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〃You don't know how wearying it gets；〃 Maxine went on。 〃Waking up thinking about whether everything's okay with Todd； and going to sleep thinking the same damn thing。 Not having a minute in a day when I'm not worrying about you。 I just can't do it anymore。 It's simple as that。 It's making me ill。 I've got high blood pressure； high cholesterol…〃
〃I've made you a lot of money over the years；〃 Todd broke in to observe。
〃And I've taken care of you。 It's been a very successful partnership。 You made me rich。 I made you famous。〃
〃You didn't make me famous。〃
〃Well； if I didn't I'd like to know who the hell did。〃
〃Me；〃 Todd replied； raising the volume of his voice just a fraction。 〃It's me people came to see。 It's me they loved。 I made myself famous。〃
〃Don't kid yourself；〃 Maxine said； her voice a stone。
There was a long silence。 The wind brushed the leaves of the Bird of Paradise trees together； like the blades of plastic swords being brushed together。
〃Wait；〃 Todd said。 〃I know what this is about。 You've got a new boy。 That's it； isn't it？ You're fucking some kid； and…〃
〃I'm not fucking anybody； Todd。〃
〃You fucked me。〃
〃Twice。 A long time ago。 I wouldn't do it today。〃
〃Well just for the record neither would I。〃
Maxine looked at him coldly。 〃That's it。 I've said what I needed to say。〃
She went to the door。 Todd called after her。 〃Why do it to me now？ Why wait till I'm so fucking tired I can hardly think straight！〃 His voice continued to get louder； creeping up word on word； syllable on syllable。 〃And then screw me up like this？〃
〃Don't worry； I'll find somebody else to look after you。 I'll train them。 You'll be taken good care of。 It's not like I'm walking out on you。〃
〃Yes you are。〃
He turned to look at her； finally。 The blood had rushed to the surface of his half…mended face。 It was grotesquely red。
〃You think I'm finished； so you're leaving me to be crucified by every piece of shit journalist in the fucking country。〃
Maxine ignored the outburst； and picked up what she was saying。 〃I'll find somebody to take over； who'll protect you better than I can。 Because I'm just as tired as you are； Todd。 Then I'm going to have one last party down at the beach…house； and get the hell out of this city before it kills me。〃
〃Well I'm not going to let you go。〃
〃Oh； now don't start threatening…〃
〃I'm not starting anything。 I'm just reminding you。 We've got a contract。 I'm not going to allow you to make a fortune out of me and then just walk away when things get difficult。 You owe me。〃
〃I what？〃
〃Whatever's on the contract。 Another two years。〃
〃I can't do it。 I won't do it。〃
〃Then I'll sue your ass； for every fucking cent you earned off me。〃
〃You can try。〃
〃And I'll win。〃
〃Like I said； you can try。 If you want all our dirty washing dragged out for everyone to see； then do it。 I guarantee you'll e out looking worse than I will。 I've covered for you so many times； Todd。〃
〃And you signed a confidentiality agreement。 If you break it； I'll sue you for breaking that； too。〃
〃Who cares？ Nobody gives a rat's ass about me。 I'm just a professional parasite。 You're the movie star。 You're the all…American boy。 The one with the reputation to lose。〃 She paused。 Then murmured； almost ruminatively： 〃The tales I could tell。。。〃
〃I can tell just as many。〃
〃There's nothing anyone can call me that I haven't been called a hundred times。 I know everyone says I'm a cunt。 That's what they say right？ 'How can you work with that fucking cunt？' If I have to hear it in a courtroom one more time； I can take that； as long as when it's all over I don't have to hear your whining and plaining any more。〃
〃Okay；〃 Todd said。 〃If that's the way you want to play it。〃
Maxine headed for the door。 〃For your information；〃 she said； 〃I could go down to LAX right now； and I could fill a limo with kids who have ten times your talent。 They're all ing here； looking to be the next Tom Cruise； the next Leonardo DiCaprio； the next Todd Pickett。 Pretty boys with tight asses and nice abs who'll end up； most of'em； selling their tight asses on Santa Monica Boulevard。 The lucky ones'll end up waiters。〃
〃If I wanted to； I could make any one of them a moviestar。 Maybe not a star like you。 But then again maybe bigger。 Right face； right time； right movie。 Some of it's luck； some of it's salesmanship。 The point is； I sold you； Todd。 I told people you were going to be huge； and I said it so often that it became the truth。 And you were so sweet back then。 So。。。natural。 You were the boy next door； and yes…for your information…I was a little in love with you； like everyone else。 But it didn't last long。 You changed。 I changed。 We both got rich。 We both got greedy。〃 She put her hand to her mouth； and gently passed her fingers over her lips。 〃But you know what； Todd？ Neither of us was ever happy。 Am I right？ You were never happy； even when you had everything you'd every dreamed of wanting。〃
〃What's your point？〃
〃I don't know what the point is；〃 she said softly。 〃I guess that's the problem in a nutshell； isn't it？ I don't know what the point is。〃 She stared into middle distance for a while。 〃You'll be fine； Todd；〃 she said finally。 〃Things will work out better without me； you'll see。 I'll find someone to take care of you； Eppstadt'll find a movie for you； and you'll be back in front of the cameras in a few months； looking perfect。 If that's what you want。〃
〃Why wouldn't I want that？〃 he said to her。
She looked at him wearily。 〃Maybe because none of it's worth a damn。〃
He knew he had a riposte for that； he just couldn't figure out what it was at that particular moment。 And while he was trying to figure it out； Maxine turned her back on him and walked out。
He let her go。 What was the use of a feud？ That was for the lawyers。 Besides； he had more urgent business than trading insults with her。 He had to find Katya。
The afternoon sun was not just warm； it was hot； and the foliage was busy with hungry hummingbirds and the canyon was quiet and perfect。 He threaded his way through the overgrown bushes； past the tennis courts and the antique sundial； up towards the guest…house。 The gradient became quite steep after a time； the narrow steps decayed by time and neglect； so that in some spots they'd collapsed pletely。 After a while； he realized the path had divided at some earlier point； and that he'd taken the wrong turning。 The mistake took him on a picturesque tour of the gardens' hidden places； bringing him first to a small grove of walnut trees； in the middle of which stood a large gazebo in an advanced state of disrepair； and then into a garden within a garden； bounded by an unkempt privet hedge。 Here there were roses； or rather the remains of last year's blooms； the bushes fighting for space； and strangling each other in the process。 There was no way through the thorny tangle to pick up the path on the other side； so he was obliged to try and get around the garden from the outside； staying close to the hedge。 It was difficult to do。 Though the plants he was striding through didn't have thorns； they were still unruly and wild； twigs and dead flowers s