Chapter 12

Suddenly, without any warning, March came to the city, greeted Cincinnati with a sun. Still it was freezing, but in the air you could feel the first freshness of the early spring.

Cate preparing for the first scenes, which were filmed today. Group of make-up artist finished their work. Costume created by Sandy fits her like a glove. British costume designer could not hide her delight.

- Cate, you look ravishing. I am confident that you will enchant Rooney. So it will be, as Todd dreamed of. - red-haired woman said, smiling.

- For you, Sandy, I am now Carol Aird. Not Cate Blanchett. Let me empathize. - she replied with a laugh, feeling on the hair final touches.

The woman finally opened her blue eyes and looked into the mirror. She just smiled to herself.

- Well, that's that! - she said in a low voice with an American accent, when the door to the room opened.

- Ms. Blanchett, we're expect you on the set.

Cate got up from the chair and smoothed her skirt. Sandy helped her clear a furry coat. Fur, which perfectly matched to the skin color of the blonde woman. Costume designer smiled and hugged her tightly.

- Welcome to the set, Ms. Carol Aird! - she added.

Blonde in response squeezed her arm. With the ease of her eyes she could read pride and joy. Pride and passion. She is a lovely woman! Cate hugged her tightly.

-I have to go. - she whispered softly.

Before the door closed, she heard Sandy's British accent.

- Ms. Carol Aird, no one can resist you.

Frankenberg's Department store

From the morning younger actress played some scenes in Frankenberg's. Todd watched over every detail - toys, scenography. It was easy to feel the atmosphere of the 50's. She tried to hide her nervousness, focusing on the ambiance.
She felt that this movie will change her life. Just like people, which has already know on the set. Especially one person. Her heart beat fast. She spotted asking gaze of director. She lowered her eyes and tried to quickly restart the trainset.

Todd smiled. She is a true Therese Belivet. He could not hide his pride. Ed Lachmann made spectacular shots to earlier scenes of the Frankenberg's, in which participated the younger actress.

Now would come the most important scene. The scene, which each of them was waiting for and feared in their own way. The director wanted from the beginning, that both women should played it naturally, that their emotions were evident in every frame. In the eyes. He knew somewhere under his own skin, that they can achieve this.

Suddenly, the director felt hand on his arm. He turned and saw Sandy Powell.

- She looks perfect. - She whispered with a smile and sat down next to Ed Lachmann.

- Everyone, here we go! Action! - Todd shouted.

The moment of truth.

Rooney turned away from the frame and quickly put on a Santa Clause hat. She is taking a deep breath. Keep calm! You're preparing for this already so much time. Everything should come out perfectly. Todd talked with her a lot of before shooting. Other people were also very helpful to her.

Clatter of heels.

The girl immediately turned around, holding in her hands notebook with a pen. Through people - clients of Frankenberg's, she is trying to see the slender, blond woman. Suddenly she appeared. Blond hair arranged perfectly, her coral scarf was casually relaxed around her neck. Fur fits to the shade of her skin. Coral lipstick on her lips and a similar shade nails, completed the whole figure.
Rooney could not hide her enchantment. She could not look away. She opened her mouth slightly. She felt how on the movie set, time has stopped. It was just - Rooney Mara (no Therese) and Cate Blanchett. Suddenly their eyes met. Blue electrifying gaze moved slowly, through the body of a young woman.

Cate barely refrained from a smile, the corners of her mouth twitched nervously. She was glad, that nobody could see her hands. They trembled. Patricia looked very young and innocent. She did not know, what kind of magic they did - the makeup artist in the company of Sandy Powell, but she knew how quickly, her heart beating, at the first sight. She looked like a young Audrey Hepburn. Cate to hide her own discomposure, pushed her hand through her hair. She walked straight to the counter, behind which stood a young woman.

She smiled broadly.

- "I wonder if you might help me find this doll for my daughter." - Cate said in a husky voice, giving the woman a piece of paper.

