Disclaimer: I don't own anybody. The actor's own themselves and I imagine they have better things to do with their time than try to sue me. But, unfortunately, I don not know them personally. I mean, it's not like I call up Christopher Ralph and invite him to tea or whatever. I don't even like tea. Okay, anyway, live safely in the knowledge that I own no one except Erina, Erina's mom, Angela and Reilly.
The phone rang.
Erina froze at the top of the stairs, her mind wondering frantically if she had heard right. Could that really have been the phone, she thought hope welling up in her stomach. She closed her eyes and listened closely, waiting for any sign that her mind was not playing tricks on her.
The phone rang again.
Erina's eyes snapped open and she listened closely as her mother answered the phone.
"Hello?" She could hear her mother say from the kitchen. "Oh, yes......hold on just a minute please."
Erina waited, wondering who was on the phone. It's probably just Angela, she told herself as her mother appeared at the bottom of the stairs. Don't get too excited.
"Erina, honey, the phone is for you," her mother called up to her from the bottom of the stairs.
"Okay," Erina replied in a high quiet voice. It's just Angela, she repeated in her mind as she walked slowly back to her room. It was odd, suddenly her shoes felt as if they were made of concrete and the phone seemed like it was miles away.
Erina walked into her room and closed the door, trying to keep her breathing regular. What if it wasn't Angela, her mind screamed. What if it was him?
"No," Erina whispered, "don't get your hopes up. It's just Angela on the phone.
She walked over to her desk and slowly reached for the phone as if it might bite her. Her hand closed over the receiver and she lifted it slowly to her ear.
"Hello?" She asked, her voice sounding a bit odd. Really, she never knew it could be that high. Bu, then again, she was nervous.
No matter how many times she had managed to tell herself that this was probably just Angela, she still hadn't managed to believe it. She was so nervous that her hands shook and sweat was starting to form little droplets on her forehead. Even Angela wouldn't have thought it was funny this time.
"Erina," a voice too low to be Angela's asked.
Erina swallowed hard and then smiled. It was him. He had called.
"Yeah," she responded, her nerves screaming at her.
"This is Chris. Um, we met at the bookstore today."
"Um, hi......Chris," Erina said, wondering what exactly she was supposed to say to him. What did one say to a celebrity they had spilled coffee all over? Then, it seemed as if her mouth was not a part of her. It suddenly opened and words that Erina had never meant to say came forth. They came out in a rushed bunch as if they were afraid that Erina's brain might catch on and stop them before they could escape.
"I didn't know who you were at the store. That is, I didn't recognize you. But now, you know, I know." Erina slapped herself lightly on the forehead and tried to melt into the floor right there. Where had that come from, she wondered. How stupid did I sound when I said that?
Chris laughed softly. So, she was nervous too. He could just picture her on the phone, a blush starting on her cheeks. And she knew who he was. He wondered when she had figured it out.
"Yeah," he answered. "It's no big deal. Listen, the reason I'm calling is that I have something of yours."
Erina's eyes went wide. "My bag?" Erina asked, hoping.
"Yeah," Chris returned.
Erina exhaled and then sank down into her desk chair. Oh thank God, she thought. I know where my bag is now.
Suddenly all of the nervousness fell away and Erina felt like herself again. Her voice sounded fine and her cheeks were not flaming red. She had no urges to say anything crazy as she had just minutes before. No, Erina felt like her usual self again, and it gave her a bit of confidence.
"So," she started conversationally. "How did you end up with my bag?"
...............................................
"He called you?!?! Angela squealed at the top of her lungs. It was the following day and they were at school, standing at their lockers before homeroom. Erina had just told Angela the great news of the night before.
"Yup, and he has by bag," Erina answered happily. She was so happy to know that her bag was okay and on it's way back to her as they spoke.
"How'd he get your bag?" Angela asked and just as Erina was about to answer, she said, "Wait, that's not important. He called you?!?!"
Erina laughed as she looked at Angela's face. The mix of surprise and excitement in Angela's eyes was just too much. It was if someone had just told Angela that she had won a million dollars.
"Well, you know," Angela remarked as they walked down the hall to their homeroom. "You owe this all to me. I mean, if I hadn't have slipped your number to him, he never would have been able to call you last night."
"Yeah," Erina said, turning to face her devious friend, her eyes narrowing, "Chris told me about how you did that. I'll get you back eventually, you know."
