Chapter 2

Chapter 2

            Cate pulled out her black dress with sheer capped sleeves and laid it on the bed, smoothing it out as she put it down.  Her hair was pulled back in a wavy French twist and her natural make up made her green eyes pop.  Dropping her robe, she slipped her dress on and stepped into her black Valentino heels, a gift from Helena for her birthday last year.  Cate looked in the mirror and decided that was as good as she was going to look that night.  She picked up her handbag and jewelry and walked out into the sitting room.  Tim was sitting on the couch, waiting on Cate and Helena.  He gave Cate a thumb up as she put her sapphire and diamond earrings in and sat in a chair across from him.  It wasn’t long before Helena came out and the three set off for the party.

The restaurant was dimly lit with low lighting and candles burning on the dark wood tables.  Cate sat at the bar and laughed with an old friend over a few drinks.  She had met Johnny on the set of his and Tim’s first film together, Edward Scissorhands.   It didn’t surprise her in the least that Tim had asked Johnny to be the star in his film. 

Johnny ordered another round of drinks for himself and Cate.  “Oh, I’m good thanks.”  Cate put her hand over her wine glass.  “So tell me who the rest of the cast is playing.  Tim has only told me about yours and Helena’s roles.”

Johnny took a sip of his Bourbon and spun around in his chair. “Jamie Campbell Bower, the young blonde guy over there, he’s playing Anthony Hope; Johanna’s love interest.”  Pointing to a young blonde girl, “That is Jayne Wisener, she is Johanna; Benjamin Barker’s daughter.”  Johnny continued telling Cate who the rest of the cast was portraying in the film. 

Cate looked over at the table Tim and Helena were at.  An older man with gray hair and piercing eyes sat beside Helena.  “Who is that?”  She watched the man closely as he laughed with the couple at the table.  Tim saw her watching and waved her over and Johnny over.

“Come on.”  Johnny took her arm and steered to the table. 

Tim and the man stood when Cate and Johnny reached the table. Tim put his arm around Cate’s waist.  “This is the girl I was telling you about.”  Tim took Cate’s glass of wine and sat it down on the table.  “Alan, this is Cate Fenmore.  She will be on the set with us. Cate, this is Alan Rickman he’ll be playing Judge Turpin.” 

Alan extended his hand to Cate.  “Very nice to meet you, Cate.” 

Cate smiled and took his hand.  “Nice to meet you too.”  Everyone took seats and began talking about the film.  Cate just watched as they talked; only chiming in when she was asked a question.  She sipped on her wine and watched her surroundings, every once in a while locking eyes with Alan.  There was something very intriguing about him.  Hearing her name, Cate turned to Helena. “What?”

Helena laughed.  “I was telling Alan and Johnny that you use to be a college professor.”  All attention was now on Cate.

“Oh, yes.”  Cate tucked a lose strand of hair behind her ear nervously.  “I taught a class on world religions.  Christianity, Buddhism, Paganism…”  Cate rattled off a few religions that she taught in her classes. 

Alan smiled and nodded his head.  “That sounds very interesting…I’d like to hear more about that sometime.”  Cate’s face felt like it had turned a shade of pink.  Alan smiled again.

Tim pointed over towards the back of the restaurant.  “Excuse us. Helena, come with me to talk to Ed.”  Tim and Helena left the table to go and talk with another cast member.  Johnny excused himself and followed behind them, leaving Alan and Cate at the table by themselves.

Cate swirled around the wine in her glass.  “This type of thing just doesn’t suit you, does it?”  Alan chuckled as Cate sat her glass down and blushed.  “Are you originally from Boston?”

Cate looked up at Alan.  Was he actually trying to have a conversation with her?  “Uh, no…I’m originally from Houston, Texas.” She sat up in her chair and faced Alan full on.  “I moved to Boston after High School.”

Alan put on a grin that almost melted Cate right there.  “I thought I detected a small bit of a southern accent.  How long have you lived in Boston?”  Alan leaned closer towards her; the noise in the restaurant was starting to get louder.

“12 years.  I started college when I was 16 and I never left.”  Cate smiled and finished off the rest of her wine.  Her stomach growled, her light lunch hadn’t lasted her long.  Dinner had yet to be served at the party and she was starting to think it was never coming.

Alan raised an eyebrow.  “You graduated High School when you were 16?” He seemed truly impressed.  “Wow.”

Cate shrugged. “I hated school so much I wanted to get out of there early.”  She laughed.  “And yet I became a college professor.”  Both of them laughed.

“I’m beginning to think they are never going to feed us.”  Alan rolled his eyes.

“I was thinking the same.”  Cate sighed and looked over at the rest of the people.

Alan pressed his lips together and ran a finger over the rim of his glass.  “Would you like to go and have dinner?”

Without thinking, Cate nodded and stood up.  “That would be nice.”  Alan got up quickly and escorted her to get their coats.  “They won’t miss us.”  She pointed back to the party.

“I believe you’re right.”  Alan helped Cate with her coat and held the door open for her as they left.