Hello, Hollywood!

by Janice Thompson

  I slapped myself in the head at that one.

  “And you plan to stick with her, no matter what life throws your way,” Paul said.

  We all turned to look at him.

  “Hey, that’s where I went wrong with my ex. We didn’t go into it with a ‘forever’ way of thinking.” He smiled. “We’re working on that now, by the way. We’ve made a lot of progress.”

  We all began to cheer. For a moment I thought Stephen was going to stand up. Forget about his plan to propose. Fortunately, Lenora put her hand on his shoulder and told him to keep going.

  He did.

  His next words were completely off the script. Not that it really mattered. I couldn’t remember one thing he said once it was spoken. I was too distracted by the tears in his eyes and the pure joy radiating out of his smile. Well, that, and the fantastically large princess-cut diamond in the now-open ring box.

  When he finished, I gave him a resounding “Yes!” and everyone began to shout. The ring went on my finger, and the women gathered around, Brooke leading the way, to examine the merchandise. My heart raced like never before, and all the more as I examined the ring.

  I’m getting married? I’m getting married!

  “Ooo, that was a great proposal,” Lenora said, grabbing my hand and leaning down to see the shimmering diamond. She turned to Stephen. “But you need to kiss her now. Seal the deal.”

  “Thank you. Don’t mind if I do.” Stephen rose and pulled me into his arms. He whispered, “I’m so sorry, Athena. I’m not sure how you feel about this happening in front of a crowd, but they wouldn’t take no for an answer.”

  I laughed. “Stephen, every major event of my life has happened in front of a big crowd. That’s what happens in Greek families. You share it all together—the joys, the sorrows . . .”

  He put his finger over my lips. “No sorrows today. We’ve been through enough of those. Only joys from now on.”

  “Oh? You’ve penciled in joy but not sorrow? What about conflict? What about having a plotline that moves up and down, in and out? Our story won’t be much fun if it’s all joy.”

  “You two are crazy,” Kat said. “You do know that, right? Do you always interrupt your love scenes to analyze them?”

  Stephen and I looked at each other for a moment and then laughed.

  “Yep,” I said.

  “Sorry if that blows any romantic notions,” Stephen said. “But we’re just a couple of crazy writers who overanalyze everything. That’s what makes us so perfect for each other.”

  “Crazy can be good,” Bob said. “You wouldn’t want the writer of the show to be normal, after all. How boring would that be?”

  “Yes, how boring would that be?” I whispered in the ear of my husband-to-be.

  “Back in the old days, a Greek man would propose to a Greek woman by tossing an apple to her,” Milo said. “Anyone got a fruit basket lying around?”

  “Skip the fruit,” I said. “His proposal was perfect. Wouldn’t change a thing.”

  My father drew near, a somber expression on his face. Uh-oh. I could feel something coming, and it wasn’t going to be good.

  “We’re not quite done here yet,” he said. “There’s one more piece of business to attend to.”

  “O-oh?” Stephen paled. “I . . . I asked you for her hand, sir. You said yes.”

  “Yes. I agreed that you could ask for her hand,” Babbas said, looking far too serious. “But have you forgotten my rule? Do you not remember what I once said about the Greek national anthem?”

  Oh, help.

  My father looked straight at Stephen. “Any man worthy of my daughter has to memorize all 158 verses.”

  I saw the look of panic in Stephen’s eyes. Clearly he’d forgotten this little tidbit.

  Or had he?

  With voice shaking, he dove into the first verse. We all sang it with him. Well, those of us who were Greek, anyway. Jana and Nora looked a little lost, as did Bob and Paul.

  As we sang, my heart swelled with pride. I thought of Mean-Athena and how her story had ended. She’d gone her whole life without love, only to share the greatest kind of love in the end. I wanted to know love firsthand. To taste it, feel it, experience it. As a married woman.

  That’s why I was particularly thrilled when Stephen made it through verse two. And three. And four.

  He hit verse five and kept going, mesmerizing us all with his memorization skills. Things got a little iffy around verse eleven, and I knew we were in trouble when he got to the seventeenth verse. In fact, I was pretty sure he made up about half of it. Some of the words didn’t even match, and he had that “I’m not sure what I’m doing here” look in his eye. Still, he plowed ahead. I had to give him credit for trying.

