New chapter of my novel is here! I can tell you that it’s a very fresh chapter – you can’t find it on my first Polish blog in the first version because it simply didn’t exist 11 years ago! Also, another song that you already know appears here – Madly Falling In Love!

So, now I wish you a very pleasant reading!

***

11^th February 2014

Dear Diary,

things in Poland still look bad, maybe even worse than yesterday. It’s a pity to talk about it. Anyway, there is nothing new worth mentioning, so let me go straight to the description of the Sunday meeting which was a celebration related to finishing work on the first episode of our series.

*

Sunday is the best time to celebrate something huge. It’s even inscribed in the name of this day. That’s why I decided to invite my friends to a house party. When Joe left, I told Camille about the role and the fact that we’d just finished recording the first episode. All in all, it was a long weekend then and we didn’t return to work until Wednesday. More about it in the next entry… As you can see, my dear diary, it was the perfect time to celebrate.

I called Sindy and Brian and invited them to the house party as soon as I thought of it. The next day I presented a few ideas to my parents, and they were very eager to agree to put them into life and offered help with preparations. I was about to make some snacks with my mom and sister, and my dad was supposed to order and deliver dinner for eleven people (my parents, me, Sam, Joe, Sindy, Brian, Mike, Harry, and Taylor; and she wanted to bring Peter with her). He himself suggested making freshly squeezed juices. Apart from food, there were also some attractions to think about… And I had a lot of ideas – board games, singing by the fire, watching a movie together in the open air… There were a few more days, so I conducted a survey among the whole interested group when we had breaks on the set. I went from one person to another or made calls. And the result was unanimous – board games, a semi-formal meal, and a sweet form of barbeque.

When on Saturday the final slap fell, which meant finishing work on the first episode, we were all extremely happy. We decided to take scripts into our own hands and throw them up, although we had no need for them for a long time, so at first it took us a moment to find them hidden deep in our wardrobes, but in the end, we did it as we wanted.

After changing our clothes, everyone went home, and we met on Sunday in the end. And as I mentioned in the previous entry, I also met Sindy and Joe on Saturday… The next two days we didn’t meet at all. Everyone wanted to rest and just be surrounded by their loved ones.

Now listen, my dear diary, to what that day of celebration looked like.

*

It all started at four in the afternoon. Our entire living room was covered with tables full of various board games. Everyone could sit by the chosen one and play. Three hours were allocated to this part of the evening. There was a buffet under the windows. When someone was hungry or thirsty, they could go over there and help their stomachs.

I remember playing Checkers and Monopoly and then going to eat some fancy sandwiches that I made with my mom and Sam. I chose a fresh yellow smoothie to drink. I was just eating my second salmon and cream cheese sandwich when Sindy and Brian approached me.

– Wow! You made it look wonderful. You should become a professional celebration planner – Sindy laughed.

– And these sandwiches are beautiful! Did you do it by yourself only? – Brian asked, eating his snack.

I told him that I had found the recipe in the cookbook and that my mother and sister helped me conjure it up out of nothingness. He was just nodding his head and was already planning to take the next sandwich when he noticed chocolate chip cookies that looked perfectly like a picture and in the end, he picked one.

We chatted for a few more minutes and later everyone went searching for another game. I was just passing next to Joe at chess when he accosted me.

– Hey, Lau! Come play with me. I don’t have a pair, and it’s no fun to do it alone.

I explained to him that I had never played before, but it didn’t bother him. He said he can teach me, and the best learning can only be at the table. In the end, I gave up and sat down next to him. I know it wasn’t about the game, it was about me. But what could I do? Just smile.

He talked to me all the time, but these were just the official regulations about the game, and he never looked at me with love. It wasn’t bad and I think we both had a good time in each other’s company.

This way, the time allotted for board games expired.

*

Learning to play chess with Joe was a pure pleasure, I admit. He’s a good teacher… Later we talked about nothing for a while, and it ended like that.

