Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Time Doesn't Fly...

Chapter Fifty-Six

“Mm,” I murmured, rolling over and laying my arm across Adams’ waist. “I can’t believe its morning again!” when the alarm went of at 6:00 am again.

A sneeze rumbled out of Adam. And then another. I groaned and leaned up to kiss him and he sneezed again. I thought better of the kiss. At least until he took his medicine. I started to say something about it and decided not too. After all, it’s not like he can help it.

He rolled out of bed and headed into the bathroom and when he came back out a few minutes later, the sneezing seemed to have subsided. He sat down on the edge of the bed and ran his hands through his hair in an attempt to wake up. I heard him yawn and knew he was still tired too.

I scooted over to sit next to him and put my arm around his waist. He draped his over my shoulders and yawned again. “I can’t seem to wake up this morning,” he said as he yawned yet again.

“C’mon, let’s get into the shower,” I said, standing up and tugging lightly on his hand. He reluctantly followed me into the bathroom and I got the shower going. When the cascade of water was the right temperature, we stepped in and let the steaming spray perform its magic. I ducked my head under the spray and then lathered it up with shampoo. Adam took over for me then and I loved the feel of his hands on my head, it sent tingles up my spine. I wanted to make love with him in the shower, because it had been almost two days since we had make love. Well, okay Sunday evening, but we hadn’t done anything yesterday at all!

I felt like a whiny child, but my body was used to being with him regularly and I felt the need for him badly. But, of course we didn’t have time this morning and we hurried in the shower and got out. I quickly dried my hair and got dressed and then it was time to head to the studio again, I thought with a sigh.

The trip there didn’t take near long enough and before I knew it we were pulling into Adam’s parking place. Inside it was as noisy today as it had been yesterday I thought as we headed down the hall towards Adam’s dressing room. Sunni caught up with us at the door and said, “Adam, make up in 15 minutes, outfit number 3, then continued down the hall and knocked on the next door.

Rachel opened it and scowled when she saw me in the hallway with Adam. We went into his room and closed the door and so we didn’t hear what was said between Sunni and her.

Outfit 3 turned out to be a flesh-colored brief kind of thing and a bathrobe. I swallowed hard when I saw it, because it was a clear indication of what was going to be happening.

I was torn; I didn’t want to see it and yet I felt compelled to. Adam told me I would feel totally different about it when I saw what actually goes on when a scene like this was being filmed. He had laughingly told me I would never be impressed with a movie love scene again. But I wasn’t worried about other movies, I was only concerned with what was going to be happening in this one; that Adam and Rachel were going to be in a bed together kissing, and, well whatever.

Adam had told me there was nothing terribly graphic in the scene, no simulated intercourse, but isn’t lying next to her and touching her bad enough? I kept trying to tell myself that my imagination was making it all worse than it actually was; that it will be nothing.

It boils down to the fact that I don’t know how he can do it. How on earth can he feign attraction for that woman after all the fuss she has made? It makes me feel ill to think about it, but all too soon it was time to get into the makeup room.

Adam stopped me at the door and pulled me close to him in a loving embrace. I wrapped my arms around his waist and held on for a moment, trying to take strength from him. I lifted my face up to him for a kiss and then we were out the door.

Rachel was in the makeup room already and they were working on her. Adam went to the chair to have his hair straightened again and we sat and chatted with the woman who was doing it. I was trying really hard not to pay attention to Rachel, but she was very loud and it felt like it was on purpose; as if she was trying to draw attention to herself.

“Yes, that’s it, play my eyes up please. The lighting will be dark, and I want them to show,” she was telling the woman who was working on her.

‘Yes, Rachel, I’ve got my instructions on what he wants, don’t worry,” the makeup technician stated, sounding exasperated.

“I don’t care what HE wants, I’m the one in front of the camera, you’ll do what I want!”

“Rachel, I’ll do it the way I’ve been directed to. If you don’t like that take it up with Lyle.”

“How dare you be so impertinent!” she practically screamed. “I will talk to Lyle!”

I started smiling as I listened to this and quickly covered it with my hand. Anyone who could get to her like that was okay in my book. I caught Adam’s eyes on me in the mirror and I tried to look shamefaced but just couldn’t. He smiled in return and I felt somewhat better. When they finished with his hair, he moved over to the makeup chairs, and Rachel’s eyes gleamed with malice when he sat down.

“Well, well. Can’t get away from home without the little woman, huh Adam? What a shame, but then again maybe she’ll get a cheap thrill out of watching us touching and kissing as the scene is being filmed, hm?”

“Rachel,” Adam said, turning to her before the technician started on him. “We are not going to discuss this. We are going to act like adults and get this scene done, preferably without any of your typical histrionics, do you understand that?”

“Certainly darling, why I’m practically praying for that.” She unfastened her robe to reveal that she didn’t have anything on underneath it. To the technician she said, “Now lot’s of shadows here,” she said, indicating the valley between her breasts, “and maybe some rouge here around my nipples. We want the girls to look nice for our hero, don’t we?” Her eyes were sparkling brightly, almost unnaturally brightly in the mirror and they were glued to mine.

