Chapter 5

" Y es, but even Aristotle recognized that art cannot be a slave to reality," Dante said.

"That cycles us back to the nature of representations," Jade mused. "Ella, what do you think?"

"I think I need some more fuel. Who wants a refill?" she asked.

"Ooh, I'd love some more green tea," Jade said.

"I'll take more oolong," Marni added.

Ella refilled each cup. "Would anyone like another slice of cake?"

"Uh, I will. The cherry, please," Marni replied, holding out her plate. "I still can't believe you made these from scratch."

"I've always loved baking," Ella said as she served her a piece of cake with a dollop of homemade vegan whipped topping.

"I wonder if the world would be surprised to learn that the woman who reimagined women's sexuality spends her time at home baking," Marni said.

"As far as I'm concerned, baking is all about the pleasure principle," Ella quipped. "Besides, it can be erotic. You should see me lick the bowl."

Everyone erupted into laughter.

"And you'd be amazed by what I can do with a rolling pin," Ella added. They were laughing so hard they were clutching their stomachs when Finn walked into the room.

"Well, this sounds like fun. I hope I'm not interrupting," he said.

"Not possible," she replied, rising to give him a kiss. "Finn, these are my friends, Marni, Dante, and Jade."

"Nice to meet you all," he said.

They all nodded and smiled. "Thanks for letting our little club crash your house," Marni said.

"Any time. Ella and I are always happy to have guests in our home."

"Why don't you join us, my love?" Ella suggested. "I made a sour cherry–vanilla cake and a flourless chocolate torte. Indulge with us."

"I wish I could, sweetheart; they look incredible. It was all I could do to run out for a minute. Sadly, I'm needed back at the studio. Looks like we might be able to wrap this thing up today. I just wanted to stop by to meet your friends."

"That was sweet of you," she said.

Finn gave her waist a gentle squeeze and lightly pressed his mouth to hers. "I'll see you tonight, sweetheart. Save me a piece of that chocolate cake." He turned to the group and said, "Great to meet you all. Hope to see you again soon."

After he left, Ella asked, "So, where were we? Baking: home economics or sex ed?"

THAT NIGHT, ELLA WAS SNUG IN BED reading a philosophy tome while Finn reviewed a script his agent had sent. Bored with her book, she placed it on her lap and sat quietly, absentmindedly running her fingers down his arm.

"That feels nice," he said, tossing his script onto the nightstand to give her his full attention.

"You are the sweetest man. Thank you for stopping by today to meet everyone."

"It was my pleasure. I'm only sorry I couldn't stay longer."

"They all thought it was sweet too. And they loved your house."

He stroked the side of her face and gently said, "Ella, this is our house."

"You know what I mean," she said dismissively.

"But Ella . . ."

"Dante is an amazing artist. I scrolled through his website. You'd appreciate his work; it has a great storytelling quality. He really pushes people to think. We're meeting at his place next week, so I'll get to see his works in progress."

"That's great, but please tell me he's gay."

"Why? You got a crush?" she joked.

"It was hard not to notice that he's an incredibly good-looking guy. Maybe I'm just a little jealous."

Ella giggled. "Sorry to disappoint, but he's definitely not gay. Marni is, if you're looking to add more gay friends to your inner circle."

He laughed. "Good one. Seriously, though, I'm glad you've found some creative people to spend time with. I know how important that is to you."

"Finn . . ." She trailed off, looking down.

"What is it, baby?"

"Well, it's just that your parents don't live far from here, and I know you're close with them. And you told me how much you like to hang out with your friends, but you haven't seen any of them the whole time we've been here."

"That's because I've been working and spending all my free time with you."

"I know, but . . ."

"What?" Finn asked.

"You haven't introduced me to anyone in your life, only the people on your payroll. Do your friends and family all hate me? Is that the problem?"

"God, no! Nothing of the sort. Why would you think such a thing?"

"Because of our breakup. You must have told your friends and family about it. Do they all think I'm a bitch? Is that why you haven't introduced me to them yet?"