"I know," Angela smiled sweetly. "So what else did you guys talk about?"
Erina smiled as she thought back to the night before and the unexpected phone call that she had gotten. She had ended up talking to Chris for a little over an hour and a half. It just seemed as if they had so much to talk about. There had never been a lull in the conversation or anything like that. They had just talked and talked, telling each other about themselves and their lives.
It was really cool, Erina thought. Really cool.
"Well," Erina started slowly, remembering what she and Chris had talked about. "He told me that Shawn wasn't mad about the whole shirt thing, buck he was wondering who the heck I was...Oh! And Jackie Rosenbaum read some of my story and she really liked it!"
"That is too cool," Angela responded, enthusiastically.
The two girls walked into their homeroom and dropped into their desks, right next to each other, of course. Then Angela turned to Erina, waiting for her to continue. I can't believe he called her, Angela thought. That is so cool.
"Then I told him what we were doing in the bookstore in the first place. And how I didn't even buy the book I needed. And then I told him how I found out he was Christopher Ralph.
"You did?" Angela asked surprised. It wasn't like Erina to relive moments to others that she had found embarrassing.
"Yeah," Erina said, laughing as she remembered. "Chris laughed when I told him about how I was freaking out and your sister was just like, 'isn't he great?'."
"Wow," Angela said impressed. Apparently, Erina felt comfortable talking to this guy, she thought. Another thing that is so unlike Erina. Usually she isn't so open with people that she first meets.
"You know, Angela, it was really great talking to him. It's like......." Erina laughed softly, "I know this sounds stupid, but, it's like we've known each other forever or something. I mean, we talked like we were good friends."
"Very cool," Angela responded. "So, when did he say your bag should get here?"
"By tomorrow. He was going to send it special so that I could have it back as soon as possible. Isn't that great?"
Angela nodded, amazed at the change she was seeing taking place in her friend. Erina seemed to all of the sudden carry an air of confidence that had been lacking before. Chris probably doesn't even know the difference he's made, Angela thought.
............................................
The Next Day
One would think it was a grand occasion, Erina thought. No one had ever cared about what came in her family's mailbox. That is, until today. Today, Angela and her sister, Reilly, had gotten out of bed on a Saturday morning before eleven and had rushed over to Erina's house to witness the event about to unfold.
She surveyed the road before her. Still no signs of the mailman.
"Is he supposed to come soon," Reilly asked, as she sat on the front steps to Erina's house. Her elbows rested on her knees and her head sat on her balled fists, waiting a bit impatiently to see the sacred bag that had touched Christopher Ralph's hands.
"He should be here anytime," Erina reassured her. And then she heard it, the hum of the engine as the car rounded the corner onto Erina's block. The mailman pulled up to the mailbox and rolled down his car window.
"He's here!" Reilly exclaimed, jumping off the stone steps and rushing with the other two girls down to the mailman's car.
The mailman greeted the girls and handed them the letters addressed to Erina's mother. All three girls waited, holding their breaths for him to pass them THE box. The mailman reached in the backseat of his car and pulled out the box, just big enough to hold a backpack. He passed in through the window to the three girls and waited as they moved away from the car before pulling away from the curb. He honked his horn as the girl's waved goodbye to him. Really, the mailman was such a nice man.
"Open it! Open it! Open it!' Angela screamed, passing the regular mail to Reilly to put on the stone steps. Reilly did so and was back by her sister's side just as Erina ripped the tape on the box and opened the box.
Erina pulled out her bag and hugged it against her chest. It was so good to have it back again. She opened it and looked through her things, making sure everything was there.
Tentatively, Reilly reached out and touched the nylon fabric that made up Erian's backpack. "Christopher Ralph touched this," she whispered, looking at Erina and Angela with wide eyes. "Wow."
The two older girls laughed and Erina was just about to zip her bag closed when something white caught her eye. It fell out of the bag and slipped into the grass below.
Erina picked it up, her brow furrowing as she could not remember having a letter in her bag before. "What is this?" She asked herself and the other two girls crowded around as Erina opened the letter.
She looked at the first few lines of the letter and then turned to Angela and Reilly. "He wrote me a letter," she simply before reading it outloud.
Dear Erina,
I hope this gets back to you okay. I know that if you get this letter, it means that you have your backpack back. Anyways, I just wanted to apologize again for the mix up. Jackie says that she thinks it was an act of fate, but Shawn just thinks the whole thing is crazy. He has vowed never to go in a bookstore again.
