Chapter 151 - Separated By 'Big Water'

Janina Pasek had no family herself. Her youth was turbulent. Then it was time to become a business woman. Somehow it didn't work out in her personal life. Nowicki, however, suspected that there was something else behind it. Mrs. Pasek was once deeply in love with her photographer.

They were having an affair. Why they didn't work out and what happened to this man, Andrzej was unable to say. Perhaps he broke her heart, left, or chose another. Maybe he was married from the beginning? Nowicki knew that he reminded her a bit of him, but that was not the only reason why she liked him. Ms Janina simply loved all her employees.

"You should go out and have fun. You are young, single ..."

"Mrs. Janka..." he asked with a smile.

"I know you love him, and I'm not going to make you go to bed with someone else, but you should go get a drink with the rest. Being in a relationship does not mean being exclusive. The other person also needs other people. You need them too. You can't limit your private life only to yourself, because who knows what nightmares will come out of it. You should hang out, socialize with the people of the company."

Andrzej sighed quite loudly, causing the old lady to giggle. Hesitantly, he glanced at the gathering models.

Tonight the whole group was going to the club. They usually did when they finished shooting. It was an additional cool thing in Ms Pasek's company - whether you were a model or a make-up artist, a star or a shadow person, the event was for everyone. Nobody even organized it. Someone in the crowd was asking, "So what, are we going for one?" and suddenly the whole place was full of people from the set. More than once, one of the girls approached Andrzej, wanting to persuade him to go with them, but he always dodged. He wouldn't be able to enjoy himself while Dominik waited at home alone. Anyway, what can be hidden, when Dominik was waiting at home, there was no force that would stop him from returning. Love was a terrifying animal.

Today, however, no one waited at home. Dominik was probably still on the plane to Los Angeles. Andrzej did not want to return to the empty building.

"Maybe you're right," he admitted. "Only these photos ..."

"Girls!" suddenly heard Mrs. Pasek's raised voice. "Today our beloved Andrzej is coming with you! You are to take good care of him."

"But ..." Nowicki hesitated still.

Angelika, the beauty who had brought him coffee a moment earlier, took his arm. In high-heeled boots, she was tall, like him.

"No problem," she announced in her high-pitched voice.

He could still defend himself, but Mrs. Janka was right. If he ignores everyone around him and focuses his life solely on Dominik, their relationship will begin to turn into something unhealthy. He loved him with all of himself and knew how much his affection was reciprocated, but if his thoughts were solely around him, it would turn into an obsession. Neither of them could let that happen. Not so long ago, Andrzej urged his lover to go out among people, so now that he himself stopped following his own advice, it was a bit frivolous. Besides, somehow he wasn't in a hurry to get home, where no one was waiting for him.

He looked at Angelica with a smile. The girl held him tightly and her eyes looked at him with a seductive glow. He hoped she didn't promise herself too much. He didn't want to disappoint her with a refusal.

Well, there was no way to excuse himself anymore and he really didn't want to come back to an empty house anyway.

***

Dominik thanked the boy with a tip and sat down heavily on the bed. The flight from Warsaw with a stopover in New York was terribly tiring, although he was lucky anyway that they did not fly on a scheduled connection. The company had rented a private jet for them, which Scarlett and him had delivered in fifteen hours. He couldn't sleep on the plane. The excited actress kept chirping, and when she finally got tired and fell asleep, he rested with his eyes closed, dreaming about Andrzej. The armchairs were comfortable, but he couldn't find a suitable position for himself, and he wondered if it was a good idea to say a warm goodbye between lovers.

It was, he sighed, lying down now and covering his eyes with his hand. It was because although his body didn't feel perfect, his heart was still throbbing with joy. The love that Andrzej gave him so generously gave him the strength to make this journey.

Dominik's breathing was slowing down, and he felt himself drifting away to his dreamland. It was very pleasant for him.

Ever since Nowicki appeared in his life, even the greatest challenge and difficulty became light and pleasant. Because Andrzej was for him ... Andrzej was for him ...

Dominik fell asleep in clothes and shoes and his last thought was Andrzej.

The ringing of the hotel phone woke him. Dominik got up heavily and reached for the receiver. He had a visitor. Someone from the label who was supposed to be his assistant and guide.

Ah yes, Scarlett mentioned that someone would show up. Yes, he can come upstairs.

Sleepy, he rubbed his face. The clothes he was wearing clung to his body unpleasantly. He felt a great need to take a shower. He kicked off his shoes and when he heard the doorbell he headed for them yawning. He opened without looking who was entering and with another yawn as he walked away towards the bathroom, he announced:

"Sorry, give me five minutes."

A cold shower restored his energy. Wrapped in a towel, he tilted his head out of the bathroom to see where the person was sent to him.

A young man with short, dark hair stood just outside the closed door. He had a briefcase for documents in his hands. He stood quietly, calmly, without any movement, and Dominik suddenly felt remorse that he had not asked the young man to make himself at home.

Dominik shyly slipped out of the bathroom and approached the man with a smile that showed all the enormity of his guilt.

"Sorry, I turned out to be rude. It was a tiring flight for me and I took a little nap ..."

"No, no, I'm sorry, I didn't think and ..."

The man looked as confused as he was.

"Then maybe let's start as it should be" said the actor and held out his hand to the guest. "Dominik Śliwiński."

"Arthur Benz, assistant at D&W. It's an honor for me to be able to work for you. I'm a big fan of yours."

"Really?" Dominik couldn't hide his surprise.

"Oh yes. I heard about you, Mr. Śliwiński, three years ago and I am very happy to be able to work with you."

"You said my name flawlessly" the actor was pleasantly surprised.

"It's because I know Polish" Benz switched to Dominik's mother tongue. "My great-grandfather was an actor from Lviv in the interwar period. My maternal grandfather worked in the Łódź film industry. It was thanks to the knowledge of Polish that I was able to get the job of your assistant."

His Polish was very good when it comes to grammar, but his accent made Śliwiński amused. He was heavy and crude, typical of Westerners. He didn't laugh, though, because he knew full well that his own Eastern singing could evoke similar feelings here.

"It's very kind of the label to think about my comfort," he replied politely. "So what are our plans for today? Could you tell me about this as I get dressed?"

Arthur Benz swallowed but nodded bravely.

"Of course," he nodded, and when Śliwiński reached into his suitcase for clothes, he cleared his throat and continued. "Today at 7 p.m. a small banquet begins at the producer's residence. Cocktail attire required. Tomorrow, after lunch, a meeting with the director to discuss the role. Costumes fitting immediately after. The next day, from ten o'clock, the first test shots ..."

Dominik put on a T-shirt. As soon as he put it over his head, he shook out his long, hazel hair. They dry in the blink of an eye, just like in Poland in summer.

"So I'm off until tonight? He asked, going to the window. The view from it stretched out over the city skyline and the ocean beyond. It was bewitchingly beautiful, even in the daylight, it must have been dazzling in the evening. Andrzej would be delighted to have his beloved camera in his hand.

"Yes. You can spend this time exploring. I can accompany you ..."

"Thank you, I will be very pleased."

"Is there any specific place you'd like to see?"

"No, not really."

"Then if I can propose ..."

Dominik's adventure on the other side of the 'big water' was about to begin.