**Lucas**

  We started filming right away. Videoland had arranged for us to have unlimited access to the old Lancaster London Hotel. There we wouldn’t be in anyone’s way: the hotel had gone bankrupt. The former owner was trying to pay off his debts by renting out the building for film projects, hoping to eventually make a restart. That’s why it was still fully furnished and neatly maintained.

  We had placed a call for extras in a London newspaper, and it had worked: no fewer than three hundred people had signed up. Sophia insisted that she could be on set that day. She had settled herself in a comfy chair with a drink and watched eagerly.

  Johnny was up first. He played Lawrence, the calm uncle of Linda. A businessman who happened to be in the area, but who in reality had a secret meeting with Martine, Linda’s rival, played by Angela.

  Filming these scenes took almost three days. Joyce was regularly starstruck and sometimes couldn’t get a word out. Angela also struggled with that now and then, while Johnny tried to break the tension with his quasi–Jack Sparrow behavior.

  After three days, the first episode was done, and finally I had some time to spend with Sophia. She was lying in our bed like the princess she was. Alex was lying next to her, his hand on her belly, which seemed to get bigger by the day. Even her oversized sweaters could no longer hide it.

  Since the first evening, Alex had loved lying next to her and listening to my fairy tales. Today’s story was Cinderella. Mesmerized, Alex listened to the story. Every now and then I saw his eyes light up when the baby in his aunt’s belly clearly kicked again.

  “And they lived happily ever after,” I ended the fairy tale. Alex clapped his hands and hugged me. “Can I listen again tomorrow?” he asked. I laughed softly. “Of course. The baby seems to be enjoying it.” He smiled, and as every evening, he went off again.

  “Are you holding up a bit?” I asked while stroking Sophia’s arm. “Yes, but after such a long day I’m quite tired.” I nodded. “Can you blame yourself? You’re carrying a whole little person.” I kissed her belly and then her lips. “I’m having a good time,” she said. “You’re with me. This one is nice and active so healthy, my heroes are close by and I get along with them well.” I snuggled up to her. “I’m glad you’re happy. Then I am too.”

  She nestled closer in my arms and placed my hands on her belly. “You and that one there make me happy,” she said and kissed my arm. I smiled. Before I could say it back, she fell asleep. “I love you,” I whispered to her.

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  The following day it was David’s turn to be introduced as the crazy, almost always drunk Uncle Wally — which suited him perfectly. During breaks he entertained the kids with his sonic screwdriver, a prop from his famous role as the 10th, 11th and 14th Doctor in the sci?fi series *Doctor Who*. To Alex’s delight, he pretended to scan Sophia with it. “Yes,” he said after he’d moved the little wand?like device with the blue light on top over her belly for a few seconds, the familiar buzzing sound coming out of it. “I can see it,” he said in a perfectly London?sounding accent, even though he was Scottish by origin. “Contains human baby.” He nodded. “That’s good news. Then your uncle and aunt aren’t aliens,” he said, sounding completely serious toward Alex.

  “There’s some debate about that, Doctor,” Jonas called. “Is that so?” he asked. “Maybe I’d better perform a more thorough scan.” He felt in his pockets. “Where’s that TARDIS key?” he shouted. “Oh, how silly,” he exclaimed. “The TARDIS is by the garage. No, then that won’t work.” He was, of course, referring to his world?famous blue police box containing his time?and?space machine.

  Sophia laughed hugely at this. I loved seeing her like that. That’s why I might have let David’s clowning around go on a bit too long — especially when Johnny joined in.

  This carried on for the rest of the month. Serious work was alternated with wonderfully enthusiastic fooling around that the rest of the cast and crew enjoyed as well. At the end of the filming period, David and Johnny wanted to take nice cast and crew photos. When everyone was ready for the picture, Johnny pulled Sophia in. “Our leading lady has to be in it,” he said. “Even if she’s supposed to rest because of that little pirate in there,” he shouted in full Jack Sparrow style.

  After serious, cheerful, and crazy photos, it was time to say goodbye and head home again. The whole trip back home, Sophia just couldn’t get comfortable. She complained that her belly was getting heavy and that her back hurt. She had to pee every few minutes. I was really starting to worry.

  “That’s normal,” Joyce said. She must have seen how worried I was. “Final stretch. It’s not pleasant. Massage her belly and back tonight. Her shoulders too. And be kind to her. It’ll be fine, you’ll see. Just another four weeks, boy. Then you’ll be a father.” It felt pretty strange, when I thought about it.

  When we arrived home, Amethist was standing at the door, far too tanned. “So, vacation?” I asked. She shook her head. “Aruba is done. I’ve come to return your film. The scenes in the Netherlands still, and then it’s finished.”

  She filled me in on what she had filmed. These were now the parts where my main character struggled with his memory loss, and the scenes from before they had left for Aruba. “If we do that together, we’ll be done with it quickly,” she said.

  Which was completely true. It took us a month to film almost everything in a studio. But in Sophia’s ninth month I didn’t want to work anymore. She was due any day now. Amethist needed just one more small week, and then everything was finished, she told me. Now it was up to our editor.

  I had to admit that I found it pretty exciting. My film was finally almost finished. And I was about to become a father. I didn’t know which I found more thrilling.