“That sounds right. But we haven’t finished casting yet. Allen wants to get at least one big name, and if we do, I want that face on the poster,” Brent said. He really looked at the poster for the first time. “I think there’s too much going on here, anyway. Movie-goers are pretty simple. They just need to identify the genre and maybe an element of the movie itself.”
Carl bobbed his head. “How about this?”
He slid a poster to the front from the “For Your Consideration” pile. It was, simply, a beautiful painting of the desert, with two figures walking across the sand.
“We can slap the face of your big name up top. Above the title.”
“Well, people want to connect to the characters. How about four panels, with the poster here showing through in the first and third, and the male and female lead in the second and fourth?”
Carl frowned, then took the notebook from his back pocket and made a sketch. “Like this?”
“Yeah. So we can make casting move forward faster so we can get these posters out and do a few minimalist promos on the Internet.” Brent pointed to the second panel. “I think I’ll tell them to make sure our leading lady is the name. Folks are into that sort of thing right now.”
“So, like an Emma Watson or Jennifer Lawrence?”
“Or even that girl from the Supergirl show. She’s done a few movies. And I think she has that still indie cache we’re looking for.”
“Got it.” Carl nodded and put the notebook back in his pocket. “So, what girl were you thinking about a minute ago, when you were supposed to be working, huh? She cute?”
Brent felt his cheeks getting hot and waved Carl off. “It’s just been a trying week.”
“Mm-hmm.” Carl clicked his tongue. “Hope she’s cute enough to pay for all this mental space she’s renting out.”
“It’s not that bad.” Brent gathered the posters and handed them to Carl. “She’s just… on my mind. Quite a woman. But it goes no further than that.”
“It could. Maybe you scratch that itch, and she won’t be on your mind anymore.” Carl grinned.
“You dog. No, it’ll just make it worse. Trust me.”
Carl shrugged. “I can’t tell you how to do your romantic life, but you’ve been single for a long time now.”
“It isn’t that easy.” Brent stepped back and shook his head.
“I know it isn’t, man, but it’s been nine years.”
“No, it…” Brent ran a hand through his hair. He turned toward the window.
Had it really been that long? Cara had been so small when LeeAnn had died, but it didn’t seem like it had been such a long time. It felt like only yesterday when they took their little girl out to the park for her first picnic. He could see her toddling through the flowers and falling backward. Her little face had scrunched up, somewhere between laughing and crying, and LeeAnn had come up beside her and dropped down just as hard.
Laughter prevailed. LeeAnn could always do that.
“It has been a long time. But I’m not sure I can let this happen,” Brent admitted. “She’s an amazing woman, and so gorgeous and full of life. It still might not be possible.”
Carl shrugged. “Just think about it. You don’t have to be all work and all dad. I know it would probably take me just as long, or longer, if Deb passed, but that doesn’t mean you and Cara can’t still make room for another person in your lives.”
Brent shrugged. “I hope we can. But until then, I think Cara just needs more friends. She’s so internal and too damn smart.”
“Yeah, that’ll get her in trouble for sure,” Carl agreed.
***
At the end of one of the longest work weeks of his life, Brent stepped into the house with his shoulders tensed. His thoughts were a cluttered jumble of numbers and names and arguments about every project on their plate for the next couple of months. They were spread so thin, but if they could just power through, their company would have the name-recognition and economic stability it needed to launch into bigger films and take more awards.
They could do this. He knew they could.
All at once, the remnants of work were pushed out of his mind by the sounds of giggling. He headed up the stairs, following the exuberant sounds, and felt his heart give a little leap in anticipation. Cara’s voice was a lovely little chime, and Jessica’s voice, lower and so clever and sultry, carried through the hall as though seeking him out.
He forgot the office. He couldn’t wait to see them.
In the playroom, both girls knelt around the large activity table wearing large gray shirts.