Rooney read the sheet.

- "Bright Betsy. She cries. And wets herself. But we're out of stock. "- she said in higher voice, than normal. Cate looked straight into her green eyes, sighed and adding.

- "I've left it too long."

The young actress felt that she wants to help this woman, regardless of the consequences. She tried to show her other dolls. Once again their gaze met. Rooney felt that she blushed a lot.

- "Right. What was your favorite doll when you were four? Do you remember? "- Cate asked, looking at her intently. Rooney immediately remembered her own childhood and time when she had four years. She did not like dolls.

- "Me? I never ... Not many, to be honest. "- she answer, with a slightly surprised in voice.

Rooney noticed that Cate raised a cigarette to her lips. She begun to light it.

Her voice interrupted her.

- "Sorry. You can not smoke on the sales floor. "

- "Oh, of all the - forgive me. Shopping makes me nervous. "

- "That's okay. Working here makes me nervous. "- Patricia said, smiling. "I love her dimples" - thought the blonde. Cate laughed after a moment, appreciating Rooney's compassion.

- "You're very kind."

Their eyes met. Cate pulled out of the purse, image of her movie daughter - Rindy. Rooney touched the photos, feeling how their fingers touched.

- "She looks like you. Around the mouth. The eyes. "

Cate looked into her eyes.

- "You think so?" - she asked.

Rooney looked up and saw that Cate was watching her.

- "So what did you want? When you were That age? "- she asked, breaking the awkward silence. Rooney answered, without thinking.

- "A train set."

The blonde looked at her in surprise. It was easy to imagine it, a little Patricia Mara, who did not want nothing, but only a trainset.

- "Really. That's a surprise. Do you know much about train sets? "- Cate asked coquettishly, brushing her blonde hair.

- "I actually. And there's a new model, just in last week. Hand-built with hand-painted cars - it's a limited edition of five thousand, with the most sophisticated electric switching system - it's quite small ... You have seen it. Over by the elevators? Just there. "- Rooney points towards the trainset. Cate turned toward the elevators.

- "Do you ship?" - she asked, looking at the younger actress carefully.

- "Special delivery. Or courier. You'll have it in two, three days. We'll even assemble it.

Cate smiled gleaming. Husky voice with an American accent of the 50's pierced the silence.

- "Well. That's ... that. Sold. "

Rooney felt blue eyes on her body. She could not hide the smile. Cate laughed.

- "Shall I pay now?" - she asked with a saucy voice.

Rooney felt abashment.

- "Oh yes, of course."

She began to write out a receipt. The blonde smiled, watching her intently. When Rooney looked up, their eyes met. She blushed.

- "We'll need your account details, your shipping address."

- "Of course. - Cate said, starting to write. -I Love Christmas. At least I love the
preparation. Wrapping gifts, all that. And then ... you somehow wind up overcooking the turkey anyway. "- She finished and smiled Rooney. -"Done. Where'd you learn so much about train sets, anyway?"

- "I - I read ... Too much, probably."

- "It's refreshing. Thank you. And Merry Christmas. "

- "Merry Christmas."

Rooney watched Cate moving slowly to the exit. With grace. She absorbed her every move, her gesture, her step. She froze when she noticed, that Cate turns around and pointing to her Santa Clause hat, says.

- "I like your hat"

The blonde winked at her flirtatious with a smiling. She turned and moved straight to the elevators.

Creak of a chair pierced the silence.

- Oh my God! That's a wrap ! - Todd shouted and walked over to them, grinned. - You're amazing. This is exactly what I meant!

Rooney smiled as well.

- I was very nervous, Todd. - she said.

- Dearest, I do not think it was that bad? - Cate asked her coquettishly, and winked at her significantly.

Todd grinned at them.

- You are wonderful. And this chemistry. - He added, blonde woman gripped his arm.

- After all, this is exactly what you dreamed off, Todd. True, Patricia? - she said, a young girl in response laughed softly and added.