"Oh, baby, no," he insisted, caressing her cheek. "When I got home from Sweden, I told everyone about you, my parents, my friends, everyone. I told them that I had met the love of my life, the woman I was going to marry. I said you had some things that you needed to take care of in your own life, but when you were ready, we'd be together."

"Really? That's what you said?" she asked, her eyes becoming misty.

"Word for word. Sweetheart, everyone in my life has been texting me nonstop since our very public engagement, begging for the chance to meet you. The only reason I haven't mentioned it is because I didn't want to overwhelm or pressure you. I know it's been a lot, moving here, getting settled. I just didn't want to ask for too much too soon."

"You really are the sweetest man. Finn, I want to build our life together. I would love to meet anyone and everyone who's important to you."

"I'll call them all first thing in the morning. I'm sure my parents will jump at the chance to meet you. Then maybe we could invite my closest friends over for a barbecue. There are two married couples, Chuck and Carol and Tom and Elise, and a couple of single guys, Dan and Jim, buddies of mine since we were kids. How about a week from Saturday? Joyce can handle the arrangements."

"That sounds perfect, but please let me take care of everything."

"Okay, sweetheart. They'll be thrilled to meet you."

Ella smiled. "What do you think about inviting Michael and Lauren too? It would be nice to get to know her better."

"I'm on it."

THE NEXT MORNING, ELLA WOKE UP and stretched her arms. She rolled over and discovered Finn wasn't there, but there was a note on her nightstand: Went to run a quick errand. Love, Finn.

She slipped her robe on and brushed her teeth. When she emerged from the bathroom, Finn was waiting for her holding a vase overflowing with brightly colored wildflowers.

Her whole face lit up. "Oh, wow. Those are stunning."

"God, you're beautiful in the morning," he said as he placed the vase on her vanity.

Ella blushed and asked, "What's the occasion?"

"I was thinking about that incredible night in Sweden when we had that special dinner in your room and . . ."

"You had it sent up with a small vase of wildflowers."

He nodded. "Then we took a candlelit bubble bath in that huge clawfoot tub, and we talked about building a life together, making an adventure, having a family."

"I remember every word."

"Now we're living that dream."

She gave him a soft kiss.

"I called my folks and they're stopping by later," Finn said. "They'll be here around two."

"What?" she asked, her eyes wide.

"They've been dying to meet you, so as soon as I mentioned it, they insisted on coming today."

"Oh my God, I need to get ready. There's so much to do. Should I serve a late lunch, or would they prefer . . ."

"You don't need to do anything. They're swinging by on their way to visit some friends. They can only stay for an hour or so. Joyce can serve tea and coffee."

"Then we'll need a cake. I know just the recipe. Oh, but I may need to run to the farmers market . . ." She trailed off, practically spinning in circles as she was speaking.

Finn gently took her hand. "You don't have to do anything. Just tell the staff what you want them to do."

"Finn, I'm meeting your parents for the very first time. This is important. I'm not outsourcing it. Although maybe Joyce can run to the farmers market so I'll have more time to . . ."

"Hey," he said, massaging her hand.

"Yeah?" she asked, looking deep into his eyes.

"I love you. That's all."

A FEW HOURS LATER, FINN FOUND Ella standing in their closet, her long hair wrapped in a towel.

"Hey, love. What are you up to?" he asked.

"Trying to decide what to wear," she replied, nervously pulling out hangers and shoving them back.

"I'm just wearing what I have on: jeans and a polo. Throw on anything."

"So you think I should wear jeans and not one of my usual sundresses?"

"Dress how you always do. You always look great. Just be yourself and relax."

"What about this one?" she asked, pulling out a long, flowing buttercup-yellow sundress.

"That would be perfect," he replied, pecking her cheek. "Baby, my parents are totally low-key. They're just excited to meet you."

"Are you sure they don't hate me?" she asked, distress marring her heart-shaped face.

He laughed. "Not in the slightest. They're eager to get to know you."

"You haven't told me much about them. I'm so nervous, I can't even remember their names."

