Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Erica and Tanya, or You Ought to be in Pctures... ❯ Chapter 4

Part Four

The cellphone's shrill beep startled Tanya so badly that she nearly spit out her cup of morning coffee. The blonde grabbed it before it could do any more damage and hit receive, "Yes?"

"Would you mind telling me if you're planning to take up with a notorious lesbian?" the irritable female voice demanded.

Tanya blinked a few times, trying to register that before tentatively asking, "Brit?"

"Yes, Brit your loyal agent," Tanya could almost hear her agent's scowl as she continued, "Now could you please tell me what's going on?"

"I only got up a little while ago Brit," Tanya tried to be patient, "and I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Damn," Brit cursed softly. A calming breath and she continued on in more even tones, "You're on the front page of the National Examiner, and I quote," she took a breath, "Erica Simmons seen at lesbian club with girlfriend Tanya Clark."

"Former lesbian club," Tanya could feel a headache coming on as she continued, "and we just had dinner together."

"Well, the papers are drawing their own conclusions," Brit said. "I should get started on damage control. and if any reporter calls you I want you to deny...."

"No," Tanya said firmly.

Brit sounded surprised, "No?"

"I am not denying that I know Erica or that we're friends, Brit," Tanya said. She paused, "God, I hope she hasn't seen that paper yet, I'd better call her...."

"Right," Brit sounded just a bit confused as she said, "so what do you want me to tell the news media?"

"That Erica and I are friends," Tanya sighed, "and that two friends can go out to dinner without there being romance involved."

"Got it," and Brit hung up.

Tanya dialed a number she had started to use more regularly, waiting as it rang. "You muckraking sons of bitches better leave Tanya alone or I'll..." Erica snarled out.

"Erica, it's me," Tanya quickly cut the threat short, wondering what Erica had been having to deal with this morning.

"Tanya, I'm so sorry," Erica sighed. "I didn't realize that you'd be targeted like this, or I never would have...." she trailed off.

"I'm a big girl Erica," Tanya drank more of her coffee, "and wasn't I the one who mentioned the tabloids pairing us up to you?"

Erica paused, "Good point."

Tanya felt herself smiling slightly, "So what were you going to do to that reporter you were threatening, anyway?"

"You don't want to know," Erica sighed softly. More tentatively she said, "If you need to distance yourself from me, I'll understand."

"My agent suggested that," Tanya sighed, "I told her no." She smiled wryly, "First time I've done that in a while, must have been a shock."

"Thanks," and Tanya could almost hear the warm smile that Erica had on her face. "The good news is," she said seriously, "the next big scandal will bump us off the tabloids."

"It's waiting for the scandal that will drive us nuts," Tanya agreed. She frowned as her phone beeped, "I've got Simon trying to call me."

"Put him through," Erica sounded amused as she continued, "let's hear what pearls of wisdom our director has to offer."

"You know," Simon sounded warmly amused as he said, "if you're going to do something to generate publicity for my film, you should tell me first."

"We didn't...." Tanya started.

"Don't mind him," Erica said wearily, "that's just Simon's idea of humor." She dropped her voice to a growl, "At least it better be."

"I hope this won't hurt the film," Tanya offered tentatively.

Simon actually laughed aloud at that. "Dearest, I have several distributors that are talking to me about the film," he sounded jubilant as he continued, "distributors who wouldn't have even talked to me before this hit!"

"I'm so happy for you," Erica said dryly, "but personally I'm more worried about the damage this could do to Tanya's career."

"Hm. Point," Simon sighed. He brightened, "But Erica has managed to weather this sort of thing before, there's no reason Tanya couldn't."

Tanya made a face, "Erica is an out lesbian, and pardon my bluntness but she's so notorious that she's actually made that work for her." She munched a cookie, "I'm just her straight friend who got tarred with the same brush."

"Notorious?" Erica echoed with a laugh, "I'm complimented."

"I thought you'd like that," Tanya said, finishing off another cookie.

"You know...." Simon mused aloud, "I think there might be a way to turn this to our advantage." Briskly he asked, "Can you two be at my office with your agents later today?"

"Simon, what are you thinking?" Erica asked suspiciously.

"I'll explain this afternoon," Simon's voice had a happy bounce to it as he added, "see you both then!" With that he just hung up.

"I hate it when he does that," Tanya sighed.

"Tell me about it," Erica agreed. They talked a few more minutes before she sighed, "I'll see you at Simon's place, all right?"

"See you there," Tanya said before she hung up.

Later that afternoon Brit met Tanya at the downtown office building. The redheaded business woman had a sour look on her face as she growled, "Who does he think he is?"

"He's the director," Tanya shrugged philosophically, "that means he's an temperamental, eccentric drama queen. However, he's also good at what he does, so...."

"Fair enough," Brit agreed. The two women walked inside, nodding to the guard in the lobby. The elevator took them upstairs, and they walked down the hall to where they could hear a loud conversation going on.

"Simon, you have got to be kidding me," Erica growled.

"Now let's wait until Tanya gets here," Simon sounded soothing.

Brit and Tanya exchanged a look, then Tanya knocked loudly before going inside. Simon sat behind his desk, four chairs set out in front of it. Erica sat in one, a older man sitting in the other, the remaining two clearly for them.

"Max," Simon nodded towards the sitting man, "I'd like you to meet Tanya and her agent, Ms. Brittany Alexander."

"Brit," she corrected him firmly. She waved Tanya to a seat before sitting down and asking, "All right, what's going on?"

"This is going to be lovely," Erica covered her face with her hand.

Tanya raised her eyebrow at Erica, then turned back to Simon. He smiled bravely, "You see, this controversy could be turned to our advantage." Simon looked between Tanya and Erica, "What I'm proposing is that you two pose as girlfriends until the debut."

"What?!" Tanya blurted.

"It's not my idea," Erica quickly said.

Brit frowned, "That would be career suicide for my client."

"No," Simon said, "not if the two publicly make it clear it was a performance." He grinned evilly, "I think at the night of the opening."

"It would certainly put one over on the tabloids, wouldn't it," Tanya murmured to herself thoughtfully.

To be continued...