Page 44 of Persuading Penny
One was an outdoor scene shot on the edge of the forest while two others were interior shots.
Cliff made it to the set every day, but even though she would not appear in any of the scenes, Bridget accompanied him.
While I would never, ever wish for harm to anyone, a certain degree of weight had lifted from my shoulders with Bridget’s absence. But seeing her back on set again made me feel like I’d fallen off that wall with her.
“Okay,” Keely said at the end of the three short scenes. “That’s about all we can do without Bridget for now.” She turned to Cliff. “If the weather is nice enough tomorrow, we can shoot a few more outdoor scenes. No actors, just shots of the surroundings, perhaps a drone shot or two.”
“Sounds good.”
“And you, Bridget,” she said. “How are you feeling? Has the doctor told you when you can get back to work? We’ve carved out a few easy scenes that shouldn’t be too taxing.”
“I still have a bit of a headache, but nothing like that first day.I’m certain the doctor would give his approbation. The only thing that worries me is this.” She held up her bandaged arm. “The doctor said he might be able to change this bulky bandage for something more discrete. If I can wear a long-sleeved gown, no one will know I’m injured.”
“Good. I’ll make sure your dresses are made suitable for your new situation. Take a few more days, and...”She turned to the crew. “...everyone take the weekend off, and we’ll see what we can do Monday.”
I left the set and reluctantly headed home. My father had been nagging me about seeing Steve again and while I did, indeed, want to see him again, I didn’t want to let my father win on the matter.
“I did it,” Dad said as I walked into the cottage. Seating on the sofa facing the television, he had an old phone book, several local newspapers and his phone spread out around him.
“You did what, Dad?”I said, too tired to argue with him.
“I found the contact information for your Steve Seagram.” He slipped a small piece of paper across the coffee table. “I might not be as handy with this new technology as you kids are, but I still managed to find it.”
“My Steve?”I moaned. “Please, Dad. Let it go.”
“I don’t understand you, Penny. Your mother said you were smitten with the man. She said you had stars in your eyes when you spoke of him. What’s the deal? Why are you suddenly so opposed to seeing him again? Just because this relationship might actually make your ailing old dad happy, is that it? You refuse to see him because it’s what I ask of you? Is it all just to spite me?”
My jaw tight, I pressed my lips into a flat line.Damn, Dad.
“Why?”he said. “Why, Penny? Explain it to me because I truly don’t understand. All I have is your best interest at heart. I want to see you happy and taken care of. I want to see you with children, in a big house, with no financial woes. Don’t you see that?”
“Yes, Dad.”
“You know I care about you, right? That I’m looking out for your future.”
“Yes, I know.”
“Then why not pick up that piece of paper and give the man a call?”
“Dad, you know I can’t do that?”
“Why not? I hear women do that sort of thing all the time these days.”
I smiled. “Yes. I know. It’s not that I can’t in that sense, it’s just...” It was just what? Did I fear Steve’s reaction? Rejection? He’d clearly shown interest in me. He’d made it abundantly clear that he enjoyed his time with me. Was my father right? Was I refusing to contact Steve just to spite him?
My father picked up the slip of paper, came to me and slipped the number in my hand. “Make your father happy, Penny. Give the man a call.”
I looked at the number lying on my palm, my hand tingling just from the thought of a connection with Steve.
“All right,” I finally said. “I’ll do it for you.”
He grinned. “Right,” he said, seeing right through me. “Do it just for me. Go out there and have a good time with him...just for me. Fall in love with the man...just for me.”
He winked and I laughed.
*****
“I’m so glad you called,” Steve said as we met up in front of the Pump Room. “I’d considered asking for your number on our little tour of the town, but I feared you might think me too forward.”
