I stood outside the door of my room and looked down the long hallway of the old hotel. Its dark mahogany walls and bright red carpet were from another era.
I could see the figure at the end of the hallway running to me, it was female. She finally stopped when she saw me.
"Take me away, Jim...I can't handle this anymore, please help me." she said as she collapsed into my arms.
"Yes, come with me..." I said as I hustled her into my room.
At the other end of the hall I could the male voice angrily yelling.
"Come back here! You're my wife...get back here!"
I quickly shut the door and locked it, hoping it had been quick enough to not be seen.
The girl was on the bed crying.
"Please Jim, I just want to get away...I can't take being with him anymore."
I sat down beside her on the huge bed and held her close, she was sobbing quietly.
"It's OK, Kim...I'm here." I said as I held her.
Then I woke up. I was in my bed, alone. Sleep like this sometimes provoked weird dreams. In this case, it was after 1AM and I'd dreamed about Kim Kardashian.
Jeff Murphy didn't even bother looking up from his lunch.
"It's all in your mind." he said between mouthfuls.
"Yeah, well dreams are dreams." I replied.
"And like I said, it's all in your mind."
Jeff and I were sampling the lunch menu at Derek Adams' newest entry to the LA hotspot scene, cleverly named "Derek's". He had owned several clubs that were mainstays of Hollywood and generated many memories for me. He was very particular about the establishments he ran and this was his first attempt at a straight restaurant, no performance divas to deal with or fights with other clubs to get shows from.
And, like his other establishments, it became the place to see and be seen at.
Why Jeff and I rarely "did lunch" together I don't know, this time we did it as a show of support for Derek. We were still talking business, though.
"So, feel like doing some more ad copy work?" he asked.
"Who's the client?"
"Skechers."
"The shoe company?"
"Uh-huh. Special promotion they're doing just on the west coast. If it works, they'll do it nationwide. Word I hear is they might be opening their own outlet stores next year."
"Do I get paid in shoes?" I said with a chuckle.
Jeff gave me a look that said "ha-ha".
"If you'd prefer that instead of cash, it can be arranged, you know."
He got the last laugh.
"On that note, I'll get the check." I said.
I was looking for the maitre d station when what do I see of all things, a baby in a stroller being pushed by a young mother. But not just any mother, one by the name of Kardashian, first name Kim.
Her brown eyes lit up when she saw me.
"Hollywood!" she said happily as she hugged me and I smelled her gorgeous perfume "It's so good to see you, it's been too long!"
"Well, I've been busy, you know, like you."
She laughed and then turned to her companions, her sister Khloe and mom Kris.
"You remember, Jim. He's that really cool photographer."
"Right! I met him when we were in Hawaii, god that was so long ago!" Khloe laughed.
She was right, the first time I'd ever been to Hawaii was when I'd met her sisters who were staying at a beachfront home owned by friend while I had free reign at a similar home Chuck owned before he expanded his property, adding guest bungalows. Kim and I had met once or twice since, but things had changed for her a lot lately.
"So this is the newest Kardashian?" I asked looking at Kim's baby.
"Oh yeah." she said as she picked up her baby "Isn't she beautiful?"
"Sure, takes after her Mom."
"Aw, you're such a charmer, Jim." she smiled "You know, if you'd played your cards a little differently she'd look like you."
"Kim!" her Mom said, clearly startled.
Kim and Khloe just laughed all the more.
"Come on, we came here to eat." Khloe said as she took the baby.
Kim turned to me once the others were led to their table and out of sight.
"Hey, I'll call you." Kim said softly, adding a sweet kiss on my cheek before she left to join the others. Over her shoulder, she gave me that sweet, flirty smile I'd seen before.
I couldn't help but smile myself. If I'd been a little sneaky with my cellphone, I could've snapped a photo of the most famous baby in Hollywood and made a mint selling it.
I could've also been smart and kept a friendship that Kim seemed to value.
Being smart has its advantages.
That night, I felt a soft, feather-like touch on my cheek. Then an equally soft kiss.
"Thank you, Jim...you're such a good friend..." a voice whispered.
My eyes opened and I could see Kim's smiling face.
"So good..." she whispered, almost tearfully.
I held her close, her head on my chest as we lay in the quiet darkness.
Then I woke up and realized what I was holding close was Smokie the cat. And he didn't look too pleased.
"Sorry, pal."
That morning, my phone buzzed with an incoming text message;
"Can we meet today-K" it read.
I knew it was Kim.
"Name the time and place." I wrote back.
A few minutes later it buzzed again.
"Your place at 2?"
"See you then."
Sure enough, at 2 o'clock precisely, George the concierge called to say I had a visitor.
"Oh, yes, uh, send her up."