“Rachel, where the hell is your body suit? This isn’t a nude scene!” Adam almost spat at her. He was livid and I saw the corners of her mouth distort into a cruel parody of a smile at his reaction.




“You forget darling, I can do it whichever way I want. And this,” she said indicating her bare body, “This is exactly how I want it. It won’t be so bad Adam, it’s not like you haven’t touched me before! You seemed to enjoy it a great deal I remember.”

“Rachel, that was twenty years ago,” he said and then his mouth twisted for a moment. “And, things have fallen a bit south in all that time.”

“You bloody bastard, “she screamed, coming out of the chair and heading straight for him. “How DARE you!” She reached out to slap him and he caught her wrist to stop her.

“Not very polite of me was that, even if it’s true. Pardon me. Now, I suggest that you get finished and then put your body suit on; there’s not going to be any touching that’s not in the script, I promise you.”

Her face went from bright red to pale white in the course of a few seconds. She glared at him and this was one of those times when if looks could kill. She looked at me in the mirror and said, “What the hell are you looking at? You’re older than I am! And he’ll move on from you, I promise. It’s his history.”

Her words struck a chilling cord in my spine; very close to the e-mail in fact. I felt like yelling at her, but I controlled it. What I did was I laugh and say, “Don’t hold back on the makeup on my account; obviously you feel like you need all the help there you can get!”

She stood up and for a moment I felt like she was going to come at me, but then she looked around the room at everyone. Many were trying to hide their smiles and a few were laughing openly. I had definitely made an enemy. Unfortunately Adam was one of the ones laughing and I knew she wasn’t going to let us forget it.

If only… I thought later. I so shouldn’t have made that comment. It was catty and mean and it wasn’t like me at all. But still, it brought a wicked smile to my face as I remembered the look on hers. There is a little bitch in all of us…

It was the longest, most tedious day I have ever spent in my life. Rachel caused problem after problem and it seemed that it was all on purpose, including missed lines, moving out of camera angle, etc. She was acting like a petulant child and everyone noticed.

Adam had remained mostly calm during a run through, and then it got to the point when he and Rachel stood in the bedroom and he untied her robe and let it fall and she didn’t have the body suit on under it. At that point he lost it – all of it.

He immediately pulled away from her and turned to Lyle, the director and said, “I will NOT do this scene with her if she doesn’t put the cover up on Lyle. She and I already had this discussion in the makeup room.”

“It’s my choice as to whether or not I want to be nude – I do. I feel it’s important for the integrity of the scene. You are going to be showing me from the back, if I have that on then it distorts the line of my body and you have to blur the focus. I don’t want that!” She was prepared to stand her ground on this, it was apparent.

“Rachel,” Lyle said, “it’s a dark shot, the focus won’t be blurred and all that will show on you anyway will be from shoulders up. It shouldn’t matter whether or not you wear the body suit, so just go put the damn thing on.”

“No, I won’t. If it doesn’t matter whether or not I wear it then I choose not to.” She stood there, her foot tapping impatiently. All the while everyone was watching and waiting. She didn’t put the robe back on while the discussion was going on I noticed.

“Take 5 everybody!” Lyle yelled. “Rachel put your goddamn robe on!”

“We’ve just discussed this Lyle, I told you no,” she said sweetly.

“I mean while we are discussing this. NOW Rachel,” he ordered and I noticed that she reluctantly bent over to grab it. Adam stalked over to where Lyle was sitting and Rachel followed, a smile on her face.

“I’ll not have it Lyle, either she puts the cover up on or I won’t do the scene.”

Lyle looked at Adam, as if someone had taken Adam away and left someone else in his body. He threw his hands up into the air and said, “What the fuck is going on with you Adam? I’ve never, in either of the other movies I’ve worked with you on seen you act like this! Her,” he said pointing at Rachel, “This shit I expect from her, but not you. What the hell is wrong?” he demanded.

“She is just trying to cause trouble and I won’t have it,” Adam told him, his look blazing at Rachel.

Lyle turned and looked at me and then pointed at me. “Is this what this is about? The new girlfriend doesn’t want you to get cozy with Rachel? Is that it honey, you can’t stand to watch it because if it is that I can take care of it, I’ll just ban you from the set, how’s that sound?”

Which caused Adam to blow another gasket. “This has nothing to do with Sarah so don’t even start that shit Lyle; leave her out of it. This is about Rachel and the games she has been playing. Look at her; she is enjoying all of this, see the bloody gleam in her eye? That’s all she wants, to cause trouble. Well, I’m not playing that game Lyle, I’m not – I’m just not,” he said with finality.

All it took was one more look at Rachel and Lyle was convinced; she was smiling broadly, watching Adam and Lyle battle back and forth and was clearly enjoying it tremendously.

I have never seen Adam this angry; even the day in Italy when he and I argued. It was chilling to watch, this deep-seated anger; he was almost out of control. Well, on one level he was totally out of control. I understood to a certain degree, I mean after seeing how Rachel acted in California and then her bitchiness here, but Adam was so hateful with her. This is not an Adam I know.

Lyle turned to Rachel and said, “All right, you’ve had your fun. You will go and put the body suit on and leave it on. No more games Rachel, I’m serious as a heart attack. I’ve had enough – of both of you,” he said including Adam in that statement.

