31. Chapter 31
Chapter thirty-one
Dane
E liza had cleared out the hair and makeup trailer so Dane could have the space for his meeting. Kyle was with him, staring at the screen as they waited for the video call to connect. He patted Dane on the shoulder. “It’s a formality. Relax. You’ve got this job.”
“Right.” Dane didn’t believe that, but it wasn’t even the main issue. Aras had stayed close to him the whole day, after they fell asleep holding each other the night before. Right up until it was time for the meeting. It made things worse. He was giving this up to basically go work as a grip on another job. Why did any of them think this was a step forward? Why did he think that? Production crew got shuffled all the time. It was nice that Kyle thought of him to recommend to someone else, but it wasn’t significant in any way.
He shoved all that aside. He’d had the argument with himself a dozen times, and it always just restarted again at the beginning. He knew, objectively, that this was a good chance. Just having his name singled out in this way would be a step forward. If he did well, then this lighting director might remember him, and maybe Eliza. A billion snowflakes were an avalanche. It was a start…he just hated it.
The screen lit up in bright white, then a face clarified as the camera adjusted. A middle-aged Hispanic woman looked at him, then smiled. “Sorry about that. Computer was being a dick. Program made me update before it would work.” She waved. “Kyle. Been a minute.”
“Hey, Cece.” He gestured toward Dane. “This is the grip I was telling you about.”
“Dane. Hi. I’m Cecelia Gutierrez. I hear you’re good, and I’m hoping I’m not throwing your life into too much chaos, trying to get you on this job.”
“Doesn’t seem like it.” A lie, but a polite lie, the kind you had to tell to people in a business situation. “I’m just thankful I got mentioned.”
“It’s all been lucky,” said Kyle. “We needed him to fill in a spot that suddenly got vacated, and I couldn’t be happier with his performance.”
“Hey, I don’t need selling on him. Your word’s good enough for me.” She fixed her gaze forward, and although she wasn’t staring directly into the camera, so hence not directly at Dane, he couldn’t help but feel the weight of examination behind it. “I just need to know what terms we’re looking at. I know you have a contract here, and a schedule to keep to. Since the new show is only filming in Atlanta, at least for this season, unless you live there, you’re going to be away from home even longer.”
Dane tried to wrap his head around it, but whether because of his own lack of focus, or some lack of clarity in her words, he couldn’t quite manage to figure out what he was supposed to glean from this. “I’m sorry for being dense, but what information are you looking for from me?”
“It’s weighing the cost we’d have to lay out to make it worthwhile to you, versus what we can afford to swing into this.” She didn’t hesitate or obfuscate at all. At least, not in any way that Dane could pick up on. “If helping make this worth the change for you is less expensive than hiring on someone new, then I have the go-ahead to go with you. Bigwigs would like to keep this as in-house as possible as long as it’s cost effective. But don’t let that influence you.”
On the list of things influencing Dane’s decision, that was at the bottom. Hell, it wasn’t even on the list, if he was being totally for real. “I could probably talk to my roommate. As long as I’m keeping up my end of the rent, or finding someone she’s good with subletting my half to, that should be fine.”
“How much are we talking?”
“You’re not going to cover it.” Dane didn’t say it with accusation, just a fact. “I live in Chicago. Even splitting rent, it’s not cheap.”
“Right.” Cece tapped acrylic nails against each other, the sound carrying over the microphone. “Well, it’s not my job to play at negotiating. Higher ups have authorized me to offer you as much as a twenty percent increase on your current terms for Pine Point Fixer-Uppers, retroactively applicable. Can’t go higher than that. And of course your travel down to Georgia would be covered, as well as temporary housing. It’s not flashy housing, but it’s suitable and it’s free while you’re on the job.”
Dane had to make himself breathe. Somehow, he’d forgotten how his own lungs worked. “Can I just…clarify that I’m understanding this correctly? I’d get a place to stay down there, not a hotel. Plus an increase to my pay, including all the work I’ve already done?”
“I’ll pretend you drove a really hard bargain.” Cece smiled and folded her hands. “They’d be happier with a five percent increase. But they’d also be happier with you begging to do lighting work for free. But at twenty percent, they figure they’re still coming out ahead, not having to train someone through the systems, sign new contracts, all that stuff. Don’t ask me if it’s right, but that’s the math.”
Twenty percent was a lot to turn his nose up at. And retroactive? “You’re sure this isn’t a fantasy and I’m not about to snap back to the reality where lighting grips are just useless cogs?”
“We’re in that reality, but Homescapes have always been good to me and my crew.” She nodded to Kyle. “He’ll probably tell you the same thing. They’re as good a company to work for as I’ve found.”
Kyle did, in fact, nod. “I’m happy with them.”
Dane looked up to the ceiling of the trailer, letting his eyes go unfocused until the pattern of lines above him swam and doubled. It would make a big difference in making his half of the rent, and give him a nicer cushion. And, if they were both telling him that Homescapes actually gave a crap about crew members, maybe this was more of a chance to take a step or two toward a real career than he’d given it credit for.
The image of Aras’s face filled his mind’s eye. Under that blanket, dimly lit and so close to be almost out of focus. “How long until I need to head down?”
“Well, don’t want to send Kyle up shit creek by taking away a grip in the middle of a shoot.” Cece tapped her nails a couple more times. “I think the end of this shoot should give you just enough time to fly down here, get acquainted, and we can start. But if I’m being totally frank with you, if Kyle would allow me to steal you away sooner, that’d be a fuck of a lot easier. Pardon my French.”
“Fine by me.” Kyle clapped Dane on the shoulder firmly. “I can work with one less grip. Dane here deserves his chance.”
He had to admit, hearing that from Kyle felt damn good. Dane knew that his work wasn’t the most glamorous, and it wasn’t even his own preference, but he was proud of the job he did. A TV show didn’t look right as a product if the lighting wasn’t good. It changed the mood, the tone, the presentation of the people on camera, everything. Dane as one lighting grip was a small part of it, but a small part could crash the whole machine apart if it failed.
Aras had told him, with basically no equivocation, that he should do this, and that he wasn’t planning on turning tail and running over this.
Dane nodded. “All right. Give me a couple days to make sure everything transitions properly on this end?”
Cece whistled low, the sound crackling over the connection. “Faster than I expected, but I’ll take it with a smile. HR will ship you over the updated contract, and once that’s signed, you’ll get your travel arranged.” She shot a look over her shoulder. “Shit. Sorry. I’ve got pizza delivery knocking at the door. Gotta split, but I’ll see you soon.”
Then she cut off the call and the reality descended as quickly as the window closed. “I did that.” With minimal hesitation…it was real, and he and Aras were about to be functionally over.