"Daniel and Barbara. They're great, supportive, down-to-earth. In fact, you once paid me the nicest compliment." She raised her eyebrows and he said, "You said I was the kind of actor who considers the whole story he's a part of telling. That comes from my folks. When my mother started taking me to auditions, she'd tell me to ‘be truthful' in my performances and to ‘remember that people need their stories told.' They also never let me get caught up in the Hollywood nonsense. Early on, I started to become a bit enamored by fame, and they straightened me out right away. They told me to get over myself and that it's a privilege to be an artist, a privilege that requires humility. I wouldn't be who I am without them."

Ella smiled. "What do they do?"

"You'll have a lot in common with them. My mother worked part-time from home as a copy editor for academic authors. My dad was a civil rights law professor. But I retired them years ago."

"You did?"

"I bought them a house, nothing too showy, but something they're comfortable in. For years, I sent them on adventures around the world—Egypt, India, South Africa, Alaska. They've slowed down in that respect, but they still let me send them on a tropical cruise every year."

"That's lovely."

"Sweetheart, I'd love to do the same thing for your mother, if you'll let me. I'll take care of her. You won't have to worry about anything. I have the means to—"

"Finn, please, my mother is fine. You don't need to do anything for her."

He kissed her forehead. "I'm just saying I'll take care of you, and that includes anyone you love. Family is the most important thing to me."

"Tell me more about what Daniel and Barbara do these days," she said, trying to change the subject.

"They spend most of their time staying busy with activism and charity stuff. They're lefties, super progressive, so they're all over any cause related to fighting racism, supporting women's rights, feeding the hungry, or lobbying for environmental protections. They've campaigned for just about every liberal politician in the state of California, even down to the city council. Be warned: my mother is always signing me up for these protest email lists. You can't imagine the spam I get."

Ella laughed.

"Aside from that, they're avid readers and they love watching documentaries. It's hard to believe the wealth of information they know about different cultures, history, sociology, and the like. Think of them as hippie intellectuals."

"They sound great," she said.

"They are. And knowing them, they'll be right on time, so I should probably let you finish getting ready."

"Are you sure this dress is okay?" she asked again, her forehead creased with worry.

"It's perfect."

"MOM, DAD, IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU," Finn said, hugging them each tightly. "Come on in." He took Ella's hand and proudly announced, "This is Ella. Ella, these are my parents, Daniel and Barbara."

"I'm so glad to finally meet you," Ella said.

"The feeling is mutual," Barbara replied, wrapping her in a big hug. "We've heard so many lovely things about you, and we've been dying to get to know you."

"Me too," Ella said.

"Congratulations on your engagement!" Barbara added.

"Yes, congratulations! We're just glad Finn finally let us come by to meet you. We weren't sure if he's been keeping you to himself or holding you hostage. If you need to make a break for it, just give us a signal," Daniel said with a wink.

Ella giggled and Finn said, "Let's go hang out in the living room. We set up snacks on the coffee table."

They ambled into the living room. Finn and Ella dropped onto the couch, where he slung his arm around her, and his parents sat in the surrounding chairs.

"This looks delicious," Barbara remarked, admiring the cake dusted with powdered sugar. "Looks like Joyce outdid herself."

"Actually, Ella made it," Finn said. "Here, let me serve everyone some tea and cake."

"It's just an old-fashioned butter cake with blueberries," Ella said.

"I'm sure my doctor would have a fit—she's always getting on me about my cholesterol—but it looks too good to pass up," Barbara said.

"This is scrumptious," Daniel raved, wiping powdered sugar off his lips after taking a hearty bite.

"Mmm, it's wonderful," Barbara agreed.

"Yeah, it's delicious, sweetheart," Finn said softly.

Ella smiled. "You can top it with any fruit, and it caramelizes as it bakes. I usually use apples or plums, but blueberries are special to us, so I thought for today . . ." she explained, rubbing Finn's thigh.

"Sweetheart, tell them the story about how Albie and Margaret met." Finn turned to his parents and said, "When I got back from that Jean Mercier film, I told you about how extraordinary it was working with Albie Hughes."

"Yes, you did, after you eventually stopped gushing about Ella," Daniel said.

