New Year's Day came and went. We spent the day with Dimitri's family. Ivan opened a bottle of wine, and Dimitri had a couple of glasses, but I abstained because of my pregnancy.
I first felt my child move inside me one morning in late January. Dimitri had just left for work, and I was cleaning up after breakfast when a faint movement, like the flutter of a tiny bird's wing, startled me. It only took me a couple of seconds to realize what it was, and when I did, a thrill went through me. I couldn't wait to tell Dimitri about it!
My chance came when we were cuddling together on the sofa watching television that evening. When I felt the same faint flutter, I took Dimitri's hand and placed it on my bare belly. He frowned, but a moment later, our child moved again. Dimitri's eyes grew wide as his grin spread all over his face.
"Our baby!" His voice was soft with wonder. A moment later, his lips met mine, and the movie was forgotten.
At last, the morning of our departure for California arrived. We met Lissa and Christian at the airport. Lissa was wild with anticipation.
"I just know this movie's gonna be a major hit!" she said. "Christian said I might can get a bit part - hey, maybe we'll both get bit parts!"
"Only if there's a part for a pregnant woman," I said wryly. I'd just had to start wearing my maternity clothes.
"Oh, yeah." Her smile faded just a little. "Well - maybe there will even be a role for a pregnant woman!"
"Even if there isn't, at least I get to come along this time." It wasn't that I didn't trust Dimitri. Since our wedding, he'd been more loving and attentive than ever, and he'd seemed so sincere about turning over a new leaf, I believed him. It was simply that I didn't exactly cherish spending all that time away from my husband, and in the bitter cold of a New York winter, California sunshine would be a welcome sight.
Guy had been very understanding.
On the airplane, I sat between Dimitri and Lissa. Lissa continued to chatter excitedly, while Dimitri and Christian listened to music through headphones. I listened to Lissa, saying 'uh huh' at appropriate times.
Upon our arrival, we took a cab to Ivan's Hollywood home, where Dimitri and I had stayed during the filming of 'You Were Made For Me,' and again the following summer.
"We get to sleep together in the same room this time!" I did a little victory dance just inside the doorway.
Dimitri grinned. "That's right!" He kissed my lips, the tip of his tongue promising a passionate encounter to come. I felt myself grow moist just thinking about it.
I took a look around and saw that everything looked pretty much the same since the last time I'd been there.
"It seems like such a long time ago!" I said, running my hand over the nearest chair.
Dimitri nodded. "A lot has happened."
We rested for a couple of hours, and then Dimitri and Christian ordered out steak sandwiches for everyone. While eating, we watched several of Ivan's older movies: 'Lonely Hearts,' 'Woman Times Infinity,' and "Can't Wait Till Dark'. We went to bed a little past midnight.
Dimitri and I would be staying in the room he'd stayed in alone before, and Christian and Lissa would be staying in my old room.
"Wow! This room's even nicer than the other one!" I said. Instead of lavender, its color theme was sea green, and it was larger as well.
"And it's all ours." Dimitri began kissing my neck, and I felt myself go weak. As his hands roamed all over my body, which was still clothed in my pajamas, I let out an involuntary soft moan.
He led me to the bed, where he removed my clothing and made slow, gentle love to me. Afterwards, I fell asleep in his arms.
The next day, it was time to report to the studio to begin casting for the movie. Christian was chosen for the part of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, and Lissa and I got bit parts as onlookers who witness the assassination. Since our parts were so brief and near the end of the movie, Lissa and I had several weeks to spend seeing the sights of L.A. together while Dimitri and Christian were hard at work. Taking the buses and subways, we visited the Crossroads of the World, Angels Flight, L.A. live, and many other places. In the evenings, there was relaxing at home with Dimitri and Christian.
It was the nearest thing to heaven on earth I'd ever experienced.
The day to film our parts finally arrived, and we accompanied Dimitri and Christian to the studio. We were told to sit in a cafe. The actor who played the assassin, Gavrilo Princip, sat near us, looking out a window. Christian and his female co-star, a pretty blonde slightly older than Lissa and me, sat in the vintage 1910 automobile that had been rented for the movie.
Suddenly, the actor playing Princip jumped up, walked out of the cafe, and shot at Christian and his co-star. Instantly, the fake blood they'd been holding slipped through their fingers and spread all over their clothing as they slumped as if dead.
Lissa let out a bloodcurdling scream.
"Excellent!" Dimitri praised her, but she only continued to stare at the actors as if in a daze.