TEARS FROM THE MOON

Chapter 9.

He then gestured, with a slight nod of his head to the vacant chair opposite to him.

I suddenly grew quite nervous, for as I stepped into Hugo's office I realised that he was, in fact quite alone.
There was no sign of Hugo or indeed Beth

I went to the chair and sat down, removing my bag from my shoulder and placing it on my lap. Then I nervously clutched at it tightly with my hands and wished suddenly that I hadn't lied to Marcus and that he was now here with me.

I then looked up at the Movie star, who was still perched on the desk but was now looking at me rather curiously as if wondering why on earth I felt the necessity to hold on so very tightly to my hand bag!

He adjusted his position ever so slightly and gave me a sort of half smile, before asking:

"Well, Gwen...........how are you today?". 

I took in a sharp breath.

"I'm OK thanks".  I answered him rather curtly.

He seemed a little taken a back by my response to him asking after my welfare and to be honest, I felt that the way I had answered him was a bit on the harsh side.
But I really couldn't help it.
It just sort of came out like that.
Probably because I had totally convinced myself that Beth and Hugo would be present as well, and now finding out that neither of them seemed to be around had somehow put me on the back foot.

I looked at Alan for a moment, wanting to explain why I  had answered him so abruptly, mainly because I suddenly felt quite sorry for him.

"Ermm..........where is ...........Beth?".  I asked, looking around as I said it.

Alan frowned at me.

"Beth?".  He asked.

"Er..........yes, I um.......well, I was under the impression that she was coming here as well this morning".  I said, continuing to look around me in case she was hiding somewhere.

Thinking about it logically though, this room was so tiny there was no where she could hide anyway!
I looked over at Alan who was now staring at me with confusion written all over face.
He then thought for a moment.

" Beth was not invited".  He spoke slowly, now looking down at the papers in his hands and shuffling them about.

I felt my face flush with the sudden realisation that I had got this all so terribly wrong.

"Oh".  I said quietly,  now armed with the  knowledge that I had been late for no reason at all.

I felt terrible.
My over active imagination had truly gotten the better of me and now I felt as if I should apologise to him.

"Look,  Erm.........Mr. Rickman........".    I began and grew nervous as he looked under his eyes at me.

My fingers dug into the leather handbag on my lap as a I drew in a shallow breath.

"I'm terribly sorry I was late".   I began, as I drew in another breath to try and explain my behaviour.

But Alan was now looking back down again, sorting out the mish mash of paperwork that he had now placed on his lap,
Seemingly not to worry too much about my attempted apology.
This was confirmed by his simple response, as without looking up he stated, rather matter of factly:

"It's a woman's prerogative". 

I looked back down again at my poor screwed up handbag and realised that I was possibly more nervous than I was letting on.

Alan then moved forward from his precarious position on Hugo's desk and presented me with the untidy looking pile of paper's, placing them into my hands.
I looked up at him as he retracted back onto the desk.