Finn blushed. "Albie was one of a kind, as remarkable in life as he was on-screen. He told us the most wonderful story about how he met his wife, the love of his life, to whom he was married for forty years. Go on, tell them."

"It was at a party in London," Ella began. "Something completely uptight and pretentious, a total upper-crust soiree, which was definitely not Albie's style. Margaret ended up there by chance, with no idea what kind of party it was, so she showed up in a simple dress with a homemade blueberry pie. Albie was hit by lightning the moment he saw her standing there, so beautifully out of place. Eventually, he spotted her at the dessert table and sidled over to her. He took a piece of the pie she'd made, and they started talking. He said he fell madly in love with her on the spot." Finn rubbed her back and she continued, "Anyway, ever since we heard the story, blueberries make us think of love. Epic, crazy love." She crinkled her nose and shook her head. "Maybe it's silly, but they've become special to us." She looked at Finn, and he gently kissed her forehead. His parents watched with warm smiles across their faces.

"That's a lovely story," Barbara said. "It was so thoughtful of you to make this for us, but I hope we didn't put you to any trouble with our impromptu visit. We would have taken you kids out somewhere, but sometimes it's easier in private, because of . . ."

Ella looked at her quizzically.

"Well, sometimes it can be difficult for Finn in public. The attention, you know," Barbara explained.

"Oh! Yes, of course. I'm sorry, I always forget he's famous. Not that I don't realize he's an actor. Of course I do. We met on a film set, after all. And he's such a deeply talented artist," Ella stammered. "It's just that I think of him as Finn, that's all."

Barbara and Daniel smiled at one another and then at their son before Barbara said, "So, Ella, Finn tells us your mother is an artist and that she lives in Spain with her partner. How exciting. What kind of painting does she do?"

An hour later, they were laughing hysterically, all completely at ease. "I'm telling you," Daniel said, "these people have never read a book. Critical race theory isn't new. I was teaching it decades ago, before some of these pissants were alive. If I hear one more of them say that it's corrupting their babies, I'm going to lose my mind. Sadly, it isn't taught in preschool, so if their ‘babies' are learning it, they're probably in graduate school. Pretty smart babies, especially considering how dumb their parents are."

Everyone cracked up.

"Ella, you must relate. I'm sure there's resistance to your work. Keep fighting it. Your insights into how culture corrupts the experience of pleasure is freeing women from the shackles of modern hegemony. It's recentering the discourse and pushing forward a new body politic grounded in women's experiences," Daniel noted.

"She's absolutely brilliant," Finn said, washed in a look of pride. He bashfully turned to Ella and quietly said, "It's true."

Barbara smiled, watching her son and his betrothed.

"Brilliant may be an overstatement, but I do like to push the bounds. If nothing else, it keeps this one on his toes," Ella replied, giving Finn's hand a squeeze.

"That it does," Finn agreed, looking down, his face turning red.

"Well, I know we could sit here and chat all day long," Barbara said. "It's just so wonderful spending time together, but I'm afraid if we don't leave soon, the traffic will be horrendous."

"We're so glad you could stop by," Finn said, rising to his feet.

"It was absolutely wonderful to meet you," Barbara said, hugging Ella. "Let's get together for lunch sometime. I know you're surely busy with work, but when you have time, I'd love to finish our conversation. Oh, and I'll add you to that email list I told you about so you can sign those petitions."

"Great," Ella replied, smiling as she shot a knowing glance at Finn.

"Sweetheart, I'm going to walk my folks out," Finn said, pecking her cheek.

When they got outside, Finn said, "Thanks so much for coming."

"Way to go, son! She's sensational," Daniel enthused. "Smart as a whip, kindhearted, and a real knockout to boot."

Finn smiled. "What do you think, Mom?"

"She's everything I ever hoped for you. She's her own person with her own interests and passions, someone who can be a real partner for you." She paused to consider her words, then said, "When you became so ridiculously successful at such a young age, I worried about the kind of woman you would end up with, if she would only see you as a movie star, and whether she would really love you for the remarkable man you are. Ella loves you, the real you, not the glossy image on the cover of GQ . It's clear as day that you're mad about her too. I couldn't get over the look on your face every time you glanced at her, like she's the only star in your universe. I've never seen you so happy."

