— 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 .

— 𝖏𝖆𝖒𝖊𝖘 𝖑𝖊𝖊 𝖜𝖊𝖘𝖙 written by 𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕚𝕖 for the 𝙗𝙞𝙯𝙩𝙢 ･ﾟ

[jameswt]

𝐥𝐲𝐝𝐢𝐚 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐫.​​

hearing james beginning to sing she couldn’t help but grin widely, it had been so long since she had heard him sing and it warmed her soul. her arms crossed over her chest for a moment while she watched him, seeing his hand reach out to her she sighed and made her way to him, taking his hand and placing the other one on his shoulder as she moved closer and they began to sway. 

           1954

lydia had been home, working on a script and resting as per doctors orders even though she so desperately wanted to be out celebrating with her husband. it was getting late, the moon and stars were shining brightly out the window as lydia changed the record over. not even a few seconds later she felt a presence behind her and she couldn’t help but jump as she turned around to see james. “you startled me” she laughed as he began singing. how could you ever be mad at somebody for scaring you when they looked and sounded as good as james, even if he was inebriated. allowing him to pull her up from her seat, she wrapped her arms around his body, keeping him close as she rest her head against his chest. “say “night-ie night” and kiss me” she sang “just hold me tight and tell me you’ll miss me” - “while I’m alone and blue as can be, dream a little dream of me” she shook her head at him, pushing his fallen hair out of his face “we missed you, how did it go? seems like you had fun, you smell like it at least.” maybe it was the hormones zooming through her body but the smaller woman kept her arms tightly around him, not wanting to ever let go of him, she had missed him so much that day and he was only gone for half the day. 

            he  hummed  along  as  she  sang  her  part,  smothering  her  with  soft  kisses  wherever  he  could .    “  oh ,  carter .  you  know  carter ,  right  ?  ”    he’d  much  rather  rest  his  head  on  her  neck ,  though  considering  their  difference  in  height ,  it  would  put  a  strain  on  his  neck .  he  settled  for  the  top  of  her  head  instead .    “  wouldn’t  let  me  go  until  i  took  a  shot,  that  turned  into  seven  …  or  was  it  ten  ?  i  lost  count .  ”    he  laughs  softly  in  his  drunken  haze .    “  hope  you  two  didn’t  miss  me  too  much ?  ”    his  hands ,  those  which  were  wrapped  around  her  waist ,  moved  over  to  the  sides  of  her  stomach .  it  had  grown  the  past  months .  the  thought  of  being  a  father  hadn’t  ever  crossed  his  mind .   he  didn’t  have  a  good  one ,  therefore  he  was  terrified  he’d  become  it  —  some  things  were  hereditary  after  all.  

[connerys]

His Girl Friday (1940) dir. Howard Hawks

[jameswt]

𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐬𝐨𝐧.​

“you would be surprised, but i’ve surprisingly dealt with worse cards.” it was true. in her four years of working in publicity, the number of different clients she had dealt with were endless. from all walks of lives and experience levels – there was rarely a case that resembled another. “and i’m happy to report that most of them have managed to bump themselves down to at least a three or four.” from the moment she had convinced monica to sign cathrine, elizabeth already knew that the rising actress would be a handful and a half. just by the look of her, you could tell it wouldn’t be easy. but on the same token, her look was exactly what people loved. she was in the middle of taking another sip of her water when there came a second noise from upstairs, brows quirking at the mention of an all too familiar name. “you named your golden retriever jessie?” the whole situation was a mystery to her, and she ultimately decided to rule the name a coincidence. “i think this is his way of telling you to please let him out to say hi to your guest. or maybe alfred’s just having a better time with him than you are.” she shrugged, still adamant on the wrongness of keeping a puppy upstairs. “i have to say, though, i’m surprised he’s not a barker. you got lucky.” 

