She sat down across from me and smiled. “What are you having?”
“I've been goggle-ing this place for a while so I choose this and that that I wanted to try. I ordered so much that they might think that I already ordered for you too.”
She made a funny face at that and picked up her menu. She picked out what she wanted and the chef cook told her order and he hurried off to make it for her.
We were being watched so closely. I wanted to get back together with her badly but she seemed to be out of my league. I had always known that. The first time I went to her apartment, the way the doctor had treated her and the people at the premiere at home and here again. She was the star, and I would have never gotten the roll that I did, if she hadn't told me all about my character.
I swallowed hard and looked at her. She was looking at me too. “How was your TV appearance this morning?”
She actually smiled at me as she answered. “It was a lot of fun. I used to watch that program in the mornings before I went to work, and then to be in it this morning was impressive. It's the same thing with the program we are going to be in this evening. Everyone here will be watching it this evening and talking about it tomorrow. It isn't just a game show or just a talk a show. It's all in one. Real normal people write in with bets. Like I bet I can open twenty beer bottles with just my teeth, or something silly like that. We have to decide if they can do it or not. If you bet wrong then we have to do something because we lost the bet.”
I was shocked that she actually talked to me. I nodded and tried to remain cool.
“This is really big here. You can't imagine. We will be interviewed and asked about recent events. We will have to give our opinions.”
I nodded, but I was worried. “I don't know anything about German current events.”
“Just don't mention any about the past and you should be okay. You will be getting an earpiece and someone will translate everything you say and everything you hear. You won't miss anything. Just listen to what you can understand.”
“You will be speaking in German, right?” I sounded a little whiney.
“You will get the translation about what I am saying too.” She wasn't at all worried. She looked excited about this.
A cup of hot chocolate arrived and she wrapped her fingers around it. Just like the first day we met. “Have you been writing a lot lately?” I motioned with my chin to her fingers.
She removed them and then she was lost in thought. She was probably dreaming about her precious coffee. It was probably just hitting her right now that she could drink as much of it as she wanted. Heck, if I were her I would have ordered a big cup of it, and told the waiter to keep it coming.
“As much as I can. The book is moving along nicely.”
“I see you still don't drink coffee.” I hoped I wasn't opening a can of worms.
“Things weren't all bad. I don't want to throw the baby out with the bathwater.” She smiled and then she thought about what she had said. Her hand covered her mouth like she was going to throw up. “Excuse me.” She headed off to the bathroom.
Several women followed her in. One came out and spoke to a waiter. I realized then that I was still standing next to the table with my mouth half open. I sat down and waited. Katherine came back out a bit later. She talked to the women, obviously thanking the busy bodies.
She came back to me and sat down like nothing had happened. Our food had arrived in the meantime. I was afraid to ask her if she was alright, when it was so obvious that she wasn't. She was too thin and she looked tired.
Ass, that I was, I had to ask. “How much sleep have you been getting lately?”
She looked at me oddly, “Plenty before I came here and not enough since I have been here. But this is an exception and you aren't a monster, remember?”
“I remember everything,” I said leaning across the table to her smiling.
“Me too. That's the problem.” She shook her head again.
“I don't understand. We were so happy. What happened?”
She nodded again, “funny how your life can change in the course of evening or even a quick moment.” She went back to eating whatever she had ordered.
“What are you eating anyway?”
“A German specialty. Want to try it?”
I nodded, desperate to take what she had to offer, be it food, love, or whatever she was willing to share.
“Give me your knife and fork.”
I lick the them clean first and handed them over. She cut the meat and a snowball like thing and rubbed it in the sauce. She held the fork out so I could bite the food. Katherine fed me like I was a baby. A camera flashed as my mouth took the food. Another happy picture for the tabloids.
She gave me my knife and fork back by laying them down on my plate.
“That was really good.”
“I know. It wasn't even on the menu. They made it especially for me. This is typical for southern Germany. Tonight we will land in the city I lived in.”
“Munich. Octoberfest? Do you ever wear one of those dresses?” I made a stupid motion by my chest.
“On occasion. I have a couple back home in my closet. I'll be wearing one for the cooking show. You will be wearing Trachten too. That means the typical clothes of the region. I'll help you pick it out so you don't look silly. Only little boys wear Lederhosen. I'll make sure you don't look ridiculous.”
I was surprised that she cared.
“Think about the Sound of Music. What Captain Van Trapp wore.” She thought I was confused.
I nodded showing I understood now. “I like this. I like be able to talk to you this. If we can't be – ” I wanted to say lovers, but I couldn't, “Then we could be friends.”
“You mean like meeting for brunch with a kiss on each cheek and stuff like that. No, thank you. I firmly believe that this isn't healthy.” She motioned in between us.
“I need you,” I confessed.
