The Director's Cut

  “Tia?” Jason’s voice startled me back to attention.

  “Hmm?” My hazy dream came to an end. Fred and Ginger’s dance ended abruptly.

  “I want you to know something.” A smile turned up the edges of his lips. “I really want you to know that—”

  “What are you kids up to?”

  I looked up to discover Lenora at our table. Her food tray trembled in her hand.

  “Can I join you, or is this a private meeting?” Lenora’s gaze shifted to the table, and I realized Jason and I were still holding hands.

  “Oh, well, we . . .”

  “I’m all alone today.” The tray continued to tremble in her hands. “Rex had to stay in his office to work, but he told me to come and find someone to sit with.”

  “Please, join us.” Jason released my hand, rose, and grabbed Lenora’s tray. She sat and dove into a lengthy discussion about the price of Salisbury steak as he put her plate in front of her.

  Looked like I would have to wait until another day to see what Jason had on his mind. For now, Lenora totally consumed the conversation.

  I dabbed my lips with a napkin and gave her a closer look. “Lenora, that dress is divine. Who are you today?”

  “Claudette Colbert. It Happened One Night.” She took on a faraway look. “Did you ever see that one, honey?”

  “No, I don’t think so.”

  “Oh, get to the theater and see it as soon as you can. There’s something so magical about the interaction between Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert. They’re both breathtakingly beautiful to look at, but it’s not just that. They’re meant to be together. You can see it in their eyes.” She sighed. “I can always tell when people are supposed to be together.”

  “You can?”

  She flashed a girlish smile, then looked back and forth between us. “Well, sure. I knew KK and Jack were supposed to get married as soon as I met him.”

  I decided not to correct her. If she wanted to call Scott by his stage name, so be it.

  “And take you, for instance.” Lenora chuckled. “You’re such a funny little thing. Always acting so tough and all. But you’re going to marry a man with a heart of gold, someone who would give his shirt to help another.” Her gaze shifted to Jason, who, thank goodness, didn’t react.

  “I am?”

  “Well, sure, honey. You just wait and see. God will use him to rub off those hard edges. Before long, you’ll be smooth as a stone, inside and out.”

  I sighed. Even Lenora thought I was rough and tough. But at least she saw my heart. I couldn’t say that about everyone.

  Besides, the newer, softer me wouldn’t get offended anymore. I would handle things—all things, good and bad—with grace and ease.

  “I see that you’re already wearing pink. That’s a start.” Lenora glanced at Jason. “Doesn’t she look lovely in pink?”

  “Lovely is the right word.” He gave me a little wink and my heart fluttered.

  Lenora took a bite of her Salisbury steak, then offered a contented sigh. “God’s in his heaven, all’s right with the world.”

  Something quickened inside of me. “Oh, I know that one. Anne of Green Gables.”

  “Yes, such a sweet little thing, Anne.” Lenora took a bite of her mashed potatoes. “I do hope our new baby grows up to be just like her—silly, sweet, and filled with spunk.”

  “Oh, I’m sure she will,” Jason said. “She’s got the best parents in the world.”

  Lenora smiled. “Oh, you’ll be so happy to know I called Ted Holliday, one of my favorite reporters, to tell him all about the baby. He was so happy to get the news.”

  This certainly got my attention. She’d been talking to reporters? I wondered if Rex knew.

  “You mean the real baby, right?” I asked, choosing my words carefully.

  “Well, of course. The one KK had in the elevator. I told Ted all about it. He was tickled pink.” She giggled. “Or would that be blue?” A look of confusion registered in her eyes. “She did have a baby boy, right?”

  “You mean the real baby, or the one on the show?” Jason asked.

  “Show?” Lenora shook her head. “I’m talking about KK’s new baby. I was sure she had a boy. But then I saw the baby in her arms, and I could’ve sworn it was a girl.” She sighed. “Oh, but it’s the prettiest little baby in the world. Reminds me of my little one all those years ago.” She went off on a tangent, but she’d lost me.

  “Lenora, what did you say the reporter’s name was again?” I asked.

