by Suzy K Quinn
‘You … you don’t want me to test?’
‘No. Because I’m gonna give you the part.’
I put my hand to my mouth and a laugh escapes through my fingers. ‘You … I have the part? In your movie?’
‘You sure do. You’ll be perfect.’
‘But don’t you have to … I mean what about production and everything? Aren’t there hoops to jump through?’
‘Not on my movies. I married well. My husband owns the film company. I have a contract saying I get to hire and fire whoever I like. Total control. And you’re hired. Okay?’
I let out another delighted laugh. ‘Oh my god. Thank you. Thank you!’
‘I knew the second I sat down that you’d be perfect. That lovely balance – humble but charismatic. I can’t tell you how long I’ve been searching for a leading lady for this picture. And when you know you know. Isn’t that right Marc?’
‘It would seem so.’
‘Oh come on now,’ says Nadia. ‘Take off that frown. I’ll take good care of your wife. You know that.’
‘She could be pregnant Nadia,’ says Marc. ‘Am I the only one who seems to understand that?’
‘Even if she is, it’s no problem as far as I’m concerned,’ says Nadia. ‘We can still go right ahead. But listen Sophia – if you’re pregnant, shooting a movie might not be easy. Especially your first movie. If you get sick or tired … wow, it’s going to be hard work.’
‘I don’t mind hard work,’ I say.
‘That’s good to hear, but … look, maybe you should find out if you’re pregnant before you accept the role. For your sake. Some of the filming will be tough. Long days.’
‘I know. I think I’m prepared for it. Pregnant or not.’
‘Sophia—’ Marc shakes his head at me.
‘Okay, maybe not prepared. I don’t know what’s coming. This is all new. But I have faith. I believe I can do it. Truly I do. And this is such an amazing opportunity. I’ve always loved your movies.’
Nadia waves her hand at me. ‘Stop! Stop! You’re going to give me a big head. Listen, if you’re okay to go ahead then I’d love to have you. Delighted actually. You and Leo together! You look so good.’
Marc’s lips go firm. ‘So I hear.’
Nadia slaps her fingers on Marc’s arm. ‘Don’t you go getting possessive of your new wife now, Mr Marc Blackwell. She’ll be mine for the next four months.’
‘Four months?’ Marc takes a sip of sherry. ‘We negotiated three.’
‘Negotiated?’ I say. ‘What? When did that happen?’
Marc’s lips twitch. ‘I had my agent talk to the production team. Actually Sophia, he’s your agent now. As of last week. It’s important to hammer things out right from the start. Even if you’re just testing for a role.’
My agent?
I feel a little dizzy. Things are moving so quickly. A moment ago I thought I’d be testing for Nadia’s movie. Now I’m in the movie and Marc tells me I have an agent … this is all too much to take in.
I listen to Marc and Nadia talk, feeling like I’m underwater.
‘Oh sure, sure that was the agreement,’ says Nadia. ‘But sometimes things overrun. You know how it goes.’
‘You and your timekeeping.’ Marc frowns.
‘Hey.’ Nadia opens her hands. ‘It’s the Spanish way. Okay? Take life easy.’
‘But seriously Nadia. If Sophia’s pregnant, filming can’t overrun. You might have to keep to schedule for once.’
‘You’re not the boss of me Marc Blackwell,’ Nadia teases. ‘I’m the director of this movie.’
‘Wait!’ I say. ‘Slow down. Hang on a minute. Marc – I have an agent now?’
‘Yes. My agent. He’s the best in the business. I wouldn’t settle for anything less, as far as you were concerned. I thought if you were going to test, you needed someone good.’
‘Tell me more about this negotiating,’ I say.
‘Our agent spoke with Nadia last night,’ says Marc. ‘He made it clear that if things did go ahead, three months would be the maximum you could work.’
‘I don’t really appreciate your agent making phone calls without telling me,’ I say. ‘This is my career, not yours.’
Nadia claps her hands. ‘Bravo Sophia! Marc means well though. You know that, don’t you? He loves you so much – I can see it in his eyes. He just wants to look after you.’
I frown. ‘Sometimes he needs to back off a little.’
‘You can see why I love her, can’t you?’ Marc asks Nadia.
