“Okay. Rude,” Jill replied. “And we are getting marriedon July 6th. Asher is going to plan it for us, and then, we’re going on a long honeymoon. We’ve saved up. Mel is going to give me the time off, and it’s summer for Willa. We don’t know where exactly just yet, but it’s between two weeks on a beach somewhere or two weeks in Europe. Willa wants a touristy thing. I do touristy for a living and want to relax.”
“Do both,” India suggested. “South of France is beautiful.”
“She’s going to take me there some day,” Maisie added.
“Whenever you want,” India said, smiling softly at her.
“That’s great, you two,” Samara said and moved into Dana’s body.
Dana wrapped her arms around her from behind and said, “Okay?”
“I’m ready to sit down, but yeah,” Samara replied. “It’s just a lot. You?”
“Me too,” she said. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
“Hey, do you guys want to go in?” Dana asked. “I think we’re ready to sit down. It’s been a long day.”
“Sure. Let’s go,” Jill said. “Where’s Caroline?”
“She’s in the bathroom,” Enid replied. “I’ll wait for her. You go ahead.”
Caroline and Enid had moved in together, but marriage either wasn’t their thing or was very far off because neither of them ever talked about taking that step, from what Dana had heard. Enid was the manager of the second NOLA Guides location, handling the plans for the third one that they were currently building. Caroline worked part-time at an art gallery in New Orleans and also sold her art on the street, which she seemed to really like.
They walked into the theater through the open doors, and Dana instantly saw Bryce and Sophie, who were standing near the entrance, talking to some people. They’d gotten married this past year in New Orleans with little fanfare because neither of them had wanted a big wedding, and Dana and Samara had been there to witness the occasion. Sophieseemed to really love LA now, and Dana loved that she had a couple of friends who lived close. It helped her feel like a little bit of New Orleans was with her in LA. She also saw Ava and Stephania there from time to time, but not as often as Sophie and Bryce.
Asher and Linden were standing toward the middle of the rows of seats with Logan and Rory. Asher was laughing at something and leaning into her wife’s side. That had happened this past year, too, but Dana hadn’t been invited. She had seen pictures, though, and those two knew how to throw a wedding. Their wedding planning business was doing really well, apparently, but Dana was sure it didn’t hurt that all of their friends had been getting married one after the other and using their services. She planned on using them one day as well if she asked Samara to marry her and Samara actually agreed to a New Orleans’ wedding.
Rory and Logan were still engaged and hadn’t set a date yet. Dana and Logan had grown somewhat close and texted each other often whenever Dana was in LA. Rory was now a social worker, which had been her dream, and Logan was working in a plumbing, HVAC, and electrical shop. She had told Dana that in a few years, her goal was to own her own shop and that she was well on her way to paying her parents back for the money she’d taken when she’d been gambling. They seemed happy, too, which made Dana happy for them.
“Babe?” Samara asked.
“Huh?”
“Sit down with me?”
“Oh, sure,” Dana said.
They walked to where their friends had started to sit and joined them, with Samara entering the row first. Coming out hadn’t been completely smooth sailing for Samara, but most people had sent positive comments and messages when she had posted her coming out on social media a year ago. After Vancouver, she’d had a couple of people pull offers or scripts away because they hadn’t wanted to deal with it – at least, not initially – and Samara had been bothered by it, but then, she’dget another offer, and she would feel okay again. She’d filmed a few recurring guest spots on TV this past year and no other movies, but it had been her decision to cut down and make only one or two movies a year from now on, alternating with not making one the following year so that she wouldn’t exhaust the audience.
Dana had only filmed one movie as a supporting character, but she had two more lined up for the upcoming year, and in one of them, she would be playing the lead. It was an indie film with a small budget, but she knew she had to start somewhere. With Samara taking a break, she’d be able to go on location with Dana, and Dana had decided that if she ever had that many offers herself where people wanted her in two movies a year, she’d take a year off, too. They’d arrange it so that when Samara was working, Dana would be there with her and vice versa.
“Hey, congrats, you two,” Kyle said, leaning over Melinda, whom Samara was sitting next to.
“Thank you,” Samara replied.
“You’ve got to be excited. This is amazing,” Melinda added.
“It’s crazy that it’s finally premiering,” Dana said, wrapping an arm around Samara’s shoulders. “I feel like we made this ten years ago.”
“Does that mean you feel likewe’ve been together for ten years?” Samara asked.
“Sometimes, yeah.”
Samara poked her in the stomach as she laughed.
Melinda and Kyle were both still doing well. They were trying to get pregnant. Jolie, Kyle’s sister, already was. She’d gotten engaged earlier in the year and just a few weeks later, found out that they were expecting. Dana had only met her once at one of the many weddings, but she’d bragged about finally doing something before her big sister, Kyle. Kyle and Melinda seemed to be on their own path, though, taking their time to do whatever it was that they wanted, and it made perfect sense to Dana.