             it  was  good  to  hear  that  elizabeth  had  the  capacity  to  educate  her  clients ,  making  them  better  at  handling  themselves  in  public  and  with  handling  the  scrutiny  of  the  press .   despite  her  reviews  towards  cathrine  earlier ,  james  was  pleasantly  relieved  to  know  that  lizzie  was  handling  her .   she  would  take  good  care  of  the  starlet  for  sure .    “  unfortunately ,  ”    he  sighed .    “  that’s  the  name  it  came  with .  ”    for  a  second  there  he’d  forgotten  he’d  guised  jessie  as  his  newly  adopted  golden  retriever .    “  ah ,  you’re  right .   maybe  i  should  spend  more  time  with  him  .  ”   ever  since  jessie  had  moved  in ,  james  didn’t  think  they  actually  spent  time  with  each  other  despite  the  routine  breakfast .  “  maybe  i’ll  bring  him  to  the  studio  one  day .  and ,  trust  me ,  this  one  barks ,  just  not  at  alfred .  ”  

[jameswt]

𝐣𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐨𝐬𝐚.​

                   ‟       good  ,  ‘cause  alfred   &   i  enjoy  our  profound  highs  .      ⏤     just  don’t  tell  dorota  or  the  main  man  himself  will  be  sleeping  in  the  dog  house  .         „          jessie  slightly  teased  ,  looking  over  at  alfred  again   &   giving  him  a  salute  .        ⏤      luckily  for  jessie  ,  james  wasn’t  all  that  strict  .  you’d  think  he’d  be  with  what  he  did    &    the  way  it  seemed  her  carried  himself               (              in  what  seemed  like  a  semi  serious  fashion  ,           )                but  jessie  was  convinced  he  was  even  more  laid  back  than  someone  like  his  mother  for  example  who  ,  despite  being  what  some  would  define  as  trailer  trash  ,  she’d  absolutely  smack  jessie  for  something  as  simple  as  staying  out  a  minute  past  whatever  curfew  she  gave  him  .            (            then  again  ,  jessie  was  a  grown  man  now  .           )                his  mother  kicked  him  out  the  moment  he  was  of  age     &    he’d  made  it  his  own  mission  to  stay  out  of  her  life  .  so  honestly  ,  who  knows  if  she’d  changed    ?          ⏤       ‟       aye  aye  captain  ,  got  all  your  rules  locked  away  in  the  noggin  .         „           the  male  replied  ,  raising  his  hand  up  to  tap  the  side  of  his  head  with  his  index  finger  .          ‟        i’ll  make  sure    &   tell  dear  ol’  mom  to  fuck  off  if  she  comes  looking  for  me  .        „             which  ,  she  wouldn’t  but  jessie  couldn’t  help  but  make  the  sarcastic  comment  .           ‟         okay  but  one  question  ,  can  i  just  rinse  off  before  getting  in  the  pool  or  do  i  have  to  take  a  full  on  shower  to  satisfy  your  ocd  like  needs    ?         „

           “  take  a  full  on  shower .  ”    he  answers  promptly .  good  health  and  proper  hygiene  was  always  a  priority  to  james .  he’d  experience  a  great  lack  of  it  during  the  war .  if  not  enemy  bullets  and  shrapnel ,  it  was  disease  and  famine  that  sent  his  comrades  to  their  graves .  while  sometimes  his  methods  to  achieve  those  were  extreme  and  a  little  too  tedious  for  most  people ,  he  spared  no  expense  in  maintaining  those  two  values .    “  and ,  i’m  going  to  have  to  let  you  sign  a  non-disclosure  agreement .   i’m  positive  dorota’s  already  placed  it  on  top  of  your  bed .  it’s  just  a  matter  of  signing .  ”    it’s  not  that  he  didn’t  trust  jessie ,  it  was  a  precaution  more  than  anything .   almost  everyone  in  his  life  had  signed  one ,  he  was  no  exception .  “  now,  if  that’s  all ,  ”    he  looks  at  his  watch .  “  i’ll  be  heading  over  to  the  studio .  ”   he  wondered  if  jessie  wanted  to  come ,  maybe  it’d  save  him  from  coming  home  to  another  disaster ,  but  it  wasn’t  exactly  ‘bring  your  kid  to  work’  day  either.

