“We’ve known it all along,” Abbie explained.
“We’ve all been wondering when you two would figure it out,” Ayra added as she brought us each a flute of champagne.
“Even I could tell,” Ricky said with a playful wink.
“It would appear that you were the only two who couldn’t see how you were meant to be together,” Keely said.
She held up her glass of soda and turned to invite everyone to do the same. “This has been a grueling movie shoot and, needless to say, I couldn’t have done it without you. I know that many of you, particularly the crew and main cast, have worked ten, twelve, fourteen and even eighteen-hour days.”
Most of the crew nodded.
“I promise you, your effort will not go unrewarded. While I can’t make any promises at this stage, if this movie is a success, I fully intend to share that success with each and every one of you.”
The crew broke out in ecstatic applause.
“And now, I know most of you must be exhausted, eager to get to bed, or eager to move out of this forced isolation and back to your regular lives but...”
Everyone expressed their disagreement in one way or another.
“But, if you have the desire and the energy, I propose a toast to us all.”
Everyone cheered.
“And you are all invited to a feast, more music, more wine...the works.”
As the crowd erupted into cheers once again, Keely came to us.
“So,” Matt said. “You knew?”
“Oh, please,” she said with a chuckle. “Everyone and their grandmother knew.”
I looked at her, completely baffled. “We didn’t even know ourselves, Keely. I mean, I know you’re astute, but...”
She clasped her hands over her tiny baby bump and looked at us much the way an old and wise woman of the village would. “I am just so much more than meets the eye.”
We laughed but still wanted an answer. What had tipped everyone off?
“Look,” she finally said with more seriousness. “There was something special, something different in the way you two would look at one another. Initially I shrugged it off as youthful familiarity, after all, you had grown up together.”
Matthew and I looked at one another and smiled.
“But then there were the times you had to shoot scenes with other actors. You, Darling, for instance. When you shot scenes with Ricky, there was just enough discomfort in your approach of him to tell me something was off. And you Matthew.”
“I was very professional in my scenes with Susie. I was the perfect Edmund to her Mary Crawford.”
“Precisely,” Keely said. “There was something too perfect. Too calculated, as if you feared we might suspect you of having affections elsewhere.”
Abbie, listening in from where she stood just a few feet away, jumped in. “What really gave you guys away were the times you were together. Your expressions softened and there was budding love in your eyes.”
“And,” Keely added, “there are also the times when anyone mentioned the other’s name. That look of interest in your eyes.”
“That’s right,” Abbie said. “And when each of you saw the other with your pretense lovers, it was as clear as day. You were both irked by the other’s potential love affair.”
Ayra came in to join the conversation. “When you guys came in to hear the music for the movie that day...the way you looked at each other, as if remembering some day long ago when you might have been freer to express your emotions.”
Matthew nodded. “Yeah. I remember that day. The music you had us listen to resembled very much a song Darling used to play back in the day. It was quite easy to reminisce.”
“But,” I said, still befuddled by it all. “You all spoke of this impending wedding. You all got on board to speak of Matthew and Susie’s romance.”