  “Ted Holliday, honey.” Her eyes sparkled. “Oh, I could always count on Ted to cover a story with flair. You should have seen the write-up he did when I starred in It Had to Be You back in ’57.”

  A reporter who worked for The Scoop back in ’57 was still there today? I couldn’t imagine it.

  “So, you told Mr. Holliday about the baby.” Jason looked her way and then glanced at me.

  She nodded.

  “Did you happen to mention the baby’s name?” he asked.

  Confusion registered in her eyes again. “Oh dear. Now I’ve done it.”

  “Done what?” My heart began to race.

  “I . . .” Tears rose to cover her lashes. “I can’t remember the baby’s name,” she whispered. “Isn’t that awful?”

  I patted her on the arm, doing my best to comfort her. “I forget names all the time, Lenora. Don’t worry about it.”

  Her expression brightened. “Anyway, we have a new baby. And I remember now! She’s named Anne with an e just like the little girl from Anne of Green Gables. I think that’s what we were talking about, wasn’t it? Or was it Little Ricky? I can’t remember now. Oh, yes, I told that reporter the baby’s name was Little Ricky.” She flashed a contented smile. “I’ve always loved that name. Reminds me of I Love Lucy. Didn’t Lucille Ball have the prettiest red hair?” She leaned in close and whispered, “Though I can assure you, it was Lady Clairol, not Mother Nature.” A giggle followed, and she took another bite of her steak.

  I didn’t have the heart to tell Lenora that her granddaughter’s name was Katherine. And I certainly couldn’t tell her that she’d committed a grave error by going to a tabloid with news about the baby boy. It would probably also break her heart to know that Ted Holliday had likely passed away years ago. She had clearly talked with someone else at The Scoop, not him.

  Jason gave me a knowing look, and I knew we were on the same page. My sister hadn’t tipped off the media. Lenora had. And though she’d created all sorts of trouble for the show, none of us could tell her. Or blame her. Or hold it against her.

  Still, I had to tell Rex. He needed to know . . . and the sooner, the better.

  As we walked back to the soundstage, Lenora rambled on and on about Kat’s baby, Little Ricky. Before long, she was telling stories about Lucille Ball and what a great time she’d had getting to know her in the sixties when they worked together. At this point, I didn’t know if her stories from days gone by were real or figments of her imagination.

  All the while, Jason and I walked side by side. At one point he reached for my hand and gave it a squeeze. I couldn’t tell if he was sympathizing with me for having to listen to Lenora’s endless chatter about Hollywood past, or if the hand-holding spoke of more. Perhaps time would tell.

  We joined the others for a final run-through of the show, then I sent my cast off to wardrobe to finalize their fittings while I talked through the more technical aspect of the episode with the camera crew. Jason led the way through this discussion, and I thanked God—albeit silently—for someone who really knew his stuff.

  Jason walked me to my car after rehearsal, keeping me entertained with funny stories about his surfing days. The more he talked about being out on the water, the more appealing it sounded. In fact, the idea of getting away from the studio—getting away from house-flipping—held more appeal than I’d realized.

  As we said our goodbyes, he reached for my hand once again and focused on my eyes. “I had a lot of fun with y
ou today, Tia.”

  Wow. New words. No one ever told me that I was fun. Hardworking, sure. Tough as nails, yep. But . . . fun?

  “I had fun with you too.” His stories had been great, but our conversation over lunch had really made my day. Oh, if only Lenora hadn’t interrupted us. I half expected Jason to finish the conversation now, but his cell phone rang, and he took the call, then waved his goodbye.

  Not that I minded. I climbed into my car and pointed it toward the nearest mall. I had a sudden desire to shop for clothes with color.

  And shop I did. I found the prettiest blouses in greens and pinks. My favorite, though, was the soft blue button-up shirt. I’d never worn anything like it.

  As soon as I arrived at home, my new wardrobe pieces went into the newly repaired closet. I had to push back some of the gray items to make space, but I didn’t mind a bit. In fact, I felt so good about things that I decided to cook dinner. Fumbling around in the freezer, I came out with a piece of tilapia, which I thawed and broiled in the oven. See, Tia? You can cook.