[jameswt]

𝐥𝐲𝐝𝐢𝐚 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐫.​

lydia grinned widely “why be one thing when you can be it all?” she teased as she took a bite of the sandwich “no” she shook her head “it was sleep walk, johnny and santo, no?” she asked as she finished chewing her food “either way i found all of our old records so they are both in there” lydia’s eyes widened a little when he asked what they were waiting for and that they should play it. it wasn’t a bad idea, in fact it warmed her heart to think maybe if they took a small jump back into their past that their creativity might start up again. deep down though she couldn’t help but dread the sound of the vinyl playing on the record player, the last time they had done this was a night that should have carried the start to beautiful memories and instead it just left an empty pit in her stomach. she couldn’t let him see it still bothered her though. lydia jumped off the stool and moved over to the living room, wiping the dust from the old cover before she placed it on the player. the gentle sounds filled the room and the brunette looked over her shoulder at james with a soft smile “brings back memories.” 

           “   it  does .  ”    he  agrees ,  nodding  his  head  in  sync  with  the  melodies  that  filled  the  room .  “  stars  shining  bright  above  you ~  ”    he  sang  playfully .  he  wasn’t  the  best  singer ,  but  he  had  a  voice  decent  enough  to  carry  the  right  tune .   “  night  breezes  seem  to  whisper ,  i  love  you ~  ”   he  opens  up  his  palm ,  beckoning  to  share  a  dance  with  him .

—  1954

“  birds  singing  in  the  sycamore  tree ~  ”    he  sang  whispered  quietly  behind  his  pregnant  wife’s  ear .  he  was  a  little  drunk ,  he’d  just  came  home  after  a  wrap  party ,  he  reeked  of  alcohol  and  had  come  home  to  lydia  playing  records .    “  dream  a  little  dream  of  me ~  ”    he  sang  a  pitch  higher  in  an  attempt  to  make  her  laugh .  he  grabs  her  from  her  seat  and  pulls  her  to  dance  with  him .    “  it’s  your  turn  —  it’s  your  turn  darling !  ”    he  exclaims  in  drunken  vigor,  before  resting  his  head  on  top  of  hers .  

[jameswt]

𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐚𝐲𝐥𝐨𝐫-𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐧.​​

a small laugh left her lips as she took another drag “is los angeles really paradise?” she knew that wasn’t what he meant but she was able to derail the conversation slightly. she couldn’t find a way to tell him she didn’t think her husband would join them, he’d barely joined her in bed at night the last few weeks. “we’re just both so busy, it seems planning something for us both to be there rarely happens” she shrugged as the smile faded, her eyes watched the smoke rise from the cigarette before taking another drag “well i’ll be there so you can count on that.”  

          “  depends  on  your  definition of  paradise .  ”    it  seems  as  though  she  had  no  intention  of  answering  his  inquiry  at  all .  he  shrugged  it  off ,  knowing  that  the  situation  is  a  private  affair  between  partners .    “  that’s  a  shame .  ”    he  sighed ,  pushing  himself  up  from  his  seat .    “  i’ll  see  you  on  the  weekend .  ”    he  smiles  and  takes  the  script  with  him  as  he  left .

—  

one  tabloid  regarded  his  weekend  festivities  as  :  hollywood’s  rendition  of  jay  gatsby’s  lavish  parties .   although ,  unlike  gatsby ,  james  had  no  real  cause  for  it  —  he  just   ...   felt  like  it .   he  was  more  of  an  observer  during  the  function .  he  was  either  on  his  balcony  looking  down  at  the  uproar  ,  or  all  cooped  up  in  his  office ,  looking  out  through  his  window .  it  was  the  latter  for  this  circumstance ,  although  as  a  host ,  he  supposed ,  it  was  about  time  to  make  an  appearance .   when  he  opens  the  door  out  of  his  office ,  he  bumps  into  margaret .  “  guests  aren’t  allowed   on  this  floor .  ”  he  teases ,  all  the  while  pleased  to  see  she  came.