- Yes! Cate is right.

- Cate? Cate Blanchett? - They heard from afar. Cate turned her head immediately. A young boy came to the room. -You've got a very important phone call. It can not wait. - he added quickly.

- Excuse me, please! - Cate said, frowning.

What could happened? She had a bad feeling. She got up quickly and ran out of the room.

Slim blonde woman ran to the phone. She sighed loudly and picked up the phone.

- Hello? - she asked.

On the other side she heard a trembling voice.

- Andrew? What's wrong?

- I know, that I fucked up again. I don't called to you and to kids, I'm sorry. For the last two weeks, I was helping my mom. I drove her to the hospital too. - she heard in the handset, that his voice cracked. - My dad died yesterday. He ... - He paused. She heard sobs.

Cate closed her eyes. She felt uneasiness. Before her eyes stood her father's image. He is saying goodbye to her before leaving and asked her to be polite. At night she could not sleep, though sensed that something was going to happen. The next morning, she saw the police officer, talking with her mom. She could see the shock on her face. The policeman took her waist and entered in their apartment. She remembered all gathered in the living room and a trembling voice she said, that their beloved daddy is not coming back. Trauma of her own childhood and the fear of death, stood before her eyes. Later, as a teenager, she was a big fan of Alfred Hitchcock movies. She wanted to understand more, feel it on her own skin. Eliminate the pain and longing, which no one has been able to replace. The desire to talk and tell everything, even though one is not able to hear the answer. She closed her eyes and sighed loudly.

- Cate? Are you there? - She heard the other side. Blonde woman rubbed her eyes.

- Yes. We have a very busy schedule, but I will try to talk with Todd and I'll let you know, if I could fly. When is the funeral?

- In four days.

- I'll try to be there, Andrew. - her voice trembled. She was not sure if in this situation, she should talk to him. She felt torn apart. -Andrew? I'd like to talk with you, when I arrive. - She added uncertainly. - Try to keep calm. I'll call you tonight. -Cate said and hung up quickly.

She breathed loud, intermittently. With fast step she left ahead of the building and breathed deeply.

She felt how her hands shivering. What should I do? She asked herself. She didn't smoke, but at the moment, she needed some stimulus. With an effort she took the cigarette out and switched it on. Cate puffed deeply. In this situation, it's hard to say, that she wants to leave him. Andrew did what he did, but now - he definitely needs her support. She must talk with mum, Todd and Patricia. Certainly she refused to talk to Andrew face to face. Somewhere deep under her skin, she was afraid of him.

She puffed out again. Her thoughts headed to the Rooney's side.

She exhaled and closed her eyes. Rooney? That younger woman, could dismantling her fortress brick by brick. With the just one shiny smile.

Oh, how did she liked this Santa Clause hat.

Cate returned to the movie-set.

- My triangle of love - we need to talk. - she said, pointing to Todd and Rooney.

They looked at her and laughed softly. Cate had seen closely those watching green eyes.

- Cate, what's wrong? - the younger woman asked and took her hand. Todd noticed shaking hands of the elder women.

- Break! For 30 minutes! - he shouted and hugged both women. - This is certainly not a good place to talk.

When Cate finished speaking, she felt how her voice trembled. Todd quickly poured her a glass of whiskey.

- It could be helpful. - He said and took her arm. Cate took a glass in her hand and drank.

- Thank you. Oh, what am I supposed to do?

Silence.

- Go to Australia. - Rooney said with some sharp in her voice. - You should be there. Todd could you be able to change the schedule? We can make a scenes with Jack, with boys and Sarah, and when Cate returns, we will finish the rest?

The man nodded.

- Ok. Today we have two scenes still to shoot. Cate, you should booked a ticket and be with him. Support him, but also talk. I could ... - he added glancing at the schedules. - I could let you go for a week. Not any longer.

- Thanks Todd. You know in this situation is not easy to talk about ...