I hope you don't mind, I read a little bit of your book tonight. I really like it and can't wait to see it printed and on the shelf in the bookstores here. Jackie liked it too, as I told you on the phone last night. Tonight, we were fighting over who gets to read a little bit more before I have to pack it up. I won.
Speaking of your book, there is something in the bottom of this box that I think you'll like. I don't know if it's the best one or not, but the guy at the bookstore said it's really popular. Hope it helps you.
Well, I should probably be closing now. Let me know if you get your book sold.
Take care,
Chris
"Oh my goodness," Angela mumbled, "This is too good."
Something in the bottom of the box, Erina thought confused. What would he have put in the bottom of the box. Erina looked inside the box and her eyes widened with surprise. "Oh my....," she said softly as she realized that he had remembered.
"What?" Angela asked. "What is it?"
Erina pulled the book out slowly and held it up for Angela and Reilly to read the title.
"How To Write A Book Proposal," Reilly read out loud.
"Wow," was all Angela could think to say.
.....................................
A Week Later
Chris rifled through his mail as he waited for the director to call the scene. Nothing good here, he thought as he looked at the envelopes. He flipped to the next envelope and a smile touched his lips. It was addressed to him, as usual, but in the left hand corner was the return address for Erina Phillips of New York. Chris ripped the envelope open enthusiastically and started to read.
Dear Chris,
I hope you don't mind that I have written you. I saw your return address on the letter you sent me. I just had to write and tell you how grateful I am for you returning my bag.
Thank you so much for the book! You didn't have to do that. But, it has helped me a great deal. In fact, just a couple of days ago, I sent in the first fifty pages of my manuscript to three different publishers. Keep your fingers crossed for me!
So, how are things with you? Angela says to say hi.
Erina
Chris smiled as he refolded the letter and carefully put it back into its envelope. So she liked the book, he thought. Good, I'm glad.
Reagan, who just happened to be walking by at that time noticed the silly grin Chris had on his face as he looked at the envelope. "What's that?" She asked curiously.
"Erina wrote me," Chris answered, smiling.
"Ohhhh," Reagan responded, smiling back sweetly. She knew who Erina was. In fact, everybody on the set knew who Erina was and how she had met Chris. It was a favorite tale now of the cast members and since it seemed to have a happy ending, Chris didn't mind telling it over and over again. How cute, Reagan thought, as she walked away towards her dressing room. Wait till I tell Jackie about this.
..........................................
The next letter Erina received came about two months later. She had wondered why he had not written and had thought that perhaps she should not have written him back in the first place. Of course, it had not slipped her mind that he was a very busy person, what with the show and all. Maybe he just doesn't have time right now, Erina had thought.
But then, one day, the next letter came, putting all her fears to rest.
Erina,
Sorry it's been so long since I wrote last. Things have been really crazy around here. The show just wrapped up its first season! I'd love to tell you what happens in the finale, but I can't. You'll just have to watch it and find out.
I was glad to hear that you had sent in some of your manuscript to different publishers. I hope it works out well for you. Maybe you could do a book signing thing here in Toronto. That would be cool. Then you'd be able to meet everyone and maybe I could show you around the set.
Jackie says hi. Tell Angela I said hi. I put a picture of the whole cast in here for Angela's sister. Everyone here was really flattered when I told them about how much Reilly loves the show.
So, how's school going?
Take care,
Chris
PS.- I don't mind if you write me. In fact, you'd better. We've been through too much together for you to stop contact. Ha ha.
............................................................
Chris and Erina sent letters back and forth to each other for months and months. Even though their separate schedules were so full, they always managed to find a few minutes to jot down some words on paper and send it out with the morning mail. They both looked forward to getting letters from each other. It always made their day just a little bit nicer. Erina would always share her letters from Chris with Angela and Chris would always share his letters from Erina with Jackie.
It was interesting how they had started out as complete strangers. Then one small accident set off a chain of events that led to Chris and Erina forming a friendship that did not seem to want to fade away. Even the distance factor was not too much of a problem as long as the mail kept coming, Chris thought.
But, both Chris and Erina did wish that they could see each other again. At this point, it had been many months since Erina had walked into the bookstore and literally run into Chris. And they missed each other. But, how should they get together when one of them lived in New York and the other lived in Canada? This question had plagued Chris' mind for some time. And then, one day, he got his answer.
