His office lights flickered on as Dan barged into the room. “What are you doing? We’re waiting. They want to meet you. Paul started his sales pitch, but I need you for the technical magic show.”
“She’s incredible, Dan. Incredible.”
“Who?”
“Chloe Daschle.” Upon his confession, the internal quaking he’d endured for three days ceased, and his heart filled with wonder. “She’s incredible. In the face of adversity, she delivered the best dying sceneever.”
Death, you cannot have me?
“Jesse, what’s going on? You’re watching a movie? You told me you were all inhere.”
“I am, I am. But I still have a movie coming out.” He glanced down at the screen as the black gave way to light.
“Jesse, let’s go.” Dan reached for the mouse, but Jesse slapped his hand away.
“Hold on.”
Hamilton walked into a hazy, cold sunrise, a limp Esther in his arms. The camera shifted, and the viewer was inside a house, zooming in on Esther’s books, then peering out a window to see children playing in the yard.
“Dan, Jess, what in the world?” Paul burst into the office withno subtle amount of anger. “Clevon is starting to think you two have abandoned them.”
“Shh!” Jesse held up his hand. Clevon could wait.
Esther ran from the barn, arms flailing, laughing, pointing, falling into Hamilton’s arms, a big rooster chasing her. The children ran to Hamilton, clinging to his leg.
Wait. This was the first day. He was Hamilton. Not Chris. And this was hisidea. To use the B-roll as a way for Esther to live. He’d said it to Raymond off the cuff.
The shot panned to the American flag with thirteen stars. It flapped against a blue sky as credits began to roll.
“Yaw!” Jesse shot from his chair with abandon. “She lived. She lived. You son of a gun, Jeremiah Gonda, you’re a genius!”
“Who lives? Dan, can we please get to our client?” Paul was not amused.
“She lived. Don’t you get it? She lived. Ha-ha! And that’s me in the final scene as Hamilton. Not Chris Painter.” In an instant, Jesse understood all roads led to his salvation. And the journey began with Chloe Daschle.
He hugged his brother, then a very stiff and formal Paul.
“I’m going back to the meeting before we lose one of our potentially biggest accounts. Dan?” Paul left without looking back.
“On my way.” Dan turned to Jesse. “I’m glad she lived. I assume you mean some character. But right now I need you, all of you, in that conference room.”
“Yeah, okay.” Was he smiling? Because his face hurt. “Let me make a quick call.” It was 9:30 a.m. in California. Perfect.
“Call after the meeting.” Dan pressed his fingers to his forehead. His telltale sign of frustration.
“Yeah, okay. sure.” Jesse tucked his phone into his pocket and took a glance at Chloe’s letter. Raymond must have told Jeremiah his idea. There was no other explanation. “You’re right, I need to be present with you.” Jesse grabbed the air with his fist. Today he could literally catch the wind.
“Thank you.” Dan paused as Jesse met him at the door. “Where are your notes? The white paper?” He pointed to the cream envelope in Jesse’s hand. “Don’t think this is going to cut it.”
“Ah, right.” Jesse returned to his desk. “I’ll be right there.”
Tucking his laptop under his arm, Jesse headed to conference room A, pulling out Chloe’s letter on the way. She’d texted him several times after he left LA, but when he got a Boston address, he cut off his LA phone service in exchange for one paid for by DiamondBros. If he was going to make life in Boston work...
Dear Jesse,
...I never had a chance to thank you for defending me to Zarzour.
...suggested I write to you at your brother’s company.
