𝗘𝗡𝗚𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗛 𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗜𝗢𝗡 Rosalyn has been working as an assistant for Alan Rickman for almost two years now, helping him organize his appointments. But ever since he became famous around the world for Harry Potter, the requests for appointments...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
When Alan finished the phone conversation with his assistant, he had a queasy feeling. She seemed so calm and businesslike, telling him only that she had managed to change his schedule for that Friday. Something wasn't right. Even though they hadn't been on particularly good terms the last few days, he had known her long enough to sense that something was bothering her. He paced restlessly up and down the set; he still had time before he was needed on location. Alan paced the hall to organize a coffee. Again he thought of his trip to Paris coming soon. The timing couldn't be worse, he would have preferred not to go at all, the reconciliation with his wife would be short-lived anyway if at all. In his opinion, they had failed as a couple, or was he making it too easy for himself now? Just because he knew Rosalyn felt the same way about him, had even confessed her love for him? He had almost not slept a wink last night, thinking constantly of his assistant. His life, it seemed, was just taking a rapid turn and he was thinking about what he wanted for his future. A divorce from Mary came to his mind more and more often. He played out various scenarios within himself, imagining how his respective decisions would affect his future life. Constantly, his thoughts ended at a separation from his former childhood love. Even if he remained alone after that, at least he would have his peace. He was so tired of the eternal quarrels and he could no longer bear the superficiality of his wife. By now, Mary was only concerned with her status and expensive purchases, not with loving each other. Of course, he had made mistakes in their marriage as well, there was no question about that.
In the meantime, he had arrived at the coffee machine and waited his turn. He didn't notice the chatter and gossip of the people around him at all today, so absorbed was he in his thoughts. He still had a few days to decide against the trip. He could offer his wife to fly with her best friend. The two of them were meeting even more often than usual lately. In truth, Mary would probably prefer to go with her, since he wasn't interested in hours of shopping.
Alan's thoughts were interrupted when he was called up to shoot the next Harry Potter scene. He left his lukewarm coffee, having lost the desire for it.
*
Rosalyn sat contentedly at her desk in the evening and turned off her computer. She had managed her workload for today well and had done everything she wanted to. Fortunately, she was able to reschedule Alan's Friday appointments for another time. Additional meetings and requests for projects had been added during the day. She had also been able to snag an appointment to see an apartment on short notice. Everything had gone to her liking today. There was only one thing she had completely ignored during the day so that she could concentrate on the day's events. She had to look for a new job soon.
With a fresh cup of tea and her cell phone, she took a seat on her small sofa. After taking a few sips, she looked through the promotional pictures of the newly built apartments in Andover, in Hampshire County. The drive time by car from London would be about two hours. But since she didn't own one, she planned to take the train. A train ride took only a little over sixty minutes. Rosalyn wanted to build a new life there, away from London. She had had enough of the big city and physical distance from Alan would be just as good for her. A short time later, she searched for job ads in the area. She was not picky. The main thing was that she would earn enough money to live on. It didn't matter if she worked as a waitress in a small café or as a clerk in an office. After some time of searching, she was overcome by a deep sadness and the feeling of having failed in her life. She could tell herself a hundred more times that she had always wanted it that way. Somehow the whole thing seemed like a huge step backwards. Having a cheaper apartment and no job didn't sound like much of a step forward. She would miss working with Alan just as much.
"Get it together!" chided Rosalyn herself, trying not to sink completely into self-pity. "That's just what you've always wanted," she tried to tell herself. She would declare the day over for today, there was nothing left for her to do. She would wait for the next few days and think some more about her future locally in Andover. If she absolutely didn't like the area, she could still consider a change of plans, even though time was already pressing.
*
By now it had become Friday, and the last few days had flown by. Later that morning, Rosalyn boarded the train at London's Waterloo Station for Andover. She had taken a direct connection, so that she could enjoy the train ride better, without having to pay attention to a change. Actually, it would be a normal workday for her, but since Alan was flying to Paris anyway, it didn't matter that she was splitting her work hours. She had gotten up extra early today to get some things organized. The rest she would do in the evening, when she was back home.
The countryside passed outside the window, but Rosalyn didn't really notice it. She had only discussed the most necessary things with Alan on the phone in the last few days. They hadn't seen each other since the evening at the restaurant, which had probably been wiser after her confession of love. She tried not to think about him at all. Especially not about the weekend he would be spending in France with his wife. Rosalyn had gathered from her conversation with Alan that this vacation was about their future together as a married couple. She didn't want to imagine what a reconciliation between the two of them might look like. Possibly they would find each other at the exclusive champagne tasting or perhaps at a good meal in a fine restaurant, a kiss in front of the Eiffel Tower, there would be enough possibilities in the city of love. She did not want to let jealousy arise in the first place, she had no right to do so yet.
Her tense thoughts came to an abrupt end when a train announcement proclaimed the arrival at the station in Andover.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