Adam walked away and headed over to where a table was set up with coffee and breakfast items. I stayed where I was, I thought he might need a bit of time and I watched him get a cup of coffee and sip it. He hadn’t eaten anything this morning and I’m sure he had to be hungry which could be part of the problem. I saw him yawn and that made me wonder whether he was sleeping properly; I would think that after all the commotion there wouldn’t be anyway he could be tired. He ran his fingers through his hair and then quickly pulled his hand down; remembering how they had straightened it earlier.

Krista came over and sat down by me. She had seen they whole thing but hadn’t said anything. Wise of her I thought. I turned to look at her and smiled. She sort of smiled back but her eyes were on Adam and I think they showed concern but I didn’t know her well and I could have been wrong.

“That seems pretty unusual for him,” she finally said. “Everyone always talks about what a nice guy he is, it just seems like there is something wrong, don’t you think Sarah?”

“Yeah, it doesn’t seem right to me either Krista. I don’t know if it is because I’m here. Maybe I should leave, I just don’t know.”

“He really seemed to want you here Sarah. The problem seems to be Rachel. They didn’t hang out in Italy, but there didn’t seem to be a battle going on there either. I never saw them joking really, but at least there was no yelling. It’s like Adam is a different person. But then again, that goes for Rachel too. She just seems to take delight in all the trouble. And she obviously doesn’t like you, which could be her impetus for all this. Do you know what’s up with that?”

“No – I don’t know really. I guess she and Adam had dinner in England and when Rachel was looking for a little more entertainment Adam turned her down. Then when we were in California she showed up at his house and he made her leave, which really pissed her off. She called me the new maid; that didn’t set too well with Adam.”

I left off before talking about the rock and the police questioning her; we didn’t really want anybody else knowing about that. I pursed my lips thinking about it all. It still just didn’t seem enough to push him over the edge to this terrible place. Krista and I both watched him finish his coffee and toss the cup into the trash. He headed over here to where we were sitting and he was a bit calmer I could see, but not completely calm by any means.

He came up and kissed me briefly and then said, “Krista, I suppose you saw all that?”

“Yeah, it was uh, kind of hard to miss Adam. If it helps any I think she is just trying to yank your chain and you let her do it. You gave her too much ammunition.”

He looked her in the eye for a moment and I held my breath, hoping we weren’t in for another outburst. “Yes, I know you’re right Krista. She just doesn’t let up, keeps pushing all the time and I’ve just had enough of it. But I behaved abominably, I know.”

Lyle walked over to us just then and took in Krista, Adam and I talking. “Are you through with all this Adam?” he asked, relatively calm now.

“I behaved badly, I’m sorry Lyle. She just pushed the wrong buttons and I let it get to me.”

“I understand that Adam, but Rachel is always going to push buttons, yours, mine, whoever she thinks will get her the most attention. If she wasn’t such a remarkable actress, no one would touch her, you know that. But I’m concerned with you. Adam, we’ve known each other for what, 14 – 15 years now and I’ve never once seen you lose it like today. And I’ve seen you irritated, even pissed, but you never lose control, not until today. What’s up with that? Is there something I need to know about?”

Adam and I looked at one another, silently debating whether or not to tell Lyle about all this, whether we could. I nodded my head at Adam, almost imperceptibly, but he knew what I meant. Lyle was watching the look between us and if nothing else, it confirmed for him that there was something going on.

Krista as well was watching what was happening; her brown eyes wide and troubled as she looked from person to person. It amazed me to realize that her eyes were sad as she watched all this; not malicious as many peoples would have been. And then she excused herself, as if sensing that Adam, Lyle and I needed to talk alone.

“Yes Lyle, we should talk; something serious is going on, but it needs to be somewhere private, not out here in the middle of everything.”

“Alright. Do you think we can get through this scene this morning and then we can talk at lunch? She may keep her damn body suit off Adam; I can’t tie her up and throw her into it. You aren’t doing any real touching in this scene; can you do this for me and then we’ll talk before the bed scene after lunch?”

Adam nodded his head in agreement, but he clearly wasn’t happy. But Lyle saw it and said, “Good, good.” And then he looked at me and said, “What about you? Do you really want to watch all this?”

“I don’t particularly want to be here Lyle, but Adam needs me to be here and I will be. I haven’t disrupted anything and I don’t intend to. So yes, I’m staying.” I told him defiantly, refusing to look away from his scrutinizing gaze.

“Good enough. Let’s do this then.” He called out “Break over, let’s get this scene done. Where’s Rachel?”

It took several minutes for Rachel to be located; I’d like to say been scrapped up from whatever rock she had crawled under, but that wouldn’t be nice, would it? And I was trying to behave I told myself.

She finally appeared and the scene was again set up; camera’s moved into position and the lighting adjusted. Adam and Rachel started the scene, and Adam didn’t even blink when he slid the robe down her shoulders and she was naked underneath. That was filmed from many different angles and it took about an hour.

