A 'SUB' REQUEST (Cate Blanchett x OC)

Chapter 3: An unexpected warning

Hylda came in, and saw the two of us sitting close together. 

The air in the room shifted. 

"I should probably go," I stood up from the piano, "It was great seeing you again Cate. And nice meeting you, Hylda." 

As I headed towards the door, I felt Cate's eyes on my back. As if we've developed a telepathic connection sitting on the piano bench together, I could tell that the look in her eyes begged me not to leave. 

-----

"Did Hylda say who the client was?" My boss asked me when I got back to the office the next morning. 

"Nope, she was very secretive about it," I responded. 

"Well, Hylda did reach out to me this morning asking for your number. I hope it's all right that I gave it to her?" 

My heart fluttered. I wouldn't dare admit to myself, let alone my boss, that leaving Cate's house last night broke my heart, because after Hylda left too she had no one else there. I assumed that the kids were with Andrew. Whether temporarily or permanently, I had no idea. 

"Of course." 

"I wonder who it is - for all I know, Hylda's client list could very well be the illuminati."

"I'm sure it's just someone under an NDA who has access to some sort of big music IP that's about to be released." I made up on the spot. 

Actually, I was the secret. 

Work was futile in the afternoon. I was trying to get through 3 more scripts in the span of an afternoon, but the words just flashed before my eyes without taking any meaning. A flash notification popped on my laptop screen that read "Annual PTO in 48 hrs". A little vacation time - just what I need. Just as I downed my 3rd cup of coffee and massaged my sore temples, the phone rang. 

An unknown number. I picked up.

"Hello, this is Hylda."

"Hi Hylda."

"I'm calling to say, don't even think about it." 

"Hylda, I'm not sure what - "

"I saw the two of you last night. I want you to know that it's going to go very badly for you both if you keep this up." 

I glanced around to make sure that none of the assistants were tapped into the call. 

"I think you're misunderstanding the situation, Hylda. Cate saw me playing the piano at a screening before, she just enjoyed it, that's all - "

"Let me just lay this out for you. Cate's an extremely accomplished and versatile actress, and she's currently in talks with the studios for several very major roles. She's flying to London next week to film a Todd Haynes project. When she signed me on, I told her that I needed absolute control over her...image." 

The blood in my veins froze. "...I see what you're saying, but Hylda, I can promise you, the working relationship between Ca...Ms. Blanchett, and I, are strictly professional, and -"

"You seem smart," Hylda interrupted, "and you're going places in your career, seemingly. If you want what's best for Cate and her career, you need to trust me. I'm the best there is." 

She hung up. 

-----

I drove past the townhouse a few days later when the word image popped into my head. As offended and unravelled as I was being told by someone I only knew for a day what and what not to do with my life, I was surprisingly convinced. Did I simply misread Cate's signals the other day at the house, and Hylda was merely doing me the kindness of letting me know? My mom always remarked too that I couldn't read romantic signals correctly. Then I came out to her as gay in college, when it all made more sense. 

"You always have to watch your image." My mother would say to me. 

This meant being closeted in all academic and professional settings that I'd been in. It meant working super hard in my career, nose to the grindstone, so that I can forget about being closeted. 

The lights in the townhouse were off. Nobody was home. I was just about to hop onto the 101 when my phone rang. Another unknown number. 

"Hello?" I put my phone on speaker. 

"Hi darling," the deep, familiar voice filled every crevice of my Honda. 

"...Cate," I almost jumped, "how did you get my number?" 

She laughed - from its warm timber I can picture her head tilting back, her blond locks falling in front of her face, and her brushing them away, revealing her exquisite gaze. "Hylda wouldn't give it to me, so I got it from the screening guest list from the other night." she said, "friend of a friend's sister worked reception there." 

"Cate," I mumbled, "Hylda called me earlier today, and I'm not sure it's a good idea -"

"Listen," her tone grew serious, "Hylda and I go way back, and she always has my best professional interests at heart. But my life...is mine." 

I gazed dully ahead at the highway racing past me, completely uncertain where she was going with this. 

"...but anyway," she continued as though nothing ever happened, "I'm leaving for London tomorrow for a shoot. Fox is one of the co-producers, and the London office is...difficult to deal with, to say the least. I really want one of their own American execs there with me. Would you care to accompany me on the trip?"

"Wow, I..."

"Hylda won't be there." 

"Cate," I continued, "I think the world of you, and really wish the best for you in your career.  That's why it's best for me not to -" 

"Are you breaking up with me?" a smirk in her voice. My palms gripped the steer wheel tighter as my adrenaline levels skyrocketed. As I neared the 405 exit, I could see the entire city shimmering ahead of me. And there I was, back on the Steinway bench at the screening, with Cate by my side thumbing through my sheet music, believing that anything was possible. 

"You're so young," she whispered, "I hope that you don't let this town get to you. Not yet." 

"Actually," I ventured, "I think I'm ready to leave LA for a few days." 

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