A Familiar Face Part 2

Trent’s initial horror was soon replaced by joy and a few stray tears.
He returned the pretty blonde’s hug.
My Uncle was now laughing.
I’m still wondering what the heck’s going on.


‘Helen, I barely recognised you!’ Trent exclaimed. ‘Your hair!’
‘Oh Darling, You ought to have seen Trent’s face when you first attacked him. I think for a split second, he thought you were Dagmar.’
‘I did!’ Trent admitted with a grin. ‘When you came at me so quick, I thought I was going to be hit with something or have a drink poured on me. ’
It was Helen!
I bolted from my chair to hug her too.
Now I was crying a little, while I gave her the biggest hug I had.
I missed her so much.
(I was also glad it wasn’t Trent’s bitter ex wife.)


Helen sounded choked up as well.
‘Fancy meeting you three here.’ she quipped.
‘Please, sit down and join us.’ Trent invited pulling out a chair. ‘We we’re just at the movie theatre watching your latest film.’
‘You were?’ Helen sounded thrilled.
Then she looked suddenly shy and a bit eager.
‘What did you think?’
‘I thought about what an idiot I’ve been. The storyline aside, it was a really good film. I’m so very proud of you, Hon. Dex Newman has done far more for you than I ever did.’
Helen swiped at her eyes, touched and happy by Trent’s approval.
‘I wouldn’t be anything today, if it weren’t for you and I’ll never forget that.’


‘So what’s with the hair?’ my Uncle cut in quickly, fighting his own emotions.
Of the three of us, he saw Helen the most often when she came into his studio for dress fittings.
Feeling that Helen would be more comfortable not having to deal with him, Trent always made sure to be out during Helen’s appointments.
‘I’m filming Helena of Troy.’ she told us excitedly. ‘I had to go blonde for the role.’
I’d learned about the ancient neighborhood of Troy and the beautiful princess who inadvertently started a war in my history class. I was really looking forward to seeing the movie version.
‘Is it really any more fun to be a blonde?’ Trent teased her.
‘I know it’s easier to sneak away and blend into the public.’ Helen confided. ‘It’s been ages since I could go anywhere just to grab a bite and not have flashbulbs going off in my face.’
‘That’s one of the unfortunate costs of fame.’ Trent told her from rueful experience. ‘No privacy.’
‘So where are your two guard dogs?’ my Uncle asked, referring to Dex Newman and Helen’s husband Reginald.
‘I kind of slipped away from them as well.’ Helen admitted.
For a split second, I saw something dark and troubling in her look.


‘Is everything all right between you and Rene?’ my Uncle never minded being nosey. ‘You certainly looked like you enjoyed beating him to death with that fire extinguisher.’
I couldn’t help but giggle. My Uncle still pretended to forget Reginald’s name. Rene was the funniest one he came up with beside Renfield.
Helen’s smile was a bit grim.
‘Shooting that scene was a lot of fun.’


Trent could barely contain the delighted gleam in his eyes. He’d always felt that Helen’s husband was bad news. His disapproval of Reginald was part of the contention between him and Helen.
‘You didn’t answer Remington’s question.’ he gently pointed out. ‘Are things all right between you and Harris?’
‘Sure.’ Helen spoke up quickly. ‘Just fine.’
‘Has Ronnie submitted anything to a publisher yet?’
‘No.’ Helen didn’t bother to hide her annoyance anymore. ‘He’s been much too busy to work on his writing.’
Trent made some sort of scoffing sound, but pretended he was merely clearing his throat when Helen looked up at him sharply.
‘We’ve both been busy.’
‘I better go put in our order.’ Trent hurriedly excused himself.


‘It seems to me that Newman isn’t giving either of you kids a break. You go right from one project to the next.’ my Uncle criticized his hated former brother-in-law. ‘You’re nothing but skin and bones. The last time I ran into Raymond he looked like he hadn’t eaten or slept in weeks.’
‘We’re both fine.’ Helen repeated firmly. ‘Remington, I know it’s hard for you to believe, but Dex isn’t the devil. I’ve really gotten to know him and though he has done bad things in the past, he’s totally turned his life around. His fondest wish is for you two to bury the hatchet and become family again.’
My Uncle looked appalled.
‘That will happen when hell freezes over.’
‘There hasn’t been a Christmas since I started working for Dex, that he hasn’t shown me his old photo albums.’ Helen told him. ‘They’re from back when he was married to your sister and his prized possessions. I believe him when he tells me that Mary was the one true love of his life. He has so many pictures of you too. Dex doesn’t lie about the mistakes he's made.’
My Uncle’s expression remained hard and disgusted.
‘I don’t care what he says. Dex Newman is a snake in the grass. I know you’re bound to him for another few years, but after that, you manage your own career. Don’t you and Ronald let your guard down for a minute. Don’t let him divide you either.’
‘Dex isn’t the one doing the dividing.’ Helen slipped out.


So there was trouble going on between Helen and Reginald!
As much as I hated Helen’s hotheaded jerk of a husband, I hated Dex Newman more.
If he was stirring trouble between them, I suddenly wanted Helen and Reg to work it out.
My Uncle had often predicted that once Dex had control of Helen’s career, he’d want Helen herself, as well.
‘I’ll come to the studio a little early if you can fit me in.’ Helen told him. ‘I can really use a shoulder to cry on.’


‘That’s what I’m for.’
Dex Newman was suddenly towering over us.
The expression on his face was a combination of worry, annoyance, and jealousy.
‘Helen you had me worried sick. I’ve been looking every where for you!’