"Being with her, it's everything I've ever wanted," Finn said.

"Your father and I are thrilled for you." He opened her car door and she got in. "Now don't forget to read that information I sent you about pollution in our oceans." With that, she shut her door and they drove away.

Finn returned inside and found Ella in the kitchen covering the leftover cake with plastic wrap. He came up behind her, slipped his arms around her waist, and whispered, "They loved you."

"I was a little nervous at first, but they made me feel so comfortable. They're great. I shouldn't be surprised. You're such an extraordinary man, it's no wonder you have such lovely parents. Seeing who they are helps me understand how you could be so grounded, value driven, and focused on love and family despite the whole Hollywood thing." She turned to face him and he kissed her. "It's nice they live close to us. If we have children someday, they'll be so lucky to have such wonderful grandparents nearby."

Finn smiled widely. He wove his fingers into her hair and kissed her again. "I love you."

A FEW DAYS LATER, THEY WERE CUDDLING on the couch and reading the morning newspaper when Lorraine popped over. "I have the final item for your office, Ella. I just need to hang it. Then it's time for the big reveal," she announced.

"Ooh, how exciting," Ella said.

"Sweetheart, I want to go up and take a look. Wait right here," Finn instructed.

"Okay," she replied.

He returned a few minutes later with a grin and said, "Come on, love." When they arrived at the door, he told her, "Close your eyes." She obliged. He took her hand and led her into the room. "Okay, open your eyes."

She opened her eyes and gasped. "Oh my God," she muttered, slowly twirling around to take it all in. "It's . . . it's the most beautiful room I've ever seen."

"We went with a three-tone wood parquet floor, ivory walls, and sheer matching curtains," Lorraine explained. "We've added this large window seat and built-in library over here, right when you walk in. Since you like to work with others, the center of the room is designed for collaboration with a plush white couch and comfortable chairs. I added pillows with a green ivy pattern and green throw blankets to give it a splash of color while staying true to the French country theme." Ella smiled softly, her eyes becoming damp. Lorraine continued, "The tea table is an antique imported from Scotland. It's a bit higher than your average coffee table, in case you want to sit there and write. Personally, the chandelier is my favorite piece in the room. It was handcrafted in the 1920s, and the strands feature over one thousand crystal balls. And you can see we've installed wooden beams on the ceiling, to mirror the style of your apartment in Paris."

Ella turned to Finn, who smiled brightly and whispered, "I remembered how you described your apartment."

"Over in the far corner, the pièce de résistance, is an antique writing desk, made in France, featuring two-tone wood and gold engravings on the legs," Lorraine said. "It belonged to Colette. Finn said she was one of your favorite writers."

"Oh my God," Ella mumbled, running her fingers across the desk. She turned to Finn and asked, "How . . . how . . ."

He rubbed her hand. "That night in Sweden when we played that game where everyone described who they would invite to a dinner party. You mentioned her."

"I . . . I don't know what to say."

"There's a lot to absorb," Lorraine said. "We've redone the bathroom, and over in the closet, we've installed shelves and drawers for better organization. It's already loaded up with your favorite notebooks and other supplies. I think Finn would like to show you the rest, so I'll see myself out."

"Thank you for everything, Lorraine," Finn said.

Ella turned and hugged her, whispering, "Thank you," in a barely audible voice.

"It was my great pleasure," Lorraine replied on her way out the door.

