[RECAP: Leonie has been offered a screen test for a new movie, based on the strength of her performance in the school play. Father Gabriel is totally supportive of her...]
As Leonie had feared, her parents were upset when she rang them to say that she wanted to postpone her flight.
"You've already delayed your return by a week. I can't think what's keeping you over there. It had better not be a repeat of trouble, young lady."
Her father sounded stern, her mother anxious when he passed the receiver to her. "Will you even be here for Christmas? You already missed Thanksgiving, honey, we've been looking forward to seeing you."
Leonie bit the bullet. "I didn't want to say anything unless nothing came of it, but I've been offered a screen-test."
"A what? Is this some kind of joke? She says she's been offered a screen test, Brian. What? You speak to her, then."
Leonie's father got back on the line. "What do you mean by a screen test? Who have you been speaking with? You know there are people that prey on vulnerable young women with this kind of offer."
A few thousand miles away, Leonie mentally rolled her eyes. "It's not fake or anything, it's genuine. The producer is a friend of Figgy's family. Please don't be worried, it's all fine, and I really want to do this."
Her father was unyielding. "We've had this conversation before. You've already messed up one year of high school, that's the whole reason you're over there. A second chance to do it right, thanks to your grandmother's generosity. Not to go messing around with this dumb acting stuff. You need to get your head down and study and focus on getting into a college for a proper career."
Leonie had heard it all before. "I know. It's just another few days. Please."
"We'll be having a serious talk about all of this once you get back. If this school is allowing you to mess around..."
"It's not. It's really disciplined and I have been taking my studies seriously, I promise."
Her parents weren't convinced, but short of getting on a plane themselves and physically dragging her back, there wasn't a lot they could do. Leonie knew she would have to brace herself for a huge row when she did get home.
She had gone back to Figgy's London house to make the call. Fortunately it was only a few hours time difference, so it was already mid-morning in Boston by the time they finished lunch in the UK.
Figgy had been over the moon with excitement as they walked back together through Covent Garden. "If Jack Edwards is involved, it won't be some small time production. I've never met him before personally, but Uncle Hugh has mentioned him. He's definitely a big shot."
If only her parents had heard of him. Hanging up the phone, Leonie put her head in her hands, wishing they could understand and be happy for her. Instead of always insisting that acting was a risky waste of time.
"Are you okay?" Figgy came into the room where Leonie was sitting. "How were your parents?"
"Not great. Pretty furious and worried. I told them he was the real deal. Not some sleazy guy shooting adult movies, which is what my dad seemed to assume."
Figgy laughed. "I can only imagine how Jack Edwards would react, to be accused of that. He's pretty famous. Over here anyway."
"My parents aren't the kind of people who notice the names of producers and directors. Unless it's someone like Walt Disney or Spielberg. They only remember the names of the actors in a movie," Leonie said.
"I think most people are like that, myself included," Figgy admitted. "So what are you and Father Gabriel up to tonight? Are you catching the train back?"
Leonie blushed. "We're actually getting a hotel room. Gabriel thought it would be fun to spend a night in London, and go out on the town."
"You could have stayed with us! You didn't need to run to the expense of a hotel," Figgy said.
"That's really kind, but I can't imagine how I would explain him to your parents. Presumably they saw him at St Winifred's in his usual priest clothes. Bringing him along would be even more awkward than Look Who's Coming to Dinner."
Figgy's parents would hardly put their daughter's friend in the same bedroom as the school priest. It would be scandalous. And Leonie had every intention of getting up to plenty of scandalous activity with Gabriel that night.
She was nervous about telling Gabriel of the screen test, based on her parents' reaction. But he couldn't have been happier about it or more supportive. She met him outside the British Library and his face lit up when she told him. "That's brilliant news! People wait years for a chance like that. Let me know if I can do anything to help, you're obviously welcome to stay as long as you like."
Even without the screen test it would be worth staying for three more nights with him.
"Mr Edwards gave me a script. You could help me run lines. I have no idea what scene they're going to want me to try." Having never done anything like this before, Leonie had no idea what was involved. She had already leafed through the script. Her character - she was already thinking of it as "hers", which was probably tempting fate - would be an absolutely amazing role if she got it.
"Anything you like. I admit my intentions are partly self-interested. If you get this role, you'll be staying in London or at least Europe, which is closer than the US."
They were walking along a darkened London street, past squares of houses with shadowy gardens barely illuminated by streetlights. As her own euphoria subsided, Leonie was starting to think about all the complications it represented.
Gabriel sensed she was worried, and asked what the problem was.
"I'm just worried how I'll manage it all, with school and exams and everything," Leonie said.
Gabriel stopped her and stood in front of her. "If you get a role in a film like this, you could quit school, surely? Just defer a year and go to college in the following autumn, if you wanted to. There's nothing stopping you, is there?"
Only there was. Leonie took a deep breath. She was going to have to tell him the truth, and she dreaded losing his good opinion of her.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Uh-oh... what could it be?
Any guesses?