....................................
Dear Chris,
I did it! My book is sold! As you know a while ago, I got my first rejection notice. The publishing company said that it wasn't really their type of story. But, they did say that it was well written and that I might try to send it in somewhere else. So, I waited until I got a notice from the second publishing company that I sent my book to. They loved it!!!! They have signed me on for a trilogy and everything. This is so cool, Chris. I even have an agent.
Anyway, the book signing idea that you had a few months ago isn't such a farfetched one because I actually have a date for one right here in New York. Two weeks from this Saturday at four o'clock. Would you believe it's at the same Barnes and Noble that we first met? Anyway, it's supposed to promote my book and everything. I can't wait!
School is okay, except that everything is getting chaotic with finals and all. I can't believe I'll be going to college next year. Hopefully, I'll have some extra time on the weekends to work on my book.
Tell Jackie thanks for the sympathy card when I got my first rejection notice. Her comment about the publishers being too stupid to know a good book if it fell in their lap, made me laugh.
Well, I have to go. Tell everyone there I said hi. Talk to you soon.
Erina
.....................................
Chris smiled as he folded up Erina's latest letter. That's perfect, he thought and then he sat down at his own desk to write her a response.
.....................................
Erina ripped open the envelope, the smile never leaving her face. She had just gotten Chris' latest letter and she couldn't wait to see what he had to say. She looked forward to Chris' letters which were always filled with tales of what happened around the set and who played what practical joke one who. The latest one, she would soon learn, contained a surprise.
Erina unfolded the paper and read over the letter quickly. Confused, she read it again, wondering why he had written so little. Usually he wrote at least a page. But this one....... it only had three lines to it.
"What in the world?" She asked herself as she reflected back on other letters Chris had written for any clue as to what it meant. She read it again.
Erina,
We're coming.
Chris
Let's see, she thought. In the last letter, I was telling him about my book getting signed and- And then she remembered. The book signing. She had told him about the book signing.
Erina read Chris' note again. 'We're coming," she read out loud.
"Oh Good Lord!" She exclaimed finally understanding what Chris meant. She sank down into her desk chair and felt her heart beat faster and faster. She had a book signing at Barnes and Noble this Saturday. And Chris, well,......... he was coming.
That last part will be out soon, I hope. It will be short, of that I am sure. Anyway, please, please, please review for me. Thanks! :)
The phone rang.
Erina froze at the top of the stairs, her mind wondering frantically if she had heard right. Could that really have been the phone, she thought hope welling up in her stomach. She closed her eyes and listened closely, waiting for any sign that her mind was not playing tricks on her.
The phone rang again.
Erina's eyes snapped open and she listened closely as her mother answered the phone.
"Hello?" She could hear her mother say from the kitchen. "Oh, yes......hold on just a minute please."
Erina waited, wondering who was on the phone. It's probably just Angela, she told herself as her mother appeared at the bottom of the stairs. Don't get too excited.
"Erina, honey, the phone is for you," her mother called up to her from the bottom of the stairs.
"Okay," Erina replied in a high quiet voice. It's just Angela, she repeated in her mind as she walked slowly back to her room. It was odd, suddenly her shoes felt as if they were made of concrete and the phone seemed like it was miles away.
Erina walked into her room and closed the door, trying to keep her breathing regular. What if it wasn't Angela, her mind screamed. What if it was him?
"No," Erina whispered, "don't get your hopes up. It's just Angela on the phone.
She walked over to her desk and slowly reached for the phone as if it might bite her. Her hand closed over the receiver and she lifted it slowly to her ear.
"Hello?" She asked, her voice sounding a bit odd. Really, she never knew it could be that high. Bu, then again, she was nervous.
No matter how many times she had managed to tell herself that this was probably just Angela, she still hadn't managed to believe it. She was so nervous that her hands shook and sweat was starting to form little droplets on her forehead. Even Angela wouldn't have thought it was funny this time.
"Erina," a voice too low to be Angela's asked.
Erina swallowed hard and then smiled. It was him. He had called.
"Yeah," she responded, her nerves screaming at her.
"This is Chris. Um, we met at the bookstore today."
"Um, hi......Chris," Erina said, wondering what exactly she was supposed to say to him. What did one say to a celebrity they had spilled coffee all over? Then, it seemed as if her mouth was not a part of her. It suddenly opened and words that Erina had never meant to say came forth. They came out in a rushed bunch as if they were afraid that Erina's brain might catch on and stop them before they could escape.