[jameswt]

𝐜𝐲𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐚 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧.

cynthia waved a hand at his thinly veiled threat. “oh, settle down. you have nothing more on me than i have on you.” she wasn’t scared of him, not in the slightest. without a director, she was jobless. without actors, he was jobless. neither was above the other, as far as she was concerned. “threatened? no. i’m a hell of an actress, and it’ll take a lot more than any number of cathrine nilsens to threaten me. nor am i jealous. infuriated that i’m losing out on a role i’d potentially be quite good for to a novice because you think she’s cute? yes. i didn’t realized you lacked such integrity,” she scoffed. “i was under the impression you put the art above all else. clearly, that’s only important when dim, attractive, easily manipulated young women aren’t in the equation. disappointing.”

           nothing  could  wipe  the  cocky  grin  he  held  —  nothing  .    “  is  that  so ?  ”  he  simply  replies .  one  of  the  strategies  of  war ,  was  to  choose  your  battles  and  james  had  concluded  early  on  into  this  debacle ,  that  this  was  not  a  fight  he  should  spend  a  huge  sum  of  energy  on .  nevertheless ,  that  didn’t  mean  he  would .  “  if  my  memory  serves  me  right ,  i  recall  you  saying  you  weren’t  sure  if  the  role  was  for  you .  ”    he  starts ,  dissecting  their  argument .  “  i’m  considering  cathrine  for  it  —  she’s  very  promising .   that’s  final .   now ,  if  you’re  suddenly  interested  in  the  role ,  go  audition  and  show  me  how  much  you  actually  are  better  than  her .  ”    it  wasn’t  a  taunt .  cynthia  is  a  very  talented  actress ,  there  was  no  denying  that .  what  he  wasn’t  asking  wouldn’t  be  even  challenge  for  her .  “  unless  you’re  all  talk ,  which  i  know  for  a  fact ,  that  you’re  not .  ”

[all-the-crackships]

Aidan Turner as Philip Lombard in And Then There Were None | ep.1 (2015)

[jameswt]

𝐥𝐲𝐝𝐢𝐚 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐫.​

“how could you ever forget such a thing?” the sarcastic tone just peaking through enough, she couldn’t help it, there was no pretending around james. he’d known her too well and there was never any hiding around him. as she sat perched up on the stool she was hypnotized by the way he moved around the kitchen. it had been so long since anyone had cooked for her, even if it was something as simple as making her a sandwich. where life used to once be filled in so many parts of a home now it was dull and lonely. a mental note was added, cook more; find the little joys again. lydia was quickly snapped out of her daze when the plate was placed in front of her, she clasped her hands and smiled up at him “merci” the words came out cheerfully as she picked up half the sandwich and smiled “eat the other half, please.” she motioned to the remaining half before her eyes lit up “i forgot to tell you, i came across our favorite record today. well used to be favorite. the thing was so dusty, i don’t think it’s been played since we divorced.” 

            “  stubborn ,  but  generous .  ”    he  corrects  himself  as  he  picked  up  the  other  half  of  the  sandwich  he  was  offered .  “  hm ?  ”    he  raised  a  brow  as  he  bit  into  the  sandwich .    “  dream  a  little  dream  of  me,  ozzie  nelson ?  ”    he  answers  as  he  chews  on  the  portion  sandwich  he  bot  off ,  devoid  of  any  decadence  and  table  manners  he  usually  held  around  other  people .  he  swallows  it  down  and  continues ,  “  what  are  we  waiting  for  then ?  ”    he  insinuates  a  little  trip  down  memory  lane .   “  should  we  play  it  ?  might  get  the  creative  juices  flowing . ”

[jameswt]

𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐚 𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐨.

        ❛   𝐖𝐇𝐘   ?   ———   you   tryna’   impress   me   ,   west   ?   ❜   eyes   bright   ,   she   tucks   a   blonde   strand   behind   a   diamond   studded   earlobe   .    head   dipped   in   his   direction   ,   a   musical   chuckle   falls   .   (     the   shutters   are   louder   still   ,   and   she   can   almost   hear   the   PRICE   of   the   snapshots   raising   .   going  once   ,   going   twice   ———     )    oh   boy   ,   lizzie   really   is   going   want   her   head   on   a   silver   platter   .   ❛   sure   ,   they’ll   be   talkin’   about   comedian   𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐀   𝐑𝐎𝐂𝐀𝐒𝐎𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐎   was   murdered   by   her  publicist   .   she’s   gonna   kill   me   ,   when   she   sees   these   you   know   .   ❜

