LITMIR.BIZ

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the Women’s World Fair, but Adrian agreed to give Farah a small part in his movie. In Adrian’s movie, Farah played one of the mischievous dancers who took Charlotte’s character out fo-wah too many drinks the night before a big audition, causing that character to almost fail the audition.

      “Aah still remember the ladies’ excitement years later at the Women’s Fair, on April 18, 1925, when they heard Lillian give her speech. Ms. Tolbert was a big hit. She was a black inventor who devised a new kind of pitcher that kept ice separate in the core to keep drinks cold, called the Tolbert Pitcher. Ms. Tolbert beamed as she explained that the only man who had anything to do with her invention was the attorney at the patent office. Charlotte and Farah began discussing the possibility that a movie could be written, directed, and produced entirely by women. Aah thought it was cute. The three ladies became very good friends and quite an attractive threesome walking into several parties at the most coveted bars and restaurants of our time.

      “Aah financed Adrian’s first movie production, in its entirety. And the movie, which Adrian titled simply, Born to Dance, did rather well at the box office. More importantly, it skyrocketed me into the world of movie production. Adrian came up with several more film ideas and wanted Charlotte to star in them. Aah financed two more of Adrian’s films, but other movie writers began sending me scripts. Better scripts. It broke my heart to turn down Adrian’s next script, and it upset Charlotte quite a bit, seeing that the two had become quite accustomed to working together. That, plus Charlotte felt we owed Adrian some kind of loyalty. As far as aah was concerned, it was time to move on from Adrian. Our initial meeting on the train turned out to be fo-wah our mutual benefit. Adrian could not have gotten his first script to the big screen without me, and aah got my first start in the movie business. That’s all.

      “During that time, Charlotte and aah quarreled quite often, usually because Adrian was constantly discussing his ideas with her, but then when he presented them to me, aah had to turn them down. Charlotte was smitten with him. The way Adrian became overly excited about each film idea and his description of the role he created in each one especially fo-wah her. Aah overheard them discussing work more than once and, combined with a Gin Rickey, or two, it was just bad fo-wah business. Slowly, Adrian’s drinking got out of hand. It was a shame to see a man fall so hard. He stopped writing scripts, and we began to see less and less of him.

      “Aah produced and directed multiple films Charlotte starred in. She became quite famous. A few months after filming her fifth film, Charlotte became pregnant. We welcomed our daughter, Clara. She had beautiful gray-blue eyes and her mother’s reddish-blond hair. Charlotte spent as much time as she could with Clara her first year and then began preparing fo-wah our next film. We were busy all day every day. It was difficult fo-wah us leaving Clara with a nanny so often those days, but Charlotte was worried that she would not be able to revive her career after having a baby if she waited too long.

      “Unfortunately, Charlotte was never able to complete filming. On July 3, 1925, Charlotte and aah, along with Lillian and Farah with their dates, went to the Pickwick Club, a speakeasy, at Six Beach Street in downtown Boston. Even Adrian was there and congratulated us on the birth of our baby. We hugged and let bygones be bygones. Around 3:00 a.m. of July 4, there were still over one hundred people at the Pickwick. McGlennon’s jazz orchestra was on the bandstand. Aah can still hear Johnny Duffy singing ‘Twelfth Street Rag.’ People were out on the flo-wah dancing and having a great time. Adrian pulled me outside to discuss his next idea fo-wah a movie away from the loud music.

      “We stood outside smoking a cigar while Adrian shared with me his idea about two friends who become real estate tycoons and relocate to Florida where they build massive mansions and live lavish lifestyles until they fall in love with the same woman. Ultimately, the two men almost destroy everything they built together before they realize the woman was playing both of them.

      “Adrian was completely immersed in telling the story when we heard the strangest sound, like a bag of sugar falling on paper. People started yelling from inside the club. Adrian and aah ran in but plaster was falling over our heads…”

      “Mason! Dinner’s here!” Hannah shouts from the bottom of the stairs of their home.

      The Pickwick Club disappears, and Mason is once again in his room. He hurries downstairs to help Hannah set the table. Mason decides he did not want to share any of his experience with Wesley, in case Hannah overreacted and made much ado about nothing. So as he sits there eating his soup, Hannah asks him about his homework and if he had any big school projects coming up. They discuss their weekend plans, and Mason says that he would go see a movie with James and a few other guys from the hockey team.

      Hannah reminds Mason that if he ever needed a way out of a difficult situation with his friends, to text her their code phrase: “Did you remember to feed Belle?” That is the name of their pet parrot and signals for Hannah to go pick up Mason. It was Hannah’s way of protecting Mason from underage drinking or drugs. If Mason feels pressured to do something he knew he shouldn’t, he would text the code phrase to Hannah to alert her of the situation. To date, Mason hasn’t used the code.

      When dinner is over, Mason tells Hannah that he had a few more chapters to read for history class and went back upstairs. As if he hasn’t missed a beat, Wesley reappears in Mason’s room and transports them back to the Pickwick Club. He continued his story.

      “Adrian ran ahead into the club, but aah couldn’t get in, and after a few minutes of trying to make my way through the people and falling plaster, the ceiling collapsed, the floor gave way, and two sidewalls caved in. Aah barely made it back outside when the whole building came crashing down. Aah panicked and prayed in frozen fear that Charlotte made it out from a back door somehow, but aah never saw her again. Charlotte and Adrian were among the forty-four people who died that night. The lead singer, Johnny Duffy, died too, leaving behind two little daughters of his own.

      “The City of Boston blamed the collapse on the rigorous dancing and banned the Charleston dance rather than looking at the structural integrity of the building or occupancy levels. It took some time before it was revealed that a fire had occurred three months before and badly damaged the floors above the club. The building should never have reopened after the fire. Rainwater pooled on the roof, and the building collapsed. The city employees involved were indicted on various charges, but all were acquitted.

      “Clara was only eighteen months old when her mamma passed. She has no recollection of her and knows her only from the movies she starred in. Clara watched those films over and over again as a little girl. In my grief, aah took Clara on a ferry ride where we could be on the water, away from the world. The ferryboat stopped at Peaks Island. Aah raised Clara, your great-grandmother, right here in this house.”

      Mason was stunned. It was quite an incredible story revealing that Charlotte’s daughter was his great-grandmother. So Wesley was his great-great-grandfather? It was a lot to take in, and Mason realized that Hannah had never told him much about their family history other than that their family had been in Peaks Island and the East Coast for decades. Hannah was an only child of a couple who tried for many years to conceive a child and claimed it was a miracle when Hannah was born to her mother at age forty-five. Mason remembered his grandparents but did not know much about family members who lived before they did.

      “Aah have plans fo-wah a new movie, Mason. Aah have big dreams fo-wah you.”

      “Why do you want to help me, Wesley? Why aren’t you resting peacefully in the ever after? Your story was sad, but you made a mistake in choosing me. Hannah is the one who tries to help souls with unfinished business. I am not interested in hanging out with the dead. My mom is the one you should talk to. Thanks, but no thanks.”

      “That’s why aah want you, Mason. It’s that fire you have inside. Hannah is soft and sweet, not movie director material.”

      “Wait, so you want me to be a movie director? Oh my god!” Mason starts laughing. “I can’t believe this. I can’t believe I am talking with a ghost who wants to turn me into a movie director, and I haven’t even graduated high school yet.”

      Wesley went on, “Look here now, you think you want to be an author, right? Well, many people do too but very, and

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