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12
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"Come on, Kathy. We're going to be late for dinner with Mr. Brinkley!" Ed called; standing outside the closed bedroom door, all set to leave.
Kathy opened the door, fiddling with her ear trying to get an earring in. Ed stood in the doorway, looked down at her feet and saw she was shoeless.
"Why aren't you ready? We're going to be late," he said, looking at his watch.
Kathy got the earring in, then glanced at a nearby clock. "It's only two fifteen! What time did he say to come over, again?"
"Mr. Brinkley distinctly said four thirty or something."
"Well... doesn't that mean we have over two hours left?" Kathy asked.
"He said four thirty OR SOMETHING, Kathy. Four thirty OR SOMETHING."
"Oh, 'something'... well then, heres 'something' for you," She said, and slammed the bedroom door in Ed's face.
Ed shrugged. "I wonder what's gotten into her?" He said quietly to himself. He heard a growl from the other side of the door and inched away a bit.
An hour later, Ed and Kathy walked along the sidewalk, all made up, on their way to film director Howard Brinkley's house.
As they turned the corner, they came to the residence. Ed gasped. "I... am looking... at THE Howard Brinkley's house." He clutched a hand over his chest. "I think I'm going to faint."
Kathy gave him a look, then took his hand from his chest and led him up the walkway and to the front door of the house. She used the fancy little knocker that was placed on the door and they waited.
All of a sudden the door opened and Howard was standing there. He looked at the couple dumbfounded, then placed his glasses on and realized who they were.
"Edward! How nice to see you!" Howard said, throwing a hand Ed's way and shaking his rapidly, just like at the diner.
Howard placed his gaze in the direction of Kathy. "And this, I'm assuming, is Mrs. Wood?" He asked, taking her hand and planting a kiss on its backside.
Kathy giggled.
"I'm glad you came but..." Howard rolled up his sleeve to look at his watch. "Why are you so early?"
"Early?" Ed asked. He looked down at his own watch and saw that it was only a quarter to four. "Oh, I guess I was so thrilled that you had invited me that I hadn't noticed."
"You can say that again," Kathy commented.
They all laughed.
Howard moved out of the way and gestured to the inside of the house. "Come in, come in. Make yourself at home."
Ed smiled radiantly at Howard as though he were in love with him. Kathy saw his expression, rolled her eyes, walked past Ed and Howard, and into the living room. Ed followed then Howard, who shut the door.
Ed and Kathy stood in the middle of the living room, not knowing what to do.
Howard pointed toward the couch. "Have a seat. I'm going to go get my wife." He left the room and started down the hall.
Kathy began to the couch, thinking Ed was behind her. But when she turned around, she saw he was still standing in the middle of the room, staring at his surroundings with that distant, but happy look over his face.
Kathy frowned, walked back, and pulled Ed by the sleeve over to the couch. He followed absently, still staring at the house. Kathy pushed him down on the couch, then sat down next to him.
Howard and a pretty, dark-haired woman wearing a red dress appeared at the mouth of the hall. Kathy looked up and smiled. Ed was still lost.
Howard and his wife walked into the living room and sat in the loveseat that faced the couch. "This is my wife, Nadia," Howard introduced, pointing at the lady.
Nadia extended her hand to Kathy, "Pleasure to meet you...?" She said, with a voice that was thick with a Latin accent.
Kathy shook it. "It's Kathy. Likewise."
Nadia nodded, put her hand out to Ed. "Pleasure to meet you... Ed is it?"
Ed was off in his own world. Kathy jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow and he straightened up to see Nadia's hand. He placed his in hers and shook rapidly. "Oh, yes. Yes it is. P-Pleasure to meet you, Madam."
Nadia gave Howard a confused look, then took her hand away from Ed.
"Well. Now that we've all been introduced... Edward, tell me how work has been coming along on the script."
"Oh. Um... It's been good," Ed said, scratching behind his ear nervously.
Howard nodded slowly. "How much would you say you have done?"
"Um... well, you see... the thing is... I haven't written anything down yet."
Howard raised an eyebrow. "And why is that?"
"I... um... I've tried to write it. Plenty of times even! It's just that it's hard because..." He paused and looked down at his feet, ashamed. "Because I lost the book of notes you gave me."
Howard shook his head in disappointment, reached into the drawer of the table that was next to the loveseat, and pulled something out. "You mean this notebook?" He asked.
Ed raised his head and looked up at Howard to see that he was holding the notebook. "Yes! Wha.. I... I don't understand."
"When I got home after our lunch and told Nadia about our dinner, she told me we didn't have anymore wine in the house. So I had to go back out, and on the way to the liquor store, I found this just lying around on the sidewalk like a piece of trash," Howard explained, shaking the book at Ed.
Ed felt his face get hot. "Oh, I see. Well, I was just so excited about everything lately and I wanted to get home quickly to start. I was so riled up, I bumped into a man on the way home, and I guess it knocked the notebook right out of my coat."
Howard nodded. "Mmhmm."
"Oh, Mr. Brinkley, please forgive me," Ed whined.
Howard got up from the loveseat and placed the notebook on Ed's lap, then returned to his spot. "No need to get crazy. It's an honest mistake. No harm done."
"Thank you, Mr. Brinkley. Thank you!"
Kathy looked over at Ed and rolled her eyes.
Howard looked down at his watch. "Oh, it's four thirty. Nadia, why don't you go check on the dinner now, so it's ready for five?"
Nadia nodded, got up, and headed off to the kitchen.
Howard looked at Kathy and Ed. "So..."
"So," Kathy replied.
Ed looked down at his bandaged hand and saw that it was oozing... something. He jumped and let out a gasp.
Kathy placed a hand on his knee. "What's the matter, honey?"
"My-My hand... it's..." He looked at Howard. "Where's the washroom?"
"Down the hall, first left."
"Thanks," Ed said springing to his feet and walking rapidly down the hall.
He turned on the first left and entered the room, only to let out a gasp.