             “  why ?  are  you  getting  impressed ,  miss  rocasolano ?  ”    a  smirk  appears  on  his  lips ,  accompanied  by  a  quick  wink .  his  mind  starts  to  imagine  what  ridiculous  headline  their  pictures  will  come  with  tomorrow .  whatever  it  was ,  he  knew  marina  and  him  would  be  laughing  about  it .    “  better  make  it  worth  it  then ,  hm ?  ”    he  reaches  out  a  hand  to  wipe  away  the  tiniest  smudge  of  lipstick  on  the  corner  of  her  bottom  lip .  he  took  his  precious  time ,  focused  on  making  sure  her  makeup  was  back  to  its  pristine  condition .  he  retrieved  his  hand  and  wiped  down  the  residue  on  a  napkin ,  chuckling  :    “  how  much  do  you  think  that’s  worth ?  ”

[jameswt]

𝐣𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐨𝐬𝐚.

                   ‟       it’s  nothing  ,       „          jessie  shrugged  ,  before  popping  the  last  bite  of  bacon  in  his  mouth   &   following  it  with  a  sip  of  coffee  .          ‟        i  just  ,  we  know  each  other  from  a  while  back  is  all  .  hence  the  small  world  comment  .        „           shrugging  again  ,  as  if  he  was  trying  to  be  as  convincing  as  possible  that  it  didn’t  matter  .  jessie  pushed  his  plate  to  the  side  ,  pulling  the  mug  of  coffee  closer  as  he  leaned  back  into  his  chair  .        ⏤       at  the  mention  of  rules  ,  jessie  wasn’t  surprised  rules  would  end  up  becoming  a  factor  in  living  with  james  .  it  was  his  home  ,  jessie  was  the  one  coming  in  ,  rules  were  necessary  ,  even  to  someone  as  rebellious  to  rules  as  jessie  .          ‟         i’m  not  gonna  stop  smoking  pot  with  alfred  ,        „          looking  over  at  james’  butler  he  let  out  a  small       ‘     sorry    ‘     before  looking  at  his  uncle  again  ,  the  smile  evident  on  his  face  .            ‟         no  but  really  ,  what’re  the  rules    ?       „         it  was  likely  ,  if  jessie’s  mother  was  around  ,  she’d  warn  her  brother  about  her  own  son  being  horrible  at  taking  orders  or  following  simple  rules  ,  that  he’d  purposely  break  them  ,  that  he  was  too  much  work   &   kicking  him  out  sooner  would  be  better  than  later  but  jessie  was  determined  not  to  fuck  this  up  .          ‟        you  want  me  to  put  the  toilet  seat  down   ?        „

            “  alright . ”    he  nods  his  head .  if  jessie  said  that  whatever  it  was  between  them ,  was  ‘nothing’ ,  then  he’d  no  longer  push  for  the  topic .  james  would  give  jessie  the  benefit  of  the  doubt  —  for  now .    “  that’s  between  you  and  alfred .  i  hold  no  jurisdiction  to  whatever  alfred  wishes  to  do .  ”    he  addresses  the  pot  controversy .  james  was  lucky  enough  to  have  alfred  and  his  wife  dorota  to  look  after  him  and  his  estate .  if  alfred  wished  to  relax ,  and  jessie  and  his  pot  was  the  vehicle  to  achieve  that ,  james  wouldn’t  mind .  just  as  long  as  no  one  is  harmed  in  the  process  and  that  they  stay  within  the  boundaries  of  his  home .    “  that  would  be  very  courteous  of  you ,  especially  if  you  plan  on  using  a  toilet  that’s  not  in  your  en-suite .  ”    james  noted,  he  didn’t  even  think  of  that .    “  anyway ,  the  house  rules  are  very  simple  :    one ,  no  coming  into  my  office  unless  i’m  there .  if  you  need  anything  from  there ,  which  i  doubt  you  ever  will ,  just  ask  me  and  i’ll  come  along  with  you  ;    two ,  alfred  and  dorota  are  off  the  second  it  turns  ten  in  the  evening ,  so  if  you  want  anything  from  them ,  ask  them  before  nine  thirty  —  they  need  rest  too  ;    three ,  feel  free  to  use  any  of  the  vehicles  in  the  garage ,  just  abide  by  the  traffic  laws  or  that  privilege  will  get  revoked  ;    fourth ,  don’t  bring  any  sketchy  characters  into  my  —  our  home  .  for  example,  any  members  of  our  family  ;    and  fifth ,  shower  before  you  go  into  the  pool .  ”

