"Harper, meet baby Quanah," Brett yelled. A dark haired woman with a baby approached.
Harper smiled as the woman gently laid the baby in her arms. The plump dark skinned baby had a head full of thick black hair and was bundled tightly in a blanket.
"He should sleep. Here is his pacifier though if he wakes up before you start filming," his mother said.
"He's so little. How old is he?" Harper hid the pacifier behind the blanket. She had never seen anything so tiny and cute.
"Six weeks," his mother said proudly.
Brett yelled for everyone to take their places.
"I've never seen that much hair on a newborn." Marion cooed.
"Isn't he beautiful?" Harper tried to focus on her upcoming lines but couldn't help stealing a look at the baby every chance she got.
The scene began after Brett called action and for the next several minutes, Harper was Cynthia Ann holding her firstborn as those around her prepared for an attack on a neighboring tribe. Harper stood with the baby and tried to convince Peta Nocona why he shouldn't go to battle. Joseph matched her line for line as they argued in a different language, both speaking in perfect Comanche. As they got louder, the baby began to cry. Harper consoled the baby without missing her lines as Joseph deeply sighed and walked to them. He gently kissed the baby on the top of his head. He stared at Harper for a moment before he tenderly kissed her.
"Cut! Perfect! That's the way to do it, people!" Brett eagerly walked to Harper. "I need to talk to you for a minute." She gave the baby back to his mother then followed Brett anticipating what he might say.
She tried to keep up with him.
"Look, there's going to be a benefit at the university on Thursday night and I was wondering if you'd go with me?"
She narrowed her eyes. "What university?"
"University of South Dakota. I got contacted by the Dean. He's like my new bff or something. It's strange." With a quick shrug, he wrinkled his nose like he couldn't understand why the Dean would be so eager to get to know him. Harper knew exactly. "But anyway. Would you like to go?"
"You want me to go with you?"
With a sheepish grin, Brett nodded his head. "I know we haven't been the best of buds lately so I thought this would give us a chance to hang out. Plus, I don't have time to find a real date," he snickered. "What do you say?"
Harper watched Ben over Brett's shoulder. He glanced their way then said something to Lane. She smiled. "Why not?"
~
"Hey!" she asked as soon as Ben answered the phone.
"Hey, yourself."
"I want to see you before you leave the lot." She knew he would be on his way to his night class soon and couldn't wait to tell him her news.
"Give me a couple of minutes."
Harper was looking in the refrigerator for something to eat when she heard someone coming up the steps.
"What's going on?"
"I'm going to your benefit," she said, before the door was all the way open.
"What benefit?"
"At your school." She could tell he was confused plus he was giving her that, 'I have no clue what you're talking about' look. It was a frequent look of his when they were together. She offered more information. "On Thursday."
He nodded with a look of comprehension. "I forgot all about that. How are you going?"
"Brett asked me to go with him. You're going, aren't you?"
"I'm supposed to."
"Good." She hoped to arrive with Brett and leave with Ben and maybe, if she played her cards right, her plan would work.
~
"Cut! Harper, what happened?" Brett yelled as Harper stopped reciting her lines and looked off set. "Oh great, Statler's here. There goes my scene." Brett flung his papers to the ground in his typical high-drama fashion.
Harper jogged to the limo and hugged the nicely dressed, silver haired man who stepped out of the back.
"You want to meet Harper's brother?" Brett asked.
Ben stood but reminded himself not to look too eager. He had wondered if he would ever get to meet the brother she spoke so highly of. She had mentioned he might visit several times over the past few weeks.
"Come on. I'll introduce you, plus I don't want to go over there by myself. Worthington owns the largest law firm in California. Scares the hell out of me." Brett said, as they walked towards the car.
"Don't say anything about it." Ben heard Harper tell her brother as they approached.
He nodded as Brett and Ben neared.
"Statler! How are you?" Brett walked up and extended his hand.
"Brett," Statler nodded, casually.
Ben could tell in the tone of his voice he wasn't a fan of Brett's. He knew he was going to like this man.
"This is Ben Chase." Brett motioned towards Ben as if he were trying to divert Statler's attention. "He's a professor. Taught your sister to speak Comanche." A call for Brett from the area of the fort made him turn away. Before he headed in that direction, he glanced back at the group. "I've got to check on something."
Out of the corner of his eye, Ben saw Harper smile as he shook hands with her brother.
"Nice to meet you, Professor."
"Nice to meet you, Sir," Ben nodded as he observed the man who was as old as his mother if not older. "I've heard a lot about you."
"Same here," Statler replied. Harper quickly shot him a look of disapproval.
Ben grinned. The thought that she had been talking about him tugged at his heart.
She cleared her throat and stepped closer to her brother. "So how long can you stay?"
"I'd like to take you to dinner then I have to get back. I have court all day tomorrow," he said, then quickly surveyed the set. "When can you be ready to go?"
"I'll need ten minutes to change," she stated.
"Get in and we'll drive you there." Statler turned to Ben. "Take care."
~
"I love when you do things like this." Harper scanned the empty room of the posh Rapid City restaurant. She presumed correctly the entire room had been reserved for them.
"Like what?" Statler smiled, sweetly.
Harper sensed that he knew exactly what she was talking about. She shook her head.
Statler chuckled under his breath. "How much longer until you come home?"
"Not long."
"Are you ready?"
With a deep sigh, she replied, "No."
"You really like it here, don't you?" Statler asked as she nodded. "Does that have anything to do with the Professor?"
"Ben is a very good friend. That's all." She stared at her menu trying to decide between the enchiladas or the fajitas. Both sounded remarkably delicious and since she hadn't had anything since a quick sandwich at noon, she was starving.
"I don't usually give my friends three million dollars." He peeked over the top of his menu and smiled. "I know what I'm going to order, do you?"
"I didn't give it to him. It's for the school."
"I know. I'm just teasing you." Statler motioned for the waitress. After they both ordered he continued. "I heard McCoy came to see you."
Harper sipped her water then nodded. "He's doing a new movie."
"He said you weren't very interested." Statler took a long drink of his water before he continued. "I think you should consider taking some time off. You haven't been to Paris in a while. Maybe you should go and relax."
"I don't want to go to Paris," she said quietly with a shake of her head. I don't want to go anywhere. Harper braced herself. "Do you think I could ever have a normal life?"
He quickly slanted the menu, obviously shocked at her question. "As in?"
"Quitting my job. Doing something different. Having a family maybe."
He didn't take time to think about it. "I think you'd get bored. You're exceptional at what you do. I can't imagine you wanting a life like that anyway." He watched her for a moment. "You're not serious, are you?"
A part of her was but there was that other part. The stronger one that told her Statler was right. She would get bored. This life was all she knew and even though it had its moments of insanity, it was comfortable.
Reaching for his briefcase, he pulled out a black folder. "I have the contract for Terrance's movie this fall. Do you want to sign it now?"
Harper took the contract and thought about the movie she was scheduled for this fall. She had already agreed verbally, however, just the idea of it made her anxious. She took the pen and the contract and tried not to think about Ben.