20 The Present and the Wish (1/2)

It was finally the 28th of April. Wang Yang's appointments with three film companies over the past two days had been fruitless. Meanwhile, Artisan Entertainment had yet to contact him—something which hardly surprised him.

It was a busy day, to be sure. In the morning, Wang Yang distributed flyers part-time. And in the afternoon, he went to try his luck at a film company called ThinkFilm and even managed to show his movie to them. Though the acquisition manager was clearly spooked and drenched in a cold sweat by the end of the film, they'd decided, after careful deliberation, that it was too risky a proposition.

Because his appointment with ThinkFilm was scheduled rather late in the day, and the company's headquarters was located far away from Jessica's house, Wang Yang didn't have time to go home to take a shower and change his clothes after his meeting. As soon as his meeting with ThinkFilm ended, he was on his way to Jessica's house to celebrate her birthday, with her present tucked safely in his briefcase.

The sun was just about to set when Wang Yang reached Jessica's neighborhood with time to spare. It was a very posh neighborhood—a wide, ample road in the middle, bungalows that stretched like trains on either side with lots of garden in the front and back, sprawling green trees, and picturesque scenery. The neighborhood was the epitome of high-end living in Los Angeles.

”Hi, Jessica, I'm almost at your place, but I don't know how to get there or where to turn next.” Scanning his surroundings, Wang Yang broke into an apologetic smile and said over the phone, ”Oh, okay. I think I'm lost. Yes, I'm at a crossroads. I see a tiny fountain in the middle, and benches beside it, and some trees around it…”

”A fountain? Oh, I know where you are!” Jessica's exuberant laughter translated crisply through the phone. Wang Yang could tell she was in a very good mood. ”You're very close to my house. Wait, why don't you stay where you are, and I'll come and get you? Don't go anywhere.”

”Okay.” Wang Yang ended the call, tucked his cell phone into his pocket, and sat down on a bench beside the fountain. He looked at the surroundings and admired the scenery as he waited. After a while, Jessica appeared at the crossroads with her shining smile and friendly wave. Upon seeing Wang Yang, she quickened her steps.

She looked extraordinarily pretty that day. She wore a floral summer dress. Her long, auburn hair bounced and flowed in the wind as she jogged toward Wang Yang. When she reached the bench where Wang Yang sat, she smiled at him, revealing her pearly whites. ”Hi, Yang!”

Looking at her as if dazed by the wonder of what he saw, Wang Yang leaped to his feet. ”Wow, Jessica, you look really pretty today,” he tittered and said, ”Happy birthday!”

”Thanks.” Jessica twirled her hair as she smiled, visibly flattered. ”I'm glad you made it,” she said cheerily.

There was a moment of silence when she saw Wang Yang's hand going into his briefcase and pulling out what looked like an iridescent parcel. Then, she realized it was a present for her. She held both her hands to her mouth in astonishment and said, ”Oh, my God…”

”Ding, ding, ding,” said Wang Yang as he beamed gleefully. Holding the gift with both his hands, he presented it to her. ”Are you Ms. Jessica Alba? Here's your birthday present. Please sign for your package,” he said jokingly.

”Oh, my God…” Jessica's breaths were ragged gasps. She received the gift with open hands as if it were a gift from heaven. Thrilled beyond measure, she cried, ”Wow! I must be dreaming. Yang, I can't believe I'm getting a present from you again. This is the second present you've ever given me.” She smiled again and said, ”Do you know? The first birthday present you gave me was also the first birthday present I'd ever gotten from a friend. Back then, I'd never received a present from anyone besides my family.”

Wang Yang felt a little guilty and awkward when he heard what Jessica had said. His first birthday present? The Wife Cakes weren't even made by him. They were just a present that he'd rustled up at the last minute. Now that he came to think of it, he'd even eaten seven of out the ten cakes in the box, while Jessica had only eaten three… He never expected his gift to leave such a mark on Jessica.

His second present was admittedly more thoughtful than his first, though it was still somewhat of a last-ditch effort. Wang Yang gave a dry laugh, his voice laced with shame. ”Why don't you open it up?”

”Okay, let's see what it is.” Jessica seemed to be too engrossed in her present to be aware of his discomfiture. She tore up the wrapping happily, revealing what looked like a book. She took it out of the box with great curiosity and anticipation. Upon closer inspection, she realized it wasn't a book, but a thick folio consisting of many sheets of A4 paper.

