49. Chapter Forty-Nine
Five Months Later
And the entertainment news announced that an A-list actor had donated money to a charity. No one mentioned Christina and Graham anymore.
* * *
The warmer hues of my bedroom make it cozy, and harder to get out of bed. As I look around, I still can’t believe I’d lived here as long as I did without it being homey. I guess I didn’t know what homey looked like until I’d met Graham.
Dolly, my yellow lab, which I got as soon as we wrapped the last Love Is in the Air movie, moves to the side of my bed and rests her head next to mine.
“You’re ready to go out, huh?” I ask, raising my hand to rub between her ears.
She’s been my savior, and I often wonder how Loki is. I’m sure he’s on set with Graham.
But wouldn’t it be nice to get them together for a playdate?
I sit up, push back the covers, and drop my legs off the side of the bed. I haven’t opened the drapes yet, and the room is still dark.
Dolly makes me get up every morning, and not wallow in my own pity—which I do often.
It’s been five months since I’ve seen Graham and Loki, and I miss them both.
I have it under good authority that Graham is in Italy with my father. For some reason, instead of just throwing money at a project, my father seems to be very invested in that film with time, too.
I’ve stayed away from TV or news shows, because I know there have been pictures of Graham and Olivia on the beach together. I want to think they’re staged, but so was our relationship—so was ours.
Dolly paces the bedroom as I pull on my yoga pants and a sweatshirt, then slip my feet into a pair of shoes before I take her outside.
The air is crisp as I let Dolly out into the yard, but it feels good on my skin. I think I’ll take Dolly to the dog park. I have the need to be around people, which is a new feeling, too. Though, since I’ve had Dolly, I find I’m more comfortable going out alone. Maybe she’s my protector.
After I get ready, and have my morning coffee and protein shake, Dolly and I head out just as my mother calls.
I’ve been very selective of the times in which I take her calls. I’ve also been standoffish and cold, she tells me, but I’m still in recovery mode.
I haven’t spoken to my father at all.
“Good morning, Mother. How are you?” I say as Dolly and I walk toward the dog park a few blocks away.
“I’m achy,” she whines. “It’s cold out.”
I sip my coffee from my travel mug and think about how easy it would be to stay in bed, and before Dolly, I would have. My mother is right. It’s cold out, but there is no excuse.
“It’s not so bad. Dolly and I are out walking.”
She tsks me. “I don’t know why you have that dog. Really, Christina...”
She doesn’t even finish with the reasons she’s so against it. But Dolly is my family now. Everyone else got taken from me—no, I gave it up so Graham could have exactly what he wanted—what he deserved.
“We need to go to Miami. I have a grand opening next week and?—”
“Mother, I’m in the midst of filming. I won’t be going to Miami,” I say with great pride and a bit of bite. I no longer need to be paraded around as her shiny object that keeps her grounded.
“You know, since you dated that man, you’ve had a mouth on you.”
I grin as we turn the corner to the dog park. “Well, you might imagine I have some hurt feelings. But Dolly and I are at the dog park. We’re going to run now.”
“Christina—” she calls out.
“I’ll talk to you later. Bye,” I say, which is more than she would say to me.
As soon as we are in the fenced area, I take Dolly’s leash off her, and she runs off. Even she’s made some friends at this park.
But it’s then I see a black lab running toward me.
I brace myself, but he comes right up to me, pauses, and then lifts his head.
“Loki?” I say, and that’s when he jumps up on me.
I hug him as if he is a long-lost person I haven’t seen in ages. “Hey, pal,” I say as Dolly comes back to investigate.
“Dolly, this is my friend Loki,” I say as the two dogs sniff one another.
But then I realize Loki didn’t come alone. My heart begins to pound in my chest and my breath is labored. I look around, but I don’t see Graham anywhere. Nor do I see Milo.
“Loki!” a woman’s voice calls to him, and I turn to see Graham’s mother running toward us. “I’m so sorry. He just got away from me, and—” she pauses. “Christina?”
I can’t help the smile that forms on my mouth. Thank God I have on dark sunglasses. My eyes have welled with tears.
“Hello, Mrs. Crowley.”
“Anna,” she corrects me as if things hadn’t gone horribly wrong between me and her son. Then, when I stand, she pulls me in for a hug.
She eases back, her hands on my arms, and she looks me over. “Milo is out of town, so we’re dog sitting,” she says as Loki and Dolly decide to take off. “It looks like they’ve become friends. Or did you have him before?”
“Her, but no. I’ve only had her a few months. Her name is Dolly.”
“She’s beautiful,” she says, watching the two new friends chase one another around the park. “Do you have time to sit a moment?”
I’ve missed this. I’ve missed her.
In the few short months that Graham and I were a couple, she was kind and enthusiastic about what was to come for us. And even now, she’s still kind.
“I do,” I say and Anna nods to an empty bench.
We walk to the bench and sit down.
She laughs as Loki and Dolly walk side by side, as if maybe they’re having a conversation too.
“I’m glad we came down here today,” she says. “The dog park by our house has a few unruly dogs. Loki isn’t a fan.”
“We come to this one often,” I say. “It’s close to our condo.”
She nods and then turns to look at me. “How have you been?”
Do I tell her I’m in therapy because I miss her son so much? Do I tell her that I haven’t spoken to my father since I signed on to do the Penelope Mondragon film, because what he expected wasn’t fair? Do I ask her if the news is right, and Graham moved on with Olivia Chase?
“I’m doing good. We started filming last week. The good part is it’s mostly all being filmed here on the lot. We’ll go to Minnesota next month and do some outdoor shots in the snow.”
“Penelope Mondragon is a genius,” she says. “She writes a lot like Nora Ephron did in the eighties.”
My smile widens. “Very true. I’m in an elite group of women doing amazingly written rom-com.”
“I’m so proud of you,” she says, resting her hand atop mine.
Well, shit! Now I am going to cry.
My mother, or father, have never—never!—said that to me.
Loki and Dolly walk back to us, and each of them rests their head on my lap. The tears are gone, and I set my coffee mug on the bench, and lean in to love on both of them, before they decide to run off and play again.
“Fast friends,” Anna says, watching the dogs take off.
She lifts her phone and takes a picture of them, and I swear they pose for her.
A moment later my phone pings, and when I look down, she’s sent me the picture.
“I have him all week. Maybe we can meet up tomorrow so they can play,” she offers.
“I would love that. I have to be to set by ten.”
“Seven-thirty?”
“We’ll be here.”