She looked hurt by my words and not moved as I had hoped. “Well, I'm off now. I have lots to do. See you this evening.” She took off. She was just gone. The owner shook her hand again and she smiled at him said something that made him smile. He watched her leave like she was his girlfriend. The mob outside screamed again as she left.
The owner came over to me and told me that the meal was on the house. He even sat down with me and asked if we had eaten anywhere else. I explained that I was a cook and that I had research the restaurants of Berlin and picked out this one.
Never was there a happier man. I also told him that we would be leaving this evening so this we be the only restaurant that we would be eating at.
I could already see him dreaming about putting up a sign saying that she had eaten here.
Chapter 19 You Can Bet On It
Once again I stood in a private room waiting for her to come in. She came in wearing the same dress that she wore to the premiere back home. She looked amazing.
I held out my arm to her and we got in the car. Was I ever proud to have her on my arm.
We got into the car and took off. We were in there for a long time. I could tell she was excited. The show was going to have some very famous acts playing. My favorite band was among them. Others were there that I didn't know. I felt kind of honored being lumped in with them.
We got out and they ushered us out of the snow. It was really coming down and fool that I was I place my hand on Katherine's back to move her in more quickly.
“It's just snow. It won't hurt you.” She went in and they touched up her make-up.
The talk show host came to us and shook our hands. He spoke to me in perfect English about what he was going to ask us about. He had planned to ask us about marriage and children.
I shook my head. I whispered in his ears that Katherine had lost a baby and not to tell anyone. She still hadn't recovered.
He told me he was a father and gave me his condolences. That was when it first hit me that someone very important had died. I needed to hug Katherine so badly
.
She was talking to my favorite band and then they came over to me and told me that they had wanted to meet me. They loved the movie and the book of course which they didn't read but the movie was great.
I laid my arm around Katherine and just talked to them like this was the most normal thing in the world. Katherine was still in a good mood but she pushed away when her manager passed by. They were arguing again. Damn, she was ruining Katherine's good mood.
We all settled down and Katherine was avoiding me again. Perfect and I had felt that I was taking a step ahead but it was actually two steps back.
We got called out in groups. The group ahead of us played a song and talked to the host. We got called out second. I took Katherine on my arm again. We walked out and the crowds went wild for her again. That scared her. She laid a hand on my arm. I laid my hand over hers and guided her to a huge couch.
The host stood and greeted us, mostly her. He confessed that he was a big fan of hers and that he had spent all day reading her book, which came out yesterday in German. He wasn't finished yet but he was looking forward to it.
She spoke beautifully. I got everything she said translated into my ear. They loved her and she said really nice things about everybody. She didn't have her problem about saying anything in haste anymore. She was a real lady. A woman that a man would be proud to call his. I wanted to be that man again.
The host was careful not to ask her anything that would upset her. We needed to get up and go over to an area that had been set up for the bet. A little boy came out with his dog. Katherine knelt down to him and talked to him. He had taught his dog to find over fifty different stuffed animals by their names.
Katherine asked him why his dog had so many stuffed animals and he answered that they were his sister's. She looked back at me and smiled while everyone laughed. She stood and came to me. “We have to decided whether or not we think he can do it. I say yes.”
The host asked her what she thought.
“I told myself if I was actually on this show I would say yes. I'm sure he practiced a lot and that he can do it. I'm counting on you,” she smiled at him.
The little boy smiled back at her.
“Ryan, do you think he can do it,” the host asked me.
“Katherine believes in him, and so do I.” I was sucking up but I really wanted her back in my life.
We had to step away and we watched. The dog had to bring the boy five stuffed animals and it had to be the right ones. He had eight chances.
“Now if this little guy doesn't succeed what will you two do? I have an idea. Ryan said that Katherine can sing in an interview today. Should we make them sing a song?” He looked at the crowd.
“Why would you say that?” Katherine looked up at me.
“The guy asked me what had surprised me about you. I said that you can sing especially well.”
“You never thought that maybe you could be a little bias?”
“It doesn't matter, because the boy is going to win.” I was chuckling at her and I pulled her away so we could watch. Our fight had been translated for everyone to hear. They were laughing right along with me.
We watched the little boy and the dog. They were so cute. The dog made a mistake and the little boy looked like he was going to cry. Katherine started talking to him and he nodded and continued. She would have been a great mother. She was giving me the feeling that it was just the two of them. The dog made another mistake and the little boy looked at her.
Katherine told him it was okay, even if she had to sing something. She smiled at him encouragingly.
The dog was afraid of all the people here and the lights. He didn't leave the little boy's side anymore. The host stopped the boy and the boy tried not to cry. Katherine went to him and whispered what a great dog he had. She told him that he was so worried about protecting him that he couldn't leave his side. She pet his ears and praised the dog.
I loved her so much. I should have seen through her silly reasons for needing a spanking. It had all sounded very odd from the get go. I should have smelled a rat, but her camouflage was just too good.
