Page 2 of Cinematic Destinies
“Finn, do you really think life just waits for us? Love is inconvenient. It doesn’t oblige our schedules. It requires an open heart and I’m just not sure if . . .”
“Hey,” he whispered, stroking her cheek. “She’ll find her way.”
“I worry about Albert too. My shy, quiet, gentle Albert. He must get lonely, all the way on the other side of the country. We’ve always been so close, but lately when we FaceTime, I can’t tell if he’s happy. I look into his soft blue eyes and . . .” She trailed off.
“He’s just a late bloomer. I know you were hoping he’d move back home after school, but going to Boston was good for him. The animation classes he’s taking this summer along with his art degree will open a lot of doors. It’s good for him to explore different ways to use his talent. More importantly, he’s finding out who he is.”
“I hope so.” She glanced over at the vase. “Then there’s our little wildflower, Georgia. She spends her life flittingfrom one place to the next, no roots, no real home base, one casual lover after the other.”
“Sounds like someone I know, my bohemian bride,” he said with a chuckle.
“Don’t start with that.”
“Ella, you and Georgia have always been so much alike. It’s why you’re at odds sometimes. She inherited your sense of humor, free spirit, wanderlust. The universe was damn clear because she’s even your spitting image.”
“Don’t blame me. You’re the actor. She’s following in your footsteps.”
“Baby, she’s just adventurous. That comes from you. It’s one of the things I fell in love with. Remember in the beginning how afraid you were of truly giving yourself to me? You were terrified I’d try to tame you, when all I wanted in the world was to love you.” Finn took her face in both his hands and leaned his forehead against hers, lingering for a long intimate moment. He pulled back and kissed her passionately, weaving his fingers into her hair. “That’s still all I want, to love you,” he whispered, nibbling on her earlobe.
Ella wrapped her arms around him and softly said, “Love me right now. Take me to our room.”
BETTY WALKED INTO THE RESIDENTS’ LOUNGE,chugging a bottle of water.
“Hey, you’re still here?” Khalil asked, sitting up from the bench he was sprawled out on.
“The delivery took forever. I felt sorry for the mother. But when she held her newborn, she seemed to forget all about the labor,” Betty replied, tossing her empty bottle in the recycling bin and opening her locker.
“Best part of OB-GYN, right? We get to be a part of a lot of happy endings,” he said.
She smiled. “Or happy beginnings, really. What are you still doing here? Didn’t your shift end hours ago?”
“Oh, uh, just thought I’d stick around a bit,” he stammered.
“Suit yourself,” she said with a shrug.
Khalil watched as Betty stretched her arms, extending her tall, lean frame. She pulled the scrunchie out of her hair, releasing wavy blonde locks down to the middle of her back, and took a small roller suitcase out of her locker.
“You must be looking forward to seeing your family,” he remarked.
She nodded. “My folks have been asking us to visit for so long. I feel bad because I do miss them, but you know what our lives are like. No time for anything.”
“Yeah, we’ve really got to find a way to have a life,” he muttered.
“Georgia’s probably gonna be going on and on about her next film and whatever rando she’s been sleeping with. She dates guys for like five minutes. Honestly, I don’t see the point. I’d rather just be at home soaking in a warm bath doing a crossword.” Khalil took a breath like he was going to respond, but she continued, “So, do you have big plans this weekend? Finally going to catch a Broadway play?”
He shook his head. “Doing a double. Figured without you here to kick my ass in Scrabble and overindulge on international takeout, I might as well get in the extra hours.”
She smiled and started toward the door, wheeling her suitcase behind her.
“You’re leaving straight from here?” he asked.
“Uh-huh. I brought my stuff just in case. Figured I might not have time to go home,” she replied.
“Don’t you want to change into street clothes?”
“No time,” Betty said. “My dad sent his jet, and I’m already barely going to make the departure time. We’re stopping in Boston on the way to LA to pick up my brother, so I can’t be late.”
“Well, if anyone can rock blue scrubs and black clogs, it’s you,” Khalil said.