[jameswt]

𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐧𝐢𝐥𝐬𝐞𝐧.

she  indulges  in  the  plates  in  front  of  her          —          far  more  filling,  and  elaborate  than  the  plates  prepared  in  her  own  home  .  there,          (          if  one  can  even  call  it  a  home,          )          cathrine’s  far  less  likely  to  indulge          —          and  far  more  likely  to  be  deprived  of  anything  spectacular  and  whole  .  here,  she’s  taken  care  of  .  the  structure,  stiffness,  and  intense  discretion  of  it  all  might  put  most  people  off          —          but  here,  cathrine  feels  immensely  protected  .  safe,  even,  to  indulge  in  life’s  little  pleasures  .  she’s  still  ladylike,  of  course  .  her  portions  can’t  be  detrimental  to  her  size   .  but,  she’s  letting  herself  enjoy  the  tastes  and  textures  of  luxury  for  as  long  as  she  can  .  for  as  long  as  she  has  it  .  cathrine  may  not  know  much,  but  she  does  know  not  to  let  any  of  it,  not  one  moment,  go  to  waste  .          “          it’s  really  kind  of  you  to  let  him  stay  here  .          ”          the  ingenue  remarks,  perhaps  out  of  turn,  as  she  finishes  her  last  bite  .  she  doesn’t  have  any  connection  to  her  family  anymore,  so  it’s  comforting  to  see  one  still  intact  .  to  see  people  care  for  one  another  .  that’s  what  she  likes  most  about  james,  she  thinks  .  the  way  he  cares,  and  takes  care  of  people          —          even  when,  sometimes,  it  seems  like  he  doesn’t  care  at  all  .          “          he’s  very  talented  too  !  i  could  hear  him  a  little  last  night  .  must  run  in  the  family  .          ”

          he  swallows  his  food  before  giving  her  an  answer  :    “  —  for  the  meantime .  ”    he  corrects .  he  had  no  plans  of  kicking  jessie  out  of  his  humble  abode  in  the  future  or  any  time  soon ,  though  he  would  allow  jessie  if  he  so  wishes  to  leave  .  the  young  musician  was  welcomed  to  come  and  go  as  he  pleased .  he  would  never  admit  it  nor  would  he  ever  be  inclined  to ,  but  his  nephew  was  a  riot  to  have  at  times  —  a  family  member  he  could  tolerate ,  to  say  the  least .    “  you  did ?  ”    he  chuckles ,    “  it’s  a  pleasure  to  know  that  my  being  inside  you  last  night  was  more  than  enough  to  fully  grasp  your  attention ,  cathrine .  ”    he  says  in  a  playfully  sardonic  manner .  if  there  were  any  opportunity  to  tease  the  people  he  grew  fond  of ,  james  never  missed  it .    “  but  yes ,  it  seems  you’re  quite  right .  jessie’s  talented  in  all  sorts  of  of  things —  instruments ,  composing ,  lulling  me  into  an  early  grave .  ”

[jameswt]

𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐬𝐨𝐧.

“that’s just the thing – we’re choosing to torture ourselves in this industry.” she pointed out, brows raised as if she had just made a world-changing discovery. truth was, hollywood wasn’t that bad. it mainly came down to the personalities within it, and as long as you associated yourself with the right group you’d be fine. the tricky part was dealing with the personalities elizabeth hadn’t particularly chosen – her boss included. “oh? we might have misunderstood each other’s rating scales,” she turned her head slightly to one side, lips pursed. “for me, ten being needing the most help, and one being star client material. dear cathrine still has a long way to go, but she’ll get there.” hearing his next words, lizzie didn’t entirely believe them. she had been in front of the camera before and knew there were special circumstances at times – some would call it favoritism. “well, obviously.” she brushed it off, not flagging anything this time. “just let me know when you do give her the part. girl’s got talent.” 