I watched his face as he did it; his eyes were certainly blazing, but it was anger as opposed to passion I realized. What I didn’t understand until Lyle called me over to watch it from the camera view was that anger can look amazingly like passion on camera, or at least Adam made it seem so. He and Rachel didn’t exchange a single word during all this time, only went through the scene as directed. And when it was played back and printed, it looked for all the world like two people who wanted each other terribly.

Lyle called out, “Early lunch everyone. Be back at 1:00,” and Adam, Lyle and I went to Lyle’s office for lunch. Sunni actually brought in the lunch and it was the first time I had seen her since we got here this morning. I smiled at her and she nodded and smiled back, before setting the tray down and then leaving the office, closing the door behind her.

I looked around the office which was larger than the dressing rooms, but still was obviously only temporary digs; there wasn’t anything personal in it. There was a large desk with a computer terminal and the table where we were setting, like a small conference table.

When we all had our food and had started to eat Lyle said, “All right Adam, what’s going on?”

We told him, everything that had happened since Italy and Lyle was stunned. There were bigger ramifications here than just Adam and I admittedly; Lyle had to consider the safety of the whole cast and crew. We understood that, but it was personal to us and as far as we knew, none of the rest of the cast or crew was being threatened.

Lyle sat there, fiddling with his fork as he listened, a frown on his face. “And this all started in Italy,” he asked?

“Yes, apparently. Although we didn’t really understand that at the time; those incidents seemed almost random.” Adam told him.

“But the Italian police didn’t think so you said. They didn’t think it was just an accident at the tower. And you evidently didn’t connect the brake problem in Florence to the incident in Pisa either. What else might you have missed Adam?”

Adam and I looked at one another, dumbfounded. I couldn’t think of anything else that might have been related, not since we’ve been together anyway. I watched Adam as he thought about things and he finally shook his head and said, “No, nothing else has happened, nothing out of the ordinary anyway.”

Lyle shook his head, as if afraid to accept that. “So someone on MY movie set was trying to poison you, your tea?” he asked.

“Well, yes. Probably,” Adam replied hesitantly.

“And you didn’t think to tell me Adam?”

“In all fairness Lyle, it was only just confirmed last week,” I said, trying to smooth things a bit because both men seemed to be getting more agitated. “There wasn’t anything to really tell you before that. It wouldn’t have been right to tell you what we only suspected you know, and even now the police will probably take a dim view of the fact that we’ve said anything. It’s not about keeping it from you; it’s about not letting the person who is doing it know too much.”

Lyle was quiet for a minute, thinking about what I had said. He was leaning back in the chair and his elbows were resting on the arms; his hands were steepled, resting against his nose. He finally nodded, more to himself than to us, before sitting up and saying, “I do understand that, the need for secrecy actually. But I have a hell of a problem here folks; I’m trying to make a movie and my leading man is under attack, maybe by my leading lady. Adam, how do you want to proceed? You are going to be in a bed with her this afternoon; we can’t skip that. Can you do it?”

“Things have to carry on as normal Lyle; nothing can seem amiss. So we have to do it. Personally I just want to get it over with. It’s the only scene left like it and it will just be done.”

Lyle looked at me and raised an eyebrow, contemplating what he wanted to say I could tell. “Sarah, are you comfortable seeing this? Not every significant other or spouse would be; most in fact wouldn’t be.”

He watched me as I thought it over. “Lyle, you have made a huge point and part of me doesn’t want to see it. But if what Adam has told me is true, it may be the best thing for me to see it.”

“Why do you think that Sarah?” he asked.

I thought about my words carefully. I believed what Adam had told me about love scenes, but I knew that Lyle needed to hear it from me. “We grow up with the magic of movies Lyle; you sell it to us and we buy it, believe it. When this movie comes out, what I will see will be the magic; it won’t matter if I know what was going on behind the scenes. We tend to forget those kinds of things. What does leave indelible impressions is what we see. If I see Adam and Rachel making that scene and watch it through the making of it, I will have a different perspective than if all I see is the magic. I’m not insecure about Adam and I, that’s not my style. But I’ve seen Rachel in action; I’ve been the recipient of her mind games. Frankly, I don’t want her coming to me after the movie is over saying something along the lines of ‘you weren’t there, how do you know what we did?’ This is part of Adam’s job; I accept that and I understand it. But this situation with Rachel is unique and it calls for unique measures. I need to be there Lyle. You can watch his back now that you know, but I need to watch it too.”

He nodded his head and said, “Good enough. Let’s go get it done.” We left his office and headed back out to the set where the cast and crew were just starting to gather. I took what seemed to be my assigned seat and waited. Rachel didn’t appear and Sunni was sent to find her, which took a few minutes. She seemed to come to the set reluctantly and it remained to be seen what her attitude would be for the shoot this afternoon.

It was clear that she was determined to press her point; when she took the robe off she didn’t have a thing on under it. Adam didn’t say a word and neither did Lyle. Both acted like they totally expected it and I knew that I sort of had, so maybe they did too. Actually, I think she was a bit upset that no comments were made; because after all, what was the point in her being nude if no one paid any attention?

