Roberta's POV Part 5


Dad seemed to appreciate my asking.
‘It really doesn’t. I’ve had my time in the spotlight. For years Remington was in my shadow. It’s his turn now. He’s worked really hard all his life and now he’s a household name. I couldn’t be happier. I actually like being known as Remington Mansfield’s significant other.’
I quickly decided to change the subject.
Talking about Remington made me sick all over again.
‘So have you seen Helen’s new movie yet?’
In spite of everything that went down between Dad and Helen, she wasn’t a sore spot with him.
He still enjoyed talking about her.
‘We went and saw ‘Terror in the Sky’ last night.’ Dad lit up again. ‘The story line wasn’t all that believable, but Helen herself was brilliant.’
‘Karen’s sister, Yvonne went to see it with her boyfriend last week. She said it was totally awesome. Does Helen really beat the stuffing out of a zombie?’
Something about that made Dad laugh.
‘She beats one with a fire extinguisher. The scene was a bit too graphic for my taste, but I quite enjoyed Helen showing a bit of muscle. I have to say the zombie really deserved the beating he got.’
‘Ah, let me guess, Helen’s old man played the role.’
‘Yep.’


I met Helen’s husband at her wedding.
Ronald was kind of handsome. I also couldn’t help admiring him for standing up to Dad.
He wasn’t my type though. I knew he wasn’t near the monster, Dad made him out to be, but I did suspect he was a bit of a doofus.
He was with Helen after all.
I wasn’t eager to launch into a conversation about our respective home lives, so I tried to keep this subject going.
‘That guy that manages Helen now, isn’t he the one that came to her wedding?’
I remember that Helen pretty much booted that Newman guy out before her reception.
Newman seemed to creep her out back then.
In fact my mother was also really weirded out by Newman’s presence there.
Not only did Mom applaud Helen for getting rid of him, she told me in the car that though Newman claimed to be there for Ronald, he was actually there for Helen.
‘Ronald better watch his back.’ I remember Mom saying while she had the driver stop at the liquor store on the way home. ‘I know I wasn’t always kind to Helen, but she really is both beautiful and talented. She can manage her own damned career. She doesn’t need Trent or that monster to guide her!’
I tried to grill Mom on why Newman was a monster. He seemed tame enough to me.
When Newman did try to approach me at the wedding to introduce himself, Mom literally sprinted across the room and sent him on his way. He didn’t seem to care for Mom either.
Newman avoided us both after that.


‘Yeah, that’s him.’
I was surprised I never asked before now.
‘I can understand why you hate the guy so much, but what’s he ever done to Mom?’