Page 39 of Hello Darling
11
Evan
This is the life. I haven’t felt as relaxed as I have this past week for…more than two decades? Is that possible? Since before I graduated from acting academy. Always working, always meeting people, always on my best behavior with the people I meet, even when it’s like talking to a cardboard cutout of a human being. It’s exhausting. I’ve been sleeping so soundly, and waking up excited each morning, knowing I’ll have the chance to see Stella. Except this morning, actually, it’s that feeling of the day before the school year starts.
My stunt trainer is getting into town today. Beginning tomorrow, for five days, I’ll be spending five hours a day with him at the gym. Soon there will be wardrobe fittings and make up and lighting tests. The director will want to hang out when he’s here next week. The other actors. I’ll have to start doing press again. My publicist keeps nudging me to Tweet or Instagram so people know that I’m happily getting on with my life, but I don’t want the world to intrude upon my happiness yet.
The echoes of Chet’s barking keep me from slipping into the state of mild anxiety that usually precedes a film shoot. Stella has re-emerged with the dog, and is trying to dampen his excitement just as she tries to dampen mine. I hope she has more luck with the Labradoodle. I have no intention of giving up on her.
As for her wonderful brothers, we get on so well, it’s only a matter of time and a few more beers before we start humping each other’s legs. They’ve been very understanding about not posting pictures of me with the fish I’ve caught, but the photo that Stella took of the three of us guys holding up our fresh catch is now the home screen image on my phone.
While Stella crouches on deck, holding Chet’s leash and trying to keep him from noticing the sea otters that are swimming by, Keaton and Billy start asking me first date questions.
“You got brothers or sisters?”
“Neither, unfortunately. Only child. Fair number of cousins, though. I’ve always loved being around other people’s families.”
“Yeah, we’re awesome to be around,” Billy laughs at his dumb joke.
“You are, in fact.”
“Enh. Some days are better than others. Your parents back in England?”
“Yes. Well, they’ve always been based in London, but they both travel quite a lot. Since before they had me. I think they’re both in different parts of the world right now, actually.”
“Oh, they aren’t together?”
“No they are, very much so, but their work often keeps them apart. My father’s a cultural anthropologist and my mum’s an art historian. They’re always off to foreign lands for research projects when they’re on sabbatical. It used to be a lot of fieldwork, or giving presentations at conferences, when I was growing up.”
“Like where?” asks Keaton, the quiet one.
I don’t need to tell them how many times I was the new boy in school. They don’t need to know that that’s why I have this annoying need and facility for being liked by everyone. I don’t need to explain this to Stella, because I have a feeling she can figure all that out for herself. “Well, my mother’s all over Europe, but my dad’s interested in coastal societies all over the world.”
“He should study us!” says Billy, laughing.
“I think he’d love it here, actually.” I glance over at Stella, who is doing a very good job of looking like she isn’t listening to this conversation at all. But I see how her body shifts when I mention my dad liking it here. I see how her head tilts, like she’s sifting through the information she’s just received, categorizing and analyzing it. It doesn’t even make me uncomfortable. She finally turns to face me, slow blinking like a cat who’s giving me her blessing.
“Sounds like a fancy family.”
I won’t mention that the reason they could afford to be academics is because my father’s family is filthy rich. “Not necessarily. I mean, my parents are academics, but from my grandparents’ generation on back, on my mother’s side, it’s mostly the blue-collar sort, as you’d call it here. Fishermen in Cornwall, for example.”
“So that’s how you know how to fish?”
“It is. My grandad used to take me angling. Sadly, his arthritis prevents it now.”
“That and the fact that you’re a big time movie star.”
“Oh, I don’t think being a big time movie star necessarily prevents me from doing anything.” I make sure Stella hears this. “It just prevents a lot of people from expecting me to be interested in certain things, like fishing. Which is why I really appreciate you asking me along.”
Right on cue, Chet starts barking at the otters and Stella takes him inside to the salon.
“You get to see your parents much?”
“Not as much as I’d like. We’re all busy, but we Skype regularly and I bring my mum as my date to premieres whenever she’s available.”
“Nice.”
“That’s cool. That’s nice.” Billy stares out at the water for a bit, before continuing. “Our mom died back when I was in high school. Stella had just graduated.”
