I helped her inside with Luna. She was zonked, so Audrey and I collectively decided that she could just get into a t-shirt for bed and go without a bath. I left them while Audrey was still getting Luna settled in her room. I had been programmed to take care of her during every waking moment, but I knew it was time to let Audrey get back to it. Plus, I wanted to get to my room so that I could open that envelope.
I didn't have a bathroom connected to my room, so I stopped in the hall bathroom for a moment first. I took a shower in record time so that I could be out of the bathroom when Audrey finished putting Luna to bed. I got soap on my body, and then I washed it off. No wasted movements. I was finished in there and in my room in no time. I made it in there while my sister was still preoccupied with Lu.
I locked the door, which I never did. I did it quietly, but I wanted to relax, so I locked it. I sat on the edge of the bed and took the envelope out of my bag. It was just a normal, white, business envelope, and I took the paper out of it again. This time, I set it on my lap and opened it.
There were two loose things inside the paper. One was a check and the other was a picture from an instant camera. It was the shot of Alex and me at the carousel, and I smiled at the sight of it. It was a nice picture of us with lights and color all around us. I held it up, staring at it and remembering the moment we took it. I studied it for several long seconds before looking at the check. It was a personal checkthat was written to me for the amount of two hundred dollars. I only took that in for a second before getting to the letter. There was a lot written, and it was in small, neat print in the middle of the page. I started reading at the top.
Josie,
You'll get a check from the production company for the amount Cameron discussed with you. That will hardly be enough for you to pay for travel expenses, so I'm including gas money in this envelope. I also borrowed Cameron's printer and made you a copy of the picture from the carousel. As I write this, I'm preparing for the evening's work. You should be here shortly, and hopefully I'll get to dance with you. Maybe even twice. If you're reading this letter, that means I also got to see you in my trailer, and that's good news. I like you, Josie. I need you to know that. I did not expect to grow fond of a woman while I was in Montana, but it seems the heart does what it wants. Please say I can see you tomorrow morning. Maybe we've already made plans by the time you read this. If not, please think about meeting me in the morning. I'll call you at midnight tonight.
One last thing, I was thinking we probably should consider getting married.
You can take that as a joke if you want.
Talk to you soon,
Alexander Jude Stockton
I heard a jiggle of my door handle followed immediately by a loud knock on my door. I was so startled that I gasped and jumped off the bed, clutching the note guiltily.
"Josie, why's your door locked?"
"Oh, it is? Hang on," I said, trying to sound calm even though I was now sprinting around my room. I flung the letter, along with the check, photograph, and envelope, under my pillow. I stood back to make sure it wasn't showing, and I went to my drawer and took one of the hundred-dollar bills I had in my stash of cash.
I quickly slipped it into my back pocket. I was so shocked and in a hurry that it took me no more than a few seconds to do all of that. I smiled on my way to the door, thinking about how good it felt to give her a hundred dollars and tell the truth… at least the partial truth.
"Hey, I looked at that envelope," I said, digging in my back pocket with too much movement. "It had money." I came up with the hundred and flashed it to her. "He gave us two of these." I loved telling the truth about the amount.
"What? Cameron said it was a hundred each, even Luna. She specifically told me that."
"Oh, no, this was… it wasn't part of what they agreed to pay us. That'll still come. Alex was just giving us… gas money."
Her head snapped back. "Is this guy in love with you?"
"No," I said easily. "If anything, he feels bad for me." I cringed inwardly because I had no idea why I said that.
"Why would he feel bad for you?" She seemed offended on my behalf.
I shrugged. "I don't know. I didn't mean that. But he doesn't like me," I lied. It seemed to roll off my tongue easily.
"Well, whatever," she said, taking the hundred-dollar bill from me. "He has no reason to feel bad for you. I was coming to tell you goodnight."
"Oh, night."
"Kai's parents really want to see Luna, so they're picking her up in the morning. She'll stay the night with them. Can you pack her things and be here in the morning when they come? We were talking about meeting at the restaurant, but I was going to let Lu sleep in since we were out so late tonight."
"Yeah, no, uh, what time are they coming?" I asked.
"Uh, nine or so? Ten?" She said, looking at me awkwardly. "Why, do you have plans?"
"No, nine's good."
Nine was not good. Ten was especially not good. Part of me knew I was going to try to see Alex in the morning. But I couldn’t tell my sister the truth about it. Especially not right after I told her he didn't like me.
"Thanks, Josie, you're the best," she said. "Well, it's late, and I've got an early one in the morning. I'm going to bed."
"Okay, night."
