Chapter Two
DreamInColour
© 2004
Anya called her friend Liv the night after her
lunch with Orlando. The two friends had been in constant contact since they
befriended each other when they were in grade school. Their mother’s had done
some modelling together and the girl’s had instantly hit it off. Liv was one of
the only people who kept in contact with Anya and one of the only ones beside
Bruce who was by Anya’s side when her parents died.
“He actually agreed to go? I’m proud of him, he
usually shies away from solitude.” Liv commented.
“Well he hasn’t actually set a time yet so I’m
not getting ahead of myself in planning. I’ve put Andrew on hold, I’m not
sending him to Australia till Orlando gives me times.” Anya said expertly. She
was of course speaking about the surfer she had graciously let use the cabin
while she’d sought out the perfect candidate.
“Don’t worry hunny if he hasn’t called you in a
couple of weeks I’ll personally sit him down and we’ll come up with plans.
Thankfully he still listens to me from time to time.”
“Thanks Liv you are a gem.” Anya was grateful.
She really didn’t have a wide spectrum of friends. In fact Liv and Roy were
some of the few people she saw on a social level. Everyone else, save Bruce,
had some connection to her family business or one of the many charities she had
her hands in.
“I do what I can. Listen girl we have to meet up
again soon I miss you.”
“We most certainly do my friend I’ll give you a
call tomorrow with the clearances in my schedule.”
Liv laughed, “I may be the actress but you have
more social/business engagements than I ever do.”
“Comes with the billionaire status I guess.”
Anya said flippantly, “I’ll speak with you soon. Say hi to Roy for me.”
“Will do and you let me know when Orli calls.”
“Of course, bye.” Anya hung up the phone and
instantly pulled out her day timer so she could highlight the best days for her
to go and visit her friend.
Bruce watched the person he’d watched grow from
an inquisitive highly sensitive girl into a bright and caring woman. Daily he
was baffled at her eloquence and grace given the situation she was in. She
could easily have gone the route of the Hilton sisters, but she always said, ‘I
wouldn’t embarrass my parents name like that.’ She’d known the girls as she did
a lot of high profile people and had, for a time, partied with them. Although,
the glamour of that life quickly dissipated after her parents had died. She’d
grown almost ten years in that night and Bruce feared that she was headed for
the very same down fall she was trying to prevent in the young Mr. Bloom.
“Bruce can you call Cara in Cambodia and tell
her that next week I’ll be arriving a day late but I’m staying for an extra
week. I want to make sure that orphanage is working well under the new doctor I
sent them.” Anya looked up and smiled at the aging butler. Sometimes she felt
like a female Bruce Wayne, trying to save the world with the trustworthy Alfred
by her side.
“Of course Miss Anya I’ll get right on that. May
I get you anything else?”
“No I’m fine Bruce…I have a few overseas calls I
have to make. I’ll probably be here most of the night.”
“Very good Miss.” He said with a nod then left
the room.
After making the call to Cara, who was ecstatic
to learn that Anya would be there longer, he called someone he’d been in
regular contact with since Anya had chosen Orlando for her island.
“Hello?” She had expected his call anticipating
that he had been in the room when she had spoken with Anya.
“Miss Liv? This is Bruce.” He was in his private
quarters on his own phone. He pretty much had the run of the estate most of the
year because Anya was constantly visiting or working in different areas of the
country or world.
“Does she have any idea?” Liv asked.
“Not at all, she’s too busy trying to plan
things for young Mr. Bloom as well as organizing the many other things she has
going on right now.”
“She’s going to run herself into a mental
institution soon if she’s not careful. I’m surprised she hasn’t started
drinking again.” Liv commented. Anya had always helped her parents in the
charities they worked with; up until their death she had also dabbled in the
party scene. She credited their death for her being jarred back into reality;
unfortunately she was so busy trying to be ‘real’ that she forgot to have fun.
“She’s too busy to do that at the moment.” Bruce
commented.
“As is Orli which is why they both need this
getaway. Besides it’ll be good for them to be in each other’s company outside
of any other influence.”
Bruce chuckled, “I’m still appalled that you are
trying to be a matchmaker Miss Liv. From what I’ve read and heard Mr. Bloom is
doing quite well in the romance department.”