  Verse eighteen was more than a little rocky, and verse nineteen was pretty much a wash. Still, by the time he reached that point, he’d won my father over. And my mother too, for that matter. And Aunt Melina. And Milo. And the rest of the Pappas clan.

  “Son, welcome to the family.” My father slapped him on the back so hard Stephen took a couple of steps forward. He caught himself with one hand against the piano keys.

  “Thank you.” Stephen offered a broad smile, then collapsed onto the piano bench, looking exhausted.

  Everyone in the room began to talk at once. Fortunately, they were all talking about me, and not to me. That left me free to talk to the one person who mattered most. I sat next to Stephen and leaned against him.

  He pulled me into his arms and kissed the tip of my nose. “I love you, Athena-bean.”

  “Ugh. You had to call me that?”

  “Of course. It’s a love name. I’m all about love names.”

  “Fine. Then I’ll have to come up with one for you.”

  He smiled. “Don’t you find all of this strangely ironic?”

  “Ironic?”

  “Yes. Jack and Angie started out as opponents and then became co-workers. They ended up in love in the end.”

  “I know.” I giggled as I thought about it. “Crazy coincidence.”

  “I don’t believe in coincidences.” He brushed a light kiss on my right cheek, then my left. “I’ve been through a lot of pain where love is concerned,” he said. “I didn’t think God would open the door for me to find a wife, let alone a wife with such a delicious sense of humor.”

  “Oh, I have a delicious sense of humor?”

  “You do. And we’re going to need that humor to keep things fresh.” He looked at me with such love that my heart felt like it might explode. “I can’t wait to see how our lives play out. It’s going to be a blast.”

  “No doubt.”

  A thousand questions were going through my mind. Where would we live? Would Brooke accept me as her mother? Would Stephen and I still go on working together after we got married? Would we really have a houseful of soccer ball babies? If so, would I keep working for Stars Collide, or would I give it all up to be a mom?

  Calm down, Athena. You’ve been watching other married couples work together for months—your parents, Kat and Scott, Lenora and Rex. Everything will come together. Watch and see what God does.

  Yes, married couples could certainly work together. They might have to jump a few hurdles, but it could be done . . . and done well.

  “So, when’s the big day?” Kat raised her voice to be heard above the roar of the crowd. “Have you given it any thought?”

  “I don’t have a clue.” My mind reeled. I looked at Stephen and shrugged. “What do you think?”

  “Greece is beautiful in the springtime,” he said with a wink.

  “G-Greece? Really?”

  This seemed to get everyone’s attention. Mama and Babbas turned my way. So did Milo and Melina.

  “Oh, that’s perfect!” Mama said. “Absolutely perfect.”

  “Of course. Is there anyplace else to go on our honeymoon?” Stephen asked. “I’ve wanted to go all my life.”

  Everyone went a little crazy at this news. Mama announced that the
wedding should take place in Greece as well. I wasn’t so sure about that part. Getting married in my own church sounded pretty ideal to me, but a honeymoon in Greece? I could hardly wait!

  Within minutes everyone in the room was chattering once again. I took advantage of the chaos to pull Stephen to the side. “I can’t believe I get to go to the place where my mama lived. And Mean-Athena.” I stopped myself and said her name once more. “I mean, Aunt Athena.”

  “Funny how hindsight helps you see things in perspective, isn’t it?” Stephen ran his fingers through my hair and smiled.

  “No kidding. I’m guessing she was never mean at all. Maybe she lived her whole life brokenhearted, sacrificing the only chance she ever had for love so that her family could one day benefit from the gift she would leave behind.”

  “Reminds me of that verse about laying down your life for your friends,” Stephen said. “She pretty much did that, didn’t she?”

  “She did. And you do too, Stephen. You’ve always been the kind of guy to put others first. Don’t think I wasn’t watching when you brought those aging Hollywood stars back into the limelight. You knew they needed another chance.”

