Star Ch. 01

"It started for me before even then. It was when you were showing me how to work the back of a dustcart."

"The first time we met?" I whistled in surprise.

"Yes."

"So you engineered me onto the set?"

"Well, I only wanted a technical advisor, but I got an actor and a stunt man instead."

"How many times...?"

"Teasing, teasing." She interrupted with a laugh.

"So... So, it's not just some flash in the pan thing then." I was suddenly serious. Karen saw this and sat next to me.

"Of course not. Why do you have to ask?"

"Well, the truth is, I keep worrying. You're still really young and I'm...not. I worry that I'll lose you somewhere down the line." I looked into her eyes and was surprised to see tears forming.

"You muppet. You are dense sometimes." She kissed me again. "I contrived to get you on my film set so I could have another chance to talk with you. You were the first person in a long time to treat me as a person not a movie star."

"But I treat everyone the same way." I shrugged.

"I know, even though you openly admitted you loved me as an actress, you still treated me as a person."

"Well, you treated me as someone too, you weren't condescending or anything."

"That's why I knew we could make it work, but you made it so hard for me."

"With the 'young women don't date old men' stuff?"

"Yes. Remind me, when did we actually start dating?"

"Around about when you convinced me that Emily could love Pops." I stopped and slapped my forehead. "Oh, you're right. I am a muppet. That whole argument was aimed at me wasn't it? Sorry for being so dense."

"Shut up and cuddle me, muppet."

I wrapped my arms around her in compliance.

"I was wondering, which one of us is it?" I murmured

"Which one of us is what?"

"The Lucky Star."