I got hungry again. Dinner was planned to happen in twenty minutes, so I grabbed an oatmeal cookie from the buffet. I had a moment to observe the entire gathering in the room and then I went to help my mother prepare the table for the dinner. The head of the family (I mean my dad) bought several types of food for this occasion – sushi, pizza, even burgers, and fish and chips. Everyone could choose what they wanted. Well, but not quite. One of the funniest situations was the “argument” between Peter and Taylor.

– So what? We’re gonna eat a fish, aren’t we? What a smell! – Tay decided.

– Fish? But this burger looks great! Just look! Don’t you see?! – Pete tried to convince her.

– Nonsense! – she waved her hand the way that meant “absolutely not”. – The fish is healthier – and she put the fish on his plate. He was extremely disappointed, but he ate it politely.

I still laugh when I recall that moment. They were sitting right in front of me, so I could see it as well as if I was sitting in the VIP seat in the cinema.

*

After the meal, the time to light the fire in the garden came. My dad left at first, and Joe and Mike were kind enough to offer him help with fetching wood, sharpening sticks, and stringing upon marshmallows. It was about to be our dessert. After a few minutes, the whole company began to go outside.

It was already getting dark. Nights in Los Angeles aren’t too cold, but it’s always better to dress a little warmer. Also, I love gazebos and ours is still my favourite. Never mind… So, before I went there, I hooked up to my room and put on my favourite black cardigan. On the way back, I met my sister who also decided to do the same, but I was already walking towards the garden, and she was going to her room. We sent out meaningful faces on the stairs.

I went outside and sat on the bench in the end. Sindy sat down next to me and Joe on the other. It looked a bit like the competition of these two for my affection. It sounds funny but how real it was! You are probably wondering, my dear diary, where Brian was then. Later he told me he was wrapping cookies in napkins and stuffed them into pockets. Well…

– How do you live with the fact that we are starting to shoot the second episode on Wednesday? Don’t you feel like we’ve just met? – the blonde asked me.

– Yes! Exactly! Isn’t it strange how quickly we get used to new situations?

– Yes, and time is passing by anyway… – Joe put in a word a little bit philosophically…

At this point, Brian joined us, and our deep conversation was over. He saw that the youth started changing into old people thinking about their past life a little too much, so he started trying to make us laugh. How good it is to have this type of man in your gang! What exactly was he doing? He was making funny faces and telling us jokes. These kinds of things.

After all, the part of the evening with the barbecue began. Joe took the guitar with him, so he was singing for us while we were baking our marshmallows. He even showed us a new song and its title was Madly Falling in Love. This piece was genuinely nice. It was an acoustic version. Today you can listen to the studio recording and the same acoustic version on the Internet. But VIPs like us were the first to hear it. It’s worth living for such moments, it makes you want to live!

Obviously, Joe couldn’t play all the time, so when he had enough, I turned the radio on. It was nice like that anyway because some people were singing along…

It was also a very integrative time for our families. I noticed that my sister talked to Mike, and what came of it, you will see in the next writing, my dear diary. My parents talked to Joe’s cousins and Peter. So yes, a few groups were created but actually, everyone talked to everyone. No one was sad that night. It’s probably the most important – we felt good there then. Like one big family…

*

In general, it was a phenomenally successful Sunday undertaking. It was great! It’s nice to recall such moments… I don’t need to add anything more. My dear diary, you already know what it all looked like, so goodnight. The story will be continued tomorrow. Well, unless I’m busy…

P.S. “You don’t realize how freaking hungry you are until you see bread”.

This time these are my own words… I won’t say what it is about… I’m just longing for something so much… For bread… Unfortunately, I must wait until morning, eh. Laugh if you want to, dear diary! Yes, I got hungry at midnight!

***

Did you like a newly written chapter? Let me know in the comments!

You can continue reading this story in your signed copy which you can order here or keep reading on your e-book reader – the e-book is here. There is a special novel-inspired T-shirt, bag, and collection as well. There’s no discount anymore, but you can get free shipping, by ordering a package for $75+.

So, that’s all today. I’ll be back on Wednesday!

Love, A.A.