"I didn't know who you were at the store. That is, I didn't recognize you. But now, you know, I know." Erina slapped herself lightly on the forehead and tried to melt into the floor right there. Where had that come from, she wondered. How stupid did I sound when I said that?
Chris laughed softly. So, she was nervous too. He could just picture her on the phone, a blush starting on her cheeks. And she knew who he was. He wondered when she had figured it out.
"Yeah," he answered. "It's no big deal. Listen, the reason I'm calling is that I have something of yours."
Erina's eyes went wide. "My bag?" Erina asked, hoping.
"Yeah," Chris returned.
Erina exhaled and then sank down into her desk chair. Oh thank God, she thought. I know where my bag is now.
Suddenly all of the nervousness fell away and Erina felt like herself again. Her voice sounded fine and her cheeks were not flaming red. She had no urges to say anything crazy as she had just minutes before. No, Erina felt like her usual self again, and it gave her a bit of confidence.
"So," she started conversationally. "How did you end up with my bag?"
...............................................
"He called you?!?! Angela squealed at the top of her lungs. It was the following day and they were at school, standing at their lockers before homeroom. Erina had just told Angela the great news of the night before.
"Yup, and he has by bag," Erina answered happily. She was so happy to know that her bag was okay and on it's way back to her as they spoke.
"How'd he get your bag?" Angela asked and just as Erina was about to answer, she said, "Wait, that's not important. He called you?!?!"
Erina laughed as she looked at Angela's face. The mix of surprise and excitement in Angela's eyes was just too much. It was if someone had just told Angela that she had won a million dollars.
"Well, you know," Angela remarked as they walked down the hall to their homeroom. "You owe this all to me. I mean, if I hadn't have slipped your number to him, he never would have been able to call you last night."
"Yeah," Erina said, turning to face her devious friend, her eyes narrowing, "Chris told me about how you did that. I'll get you back eventually, you know."
"I know," Angela smiled sweetly. "So what else did you guys talk about?"
Erina smiled as she thought back to the night before and the unexpected phone call that she had gotten. She had ended up talking to Chris for a little over an hour and a half. It just seemed as if they had so much to talk about. There had never been a lull in the conversation or anything like that. They had just talked and talked, telling each other about themselves and their lives.
It was really cool, Erina thought. Really cool.
"Well," Erina started slowly, remembering what she and Chris had talked about. "He told me that Shawn wasn't mad about the whole shirt thing, buck he was wondering who the heck I was...Oh! And Jackie Rosenbaum read some of my story and she really liked it!"
"That is too cool," Angela responded, enthusiastically.
The two girls walked into their homeroom and dropped into their desks, right next to each other, of course. Then Angela turned to Erina, waiting for her to continue. I can't believe he called her, Angela thought. That is so cool.
"Then I told him what we were doing in the bookstore in the first place. And how I didn't even buy the book I needed. And then I told him how I found out he was Christopher Ralph.
"You did?" Angela asked surprised. It wasn't like Erina to relive moments to others that she had found embarrassing.
"Yeah," Erina said, laughing as she remembered. "Chris laughed when I told him about how I was freaking out and your sister was just like, 'isn't he great?'."
"Wow," Angela said impressed. Apparently, Erina felt comfortable talking to this guy, she thought. Another thing that is so unlike Erina. Usually she isn't so open with people that she first meets.
"You know, Angela, it was really great talking to him. It's like......." Erina laughed softly, "I know this sounds stupid, but, it's like we've known each other forever or something. I mean, we talked like we were good friends."
"Very cool," Angela responded. "So, when did he say your bag should get here?"
"By tomorrow. He was going to send it special so that I could have it back as soon as possible. Isn't that great?"
Angela nodded, amazed at the change she was seeing taking place in her friend. Erina seemed to all of the sudden carry an air of confidence that had been lacking before. Chris probably doesn't even know the difference he's made, Angela thought.
............................................
The Next Day
One would think it was a grand occasion, Erina thought. No one had ever cared about what came in her family's mailbox. That is, until today. Today, Angela and her sister, Reilly, had gotten out of bed on a Saturday morning before eleven and had rushed over to Erina's house to witness the event about to unfold.
She surveyed the road before her. Still no signs of the mailman.
