A PORTRAIT OF OLIVIA by J.P. Bowie Read Free Book Online

pulling away from Peter. “ I’ll say when and where I go—no one else!”
    A total silence fell on the entire group as everyone looked at the once serene and engaging celebrity, now turned into a snarling harridan. Gloria, Emily’s cousin, stepped forward glaring at Olivia.
    “How dare you speak to Peter like that…”

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    Jeff, his face hard with anger, took her arm. “Thank you Gloria…please, let me deal with this.” He turned to the drunken Olivia, who stared back at him balefully. “It seems I have to remind you that you are a guest in this house, Miss Winters,” he said in a tightly controlled tone. “We will excuse your behavior this once—if you apologize to Peter right now.”
    “Go fuck yourself,” Olivia hissed. “You…who do you people think you are for Chrissakes? You’re nobodies, you’re nothin’. Christ, get me out of here…”
    She slithered from the barstool, staggered a few steps, then before everyone’s astounded eyes, almost in slow motion, she crumpled to the ground.
    “Oh my God,” Eve gasped, as everyone crowded round the fallen diva.
    “Who would have guessed she could be such a bitch?”
    “I could,” Peter said. “But I’ve been listening to it for weeks now.”
    “Told ya she was a big phony…” Nick chuckled, looking down at Olivia sprawled out on the ground. “What’re we gonna do with her?”
    “Get her upstairs, I guess,” Jeff said. “Here Nick, give me a hand, will you?”
    Between them they got her to her feet, then Jeff picked her up in his arms.
    “Perhaps one of you ladies would like to come up with me—you too, Dr. Ed.
    We’d better make sure she’s going to be all right.”

    Later, after Olivia had been safely tucked up in the guest bedroom and Dr.
    Ed had made sure she was suffering from no more than too much booze, some of the guests took their leave.
    “See you Monday at the office, Jeff,” Nick said as he and Eric headed for the door. “Great party, Peter!”
    “Yeah,” Eric laughed. “This is one we’ll remember for some time. I can’t think of another quite like it.”
    “You guys,” Peter groaned, accepting their hugs. “Please don’t hold this against me.”
    “We won’t,” Eric chuckled, patting his back. “Gives us lots to dish about later.”
    Anthony, Justin, Gloria and her husband Johnny, were the next to leave.
    Gloria was still fuming about Olivia’s rudeness. “Just as well she passed out,”
    she said, with just a hint of mockery. “Otherwise, I’d have socked her one.”
    Johnny grimaced. “She’s not kidding either. I can just see hear the announcement on TV. ‘Attorney’s wife arrested for laying out famous talk show host, Olivia Winters—story at ten!’”

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    “I wonder if she’ll remember any of this tomorrow,” Anthony remarked.
    “I think Peter will be happy to remind her,” Justin said, grinning at his host.
    After their guests left, Peter and Jeff walked slowly back outside. Andrew and David were deep in conversation with Rod and ‘A’. Eve and Fred were chatting with Dr. Ed and his wife, Kay.
    Luke had cleared off the bar and was tying up a large garbage bag. “That’s it for me then,” he said. “I gotta split.”
    “Oh, right.” Peter pulled an envelope containing Luke’s fee from his pants pocket and handed it to him.
    “Luke…” Jeff took the young man to one side. “We’d appreciate it if you didn’t spread this story around…You know, about Olivia Winters behavior here tonight.”
    “Don’t worry, boss. Discretion is my middle name.”
    “Good.” Jeff didn’t believe him for a minute, but knew there was not much he could do if Luke wanted to tell everyone he met from now on, just how he’d seen the famous Olivia Winters fall on her butt, dead drunk.
    Luke gave them both a sunny smile. “I can see myself out. Thanks again, guys.”
    Jeff grimaced as he watched him leave. “This is going to be all over town tomorrow, courtesy of