IceBerg - 34. Chapter 34

Doors opened and the group of producers flew out, darting into different directions. Charlie hovered near the door, his face set in a goofy smile.

I scowl at him and his smile drops a little, ‘Nathan?’

Marching past him into his office, I threw the script on his desk, ‘What is this?’

‘Ah,’ he closes the door behind him, resting against it.

‘Why do you want to cut his character?’ I demand. ‘I know he isn’t a comedy relief but he has enough character in him to be popular.’

‘Audiences are not fussed on him,’ argues Charlie. ‘We did the research.’

‘Bull,’ I declare. ‘He is an old man, wise and old, people like that, he’s been in right from the start, why get rid of his character now?’

‘Because it will jazz the show up a bit.’

‘Why does the show need ‘jazzing’ up? I thought we agreed on some good plot twists last few months, are you saying they are not good enough?’

‘You’ve got angrier since you got with a hot priest,’ he laughs, shaking his head. ‘Look,’ he puts his hands up in the air. ‘It was my decision. I think we have run our course with his character, remember a lot of years has passed and he is old, he has to go now.’

‘No,’ I cross my arms. ‘We have more we can unfold with him; we never went back into his backstory of how he became the butler to Lady.’

‘So, what, do you want him to be evil now? He is redeeming himself, that’s what the audience loves about him.’

‘If the audience love him, why get rid of him?’ I bark.

‘They love him for now, best to kill him off while people love him, before they get sick of him.’

‘Why would they get sick of him? Kill him off as well?’ I stand my ground. ‘I completely disagree; he needs to stay in the script. That’s it.’

‘He needs to go.’

‘We need older characters on the show!’ I exclaim. ‘I know people love sexy young people on TV, but our show is a mix, that’s what makes it a hit, that we are different. Besides you are the one who came to me, and.’

‘Okay, you fought hard,’ Charlie puts his hands up. ‘He gets to stay.’ He laughs and smiles brightly at me, ‘I like this version of Nathan. He’s annoying but I like it.’

***

‘Hey, Waldo, look at this,’ Oli leans over to me with his phone.

Wiping the white cake crumbs and icing off my face, I peer down.

A large black and white edited picture comes up.

‘Is this Iggy’s profile? You’re showing me this now? On your wedding day? Why?’

I stare at the screen, it’s a picture of Iggy and I. He was taking a selfie picture from the side an hour ago, pulling a ridiculous face and I had just noticed the camera, while half stuffing my face with cake. Glamourous. Both of us are wearing suits. This was taken earlier today after the ceremony. He’s made it look a cute mess. I peered up and saw him at the bar, ordering a fresh orange juice for himself.

I let out a laugh, ‘That’s actually funny.’

‘Eat all the cake,’ David grins.

‘I don’t share cake,’ Oli frown.

‘You’re married now, you should know better,’ I say.

David pulls a reluctant Oli off his seat to the dance floor for their first dance as husbands. At first Oli is standing there, arms crossed, but the more David dances he bursts out laughing and starts joining in on David’s crazy moves.

Looking around the large room. I see people sitting, laughing and chatting away in circle tables, the glamorous lighted room, the clinks of china and thin glasses. Everyone is dressed with style and class, the men wearing suits and smart tuxes, the women in long gown dresses sparkling off the floor.

‘Nathanial,’ sneers Jakes.

No. I refuse your voice Jake.

I excuse myself out of my chair and go to the bathroom.

Staring at the reflection, breathing in and out deeply. Took my tablet twenty minutes later today, didn’t think it would have this effect.

‘Hey Nathanial,’ Jake sneers from on my shoulder into my ear.

Get lost, Jake. I am in control.

‘Nathanial?’ Iggy comes in, walking over to me. He places a hand on mine, and whispers, ‘Everything alright?’

‘Jake,’ I merely say, tapping my head. ‘I’ll be okay, just need two minutes.’

Iggy just nods. He takes my head away from my head and gently kisses my knuckles.

‘Thank you for telling me,’ He tells me. ‘Take all the time you need. You got this, okay.’

THE END.