Papa Bear

Chapter Thirty-Seven

DIMMI

When Luke told her that Chad snatched the role of Commander Bogos, it was almost a deal breaker, but then he also said it was the only way forward for this adaptation to make a shit lot of money. They needed Shania White to play opposite Chad Gibson.

She hated that so much and told him there was a sex scene in this book. She wouldn't be able to pretend those with Chad. That would not work for her heart.

He offered her a stunt double for that. Apparently Chad was doing his own stunts. She hadn't been in the game for years. This was like the first action type of role she got, and there was going to be a lot of training involved. She hated physical training and the muscles and everything. The past two weeks, she was already on a special diet to lose a bit of the flab and went to the gym like four hours every day.

The girls still attended school, and the media was relentless on this side. She shook her head at her sister, at the reporters that waited at the school when Dimmi dropped them off again.

Danny loved it, but Lizzy looked like a wounded deer.

She tried to distract them by answering a couple of questions and then, when the teachers took them into school; she found a way out of the school parking lot.

Theo was now on drop off and collect duty, as this was her bright idea. Hopefully she regretted that South Africa media comment of hers.

Dimmi had a shit lot of reporters phoning the house too for an interview, but Dimmi wasn't ready for that. She needed Luke here.

The employment letter to arrange for her visa had arrived, but Luke arranged everything thousands of miles away. She just had to get her visa and her new passport. Lucky for her, a service did that too, as Dimmi's life was hectic at the moment. She breathed regularly in the bag, which led to Theo's horrible pep talks. This would not work. She wasn't Shania anymore.

"Shania never existed, Dimmi. She is you. Stop saying that. You need Luke. I'm not cut out for prepping you."

"Oh, no. Theo, South African media is nothing."

"Compared to the states. That was what I said."

"You made it sound like a fucking walk in the park. Is that a walk in the park for you?" She pointed at her gate. In the street, the reporters lined up.

She hated this part of the limelight. Everyone was going to know when she got off that airport in JFK Shania White was back. Luke better be there.

***

Luke was amazing. On the day of her departure, a private security company came to fetch her.

The SUV was black with tinted windows and leather seat warmers. Guns sat in their holders around all the security's hips that accompanied her to the airport.

At the airport, they drove onto the tarmac and up to the plane where she was boarding a Virgin Atlantic, first class.

The hostess made her feel like a million bucks. She wasn't even this famous when she'd left. Guess the sixteen-year-absence did her a wonder.

She got a call on the plane, and Luke's face popped up on the screen.

"Luke, how much is this costing you?"

"In your contract, babe. If they want my bimbo, they need to pay. Welcome to the big league, Angel."

"I don't know if I can do this."

"Don't you dare. You are going to ace it. I'll get you some valium, whatever you need. But you are going to play Revera. The author wrote this role for you. Do you know how many authors had the luxury of seeing that role portrayed by the actors they wrote it for?"