Page 55 of After the Red Carpet
“First of all, you went to town on that olive tapenade,” Marni rebuffed, giving him the side-eye. “Second, whatcan I say? I’m a realist. Besides, take a look around. We’re basically having this discussion in Prince Charming’s castle, and Ella’s growing another one of his love children as we speak. I don’t think she’s falling off the romantic love bandwagon anytime soon.”
Ella smiled and touched her belly. “Fear not, I am resistant to the pessimism. These days, I feel especially hopeful.”
“That may be the pregnancy hormones talking,” Marni quipped.
Ella smirked.
“I’m a terrible friend, I admit it. Seriously, how have you been feeling?” Marni asked.
“Never better. I can feel our little one fluttering around. I’ve hardly had the time to write a thing because I want to give Betty as much attention as possible before she has to share me, but I do feel inspired. It’s strange because I used to think of love as something we want for ourselves, but now . . .”
Marni raised her eyebrows.
“I’m not sure. All I do know is that I feel consumed by love, and it’s all directed at my family. Being with them, nurturing them, experiencing life with them.” Ella crinkled her nose and shook her head. “It’s the way I feel most alive.”
“Sounds like you’re an Aristotle girl. He believed that love requires us to focus on what is best for the other, not ourselves. There’s nobility in that, beauty,” Dante said.
“But to do that, he believed we must first love ourselves so that we can best love others,” Jade added.
“Ah, finally something I can get behind,” Marni said. She turned to Ella and asked, “What do you think?”
“Wouldn’t that create a dialectical? If we focus on what’s best for those we love, then they would simultaneously be focusing on what’s best for us. It’s reciprocal,” Ella said.
“When you cut through it all, the question becomes: Is love about focusing on what’s best for others, or should self-love come before all else?” Marni said.
“Maybe that’s not really the question.” Ella leaned back on the sofa. “Perhaps it’s more complicated. I think the question is: When it comes to love, is it even a question of self and other, or something else entirely?”
“Ella, where are you?” Finn called as he came through the door one afternoon.
“Up here,” she replied.
Finn bounded up the stairs and found her in their bedroom closet. “Hi, sweetheart,” he said.
“Hey, you,” she said, smiling brightly.
“What are you doing?”
“Organizing the closet. Now that I’m well into my third trimester,” she replied, patting her growing belly, “it’s time to give up the ghost and put the crop tops in the back. The maternity dresses and jumpers belong up front.”
He smiled faintly. “Where’s Betty?”
“At a playdate. The sitter should be bringing her home in about an hour. I’m a bit surprised to see you; you’re back from the meeting with your agent kind of early.”
He took a deep breath and said, “I need to talk to you, sweetheart.”
“What’s wrong?” she asked, her expression turning serious.
“Come here, love,” he said, taking her hand and leading her to the love seat.
“Finn, you’re scaring me. What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, baby,” he said, stroking her cheek. “Two days ago, a man claiming to be your father contacted my agent in an attempt to get in touch with you.” Her eyes went wide as he continued, “I didn’t want to say anything until we had confirmed whether it was really him. His story checks out. He’s your father.”
“Oh my God,” she mumbled. Her eyes fell to her lap and she sat perfectly still, processing what she’d heard. After a long moment passed, she looked into Finn’s eyes and asked, “Do you know what he wants?”
“Only that he wants to see you. He claims he’s been trying to get in touch with you for over a year. His messages probably got mixed up with my fan mail.”
“Do you have a way to contact him?”
