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Julianne paced around her living room, feeling frustrated and anxious. Why did she return her mother's phone calls? It seemed silly now, though it had seemed like a good idea at the time. "I can't come over for dinner tonight," she insisted for the third time in ten minutes.

"You have yet to provide me with an apt excuse, Julia," her mother replied.

Julianne closed her eyes, knowing that her mother now had the upper hand. She never called Julianne by her real name unless she was reaching her boiling point. "I have a guest," she ventured to say hoping that perhaps that served as a proper reason for skipping dinner.

"What kind of guest?"

"A friend from New York," Julianne answered. "Kris," she added, if only because she liked the sound of the artist's name on her lips.

"Are you cheating on Adrian already?"

The question was so unexpected that Julianne was speechless for a few seconds, until she realized that her mother probably assumed that Kris was a man. "Adrian and I aren't a couple any more," she answered. "I forgot to tell you."

"Is that so? Well, I hope this 'guest' of yours is worthy of your time."

Julianne found herself smiling. "More than worthy."

"Dinner starts promptly at seven," her mother answered.

"But, Kris-"

"The invitation is for two," her mother said, curtly. "Call it morbid curiosity."

Julianne didn't like the sound of that. Kris deserved better than to be a 'morbid curiosity'.

"I'm going to hang up now, Julianne. You know being on the phone too long gives me a headache. Please be on time."

"Kris is a vegetarian," Julianne blurted, feeling resigned.

"I'll inform the cook. See you tonight."

"Bye." Julianne waited for her mother to hang up first, then shut off her phone. Dinner was bound to be a nightmare. She turned around to find Kris looking at the view outside. It was strange how one person could make her feel both jarred and peaceful all in the same instance. Was love always so conflicting?

Kris looked away from the windows as Julianne approached. "Is my being a vegetarian a hot topic of conversation these days?" she asked. Then shook her head. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop."

Julianne looked outside for a moment, at the ocean and the sky, feeling momentarily panicked by the concept of Kris meeting her family. "Would you be at all interested in attending dinner at my parents' house?"

She looked slightly shocked, but tried to cover it. "I'd love to."

"I must warn you that they are evil people," Julianne said, her tone light, though she meant the words. "My mother and sister, especially. They make Satan cower."

"I'm sure you're exaggerating," Kris replied with a grin.

Julianne shrugged, giving up. "You'll see. I apologize in advance for the traumatizing experience you'll probably go through."

"Are you trying to scare me?" Kris asked good-naturedly.

"Is it working?" Julianne asked hopefully.

"No," Kris answered after a moment of consideration. "I think now I'm just morbidly curious."

Julianne flinched, recalling her mother's wording. There was something disturbing about her mother and Kris using similar phrasing. Or maybe it was fitting to the occasion. Only tonight's events would tell. "Funny you should say that."

"Why?"

"Apparently, my mother feels the same way about meeting you," Julianne admitted.

This seemed to confuse Kris, who frowned slightly. "Why would she be morbidly curious to meet me?"

Julianne shrugged. "Probably because genuine interest in anything besides money and gossip eludes her. Plus the fact that she probably thinks we're dating. And that you're a guy."

"Well that's a nice twist," Kris replied, smiling. "Does that mean you want me to show up to dinner in drag?"

The thought made her smile. She couldn't imagine what her mother's reaction to that would be. "I think I like you better like this, actually."

"You think?"

"Well I haven't seen you in drag yet to compare," Julianne teased.

"Good point," Kris conceded. "So, why would your mother think we were dating?"

"Well, I didn't really correct her when I suspected that's what she assumed…" Julianne wasn't sure what Kris would make of that admission.

"Are you trying to give your mother a heart attack, Julianne?" Kris asked. "Cause if you are, and she really is as evil as you say, I'd gladly pretend to be your girlfriend for the evening." She winked.

Julianne wanted to laugh at the idea, but it was hard to ignore the pang of disappointment that accompanied hearing the word 'pretend.' "She really is that evil. But, I suppose there's no need to kill the woman." She smiled.

Kris smiled back, but didn't say anything, her attention once again on the view outside.

Julianne tried not to stare, tried not to focus on the emotions coursing through her. If she'd had any ounce of courage, she would've told Kris that she didn't want her to pretend to be anything. That she'd take the real thing any day. But how could she put into words this emotional desperation she was lost in? "Are you hungry?" she asked.

"Not really," Kris replied, glancing at Julianne. "My nerves are a little wired from all of the excitement."

It was often the case that Julianne would have to step outside of herself, and into Kris' shoes in order to understand what Kris was trying to say. It was easy to forget that her life was not ordinary. It worried her, trying to figure out how they could fit in each other's world, if it was even possible to merge them. This friendship between them, how long could it last?

"Julianne?"

The actress looked at Kris, momentarily startled. "Sorry?"

There was concern in the hazel eyes. "Are you alright?"

"Just a lot on my mind," she replied.

Kris nodded. "Are you nervous about the premiere?"

The premiere? Julianne had nearly forgotten that's the reason she was there. "Um, partly," she answered, though it was the least of her concerns. "Do you want to go down to the beach?"

Kris' eyes lit up at the suggestion. "I'd love to. I haven't been to the beach in ages."

Strange the things one takes for granted when living by the sea. But Julianne was secretly pleased that she could make Kris happy. She loved her enthusiasm and her appreciation of the things that Julianne barely noticed she had. It made Julianne want to take notice. It made her want to wrap everything up with a big red bow and hand it over to Kris.

Maybe. Maybe some day. She liked to pretend there was hope.