Nadia laughs. ‘I certainly can. So listen – if you really want to go ahead we should start filming as soon as possible. Because if you are pregnant, that bump is going to start showing fast. You are very skinny Mrs Blackwell. There’ll be nowhere to hide the baby.’
I laugh.
‘Perhaps Sophia should have a little more time to think about this,’ says Marc. ‘At least until we know what the doctor has to say at our next appointment.’
‘No, I’ve made my decision,’ I say. ‘Nadia – I’d love to accept the part. And thank you for being so understanding. I really do appreciate it. Even if I’m pregnant, I’ll work as hard as any other actor. I promise.’
‘I’m happy to hear that Sophia,’ says Nadia, grinning her big, beautiful smile. ‘Okay – so let me tell you about the movie. You know it’s based on Rapunzel, right?’
‘Yes. Leo told me that.’
‘So the title of the movie is, guess what? Rapunzel! Original huh?’
I laugh. ‘Very.’
‘Not my idea actually. My husband insisted. But he’s usually right about these things. So … I let him get his way sometimes. The movie is kind of a dark romance – there’s some fighting and violence. It’s not all squeaky clean. And Rapunzel isn’t some weak-willed heroine. She gets a little bloody too. But the key to everything is the romance between Rapunzel and the prince. Okay? That’s what the movie is really about. Love, love, love.’
I don’t even have to look at Marc to know he’s frowning.
‘Ah!’ Nadia claps her hands. ‘Food!’
Steaming dishes are set on the table.
‘Let’s eat.’ Nadia serves a portion of beef and beans onto my plate. ‘Try this. It’s a recipe from my home town. You’ll love it. Do you have any Spanish family at all? You look … I don’t know. Not so English.’
‘My mother was Italian.’
‘Really!’ Nadia slaps the table. ‘Beautiful country. So you speak Italian?’
‘A little bit. But my mother died when I was quite young. I didn’t get a chance to learn an awful lot.’
‘Your mother died? Oh that is so sad. Well listen. I’ll be your mother on this movie, okay?’ She carries on serving food. ‘So when do you see the doctor?’
‘.’
‘Not so long to wait. We can start filming after—’
‘No.’ I shake my head firmly. ‘I don’t want to hold anything up. We can start filming as soon as possible.’
‘Is your husband going to be happy about that, Sophia?’ Nadia throws Marc a mischievous grin.
‘No he is not happy about it,’ Marc growls. ‘Sophia, it makes sense to wait until you’ve heard what the doctor has to say. What if she says you need rest? That you shouldn’t work?’
‘Pregnancy isn’t an illness,’ says Nadia. ‘When I had my babies I carried on working right up until I gave birth. But listen. I’m going to give you some advice, okay? You’re newlyweds. Antonio and I have been married …’ she counts on her fingers … ‘twenty years.’
Marc’s lips twitch into a smile. ‘What’s the advice?’
17
‘It was the same advice my mother gave me,’ says Nadia, sipping a spoon of beef and bean stew. ‘Marriage is a cake cut in half. The man is one half, the woman is the other. But put those two halves together and they don’t make a whole cake.’
‘Meaning?’ says Marc, his eyebrow raised.
‘Meaning that you have to grow together in a marria
ge. You have to work together to make the missing piece of cake. You have to be more than you were to begin with. You have to give, give, give and then give some more.
‘So Marc – you have to understand that Sophia wants to work hard on this movie. And she might not rest as much as you want her to. She might even wear herself out sometimes. You have to give a little more. To try and understand that.’
Marc’s expression darkens. ‘She will not wear herself out.’
‘She might,’ says Nadia lightly. ‘But she’ll be okay. And you, Sophia, have to listen to Marc too. Respect what he says. I’ve known Marc a long time. Say what you will about him, but he’s rarely wrong. If he thinks you’re working too hard, try to rest more.’
‘I thought you were just a director,’ says Marc dryly, ‘yet here you are, a marriage counsellor too.’
Nadia laughs. ‘Listen. I’m happy to start filming early next week. There’s no sense holding it off. If you’re pregnant it’s not going to make any difference to me. So we may as well get started. I know Leo wants to get going too. He has another movie lined up for later in the year.’
‘He’s a busy man,’ says Marc, taking a neat sip of sherry.
