The location shoot, p.15
The Location Shoot, page 15
“You do?” she asked, gazing into his eyes.
“Of course I do,” he replied, kissing the top of her head. “All that matters is that we’re together. We can figure out what works best for us. That’s part of the adventure.”
CHAPTER 14
The next morning, Ella and Finn were hanging out in his trailer when he was called to set. As they were walking toward the estate, the door to the makeup trailer flew open and two small children burst out and ran across the grassy field, their blonde ringlets blowing in the breeze. Maja raced after them, hollering in a mix of Swedish and English. Ella and Finn sprinted over to help just as Maja caught up with the kids.
“Who are these little ones?” Ella asked sweetly.
“These are my kids. Astrid is four and a half, and Lars is nearly two. My babysitter had an emergency and sprang them on me fifteen minutes ago. I’ve tried calling everyone I know, but I haven’t found anyone who can take them. I don’t know what to do. I’m expected to be on set all day for touch-ups. If Mr. Mercier finds out, I’m sure I’ll lose my job.”
“I’ll watch them,” Ella said. “And don’t worry about Jean. I can handle him.”
“Oh no, I couldn’t impose on you. I’ll figure something out.”
“Don’t be silly,” Ella insisted, plopping onto the grass. She picked a small dandelion from the ground and handed it to Lars. When she blew on it and the fuzzy white poofs dispersed into the air, he laughed hysterically and fell into her arms. “Again!” he squealed. She picked another dandelion and handed it to him.
Astrid sat beside Ella and said, “You look like a princess.”
“Well, so do you,” Ella replied.
Astrid giggled.
Ella looked up at Maja. “See? We’re already friends.”
Finn smiled widely, taking in the joyful scene.
“Well, maybe you could just watch them for a bit while I keep calling people,” Maja said.
“There’s no need. I love children. We’ll have a splendid day together,” Ella assured her. She laughed at Lars, who was spitting on his dandelion, trying to make the poofs fly into the air. When he finally gave up, she said, “Finn, can we hang out in your trailer?”
“Of course.”
“My babysitter dropped them off with a bag—toys, books, a change of clothes, their lunch, and some snacks,” Maja said.
“Why don’t I grab their things while you get them settled in my trailer?” Finn suggested.
“I don’t know what to say. Thank you both so much,” Maja gushed.
“It’s my pleasure,” Ella replied as she handed both children new dandelions to blow. “We can hang out in Finn’s trailer, play out in the field, maybe pick some berries. We’ll have a great day.”
A few minutes later, Ella, the kids, and their bag were settled in Finn’s trailer. Lars immediately pulled a book out of the bag and pushed it toward Ella. She sat down on the couch, a child on either side of her, and began to read. Finn leaned down to kiss her forehead, and then he and Maja headed off to the set. Before closing the door, he turned around to take one last look at Ella and the kids, adoration and an irrepressible smile on his face.
At two o’clock, Finn returned to the trailer with lunch. When he walked in, Ella was sitting on the couch, her legs outstretched. Astrid was lying beside her, and Lars was curled up on top of her sucking his thumb, both sound asleep.
“Shh . . .” she whispered, holding her finger to her mouth.
He kissed her forehead again and knelt on the floor beside them. “This is the sweetest sight,” he whispered.
“We played outside for ages, and they passed out after I gave them lunch.”
“Maja will be here in a few minutes. She got in touch with her sister, and she’s coming to get them.”
“All right. Let’s let them rest until they have to go,” she said, stroking Lars’s hair.
Soon Maja arrived to collect the children, who were reluctant to leave and smothered Ella with hugs. “Thank you again. You really saved me,” Maja said on her way out.
Finn cozied up beside Ella on the couch. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her softly. “Those kids are crazy about you.”
“They’re adorable. We had fun together,” she said, yawning. “They did wear me out, though. I could use a nap myself. I might head back to the inn after lunch.”
