Letting in Light ✔️ [Completed] [Book two]

Chapter 16

The quiet chuckle that vibrates inside my chest quickly becomes a proper hold your stomach, almost wet yourself, cannot breathe, fit of hysterics. The tears stream down my face as I struggle to stop myself from laughing.

"Lizzie, why are you laughing? It's not funny!" Daniel says in an effort to be firm with me, but I can hear that he is starting to chuckle too.

"It's... just... we... both... tried... to... do... the... same... thing..." I say between fits of giggles. I clear my throat, and wipe the tears away in a futile attempt to regain some control. "Oh Daniel, only we could do this."

He bellows with laughter. "You're right! Only us! I love you so much, you know that right?"

"I know, and I'm so in love with you too." I say seriously, feeling the reality of the fact that I'm not going to see him suddenly overwhelm me.

"What a pair of tits." He says with a huge sigh, making me burst out laughing again.

"You sure have a way with words."

"I sure do! Look, I'm going to phone the hotel now so they will give you a key to my room."

"OK, thank you."

"FaceTime me when you get into the room, so at least I can see your face."

I walk back into the lobby, and hear someone singing. I turn to look into the traditional bar, and immediately see Marcia standing on a table singing. She's belting out Adele's Rolling in the Deep, perfectly in key. I roll my eyes. Of course, she sings too!

I collect Daniel's room key from reception.

"Lizzie? Oh my God, it's you... isn't it?"

I turn in the direction of the voice, and see Marcia gracefully stepping down from the table. She struts across the reception towards me in towering heels. How does she know who I am?

She kisses both my cheeks before holding me back at arms length. In her heals she is significantly taller than me.

"Why are you here? Daniel took the first flight out after filming finished to see you." She looks totally confused as she pouts through her surgically enhanced lips.

"Yeah, I know that now. We both had the same idea to surprise each other." I smile and shake my head. "I've got his room key, and he's in my flat in London." I shrug like it's no big deal.

Her hands fly to cover her face as she fails to suppress a snigger. "Oh shit, sweetie. That sucks. I've heard so much about you, you're all he talks about."

"Is that so?" I raise my eyebrows at her. "How did you know who I was?" I ask honestly.

"He has shown me around a thousand photos of you, sweetie." Her expression is caught somewhere between a genuine smile and a grimace.

"That's quite unnerving to hear." I laugh awkwardly. "So, it was nice to meet you. I'm going to check into Daniel's room now." I gesture back towards the corridor. I feel the need to escape from such a strange conversation.

"Oh yes, go and settle in. But then you must come and have a drink with us. Most the crew are here, and Adam would love to meet you. He's our director." Marcia must witness the uncertainty on my face. "I'm not taking no for an answer." She pouts at me again. It sounds childish, but I'm transfixed by her lips... I idly wonder if they would deflate if I pricked them with a pin.

"OK. I'll be back down in a little while." I turn away, while it feels safe to make an exit. I'm totally dumbfounded by the conversation that has just taken place.