The Princess of Beverly Hills

Chapter IV

IV

One of James’s favorite things to do was to visit the monthly classical play at Echo Park. To make this event possible a large stage was built from the ground where the orchestral ensemble would reside during the act. The same group of strings, flutes and horns that were used to record the scores for the movies produced at Paramount Pictures were scheduled for this evening. The conductor of tonight was Mikhail Brasov; this young yet fierce man had been trained by Sergei Rachmaninov and it is rumored to be the reason why he uses such hefty gestures when he commands his ensemble of various instruments with a simple thing as a baton. But it wasn’t just the heartbreaking melodies and breathtaking climaxes that made Mia shiver through her spine, because in the middle of Echo Park Lake was installed a fountain bigger than the one at the Bellagio in Las Vegas which splashed, poured and sprinkled water in all different directions, perfectly synchronized with the music from the stage. The many colors from turquoise blue to violet red reflected in their eyes like galaxies in the darkness of the universe as they sat against the trunk of a dancing palm tree. Mia stroked her fingers through the grass and found James’s elbow, she pulled it and eventually received his hand which was now gently shut around hers, and without noticing it she found herself resting her head on his shoulder.

‘’You made a good choice’’ Mia whispered.

‘’Hm?’’

She raised her nose towards his face.

‘’You didn’t take me to one of those dinners at Sunset Boulevard, that was a good choice, a choice that only works for a thin amount of people’’

‘’You think?’’

‘’Wasn’t it planned to go like this?’’

‘’Not really’’ James removed his eyes from her and looked up to the fountain, ‘’I always come here on Saturdays’’

A slight pause followed his honest expression until Mia revolted the silence with an ecstatic sentence.

‘’You can kiss me now’’

James’s face was quickly drawn back to hers.

‘’Mia—‘’

‘’Shut up and kiss me’’

She laid her hand on his cheek and pulled his lips towards her as they found each other with a plumy kiss while the romantic moment was escorted by the big finale of a rumbling bass drum and all the families of the orchestra. Mikhail Brasov had conducted the last movement of the symphony into a spectacular ending, not only accompanied by the astounding fountain but also attended by a series of colorful fireworks that popped open like a rainbow against the stars of the night. If James had sensed any feeling of nervousness that evening then it surely was drained away by the affectionate kiss from Mia who finally had experienced a flash of love in her opulent life.

‘’What now?’’ Mia asked, still quivering by her own unpredictable action.

‘’I have a reservation for two’’

‘’What place?’’

‘’Barazza’s’’

Mia startled.

‘’I’ve been there once’’ she continued, ‘’didn’t suppose it to be a reservation place’’

‘’All places are, somehow’’

‘’What do you mean?’’

‘’Let’s just say that I know a guy there, it’ll be wonderful Mia’’

James stood up, pulling the girl with him to the same level.

‘’But—‘’

‘’Na-ah’’ James laid his finger on her lips, ‘’we have to go’’