296. mothers.

The house was large enough to accommodate ten people, with a spacious kitchen, a large living room, and more. Two caretakers, a husband and wife, who performed the household chores, were considered integral parts of the family, with a small child seen running barefoot with dogs back and forth. The garden was sizable, at least 10 meters, containing amidst it a flower garden.

-Good morning, dear. I didn't expect to see you so early in the morning, - commented Blythe Danner, wearing a white collar jacket and a necklace of transparent beads resembling a rosary. She was beautiful, very much like her son, albeit older, with well-preserved skin and the charm of a mother.

Her gaze stopped at Billy, who was wearing a dark blue suit, walking briskly. She noticed his fine shoes, custom-tailored suit, the budding beard with a goatee on his face. He looked quite handsome, with a red tie accentuating his suit.

-The pleasure is mine, ma'am! I'm Billy Carson, - Billy commented after his mother's hug.

-Oh, dear, it's so good to see you after such a long time. You look even more handsome than on screen or in photos. You have the air of James Dean, with a mix of a businessman that melts people's hearts. Now I see why Gwyneth fell for you, - Blythe commented with a giggle, receiving Billy's handshake. The smile her mother gave to Gwyneth made her blush, and Billy too. The dogs barked not far away.

-Mom! -replied the blonde, affectionately.

-Don't be nervous, dear. Our new James Dean must be exhausted after a hard day's work. Let's go, Delmeza is preparing the young man's room, along with a nice hot bath. We'll have dinner at 5:00 pm, but the young man can have some pastries, -Blythe commented, ushering them in while the bodyguards took a turn and headed to a nearby hotel.

-Where is my brother and my father? - Gwyneth asked.

-They've gone to Los Angeles. They expected your recording process to take some time; we even thought you might skip the party. It's a pleasure to have you! - Blythe replied.

Both women delved into their adventures; they each had two-family homes, but New York and its surroundings were preferable to the hot west of California. One was smaller than the other; a clear example was the work that kept them separated and often only allowed brief visits. They seemed like friends; the way everything unfolded hinted at it.

They climbed the stairs without further questions about rest; even so, Blythe disappeared upstairs as soon as she introduced the guest room. Billy took a breath, and though he wanted to sleep, he understood perfectly well that the blonde beyond the door at the end of the hallway wanted to spend quality time with her mother. And he was part of that equation. What do stars do when they don't have much to do? Play board games, pass the time with card games, or conversations.

His thoughts were devalued when the blonde arrived, hopping with joy. - What are you doing here? You have to take a hot bath and eat something. Dinner's at five, and then you'll meet Mom, - Gwyneth commented.

-Give me a second, I'm just contemplating a bit, - Billy replied.

She just sighed at seeing how tired Billy was, it was evident. It was always work this and that. -You're exhausted. And it's not normal. Come on, take a shower, and take a break. I'll call you for dinner. Mom always leaves the towels under the sink; you can take one. You have to hang it up later. The hot one is on the right. And come, you can use some shirts; we have some we usually get from publicity. Your size should be L, - said the blonde.

Billy took a quick shower with cold water to shake off the weight on his shoulders.

***

In a dimly lit room, Billy slept peacefully as the daylight gently filtered through, still casting a dusky gray tone. Even when a young woman snuggled up in his arms, he remained deeply asleep. She breathed in Billy's scent with a hint of disappointment, convincing herself that she wasn't completely in love; she just wanted to spend time, have fun, and pursue her dream of becoming a great actress.

-Hey, you need to wake up. Dinner's ready, - Gwyneth softly whispered, giving Billy gentle kisses. Unconsciously, she savored Billy's scent, finding it intoxicating.

-Darling, you need to wake up! We have a lot of things to do, -the blonde replied again.

-I'm awake, I'm awake. I think I need some sugar, - said Billy, feeling Gwyneth beside him.

Blythe was sipping a glass of wine while listening to a slow ballad. The piano notes intertwined in a somewhat absent, desynchronized manner. Meanwhile, on the table, various dishes refreshed, including roast beef, salads, bread, and a soup served in a large porcelain bowl with a ladle. The plates were adorned with specific designs, white, and the cutlery was presentable.

-Later, I'll introduce you to all the dogs. We have a cat, but it usually hides on the terrace. Poor thing, it's afraid of people and quite finicky. Mom doesn't let them in, for obvious reasons, - a distant voice of two youngsters spoke as Blythe opened her eyes and they sat down at the table.

-Good afternoon, - Billy responded as he took a seat not far away, reflecting the seating arrangement at the eight-seat table.

-Don't worry, dear, - Blythe commented. Dinner began, and fortunately, the atmosphere was much calmer than a family gathering should have been for Billy.

-It's a pleasure, Mrs. Patrowl, - Billy replied.

-Danner, Miss Danner. Patrowl is my husband. If I prefer a surname, it's the one I took as my own, -the mother replied somewhat haughtily.

Both tasted the food, accompanied by the soft vinyl records played by the mother. The afternoon, though cold, was pleasant, and despite any underlying tensions, calm prevailed.

-Wine? -Blythe queried.

Billy shook his head, while the wine was poured for Gwyneth, who gladly savored the sweet and flavorful high-quality wine. A good wine was a desirable item, and after a while, the sweetness was captivating, surpassing a regular sip, much stronger.

-How was the movie? - the mother asked.

-Perfect, although there were several scripts, we ended up shooting more scenes. It's just that the filming was smooth, and the crew was very committed, different from what I thought it would be, - Gwyneth replied, fixing her gaze on Billy.

-It's fantastic. I can confidently say it will be recognized as one of the classics of cinema. If done with quality work, although it might be subject to some thoughts, I can see that the movie's image represents something profound and recurring. A good start, a good problem, and perhaps a good ending—all the ways the scenes develop are great, - Billy commented.

-Ohhhhh... I can hear some very deep words, considering your status. It must be true. There's no doubt that your skills will be tested upon release. Although I'm happy for you, a good project can be the stepping stone for new movies. All you need are pushes, - Blythe commented, taking out a cigarette from her purse and lighting it, taking a brief step toward the window so as not to interrupt the lovebirds.

-Thank you, - said Billy, continuing with his meal.

-Ahhhh... I don't know why you're being modest. -

-He's always like this, Mom. I think he's only arrogant when he's angry. For now, all he's doing is being a hungry young man, - Gwyneth laughed.

....

webnovel removed the numbers, or that's what I see... I have no idea, anyway, everyone have a good week.