            choosing  to  torture  ourselves ,  the  phrase  echoed  through  the  deepest  corners  of  his  mind .  it  resonated  somehow ,  and  was  a  darkly  poetic  thing  for  her  to  say .  he  was  reeled  back  into  their  conversation  when  elizabeth  had  pointed  out  that  he’s  misinterpreted  her  rating  scale .  eight  out  of  ten ,  only  a  single  number  separated  the  two  digits  from  becoming  a  full  fledged  ten .    “  that’s  concerning .  ”    he  comments  without  much  thought .  james  questioned  himself  why  he  was  so  invested  about  keeping  cathrine  a  secret ,  he’d  never  bothered  to  do  anything  of  that  sort    (  for  example ,  him  and  cynthia  )  .  his  self-diagnosis  was  that  :     he  felt  responsible  for  the  starlet  in  some  way .  he  just  couldn’t  understand  why  at  the  moment  —  for  her  reputation  ?  possibly .    “  i’ll  have  my  assistant  remind  me  of —  ”    his  was  interrupted  by  a  noise  upstairs .    “  what’s  that  jessie  up  to  now ?  jesus  christ .  ”

[jameswt]

𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐚𝐲𝐥𝐨𝐫-𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐧.​​

maggie looked over the cover of the pages in front of her once more before she sat back in her chair, content and her mind running a mile a minute. she looked back over at james, smiling softly as he commented about asking the other woman for help. as he asked his question the blonde reached over and grabbed a cigarette from her clutch, lighting it swiftly and inhaling “oh?” she said as she blew the smoke out “he’s well, busy as can be..like normal.” another drag “thank you for the invitation, i’ll see if he’s available. does the invitation stand for one?” 

           “  trouble  in  paradise  ?  ”    he  teases ,  knowing  how  difficult  it  was  to  sustain  a  career  and  a  marriage  at  the  same  time .    “  it’s  an  open  invitation .  not  compulsory  at  all .  ”    although,  he  knew  schedules  could  be  tight  and  an  unplanned  party  during  the  weekend  was  not  a  priority  for  some .

[jameswt]

𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐥𝐢𝐧.

her lips formed a perfect o, she was ready to get her own napkin out when a handkerchief was offered. a grateful smile coming to her lips. she brought it up, wiping away the smudged red with precise fingers. she looked up to the man. “charity?” she asked, confused. did the other think charity was a joke?

              he  didn’t  think  she’d  heard  his  opinion ,  in  fact  he  didn’t  know  he  said  it  out  loud  until  she  answered .    “  no .  ”    he  glances  at  her .  “  you ,  me ,  all  these  people .  ”    he  shrugs  his  shoulders  in  a  nonchalant  manner ,  before  taking  out  a  nicotine  stick  and  a  lighter  to  get  it  lit .  he  takes  a  drag  before  offering  it  to  her .

[jameswt]

𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐬-𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐭𝐭.

“Yes, I am, sir.” A singer with only one hit and a huge threat of fading into obscurity, and that hit was all about wanting a boy. Shame on them for writing that in the middle of their honeymoon phase with an old flame. That song was going to haunt them now.

But, onto new beginnings.

“What new horizon are you looking to explore?” Rose made a point to sound firm. Confident. Reassured, even though that was the last thing they could possibly be feeling. “And what about it could involve my help?”

            “  generally ,  anything  out  of  the  genres  i’m  currently  putting  out .  ”    there  wasn’t  much  to  it ,  really .   branching  out  this  late  into  the  game  was  risky  business ,  especially  for  a  man  of  his  reputation .   it’d  either  be  a  breakthrough  for  him  or  one  that  could  possibly  ruin  his  credibility  in  this  industry .    “  the  young  are  very  much  opinionated  these  days ,  don’t  you  agree  ?  ”    his  mind  goes  to  his  nephew  for  a  second .    “  hence ,  my  being  here  striking  up  a  conversation  with  you .  ” 

[leracherry127]

“And Then There Were None” Ep 2