seen a look of hatred like the one he gave me."

"Oh baby, why did you do that? He was a nothing of man. You could have gone to jail. He wasn't worth that. I wasn't worth that."

Doug looked at his ex-wife for a moment before speaking.

"What was I supposed to do? You had not only been having sex with him, you have been publicly humiliating me with the workers. The things you said and did...the things you shouted out so that they could hear you...How could I accept that and still maintain my self-respect? But to leave and refuse to see me or speak to me? To cut me out of your life? I couldn't believe how cruel you were to me."

Sharon nodded her head sadly. "I knew that eventually you would calm down and get over your rage. I knew that you would try to reconcile and give me another chance. But I also knew that you would be miserable if you tried. It would destroy you. No, our marriage was over and I killed it. That's why I left and cut off all contact. I told my lawyer to get the divorce finalized as fast as he could. I wanted to be out of your life and give you the freedom to start over."

"Maybe I went about things wrong. Maybe I should have talked to you. I thought you were too angry with me to want to listen. I've made so many bad decisions over the years..."

"So why are you here now?"

"Part of it is what I said a minute ago. To give you closure. So, you can yell and curse at me. So, you can hit me if it makes you feel better."

Doug sighed. "No, I don't need closure. Your note gave me all the closure I needed."

"I didn't know if you had read it. Part of me thought you might tear it up and throw it away."

Doug pulled his wallet out of his rear pocket, extracted an object, and unfolded it. It was two pieces of paper, stapled together. They were worn and wrinkled as if they had been unfolded many times for reading.

"I read your note at least once a week," he said. "Some weeks more than that."

"Can you read it to me?" Sharon asked softly.

Doug shrugged his shoulders. "If you want. I'm not sure why you'd want to hear it though"

"Please," Sharon said, again speaking so softly that Doug barely heard her.

Doug began to read,

"My Dearest Husband,

Words cannot tell you how sorry I am for destroying our marriage. I was a weak,

stupid woman who allowed herself to be flattered and seduced by a younger man.

They say that there is no fool like an old fool and they are telling the truth.

Twenty-five years ago, I stood before you, my family, and God and vowed

to be your wife. To love you comfort you, keep you, and forsake all others

and remain true to you as long as we both shall live.

I failed you and I failed myself and I failed our sons.

I am asking nothing from you in the divorce. The house is years. Our Shado

ShowTime is yours. I want no alimony. I want nothing but you to have your freedom. You are released from your vows.

I pray that our sons can forgive me. I pray that my God can forgive me. But most

of all my sweet, beautiful husband, I pray that you can forgive me.

Your loving, unfaithful wife,

Sharon"

Doug's voice began to crack as he finished.

"I do forgive you, Sharon. I forgave you long ago."

Sharon smiled at Doug. "Thank you, baby. I know we can't be together, but I'll always love you."

Doug cleared his throat and picked up his whiskey glass. "I'm going to get a bit more whiskey." He slid the papers under a cigar ashtray so they would not blow away in the coastal breeze.

"Is my dad still sending you a bottle of TX?"

"Every Christmas," Doug said as he opened the sliding door to the house. He poured himself a couple of fingers of bourbon and walked back outside.

To an empty deck.

He walked to the end of the deck to see if Sharon was walking in the sand but he did not see her anywhere.

She had disappeared from his life once again, just as she had disappeared after the divorce.

Doug sat in the chair and took a sip of his bourbon before picking up the papers from the table. The first page was a copy of Sharon's note. He had other copies in his office and in his nightstand. Stapled to Sharon's note was a second page; this, a newspaper clipping. The clipping was dated the day after her note. He had read the clipping enough that he had it memorized.

Emmy Winning Writer Sharon Showalter Dead at 46

The body of Sharon Showalter, Emmy award-winning writer of the mini-series

The Millionaire Murderer was found in the front seat of her car parked at the Century              

City apartment complex in which she lived. The cause of death appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.

Showalter was co-owner of the Shado ShowTime Production company along with her ex-husband, award-winning director Douglas Showalter. The Showalters had recently divorced amidst rumors of divorce on the part of Mrs. Showalter.

Police say that there does not appear to be any signs of struggle and that the public is not in any danger. Police say that a note was found, but that the contents are private and will not be divulged to the public.

Funeral arrangements are pending.

Doug folded the papers and gently placed them back into his wallet. He took another sip of bourbon and looked out over the ocean as the last rays of the setting sun glimmered off the Pacific.