John rang Hyacinth's doorbell and waited, hands behind his back. He was casually dressed in jeans and a shirt, with a multi-colored cardigan against the slight chill that the air had at night.

Hyacinth opened the door, looking every bit the glamorous Hollywood starlet: Her blonde hair had been brushed to a high luster, and her makeup was expertly applied. Her sleeveless dress was a dusky shade of blue that perfectly complemented her eyes.

"Hullo, Hy, long time no see," John joked, because they'd just seen each other a few hours before on the set.

"Johnny, how lovely!" Hy returned. "Just let me get my shoes on and I'm all ready." She slipped on some heels and turned back to him. "Do you know where we're going?"

John shook his head. "This was all arranged by the studio, though, so I'm sure it's some place really nice."

They rode together in companionable silence as the driver maneuvered LAs crazy freeway system to get them to their destination. The sky was sunset pink and blue, with the layer of smog and haze hardly visible.

John wished for the thousandth time that he was going out with Clementine. How fun would it be, how marvelous, to go to some swanky eatery and sit and people watch with her?

He smiled over at Hy. "You ready for shooting next week?"

"Oh, you mean the love scenes?" Hy smiled back, a smile in which John saw her sister. "I know you've never done this before, but it's really not such a big deal. The crew is standing around, and it's all about angles and lighting, and you have to do it so many times that it ends up being very clinical, and not sexy at all.

"Not that you're not sexy," she added with a laugh. "I just mean it's work, you know? You'll see."

John turned to look out the window, watching the LA scenery roll by. It would be dark by the time they got to the restaurant. "Can you tell me where we're going, please?" he called to the driver.

"We're going to Cristo's, on Hollywood Boulevard," the driver answered.

"Thanks."

"Oh, yum, I love that place," Hyacinth said, bouncing in her seat a little.

"They've probably arranged for us to be photographed entering and exiting as well, that going to bother you?" John asked.

Hyacinth shook her head. "I'm used to it by now, though it's a little off putting when you're trying to eat."

"And you're ready for the onslaught of hate that's going to come your way? We've been linked in a few gossip rags already, and I know you're taking heat for it."

Hy laughed. "Not a big deal, really. I dated an NFL quarterback last year, and you wouldn't believe the kinds of things people said to me. I think I can handle some teenybopper fans of yours." She sounded dismissive.

"Yes, well, they're not all teenyboppers, though, are they?" John asked, feeling a little defensive. "Some of them are older, adults, even, and they can be mean."

"I've actually had a couple of run ins with them in person," Hy confessed.

"No, really? So sorry."

"They must've been about 15 or 16, and they came right up to me and said I needed to leave you alone. 'Don't touch him,' were one girl's exact words. Like you're a toddler and I'm a child molester or something." Hyacinth laughed.

"They think they're protecting me," John said, again feeling defensive. "They're lovely fans for the most part."

"I'm sure they are, but come on! They don't know you, they never will, and they're just jealous that I do and that I get to see you every day. Empty headed bubblegum smackers."

They pulled up at the restaurant and John emerged, reaching in to help Hy.

As predicted, there were photographers, and Hyacinth stopped for a moment, turning this way and that, for maximum effect. She grabbed John's hand and pulled him into the shots near the end.

"They don't want photographs of me, though," he protested weakly when they were at last allowed to enter the restaurant.

"They want pictures of us," Hyacinth said, eyes dancing. "We make quite the couple, don't you think?"

They were shown to their table, near the middle of the room, prime seating for a VIP couple.

John sighed.

"They have wonderful steaks here," Hy was saying as she perused the menu.

"I think I might go for the swordfish tartare," John replied.

"Tartare? Isn't that raw?" Hyacinth responded, wrinkling her nose.

"It is indeed," John said with a grin.

"You and Clem and your raw fish," Hyacinth said. "Give me a good old filet mignon any day."

"How is Clem, anyway?" John asked after they'd ordered.

"She seems fine. I think she's actually dating someone, which is incredible."

"Why incredible?"

"She's never really dated anyone before," Hy answered. "She's so shy, and not very confident, you know?"

"But you're not sure if she's dating someone or not?" John felt slightly guilty to be pumping Hyacinth about Clementine, but since he couldn't be with her, talking about her was the next best thing.

