Chapter 121

"Wow! This is amazing. Like truly bad ass." Pearl said as they pulled up to the side of the house. "I thought you said this was a condo?" She asked.

"It's more like a duplex. Sort of." Rhys said, showing her around. "This is first time I've stayed here since I gutted it and the renovation was completed. I bought the statue in New York over three years ago. I hired a decorator but he was back and forth a lot. All the furniture is 1972 or earlier, except for the chaise." Rhys explained. The house was large and shaped like an L. Each side faced a different part of the hills and Rhys's side was right above the Hollywood sign. Each section had a separate pool and landscaped yard with a large stone privacy wall between them. There were floor to ceiling windows on the back patio and looked like it was built in the 1960s. A giant fireplace took up and entire wall in the living room, and it had a floating brick mantle and hearth. The living room opened up out onto the patio with large windows for walls. There was a fireplace outside as well and a living area with a sectional seating area and lush plants and flowers. There were two bedrooms and two baths. The decor was retro with teal and yellow colors and standing lamps and a large statue stood in the corner. The kitchen was small and had vintage dark wood cabinets and what looked like the original laminate dark orange counter top. The bedrooms where decorated with vintage dressers and beds, and the master had a vanity with a large round mirror and the bedrooms had bright colored bedding and wood paneled walls. It was pure vintage awesomeness.

"Why don't we live here??" Pearl asked him.

"You'll find out why soon enough." He said.

"Who lives next door.?" She asked.

"No one." He said.

"So who owns it?" She walked to the front of the house and toward the other side.

"I own it."'he said. "We own it. It's a rental. I let friend use it and case members sometimes. An actor rented it from me for a year when he went though a divorce." Rhys said. Pearl looked inside and it was much simpler than the other part. Just a couch and a coffee table.

"We could remodel it and make it all one house?" She asked

"Maybe. I don't think we will be out here enough for that." He said, kissing her forehead.

He led her back into the main house master bedroom to unpack. "I'll be at the pool. Come see me when you're done." He said and left her to settle.

The bathroom was small and had olive green tile surrounding the tub and shower with a glass sliding door. It was all original, she could tell. She changed into her bikini and pulled her long hair up into a top knot. She looked at herself in the mirror. She had lost a lot of weight. She hadn't been eating regularly being so busy and with all she had going on. She turned to the side and she could see her ribs and pelvic bones sticking out. It scared her a little. She was sure she was under a hundred pounds now. She decided the first order of business after swimming was to go to the best place in town and pig out.

Pearl grabbed a drink from the kitchen and walked though the large slider door and onto the patio. She saw Rhys standing by the pool, talking to someone. "Pearl, meet Keanu. He is our neighbor. Keanu, Pearl." Pearl shook his hand, dumbstruck. "Congrats on the marriage. I really enjoyed your first single. And the Stones performance at the Underground... I heard Mick himself was blown away." Pearl was sure her jaw was on the ground. "Thank you so much. You saw my performance?"

She asked.

"It's viral, Pearl. Everyone has probably watched it by now. It was on E news." Rhys said, laughing.

"Oh. I didn't know." She said. "Can I get you a drink?" Pearl asked.

"No. I can't stay. But I'm glad to see some life here. Welcome back, bro." He said to Rhys and walked down the driveway.

"Did he just 'bro' you?" Pearl asked.

Rhys laughed, "Yes, I guess he did."

She walked toward him and said "I thought we were swimming?" And promptly pushed him into the pool.