We meet again

𝑀𝑦 𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑡𝑙𝑒 𝑔𝑖𝑟𝑙

I left at 4:00 pm from Oxford, 8:00 am in LA, so after a 10 hour flight, I arrived at 6:00 pm, anyway, time difference.

The first thing I did when I landed was to call Amber to pick me up, after that I texted Langston to meet me at the usual bar but he said he'd rather I went to his place.

I thought it was weird and I got worried because whenever we do work meetings we always meet at the bar, so I think this time it's not about work...

~~~

6:45 pm

"Thanks for the ride Amber, you can go back to the office, I'll call a cab to take me straight home," I said unbuckling my belt. "You don't want me to wait for you?". "I don't know how long this meeting is going to take, I wouldn't want to keep you waiting any longer," I opened the car door and got out, "but I appreciate it," I closed the door and headed up the driveway to Langston's house.

"Miss Taylor, welcome," his housekeeper greeted me. "Hi Gab, how you been," I handed her my coat. "Better than ever," she smiled at me, "Mr. Langston is waiting for you in his office," she pointed her finger upstairs. I smiled at her and headed for Adam's office.

"Hello old man," I greeted. "Harper, hi," he stood up from his chair to give me a hug, "have a seat please". "What's up? Did you read the script yet?" I asked setting my stuff down beside my seat. "That's right, I loved it, as always," he smiled proudly, "but that's not what I want to talk about," he explained in a more serious tone. "Oh, then what is it?" I settled back in my chair.

"The last few weeks I had been feeling a little under the weather," he turned to look at me frankly, "I have cancer, Harper, stage 4," his voice cracked and he ducked his gaze. "What?," I felt my face change, how my eyes began to fill with water "and what can the doctors do to help you?," I asked with more concern. "That's the problem, nothing can be done anymore, just wait," he spoke calmly. "Wait for what? For you to die?," I stood up hysterically "how can you be so calm about it, Adam?" I turned to look at him in disbelief.

"When I found out I reacted the same way you did, and I asked myself the same questions, how can there not be something that can help me?... now I have to live to die? But then I understood that all my life I was a healthy man, I never got sick, maybe it is time for me to leave this plane and reincarnate in another person," he took my hand, "everything is going to be all right, if I am calm you must be too."

Langston is one of the strongest and healthiest men I've ever known in my life, in the years I've known him and lived with him, I have never seen him sick, not even the flu, and now this, when I least expected it... He's been a father figure for me, thanks to him I got my first job in a renowned publishing house, we have experienced things together, as a team and of course it hurts me to hear this news and to know that nothing more can be done to help him, to make him well.

"What will happen to the film you were so eager to shoot?" I said with tears sliding down my cheeks. "I have you, it was something I wanted to ask you," he sat us down on the couch, "I want you to direct this film, my whole team supports the decision, you've seen the work we do and you certainly have practice and knowledge," he added. "Me? direct a movie?"

I couldn't believe what he was asking, two pieces of news in one that certainly caught me off guard.

"You are more capable than anyone else, the auditions we already did, so the actors that will be in the movie are already decided," he let me know, "you just have to meet with the team and start working, do it as my last wish," he concluded looking me straight in the eyes. "Don't, don't do that, I'll do it, not as your last wish but because I want you to rest and focus on taking care of your health, do you understand?" I clarified seriously. "Fine, with that I am well served," he smiled at me, "I love you, Harper, you are the daughter I never had and I am so proud of you" he hugged me making me cry. "Don't say it like it's goodbye, please," I hugged him tighter. "Go and be a great director, yes?" he motivated me, "I'll tell Chris to pass you the contact of everyone on the team so you can organize the meetings and all that, I'll be there if you need anything," he added typing on his phone. "I'm here too if you need anything, really," I assured him in a comforting tone. "I know you are, my little girl," he tousled my hair, making us laugh.