Page 53 of The Location Shoot
“What do you mean?”
“The truth is, I’ve never been with someone who I wanted to share everything with. Don’t misunderstand: unlike you, I desperately wanted to find a life partner. It’s probably why I’ve tried to make relationships work even when I’ve known they don’t. But even though I’ve had longer relationships than you have, we’re more similar than I realized. I’ve never really shared the fullness of my life with a woman. Wanting you by my side shows me just how different this is.” He paused, staring at her with total adoration. “Having you here makes it feel . . .”
“What?” she asked, massaging his hand.
“Like everything in my life makes sense. It all fits together. Maybe it’s like the wholeness you’re exploring in your writing. Suddenly, everything in my life works together seamlessly, and I feel . . . serene.”
She leaned forward and planted a soft kiss on his mouth.
“Now, speaking of the opposite of serenity, I should really prepare for today’s shoot. I have quite the blowout with my movie wife.”
“Let me help you run lines.”
Finn smiled and handed her his script.
ELLA SAT IN JEAN’S DIRECTOR’S CHAIR,watching the actors find their marks. Jean yelled, “Rolling . . . Action!”
Having just stormed out of the party and into one of the nearby bedrooms, Finn was downing a whiskey when Charlotte cautiously touched his back. He flung her away. “Darling, please calm down,” she pleaded.
“Leave me alone. Go back to the damn party.”
“This is your family. I’m only here for you,” she said.
“He’s a smug old bastard. He’s never appreciated anything I’ve done for this so-called family. None of them do. He’ll hold on to the strings of his empire until he’s below ground.”
“Darling, I know the wounds run deep, but this is your family and it’s a celebration. There’s a ballroom full of guests. For appearances, we should probably . . .”
He turned to face her, contempt across his face. “Appearances?” he groaned with a loud huff. “Yes, I know all about your concern for appearances. Why else would you keep up this sham of a marriage if it weren’t forappearances?” he seethed, guzzling the rest of his whiskey and slamming the glass down on the bureau.
She stepped back and softly said, “You’ve had too much to drink. You don’t mean that. Pull yourself together so we can . . .”
“So we can what?” he raged. “So we can go back to pretending? You don’t give a fuck about how things are, only how they look. Well, I’m done keeping up the charade.” Hedropped down in a chair in the corner of the room, hung his head, and ran his hands through his hair. After a long moment passed, he looked up and said, “How did I end up with someone so frigid? No wonder you’re barren. What could ever live inside an icicle like you?”
Tears flooded her eyes and began spilling down her cheeks. In a faint voice, she whispered, “How can you say something so cruel?”
He inhaled deeply, rose, and put his hands on her shoulders. He softened his voice and said, “I’m sorry. That was awful. You’re right. We should go back to the party.”
She looked at him through a haze of tears, a lifetime of shattered dreams in her haunted eyes.
“Cut!” Jean hollered.
Charlotte wiped her eyes. An assistant handed her a tissue, and Maja darted over to touch up her face. When she was camera-ready, Jean yelled, “Good job. Let’s do it again. Places. Rolling . . . Action!”
At the end of the fourth take, Charlotte crumpled over, sobbing uncontrollably. Finn put his hand on her back to comfort her, but she looked up, murmured, “I’m sorry,” and ran out of the building. Everyone looked at each other in stunned silence, unsure of what to do.
Jean and Ella hurried over to Finn. “What the hell? Is she still in character?” Jean asked. “Damn method actors.”
“That wasn’t acting,” Ella said.
“Maybe my performance was too much. I feel terrible,” Finn said. “Someone should check on her. I can go.”
Ella put her hand on his wrist. “It might be better if a woman went. Let me go.”
Jean and Finn both nodded, and Ella set off to find Charlotte.
When Ella stepped outside, she saw Charlotte standing with her back to her, her face upturned toward the sun.“I don’t want to disturb you, but I wanted to see if you’re all right.”
Charlotte sniffled, wiped her face, and turned toward her. “Thank you. I needed some air. I’m so embarrassed.”