I watched as Adam moved into place for the scene. It started after he slid her robe down off of her shoulders. He leaned in to kiss her then and it was interesting to watch. I had dreaded it; in fact the thought of the kiss made me quite ill. But as I watched it, it all played differently than I imagined. I watched his mouth and those weren’t the kisses of a man who enjoyed the kiss; his mouth looked stiff and formal to me. There were a lot of times where his hands or hers were sort of covering up their mouths; possibly to make it look much more passionate than it was.

They moved into the bed with the focus staying on their shoulders and heads and the kisses continued. Lyle called ‘Cut’ and he watched the footage and he yelled ‘Print’. Then they proceeded to do the scene again and again, from all the different camera angles; Adam’s view, Rachel’s view and everything in between it seemed. And during the whole time neither Adam nor Rachel spoke to one another. For 2 hours they moved like mechanical dolls, bending here, turning there. It was cold and sterile and yet when I watched the playbacks, it looked, well, passionate. I could only imagine how it would look in the theater I thought with a smile.

They had one more scene to film, which luckily didn’t include Rachel and I wandered over to the food tables and grabbed a diet coke and some grapes and stood there munching when Sunni found me.

“Hey there Sarah! How are you doing? I heard about all the ruckus this morning,” she said, grabbing a diet coke of her own and then sitting down on a vacant section of the table. Her legs swung back and forth as they dangled over the edge of the table and she drank her diet coke.

“Yeah, it was interesting here for awhile, that’s for sure. Where were you?”

“Oh, I've been working on some stuff for Lyle. Gopher, that’s me,” she laughed. “So what do you think of Dallas?”

“I don’t really know yet. I mean, I’ve been here before and I like Dallas, but Adam and I haven’t really got out to see anything. It’s dark when we come to the studio and dark when we leave. And the time in between is sort of taken!”

“That’s how it goes on movie sets I’m told,” she answered, taking a long drink of the diet coke.

“You don’t know? I mean, is this the first movie you have worked on?” That was a surprise to me, she seemed so competent at her job, and I thought she was an old pro at it.

“Not the first, the second actually. So I’m still learning what goes on and I think it varies from movie to movie, director to director. Lyle is completely different that Mark Bonner was.”

“You worked on one of Mark Bonner’s pictures?”

“Yes, right before this one. I actually met Mark’s girlfriend Tamara who talked to Lyle and got me this gig. Mark was really laid back whereas Lyle is a bit more demanding, but he shows you more.”

I digested this news with interest. So Sunni knew Tamara and Mark. I found that very interesting. 

******************
Karen's Results for the Salad Dressing Cake!




42 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am so glad that the post was early. We are having our first snow storm of the winter and boy is it nice to be reading rother then doing a ton of work this moring. I am the only one that made in from my department.

Anonymous said...

Very interesting that Sunni had worked with Tamara and Mark. If Sunni was up to no good, would she make that comment though. I bet Rachel is up to something and had Krista doing the dirty work.
I wonder if Adam sleepiness has anything to do with the allergy meds.
L

Val said...

Great post, Hope! I am actually home so I can read it early. Very very interesting. I can't imagine doing a love scene with someone who WANTED to be naked... EW...

x5head3pay said...

Great Post. We too are up too our knee caps in white, and I am one of 2 people who made it in to our department. Classes are canceled but until the governor closes the campus, staff have to report or take a vacation day. I don't know about you but shoveling snow is not a vacation to me.

About this post. I think Sunni is telling Sarah something without saying something. Tamara is too nice and the whole ex thing is working out too well. I was happy for Sarah at first, but it's too convienient for me. I think Krista knows too. I think Rachel is just a witch with a big B but someone to throw us off as far as the story goes.

Enjoy the snow. Happy V day all - even though I hate it personally and find it to be a contrived and commercial day - some people really like it.

Some place chocolate for lunch???

~Katie

Anonymous said...

Happy Valentines Day everyone:)
L

Hope said...

Good Morning Everyone and Happy Valentines Day!

Yes indeed, something chocolate for lunch sounds wonderful Katie! Excellent idea. We could go to Alaska Wild Berry products, in Ankorage. They have a 20 foot chocolate waterfall! And other important things to eat besides chocolate too, so that we get a well-rounded meal so to speak. And speaking of chocolate, I forgot to post a picture the Karen sent me of the infamous salad dressing cake. she made it for her daughters birthday, so I am adding it up in the story section!

Anonymous said...

Oooh, that cake looks great!

Really interesting today Hope. And I loved the catty remark Sarah made to Rachel! That *itch SO deserved it. And Sarah is only human, we all say things we regret sometimes, but it was so good! Way to go Sarah! (Giving high 5 here!)

Now about Sunni, wow, you all might be on to something. Maybe she isn't the bad guy. I don't really want to think that Tamara is the villian, but Sunni did seem like she was trying to give Sarah some information. Just like Krista did.

I don't trust Rachel for sure. I think she has to be involved.

Do you suppose that Sarah and Adam have some people there that are trying to help them?

Everyone have a hoppy valentines day!

Tigger--bouncing out!

Anonymous said...

Wow, what a post! Good job Hope!

Karen- the salad dressing cake lookes delish!!!

Engbunny said...

Wow....this is really getting good! Can I join the lunch crowd?