The host saw things the same way that Katherine did. The little boy won a prize to a hotel, where he could take his dog with him. The little boy left. Katherine turned to the host. She would have to sing now. I was smiling at her again and she rolled her eyes at me and everyone was laughing again.
The host told us to sit back down. My favorite band was going to play their newest song. Katherine got a reprieve.
The music was great. I stood up and clapped for them. The lead singer actually looked over at me and waved. I looked at Katherine to see if she saw. She nodded that she had.
The host thanked them and announced their next concerts. Then he asked them if they would play music so Katherine and I could sing. He called us over and Katherine reached for my hand. I walked her over slowly.
“I honestly can't sing,” I admitted.
“We take bets very seriously in this country. You two have to sing. Pick a song.”
Katherine looked at the lead singer and told him that we almost never sang together. The only song we had ever sang together was Rockin' Robin. They knew that and thought it was funny.
Before she knew it Katherine had a microphone in her hands and the music was playing. She looked at me and then she just started singing. The crowd went wild as she started rocking the song. I stood in the back with the lead singer and we did background.
Katherine was blushing red when she finished. She matched her dress. The host was blown away.
He went to her and linked his arm in hers. I stepped to her other side, claiming what I felt was still my territory.
“Ryan said if you wanted you could sing professionally. I thought that he was just bragging but that was amazing. Where did you learn to sing like that?”
“In church choir.”
Everyone was laughing again. He thanked the band again and they left to go back to their tour. I couldn't believe that I had not only met them but had even sang with them. Back at the sofa I sat close to Katherine again. All of that clapping was too much for her. She was having trouble catching her breath.
The host showed a clip of the movie and talked with me for a bit. I told him about my latest project. Then more people came out the sofa started to fill up. The evening went on but the bets were interesting. I wonder if something like this would do well in the States.
When the show was over we got sent to a changing room so we could change for our flight. Katherine carefully packed up her dress. I tried not to stare at her changing but it was hard not to. She had tried to hide in a corner and she was very quick about it. First putting on her jeans and then removing her dress.
No woman ever made me feel like she did.
Chapter 20 Sweet Confrontation
Our bags were already in the car that the hotel had lent us. We stepped out into the snow and my arm went around her once again.
This must be a blizzard. I could hardly see my hand in front of my face. I got her in the car with our managers. They had been bickering. They pretended not to but Katherine noticed too because she looked at me for an explanation. I just shrugged.
The driver slowly brought us to the airport. He was discussing the weather with Katherine.
“He says the airport is canceling most of its flights,” she told us.
“But we have appointments tomorrow in Munich we have to be there.”
“We will be in the news even if we aren't there. They will say that the storm was so bad that we were stuck in Berlin,” Katherine answered.
I was proud of her. She was finally learning to take care of herself.
Her manager went at her again, with responsibilities and obligations. Katherine cracked just like I thought she would. I was shaking my head at her.
The driver dropped us off at the airport and we went in just to find out that our flight was canceled. Her agent wanted us to rent a car and drive through the night. She asked where th
e car rentals were. My manager pulled me to the side.
“Her manager told me that the reason for the break up was because you cheated on her. She was so upset that she lost the baby. Was Katherine pregnant?”
“Yes, but I didn't cheat on her.”
“She told her agent that she saw it herself.”
“I have no idea what she is talking about?” Could I have a look alike? I stormed after Katherine, but she was talking to the guy at the rental agency. He didn't want to rent us a car but because Katherine had a German driver's license he let us. Katherine didn't look all that happy. She had hardly slept last night and now she had to drive tired in a snowstorm.
How could she think that I had cheated on her? Had she just said that so her manager would leave her alone? Still I didn't want anything like that to spread.
He sent us out to the cars. The wind was blowing tiny hard ice crystals into my face. I couldn't believe that anyone would want to drive in this stuff. We piled our luggage in the trunk.
Katherine was asking all kinds of questions. She took off her coat and laid it over her suitcase in the trunk. She got in and started adjusting mirrors and then she pulled out.
“We aren't going to get there on time if we drive so we are just going to drive south until we find an airport that is open.” I watched her in the mirror as much as I could. She was so nervous and concentrated. She went slow and steady. The snow was crunching under the tires. The car slipped and glided a little. She turned on the radio and listened to the news and music.
Everyone was very quiet and I know I was scared. She drove in complete silence. I had a feeling like she had everything under control but we weren't the only ones out here. Lots of other cars were out, some she passed and some passed us. Katherine shook her head at them.
The wipers were going constantly and she sometimes had to turn on the air conditioner to unfog the inside of the car. I wouldn't have known to do that. I was starting to doze off. My agent was already asleep. Her agent was cuddling in under her coat which she had removed and was now using as a blanket.
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