A Whole New World...Or Possibly Life

Los Angeles

It had been kind of relaxing for a few weeks. Lounging around, swimming in the pool, working while Chris did and having dinner ready when he got home. Some nights we would just order food and he'd pick it up on the way home. In other words, we kind of settled back into the domestic life we had been living over the holidays. Dodger enjoyed having someone at the house with him now while Chris wasn't there. Scott would come over some days when he had nothing to do and we would hang out by the pool or watch a movie.

We did a little shopping and Scott was the one taking me to Chris' stylist to pick out and be fitted for the dresses I would need in the coming weeks. Chris wanted a sneak peek at what I was wearing, but I didn't want him to see them. His stylist knew and that was all that mattered in order for his suit to match.

Scott and I started a yoga class and it became a thing to pester Chris about joining because he had pulled a muscle during prepping for the film. Since his hours were crazy, he hadn't found time during the right hours to come with us. I was starting to do some of the stretching poses at the house with him to see if he'd join in.  Of course, in the privacy of our house, a lot of the poses ended up turning one thing into another and somehow we would end up on the floor in different kinds of poses. One particular night Downward Dog turned quickly into Doggie Style.

On the weekends we would go for hikes in the Laguna Coast Wilderness Park since it was close. We also visited Griffith Observatory often to check out the stars and whatever else we could see. Chris didn't work much on the weekends so we would take Dodger on walks around there too.

If I got a lot of my writing done, I would take Dodger by myself when I needed to just get out of the house.  The problem was, Dodger was just as popular as Chris and easily recognizable even though I wasn't, so he would give our identity away some times. Most people would just tell him hello and one or two asked for a picture with him. I NEVER let go of the leash or took the picture for them because I didn't want to be distracted in case they tried to take him. Paranoid? Maybe, but I didn't trust people easily when it came to things I treasured.

One particular instance, and the last time I went alone, there was a lady who recognized him and came up to us, going right in for pets. She called him by his name and actually sat on the ground to get closer to him. Dodger, being Dodger, sat and relished in pets, making me more nervous by the minute since I was by myself. I tried to nudge him and say we needed to keep going but neither budged.

She used that baby talk people do to dogs with him before looking up to address me. More annoying than that, she was shapely and her hair was perfectly placed in a ponytail without pieces falling out of the tie here and there like mine. She was coming back down, where we were going up, not an ounce of sweat on her brow. I already was feeling a sweat beginning, even before she made me nervous, so now I was sure the drops would fall any minute. Her makeup was even perfect for having been walking or jogging or whatever she was doing. I hadn't even bothered with makeup knowing it would just wash off with the sweat from the beating sun glaring on me. Note to self, maybe drink a lot more water and see Chris' trainer. I am not as in shape as I thought.

Obviously she didn't follow everything about Chris or didn't pay attention to tabloid pictures and stories. She had no clue who I was and I could tell by how she spoke. "So, is Dodger's daddy in town working?"

That was bold of her. Plus, why would Dodger be here if Chris wasn't? I could see the question being valid if we were in Boston because Chris has left him there with family, but L.A.?    It actually took me a minute to answer the question because it was just off the wall. "Uh, ... he is."

"I thought I had heard he was around but I hadn't seen him out and about like I usually do when he's here." She annoyingly spoke in her baby talk voice again, addressing Dodger. "But Dodger here gave it away, didn't he? Yes he did! Yes he did."