Kristin said...

Can you say MEOWWWW?! I love a good war with words, reminds me of the old Alexis and Krystal fights on Dynasty (a hundred years ago)! Great post, Hope! OH, I made the Italian potato soup last night. A HUGE hit with the family. I used patty sausage instead of links, but otherwise right on recipe. It tasted sooo marvelous, I'm having it for lunch today. My family thinks you are pretty cool! I've made two desserts and now a meal, and they are in love... LOL Happy Valentine's Day all! Can't wait for our chocolate lunch interlude!

Hope said...

Engbunny, everyone is welcome at lunch. Bring your imagination and we'll serve you up a big heaping platter of companionship and fun!

Anonymous said...

What a great post! I wish it was Monday!!!! with all the snow I need something else to keep my mind busy. Does anyone know of another one I can read. I know that it will not be as good as Hope's but i need something

tita said...

Hello everyone!!
Happy Valentin's Day!!!

Hope, great post, the problem here is that I can't be so sure who is the villain in the story, Now I suspect everyone!!
Good Job
The lunch will be really cool today, an d KAren the salad dressing cake looks delicious, I'm sure your girls were really happy with it!!!
XOXO

DayDreamer said...

Wow, Great post Hope. I LOVE this blog. The comments to Rachel were perfect. I still REALLY wish Tamara wasn't involved with the drugging.

Question: Do you have this story already written out to the finish or are you writing as you go along?

By the way... a friend of mine is always asking me for Italian recipes (because i'm Italian I guess she thinks i'd know it all)... but she asked me for a recipe that she saw that was an Italian Soup with bread smashed up inside of it. I told her i'd look into it. Have you heard of such a soup?

I can't wait until Friday. I'm so in love with this story.

Anonymous said...

I'm just twisting in circles here--I think I have it figured out and then wham! something happens that makes me doubt my conclusions!

Hope, way to go!

I too loved Sarah's catty remark to Rachel. Sarah is pretty nice, but Rachel deserved it. Actually Sarah should have ripped Rachel a new one, but maybe another day...

There is definitely something evil about Rachel, but I can't figure out how deeply that goes, if it would include trying to hurt Adam and Sarah. Frankly I think she is too self-absorbed for that, but I don't know for sure. And then there is Sunni. She was this quiet and on the surface anyway a likeable character who seemed too good to me and so I began to suspect here. But now, I don't have a clue.

Hope, you do an excellent job with the smoke and mirrors. In one way I can't wait for the end, but on the other hand, what will we do without Sarah and Adam?

Hope said...

Daydreamer,

The story is already concluded. Macy, it will run about 2 more months. But as I have mentioned, I will post a couple of chapters of the new version (the one I hope to sell as a book) for those of you who indicate you want to read it. I'll let everyone know in plenty of time so they can e-mail so I can set them up to view.

Now, the bread soup thing. I don't know of anything like that. Did she mean something like french onion soup that is poured over french bread? I'm just not sure about the 'mashed' part. I do have several authentic Italian cookbooks though that I bought while I was in Italy, I'll look through them and see what I can find. Try to ask her some more questions though, it might help.

So, you are Italian! Cool. Tu parlate Italiani?

DayDreamer said...

No, la mia latta della madre, ma io mi dico a che perché ho vissuto in Germania quando sono stato sopportato, sia stato alzato in una famiglia anglofona ed abbia avuto una madre e una nonna che hanno parlato italiano, che ero così confuso che non ho parlato una parola fino a che non abbia avuto 3 anni. Amo i Web pagi di traduzione. Come era quello? :>)

Sandy said...

Another great one! Daydreamer, I don't read or speak Italian, but that looks like it sounds beautiful. I love hearing people speak French and Italian. We got hit with a bunch of snow here in Indiana, and not many made it in here to work. So I'm enjoying my day reading at my leisure!

DayDreamer said...

It is fun to hear isn't it? Too bad I know very little Italian.
What I wrote above is that my nana and my mother speak Italian & English. When I was little I lived in Germany. My brother spoke German and English. I'm told that I was so confused that I didn't speak a word until I was 3 years old. Not one word.

Hope said...

Oh my goodness, I am in heaven. I had ooey gooey brownies filled with caramel for lunch.

Molto delicioso!

Daydreamer, after living in Italy I got pretty good at Italian. I've lost some of it, but can still speak it pretty well. It's funny though, before I lived there I spoke Spanish and so when I got to Italy I would start out in Italian, get stumped on a word and switch to Spanish because the two languages are so similar. If Italians knew you were speaking Spanish to begin with, they could pretty well understand you. If you did like I did, switch to Spanish in the middle of a sentence, they thought you were just speaking Italian very poorly and often couldn't understand. I confused many Italians in my time. The result of that though was that I eventually forgot most of the Spanish.

Go figure.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, what Daydreamer said! LOL I agree that it's a beautiful sounding language!

I'm in the office pretty much alone here. Big ice storm kept most people (the smart ones) home. Something to be said for working only a mile away from home ... just not sure what that something is!

I'm suspecting Sunni. Where was she when all the commotion occured!? And does she know that Tamara is Adam's ex?