  “Everyone needs another chance, Athena.” Stephen lowered his voice, though I knew no one could hear us. “That’s the truth. Mean-Athena needed one. Zeus needed one. Milo. Paul. Bob. Me . . . We all need second chances. And I’m so glad that God gives them. I wouldn’t be here otherwise.”

  “Me either.”

  “He also gives third and fourth and fifth chances, and I think we should too. That’s why we’ve got to be quick to forgive. Not hold grudges. That sort of thing.”

  I sighed. “Do you realize you’re practically perfect in every way?”

  “No, but I do realize you must be blind to think so.”

  I laughed. “Not blind. I guess I just see your good traits first. If you have any bad ones, they’re hidden underneath the good.”

  Stephen chuckled. “I only wish my nona had lived long enough to hear you say that. There are plenty of bad ones, trust me. And God isn’t finished with me yet. I’ve got a long way to go—as a father, a man, and a writer. I hope you realize that.”

  “You think you’re flawed?” I started to tell him about my physical imperfections but stopped short. There would be plenty of time for my flaws to reveal themselves later. Right now I’d rather bask in the glow of our love.

  Bask in the glow of our love? How cheesy was that? It seemed the deeper I fell in love with this man, the goofier my writing got. Oh well. Maybe that’s the way it was meant to be. Maybe those romance writers had it right all along. The tingles. The buckling knees. The heaving bosoms. Maybe it was all meant to be.

  Or maybe I just needed to stop thinking so much and let love lead the way.

  I jumped into wedding-planning mode with a fury. With so much to do in so little time, how could I pull this off? Mama, of course, wanted me to have a traditional Greek wedding. The fact that we attended a contemporary, non–Greek Orthodox church didn’t stop her from wanting the usual Greek fanfare.

  Babbas didn’t seem to care, as long as he could give me away. Kat was already looking for a maternity bridesmaid’s dress, and Brooke had pegged herself as a junior bridesmaid. My phone rang off the wall as she shared her enthusiasm with me. Not that I minded. Every day I fell a little more in love with that darling girl. She’d captured me on every conceivable level.

  The wedding plans were such a blissful distraction that I almost forgot about the Golden Globe nomination. As the evening drew near, however, Paul and Bob—both nervous wrecks—reminded me on a daily, if not hourly, basis.

  “We get extra tickets for the Golden Globes,” Bob said. “So you can bring a date, or what have you.”

  “Fine,” Paul said. “I’ll bring my ‘what have you.’”

  We all laughed at that. I knew, though, that his “what have you” was his ex-wife, and I’d been dying to meet her. Likely she would soon be part of the family too.

  Kat, whose blossoming belly made me smile every time I saw it, helped me pick out a dress for the event. We had far too much fun shopping.

  “Just think,” she said. “The next dress we’ll be picking out is your wedding dress.”

  “One event at a time,” I said. “Let’s get through the Golden Globes and then we’ll talk wedding.”

  I chose an olive-green satin dress with a beautiful neckline and fitted waist. Underneath several yards of satin, no one would see my cellulite-covered thighs. I wished I could put them out of my mind altogether, but with my honeymoon night looming in the not-too-distant future, I felt compelled to somehow make them go away. I also wished I could get rid of my love handles. And that embarrassing mole. Ack.

  Oh well. Stephen had agreed to marry me. Surely he could learn to live with those things. Right? And who knew—maybe he had a few imperfections too. I hoped.

  On the night of the Golden Globes, I forgot all about my cellulite. In fact, the evening flew by at such a whirlwind pace that it felt like a dream. I vaguely remembered the look on Stephen’s face when he saw me descending the stairs in that green dress. I heard the whistle that followed. I remembered how handsome he looked in his tuxedo, and how nervous he seemed as we drove to the theater. I laughed at Bob’s antics on the red carpet and stumbled my way through a mini-interview with the gal from Entertainment Tonight. And I definitely remembered the feeling that gripped me when Stars Collide was listed as one of the nominees.

  What stood out most, however, was the moment the shout went up. As the announcer opened the envelope and shared the news that Stars Collide had won Best Television Series for a Comedy or Musical, my insides turned to mush. I couldn’t stand. I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t stop shaking. In short, I became a Greek statue. Frozen in place.