Rooney took her hand tightly.

- Do not be afraid, Cate. You can always call me.

Their gaze met. Cate smiled barely, only corners of her mouth. She pulled Rooney to her own body and moved her hand along Rooney's cheek.

-Girls! Please, please! You two could make it later. I mean in the last scene of this day. - the director added, unable to looked away.

This tension between them was unbearable. Unbearable and beautifully.

The last scene of this day. It was quieter, than in the morning. In the set were maybe 4 people. Todd wanted to provide them some intimacy at this scene. A kiss scene just before Carol's leaving. Todd looked like he planned everything. Rooney was not convinced about his decision. She was nervous about it.

She stood in the hallway in navy blue pajamas with white dots. She felt how her legs refuse to obey.

She heard the soft cracking of the one of the twin beds. Cate sat up in bed with a cigarette in her hand. She was waiting for a call from Abby.

- Action!

Rooney sighed loudly and moved forward uncertainly. The lights went dimmer.

She went to the other bed and almost in a theatrical gesture extinguished a small lamp. She shivered, pulling a blanket and climbing into the other bed.

Cate finished her question and hung up the phone. She looked nowhere, but Rooney could feel like the room was filled with her sadness. Grief penetrated through her skin into the blood. She felt how her own body tensed up.

The silence between them, lasted like an eternity. Suddenly a low, trembling voice of Cate pierced the silence.

"You do not have to sleep over there"

She knew that her time has come. Hypnotically, she got up and went to Cate. Her heart was beating wildly.

Rooney did not know how she ended up wrapped in Cate's arms and legs. Cate pulled her body tightly to her, embracing her as if tomorrow would no longer be. In blonde woman face was visible sadness and longing. She moved her hands down to Rooney's cheeks and kissed her softly. For Rooney, those tender, hot lips were everything of what she needed. They were like oxygen, which filled her lungs. She remembered their first night together, when she tentatively kissed Cate on the lips. Now she felt the same. Although not completely. Cate is leaving for a week. She answered her, as if there's no tomorrow. As if this, was to be their last night together. She knew somewhere deep under her skin, how she will be miss her. Cate felt like a Rooney's tongue slips between her lips. Rooney clung to her body harder, more insistently. Her wandering, voracious hands ran over Cate's slender body. She needs that moment over and over again. Here and now. Was there a cut? It was not important.

Now it mattered only one thing - precipitate heartbeat of women lying next to her. Her lips. Her neck. Rooney could not resist herselft. On the set was very quiet. Until she heard Cate's moan.

Cate suddenly jumped up, pushing apart Rooney. She could see her perfectly, shiny green eyes and reddened lips, from the recent touch. She winked at her significantly

- Todd, baby, are you alive? - Cate asked in her aussie accent. - Is that enough? Can we go now? - she added with a laugh in her voice.

Rooney laughed softly and she added.

- Perv!

Todd approached them slowly.

- I was sort of enthralled watching. I could not say "cut." I did not want to put you in an awkward position. I think I ultimately did. Rooney see you tomorrow at 09:00. Cate, I'm so sorry, but I wish you luck and see you next week. Stay hard and consider taking everything. We send flowers from the whole team. - He added quietly and hugged the blonde.

Cate only smiled.

-Thanks, Todd. I love you! - she said with her aussie voice and went with Rooney to change their clothes.

Cate hung up the phone. She called to Andrew and to her mother. She said that she's got a plane tomorrow and could be in Australia for a week. Cate during the chatting asked her mother, if she could be with her on conversation with her husband. She was not quite sure, whether this situation, if she should tell him everything.

A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts.

- Yes? - she asked, even though deep down she knew who might be behind the door.

- It's Rooney.

The blonde opened the door and let her in.

- I know it is already late, but ...

- I know. - Cate interrupted her and hugged her tightly. - You do not know, how everything will be so hard for me now. I will miss you. - she whispered quietly, looked straight into her green eyes.

