presentations, and she was weary from the inside out. Her body was tired and her brain was mush.
On days this like, Mike was the one who would be uptight, but somehow his newfound love of life gave him a more laissez-faire attitude toward work and Ellen had taken the lead at both client meetings. He didn’t seem to take any of it too seriously anymore.
Ellen walked to the kitchen where she put down her briefcase and a paper bag that was beginning to leak wonton soup from the bottom. She’d stopped at her favorite Chinese restaurant on the way home knowing she wouldn’t cook–she rarely did.
After fixing her soup, grabbing a bottle of water and settling in on the couch, she began to eat and sort through the mail starting with the package. The art department sometimes sent ideas over if they missed her in the office and she assumed this to be the same. It was one of the ways Mike kept everyone “engaged” in their projects.
She opened it revealing a black and white DVD. On the cover, a couple embraced, their lips only a moment away from ecstasy.
She knew in an instant. Tonight was the film festival and she smiled recalling Penn’s French kiss comment.
It was a copy of Les Enfants du Paradis – the famous French love story – and a note was stuck to the front: If you won’t go to France with me, I’ll bring it to you. I’m not giving up. – Penn.
She smiled through the tears pooled in her eyes and whispered aloud, “Don’t give up.”
Ellen hadn’t seen the 1945 film since college, and was anxious to experience it again. She knew it centered around the undying love shared by Baptiste and Garance. To complicate matters, Garance is loved by three other men. The two are separated for years and both become involved in loveless, complicated relationships. Years later, they meet again and are at last together – but only for one night. The story ends as they are separated – neither understanding their fate or the future of their love.
After the three-hour journey, Ellen found herself sniffling as Baptiste is lost and wandering through the crowd and Garance has fled in her carriage unaware she is free from the loveless relationship she’s chained herself to.
Ellen blotted the tears from her eyes and took a deep breath. She knew what she had to do. Tomorrow Ellen Temple would start again. Tomorrow she would open her heart to love.
As she went to bed that evening she repeated Penn’s words aloud. “It’s never too late to live happily ever after.”
As the Chopin concert came to a close, Lexi had fallen more deeply for Tom. His talent was such a sexy turn on for her. She now understood why even the ugliest of rock stars ended up with models. Their appeal was their talent and not their physical appearance. Luckily, Tom was a ten in both of those categories. He was perfect.
“Bravo!” Lexi shouted as the maestro turned and recognized his symphony. She clapped as loud as she could and watched Tom take his bow as he’d done the very first night their eyes met. He flashed a smile, and Lexi knew it was for her. The excitement made her giddy and she trembled from the rush she felt in her body.
He gave her a funny whassup nod and a nervous shoulder shrug. Lexi’s instinct was to blow him a kiss, but she thought better of it and instead she gave him a single wave and a sexy smile.
Tom picked up his cello and quickly exited the stage. Lexi couldn’t wait to tell him how wonderful the concert was – how wonderful in fact, he was.
Her thoughts were quickly jolted back into reality when Blondie began her incessant hair tossing and eyelash batting. She’d weaseled her way out and into the aisle as Tom came from the front to the back where Lexi was waiting in anticipation of a big kiss for her adorable, talented boy.
Tom Brooks had played for thousands of people over the years, but he’d never been as nervous as he was tonight knowing Lexi would be in the audience just for him.
After the performance, he
On days this like, Mike was the one who would be uptight, but somehow his newfound love of life gave him a more laissez-faire attitude toward work and Ellen had taken the lead at both client meetings. He didn’t seem to take any of it too seriously anymore.
Ellen walked to the kitchen where she put down her briefcase and a paper bag that was beginning to leak wonton soup from the bottom. She’d stopped at her favorite Chinese restaurant on the way home knowing she wouldn’t cook–she rarely did.
After fixing her soup, grabbing a bottle of water and settling in on the couch, she began to eat and sort through the mail starting with the package. The art department sometimes sent ideas over if they missed her in the office and she assumed this to be the same. It was one of the ways Mike kept everyone “engaged” in their projects.
She opened it revealing a black and white DVD. On the cover, a couple embraced, their lips only a moment away from ecstasy.
She knew in an instant. Tonight was the film festival and she smiled recalling Penn’s French kiss comment.
It was a copy of Les Enfants du Paradis – the famous French love story – and a note was stuck to the front: If you won’t go to France with me, I’ll bring it to you. I’m not giving up. – Penn.
She smiled through the tears pooled in her eyes and whispered aloud, “Don’t give up.”
Ellen hadn’t seen the 1945 film since college, and was anxious to experience it again. She knew it centered around the undying love shared by Baptiste and Garance. To complicate matters, Garance is loved by three other men. The two are separated for years and both become involved in loveless, complicated relationships. Years later, they meet again and are at last together – but only for one night. The story ends as they are separated – neither understanding their fate or the future of their love.
After the three-hour journey, Ellen found herself sniffling as Baptiste is lost and wandering through the crowd and Garance has fled in her carriage unaware she is free from the loveless relationship she’s chained herself to.
Ellen blotted the tears from her eyes and took a deep breath. She knew what she had to do. Tomorrow Ellen Temple would start again. Tomorrow she would open her heart to love.
As she went to bed that evening she repeated Penn’s words aloud. “It’s never too late to live happily ever after.”
As the Chopin concert came to a close, Lexi had fallen more deeply for Tom. His talent was such a sexy turn on for her. She now understood why even the ugliest of rock stars ended up with models. Their appeal was their talent and not their physical appearance. Luckily, Tom was a ten in both of those categories. He was perfect.
“Bravo!” Lexi shouted as the maestro turned and recognized his symphony. She clapped as loud as she could and watched Tom take his bow as he’d done the very first night their eyes met. He flashed a smile, and Lexi knew it was for her. The excitement made her giddy and she trembled from the rush she felt in her body.
He gave her a funny whassup nod and a nervous shoulder shrug. Lexi’s instinct was to blow him a kiss, but she thought better of it and instead she gave him a single wave and a sexy smile.
Tom picked up his cello and quickly exited the stage. Lexi couldn’t wait to tell him how wonderful the concert was – how wonderful in fact, he was.
Her thoughts were quickly jolted back into reality when Blondie began her incessant hair tossing and eyelash batting. She’d weaseled her way out and into the aisle as Tom came from the front to the back where Lexi was waiting in anticipation of a big kiss for her adorable, talented boy.
Tom Brooks had played for thousands of people over the years, but he’d never been as nervous as he was tonight knowing Lexi would be in the audience just for him.
After the performance, he
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