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I’m afraid to ask, but I do "Mom in her room?"
Her head inclines towards the master suite "Sí, in her room" Shit I can tell by her tone what that ives the impression of a cozy personal library, which is accurate, I suppose Mo shelves house an enviable selection of books and very few knickknacks or framed photos I drop into one of two plush leather chairs; she sits in the other, an open book on her lap, an elass in her hand, her eyes unfocused on the darkened
"Mom?" I don’t have to actually ask the question
She looks at " The tears are in her voice, even if they aren’t on her face
"Got held up with a case, I guess" The words are sour in my mouth and I don’t even knohy I said them If his absences and last-minute cancellations were infrequent, his recurrent justifications would work But they aren’t, and they don’t "Co ready We can enjoy it without him" I try to keep the bitterness out of ry," she says, and I want to shake her How can his behavior possibly surprise her now? This is his deet it, but I don’t give a shit anymore, and she shouldn’t, either
"Okay" I stand up, hands in pockets, unable to fix this for the o ahead and meet John I’ll tell Iry later" She won’t
"Yes That’s a good idea Thank you, Reid"
I breathe a sigh When she says er--at her, anyway--like she’s pulled a plug I lean down and kiss her before I leave, pretending not to hear when I get into the hallway and she says, "I love you"
E for auditions, she insists on a five-star hotel, as though I’ star No penthouse suite, yet, but I’m sure she has plans
I’s my coffee with creaar in acrystal box My omelet is created to order and served on toile-embossed china If I land this part and achieve the fame and fortune my father wants for me, this could be my life All the time
Just outside the restaurant , a blonde celebrity walks by, surrounded by her entourage Dark sunglasses obscure her face She ducks her head and slides into the back seat of a waiting black Mercedes SUV with black tinted s just as the paparazzi catch up, at least a dozen photographers calling to her
I’ve only been approached by soo, here in LA As my father and I had lunch after an audition, a woman with a toddler in tow approached the table She told hter of a bipolar woman in a television ad for antidepressant meds prompted her to seek help for her depression My father bean your napkin"
The second tio, the result of a minor role in a periodically re-aired Lifetime movie Emily had a choir competition in San Francisco, about ninetyfor the weekend While exploring a tiny indie bookstore, ere approached by a girl
"Hey, were you in that uy who deserted the Rebs to join the Union?" I nodded guardedly, and she continued "Well o to Michigan State, and it’s like he defected to the dark side!" She laid a hand on e to jerk away "My whole family’s pissed! I totally identified with your character, you know?" I nodded, but I didn’t know
Eer who eagerly slung her arm around me and pressed her face to mine I’o now, thanks for watching," Elines in ht, my father and Chloe went out When Chloe knocked on s and full-throttle eyeliner through the peephole Her outfit was itimate top and bottom They returned at 3 aet their key card to open a neighboring door, then , lasses and nurses black coffee She’s not thrilled aboutwall of ith a view of the sunny blue sky on this rare non-hazy day; but it’s the perfect spot to people watch Until Dan arrives to interrogate me about my audition for the enviable role of Lizbeth Bennet opposite Reid Alexander
"In his last filestures animatedly with both hands, his elbows on the table "The director was on the fence between two or three, and I heard that he said ‘I want Allyson’ and she was in" I seriously doubt that even Reid Alexander has that sort of power, but I keep this thought to myself
Dan eyes me closely, as he always does when he is about tofor chemistry This is ‘Darcy and Elizabeth,’ for chrissake" All three of them stare at me Chemistry between the romantic leads What a novel concept
"Uto have cheht? I assume they’ll do callbacks on several--"