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“Ava. It’s so lovely to speak to you again. Is now a good time?”
I struggle to place her voice, but then it comes to me.
“Ophelia?” I smile as I step away from the desk. Jet’s catty receptionist looks over her shoulder at me, then turns away again and carries on talking.
“How was the rest of your trip?” I walk over to a water cooler in the waiting area and pull out a paper cup.
“It was great. Back to work now, though. And I’m glad. Because talking to you is exciting!”
“Oh, thank you… You too.” I sip the water. Ophelia seemed lovely in Thailand, but I never expected her to call; we didn’t exchange numbers.
“I’ll be honest, Ava. I knew who you were the minute you told me your name. You never mentioned anything, though, so I didn’t think it right to bring it up.”
The cup of water slips from my grasp, spilling all over the carpet.
Like fresh blood on a cockpit floor.
“You knew who I was?” I grab the cup with a shaking hand, depositing it in the trash can.
“I did. And I was surprised at what landed on my desk yesterday. I’m so glad you want to do this. It will be incredible.”
“Sorry? What will be—?”
“I’ve got a screenwriter working on the script already. There are some tweaks we’ll need to make, but nothing major. And we’ll go through them together.”
The water sloshes around in my stomach, threatening to race back up my windpipe.
“Script?” I cough, trying to clear the lump from my throat as my head grows light.
“I’m so pleased you’re choosing to move forward. I know it’s been years.”
“I’m sorry. What do—?”
“Jet’s so proud of you for moving forward, not staying still. Sorry if that’s a strange thing to say, but the way he sounded on the phone when he and James were talking about the movie was really very—”
“Movie?”
“I know there was a suggestion of a cable series in your proposal. But my gut says movie. Your story made headlines for weeks, Ava. People will be racing to the box office to see it on screen. I’ve got some ideas for castings. Can you come by my office? I’ll send a car for you.”
“I-I’m actually about to see Jet right now.”
“Oh, okay. Well, I’ll email them to you, and then we can meet to discuss when you get back from New York. Will you be coming back at the same time as Jet?”
Something cold and unpleasant binds its way around my lungs until taking a breath feels like razor blades scraping through my lungs.
“New York?”
“Ava, I’m so sorry, I have to go,” Ophelia says as someone calls her name in the background. “I’ll call you and we’ll set up lunch the minute you get back. Maybe Jet and James can join us since they’ll be working together now. It’ll be less tense than dinner in Thailand when they couldn’t stop butting heads.” She laughs. “Speak soon.”
The fast pulsing of my heart fills my ears as I stare at the dark, wet mark on the carpet.
My phone buzzes in my hand.
I click into the email, the nameOphelia Callaghan, Producer, in the sender’s section, followed by the subject line.
The blood drains from my face, all of it crashing to my feet at once.
Forest Girl – A screenplay based on true events: Casting Ideas.
