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Twelve years have passed, and a part of me wants to experience that feeling again, exactly as it was.
I almost never wear makeup, but I make an exception this morning. I put on an understated but form-fitting charcoal sweater dress that doesn’t make it look like I tried too hard.
My schedule for the day is packed. After contacting a director, scheduling a casting call, and confirming some dates for a premiere, I head to the meeting room to catch up with Sophie and Clarence. I’m a little early. They’re a little late. As usual. It leaves me just enough time to daydream about the next part of the movie that only exists in my head: When will I run into Vadim again? Will he even speak to me? Will I melt all over again?
“Here’s a coffee to make up for being late…” Sophie says, handing it to me.
Clarence arrives a moment later, out of breath and disheveled, his files in a mess. “Someone I don’t even know at the office just told me I was the spitting image of Idris Elba. I think she was trying to be nice, but all I could manage to say in response was that I’m twenty years younger than that guy and I still look like a zombie thanks to my teething nine-month-old. So, take a good look at me, both of you. I swear on your lives he’s going to be an only child. Never again!”
“It’s going to be okay, Clarence,” I reassure him. “Take a few days off if you need to.”
“A few years, you mean? I’ll need at least that long…” he grumbles.
“So, are we having this meeting or what?” Sophie presses, suddenly in a hurry.
“Yes, boss,” I reply, sarcastically. “Clarence, do you have the trailer shot sequence for I Love You a Little, a Lot, Madly?”
“I sent it to you right before I came here.”
“Perfect. Have all the key shots been chosen? Can we go ahead with this?”
“We’re not changing anything else.”
“Great, thanks. Sophie, any news on Invasions?”
“Yeah, the budget allocation seems sufficient.”
“Seems, or…?”
“The quotes have been approved; it’ll work. And according to the schedule, we have plenty of time. Everything is on track!”
“Good news! Wilson will be happy. Well, let’s say satisfied.”
“And even that will be a miracle…” Clarence sighs. “Have you noticed that he’s gotten even more tense since King has been around? He has ten hissy fits a day for no reason at all.”
“Speaking of King, do you know when he’s going to pay us another visit?”
“Sophie, can you stop obsessing over him? He’s all anyone was talking about this morning… Does he really have that much of an effect on women?” our colleague grumbles.
“On women, on men… I think even the coffee machines sigh when he walks by,” Sophie jokes. “I’ve never come across a guy who’s that magnetic! Alma, don’t you agree?”
I stammer, caught off guard. “Uh, yes… He is… pretty good-looking.”
“I did some digging. He isn’t married. And the good news is, you aren’t either!” She laughs.
Inside, I fall apart.
“Alma Lancaster, not you too!” Clarence exclaims. “Has this guy put some kind of spell on you or what?”
“No, don’t be ridiculous! Stop it, both of you!”
Comeback: zero points.
Sophie suddenly gives Clarence a nudge that’s sharp enough to make him jump.
“Shit! We’re going to be late for the screening!”
***