Hyacinth shook her head. "We usually tell each other stuff, but she's shy, like I said, likes to keep things to herself for a bit before sharing. She'll tell me eventually." She sounded confident.

"So I wonder what kind of guy your sister would date?" John let the question dangle.

"Hm. Well, he's probably into books and art and all that, like her, probably a shy, quiet guy?" Hyacinth hazarded a guess. "I'm guessing someone she goes to school with." She looked at John. "Why all the interest in who Clemmy might be dating?"

John shrugged. "No reason, it's just that I haven't seen her in a while, and I enjoyed her company."

"Well, it sounds like you might get to see her again sooner than you thought," Hyacinth told him as their food arrived.

"Yeah? Why's that, then?"

"Remember that artist from the gallery opening? Anastasia something? She asked Clem to make the jacket for her?"

John nodded as he ate his excellent swordfish.

"Well, she seemed to take a real shine to our Clementine, because she wants to have some sort of get together with you, me, Clem, and some other friends of hers at her studio. She said 'not a party, only a few people, nothing fancy,' something like that. Isn't that amazing?"

"Why amazing?"

Hyacinth shrugged her elegant shoulders. "I don't know, it's just that Anastasia is supposed to be a big deal, a real up and comer in the art world, and she decides she likes Clem, of all people."

"Why wouldn't she like Clem? Your sister was very nice, you know."

Hyacinth laughed. "Oh, I know, I love her to pieces, but she's so shy and unprepossessing, I just don't think of her in terms of how other people see her, that's all. She's just Clem, my twin sister."

"Well, I'm looking forward to this 'not a party' at Anastasia's, that's all I can say," John said.

"Oh, me too, me too, don't get me wrong." Hyacinth said as she cut another piece of steak. She looked around and raised her shoulders slightly.

"Are you cold?" John asked immediately. "Want to wear my cardie?"

"Would you mind?" Hyacinth asked. "I wore sleeveless, even though it's always so cold in these restaurants."

"Course not, here." John shrugged out of it and passed it over to Hyacinth, who slipped her arms gratefully through the sleeves.

John made it through the rest of the meal without giving anything away regarding his interest in Hyacinth's sister by keeping the conversation on safe topics.

"So what do you think you'll work on after this picture?" Hyacinth asked as she ate her dessert.

"I'm not sure. I might put out an album," John replied. "I've been writing a lot of music lately, and no one's offered me any interesting scripts, so—"

"Ooh, a new album, how great!"

"What about you? Anything in the works?" John asked politely.

Hyacinth nodded as she ate her sorbet with fruit. "I start another movie in the spring, a mystery set in England. I'm really excited about it."

"Hy, do you do anything but work?" John asked with a laugh.

She, too, laughed, shaking her blonde hair back. "I figure I should make hay while the sun shines, right? I'm in demand now, I need to take advantage. What will I do when I get all wrinkled and old and no one wants to hire me anymore?"

"But you're a talented actress," John objected. "You'll get work, regardless of your age or looks, don't you think?"

"John, that's so sweet, but look around. It's a different world for actresses in Hollywood. When's the last time you saw Meg Ryan in anything?"

"What about Meryl Streep?" John countered.

"Yeah, she's the one people bring up, but believe me, she's the exception, not the rule." Hyacinth shook her head again. "No, I need to take advantage of this face and this body while I can."

"That's a very cynical view, I must say."

Hyacinth shrugged. "It's my reality," she said with finality.

John thought about Clementine and how fresh life seemed with her, how dewy her outlook was on everything.

It was like night and day.

They were photographed again when leaving the restaurant, and Hy stopped to give the photographers a chance to get some good ones.

"You want to catch a movie or something?" Hyacinth asked after they were in the car.

"No, I'm really knackered, I'm sorry," he answered shaking his head.

"We could always watch a movie at my house, if you like, that way it won't matter if you fall asleep?"

John shook his head again. "No, thanks, but I'd be the worst company, and our call is so early tomorrow morning, you know?"

Hyacinth nodded, and they got in the car for the ride home.

When they got to Hyacinth's house, John walked her up to the porch and kissed her on the cheek, hugging her back when she put her arms around him. Again he noticed the subtle smell of expensive perfume.

He tossed his cardigan in the hamper as soon as he got home.