"Come here," Finn said, taking Ella's hand and directing her to the library. "The top shelf is poetry, all the Romantics. First editions. For when you want to get lost, or maybe found. Beneath that, philosophy books. Simone de Beauvoir and all your favorites." She sniffled and he continued, "The bathroom has a big clawfoot bathtub, like the one at the inn from that great night. Oh, come over here." Her eyes whirled as she took in all the details: a sparkling Eiffel Tower on a small table, an old map of Sweden, a stack of modern art books, a framed photo with the whole group from when they met on location, another photo of them kissing on the red carpet in Cannes, a pastel-colored globe sitting atop a gold base. He noticed her eyes land on the globe and explained, "To help us plan our adventures." She smiled, trying to hold back her tears. "That's the piece we were waiting for," Finn noted, pointing to a framed Jean-Michel Basquiat poster signed by the late artist. "He was another person you mentioned as a dream dinner guest. I thought it might serve as inspiration and a focal point for the sitting area when you have people over."

"Finn, I don't know what to say," she muttered, hot tears streaming down her face.

He gently wiped her tears. "There's still more to see. The outside is my favorite," he said, leading her to the newly installed French doors. "Go on."

Ella opened the doors and stepped onto the veranda. There was a hand-painted mural covering the entire wall that depicted landmarks from around the globe—the Arc de Triomphe, the Tokyo Tower, the Great Wall of China, the Taj Mahal, the Empire State Building, the Hollywood Sign, and more. "See?" he said. "Paris and LA are represented, but so is the rest of the world because I hope that we can see it all together."

"Finn . . ." she mumbled.

"You told me that you moved around a lot growing up, but that your mother made each new place feel like home by painting colorful murals on your bedroom walls."

"I can't believe you remembered that."

"Oh, this is the best part. Flip that switch," he said.

She flipped the switch, and the entire veranda was illuminated by twinkly lights. She smiled through her tears, sheer wonderment on her face.

"You also said your mother would string up twinkly lights." He paused for a moment and asked, "So, what do you think, sweetheart?"

She looked deeply into his eyes and said, "It's not a room; it's a love letter."

"I know you, Ella. Everything that matters. I love you with all my heart."

She wrapped her arms around him, holding him close, and whispered, "I love you." Eventually, she pulled back and said, "Come here. I know it's not what Lorraine intended, but let's go make good use of that couch."

FINN SIGHED DREAMILY, HIS LIMBS entwined with Ella's. "That was so beautiful," he whispered, kissing her softly.

"I feel so impossibly close to you," she said, tracing her finger along his eyebrow.

"Me too."

"Finn, when are we going to get married?"

He smiled. "I was waiting until you were ready. I'd marry you today, this instant. When should we do it?"

"The sooner, the better."

"We'll get back from my Boston film shoot by early September, so we could easily do it any time after that."

"How about the first of October?"

His face lit up. He kissed her again and said, "Let's do it. What kind of wedding do you want? Where should we have it?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. We can figure it out. The details are unimportant. All I know is that I love you and can't possibly live without you."

"Me too. The first of October it is," he said.

"I'm so excited. I have to tell my mother, to make sure she can come in from Spain. Do you mind if I call her?"

"Call her now! Tell her I'll send my jet and take care of everything. Then I'll call my parents."

"Okay," Ella replied, leaning down to retrieve her sundress from the floor. She pulled her cell phone out of the pocket and dialed her mother's number. "Hi, Mom. I'm calling . . . Yeah, Mom, that's great. But listen, I'm calling with news. We set the date for our wedding. We're getting married in October, on the first. You can make it, right? Finn said he'll take care of the arrangements . . . Yay! I can't wait for you and Alejandro to meet him." She glanced at Finn and he squeezed her shoulder, a wide smile across his face. "We can put you up at a hotel if you prefer, but there's plenty of room at Finn's house. Oh, Mom, wait until you see the office he created for me. It's magical. It's the most beautiful room in his house." Finn's heart sank, but Ella looked at him smiling and he smiled in return. "Okay, yes, we can go over all the details later. I just had to call and tell you right away. Tell Alejandro I said hi . . . Love you too. Bye."

She put her phone on the tea table and nuzzled into Finn, resting her head on his chest. He enfolded her in his arms, caressing her hair.

"I'm so happy. I can't believe this is all real," she said.

"Me too. Ella . . ."

"Yeah?" she asked, looking up into his eyes.

"I love you, that's all. Forever. I just want to make sure you know that."

She squeezed him tighter and said, "I love you too."