Chapter 3 - ruby

Josh often changed his staff. There was various reasons, but it was often because they could not keep up with the fast pace, disagreed with his drug taking wanted a holiday, or got pregnant. Typically they'd last six months. One of his PA's was called Ruby. She had completed several stints with him. She usually had to leave to spend time with her family. She was fifteen years older than him, small, petite and elfin like, but had vim inside her as well. It was not good to get on the wrong side of her ire. Josh often looked forward to her taking over because he knew she would have everything running without a hitch. If problems occurred, which would happen, she always had a solution.

Ruby stepped into the beach yet again when his old PA got pregnant. He was relieved it was her. She did not need any training up. She knew exactly what the job entailed.
She had seen Josh grow from being a fresh faced youngster, still a bit green and naive to being a confident, yet conceited young man. This time he was older, knew what was expected of him in the job world, but he looked jaded. When the cameras were on he could still turn it on, still looked fresh, still looked terrific, but in private moments he was tired. He was needing a lot more cocaine more regularly these days just to keep going. He needed to slow down or take a break, but he was furious at her even suggesting it.
That was another thing... it could be the tiredness or it could be the drugs, but he was definitely more crotchety than he used to be. He'd get annoyed at the least bit thing. It saddened her to see him like that. She knew if he did not do something, he would be heading for a fall. Sometimes he put himself in precarious positions just for a good shot. If he lost concentration, just for a second... well she could not bear to think what would happen to him.
She made some adjustments to his diary, giving him at least two completely free days a week, but he complained that he was not getting enough work. He had bills to pay! He could not afford to slow down.
Ruby had some phone calls to make. She was always making calls. There was nothing unusual in that. But these calls would force him to slow down.
She had suggested a stint in rehab, to take a month or so to recover, then get back on the road. Rehab to Josh was a dirty word. He did not need it. He was fine. He had everything under control, he sniffed. Sure he had a few small holes in his nasal septum, but that was an acceptable side effect of the work that he had to do. It wasn't like they were visible signs of his drug use. No he was fine. Fine, fine, fine! Could not be better!