Who Am I (A Jai Courtney Fanfic) Book 2

Chapter 19-Jai

Jai

The cabbie drops us off a little early at the theater. Meg is in awe of the building looking up at it in amazement. I run into a fan on the street and I coax him into taking a picture of us in front of it with my phone. She helps him set up the frame and just tells him to take several from there in case we blink. I thank him and we spend a little extra time talking with him in appreciation. We enter the venue and we're some of the first here.  She takes out her camera and I watch her changing the film—something I haven't seen done in years.  She has me hold the roll and I realize it's black and white.  She switches to color and takes several shots around the theater—some of the entire empty space but mostly she's taking details.  I see her capturing close ups of the carvings on the wall, the ceiling.  As I watch her, I can start to get an idea of what she's doing now.  Before, I felt like I had no idea of what she was capturing without the digital viewer but now I can kind of visualize it.  And I think her ideas are incredible.  It's like she sees the texture and the patterns and they're magnificent.  I honestly can't wait to see what she'll do with those. 
As more people arrive, we take our seats.  I tried to get front and center but those were taken.  I even tried front balcony but they were gone, too.  I had to settle for second row in the middle of the balcony.  They're still good seats.  Megan looks to me and smiles.  I reach for her hand and kiss the back of it. 
The lights go out at the start of the show and we're already laughing about two seconds in as the farce begins.  It's called The Play That Goes Wrong.  It's about a drama society putting on a play and they're supposed to not be knowing what they're doing.  The bloke steps out introducing himself and has missed the spotlight.  He has to move around.  It continues on and we're laughing every couple minutes.  I look to Meg and she's glancing at me with a smile on her face and I feel like I chose well for her.  We're chuckling at a cadaver that moves and an actor that's taking his pulse on his forehead.  The pulse bloke starts talking and walking around and then checks his hand for his next lines. 
Megan leans over.  "Did you know this was going to be so good?" she whispers. 
"I'd heard heaps of positive reviews," I grin. 
She beams at me and turns her attention back to the stage.  I caress her hand as we continue to watch the ridiculousness of the play.  At one point we're practically falling out of our seats with hysteria.  The entire show is nothing but laughs and good times.  By the time the curtains close everyone is rising and giving the cast a standing ovation.  We both join them.  I whistle and Meg chuckles beside me still clapping. 
The cast takes their final bow—the bloke who did it nonstop throughout the entire play is front and center.  After the curtain closes once more, I look to Megan.  She's still smiling. 
"Did you enjoy it, love?" I ask. 
"It was wonderful," she grins.  I move closer and take her in my arms.  I kiss her in the midst of the exiting crowd and get a few whistles of my own. 
She laughs into the kiss and pecks me once more.   "Thank you for today.  This was the best birthday I've ever had," she tells me softly. 
"Anytime, love," I grin. 
She sighs and takes my hand exiting the theater.  We hail a cabbie to drive us back.  We enter her room and she takes off her shoes.  I notice there are no red marks this time like the others left and I'm glad I got her a good pair. 
"I'm definitely wearing those tomorrow," she comments. 
She picks up the wrapped box from her mum and I remember that we have to call them.  I go to my room and grab her cupcakes out of the fridge.  I bring them over and sit beside her on her lounge.  I see she has the candles out from the bunch she gave me and a matchbook from the restaurant on Sunday.  That was pretty smart on her part to grab those. 
She video chats her folks.  Her dad answers from his home office, I think, and waves to us. 
"Happy birthday, sweetheart," he says. 
"Thank you," she smiles. 
He calls Hannah in and she sits on his lap. 
I listen as they talk about her birthday.  She's so happy telling them all about what we've done today and through the week so far.  She tells them about the exhibit preparation and how professional it looks—almost like a real artist.  Hannah insists that she is and I chime in agreeing with her. 
"Are you wearing jewelry?" Hannah notices. 
"Jai got me this.  Isn't it pretty?" she says moving closer for them to see the necklace I ordered. 
"Is that an opal?" her mum asks. 
"I don't know what it is," she says looking to me. 
"It is," I nod. 
"It looks just like the pattern on your business cards," Nick comments. 
"Yeah, Jai has good taste," she smiles looking at me. 
"So... let's see you open your gifts," Hannah says excitedly. 
"We have to sing to her first," Nick tells her. 
"Right," Hannah laughs.