- Me too. - said the younger woman, looking at the suitcase. - Cate, I'm so sorry.

- Shhh .. - blonde paused, and put her finger on Rooney's mouth. - Stay with me today, please.

When Rooney sat on the bed, Cate lay down on her thighs. Dark haired woman stroked Cate's blond hair.

- I want you to hear me, Patricia. It will not be an easy topic, but .. I feel that could relieved me somehow, if I told you about it.

A dark-haired woman watched her face intently. The sound of her voice low, acted on her magically. She could easily imagine Cate as a little 10 year old girl, who says goodbye to her father.

- "The night of the day he died, I thought, Wow - I'm up so late, and I have not eaten all day," - "It's hard to compute something so massive. I just sort of rolled with it. You sort of see it from other people's perspective. That I could see my sister was so young, and I felt it was tragic That she might not remember him. I could see how it affected my brother, who was 11 or 12. I saw what a struggle it was for my mother. I think about my father and how sad it was that he never had grandchildren. "

Rooney closed her eyes. She easily could imagine a sense of loss. Patricia took Cate's hand, looking into her eyes.

- "Maybe this is just me trying to live with the loss." I really do not know. I remember when I was at the hospital. I left a room with one of my dad's co-workers, who told to us: "This is going to be a very, very hard time for your mother. You have to be very, very good. "I suppose that it also made me a perfectionist.

Their eyes met. The blonde felt the tension. She squeezed her hand in response and stood up.

- I pour whiskey for us. - Cate replied quietly. Rooney handed a glass. She smiled in response.

- Are you afraid of tomorrow right?

- You know that. I learned that "the presence of death can coexist in life. I just do not take things for granted. I know that time is very short. "And now my father-in-law ... I had some trauma of the death. Maybe because as a teenager I watched so many Hitchcock movies. My friend said that it was probably because my father passed away early. Maybe I wanted to be closer to everything. Maybe I wanted to understand it in my own way.

The dark-haired actress felt that her eyes moist. She walked quickly to the blonde woman. She put her hands over Cate's face and kissed her gently.

- It must have been pretty tough going. - She whispered softly and kissed her again. Cate did not think too much. She ran her fingers on Rooney's cheek. Their lips are intertwined. Slowly, gently, without any haste, both ladies given themselves over this moment. Cate hugged younger actress tightly to her own body. The blonde put her tongue between Rooney's lips. She could felt how Patricia's arms tremble under her touch. She wove her fingers into woman's dark hair. She heard the faintest moan. Cate paused and smiled to herself.

- My sweetheart! - her deep voice, pierced the silence. - Allow me this time, my Dearest. I bring you up to the borders. I must clean my mind. I don't be there for a week, so I would like you to have something to think about. - Cate added coquettishly, drinking a whiskey from the glass. Her blue eyes dimmed.

Rooney's heart was beating wildly. She could feel how her whole body trembles and is unable to make a move. Cate voice charmed. Curiosity moved to her lungs, filling them with only one person - Cate Blanchett. She felt how her cheeks blush.

- Todd, made us a wonderful prelude, right? - Cate added in her husky voice, catching sight of younger woman green eyes. Cate saw, how girl is blushing. Patricia remember well, how she could not resist by Cate's lips, how her own hands explored this slender body again, how her insatiable hips rubbed Cate harder, and when she heard the blonde's moan - it was like music.

Cate smiled and walked over to her slowly. She kissed her passionately, putting younger actress to bed.

- I will show you something. - Cate whispered, her voice trembling. -But you can't move from the bed. I hope that you could be a good girl, aren't you?. - she added, smiling.

Rooney just nodded. Her heart was beating wildly. - What's she planning? - she thought. She closed her eyes for a moment, and when she opened them, saw how blonde woman taken her phone and turn on something.

