I take my bike around to the side entrance where Cara is waiting for me.
"Hello missy Wanda, how are you?"
"Not as lovely as you, Cara." I give her a little nudge as we make our way through to the garden. She giggles and shakes her head at me.
The back garden is bigger than my whole estate back in England. The lawn is the same lush green as the front and in the middle there is a large rectangular pool surrounded by patio. I haven't brought any equipment today as we are concentrating on using body weight and finishing with some yoga.
The session goes well. The enormity of where I am and what I'm doing hits me as it has done every few days since I arrived. It was less than a year ago when I left university with a flabby beer belly and unruly hair. Now I'm working in LA as a trainer to a movie star. The air is still and warm and I take a deep breath as we begin our Salutation to the Sun on the grass, which is actually real by the way.
The last fifteen minutes of our session I take Madeline through some facial exercises. We place our ring fingers just below the middle of our eyebrows and hold gently whilst opening and closing our eyes. She is amazed at the instant effect it has on opening the eyelid when I show her in the mirror. After much gurning and pulling-of-face we head back to the kitchen for a health shot.
"Right Madeline, I have a list of foods you should be including in your diet. Shall we go over them?"
"Why? I don't do the cooking."
"Oh, do you have a chef?"
"Yes his name's Dimitri."
"Where is he? I should speak to him."
"On holiday this week but he'll be back."
"So who is making your meals this week?"
"My daughter, Katherine, comes over most evenings or I eat on set in my trailer; they have a chef."
I look at my list and think. "Well they will all need a copy. Do you have a photocopy machine I could use?"
"Of course, there's one in the den. Just through those doors to the right. Can you find it yourself, I must take a shower?"
"I'm sure I'll manage."
I follow Madeline's instructions but must admit to dawdling so I can take in the wonderful decor. I find the den, which is white and cream with two sofas full with leopard print and orange cushions. In the centre overlooking the garden is a pale wood desk with a laptop and printer, which look like they have never been used. I assume the copier is similar to the one in the gym and I lift the top panel to reveal a document that has been left there. I try not to look but as I turn it over and see the headed paper I sigh; it's a copy of the medical information on a facial procedure Madeline has booked.
I spent hours researching facial exercises and she's going to take the easy route! I decide to be the plucky girl she thinks I am and bravely walk back into the hall.
"Madeline!"
Madeline appears at the top of the stairs with a towel in her hand.
"I know I shouldn't have looked but it was in the photocopier." I hold up the booking form.
Madeline's shoulders drop. "I have to do something, Wanda, you're young and beautiful, you don't understand ..."
"I understand you're taking the easy way out. You're a stunning woman and—"
"He's taking her to Rome," she says, flatly.
"Who's taking who to Rome?"
Madeline takes a deep breath and releases it before meeting me at the bottom of the stairs. "Aaron is taking Francine to Rome; that's always been our special place. He's never coming back to me; I know that now." A tear falls gently onto her cheek without her face even moving – just like in the movies.
Okay, now I feel bad. I'm not sure what to say so I move in to give her a hug but she snaps out of her funk.
"Well, that's that I suppose. I'll be fine," she says before turning on the stair as her towel swishes the air. "Perhaps I'll go after her ex-husband: he's the director on the film I'm working on. She wanted my role but he turned her down."
"Is that why she went after your husband?"
"No," she says stopping and smiling, "but that's why I went after her role in this film." She winks and makes her way back upstairs.
I'm left feeling bewildered but manage a last word. "Are you going to cancel your appointment?" There is a few seconds of silence before I hear a soft, "Okay fine, I'll cancel my appointment."
I smile in triumph as I head to the front door. I may be getting the hang of this working with celebrities' malarkey.