Chapter 20 Ripley
Ripley
We bring this whole thing together pretty quickly. Garrick definitely likes to go with the flow, but when he puts his mind to something, he can make it happen. I shouldn’t be that surprised after his ‘last-minute birthday party extravaganza’ – his words.
‘This looks great,’ Garrick says when he enters his apartment later that afternoon. It’s already getting dark outside – which isn’t ideal for filming, but it took us a little while to get everything we needed.
Melika worked wonders with this outdated kitchen, stringing fairy lights and using spare wood, fabric and tiles to create a cute filming background. We would’ve preferred to film somewhere in the park, but it wasn’t feasible with the Royal Fare being used for dinner service this evening.
Any time I’ve gone into the park while it’s been open, the place feels alive with guests, but the way Garrick talked, I’m worried it’s not enough.
He loves this place; it holds so much of his life and memories inside.
I don’t know what that’s like. My house never really felt like a home.
It did its job, sure, keeping us safe and providing a place to sleep.
While I’m not totally sold on this endeavor tonight, if in a small way I can help ease some of the worry clouding Garrick’s otherwise chipper brain, and Fairytale Gardens at the same time, then I’m happy to go rogue just once.
‘And it barely smells like a 7-Eleven,’ Tyrone says, slinging his backpack off his shoulders. ‘Where can I set up my computer? I want to see what we’re filming and how the audio is as we go.’
‘Why don’t you put it on the dining table? Melika can help you with the camera and microphone.’ They waste no time getting to it.
Melika and Tyrone seem like a well-oiled machine, which is good because Garrick and I have some final details to review.
Imogen and Tristian are on distraction duty, making sure no one has a reason to look for Garrick.
Nathan is taking an acting lesson from Desiree – I’m still unclear how or why that’s happening, but OK.
Garrick decided it was better just to make a quick episode and put it up rather than asking for permission beforehand.
‘Do you have everything you need?’ My job was to oversee the location while Garrick’s was to get the supplies for whatever he decided to make. I tried to get him to nail down the recipe, but he said he had a few in mind he was oscillating between.
He holds up two paper bags filled to the brim with groceries. ‘I got extras in case we mess it up.’
‘That’s very efficient of you.’ I’m shocked at the foresight.
‘From you, Ripley, that’s the best compliment I could get.’ Garrick takes items out of the bags and I can finally deduce what he’s making. It looks like a classic black forest chocolate cake.
‘This was my mom’s recipe,’ Garrick says more to the table than to me. ‘I thought it would be perfect since it was one of the first things she taught me.’
I bite my lip, deciding whether or not I should say what I’m thinking. ‘You know … if you feel like it, you could mention that. It might be nice for the audience to see your family’s connection to the park – how much it means to you.’
I’ve never seen him move anything with such precision. He’s lining up and rearranging each ingredient perfectly. ‘I don’t want it to feel like I’m using my mother’s memory to gain favor.’
I quickly backtrack. ‘No, of course not. I would never want that. Trust me. I just think that your mom is a really lovely part of this story that you’ve written at Fairytale Gardens, and I wouldn’t want people to miss out on that. But we don’t have to do anything you’re uncomfortable with.’
He glances up at me this time and gives me a genuine smile. My chest feels like it’s going to explode. ‘I know you wouldn’t, Ripley.’
‘All set over here,’ Melika calls from the table. ‘We just need to get Garrick in costume and mic’d up.’
I grab a bag off the couch. ‘I didn’t think we wanted anything overly produced. So I thought we could keep it casual?’ I pull out a green Fairytale Garden sweatshirt with orange print I found in the costume department.
‘Retro. I like it. Where did you get it?’
‘I asked the costume department what kind of merch they had lying around, and they found this.’
‘Do you have one for yourself?’
I raise an eyebrow. ‘Why would I need one?’
‘What if I need an assistant?’
The idea of saying yes surfaces in my brain, and I’m surprised by it.
