-Another excellent take, - said Gilliam, concluding today's shoot, portraying a Winona who had to face solitude.
-Sigh, - Winona murmured, exhausted from the multiple commitments she had undertaken in recent days.
-We'll move on to film some scenes from the beginning, - said Gilliam, scanning a script with numerous notes. It was so heavily marked that multiple notes could be discerned on each side of the page, crumpled and damaged from use.
Although she denied it, Winona was a hopeless romantic, dedicated to art and good manners. The vein of love flowed deep in her heart, expressed in the antique way, briefly and romantically. She liked comfortable silences and gazes that spoke volumes about love. It was better to express feelings tenderly than to indulge in madness.
-We'll need to redo some scenes, - Winona said, bewildered.
-Yes, only two scenes. Don't be dramatic, - Gilliam mentioned.
-And is it because of the disconnect between you two that is evident? A disconnection that leads me to think your performances aren't entirely correct, - Gilliam mentioned, concealing thoughts about what he truly wanted to achieve.
-Are you hiding something from me? - Winona asked.
-Nothing important, just some shots that are necessary to perfect the image I have in mind. But you can have a ten-day break; the next shots are with Bill, and you need to wait patiently, - Gilliam said.
-I don't want to go to Los Angeles. I want to stay here, where the paparazzi only endure a few days, take a few pictures, and leave. I can walk without worrying about getting photographed, and I'm happy, - Winona said, crossing her legs in a lotus position.
-Stay. The hotel is booked for the entire month, and I love having you with us, darling, - Gilliam said.
Winona's fangs rose with her smile. Her dazzling appearance was a way of being, comfortable and tender. One of the best ways to be was the charisma she displayed in her moments of happiness, when she wasn't burdened by all that fame had taken from her and by the many problems in her heart, germinating like seeds as the world of Hollywood continued to encroach on her thoughts in dark ways. There, only in the rumor of her privacy, could she find enough strength to unveil the love her heart dictated.
-We should watch Casablanca again, and buy popcorn and chocolates, - Winona suggested.
-Oh, darling, not again. But I can choose a lovely movie, one of my favorites, and between the two of us, we can have some wine. The movie we'll watch is very romantic. We need wine, - Gilliam said, squeezing Winona's hands, who smiled at him warmly.
-I would love that. Since we're having wine tonight, I'll order a cheese board and some good sesame bread, - Winona said, nodding firmly, deciding and accompanying Gilliam, treating him like a father.
-I would love that. Now, I have to shoot some scenes with Bill and Samantha, - Gilliam said.
-I'll do it, I'll do it. Just give me some space, world, - Winona said, running back to the hotel to dive under the covers and rest as much as she could, preparing for the night of wine and cheese.
She enjoyed preparing the bed, then taking a quick shower and going back to sleep until her eyes closed. Only if she took a bath could she fall asleep, and only if she rested beforehand, did she feel comfortable. It was a habit acquired since childhood, with her naive way of being. She believed that the steps to follow had to be in that specific order, or she wouldn't be able to fall asleep.
Wearing her oversized black shirt, resembling a nightgown from older times, in her adulthood, with a small green cap, she curled up in the middle of the bed, smiling foolishly.
She woke up when the night was already tapping on the windows, and only the moonlight, dark and faint, was embraced by paleness. Winona was there, covered up to her neck, with only whispers escaping her lips, while the hotel buzzed with dinner being served, yellow glasses clinking, and conversations filling the spaces.
Winona took the elevator with a large white blanket layered with clothes and, beyond that, a green hat with frog eyes. The glamorous lady of fashion had eye crusts, wore a flashy hat, and was not what she represented on the red carpets, on her sweet runways, or in her casual afternoons in Los Angeles. The herald of fashion for all the youth and magazines, scrutinizing everything Winona wore, was subjected to basic scrutiny worldwide.
Winona walked through the corridors until she reached the front of the table, covered in shadow and a column, and those present at the table were viewed delicately.
-So, you're a cinema enthusiast, - Gilliam remarked.
-I like watching movies. At home, I have a small projector from ten years ago that I use to play films. I like the old ways, and I prefer watching on a sepia screen with long dialogues, - said Billy.
-I have a book to lend you; you'll love it for your free afternoons, to reminisce about old times, - Gilliam said.
-You're a boring old man, -said Winona, squinting her eyes from afar. Bill had arrived, and she might steal his girls' night.
-I'm sorry with all my heart, but watching movies is not an old man's activity, - said Billy.
-Blah, blah, blah. I want ice cream with a little sugar. Now that you've arrived, it's time for you to give me all the food I deserve, - said Winona.
-I see you're still not taking out your wallet, - said Billy.
-Ugh, I hate having to pay for my ice cream. You pay for the ice cream, and I'll pay for your steak. Yes, that's a deal. We can continue with this before my legs cramp, - said Winona.
-Well, how are you, dear? I see you slept all afternoon, which is not advisable. Your parents should have told you, dear, but let it pass, - said Gilliam, with small eyes from so much effort; the recording plate had been working non-stop since morning, even skipping lunch.
-I was very sleepy, and now I feel ready for our movie night, - said Winona.
-Dear, I'm exhausted, but we can do it tomorrow before dinner, - said Gilliam.
-It's a promise, - the girl commented, raising her finger accusingly.
-Of course, dear, - said Gilliam, resuming his conversation with Billy about the old times of cinema and the great classics.
...