Many times, Monica went to the movies, at gas as, as a child with her parents, as a young woman with her boyfriends, and ter with her ex-husband. It was how she usually speime. The film The English Patient arrived in Italy on Thursday, as it did worldwide. It was a bold move by Billy, thought the woman with some surprise. It was rather astonishing—a two-hour love story hitting the mark, something she usually dismissed.

  –Ohhhh, hohohoho… so this is Hollywood’s new blockbuster, huh? – ented Roberto Benigni, who had e with his family and was looking somewhat enthusiastic.

  –I don’t think it is. – murmured Monica. Acc to Billy’s ideas, this was an indepe film. Surprisingly, its budget was ughable pared to Star Wars, whose produ exceeded 100 millio, it fao petition, grossing 780 million at the box office.

  –We’ll need a bucket for your tears, my love. It’s one of the great summer films, with an excellent story, though not as magnifit as ours. – whispered Roberto to his wife, Nicoletta Braschi, one of the producers of Life is Beautiful, who smiled warmly at him, as she had since 1991.

  –You’re a plete fool. – ented Nicoletta. –We need pop for such a long movie. And some sweets too. Would you be so kind as to get them, dear? –

  The man nodded and began to grumble pyfully. He always made them ugh. Monica’s cold and stony gaze was not enough to deter him, though it didn’t feel unfamiliar to her. They were in the municipal ema, one of the few remaining. Everything happened because Monica wao audition for a movie, and wot out through a supp actor about the year's great film. Ohio another, aually, half the produ ended up there to enjoy the film.

  –He likes the movie, but he fears that in time it might ule him si takes pce here in Italy, and that bothers him. It always happens with these kinds of things—they tend to affect him. He’ll love the movie and hate it, for the principal reason that he’s a director. It’s that pride she carries, the kind that usually drives him to excel, to push forward and improve. – ented Nicoletta.

  –I uand. People who are ily ambitious and proud don’t stop with what they have—they always seek success, perfe, creating from scratch, the vision to execute their ideas, and the fideo bet ohe vi to get others to back them, which oftes in somethiraordinary. – said the woman, her angur profile and high cheekbones giving her ahereal beauty.

  …

  The movie was very good; the role he pyed suited him perfectly. A man of few words, often silent when necessary. Seeing him ge, seeing that lively and passionate side, filled Monica with memories of a bed and some nights where pleasure faded like moonlight. But she was surprised by those ses—how intehe filming must have been, how intehe heat of their union must have been, coupled with a violeail of love, though tragedy pgued them. She rested her hands on the chair, a few rebellious tears esg her eyes and running down her face. Surely, she was taken aback by all she had experiehere, like a sea of hope. The movie ended as it should have, with no other ending expected. Emptiness enveloped the two fleeting, burned-out lovers.

  Anne opened her eyes and saw Billy resting beside her. Last night’s romp would have made all her retives blush just hearing about the two bodies united in desire and solitude. It was raw and instinctual. Things were always kept reserved. She took a long shower. Hotel rooms weren’t to her liking, not at the moment. She pulled herself together.

  –You’ve got a flight. They’re waiting for you at the studio. – said Anne, brushieeth. Billy, weary from the routiretched his body and tried to rex his back.

  –The private jet leaves when I say so. I’ll notify them to hurry with the arras. Do you have Lux Films’ ats? – asked Billy.

  –Plenty of green. – replied Anne from the bathroom, aware of how satisfying that sounded. C the other two major produs, Donnie Brasbsp;and Anada had put them in the red due to stant iments. The Star Wars funds hadn’t yet fully arrived—only the payments from North America.

  –Where did the money e from? – Billy asked.

  –It turns out we have Raimon’s luxury cards. He doubled produ twice but mao sell them in a deal I still don’t uand. There are far more fans in the Uates than elsewhere. He sold to all his friends—apparently, he’s their fan director. – Anne replied.

  –How good were the sales? Gee has been w on toy produ since January. In the ing days, we have some lises, but the established collector’s brands haven’t taken off yet. – Billy ented.

  Taking a suit from the door, whine had brought, Billy took a long cold shower, trying to catch his breath as he prepared for the trip. One of the things he hated was long journeys. Frequent travel left a lingering headache in his mind.

  Meically, he tried to get ready. Today, he didn’t want a tie. He just wao take some aspirin a long and hard on the bed.

  –You o deliver the iext week. You’ve got a delivery for Real and another for 300. We have the third volume, but the fourth is still missing. A month, you’ll o have the fifth, sixth, ah. – she said while anizing his suit.

  –My brain’s fried. I’ll try to stick to the schedule… I ’t promise much, but in the few days, I think I’ll feel better. The story’s already in my head, but no one else draw really. Still, I’ll make a good script and finish up to volume five. Gather the guys oo help with the i the ing months. I need help, or I’ll go crazy. – said Billy.

  anizing his suit, Anne applied some hand cream and simply hey both left, exg themselves, taking into at that in the ing days, she would be in charge during his absence—a frequent occurrence.

  –I o sort out matters with Microsoft Games. San Diego is a step away. You should do your best tahings with those idiots. There’s always a “but” and another “but.” They’re pliant but take their time. Give me some breathing room. – said Anne.

  –I’ll do it. Have a good weekend. Have them email me summaries of the problems. If they pletely deny or tradict themselves, don’t bother. – said Billy, thinking about the 60%. He’d i mohere’d be a better iment course, align Microsoft Games with ID Software, and start carving out pertages until only they could fulfill it. Iing money in the same way or leaving them with a reduced share. Using their tricks and filling gaps at every turn. For now, all he wanted was to improve every po, repce them with others, and of course, rebuild it to the point where it could be used by someone who didn’t need muake it great. After all, Macs were fantasti their day.

  –Well, one less problem. – ented Anne.

  –Tell Raimon to handle minor issues in other states. He’s done well with the iments. As a st resort, tell him I’ll be the Anakin Skywalker—Darth Vader if you will—and maybe I’ll owe him a favor. – said Billy.

  –You two are plete idiots! He has to do it—we pay him overtime! – shouted Aterly furious.

  –Just tell him. It’s like giving gasolio a little bike; it’s like giving it rockets. – Billy replied, giving Anne a deep kiss. She was caught off guard as he tore her buttoned shirt and moved to hike up her skirt while l his pants.

  –Just shut up for a sed. – said Billy. –In this room, you ’t talk about work. When we leave, you ’t mention it in this room. –

  –But... –

  –e on, darling. Be quiet. –

  ...