“I’m not really trying to match make Bruce. I’m
just trying to get my extremely busy, tired friend and my extremely sad, lonely
friend some time off.”
“Naturally I agree with you or I wouldn’t help.”
“Just let me know when she starts planning for
Orli’s arrival, I’ll take it from there.”
“Very good Miss Liv.”
“Bye Bruce.”
Anya was taking a small break from her phone
calling. She started flipping through one of the many magazines that got sent
to her home. Sometimes she found herself in the star photo section and that
always made her laugh. As she turned the pages she stopped at a photo of
Orlando with his girlfriend Kate. At a quick glance they looked perfect.
Neither seemed too clingy with the other and both epitomised their respective
gender perfectly. He was facing the camera giving it a tired smile; she was
looking over his shoulder apparently at someone behind him. Anya hoped that this
woman would understand that he needed the time off. She looked back at him and
smiled, he really was very pleasant to look at and knowing that he seemed like
a genuine guy made it easier to look at him. She ran her finger over his image
than shook her head quickly and shut the book. She’d given up on dating a long
time ago, it complicated her life and frankly she was too busy for it. Besides
she was hardly going to take advantage of a guy who clearly didn’t need more
complications in his life. Her phone rang allowing her the pleasure of pushing
those thoughts out of her head.
Orlando had just gotten off the phone with Kate
and he had to admit he was somewhat disappointed. She hadn’t even fought his
decision. She’d told him he needed the break and to enjoy himself. Was that a
good thing? Shouldn’t she be a little put out that she wouldn’t get to see him
for two weeks? Yeah he’d decided he wanted two weeks. The idea of surfing,
drinking and just hanging out like a grub was extremely appealing to him. He’d
thought of a few books he’d wanted to read and Fiona had only agreed to ‘let’
him if he promised to take some scripts with him. Now he just had to call Anya
and tell her, just pick up the phone and call the enigma. Elijah told him some
things about her over the last few days and frankly she didn’t seem real.
Apparently she’d spent time with the Hilton sisters as well as the other trust
fund babies, until her parents had died in a horrendous car crash. Then she’d
gone from debutant to charity guru and stark businesswoman. She was 25 yet she
had been compared to older counterparts and she was a billionaire.
Either way he had to call her because he was
really starting to look forward to going away. “Hullo Anya?”
“Yes hi Orlando, have you picked a time?”
Wow she went and got straight to the point
didn’t she? “I was thinking in about a month. I have some premieres to attend
as well as a network of interviews, and then my agent has cleared me for two
weeks. Is this all right?”
She was smiling. She had not expected him to be
so prompt or efficient, “That’s fine I’ll be sure to get everything arranged
for you. Do you have email?”
He blushed even though she couldn’t see him,
“Umm no I’m sort of a technophobe. My assistants have email but I personally
don’t.”
She chuckled, “Okay how about you give me the
number where I can reach you. I’ll call with your information as soon as I have
it.”
“Brilliant thanks Anya.” He relayed the number
to her.
“You are quite welcome Orlando I do hope you
enjoy yourself and find some of that peace you’ve been missing.” She said
sincerely.
“As do I. Well…” He cleared his throat; “I guess
I’ll talk to you soon.”
“Have a good evening.”
“You too.”
They hung up and again stared at their respective
phones. This was all very surreal to both of them. He was always sure that at
some point someone would tell him this whole this was a joke. A beautiful woman
offered him a Caribbean vacation and he was actually taking her up on the
offer, not once asking if she would join him. She was always sure that the
cosmos were playing a trick on her. Like her father had given her this task
because he knew she’d pick Orlando, a gorgeous down to earth gentleman who
really just needed some relaxation in his life. If she weren’t so busy she’d be
wondering why he hadn’t asked her to join him.
Bruce, who had been in the room when she’d
received the call, had excused himself to call Liv and tell her to put their
plan in motion. Liv was giddy with excitement as she decided the clothes she
would pick out for Anya and secretly send along with Orlando’s belongings. Then
the two got into a discussion over how they were going to get Anya anywhere
near that helicopter. She was a smart young woman and would not appreciate their
plan. She liked having control over her life and needed to realise that
everything didn’t always go according to plan and that sometimes that wasn’t a
bad thing.