The Writer's Dilemma

The Book Sign

The large foyer of the classiest five-star hotel in the heart of Quebec City in Canada shone brightly with different shades of blue and gold. It wasn’t like this every day. Today just happened to be a special day. Banners and balloons were strung up in the same colors. A wide range of different aged men and women stood in groups in somewhat of a line, chatting and laughing with each other. A light perfume, the essence of fallen leaves and cinnamon-scented pinecones, filled the air, covering the smell of anxious sweat. Soft music played in the background, the highest pitches of a violin striking chord in the most pleasant of ways echoed to the furthest corners of the room. Everyone was listening, and not listening at the same time, as their attention was mostly on the table at the front of the room with a large tv screen flicking through pictures of the reason they were all there. The table had laid out with enough room for two people to sit behind it, placemats and bottles of water lining each place. Finally, a bell struck the top of the hour. The lights died down before blinking out completely. The tenseness in the room went up a few notches as a few screams killed the silence.

                Audrey Marchand clutched onto her mother’s necklace and the book in her other hand at the same moment. She didn’t even have a minute to release the breath she had been holding as two voices towered over all the other screams, their microphoned voices bouncing off the walls behind her. More screams and cheers followed the welcoming voices. “Please welcome your world-renowned writers, Kerem Basset and Pierre Dupont!” The host’s microphoned voice echoed through the blackness. As the writer’s names were mentioned many in the crowd cried and shouted.

                Everyone’s attention was to the front, silently waiting. Audrey clutched her mother’s necklace again, swallowing the nerves that were trying to escape. The TV screen flashed on, showing a picture of a man with blonde hair and side-swept bangs, his gaze intense. Cheers erupted and echoed all around as a figure stepped on the stage and walked over to the first seat at the table. Through the dim light of the tv screen, you could make out the charming features of Pierre Dupont. He had boyishly good looks and a confident but kind smile, but even more important was that he was Kerem Basset’s co-writer and understudy. Audrey placed a shaky hand over her heart, feeling it beat wildly and inconsistently, waiting impatiently. At last, another picture popped, encasing a lighter brown-haired man with a chiseled jawline and chin that outlined a sheepish and cheerful face.

                Suddenly, Audrey’s heart stopped pounding. If the room was still erupting with cheers, she no longer was able to hear it. Her eyes followed the shadow of the man walking across the stage until it stopped at the second seat. Even long after the light of the tv screen turned off her eyes remain glued to the shadow on the stage. It took a while for her heart to begin to beat rapidly in her chest again, snapping out of her reverie as the sounds and screams of the crowd reached her ears.

                “Everyone!” The room quieted down, going completely silent. Not even a whisper could be heard through the atrium of the hotel. The voice was light and friendly sounding that Audrey could only assume it had been Pierre addressing the crowd. “Kerem and I would like to thank every one of you for being fans of our writing and for coming to our fan sign today. We wouldn’t be here today if it weren’t for every one of you.” The words confirmed Audrey’s suspicions as the lights slowly began to alight, revealing the bowed figures of Pierre and Kerem at the front of the room. Another round of cheers and applause filled the room as the host walked onto the stage.

                “Let the fan sign begin!” The host walked straight across directing the first fans onto the stage as Pierre and Kerem took their seats, setting up their area in the way they preferred. The TV screen now held a close up of the two. Audrey tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as she studied Kerem and Pierre individually, her eyes lingering more on Kerem, while waiting for the line to move. Everyone in line got to meet with Pierre first, ending with Kerem, marching off into the auditorium afterward for the reveal of the pair’s next book. Each person left with their autographs, leaving small gifts and handing out handshakes, high fives, or hugs while holding short clips of conversations. In this way, the line crawled along until Audrey was finally next to go on stage. She was closest to Pierre. He seemed to be hyperactive, enjoying multi-tasking and blurting out jokes to anyone who would listen. Audrey walked across the stage to him, giving him a small smile.

                “My lady,” He returned the smile, picking up her hand and bringing it to his lips. His actions gave her a shock but the teasing in his eyes brought an unexpected calm. Audrey handed him her book, watching as he wrote a few words onto the book and signed his name.

                “I think you’d make a great actor, sir,” She smiled as she was handed her book back, handing him a lollipop. He looked up; his dark eyes gleaming.

