Since the end of Aveline’s concert tour in Capital City, Viviane hid in the portable office installed outside Sound Stage 19 on the Sommet Studios lot. Being portable, the office structure was once considered temporary, but as with all temporary solutions, it somehow became permanent. Weeds grew around the temporary structure’s foundation blocks and a non-temporary ramp to the front door was built years ago to comply with disability access laws.

The portable office now served as living quarters for Viviane. Being a vanilla office layout, the building was not meant for living in as there was no kitchen, only a tiny bathroom and it was furnished with drab office desks and chairs used by producers when rented the adjacent sound stage. Comfortable it was not. Bastian and Aveline lived there with Viviane. Bastian lived there because of a promise he made to Luc to protect Viviane. Aveline was there to keep a jealous eye on Bastian to insure that nothing happened between him and the tall, gorgeous model. Sometimes, the tense situation between these three living together seemed worse than the increased danger and tension in the world.

Bastian relocated all his computers and networking equipment from his hotel room to the portable office. That way, he could continue to monitor the Internet for rumors and news about the data theft which happened the night of the last concert. With his nerve center setup, he was completely operational and plugged in.

Viviane took an interest in Bastian’s computer skills and, having nothing else to do, spent a lot of time with him reading and listening to the rumors and news he dug up on the dark net. Aveline, however, did not like Viviane talking to Bastian and let her know it every once in a while.

“Why are you always hanging around my boo Bastian?” Aveline asked for third or fourth time.

“I think she just wants to know what’s happening in the outside world,” said Bastian. “She never gets to leave the office after all.”

“I’m sorry, Aveline. I didn’t know it bothered you so much.” Viviane was always a nice girl.

“Hmph!” Aveline turned her face away from Viviane.

Like a cat marking its territory, Aveline pushed past Viviane and crawled into Bastian’s lap. Bastian, for his part, could not refuse Aveline for fear of making her even more upset with the current living situation. It was a good thing Aveline was so petite that she did not get in Bastian’s way even if she was sprawled out on top of him.

Viviane remembered something the twins Anaelle and Marielle had mentioned. “I had heard unconfirmed rumors before coming here that Aveline was involved in a serious relationship with an unknown man. It seems those rumors were true?”

“You bet they’re true!” Aveline was enthusiastic to verify those rumors. “Aren’t they boo?”

Bastian cleared his throat. “Is it that obvious?”

Viviane giggled to hear that comment from Bastian.

“Actually, we’ve been together for over a year,” confirmed Bastian.

“And we’re engaged to be married!” Aveline was happy to fuel more rumors!

“Yes, but only at some time in the unforeseen future. There’s no set date yet,” said Bastian.

Married? This was juicy news! Viviane’s eyes widened with the realization that she was privy to something no one else knew. “Oh my gosh! Congratulations! That’ll be huge when news gets out about Aveline getting married.”

Viviane’s thoughts turned to Anaelle and Marielle. She imagined the twins’ reaction to the news. “I know two teenage girls who would go crazy if they knew Aveline was getting married.”

Bastian pursed his lips. “Actually, if you could keep it a secret for another year or two. Or six or seven?”

“Why?” asked Viviane. Was not marriage supposed to be good news?

“For public relations, actually. You see, Aveline must appear to be single for several more years so her fans can continue to relate to and fantasize about her. Some of her male fans would be devastated if they knew she was already taken. The rumors you heard were put out there to keep the fans talking and speculating about Aveline’s personal life which so many of her fans are curious about.”

Viviane heard what Bastian said, but she continued to learn and to disbelieve that not all was what it seemed in show business. Still, curiosity got the best of her. At the risk of being rude, she asked the question on everyone’s mind. “Aveline, you’re so famous you could probably have any man you want. Why did you fall for Bastian?”

Aveline put her fingers up to her mouth. “Well, one time my personal communicator broke so everyone told me to just ask Bastian to fix it. You know how hard those things are to replace, right? So I did and he fixed it. Then, I downloaded a photo app that I didn’t know how to use, so I asked him to teach me.”

Bastian interrupted. “This happened more than a few times. After the fifth or sixth time, she never left.”

“And we’ve been together ever since!” Aveline snuggled into Bastian’s neck. She kissed him on the check, too, reminiscing about how they met. Aveline truly adored him.

Bastian got a bit embarrassed. “I think part of the reason why me is because, as a big celebrity, Aveline can never leave the tour group by herself without private security surrounding her and photographers stalking her every move. That makes it difficult for her to meet people outside of the production company. So, I think it’s just easier for her to find someone at work.”

Aveline thought Bastian was being too modest. “No! Bastian is very smart! He’s the smartest person I know! And he’s nice. And sometimes, he can be really funny. I like how he makes me laugh even though he can be dorky, too.”

Like a light switch, Aveline went from happy to deadly serious. “But he has a weakness!” Aveline frowned to think of it.

“What would that be?” Viviane was cautious to ask.

“He has a soft spot for pretty girls!” announced Aveline. She was distressed to have to reveal it.

Viviane, having heard of Bastian’s weakness, was painfully reminded of her unintentional effect on men and started to feel a bit hot under the collar. She scooted away from Bastian while side-eyeing him.

Bastian said nothing, but had a sheepish grin on his face. After a few awkward seconds, he spoke up to defend himself. “You’re a pretty girl, too, Aveline. That probably helped us find each other, you know?”

“Ooooooooo…you! You’d better behave!” Aveline warned Bastian.

“All right! All right! I’m sorry for what I did or didn’t or will or won’t do. Take your pick!” Bastian tried to soothe the savage Aveline.

Viviane saw how Bastian and Aveline, while very different people with very different personalities, had somehow found in each other what they were missing in themselves. Viviane also saw how relationships between men and women could sometimes be heady and sometimes stormy, but still somehow work as long as there was love. For as long as there was love in the relationship, everything else would work out and no one needed ever to feel alone.

Viviane took inventory of the relationships she had with the various people in her life and she paused a bit when she reached Kylian and Luc. Both seemed to care about her a lot. While very different from each other, both were upstanding men. She tried but couldn’t imagine herself being with either one of them and certainly not for the rest of her life.

At least not yet.