I kind of want to be taught how to make a chocolate cake by Garrick.
But I know that’s not a good idea. This show is about him and the contestants.
Of which I’m not one. I wouldn’t want to muddy the narrative by people thinking there’s some other girl off-screen.
Not that there’s anything between Garrick and me.
Obviously. But the internet is the internet, and I’m not giving them any fuel.
I toss the sweatshirt at him, careful not to get it in any of the ingredients. ‘Sorry, you’re a one-man show today. But I know you can handle that just fine.’
Garrick rips off his sweater and I spin around as I spy his bare chest. I press the back of my hand to my cheek as my body broadcasts my embarrassment across my skin. It’s just a shirtless guy, Ripley. You’ve been swimming before.
But this feels very different.
‘Help me with the mic?’ Garrick says, and I keep my eyes downcast as I help to secure it. Focusing on the task at hand, my flaming cheeks cool slightly. If Garrick notices, he stays blissfully quiet.
I turn on the lights and hit record on my phone.
‘Today, I’m gonna show you how to make the world-famous Fairytale Gardens black forest chocolate cake.’ Garrick mixes the ingredients into the batter and fills the silence masterfully. I’m not sure how we’re going to edit this down.
‘Garrick, you don’t need to talk the whole time. We can’t make an hour-long video,’ Tyrone says from his computer.
‘I just have so much wisdom to impart to the audience. I don’t want them missing out.’ He smirks at me.
By the time the cake goes into the oven, my mouth is watering. We stop recording for it to bake and take a break on the couch. Tyrone stays at the table to edit what we’ve got so far.
‘Do you make videos all the time?’ Melika asks Tyrone, peeking over his shoulder.
‘I do a few promos for my parents’ bar.’ He intensely focuses on the screen.
‘When I open my vintage shop, I might need to hit you up.’
Tyrone’s face lights up. ‘A vintage shop?’ The two of them start talking in depth about Melika’s plans.
‘We should watch a Christmas movie,’ Garrick says, reaching across me and grabbing the remote.
I inhale sharply when he settles in, his arm resting against mine.
I think about moving away, but when he doesn’t, I don’t either.
Instead, I do the opposite of what I’m supposed to and snuggle deeper into the couch.
Garrick’s soft sweatshirt is warm against me.
Despite the butterflies trying to escape out of me, it feels …
right. Sitting next to Garrick and just relaxing sends a calming effect over my body.
All my tense muscles forget what they’re supposed to be stressed about.
Garrick looks over, a lazy smile offered just for me. ‘You good, Ripley?’
I don’t trust my voice and only nod.
‘Good.’ He rests his head on top of mine. Our hands lay beside each other, barely touching but feeling more intimate than ever before.
We spend the time with the cake baking watching part of The Santa Clause. And before I know it, it’s coming out of the oven. I don’t want to leave the couch and disrupt this moment with Garrick, but it’s the right thing to do.
‘Now, I didn’t give away all my secrets,’ Garrick tells the camera.
‘I left some of the key ingredients out. Mostly because I want you to experience it for yourself. Come to Fairytale Gardens and eat at the Royal Fare, or if you would like a more private affair, we cater. And who knows, maybe a knight in shining armor will show up.’ He grins.
There’s a pause, and I think he will end there, but then he keeps going.
‘This was my mom’s recipe. She was in charge of food and beverage here at Fairytale Gardens, and she always wanted to make sure that even though you were in a theme park, you weren’t missing out on quality cuisine.
My mom is no longer with us.’ He stops, his voice hitching before he clears it and keeps going.
‘But I like to think that every time we put a meal out, it’s like she’s still with us.
Not as a ghost –’ his face brightens into a smile – ‘those are just on the Pirate Adventure. Ghost tours coming soon.’
‘Cut,’ Tyrone yells. ‘OK, this will take me a little while to edit, but I think it will turn out pretty good.’
I come over and start taking off Garrick’s mic. ‘You’ve got something, right here.’ Garrick takes his frosting-covered finger and plops some on my nose.