"Is he supposed to come soon," Reilly asked, as she sat on the front steps to Erina's house. Her elbows rested on her knees and her head sat on her balled fists, waiting a bit impatiently to see the sacred bag that had touched Christopher Ralph's hands.
"He should be here anytime," Erina reassured her. And then she heard it, the hum of the engine as the car rounded the corner onto Erina's block. The mailman pulled up to the mailbox and rolled down his car window.
"He's here!" Reilly exclaimed, jumping off the stone steps and rushing with the other two girls down to the mailman's car.
The mailman greeted the girls and handed them the letters addressed to Erina's mother. All three girls waited, holding their breaths for him to pass them THE box. The mailman reached in the backseat of his car and pulled out the box, just big enough to hold a backpack. He passed in through the window to the three girls and waited as they moved away from the car before pulling away from the curb. He honked his horn as the girl's waved goodbye to him. Really, the mailman was such a nice man.
"Open it! Open it! Open it!' Angela screamed, passing the regular mail to Reilly to put on the stone steps. Reilly did so and was back by her sister's side just as Erina ripped the tape on the box and opened the box.
Erina pulled out her bag and hugged it against her chest. It was so good to have it back again. She opened it and looked through her things, making sure everything was there.
Tentatively, Reilly reached out and touched the nylon fabric that made up Erian's backpack. "Christopher Ralph touched this," she whispered, looking at Erina and Angela with wide eyes. "Wow."
The two older girls laughed and Erina was just about to zip her bag closed when something white caught her eye. It fell out of the bag and slipped into the grass below.
Erina picked it up, her brow furrowing as she could not remember having a letter in her bag before. "What is this?" She asked herself and the other two girls crowded around as Erina opened the letter.
She looked at the first few lines of the letter and then turned to Angela and Reilly. "He wrote me a letter," she simply before reading it outloud.
Dear Erina,
I hope this gets back to you okay. I know that if you get this letter, it means that you have your backpack back. Anyways, I just wanted to apologize again for the mix up. Jackie says that she thinks it was an act of fate, but Shawn just thinks the whole thing is crazy. He has vowed never to go in a bookstore again.
I hope you don't mind, I read a little bit of your book tonight. I really like it and can't wait to see it printed and on the shelf in the bookstores here. Jackie liked it too, as I told you on the phone last night. Tonight, we were fighting over who gets to read a little bit more before I have to pack it up. I won.
Speaking of your book, there is something in the bottom of this box that I think you'll like. I don't know if it's the best one or not, but the guy at the bookstore said it's really popular. Hope it helps you.
Well, I should probably be closing now. Let me know if you get your book sold.
Take care,
Chris
"Oh my goodness," Angela mumbled, "This is too good."
Something in the bottom of the box, Erina thought confused. What would he have put in the bottom of the box. Erina looked inside the box and her eyes widened with surprise. "Oh my....," she said softly as she realized that he had remembered.
"What?" Angela asked. "What is it?"
Erina pulled the book out slowly and held it up for Angela and Reilly to read the title.
"How To Write A Book Proposal," Reilly read out loud.
"Wow," was all Angela could think to say.
.....................................
A Week Later
Chris rifled through his mail as he waited for the director to call the scene. Nothing good here, he thought as he looked at the envelopes. He flipped to the next envelope and a smile touched his lips. It was addressed to him, as usual, but in the left hand corner was the return address for Erina Phillips of New York. Chris ripped the envelope open enthusiastically and started to read.
Dear Chris,
I hope you don't mind that I have written you. I saw your return address on the letter you sent me. I just had to write and tell you how grateful I am for you returning my bag.
Thank you so much for the book! You didn't have to do that. But, it has helped me a great deal. In fact, just a couple of days ago, I sent in the first fifty pages of my manuscript to three different publishers. Keep your fingers crossed for me!
So, how are things with you? Angela says to say hi.
Erina
Chris smiled as he refolded the letter and carefully put it back into its envelope. So she liked the book, he thought. Good, I'm glad.
Reagan, who just happened to be walking by at that time noticed the silly grin Chris had on his face as he looked at the envelope. "What's that?" She asked curiously.
"Erina wrote me," Chris answered, smiling.
"Ohhhh," Reagan responded, smiling back sweetly. She knew who Erina was. In fact, everybody on the set knew who Erina was and how she had met Chris. It was a favorite tale now of the cast members and since it seemed to have a happy ending, Chris didn't mind telling it over and over again. How cute, Reagan thought, as she walked away towards her dressing room. Wait till I tell Jackie about this.
