What Matters Most

Chapter 33

As they pull into his parent's driveway, Chase is a little apprehensive about this dinner. He was looking forward to spending time with his mom, but he hoped his dad would not lecture him in front of Leigh tonight.

His mom opened the door beaming, and immediately hugged them both. "I am so happy you are both here," Sylvia says. "I have been looking forward to this dinner all week."

"Thanks again Sylvia for inviting me over," Leigh says.

"You are welcome here anytime dear. I love your dress. Doesn't Leigh look beautiful Chase?" Sylvia asks her son.

"Yes ma'am Leigh always looks gorgeous," Chase says smiling at Leigh. "What about me mom?" Chase asks straightening his tie and acting left out.

"My darling son you look handsome as always," Sylvia says proudly. "I have always loved seeing you in a suit."

"You could see him wearing a suit every day if he still worked for me," Charles says sarcastically coming down the stairs.

"Don't start Charles," Sylvia admonishes him.

"Yes dear, Charles says kissing Sylvia on her cheek. Lovely to see you again Leigh," he says kissing her on her cheek as well.

"Please come in and have a seat. Dinner will be ready shortly," Sylvia says. "Let me go check on it once more," she says leaving the room for the kitchen.

They walk into the large den. "Would you both like a drink?" Charles asks.

"White wine for me please," Leigh says.

"Scotch still your favorite son?" Charles asks.

"Yes, sir," Chase replies as calmly as possible.

When Charles turns to fix the drinks Leigh grabs Chase's hand and gives it a small squeeze while smiling at him. He smiles back at her thanking god that she is here with him tonight to help him get through this dinner.

Sylvia comes back into the den with them, and says "Dinner will be ready in about ten minutes."

"Here you go dear," Charles says while handing her a wine glass.

"Thank you, darling," she says. "So Chase how is the new movie coming along?" Sylvia asks.

"It's going great. The cast and crew are really nice, and everyone gets along so well. The studio is amazing. I am really surprised how much the industry has really grown here while I have been in New York," he says.

"If it is going so great, then why did I hear that the director has already quit," Charles says coldly.

Shit, he never misses a chance to bring me down, Chase thinks to himself. "It's ok dad this kind of stuff happens all of the time," Chase replies. "The director and the star didn't see eye to eye is all. As a matter of fact, they have already replaced the director. He will be starting Monday," Chase says looking at Leigh.

"What makes you think this guy won't walk away too?" Charles asks.

"He won't walk away from the project Charles," Leigh says confidentially.

"How do you know that Leigh?" Charles asks.

"I know him, he is a close friend of my family," Leigh says. "Jackson has never walked away from a project. He won't let a star with a big head push his buttons like the last director did. When it comes to work it is either his way or the highway."

"You better keep that in mind Chase," Sylvia says.

"I will be on my best behavior mom," Chase says smiling at her.

"Chase and Jackson should get along great on set Sylvia. They are a lot alike actually," Leigh says. Chases give Leigh a look of disgust at that comment. 

"You must know this Jackson pretty well," Charles says noticing the look on Chase's face and wondering what she is not telling them.

"Yes, sir we kind of grew up together, even though he is a couple of years older than me. He was one of my brother's best friends so he was around a lot."

"You say he was one of your brother's friends. Did something happen?" Charles asks.

"Oh you know the usual they had a disagreement over a girl, and grew apart after high school." Leigh makes sure to not look at Chase while explaining that.

"They were two years ahead of me in school, but we did go to high school together for a little while.
When they graduated, Jackson went off to film school. After I graduated I went to a local college for a couple of years, but I was not happy there. My real dream was to go to film school as well. So with my dad and Jackson's encouragement, I transferred to the same film school that Jackson had just graduated from."

Chase looked at his father knowing this news was not what he wanted to hear.

"So Leigh what exactly is it that you do?" Charles asks.

"Right now I am a production assistant for a television show that is filmed at the same studios that Chase works at," Leigh says proudly. "I am working my way up, it just takes time. My goal is to be a director of a big blockbuster one day," Leigh says confidentially.

"You will get there," Chase says encouragingly.

"So essentially you are in the same business as Chase is?" Sylvia asks.

"Yes ma'am," Leigh says smiling at Chase. With that admission, Leigh has no idea she has just been reduced to the same status as he and Christopher in his father's eyes.

"This industry is kind of in my blood so to speak," Leigh says.

"How so?" Charles asks.

"Well my dad was a director, and I grew up on movie sets with him. I idolized my dad, and wanted to be just like him," she says with a sad smile.

"Charles told me about your father passing away Leigh. I am so sorry for your loss," Sylvia says.

"Thank you so much," Leigh says.

"What about your mother? What does she do?" Charles asks.

"Well she was an actress, but she gave it all up."

"Why did she do that? Did it not work out like she thought it would?" Charles asks sarcastically while looking at Chase.

"Actually no, she was really good at it, and quite successful. She met my dad on set, and they fell instantly in love. They got married and wanted to start a family right away. She wanted to be at home taking care of us, and would never allow my dad to hire a nanny."

"So she never went back to acting," Sylvia asks.

"No, she told me she had made enough films, and her family was all that mattered to her now."

"You never told me your dad was a director, and your mom was an actress," Chase says.

"Sorry, I really don't talk about it a lot," Leigh explains. "I wish my dad was here to give me advice about the business. All I can do now is try to make decisions that would have made him proud of me, she says sadly. Plus I don't like to bring up who my mom is around co-workers. I want to make it in the business on my own not because of who my mom is."

"Is your mom really that famous? What's her name?" Chase asks.

"Well she is Grace Jensen now of course, but back then in her film days she was Grace Stevens," Leigh says.

Across the room, Charles chokes on his drink. Sylvia is patting him on the back laughing.

Chase is looking at Leigh in shock, but knowing all along that she just became his father's favorite person in the whole world. Well except for Grace Stevens.

Time to have a little fun at dad's expense, Chase thinks to himself.

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