Shattered Memories

Epilogue: The Surprise

[Ten Years Later]

I faced him and frantically grabbed his collar. “You’re leaving me? Why? I’ve always been there for you and this is what you’re doing to me? Have you no compassion for me at all? I… I…” I nervously looked at Olive who urged me to go on.

“Cut!” the director, Mr. Davis, shouted. He gave me a disapproving look. “Your line was, ‘I thought you love me too.’”

I smiled sheepishly. “Whoops.”

Mr. Davis sighed. “We’ll continue tomorrow, guys. Good night!”

Kyle, who was my leading man in my new movie, patted my shoulder comfortingly. “Cheer up, Autumn. I’m pretty sure you’re going to memorize your lines by tomorrow.”

I smiled at him gratefully. “Thanks, Kyle.”

I bade him goodbye and slowly made my way towards Olive. She grabbed my hand and dragged me to my dressing room. I opened my mouth to protest but she raised her finger to her lips. “No more words!” And so I clamped my mouth shut.

When we arrived at the dressing room, she immediately locked the door and faced me. “What are your plans for tonight?” she asked, grinning broadly.

I frowned at her and slowly removed my blonde wig. “What do you mean ‘plans’?”

“It’s your anniversary with Xavier, right? You’ve been for ten or eleven years now!”

“Eleven,” I corrected with a smile and took off my costume. “And why do you need to know, anyway? Just because you’re my manager, you have to know everything in my life.”

She folded her arms across her chest. “Technically, Autumn, I’m your boss.”

I laughed, shaking my head. “I don’t think so. Without my acting skills, then you wouldn’t have money.”

Olive considered this. “That’s quite right. And don’t you change the topic!”

I gave her a look. “You were the one who changed the topic.”

“So what the hell are your plans?! I just want to know!”

I sighed and put on my skinny jeans and top. “There are no plans for us tonight, Olive,” I confessed and slipped on my three-inched Jimmy Choos heels.

Olive seemed genuinely crestfallen. “No… plans?”

I sat on my chair and faced my mirror. I grabbed my brush and started brushing my messy red hair. “No plans, I’m afraid,” I said sadly. “I woke up this morning without Xavier by my side. He left me a note saying that he went to work early. He didn’t even greet me since it’s our anniversary… He also told me that he would be home late at night because he has some appointment.”

If it wasn’t for Olive hugging me tightly, then I would have burst into tears. “Oh, Autumn… I can’t believe Xavier’s like that!”

I pulled away and forced up a smile. “He’s a doctor, so I should understand him. He understood me if I go home late myself.” Then my expression changed into horrified. “Oh my God, what if he’s cheating on me?”

Olive looked surprised and shocked. “He’s not going to cheat on you!” she said incredulously.

“But what if?”

“We’re talking about Xavier, aren’t we? And not some other dude?”

“Um… yes.”

“Xavier wouldn’t cheat on you,” Olive told me firmly. “He loves you dearly.”