..........................................
The next letter Erina received came about two months later. She had wondered why he had not written and had thought that perhaps she should not have written him back in the first place. Of course, it had not slipped her mind that he was a very busy person, what with the show and all. Maybe he just doesn't have time right now, Erina had thought.
But then, one day, the next letter came, putting all her fears to rest.
Erina,
Sorry it's been so long since I wrote last. Things have been really crazy around here. The show just wrapped up its first season! I'd love to tell you what happens in the finale, but I can't. You'll just have to watch it and find out.
I was glad to hear that you had sent in some of your manuscript to different publishers. I hope it works out well for you. Maybe you could do a book signing thing here in Toronto. That would be cool. Then you'd be able to meet everyone and maybe I could show you around the set.
Jackie says hi. Tell Angela I said hi. I put a picture of the whole cast in here for Angela's sister. Everyone here was really flattered when I told them about how much Reilly loves the show.
So, how's school going?
Take care,
Chris
PS.- I don't mind if you write me. In fact, you'd better. We've been through too much together for you to stop contact. Ha ha.
............................................................
Chris and Erina sent letters back and forth to each other for months and months. Even though their separate schedules were so full, they always managed to find a few minutes to jot down some words on paper and send it out with the morning mail. They both looked forward to getting letters from each other. It always made their day just a little bit nicer. Erina would always share her letters from Chris with Angela and Chris would always share his letters from Erina with Jackie.
It was interesting how they had started out as complete strangers. Then one small accident set off a chain of events that led to Chris and Erina forming a friendship that did not seem to want to fade away. Even the distance factor was not too much of a problem as long as the mail kept coming, Chris thought.
But, both Chris and Erina did wish that they could see each other again. At this point, it had been many months since Erina had walked into the bookstore and literally run into Chris. And they missed each other. But, how should they get together when one of them lived in New York and the other lived in Canada? This question had plagued Chris' mind for some time. And then, one day, he got his answer.
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Dear Chris,
I did it! My book is sold! As you know a while ago, I got my first rejection notice. The publishing company said that it wasn't really their type of story. But, they did say that it was well written and that I might try to send it in somewhere else. So, I waited until I got a notice from the second publishing company that I sent my book to. They loved it!!!! They have signed me on for a trilogy and everything. This is so cool, Chris. I even have an agent.
Anyway, the book signing idea that you had a few months ago isn't such a farfetched one because I actually have a date for one right here in New York. Two weeks from this Saturday at four o'clock. Would you believe it's at the same Barnes and Noble that we first met? Anyway, it's supposed to promote my book and everything. I can't wait!
School is okay, except that everything is getting chaotic with finals and all. I can't believe I'll be going to college next year. Hopefully, I'll have some extra time on the weekends to work on my book.
Tell Jackie thanks for the sympathy card when I got my first rejection notice. Her comment about the publishers being too stupid to know a good book if it fell in their lap, made me laugh.
Well, I have to go. Tell everyone there I said hi. Talk to you soon.
Erina
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Chris smiled as he folded up Erina's latest letter. That's perfect, he thought and then he sat down at his own desk to write her a response.
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Erina ripped open the envelope, the smile never leaving her face. She had just gotten Chris' latest letter and she couldn't wait to see what he had to say. She looked forward to Chris' letters which were always filled with tales of what happened around the set and who played what practical joke one who. The latest one, she would soon learn, contained a surprise.
Erina unfolded the paper and read over the letter quickly. Confused, she read it again, wondering why he had written so little. Usually he wrote at least a page. But this one....... it only had three lines to it.
"What in the world?" She asked herself as she reflected back on other letters Chris had written for any clue as to what it meant. She read it again.
Erina,
We're coming.
Chris
Let's see, she thought. In the last letter, I was telling him about my book getting signed and- And then she remembered. The book signing. She had told him about the book signing.
Erina read Chris' note again. 'We're coming," she read out loud.
"Oh Good Lord!" She exclaimed finally understanding what Chris meant. She sank down into her desk chair and felt her heart beat faster and faster. She had a book signing at Barnes and Noble this Saturday. And Chris, well,......... he was coming.
That last part will be out soon, I hope. It will be short, of that I am sure. Anyway, please, please, please review for me. Thanks! :)