Suddenly, a quiet music resounded in the room. None other than Joe Cocker - "You can leave your hat on." The dark-haired woman laughed. She had a flashback with a movie scene in which Kim Basinger doing a striptease for Mickey Rourke. Rooney with wonderment thought if Cate could plan this before. She was so curious.

The lights in the room were dimmed, but she could easily see the slender figure, dressed in a shirt, jacket and pencil skirt.

"Baby, take off your coat real slow
and take off your shoes
I'll take your shoes "

Rooney saw the blonde comes out of the bathroom. Her hair is tied in a messy bun. Dark haired woman could not look away from Cate's moving hips to the rhythm of music. Her thoughts were only around a one thing - she felt as though it was her Cate, and this night - would herald a new beginning. The beginning of what? She was not sure.

"Baby, take off your dress
yes yes yes
You can leave your hat on
You can leave your hat on
You can leave your hat on "

Cate leaned against the wall and slid down, swaying her hips. She moved her hands over her body. At the bottom of the wall, she expanded her slim legs. Rooney noticed that there is no panties. She could quickly feel how her cheeks burned with fire. Her breathing quickened immediately. She closed her eyes and opened them again, unable to control the growing excitement. The blonde was on top of the wall and slowly, with a smile. slipped off her jacket, throwing it to the girl on the bed. Laughter of the elder actresses, drowned out the music.

- Gosh, you've got a sweet face, my baby! - she said in a husky voice and winked at her. Rooney pointed out that Cate also not wearing a bra. White shirt recessed into skirt, shone through. The younger actress could have seen pink, hard nipples of the other women.

Cate hands moved over her waist and buttocks. She squeezed them lightly. Rooney sighed loudly. She felt that the tension is so mad.

The blonde turned to her and caught her gaze, looking at her with admiration.
In the slow movements she slipped her black skirt.

"You give me a reason to live
You give me a reason to live
Sweet darling "

Green girl's eyes widened even more when she saw Cate in the same stockings. Blonde woman let down her hair, humming: "You give me a reason to live." She walked slowly to the bed and gracefully, like a cat, walked on all fours, to find over a younger actress. Their lips intertwined immediately. Cate moved her head and bit Rooney's earlobe by teeth.

- I see you're very flushed. My dearest.

In response, she heard only a low moan.

- Oh, really ... - she asked herself. Her slender hands effectively deprived clothes of the younger actress. When Cate's fingers slid under the soft, linen material of Rooney's panties - she froze.

- Wow. - she whispered. Rooney felt a piercing, dark blue eyes on her face. - Wow. - she said again, moving her fingers, in a place, where the dark-haired girl was incredibly wet. She felt hot breath of Cate's on her own neck. Cate's tongue sliding in a place where easily could felt a Rooney's rapid pulse.

Their lips met again. Rooney through kisses and rapid breathing, heard a Cate's whisper: "My angel, flung out of space" alternating with "my sweet darling" and "Oh, baby, you give me a reason to live."

Cate moved her tongue over the porcelain skin. She caressed her small breasts - with tongue and teeth. Girl's moans - for Cate was the most enjoyable music. For Cate it's only mattered one thing - here and now. As if tomorrow does not have to be.

Skillful hands slipped off her panties. Alternately caressing her by tongue and slender fingers.

She wanted to leave her satisfied, breathless. She wanted to bring her to the limit, where it already does not count anything. Easy state of mind.

She saw her body shaking more and more. She had heard wonderful moans, with quickly breathing. She felt like a Rooney's body stopped for the moment. Her cry of pleasure cuts the silence.

- Oh my sweet baby! - Cate whispered, seeing the tears in her green eyes. She hugged her tightly, pulling her harder to her own body. - My angel, flung out of space. - she said, feeling the tears dripping on her own shoulder.

They looked into each others eyes. Deeply. Without words. Cate brushed dark strands of hair from Rooney's face. Green eyes gleamed from recent tears. Reddened cheeks and lips - were everything, what she needed now.

For Cate they were an entire world.