true_writers - Self Deception
Who do you lie to most, yourself or others?
(Thirty year, future verse, after her marriage to George)
It was a spectacular house, even by movie star standards. Situated over their own private beach, the house had everything from a two story grotto with pools, tunnels, jacuzzis and swim up bars, to an underground garage full of classic cars that shone from polishing, but were never driven. There was even a bowling alley and mini-mall in the basement, with a full sized movie theater. Cody couldn’t help but be a bit awed, and a bit amused, at all of the luxury. It was far different than Hsu’s more rugged sort of opulance. This didn’t seem like George’s personality at all, like maybe he saw some house on TV and said, “Oh, buy that”.
Since he was working on his new picture and promoting the last one, they would be having a working honeymoon, settling her into the new house while enjoying their newlywed time. Thanks to her legal education, as well as her experience running Hsu’s household, Cody was able to quickly settle into her proper role as mistress of the house. Lisette and Cody both went head on with Vao, the Filipino housekeeper who had been running the place for four years. To George, the woman was charming, but to Cody, she was sneaky and manipulative. Lisette found that the lady had been housing her friends and family in the house when George was away, and that she was padding the household expenses. Cody, armed with that evidence, fired the woman, and her son, who was the pool man.
In their place, she hired a woman named Cora, from El Salvador, who was loyal and warm, and very good at her job. She was also grateful for the help that they gave her to get her green card. Lisette found a young man by the name of Steff, who worked as the pool maintainer and houseman/driver. Surprisingly, Steff and Cody hit it off, and much like her easy friendship with Lars, she was able to lean on him for companionship and a buddy, especially since she missed being around Hsu and Daniel so much.
The house was so huge, with so many guest suites, that Cody invited Hsu, Daniel, Ben, Lars, Andy and anyone else who might want to visit to come out. With George shooting a new movie, she was kind of lonely, though when he was home they had a lot of fun and explored the area. They went to amusement parks, and tried out local restaurants. Her favorite was a place nearby called Five Crowns, which had an old English feel to it. The food was so good, she knew that when Hsu came out, she would take him there. The crab cakes or Laquercia Pancetta Wrapped Dry Scallops, for the starter, then Beefsteak Neptune or Potato Crusted Salmon, or Roasted Maple Leaf Farms Duckling, which had her purring with pleasure over the pear and prune compote mixing with the wild rice and tender duck. Heaven. She always had either the English Trifle or Crème Brulee, though she stayed away from wines and coffees. But they ate there at least twice a week, and Cody just adored the place. What she really loved was that no one bothered them, there, though people would notice when they came in and whisper to their companions.
Because she was in such outstanding physical shape, she never really began to get fat. She was eight weeks along when they married, and it wasn’t really until about five months into the pregnancy that she began to have the little bump showing in a noticeable way. However, because she was so petite, it was quite obvious that she was pregnant. Where George had been passionately all over her up to then, he became a bit less amorous after he noted the changes. Cody Jean just told herself that it was temporary, and that it would pass. But he grew more distant, and kept himself largely to the studio, most of the time. Having lived with Hsu for so many years, Cody Jean wasn’t too concerned, because she was used to a man who didn’t show a great deal of emotion or flowery romance. She was busy, herself, with her own work and investments, and with decorating the nursery. She knew that marriage wasn’t like the movies. It was a daily living thing, and it couldn’t be fireworks all the time.
Still, she was lonely. She wished the de Rocheforts were closer. She also spent long hours on the phone and the computer with Daniel. There must have been something in her voice that gave a hint to her emotional state, because even Steff noted her need to get out of the house and explore, but taking him with her. They were actually becoming quite close, much has she had been with Jason Morgan decades prior. Still, even with Steff’s company, she missed her family, so far away. Cody told herself that this was the natural adjustments of marriage and pregnancy, and that once the baby was born, George would be back to his old, romantic self, and he would just love the baby to bits.
(Thirty year, future verse, after her marriage to George)
It was a spectacular house, even by movie star standards. Situated over their own private beach, the house had everything from a two story grotto with pools, tunnels, jacuzzis and swim up bars, to an underground garage full of classic cars that shone from polishing, but were never driven. There was even a bowling alley and mini-mall in the basement, with a full sized movie theater. Cody couldn’t help but be a bit awed, and a bit amused, at all of the luxury. It was far different than Hsu’s more rugged sort of opulance. This didn’t seem like George’s personality at all, like maybe he saw some house on TV and said, “Oh, buy that”.
Since he was working on his new picture and promoting the last one, they would be having a working honeymoon, settling her into the new house while enjoying their newlywed time. Thanks to her legal education, as well as her experience running Hsu’s household, Cody was able to quickly settle into her proper role as mistress of the house. Lisette and Cody both went head on with Vao, the Filipino housekeeper who had been running the place for four years. To George, the woman was charming, but to Cody, she was sneaky and manipulative. Lisette found that the lady had been housing her friends and family in the house when George was away, and that she was padding the household expenses. Cody, armed with that evidence, fired the woman, and her son, who was the pool man.
In their place, she hired a woman named Cora, from El Salvador, who was loyal and warm, and very good at her job. She was also grateful for the help that they gave her to get her green card. Lisette found a young man by the name of Steff, who worked as the pool maintainer and houseman/driver. Surprisingly, Steff and Cody hit it off, and much like her easy friendship with Lars, she was able to lean on him for companionship and a buddy, especially since she missed being around Hsu and Daniel so much.
The house was so huge, with so many guest suites, that Cody invited Hsu, Daniel, Ben, Lars, Andy and anyone else who might want to visit to come out. With George shooting a new movie, she was kind of lonely, though when he was home they had a lot of fun and explored the area. They went to amusement parks, and tried out local restaurants. Her favorite was a place nearby called Five Crowns, which had an old English feel to it. The food was so good, she knew that when Hsu came out, she would take him there. The crab cakes or Laquercia Pancetta Wrapped Dry Scallops, for the starter, then Beefsteak Neptune or Potato Crusted Salmon, or Roasted Maple Leaf Farms Duckling, which had her purring with pleasure over the pear and prune compote mixing with the wild rice and tender duck. Heaven. She always had either the English Trifle or Crème Brulee, though she stayed away from wines and coffees. But they ate there at least twice a week, and Cody just adored the place. What she really loved was that no one bothered them, there, though people would notice when they came in and whisper to their companions.
Because she was in such outstanding physical shape, she never really began to get fat. She was eight weeks along when they married, and it wasn’t really until about five months into the pregnancy that she began to have the little bump showing in a noticeable way. However, because she was so petite, it was quite obvious that she was pregnant. Where George had been passionately all over her up to then, he became a bit less amorous after he noted the changes. Cody Jean just told herself that it was temporary, and that it would pass. But he grew more distant, and kept himself largely to the studio, most of the time. Having lived with Hsu for so many years, Cody Jean wasn’t too concerned, because she was used to a man who didn’t show a great deal of emotion or flowery romance. She was busy, herself, with her own work and investments, and with decorating the nursery. She knew that marriage wasn’t like the movies. It was a daily living thing, and it couldn’t be fireworks all the time.
Still, she was lonely. She wished the de Rocheforts were closer. She also spent long hours on the phone and the computer with Daniel. There must have been something in her voice that gave a hint to her emotional state, because even Steff noted her need to get out of the house and explore, but taking him with her. They were actually becoming quite close, much has she had been with Jason Morgan decades prior. Still, even with Steff’s company, she missed her family, so far away. Cody told herself that this was the natural adjustments of marriage and pregnancy, and that once the baby was born, George would be back to his old, romantic self, and he would just love the baby to bits.