  My co-workers all flew to their feet in joyous celebration. Stephen took my hand and pulled me out of my seat, dragging me along beside him to the stage, where I found myself huddled together with Rex, Lenora, Tia, Kat, Scott, and the whole writing crew. Rex spoke a few tearful words on behalf of the cast and crew, and we headed back to our seats.

  The rest of the night was a blur. After the ceremony ended, we climbed into the limo to ride to the after party, and I turned into a quivering mess. Thankfully, everyone else was still chattering about the night, so Stephen and I managed to have a private conversation. My eyes filled with tears, and I choked out a few words about how happy I was, and yet how terrifying it had all been.

  “We’re in a limo, pulling away from the Golden Globes, where we won. We actually won.” I shook my head. “This is so . . . surreal. If we’d written it as a scene in the sitcom, no one would have believed it.”

  “Truth is always stranger than fiction,” Stephen said. He slipped his arm over my shoulder and drew me close. “Haven’t you heard that?”

  “I’ve heard it and I’ve lived it. After everything we’ve been through in the past few months, I’d have to say that the truth in my own life is definitely stranger than fiction. What happened to my normal, stable life?”

  “Stable?” He laughed.

  “Right. Stable. All I’ve ever known is stability. I’ve had a stable home environment. Stable family life. Stable love from my parents and siblings and other relatives. I’m stable Athena.” Makes me sound like a horse.

  “See?” he said. “You are a plotter. I knew it all along. You think things through.”

  “Maybe, but not on purpose. These last few weeks have been filled with a lot of things that I never knew would end up in my story. The news about Aunt Athena’s estate. Milo and Melina’s wedding. Our engagement.” I turned to him and smiled. “I certainly never plotted any of that. And I never added in a scene at the Golden Globes.”

  “And I never imagined how God could bless me by allowing me to win a Comedy Award. But none of these awards even begin to compare with how I feel about you, Athena.” He gazed at me tenderly. “Still, we’re a mess, aren’t we?” He flashed a smile. “I have to
wonder if all writers are like this. I guess you need to loosen up a little in your real life. Don’t worry about everything being so calculated.”

  “It’s your fault.” I punched him in the arm. “You’re the one who kept bringing up that stupid twelve-step plotter. Before that I just went with the flow. Now I find myself wanting to plot out our wedding plans. Isn’t that stupid?”

  “Nah. It’s funny.” He kissed me on the forehead. “Go ahead and plot the wedding. Make your plans. Make them as elaborate or as plain as you like. Doesn’t matter to me, just as long as you include Brooke. She’s dying to be a bridesmaid. Or junior bridesmaid. Or whatever that’s called.” He laughed. “Can you tell I don’t know much about this?”

  “I’m not really up on weddings either,” I said. “But don’t worry. My mother’s been planning my wedding since I was three. I have it on good authority that she’s already rented the church and a hall for the reception.”

  “Of course she has.”

  “And I’m sure a band has been hired. Greek, of course.”

  “Of course.”

  “And Babbas will want to bring sandwiches. You can count on it.”

  “I wouldn’t have it any other way. What’s a wedding without a Super-Gyro?”

  I paused to think about his words. Yes, indeed. What was a wedding without a superhero?

  “Frankly, I’m not as concerned about the wedding as I am about the life,” Stephen said. “Hope you’re okay with that.”

  “Totally okay with that. I only plan to get married once.”

  My words were followed by silence, and I could see the pained look in his eyes. I suddenly realized what I’d said and how it must have affected him.

  “Oh, man. I’m sorry, Stephen.”

  “No, nothing to apologize for. I never planned for things to go the way they did with Brooke’s mom. When she took off with that guy, it broke my heart. I never pictured myself divorced. Not ever. And you can only imagine what all of that did to Brooke. But now that so much time has passed, I can honestly say that I’m grateful to be where I am now. I’m at a stronger place spiritually, and I’m a much better dad to Brooke.” He grinned. “I think you’re getting a better man.”