                “You think? Maybe I’ll try,” He nodded his head and passed her down the table. Audrey hid her face for a second, trying to control the chaos that was acting up within her as she walked towards Kerem. She took in his wide chest, hidden by a button-up shirt with a cream-colored cardigan over top of his shoulders. His light brown hair was gelled back out of his face. His eyes were on her, the chocolate brown orbs winking in a friendly fashion, his head tilted to the side. Just the sight of him made her blush like a schoolgirl who had a crush. The easy-going atmosphere fell away as her heartbeat stopped once more, her feet stopping right in front of him.

                “Hello,” Audrey could hardly breathe the word. She held out her book in both of her hands, mustering up her courage to look him in the eye. He was the reason that she was here. She was a big fan of his writing and his rumored upright personality. In today’s world, it was so hard to know anyone who didn’t have a hidden agenda. Kerem nodded his head at her, a smile brightening his face, lifting his hand out for a handshake. She slowly extended her hand, placing her much smaller one in his. She held back a squeal, biting her bottom lip. His smile widened, an encouraging smile.

                “What’s your name?” He asked, just as another man approached him, whispering in his ear. Kerem excused himself as he stood and moved away with the man to speak privately. Audrey, hiding how upset she was, turned to move off the stage. She pouted to herself, taking her book and turning to move off of the stage when Kerem suddenly reappeared, his eyebrows arched in worry. “Forgive me. What was your name?” He stood in front of her, preventing her from leaving. Audrey turned back to him, once again, hiding her real expression as she was relieved to be able to have a real moment with him.

“Audrey Taylor,” She played her name out on her lips, watching his eyebrows arch up in a shocked but pleased reaction to hearing her name. “Audrey, let’s take a photo together, ok?” He turned and waved to the man who he had just spoken to. The man walked onto the stage, a happy smile lifting the edges of his lips.

                “Sorry for interrupting you earlier, I needed to talk to Kerem. I’m Wyatt, Kerem’s agent. May I borrow your phone to get a photo of the two of you together?” The man asked, holding out his hand to take her phone. She instantly placed her phone securely in his hand, letting him know that she had forgiven him. She turned, holding her breath and doing her best to keep her cool as Kerem pulled her closer to him, wrapping a gentle hand on her shoulder. She shuddered as she felt his breath on her ear and cheek, causing ripples to flow up her body. She had a feeling that he was just as tense as she felt while Kerem’s manager, Wyatt, counted down from three and snapped the picture, handing her phone back just as quickly as she had handed it over. “Sorry for interrupting your fan sign. Please accept this as a gift,” Wyatt gave a small smile before walking away.

                “I’ll sign your book now,” Kerem managed, stumbling to the other side of the table and grabbing her book. Audrey began to feel a little hot, the knowledge that she had held up the fan sign making her slightly embarrassed.

                “Thank you! This means a lot to me,” Audrey barely breathed the words as she watched his hand scroll some words across the page. Kerem looked up from the page, his chocolate orbs looking over her once more.

                “Thank you for being our fan,” Kerem snapped the cover of the book shut, handing it back to her. She turned and walked off the stage, feeling in a daze from everything that just happened. As she walked off the stage, she noticed a few people giving her some looks, but she didn’t have time to bother about them. She rushed into the auditorium, opening her phone to the picture that she had just taken with Kerem, gushing over how good he looked. A tap on her shoulder brought her back to the real world, startling her a little. She turned, finding the manager from before, his short dark hair not hiding any of his facial features or how sheepish he currently looked.

                “Sorry to disturb you. I was hoping… my company would like a copy of that photo for media purposes if you don’t mind,” Wyatt nodded his head to the picture on her phone. Audrey was taken aback slightly, not knowing about her face being out in public. “If you’re worried about fan comments, we will take full responsibility and the theme will have one fan with each member. If you object that is ok too,” Wyatt explained frantically, nervous sweat dripping down his face.

                “I’ll give you the photo. I just don’t want to make a big scene,” She opened her phone again, smiling at the manager’s profusely given thanks as he pulled out his own phone. He listed his number as she dialed it into her phone.

                “You’re that famous writer, Audrey Marchand, aren’t you?” The manager suddenly asked, forcing her to stop what she was doing and look up at him. The excitement that had rushed to his face became bashfully pale. “I’m a huge fan! I didn’t think a writer like you would be a fan of these guys,” He scratched the back of his neck. Audrey gave him a slight nod in confirmation, pressing the send button on her phone.

                “Please control the media after you put it up,” She pleaded. Wyatt thanked her again and turned in left. Audrey let out an audible sigh, turning back to the book that Kerem Bassett had just signed. She opened the front cover to read the flowing script, her cheeks warming at the words on the page.

                                                Audrey,

                                                Thank you for being my fan. May your days be sunny and bright.

                                                                                                                                                Kerem Bassett