I think Rachel is just a spoiled witch. It would take too much of the time she spends thinking about herself to plan any of this other stuff. So glad Sarah told her off!

But I'm thinking Adam's anger and sleepiness are a direct result of something sinister. :-(

Great post, Hope! Oh BTW, I'm going with some friends to Vail at the end of the month. One of the restaurants we were looking into was Sweet Basil! Isn't that the same one as in Witchita?

Anonymous said...

Oh man, loved this. That witch Rachel deserves what Sarah said. I can't decide if she is behind all this or not, but I am hating her in a major way.

She called our Sarah a MAID!!!

Hope, are you ever gonna bring the pirate back? That was very hot...

kmorales4 said...

Please don't tell me I missed a chocolate lunch! It's against my nature to let an opportunity like that get away. sheech!

So Hope, you spoke Spanish? ¿Cómo lo hablas ahora? ¿Aun conservas algo del idioma?

On to the post:

DIVINE! The suspence and the suspects keep building up. I don't even want to guess. I want it to surprise me, but not too much. Keep up the good work Hope.

Hope said...

Ahh Karen,

You are quizzing me!

How do I speak it now? Not nearly enough because I am terrible at it. The second part I think is asking me what a remember of it or something close to that? If so, one silly thing I remember is Cual es tu apeyetho (I know I butchered the spelling on that, but I can say it!)

I have a basic functioning level of spanish. I do job fairs and such and get most of the basics if no one is speaking to fast.

Gina I can't give away any secrets about the pirate!

Jo I am not sure if the Sweet Basil in Vail is related to the one here or not. I don't think it is a chain.

Anonymous said...

Afternoon Ladies!

Hope you are a smart little girl, that's for sure. You have us all trying to figure this thing out and everytime I think I have it, you switch something up and I think I'm totally wrong!

Thanks for the intriguing story, I really enjoy it.

And hey, did we have a new guy on here yesterday? Come on back.

Anonymous said...

Daydreamer found a recipe for bread soup from food network I hope it works for your friend. Papa al Pomodoro
Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray
Show: 30 Minute Meals
Episode: 30-Minute Bargains
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 3 turns of the pan, plus some for drizzling
4 to 6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 medium to large onion, finely chopped
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
Salt and pepper
1 quart chicken stock
4 cups, about 1/2 pound, chopped or torn stale bread
2 (15-ounce) cans small white beans, such as Goya brand (smaller than cannellini beans)
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano to pass at table
10 fresh basil leaves, torn, optional

Heat a medium soup pot over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, garlic and 3/4 of the onion. Cook 7 to 8 minutes, then add tomatoes and crushed tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Add stock and raise heat to make the soup bubble. Reduce heat to simmer and add bread and beans. Stir soup as it simmers until it thickens to a stew-like consistency. Turn off heat, adjust seasonings and ladle into shallow bowls. Top with grated cheese, an additional drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and a spoonful of reserved finely chopped raw onions. Torn basil is an optional garnish.

Anonymous said...

I am one of those ones that have lurked here from the very beginning but have never had the nerve to post. I am loving this story - and the recipes! I think that either Sunni or Krista is Rachel and Adams child from 20 years ago, which he does not know about. Now she is trying to bump him off for leaving her mother and the only way she can get close to him without him knowing is to get involved with the film industry. Maybe Tamara and Mark know this as well and are feeding her all Adams where abouts. Just a thought. Hope it has stopped snowing - I am in Michigan and we got about 4" so just a dusting.

tita said...

eyy
My mother is italian and I can't speak a word of italian...isn't it ironic?? I live in Mexico and the two languages are really similar, but the truthis that when I hear my mother and my aunts chatting I can't understand a word!!!!
So sad.....
XOXO

Lynne said...

Hi all. Its late here. I just wanted to pop in and say hi! Happy Valentines day! Hubby is working late, so there wont be any dinner out tonight. Not too bad though, because after the post I just got up, I am definitely going to light a few candles when he gets home. What is it about reading something erotic? lol. Lynne

Anonymous said...

Hi All,

Daydreamer, I think the soup your friend is talking about is called Ribolita.

Hope, I love this blog, it never dissapoints! I recently found it and was so sad when I was all caught up with the entries!

Rebeka

Hope said...

Good Morning!

Welcome to our new Katie and Rebeka! Jump in any time!

Well, it's recipe day here and I hope you will like today's offering!

Banana Pecan Pancakes

1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS
Combine flour, white sugar, cinnamon, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, mix together egg, milk, vanilla, vegetable oil and bananas.

Stir flour mixture into banana mixture; add pecans. Batter will be slightly lumpy. Do not over stir the batter.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Cook until pancakes are golden brown on both sides; serve hot.

DayDreamer said...

I LOVE THIS PLACE!!!
Ever since I started reading this blog my relationship has been better with my husband. Sex has been great and we've been trying recipes and eating good food. I LOVE IT!!!!!

Thanks for the soup recipes everyone. I'll pass them along.
And on Saturday... i'm making Banana Pecan Pancakes. MMMMmmmm, my mouth is watering thinking of them.

Kristin said...

Good Afternoon, Everyone!