‘Let me guess,’ says Nadia. ‘You don’t like him.’
‘Didn’t like him. I’m warming to him these days. He’s proven himself to be more of a man than I realised.’
‘Well I’m glad to hear it,’ says Nadia, dipping grilled bread into her stew. ‘Because Leo and Sophia are going to be close on this movie.’
‘How close?’ Marc asks.
‘Look, there’s a bedroom scene okay? I may as well get that out in the open. So it doesn’t come as a shock.’
‘Bedroom scene?’ growls Marc.
‘Nothing too heavy. Just full-frontal nudity.’
Marc slams his glass down on the table.
Nadia bursts out laughing. ‘Relax! I’m just joking with you. No – just a little bare skin. Okay?’ She puts a hand on Marc’s forearm.
‘Not okay at all,’ says Marc. ‘But I suppose I’m just going to have to deal with it. If it’s what Sophia wants. May I see the script at least?’
‘Hey Sophia,’ says Nadia. ‘You know – I need to send you over the script. Where are you two lovebirds staying?’
‘We’ve been staying at the townhouse,’ I say. ‘I suppose if we’re filming next week, that’s where I’ll be. We’re shooting in London aren’t we?’
‘Of course!’ says Nadia. ‘This fabulous city – how could we not? Oh wait. I totally forgot to ask. Won’t you two be going on honeymoon soon? I can fit filming around—’
‘It’s okay.’ I smile. ‘We put off our honeymoon to go to the doctors. We can put it off a little longer to do the movie.’
‘But honey – four months longer?’
‘Three months,’ Marc snaps.
‘Okay okay, three months. But seriously. You’re going to put off your honeymoon that long?’
‘If that’s what Sophia wants, I’m happy to wait,’ says Marc. But he doesn’t look happy. I’m guessing he’s still thinking about the bedroom scene.
‘Hey Marc – so remember I had news for you too?’ says Nadia.
‘I remember.’
‘You don’t want to know what it is?’
‘Not as much as you want to tell me.’
Nadia laughs. ‘Oh Marc, you never play my games! Okay, so listen. Here is what I wanted to discuss. Remember I told you? On the phone? Someone else agreed to do the movie. Someone you, Marc Blackwell, know very, very well.’
‘Who?’
‘I’m amazed you don’t know already.’ Nadia takes a gulp of sherry. ‘Your agent grilled me yesterday. He wanted all the details.’
‘The only detail I cared about yesterday was Sophia’s working schedule.’ Marc takes a fork of paella. ‘I didn’t ask who the other actors were.’
‘We have some really interesting names. One especially interesting for you.’ Nadia grins. ‘Come on. You don’t want to know who I’m talking about?’
‘Astonish me.’
‘Baz Smith.’
Marc leans back in his chair. ‘Baz has agreed to do the movie?’
‘He certainly has.’
‘He’ll be working alongside Sophia?’
‘Of course. He has a major part. But that’s not a problem, right? He’s a good friend of yours.’
‘More than a friend,’ says Marc. ‘A mentor. A father figure. If he hadn’t taken me under his wing as a troubled young man, who knows where I would have ended up.’
‘You two were best buddies once upon a time,’ says Nadia. ‘Always sparring. I remember you together. But listen. Baz told me he wasn’t at the wedding. He didn’t even know you were getting married.’
‘No.’
‘Why not?’
Marc shrugs. ‘Men don’t do the whole Christmas card thing. I haven’t seen Baz in years. I didn’t even know if he was in the country. Besides, Sophia’s never met him. And you know Baz. He and formal occasions don’t exactly go hand in hand.’
Nadia rolls her eyes at me. ‘Men! If it wasn’t for their wives they’d never see anybody. I have to buy all Antonio’s Christmas presents for him. Even his mother’s.’
I laugh.
‘So Baz accepted the part?’ says Marc. ‘Not usually his sort of thing is it?’
‘Actually, I think he’ll be perfect. I want someone with a few battle scars. A dark prince. I don’t like my movies looking too clean.’
‘So why choose Falkirk?’ says Marc.
‘Ah, my golden boy. True – Leo doesn’t have the look I’d usually go for. But he and Sophia are good together. And sometimes you need a little light around the place. Hey Marc – remember when we went to that bar in Barcelona old town with Baz and—’
Marc cuts her off with a curt, ‘I remember.’
