Chapter Text
Nicole can feel the fatigue hitting her body as she drives home from work. Fighting off a yawn, her body is on default as she turns her car onto her street.
A long week of early starts and long days making her ready for some food and an early night.
Thoughts keep swirling round that she can't shake and blames on the lack of sleep. Thoughts she has tried to push out her mind and forget.
A chance meeting is all it took to start this unexpected journey.
///////
Everything around her is a blur as she concentrates on finding her correct boarding gate, the airport is busier than she expected and Nicole wants to get there in plenty of time so she can relax.
A sudden impact brings her back to her surroundings and then she’s running over the top of a body.
“Ooof!”
“Jaysus feck, I’m sorry! Ya alrigh’ dere?”
Nicole manages to get back to her feet and can move to help the person up off the floor. Once the person is standing she can see it’s a woman with long blonde hair.
“Sorry, ya hurt?”
“No, just minus a coffee. Thankfully I’m not wearing it.”
“I’ll replace ya coffee, tis the least I can do.”
“There’s really no need, I wasn’t looking where I was going either.”
“Nah I insist, let me buy ya coffee.”
“Ok, if you insist.”
They share a smile before Nicole walks along with the woman towards the coffee shop and purchases a replacement coffee plus her own and a snack for the flight.
As they wait she can’t help but take in the woman, she’s just as tall as Nicole, but is wearing a suit and clearly in charge of something by the way her phone is buzzing in her hands.
“Am I keepin ya from sometin important?”
“No, coffee is most important and my phone is always like this. Perks of being a writer/producer of a TV show.” She says and puts her phone in her bag.
“So ya here fer da festival or jus passin tru?”
“Festival?” She asks.
“Banff film festival.”
“Oh is that on now?” She carries on when I nod. “No, I’m just passing through, been over here for some meetings. You’re here for the festival I take it?”
“Aye, for some reason me film was shortlisted so I’m here for da week.”
“Well congratulations. That’s no small thing. What’s your film about?”
“Very kind of ya,” pausing to consider this woman’s position, she wants to try and sell the film. “Tis bout takin trip abroad alone but travellin wit people. People ya meet and travel with dat before dat trip ya never knew before.”
“Sounds interesting, based on your own experiences I would guess?”
“Aye, did some travellin few years back an when I started editin together it snowballed into sometin.”
“Is that your day job? Editing?”
“Nah, office job. Dat media and IT fer a friends company.”
“So you didn’t shoot extra footage for your film? Just what you had taken when you travelled?”
“Nah was few shots of me gear, much of the like, but utterwise just some voice over audio bits.”
“I’d love to see it.”
“Really!?”
“Yeah I’ve got some time before my flight and knowing Banff its a short film done right. It sounds interesting and I’m always looking for new things so unless you have somewhere to be?”
“Nah got time, table?”
Somehow from that conversation Nicole finds herself sat at a table opposite a writer/producer and she’s set up on her laptop for her to watch the film. Nicole can only sit and watch her as she watched. Trying not to stare but keen to see her reaction, Nicole takes some deep breaths as she finishes the film and removes her headphones.
“I can see why you were nominated, it’s beautiful.”
“Dats very kind of yer ta say.” Nicole can’t help but smile.
“Where are you from, I love your accent.”
“Ireland.”
“And how long are you here?”
“I made dis more of a trip as was here fer the festival so jus shy of two weeks.”
“Well if you fancy something different on your trip I’d like to invite you to visit the set of the show I’m working on. Give you some real set experience?”
“Wait, seriously?” She just smiles and nods back. “I’d love dat.”
“I’ll be honest, I think there’s something you could help me with so it’s partly to my benefit but I’m sure we could help each other.”
“I’d love ta visit a real set so anytin I can help wit am open to hearin' bout.”
“Great,” she sits up to reach into her bag and pulls out her card. “Here’s my number, I’ll be in the office tomorrow so give me a ring and we’ll sort out your visit.”
“Sounds grand. By da way, me name’s Nicole Haught.”
“I saw your name on the video but we missed introductions didn’t we? I’m Jeannie Lucado and I look forward to welcoming you to my show The Homestead.”
Nicole can only smile as they both leave the coffee shop and head to their respective gates, the card still held tightly in her hand. As she takes a seat at her gate she opens her phone to add the number and save it. Nicole doesn’t even care that she cant wipe the smile off her face.
///////
Who knew that coincidental conversation in a random airport collision would change Nicole’s life so drastically.
Returning to the present, Nicole manoeuvres her car onto her driveway and parks. Reaching across for her bag on the passenger seat she climbs out and makes her way to her front door.
Fishing her car keys out of her pocket, she finds her house key and unlocks the door.
“Nicole.”
Nicole spins round with a gasp, not expecting to hear that voice again. She can only look over with her mouth hanging open in shock.
“Hey,” Nicole still doesn’t respond. “I know its been a while.” That’s putting it mildly Nicole thinks. “I think we really need to talk.”
Nicole momentarily comes back to herself and removes the key out of her front door. Moving to drop her bag inside the door and turn on a light, she turns back checking if someone is really there.
“Nicole, please.”
“Ok, come in.”
Nicole moves to open the door before leading the way into her kitchen. Turning on the light she moves to flick on the kettle before pulling out a chair at the table to take a seat. Waving a hand to the seat opposite her for her guest to also take a seat, waiting as they both get comfortable.
Nicole takes a few deep breaths before she looks across the table and meets the eyes of Waverly Earp.
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