Can't wait to try the pancakes! Hope, my family has come to rely on your blog for providing culinary expansion to our rather blah nutritional routine. Thank you, thank you! Hurry up Friday and get here allready. We need a post fix!!!!! LOL

ksuwldct said...

I"m not really sure whats going to happen in 2 months ... I've gotten really used to my M/W/F routine! Sequal maybe?

Actually, I believe, that's the reason this blog is so many levels above the rest . . . Hope is writing with a begining/middle(climax)/end in sight . . . unlike other fictional blogs that are being written indiffintly without character depth and thought to the plot. I have a hard time catagorizing "What my Heart Desires" as a "blog" because it really is a book we're getting chapter by chapter. Again, many praises to you Hope- you're doing excellent!

Hope said...

Good Afternoon!

Daydreamer, so glad to add a little 'spice' into your life, (I think!)I hope you and Kristin and anyone else who tries them will enjoy the pancakes. The texture will be differnt on them, you should remember that because of the bananas. And if you mix them to much they will make very tasty Frisbees! (It took forever for Adam to learn that! lol)

Nacole, it will seem strange for me to not be sharing my life with Adam, Sarah and you all. It's amazing how people who don't know one another can still bond over a united front and bring such happiness to one another isn't it?

I am not sure what I will do when this is done except for finishing the rewrite of the story. Altogether, there are over 1000 pages of WMHD! Can you believe you will have read that much in the end? It seems like a lot. Didn't realize I was writing War and Peace here, the length I mean, hehehe.

I currently have two other books planned. I hadn't thought of putting them on the web because I want to sell them as commercial properties. If I get an agent and can sell WMHD I probably won't have the choice or the freedom to choose what happens with them. However, there is another story I have been working on for awhile that might work. It only has a few chapters written so far, but I could maybe get more ready in a few months.

I will tell you all that one of the other books is about Cassie and Dr. Gorgeous and Greece will play into it and a wedding!

Everyone has been so supportive of my writing, it just makes it a pleasure to continue. When I first started this I was told flat out that there wouldn't be an audience for this type of book, i.e. older heroine and hero. But you all have proven those people wrong - your voices count, they validate what I have believed for a very long time, that people my age still want romance, sex and excitement in our lives. That just because we turn 40 we don't turn off the sex drive and turn to dust.

Not everybook or story I have written or will write will be about people in the same generation as Adam and Sarah, but some will be. Advertisers and companies tend to ignore our spending dollars which is ridiculous because we spend more than younger generations because we tend to have more. But - we are not as vocal and in the limelight so we often go unnoticed. All of you speaking up about how much you enjoy this story will make a huge difference because it comes with a built in fan base. It will sell if it gets published because there are more of us out there, looking for this.

You all make me feel very humble by your generous words and thoughts. You are more important than you can possibly imagine. I appreciate it greatly when you tell me thank you for writing the story, but the real thanks have to go to all of you.

ksuwldct said...

Hope, also don't forget to tell the agents that there is a younger audience your your older herione/hero. I'm 22 and throughly enjoy the characters! You really are bridging genearations with this comination of suspence/romance/intellect and character devleopment! Easiy marketable!

Hope said...

I so hope you are right Nacole, the easily marketable part I mean. Yes, I think I have a lot of fans who are younger. The story that I am thinking about putting on the web is about younger people. I think I can pull that one off, I hope anyway! LOL

Anonymous said...

Why is it that so many people think once you hit 40 or so that your love life is over? I have to laugh at that because I was certainly guilty of that before I turned 40 and discovered just how wrong I was.

Hope, what makes you story so delightful and interesting is the depth of the characters. Nacole hit that right on the head. When we can read these characters and feel their pain or happiness, it's because in a strange way we are inside their heads and we are there because you have led us on that journey.

There are lots of excellent authors out there, but not all that many that I have found that have the gift you have of bringing us right into the room with them. I have learned things about myself as Adam and Sarah have learned about themselves and each other.

Anonymous said...

I agree, this story appeals to all of us. I'm almost 21 and I love it Hope, I really do.

Kristi said...

Hi, Hope. I haven't posted here before, but I've been here since day one. I can't wait to buy your books! So, let's get them on the market as soon as possible. Let your future-agents know that I LOVE your characters - their age doesn't matter. I'm 26 and I love this story. I get so wrapped up in Sarah and Adam that sometimes I forget I am reading a story and that it is all imaginary. My parents are probably Sarah and Adam's ages. In fact, mi madre turns 45 this Sunday. I wish she could have some of the adventures that Sarah is having. Thankfully, she has someone who loves her just as much (my dad). I love thinking about the singles her age actually going out, having a blast, and falling in love. I'm divorced with 4 small kids and I'm only 26. I will be about 43 when my baby graduates from high school. I can tell you now, I hope I end up as lucky as Sarah when my kids are grown and I finally hit the market again!

Congratulations on this story and good luck on your future stories. I definitely want to be able to view your preview of the book.

Anonymous said...

tigger! i've been following this blog too, and i'm ALSO not even 21 yet. it really is wonderful and engaging.
-c-

Anonymous said...

I'm wondering just a little bit if Adam isn't possibly Krista's father?