“What do you say we skip the group dinner tonight and do something just the two of us? I can make our excuses with Jean.”
“Okay,” she said, barely able to contain another yawn. “What do you have in mind?”
“A candlelit dinner in your room, maybe a bubble bath in that big clawfoot tub.”
“That sounds romantic.”
“I’ll take care of everything.”
LATER THAT NIGHT, ELLA WAS relaxing in her room when there was a knock on the door. She opened it to find a waiter with a tray. “Mr. Forrester asked me to deliver this. He hired a local chef to prepare a special meal for you two.”
“Oh, wow,” Ella said. “Please come in. You can put it right over there on the table.”
He set the table for their dinner, thoughtfully arranging two plates under silver cloches, an ice bucket with a bottle of champagne, two flutes, and a small vase with brightly colored wildflowers. Then he removed two candlesticks from his pockets, which he placed in holders on the table. He lit the candles and asked, “Is there anything else I can get you, Miss Sinclair?”
“No, thank you so much.”
He turned on his heel and left, closing the door silently behind him.
Ella picked up the vase to smell the flowers but paused when she heard the door open. Finn walked in with an armful of votive candles. “Hi there. I can’t believe you did all this.”
“Hi, sweetheart,” he said, kissing her softly. “It was nothing.”
“The flowers are so beautiful.”
“I’m glad you like them,” he said. “I figured if we had met somewhere else, I would have asked you out on a proper date and I would have brought you flowers.”
“That’s so sweet. What are all those for?” she asked.
“A candlelit bubble bath,” he replied, darting into the bathroom to unload the candles. When he returned, he popped the champagne and they each took a glass.
“What shall we toast to?” she asked.
“To finding the one we love.”
“To finding love.”
They sipped their champagne and Finn said, “Shall we eat? I asked a chef to prepare salmon in caviar sauce.” During their succulent meal, they talked about the film, Ella’s work, and their childhoods, and then Finn put the dinner tray in the hallway and scurried to set up the bath. Soon they were soaking in the tub, surrounded by the soft glow of candlelight. Ella leaned against Finn and sighed contentedly as he wrapped his strong arms around her.
“I thought about you all day today,” he said.
“You did?”
“I couldn’t get the image of you with those kids out of my head. You were such a natural with them.”
“I’m crazy for tiny humans, always have been. I love their curiosity, big imaginations, big emotions. When a toddler is overjoyed, it’s infectious. They can’t contain it and it just oozes out of them. They feel everything so fully, so honestly, with their whole selves.”
“Do you want to have children of your own?”
“Finn . . .”
He squeezed her waist and said, “Have you ever thought about it?”
“Have you?” she asked, turning to face him.
“Ella, I would love to have a family with you someday, when we’re ready. Do you want to have a family with me?”
“Well, yes, but . . .”
“But what, baby?”
“I would want to have children with you, but I wouldn’t want to have them without you.”
“What do you mean?”
“The way I grew up, it just made me not want to do it on my own.”
“You wouldn’t be,” he insisted. “We’d be together. I’m not going anywhere.”
“Finn, there’s more than one way to be alone. You spend your life flying around the world to shoot movies and attend film festivals. Where would that leave me? Alone.”
“Sweetheart, if we choose to have a family someday, some things would obviously change. I’ve been thinking about this since we met, but I didn’t want to bring it up and scare you away by asking too much too soon. But after I saw you today, I thought we could at least talk about it. It’s just a conversation.”
“You’ve been thinking about it all this time?”
“Yes,” he said, gently running his fingers down her arm.
“What have you been thinking about?”
“Well, we could take some time to be alone together, to travel. If we had a child, you would both travel with me to film sets. I can get the studio to rent us a house. We’d hire a nanny and any other kind of help we want so you could write, I could work, and we could all be together. When our oldest is school-age, I would only take jobs in LA, except maybe in the summers when we could all still travel as a family. We could show them the world. Being a husband and father would be my priority. You wouldn’t go to so much as a single doctor’s appointment alone unless you wanted to. If I had to give up acting and be a stay-at-home dad, that’s fine too.”