‘You’re the worst.’ I shake my head, dipping my chin so he doesn’t spot my smile.
‘Sureeeee.’ Garrick licks frosting off his finger. ‘Well, who wants cake while we wait?’
‘I wouldn’t mind a slice,’ Nathan says from the open doorway. I hadn’t even heard him come in – which is why when I turn around and see Desiree standing behind him my body goes rigid. My hand is lying against Garrick’s chest, while I’m unthreading the cord from his sweatshirt.
‘Roomie, just in time.’ Garrick flashes a grin, not a care in the world. ‘Ouch. You OK, Juliet?’ Garrick rubs at his neck where I just ripped the mic away.
I clear my throat, taking four giant steps away from him. ‘Nathan, I thought you two were practicing your acting?’
Nathan offers me a guilty smile. ‘Sorry, I didn’t know we’d still have a full house. Come on, Desiree, let’s go to the lounge.’
Desiree skirts past him and walks in like she owns the place. ‘What did you make?’ She slides alongside Garrick, dipping her finger into the top of the frosting.
‘How about I cut a slice and you guess?’ His smile never falters. It’s the same brilliant one he wore seconds ago when he was looking at me. Everything about him is the same: the tone of voice, the casual air.
‘I’m like a super taster.’ Desiree closes her eyes. ‘Feed it to me?’
I turn away when Garrick grabs a fork. My chest pounds against my ribs as I busy myself putting away the mic. What is happening to me? Why is seeing Garrick flirt with Desiree making my body react like this?
Through the buzzing in my ears, I don’t hear Desiree’s guess or Nathan approach me. I jump when he puts his hand on my arm. ‘I thought you said you were filming at Melika’s. I wouldn’t have brought Desiree if I’d known.’ Nathan has a tendency to not read texts completely.
I shake my head. ‘It’s fine. She’s not supposed to see him off camera, but oh well.’ I take the hair tie from my wrist and wrap my hair into a bun.
Nathan’s brows dip, a serious look casting across his features. ‘Are you OK?’
Desiree giggles again. ‘Stop, Garrick!’
‘You better get some cake before it all ends up in Desiree’s hair,’ I say, forcing myself to watch Garrick and Desiree together.
This is good. I want this. The show needs this.
One demolished cake and a few hours later, Tyrone has finished editing the video. He tells us several times that he’s no pro, but he hopes he’s done well enough.
I pull it up on the TV for us to watch. It’s good – really good.
I watched the previous episode and a few shots from the one airing tonight.
But this is better. It’s not that Garrick looks like he’s faking it during the reality show, but he’s more alive in this off-the-cuff video – more real.
Suddenly, a flush runs up my cheeks, panic seizing my chest.
What if the audience can tell the difference? What if this real Garrick and the one he’s putting on for the dating show are brought into question? Will people know that he thinks this whole thing is fake?
Garrick looks over at me, and I try to cover my face.
‘What’s up, Ripley?’ He’s been teaching Desiree and Nathan how to play his video game.
He tried to get me to play, but I was busy working on my phone.
Mostly so I could keep myself from looking at them.
I’m confused by the reaction I’m having.
Logically, I should be thrilled he’s showing interest in one of the contestants, but some primal – unwanted – portion of my brain is doing uncharacteristic things.
Melika eyes me down from her seat in the chair across from us. I clear my throat. ‘It’s good – brilliant even. It’s just maybe this is a bad idea? Could we wait until after the show’s done airing? This might muddle the narrative.’
‘No way. We need people to come to the Royal Fare, especially during Christmas,’ Garrick argues. ‘That’s what this is all about.’
I don’t know how to get out of this, so I nod and agree. I do want to help FTG. I wouldn’t have done this otherwise. I’m just overthinking things like usual.
‘Great. Tyrone, drop it to me and I’ll upload it tomorrow morning.’ Garrick grins from ear to ear, and I hope this all works out.