"Oh, I've got it," I say taking her cupcake out of the box.  Megan puts the candle in it and I light it for her.  We sing to her and I've never seen her with such a happy expression.  I get my phone out and take a picture of her quickly before she blows it out. 
"What'd you wish for, Nutmeg?" Hannah asks. 
"She can't tell you that," Nick insists.  "It's bad luck."  But I see Meg glance at me with a shy smile.  I smile back. 
"Let's open that present.  I can't wait to see if you like it," Hannah says happily. 
"Alright," Meg agrees putting the box on her lap.  It's seriously the nicest looking wrapping I've ever seen on a gift—it must be Hannah's doing.  She unties the ornate ribbon and tears the paper.  She opens a cardboard box. 
"Did you order this from B & H?" she questions. 
"Some of it," Hannah admits. 
Megan claps her hands together excitedly and shrugs her shoulders.  She looks like a kid in a lolly store.  She opens the box and pulls out what looks to be a heavy nylon black shirt.  I have no idea what it is. 
"You got me a dark bag?" she laughs excitedly. 
"I honestly have no idea what it was.  I had your father look up supplies online," Hannah admits. 
"What is it?" I ask. 
Meg explains that with this, she won't have to go to the bathroom and shut the door to change her film out of her camera—that she can do it anywhere.  I grin remembering her setting that up the other day.  She's actually changed the rolls a couple times in my bathroom. 
"Next," Hannah says excitedly. 
"Alright," Megan agrees setting the black material aside.  She grabs a small blue box.  "Oh, this is cool.  I've never seen these before," she says.  She shows me the box.  It says it's some sort of cosmos film.  It adds a random design onto the roll of film that's supposed to look like stars or something. 
"That's interesting," I say. 
There's a purple box next and she smiles.  "I saw someone in one of my classes had this.  I never got to see the pictures, though," Meg comments.  She explains that it's close to a color infrared film—that when used, green landscape looks purple.  "I've always wanted to try color infrared and this is the closest stuff still made.  It's still different but supposed to be somewhat similar," she explains excitedly. 
"There's one last package in there sweetheart," her dad chimes in.  He has a knowing smile on his face. 
"Okay," she says nodding and grasping the last box. 
It's in its own cardboard box.  She pulls the tape off.  "Daddy?  Where did you find this?" she frowns.  She looks like she's about to cry. 
He shrugs, "We were looking for a while.  One day it just popped up on eBay."
"Daddy, these are like $60 a roll—that is if you can even find them," she says in disbelief.  There's an entire case there. 
"Someone found them, said they were expired and put them up for auction.  I did the buy now option but gave him more than what he was asking," he tells her. 
"Thank you, Daddy," she says hugging the box to her chest.
"You're welcome, sweetheart.  If you need special filters or anything, let us know.  It's like a package deal," he says.  "Happy birthday."
"Best birthday ever," she whispers. 
"We're so glad you like them," Hannah says.  She tells us she's preparing a special dinner on Monday when we return.  We thank her and say goodbye. 
"We have to put these in your fridge," she tells me as soon as we hang up. 
"Alright, love," I grin laughing at her enthusiasm.  I've never seen her so passionate about something before. 
"I've got to tell Eliza.  I should probably wait until I learn how to shoot them properly, though.  I can't believe he found them," she says rushing to my mini fridge.  She sets them in there and the box just fits.  She sighs in relief and closes the door. 
"Do you know what those are?" she asks me excitedly. 
"Not a clue, love," I tell her. 
"They don't make them anymore.  You know of Jimi Hendrix, Frank Zappa, and Donovan?" she asks me. 
"Sure," I nod familiar with the first two. I didn't expect her to be a fan. 
She starts pulling up images on her phone and shows me the iconographic album covers.  "That's what they gave me.  The rare film to do that effect," she says. 
"That is so cool.  It looks like a digital version but these are much older," I say. 
"Yeah, and it's hard to recreate digitally.  It looks mediocre.  My dad found a gold mine.  I just have to learn how to shoot them.  I'll probably have to waste a couple and do some research online.  I should invest in a reusable canister and cut some for testing," she says.  She's pacing. 
"You look like me, love—when I just got a part I really wanted," I grin. 
"Yeah," she nods.  She smiles at me and kisses me.  I accept the affection.  "I want my cupcake," she beams. 
We sit down on her lounge and I take a picture of the two of us side by side with my arm around her.  She has the most radiant smile on her face.  I know now that I have a memento to always remember this day with her.  I kiss the top of her head as she takes a bite. 
"These are so good," she tells me. 
I try mine and nod in agreement.  "They are," I say.  I kiss her gently and we watch the CBD tv out her window as the lights streak by.