CHAPTER 17 (3.5pp, double spaced, Times New Roman)

On June 23, 2011, I began writing a novel about a woman who starts a film company to trick actors into killing the man responsible for the deaths of her husband and children.


CHAPTER 17


With coffee in their hands, Laura looked at him. He kept his eyes down.

She couldn't imagine what he was feeling, never having lost someone. A part of her wanted to push him to talk, but she knew he'd resent it. She also wanted to hold him, but this wasn't the time; he'd just pull away.

When her cell rang, she widened her eyes. Fuck! she thought when it rang again and she was still hunting for it, What'd I do with it?

His hand and her cell appeared on the periphery of her vision. She shakily took it, peeking at him to find him staring at her; it unnerved her when he did that. Grabbing it she turned away from him.

"Hello?" she whispered.

"Laura? This is Mrs. H. We need to talk about your future at FlyRize. Does 2p work?"

"I-"

"Great, see you then."

Biting her lip, Laura took a breath and turned around. He wasn't there anymore, or in the kitchen or upstairs. When she looked outside and saw his car gone, she let out and "Uh!" and crossed her arms; he hadn't given her a key yet.

After an hour she returned to the living room, fidgeting. At almost 2p she gave up. Calling a taxi, she left, hoping that no one broke in before she returned; more, that he wouldn't be back before her.

Sitting in front of Mrs. H, Laura wondered why she'd been called in. Did I do something wrong? she wondered.

"I want you to know that I think you have a lot of potential," Mrs. H said.

Laura startled at that, looking up at Mrs. H, her eyes bright. Hold it together, she told herself.

"But I don't think the role of Elitsa is right for you."

"I-"

"It's not that I don't think you'd make a great Elitsa, but it's a very demanding role. It requires great commitment," Mrs. H said, taking a breath, "I'm not sure you can handle it."

"No, I can," Laura insisted, "I'll do anything. Just tell me what you need me to do."

"Be honest, do you think you can erase everything in your life and just be Elitsa? Because I've noticed that in some of your prep work you've been losing focus. I need you 100%."

"It's just there's been a lot of big stresses, you know?"

"I suspected as much, but, at FlyRize, I expect my actors to rise above. That's what separates the greats from everyone: they aren't afraid to commit. Do you understand what I mean by commit?"

"I think so," Laura responded, her brows furrowed.

"Then you need to show me. I'll give you one more week to prove to me that you can be Elitsa."

Laura tried the door first, but found it locked. When he didn't answer her knocking, she rang the doorbell.

He scared her when he showed up at the door. Splotchy in face and with his hair spiked in the front, he stared at her for several minutes, not moving from where he stood.

Finally, he croaked, "Where did you go?"

She took a step closer, but still he wouldn't move. Reaching her hand out to him, she stopped when he turned his head away from her.

"I had to go to work."

"You should have left a note."

"I'm sorry."

"I thought you were dead."

 "Oh, baby," she said, pushing past hesitation to hold him to her.

At first he just creased his brows. Then he pulled her in and closed the door, holding her but with his head away from her.

When the top of her head touched his neck, he looked down at her as if she were a specimen. Smelling her perfume he leaned closer, soaking her in, a tear sliding from his cheek to her shoulder.