“Wow. You’ve really thought about this.”
“Well, yeah. I can’t help it. Our future spilled out before me when you told me you love me. But it’s just a fantasy. Sweetheart, there’s no pressure. Until today, I didn’t even know if children were a possibility. If we live our lives together, just the two of us, I’d be perfectly happy.” He planted a soft kiss in her hair.
“Just a fantasy?” she asked.
“Yeah, for now. Do you ever fantasize about our future?”
She nodded.
“Tell me.”
“Well, I always imagined that I’d keep working, but less than I do now. I’d want to spend time with my babies.”
“Babies?” he asked. “How many?”
“Three. Two girls and then a boy. I don’t care about gender, it’s just what I imagine.”
He rubbed her shoulder. “Tell me more.”
“They’d all look like you,” she said.
“Oh, see in my mind, each one of them looks just like you.”
She smiled and he kissed the tip of her nose.
“Keep going,” he said.
“Well, I like your idea of traveling together. I imagined that . . .”
“What, baby?”
“It’s silly,” she said.
“Tell me anyway.”
“Well, it’s just a fantasy, but I can picture us buying a little house in the French countryside for summers and holidays. You know, one of those old stone houses with wooden beams on the ceilings and a wood-burning stove, with plenty of room outside for the kids to roll around in the grass and a space for me to write.” She crinkled her nose and shook her head. “I told you, it’s silly.”
“Not to me. I think it sounds perfect,” he said, kissing her. “So, two girls and a boy, huh? I should warn you, I’ve always liked traditional names, like Emily and Sarah. I’m guessing you gravitate toward more free-spirited names like Lula Belle or Blue Moon. I’m prepared to fight you on this.” He playfully put up his dukes, but she grabbed one of his hands and kissed it.
She laughed. “Actually, I was thinking if we had a girl, maybe we’d call her Betty. It’s completely traditional but modern too. I don’t know. It’s just a thought.”
“Betty, huh? I love it. And you know what else? I love you.” He stopped to stroke the side of her face. “I love you so much, Ella. There’s no fantasy we can’t make a reality if we choose to. Come on, sweetheart. Let’s dry off and slip into bed. I want to show you exactly how I feel about you.”
CHAPTER 15
The evening before the final day of shooting, everyone clambered into the dining room to find Ella and Albie playing a tune together at the piano.
“We got here early, so we were just stealing a little musical moment,” Albie explained.
“That’s right,” Ella said, putting her arm around him.
“Don’t let us stop you,” Jean said. “Play us something, like you did that time in Barcelona.”
Everyone took their seats, and the waiter promptly served their usual drinks.
Ella smiled at Albie. “Shall we? How about our old standby?”
Albie chuckled. “Let’s do it.”
The others sipped their cocktails as the duo played The Beatles’ “In My Life,” giggling at each other the whole time. They finished to a standing ovation. Albie hugged Ella tightly. “Thank you,” he whispered, and they joined their friends.
“That was great, sweetheart,” Finn said as Ella plopped down beside him. “I have a gorgeous piano in my house, but I don’t think it’s ever been played. The decorator suggested it. Now I finally know its purpose.”
She smiled. “I’ve always wanted a piano. Never had one. I don’t get many opportunities to play, but I never miss a chance with Albie. One of his many talents.”
“Life is a whole lot simpler sitting behind the eighty-eight,” Albie said. “Ella and I love playing that song. Though I must say, it’s become a bit more sentimental for me these days.” He picked up his bourbon and slowly took a sip.
Ella looked at him and smiled warmly. “Go on,” she said.
Albie nodded. “There’s something I want to tell you all.” He paused and took a breath before continuing. “Tomorrow’s shoot will be my last.”