‘What happened?’ I ask.
‘Baz made a bet with a local.’ Nadia slaps the table. ‘That he could eat a whole chorizo hanging from the ceiling. And he did! The whole thing! My god, his skin was so blotchy the next day. The makeup girl had to use everything in her box to even him out. Those were the days, hey Marc?’
‘Not for me they weren’t.’
‘Oh come on. You’re saying you didn’t have fun in Barcelona?’
‘I’ll admit it was interesting seeing a woman of your stature drinking half pints of brandy without falling over.’
Nadia shrugs. ‘It’s the Spanish way. More spirit than mixer. But I did fall over quite regularly, if you remember. And you would always carry me home, gentleman that you are. To be told off by my husband.’
‘I wasn’t going to leave you to be pawed over by the barmen.’
‘I didn’t deserve looking after, the state I got into,’ says Nadia. ‘Christ – terrible.’
‘Every woman deserves to be looked after.’
‘I’d like to meet Baz,’ I tell Marc. ‘You should have invited him to the wedding.’
Marc raises an eyebrow. ‘If you wanted your wedding turned into a load of men drinking each other under the table—’
‘Hah!’ Nadia laughs. ‘Oh my god, yes! Don’t put Baz anywhere near alcohol. It’s a recipe for disaster.’
‘Still. Baz is important to you,’ I say. ‘I want to meet everyone who is important to you.’
‘Oh Baz and Marc were inseparable once upon a time,’ says Nadia. ‘Like brothers. Always up to mischief. Baz is so crazy.’
‘Which is exactly why I don’t see him these days,’ says Marc, resting his knife and fork on his empty plate. ‘But I’m glad he’s on set. It means there’ll be someone else to keep an eye on Sophia. I trust him to do that, at least. As long as he’s not drinking.’
‘Keep an eye on Sophia?’ I say.
‘Yes. Keep an eye. If you’re feeling low or tired. Or you need anything …’
I slide my hand into Marc’s. ‘I’ll be fine.’
‘Look, you know usually I’d invite you to watch us shoot,’ Nad
ia tells Marc. ‘But half this movie will be shot on location. It’ll be bad enough having Leo and Baz for the fans to scream at. If people know you’re around too there’ll be a stampede and we’ll never get anything done.’
‘Reluctantly, I have to agree with you,’ says Marc. ‘The press hound Sophia enough as it is. The two of us together … it would be better if I kept my distance. But I will insist on having my security team on set at all times. And driving Sophia myself. That is non-negotiable.’
Nadia grins. ‘Non-negotiable huh? Maybe you should ask your wife before you start negotiating for her. It didn’t go down well last time.’
‘It’s okay,’ I say. ‘I know where Marc’s coming from. And I appreciate it.’
‘Great.’ Nadia downs the last of her sherry. ‘So listen – Sophia. We’ll do the costume stuff before we start shooting the movie. This Monday, okay? I’ll have my PA send you over the details. You can meet the cast and get to know each other. Marc – why don’t you come too? Baz will be there.’
Marc frowns. ‘I might give it a miss.’
‘Really?’ I say. ‘But it’s my first day. And I really want you there. Especially if you can’t be there when we shoot. And don’t you want to see Baz?’
‘In some ways yes, in some ways no.’
‘In some ways no?’
Marc shakes his head. ‘It doesn’t matter. Yes – I’ll be there on Monday.’ His lips stretch tight. ‘To see my old friend.’
18
As we leave the restaurant, Marc takes my hand and marches me along the street.
‘You can be very impulsive sometimes,’ he says, his voice low. ‘Agreeing to this before we even know if you’re pregnant or not … sometimes I forget how young you are.’
‘I’m not much younger than you.’
‘You’re five years younger.’
‘Do you think that’s a lot?’
‘More than you might realise.’
‘What are you saying?’
Marc shakes his head. ‘Nothing Sophia. I just … when I was your age I’d seen the world. Met dozens of directors. I would never have made a decision like the one you just made. Not in such a hurry.’
‘This is a great opportunity for me. I wasn’t rushing into anything. I knew it was right—’