Page 115 of Out of the Gold

Judith inhales. “I’m honored.” She pauses. “I accept.”

Charles and I exchange glances. Noble continues, “I’ll have the contract drawn up. Now, if all this unpleasantness is behind us, I’d like to finish upDoctor Manipul8.” He claps as if to say “break,” and stalks toward the director chair.

The rest of us remain in place, speechless. I stop myself from flinging into Charles’s arms. It’s over. Helene’s been exposed. She’s gone.

Sophia starts to collect her equipment, and Mark jumps in to help her. Charles takes a couple of steps backward and I follow. He whispers, “I want to fuck you so hard right now.”

His crude words bring a smile to my face. “Looks like that will have to wait. Right now, the hot Doctor has a movie to finish.”

“You better be ready.”

“Oh, I am.”

We part ways. Returning to my seat, I take a deep breath. I can’t believe Helene would go to such terrible lengths to hurt me and boost her own career. Still, I can’t shake her comment that I only got the job because of my dad.

Judith sits down. “I haven’t missed how hard you work, Melody. Thank you for always being ten steps ahead.”

I incline my head.

“I want to offer you a choice. I can’t imagine doing a movie without you at my side. Yet I know the HBO show needs a steady, capable hand. So, it’s up to you. Which position do you prefer?”

This is the moment about which I’ve been dreaming for years. The lead costume designer onLadies of the Abbeyor Judith’s assistant on Noble’s next films? For me, the choice has already been made. I should be feeling joy, but old insecurities about my dad have resurfaced. They’re never far away.

I lick my lips. Instead of answering her question, I ask my own. “Are you asking the daughter of Braxton Hunte for the notoriety it’ll bring, or are you asking Melody Hunte?”

I hold my breath.

“You’ve never been anyone else to me except for Melody.” She leans forward. “Your parentage never figured into my equation.”

Tears well up. “But the press release when I was hired—”

“Was done by HBO’s PR team. No, Melody. I never would’ve hired you if you weren’t qualified. And I’d say a degree from NYU made you eminently qualified.”

Air rushes out of my body. I earned my position all on my own. Still. “And now, you’re asking because Helene is gone and there’s no one else?”

Judith shakes my shoulders. “Listen to me, young lady. Do you know how many costume designers there are? I could snap my fingers and have a stack of qualified résumés on my desk in the morning. No, this is not some pity ask, if that’s what you’re thinking. You’ve proven yourself time and again. Even here, when Helene tried to ruin the Doctor Manipul8 costume, you had a backup all ready to go. Only an experienced designer would’ve thought to do that.”

Her words warm my heart. Before I can respond, she continues, “And another thing. Before all this came out, right when I was put in the running for Noble’s movies, IknewI wanted you to be my right-hand. My only real issue was figuring out a way to tell Helene. You’re young, yes, but you have a great head on your shoulders, killer instincts, and fantastic work ethic. I haven’t seen such a combination in a designer since, well, me.” She grins.

I blink. “Really?”

She removes her hands. “Yes. Really. Now the question remains. Do you want to stay in television, or do you want to join me in this exciting world of movies?”

This is happening. And I made it so. “You know I love you, right, Judith?”

“What’s not to love?”

I huff a laugh at her attempt to interject levity into the situation. “Nothing. I admire your career and the steps you’ve taken. I’ve learned so much from you. As between your two amazing offers, though, I have a clear preference.” I wave to the set. “While all this is challenging, I much prefer the family we’ve created on the show. I’d love to take over your position on HBO.”

She snaps. “Done. I will recommend to the brass you become the lead costume designer onLadies of the Abbey. Although, I admit I’ll miss working with you.”

Inside I scream, “I got the job.” Outwardly, I beam at my almost-former boss. “And I you.”

Noble yells, “Quiet on the set! This is the last scene to be shot, and before we start, I want to say thank you for all of your hard work. This hasn’t been an easy time for any of us, and I appreciate everything you all have done to wrap up the Doctor Manipul8 trilogy. Now, let’s get rolling.”

While they film several takes of the scene during which Doctor Manipul8 kills Mr. A—poor Mark dies over and over again—I squirm in my seat, hardly able to contain my excitement. I want to tell Charles, my parents, Sophia, and everyone on the show. I start plans about certain changes I’ve been contemplating.

Lost in my thoughts, I’m shocked when Noble yells, “CUT! That’s a wrap!!”

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