  Fifteen minutes later, I ate the yummy fish, along with a salad. Then I headed off to take a long, hot bath. As I soaked under the luxurious bubbles, I thought about my conversation with Jason over lunch. I tried to imagine what he would’ve said if Lenora hadn’t happened upon us.

  I got so lost in my imaginings that I almost fell asleep in the tub. Scrambling out, I dressed in a new pink nightie and headed straight for bed. By the time my head hit the pillow, I felt the lull of slumber.

  The following morning I awoke feeling even more peaceful than the day before. Mama called me on my way to the studio, her happy-go-lucky voice like music to my ears.

  “I won’t keep you long, Tia,” she said. “I know it’s Thursday. You’re filming in front of a live audience today.”

  “Oh, it’s okay, Mama. I’ve got time to talk.”

  And talk we did. She shared a funny story about something my dad had done last night, then sighed with contentment. Interesting. Was it just my relaxed state, or were other people changing too?

  I arrived at the studio to find Lenora dressed up as Glinda the Good Witch from The Wizard of Oz. Not exactly the costume I would’ve picked for her today, so I sent her off to the wardrobe department to dress for her upcoming scenes.

  “You’ve got to admit, she looks pretty good in that dress she’s wearing,” Jason said from behind me.

  “Just not in the script for this particular episode.” I chuckled.

  “You sure we can’t send it back for a rewrite? Take out the NASA bit and add a Wizard of Oz scene?”

  “This late in the game?” I asked. “I’m flexible, but not that flexible.”

  He crossed his arms.

  “Okay, I’m not really flexible. But I’m working on it.”

  “Yes, you are.” He leaned down to whisper, “And by the way, that color of blue is perfect for you.”

  “I like it a lot too.” I giggled.

  His breath was warm on my ear as he whispered, “I like a girl who knows what she likes.” A wink followed, which sent my heart fluttering a thousand directions.

  Suddenly I knew exactly what I liked . . . and it had nothing to do with sitcom scripts. I shoved the script behind my back, hoping he hadn’t noticed the trembling in my hands.

  A wiggle of his brows let me know he had. What’s happening here? I’m the one who’s always in control. I don’t let things inside the studio unnerve me. But one look into his gorgeous eyes convinced me otherwise. I melted like an ice cube on a hot sidewalk. In that moment, he could have very easily pulled me into his arms and kissed me, and I would have given myself over to the moment. In front of an audience, no less.

  Audience!

  I looked up to see that the doors had opened and the first five rows were already full.

  “Man.” I looked at my watch and gasped. “Is it really that late? Our audience is here.”

  “Just so you know,” Jason whispered, “where you’re concerned, there’s always an audience.” He gave me a knowing look, then meandered away.

  “Always an audience?” I spoke the words aloud, trying to make sense of them.

  “He’s nuts about you, Tia.”

  I turned to face Athena, who handed me the corrected script. “He is?”

  “Of course. I’m a writer. I keep a close eye on things like expressions, body signals, and so on. He’s been crazy about you since the day you arrived on the set.”

  I could no longer deny it, could I? Still, talking about it openly made it seem almost too real.

  She leaned in to whisper, “Trust me when I say that he thinks you’re the cat’s meow. And yeah, he’s always done a great job of acting tough—sometimes acting like he can’t stand you, even—but on the inside he’s a marshmallow. I’m glad he’s finally showing you that softer side. And speaking of softer, you look great.”

  “Thanks.” A shiver ran up my spine as I contemplated her words. Most of my thoughts about Jason over the past several months had been of a different vein: How long can that guy go on irritating me before I smack him upside his handsome head? Now suddenly I had to change gears and ponder the fact that he actually liked me? What an interesting twist. Then again, all good scripts were filled with interesting twists.

  Another shiver sent my thoughts reeling. Back to reality, Tia. We have a show to film. And an audience to deal with.

  Thankfully, the filming went great. When Erin and Brock finished the scene where they kissed, the audience went wild. From her flushed cheeks, I’d have to say Erin enjoyed the process. She seemed to enjoy all of it, actually. From start to finish. I’d never seen such a natural in front of the camera.

