How about something different as an extra? Like… a script teaser! Some of you have been asking about transcripts or parts of the script, so I thought: why not? No promises for the future, though 😉 Here’s the start of Part 3…

***PART 3 OF THE DIVA STORY***

“Hrm. No chance of cancelling that one, I guess…”, Hannah muttered. She was checking her schedule for the rest of the day.

Her assistant peaked around the corner. “Sorry, what did you say, Hannah?”

Hannah closed her laptop. “Nothing. Just forgot I have to have dinner with that opera singer tonight”, she said. Hannah hadn’t forgotten, of course. She had been dreading this appointment ever since it had showed up in her calendar.

She had studied Mildred North’s biography a couple of days ago and had realised she had absolutely nothing in common with the woman. She barely understood what some of the words in the resume meant, to be honest.

“Hey Suzy?”, Hannah asked.

She usually kept her door open, and her assistant immediately walked into the office.

“Yeah?”

“Do you know anything about opera?” Hannah asked. Suzy looked surprised.

“Ehm, no. I thought you used to go a lot when you were a kid?”, she asked.

“Yeah, I did. But… I didn’t really pay attention, you know. I was a kid!”, Hannah said.

Suzy smirked. “Of course you didn’t. You hate anything fancy. Except for the chocolate we sell, of course.”

Suzy winked and walked back to her own desk.

Hannah was drumming her fingers on the desk. “Shit, I really have no idea what to talk about tonight.”, she thought. There was no way in hell Hannah would call her mother for help. She didn’t want to get another lecture.

She glanced at the clock. It was almost 5PM. Maybe she should call Charlotte, her mother’s personal assistant. She might be able to help out with tips on how to approach tonight’s dinner, Hannah guessed.

“Hey Suzy, can you connect me to Charlotte?”, she asked.

“Sure thing”, Suzy immediately replied from the other room.

Hannah waited for the blinking light on the phone to show. She heard Suzy greet Charlotte, then “On line 1!”

“Thx!” Hannah picked up the receiver and pressed 1.

“Hello Charlotte, how are you?”

“Miss Emsworth! What a delight to hear from you!” Hannah smiled. Charlotte was always a bit formal. Her mother expected this from her PA.

“Thank you. It’s lovely to talk to you too, Charlotte. How are the preparations for my mother’s move going?”, she asked.

“Oh, just fine. Everything on schedule. We’ll have to say goodbye soon!”

Hannah nodded. She would, of course, travel to Europe frequently to visit her mother. But Charlotte would stay here and rarely see her former boss again. Her mother had graciously offered the assistant a new position at the foundation.

Which is why Charlotte was the perfect person to ask for help about Hannah’s dinner appointment tonight.

“Yes, time has flown by”, she said. “Charlotte, I was wondering if there’s anything I should take into consideration tonight?”

Charlotte seemed surprised by the question. She was quiet for a bit. “For your meeting with Miss North?”, she finally asked.

“Yes, her biography was … “ Hannah tried to find another word for incomprehensible.

Her mother’s assistant was used to reading between the lines, though. “Would you like me to send you a list of appropriate discussion topics?”, she suggested.

Hannah raised her fist in victory. “Aha, yes! That would be great, Charlotte. That should make this first meeting a lot easier. Thank you.”

“Ok, I’ll send it over in 30 minutes or so.”

“Perfect.” Hannah suddenly thought of something else. “Are we sending a car for Miss North?”

“Of course!”, Charlotte replied.

“Good. Thank you, Charlotte. You’ve been a real help.”

Charlotte chuckled warmly. “My pleasure, Miss Emsworth.”

“Charlotte, seriously, call me Hannah! Now that mother is leaving, and you’ll be working for the foundation, we can lose all this formality, no?”

Another brief silence on the other end of the line followed. “All in good time, Miss”, Charlotte then said.

Hannah shook her head in amused disbelief. “Ok, Charlotte. I look forward to your list. Have a great evening.”

“Good night, Miss Emsworth. Good luck with your first meeting as a patron of the opera!”

Hannah quirked an eyebrow. Was Charlotte teasing her? She didn’t get a chance to find out, because Charlotte had already hung up. Maybe there was more to her mom’s assistant than Hannah knew.

She stared at the phone and then forced herself to focus on what needed to be done before she could leave for the night.

“Suzy?”

“Yeah?”

“Have you heard from Patrick about the new store in Boston?”

“No…”

“Get him on the line for me, will you?”

“Straight away!”