Dreams Can Come True

82. It's okay

The director approached us with a serious look, his voice muffled by the sound of the pouring rain. "Sorry, guys, but due to the unexpected weather, we have to stop filming for today," he announced, his words tinged with a hint of disappointment. A sigh of frustration and dismay spread among us, as we all wondered how this would delay us again.
No one dared to object. The excitement we had felt to start filming evaporated like raindrops lost in the ground. Our expectations were washed away by the harsh reality of the weather conditions.
We were taken back to our hotel, the silence around us broken only by the sound of the rain pounding on the roof. The atmosphere between us was heavy and tense, no one daring to speak after the small outburst between Georg and me. The director informed us upon arrival at the hotel that we could expect a new filming schedule by tonight, but no one seemed very enthusiastic about the prospect.
Once back at the hotel, we immediately scattered to our own rooms. I let myself fall onto the bed and looked out the window. The rain was still pouring down, and I couldn't help but wonder why we had such bad luck with this weather.
My thoughts drifted to Elise, far away at home, and I longed for her presence. I wanted nothing more than to get back home as soon as possible, back to her warm embraces and reassuring smile.
But for now, I was stuck in this hotel room, surrounded by the sound of the rain and my own longing for home. I knew we had to accept this weather as part of the process, but it didn't make it any less frustrating.
With a deep sigh, I closed my eyes and tried to gather my thoughts. Maybe this was just a minor setback, a challenge we had to overcome to achieve our goal. And although it was difficult, I knew I had to keep my focus and be patient until we could resume filming.

The knock on the door abruptly pulled me out of my thoughts, and I looked up at the door in surprise. Who could that be? With a slight frown, I walked to the door and opened it, curious about who was standing outside. My surprise grew when I saw Georg standing there, his face somber and full of regret. He gestured to come in, and I stepped aside to let him in.
Georg walked into the room and sat silently on the bed. I closed the door behind him and looked at him questioningly. "Everything okay?" I asked, wondering why he was here. He sighed deeply, as if he had to gather all his courage before he began to speak. "Sorry, Bill," he began, his voice heavy with shame. "I shouldn't have reacted so irritably, and I definitely had no right to talk about Elise like that."
I walked over to him and sat down on the bed next to him, a supportive smile on my face. "It's okay, Georg," I said calmly. "We all understand that it can be tough sometimes, especially when we're so far from home." I felt a certain relief as he apologized, and I was glad he was open to a conversation.
He nodded gratefully and continued his apologies. "I just spoke with Gustav, and I didn't realize how much time I spend on my phone. I'll pay more attention to it."
I patted his shoulder encouragingly. "It's good that you keep in touch with your girlfriend, Georg," I said sincerely. "But it's important that we also stay focused on work and not get too distracted." He nodded in agreement and seemed relieved by my understanding reaction. "To make it up to you, I'm treating everyone to dinner tonight at a nearby place," he offered, his voice now a bit brighter. I was surprised by this gesture and eagerly agreed. "I won't say no to that," I replied with a smile. "I'm glad we talked it out."
"Always, Georg," I said with a smile as he stood up to leave.
Georg promised to invite Tom as well before he wanted to get some rest. "How about 7 PM in the lobby?" I suggested. He agreed and promised to leave his phone in his hotel room. "You'd better," I teased him.
As I was left alone, I felt a sense of relief. It was good to know we could resolve our misunderstandings and that our friendship was stronger than our differences. With a smile on my face, I looked forward to tonight's dinner and hoped Georg would find his rest.

As I prepared for tonight's dinner, I took a moment to admire my new look in the mirror. My hair, now styled in black dreadlocks with the occasional white strand, was the result of the marketing team's work. I hadn't had a say in this change, but I had to admit I appreciated it. My previous look had significantly damaged my hair, so this new style was more than welcome.
While admiring my new look, my thoughts drifted to Valerie. I had become increasingly curious about her and looked forward to meeting her. If she could make Georg so happy, she must be special. I hoped we could discuss a potential meeting tonight.
When I checked my watch, I realized it was only 6 PM and I was already ready. Boredom set in, and I decided to visit Tom. We always had each other's spare key, a habit we had developed during our many travels. Without knocking, I entered his room and heard him on the phone. "No, of course, I won't tell anyone you're in the hospital," I heard him say.
My eyebrow shot up in surprise. "Who's in the hospital?" I asked, looking at Tom.