Page 4 of Up All Night
“Lead the way.”I gesture with my hand.
Bowie interjects.“Aren’t we a little bit early?”
“Pish posh.”Daddy says.“We are the owners.Remember that."The way he says it isn’t pompous, it’s more respect towards Bowie, because we have an agreement with her and Jagger.It’s like saying my doors are always open.
The driver is waiting for us as instructed.We talk a lot of shop on the journey to the site, where a large trailer sits.The open land has markers, placed strategically, indicating where buildings will go, etc.Inside the trailer, is a small meeting room, with a laptop, computer, a projector screen, and a large blackboard that looks like it’s been recently erased.Although there is nobody in the trailer at the moment, daddy has the password to the laptop, and he opens it, helping himself to the gems that are inside.
He takes us through various slides, showing us the bare bones ideas of what one of the new plants will look like.Daddy checks his watch, But then he motors on.I then check my watch, wondering what could be keeping them.“Surely, they are aware that we’ve arrived early.”I comment.
“Not to worry, darling.I know my way around.”Although his words are soothing, I can tell by the slight tone in his voice that his patience is starting to wane.It’s a rare thing to see, but it does happen occasionally.
Bowie, picking up on the slight tension, asks daddy to tell her more about one of the production ideas.Daddy gladly goes through it with her, while we listen.I check my phone, but there are no messages from the production team that we were expecting to be meeting up with today.Not even a message saying that they were running late, which would be completely out of character.
As daddy wraps up a presentation that essentially he has taken care of entirely, in the absence of the team, he shakes his head.“I have a bad feeling about this.I didn’t hire a team that doesn’t show up.Not even the assistant is here.”It’s tough seeing daddy upset.It almost never happens.
“I’ll call Michel.”I offer.Michel is the head of the team that we hired specifically for this French site.If anyone knew what the explanation was to this absence, he would.
I place the phone on speaker, and he answers on the first ring.“Michel.Is everything okay?We’ve been here at the site waiting for you for over an hour.”
“Isabelle, what do you mean?We are here at the office.”
“Were we supposed to meet at the office?”That would be a reasonable mistake.
“No, Madame.We didn’t have a meeting today.”
Daddy and I exchange a look.Mum looks just as perplexed.And Bowie has concern washed all over her face.
I speak in somewhat of a nervous scoff.“What are you talking about?I’m here in Paris, to see you.”I try to keep the clip out of my tone.
“Madame, Monsieur Hopkins, I’m afraid there must’ve been some sort of mistake.The meeting was canceled.”
Daddy interjects.“Well, that’s absurd.Isabelle would not fly all the way out here for nothing.”
“Oui, oui, Monsieur.I am so sorry.But somebody from your office called and said that there had been a change in plans.That you are no longer able to make it to Paris.”
I look at Bowie and she looks at me.And that’s when the hair on the back of my neck truly stands on end.
Chapter 2
Rush
MybrotherJaggerstaresat me like I just told him that I have three nuts.“You’re kidding.”His voice is flat.“You’re yanking my chain, right?”
“Nope.I did it.I just didn’t want you to find out through the fucking rags, man.”
“Well, don’t you think it would be fair to tell the entire family?Why just me?”
I lift a hand.“Don’t worry.I’m making my rounds.I just figure the worst that will come out of you is what you already said.I’m not sure if the others will be quite as supportive.”
“I see.So you figure because Bowie and I got married so fast that I set the bar for you.”
“Something like that.”
“Well, I’ve got to hand it to you.Proposing in Paris is just about the most romantic thing you could do for a girl.I’m sure that if Bowie knows by now she’s probably a little bit green with envy, so thanks for that.”He says, jokingly, with a mock angry voice, and I know the difference.
Jagger changes the subject.“Anything weird been going on with you lately?I mean, aside from you cruising into Paris and proposing to your girlfriend, that is?"
I lift a brow.“Like, what do you mean?"
