DISCLAIMER: I do not pretend to own any of the works by Jenny Austen or any other author and their characters. I am but a lowly servant.
Chris almost jumped into the room, like walking was too minimal for him. He sat down in a large chair and sighed. "What do you think?" he asked the three others that were already in the large living room.
"It's alright," a handsome, but rather stiff man said standing near an old fashioned fireplace. "This room's a little small."
"What are you talking about Will? This place is wonderful." Their other friend laughed running a hand through his blazing red hair.
"I agree with Will," the only girl among them said. "This place is tiny and the people here…they're disgusting."
The man with red hair – Ritchie- rolled his eyes, "of COURSE you'd agree with Will. The day you don't is the day that I take your opinion seriously. Just because it isn't Hollywood doesn't mean its 'disgusting'."
Carols, for that was her name, flicked her blonde hair over her shoulder in a classic model sort of way. "Really Ritchie," she said. "You must think of more impressive insults."
Ritchie laughed, "Laura doesn't mind them."
"She's married to you for god's sake."
The woman in question, a stunning beauty of 25 floated into the room with a young boy at her heels. "Jack wanted to say something to his dad before he went to bed." She announced which made Carols glower, while Chris and Ritchie smile. Will's expression during the previous exchange had remained unreadable.
"I'm sorry I was sick on you Daddy," the young boy – Jack – said meekly. "I wasn't feeling good."
Ritchie smiled and picked the young boy up with ease. "It's okay Jacko," he said happily. You could just see that there, that moment was where he wanted to be for the rest of his life. "I'll wash them so Mummy doesn't get mad."
Jack smiled, grateful that he wasn't going to get in trouble while his mother smiled in a he'll-pay-for-that-later sort of way and followed the two of them upstairs to Jack's bedroom.
"He'll never let that kid go now," Chris smiled.
"I think it's adorable. Did you hear? My friend Maria, she's had a baby, so has Anne, it's like the perfect accessory."
Will and Chris turned to look at her wondering if she was being serious. Carols didn't seem to mind or even notice in the slightest. Will rolled his grey eyes and excused himself saying that he was going to get a drink and was then off to bed.
Chris then rounded on his sister, "what do you want from him?"
Carols turned around. "What would you know about
anything? You're an Actor! You can have all you want with no
questions asked. Of course, you never use that power, but it's
there. All I want…is him."
Chris nodded. "Well, maybe you
should find someone else to pine for, because he doesn't want you,
and I mean that in the nicest way. Anyway, you're just as much an
actor as I am."
Carols glared at him and stormed off while Laura
and Ritchie walked back in with the mail in their hands.
"Just found the mailbox." Ritchie said by way of explanation.
Chris looked up, "we have a mailbox?"
"Apparently." Laura said absently reading a letter from a school that she was in negotiations with. "They've invited us to a party on Friday, you know, getting to know the teachers and all that."
"Who have?" Chris said.
"Oh you know, that school…St Helens or something. We want to use it for the opening scene?"
Chris thought back to the many hours they'd spent previously pouring over the script and thinking of the opening scene… "You mean the one with the teacher…and the rubber band…and that chicken?"
Ritchie nodded smiling. "That's the one, they have this Perfect auditorium."
Chris nodded, "I remember it. Are we going?"
Laura looked at him, "You want to?"
Chris didn't look taken aback or anything, he simply smiled. "Yeah, of course. They invited us, we should at least put in an appearance."
Ritchie smiled. "You have to get it past Will first." Laura sniggered.
"Good Luck," she said.
Chris smiled, "he'll come around to the idea."
"Eventually." Ritchie put in.
Chris smiled and told them that he was off to try to
convince Will to go with them.
The kitchen was a large affair,
almost like a kitchen in a highly ranked restaurant. "Will? Come
on, where are you?" Chris said looking in the many nooks and
crannies.
Will appeared suddenly behind him holding a cup of steaming coffee. "Hi," he said and sat down on one of the stools.
"Hey, Now look Will. I know that you have this vow against being social, but the school we want for the opening scene, you know the one-"
"Refresh my memory."
"The one with the teacher…and the rubber band…and that chicken?"
Will searched his memory for a moment before nodding,
"I've got it, the one with the auditorium."
Chris smiled,
"that's the one. Well, anyway, they've invited us to this whole
meet and greet thing on Friday night."
"That's easy, you all go and I'll look after Jack."
"I'm sure we can find someone," Chris said happily. "Come on, you'll regret it if you don't." Will looked at him his forehead furrowed. "Fine, I'll regret it because then we'll have to find a new location or build a set and you know how much that annoys you."
Will groaned, "I'm the producer, I shouldn't have to do this."
"It's because you're the producer that you have
to," Chris told him finding a drink of his own. "I'm sorry
about Carols by the way."
Will smiled darkly. "Ah, Carols. At
this party we need to find her someone to take her away from me."
Chris laughed, "Good luck with that."
"I'll need it."
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