“Are you retiring?” Charlotte asked.
“From life, I’m afraid,” he replied.
The mood in the room instantly turned serious.
Jean asked, “The cancer? It’s back?”
Albie nodded.
“Oh, Albie. I’m so sorry, old friend,” Jean said.
“I don’t know what to say. I’m terribly sorry,” Finn said.
Everyone echoed these sentiments, but Albie interrupted. “Now let’s have none of this. I’m an old man. I’ve lived my life. Damn well too.”
They all feigned smiles.
“Tomorrow is the last day of shooting, and I didn’t want to tell you at the wrap party and ruin everyone’s fun, but I thought you should know.”
Finn looked at him earnestly. “Albie, I want you to know that working with you has been one of the greatest experiences of my life. It’s truly been an honor. I’ll carry it with me always. And it hasn’t just been about the acting—I’ve learned so much from you about love and passion for life.”
“Likewise,” Charlotte said, putting her hand on his shoulder. “You and I go way back. I’ve learned more from you over the years than you may realize. You’re an extraordinary actor. Working with you has been such a gift. So has your friendship.”
“The same for me,” he replied, patting her hand.
“Albie, I’m stunned,” Michael said. “You’re larger than life, on and off screen. Truthfully, I never imagined that I’d get to work with an actor of your caliber. Like Finn said, it’s been an honor, and it’s been a blast getting to spend this time together. I just never expected that you’d be able to drink me under the table any night of the week.”
Albie chuckled.
Willow began crying softly. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I’m just so heartbroken. You’ve all become like family to me. Albie, working with you has changed my life. I never thought I’d have an opportunity like this. No one’s ever taken me seriously before.”
He smiled. “You’re a fine actress. Extraordinary, really. Jean was right to cast you. You’ll be the toast of Tinseltown when people see your performance. Make good choices, artistic choices, and the world will be your oyster. And don’t take shit from anyone, you hear me?”
“Thank you,” she murmured through laughter-laced tears.
Albie continued, “Okay, that’s enough. I don’t want to end this wonderful journey we’ve shared with sadness or pity. Frankly, I hate that shit.”
They laughed.
“I want you all to know what a special project this has been for me. Couldn’t think of a finer group to share my final curtain call with. Truly, I mean that.” He raised his glass. “Here’s to all of you and this little film of ours that asks the big questions.”
They all raised their glasses and said, “Cheers.”
Albie took a swig of his drink and looked at the faces of each of his beloved friends. “Thank you,” he said. “Truly, thank you.”
ELLA BRUSHED HER TEETH AND STOOD in the bathroom doorway, gazing absentmindedly at Finn.
“Hey, come here,” he said, turning down the blanket on her side of the bed. She slipped into bed and burrowed into his chest. “I just can’t believe it about Albie.”
“I know,” she replied.
“He’s been at the top of his game this whole time. None of us had any idea.”
“He really wanted to make one final film. It’s been a good distraction for him. He’s quite an actor, though; despite how it may have seemed, he’s been in a lot of discomfort. That’s why he’s been drinking at night.”
“I hope he makes it to see the film premiere.”
“Me too. But honestly, I don’t think it matters to him. He got what he needed from this experience. Besides, his imagination is so big, I’m sure he can envision the final film,” she said.
“How long have you known?”
“A while. Couple months, I guess. Since right after you and I . . .”
He kissed her forehead.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you. He wanted to keep it private.”
“I understand. Now I know why you’ve been spending so much time with him. You two are so sweet together.” He ran his fingers down her arm and added, “After the way he spoke about his wife, I’m surprised he didn’t want to spend this time with her.”
“He didn’t want to sit at home, waiting to die. Instead, he wanted to stay busy and make a special piece of art that would live on after he’s gone. When we all leave the day after tomorrow, he’ll head back to London. He plans to spend every last minute with Margaret. Said he’ll pass on in her arms.”
