Guillaume, Her French Husband

“Alright. I’ll need some help getting the lettuce and tomato though.”

Myka got up and walked to the fridge. She opened it and smiled.

“Are we the only ones who don’t store our tomatoes already sliced?” she asked as she got two more containers.

She put them on the counter and Lara shrugged.

“I guess we are.”

Myka walked around to the other side of the counter and took a seat, her eyes fixed on Lara as she spread mayo on the slices of bread she had laid out.

“So,” Myka started as Lara laid out some slices of the meat, lettuce, tomatoes and cucumber on the bread. “What is the big idea here? Why did I have to be summoned?”

Lara forced out a laugh as she cut the sandwiches in half.

“You were not summoned,” she said. “You are not some kind of princess or queen.”

“Well, that is what it feels like,” Myka said. Lara pushed a plate towards her and then poured her sister a glass of orange juice.

“Wash your hands first,” she said before sat down.

“Alright, miss King. Are you going to tell me what this whole thing is about?” Myka asked before digging into her sandwich.

“I got a call from Felipe about an audition…”

“…Is that the same audition you had been dodging for so long?” Myka asked cutting her short and Lara nodded.

“Yes, that one and as it turns out, it was a legit thing.”

Myka took another bite as she looked at her sister.

“And?” she asked when Lara was quiet for too long.

“And I got the job,” Lara finally said.

Myka’s eyes grew wide with excitement.

“You got the job?” she asked and Lara nodded.

“I definitely did get the job,” she said.

“That’s amazing!”

Lara shrugged.

“Yeah. I suppose it is,” she said.

“Wait…is it one of those same old roles you hate so much?” Myka asked and Lara shook her head.

“No…I actually got the lead role. Some big shot producer from France,” Lara started explained. “It is a really good deal too.”

She took a bite of her sandwich and took a long deep breath.

“Then why do you look like you just got handed the short end of the stick?” Myka asked.

“Because the job is in France, Myka. Filming might take up to six weeks and with you here…I didn’t want to tell you anything before I knew for real…before I made sure that…” her voice trailed off again. She didn’t know how she was supposed to explain herself. “I didn’t want to just leave you here on your own but I also know that school is important to you.”

“So…what does this all mean?” Myka asked and Lara bit her lower lip. She put her sandwich down and breathed out slowly.

“I turned down the job,” she said and Myka raised an eyebrow.

“You what?” she asked.

“I was not going to leave you here all by yourself.”

“But I could stay with Ashley and Michael. I’m sure they wouldn’t mind it and I promise I wouldn’t be any trouble or anything.”

Lara reached for Myka’s hand and held it.

“I know that but I wanted to run something by you first,” she said and Myka nodded. “The director offered to get you into school there. A school that will accommodate your music but I didn’t want to make the decision for you.”

“So, let me get this straight,” Myka started. “I get to spend time in France?”

Lara shrugged.

“Yeah, that’s the general idea.”

“That sounds great,” Myka said smiling. “That is really, really great.”

“Wait. You don’t have a problem with this?” Lara asked. “I mean. You love your music program and you are doing so well. Plus you are playing the lead in The Sound Of Music.”

“And you think I would give up going to France for that?” Myka asked. “For starters, I am a really good cello player so they are just going to have to do with having the second best singing and playing. But I don’t want to stay and have you miss out on what could be the big break in your career that you have been waiting for.”

Lara shook her head and bit her lower lip. She could not believe how easily the talk had gone. She had expected to drag Myka out kicking and screaming. Maybe a lot of cursing to be involved but it had gone perfectly well.

“Alright then,” she said. “I’ll be meeting the director this evening and then I will come have a talk with your teacher tomorrow. Make plans and everything.”

“And I will get to packing,” Myka said in a soft voice before taking another bite of her sandwich. “France,” Lara heard her whisper under her breath.

*****

Guillaume

Lara had only taken two days to get back to Guillaume about the film but that was forty eight hours too long. And after signing the contract, he always wanted to spend every waking moment with her. He was not sure what it was about Lara that had him feeling the way he did. The simplicity in her nature and the innocence in her eyes…maybe that was what it was. Every other woman he had ever met was always hell bent on catching his attention. Because they all knew what he could do for them. But this time, he had met a woman who did not have the first idea who he was the first time they met. And the way she had stood up for her sister. But as if waiting the two days was not enough, waiting an extra ten days as she got her affairs in order was pure torture.

He wanted to spend every waking moment with her.

He wanted to talk to her.

Look into her eyes as he smiled at her. To see her smile back.

To hear her laugh….and maybe even, wine and dine her. Dance with her. Hold her in his arms.

But he was jumping the gun. He knew that he was a long way from wining and dining her. A long way from even asking her to dinner. Even though he was not sure that she was going to say yes if and when he asked. But finally, she was next to him. And it was going to be a good long ten hours to know her.