  By the time the filming came to a close, I felt more than confident about the episode. In spite of the problems leading up to it, everything had come off without a hitch. Well, except for a few dropped lines from Lenora, but we were getting used to that.

  After the audience members left, I dismissed the cast, thanking them for a wonderful day. Most headed off to wardrobe to get changed, but Lenora lingered near the cameras.

  “You okay?” I asked.

  “Oh, I, um . . .” She shrugged and gave me a sheepish grin. “I can’t remember where I was going.”

  Rex appeared behind her and put his hand on her back. “Down the hall to wardrobe, sweet girl. It’s time to get back into that beautiful gown you were wearing this morning.”

  “Gown?” She sighed. “I guess. But I’d rather just wear my flannel nightgown.” She turned my way, shaking her head. “I simply don’t understand why he won’t let me wear my nightgown. It’s the most comfortable item of clothing I own.”

  He stroked her arm. “I’ll get you home right away, Lenora, and you can change into your flannel nightgown.”

  Her expression brightened. “The soft green one with the little roses on it?”

  “Yes.” Rex nodded. “I’ll make us some hot chocolate and we’ll watch an old movie together.”

  “Oh, that sounds wonderful.”

  He looked at me. “Looks like I won’t be able to stay tonight, Tia. Can you handle the dailies without me?”

  “Sure,” I said, but I felt my insides turn to mush. I’d hoped to talk to Rex tonight, to tell him that Lenora had called The Scoop. Looked like it would have to wait till tomorrow.

  He nodded, then took Lenora by the arm, guiding her down the hallway.

  “That’s love in action.” Jason’s voice rang out from behind me.

  I turned, feeling the sting of tears in my eyes. “It is. I can only hope to have someone like Rex in my life, should I ever . . .” I didn’t speak the words. I didn’t dare. But to have someone walk alongside you through the really tough seasons would be incredible.

  “He’s amazing with her.” Jason nodded. “And speaking of amazing, Erin did a great job, don’t you think?”

  “She was brilliant. Can’t wait to head upstairs to watch the dailies.” I paused, an idea coming to me. “Hey, Jason, I wonder
if you could hang around and watch them with me. Rex has to take Lenora home, and Erin’s got a meeting at school. She told me all about it this morning.” I didn’t want to tell him how much I hated hanging out in that dark theater alone, so I threw in a line of flattery to throw him off. “You’ve got a great eye.”

  He gave me a lingering glance and said, “Yes, I do.”

  My heart almost stopped beating right then and there.

  “I’d love to join you,” he added. “Just let me close up shop down here and I’ll be right up.”

  “Perfect.”

  I stopped off at the dressing room to thank Erin for a magnificent job, but I found her too engaged in a conversation with Brock to realize I was there. Oh well. I’d tell her tomorrow.

  When I arrived in the viewing room, I gave a few instructions to our editor, then settled back in my chair, waiting on Jason. He turned down the lights and took the seat next to me.

  “Where’s the popcorn?” he asked.

  I laughed. “Yeah, we should probably keep some up here. Don’t know why I never thought of it.”

  As we watched the various clips from today’s show, our laughter rang out time and time again. Not everything was flawless, though. Looked like we’d have to redo both Lenora’s scenes. I hated to have to tell Rex, but they would have to come back in tomorrow for a retake. Still, as Jason reached for my hand, none of the problems related to today’s filming fazed me at all.

  When we’d finished watching, Jason and I lingered in the dark room with only the glow from the frozen picture on the screen.

  “I honestly think Stars Collide is the best sitcom on TV,” he said. “I’m hooked on a lot of shows, but none of them has the heart and soul this one does.”

  “Can I tell you a little secret?” I whispered.

  “Sure.”

  “I don’t watch a lot of fictional TV, and I’m clueless when it comes to other shows. I keep up with the ratings and all that, but I honestly couldn’t tell you who’s in those other shows or even what they’re about.”

  He gave me a funny look. “No way. You direct one of the most popular sitcoms on TV. How could you not watch the competition?”