“Can I come and visit?” she asked him.
“Sure,” he said with a shy smile so like her own. They were so much alike, so much more so than she and Olympia, who always reminded Antonia of her mother, although she scarcely knew her, and her memories of her weren’t happy ones.
On Thanksgiving, when he showed up with a bottle of wine, Dash and Boden got into a serious discussion before lunch about the game preserve where Dash was going to be working as an intern for six months. Fred joined them for major holidays, since he had no family of his own, so he was there too. He liked being around her kids and her.
It was always a warm family gathering at their table, despite the occasional snide remark from Olympia, or criticism aimed at her mother, which she could never resist. Antonia still hoped she’d grow out of it one day and soften up. At eighteen, there was still hope that she might. Antonia had invited Lara too, but she was going to friends in Dallas this time with a new man in her life. She had never remarried and always said she didn’t want to.
Boden thanked Antonia for inviting him before he left. It had been interesting seeing Antonia at home, where she seemed so comfortable, aware of everyone, and tried to make them feel welcome. She was much more intense on the set, constantly checking the camera angles, and creating a bond with the cast to get the best performances out of them she could. She had learned that from watching Hamish direct.
Boden was looking forward to working with her on post-production. She had a reputation for being a taskmaster, but got extraordinary results. And post-production was important too.
“I’m glad you could join us,” Antonia said easily as he was leaving.
“You have wonderful kids,” he said, smiling at her. He was a good-looking man, and was older than he appeared. He had a boyish style about him, with a ready smile and warm brown eyes.
“That depends on the day,” she said about her kids with a grin, and he laughed. “But generally, you’re right. I’m pretty crazy about them myself.”
He had enjoyed talking to Fred Warner too, and knew who he was. He was a famous dramatic agent. He had a good sense of humor and had everyone laughing at dinner. At first, Boden had wondered if he and Antonia were a couple, but he eventually figured out that they were good friends and there was no man there attached to Antonia, which surprised him. She was such an attractive woman and her husband had been dead for a long time.
It had been a nice Thanksgiving, everyone had had a good time, and Antonia, Dash, and Olympia sat relaxing for a few minutes in the living room after all the guests had left.
“I like your new AD, Mom, he knows a lot about animals. He lived in Africa for two years after college,” Dash commented.
“Good to know,” she said vaguely. “I think he lived in Italy too. He speaks Italian. I heard him talking to one of the soundmen on the set. I think he lived in Florence. I haven’t talked to him much. He just started with this film when Harry McAvoy left. And things have been moving pretty fast on the set. He just moved here from somewhere.”
“Toronto,” Olympia filled in. “He was working on movies in Canada. There are a lot of studios there.” Antonia smiled that he had spent time talking to her kids.
* * *
—
The three of them ate leftovers for dinner that night, as they always did on Thanksgiving night. It was a tradition. And they watched a movie afterward. It was one of Hamish’s. Olympia picked it. She always wished she had known her dad. He sounded like such a cool person. Neither of the children had known him. Dash was too young when he died to remember him. But he lived on through his movies, his children, and the love of those who still remembered him, like Fred and Antonia. He was someone one could never forget, an enormous talent and a remarkable human being, who had died much too young.
Chapter 18
Dash left for South Africa in January, while Antonia was already deep in post-production on her last film. She and Boden and the rest of the crew worked late every night.
They finished editing the film in February and she was planning to visit Dash in a few weeks. Olympia already had a part in another film.
Antonia was on her way to the studio one morning when she got a call from the dean of students at Davis that Dash had been chased by a hippo. He had survived but broken his leg. She rushed to the studio she’d built in Stamford years before, and let the crew know she was leaving. They only had a few details left to attend to and could finish without her. She left precise instructions and drove home. She was startled when Boden came to the house a short time later while she was packing, and asked if he could come with her.