On the cover page, written large, in pencil, was the word ”Ranger.” As she casually turned the pages, she realized the entire folio of A4 paper was filled with pencil scribbles—rows and rows of densely written texts inlaid with illustrations. Some of the illustrations depicted weapons. Others depicted people and characters. There were also panels of sketches arranged like a comic strip. Though the quality of the drawings was average, she could tell right away that they were meant to be storyboards.

For a minute, Jessica stood staring at the manuscript. Then, she realized the present for what it was. She looked up at Wang Yang with her big, eager eyes, and said in amazement, ”Wow, is this what I think it is?” before looking down at the stack of paper in her hands and raving on about her gift. ”A manuscript for a movie? Ranger? Yang, did you write this script?”

Wang Yang scratched his head and glanced at his manuscript with a hint of pride. It was as if he were looking at his own flesh and blood. ”Yeah, it's just a silly little story I've written. I hope you like it.”

Since he couldn't afford an expensive gift, he'd decided to go along with something meaningful and special. After rummaging through his possessions, he came up with the script. The stories contained within the script weren't inspired by any of the movies in his clairvoyant visions. Instead, they were born out of his own imagination and effort. He'd been an avid lover and practitioner of martial arts ever since he was a little boy, thanks to Mr. Wu. At the same time, growing up with Marvel Comics, he had an obsession with superheroes, such as Superman, Batman, Captain America, and many others. His passions culminated in a script which told of the adventures of a martial-arts-themed superhero set in a modern metropolis.

He had started working on the story when he was in middle school, and he hadn't stopped ever since. Over the years, his thinking and personality matured, his life experiences accumulated, his wisdom developed, and his knowledge of cinema increased. And, as he grew, so did the script, which had been continuously rewritten and embellished. All the ideas he'd ever come up with, both the good and the bad, captured in a thick stack of paper. There was enough material for 20 movies and then some. The manuscript was the crystallization of all his years of hard work.

That's why he'd decided to make a photocopy of it and give it to Jessica.

”Of course I like it. I like it a lot!” Jessica thumbed through the pages of the thick A4 manuscript, her eyes liquid and shiny with gratitude. ”Wow, this is unbelievable… This is the best present I've ever received…” she murmured.

Wang Yang felt a sharp pang of guilt when he heard her thanks. Half-humorously, he said, ”Jessica, I have a feeling this script will be made into a movie one day, and you'll be starring in it. That's the real present—if you don't mind being a female lead, that is.”

”Huh?” Jessica's heart leaped. Her fingers stopped leafing. She remembered the conversation they had had when they were little: her promise to Wang Yang that she'd become an actress and Wang Yang's promise to her that he'd become a director. But… what about Wang Yang's present? Could there be a special meaning behind it? Hugging the manuscript to her chest, she looked up at him through her large, unblinking eyes. Her voice diminished unconsciously as her heart quaked. ”Um… I think… I think I'll give it a shot,” she squeaked.

However, unlike she'd imagined, Wang Yang's gift didn't bear any special message at all. He smiled, nodded, and said, ”Good, that's the spirit! At least now, I don't have to worry about being stuck without a female lead.” He laughed.

The little smile was still on Jessica's face. Seeing as Wang Yang was running out of words, Jessica broke their silence with an ”oh” and said, ”Okay, come with me, then. My house is right up the road.”

She lived in a big house with spacious front and back lawns, just like the others in the neighborhood. Balloons hovered above the trees, and the mailbox in the front lawn was like a colorful bouquet of lollipops stuck on green, floral foam. Several tables were set up on the lawn just for the occasion, draped in cloth and burdened with all kinds of treats. Many people occupied the compound, the adults busy setting up the party, the youngsters talking among themselves, and the children running, tagging, and hiding to their heart's content. It seemed they'd invited quite a few guests.

”Dude, welcome to my home!” Immediately upon seeing Jessica return with Wang Yang, Joshua, who was standing at the lawn, went up to greet them. He gave a spirited high five to Wang Yang with one hand while holding his DV camcorder in the other, apparently still filming. With a smile, he told Wang Yang, ”Please don't mind me, I'm just making a movie. That's right, it's going to be a documentary, and I'm going to call it 'Jessica's Sweet 17th'. Isn't it cool?” With that, he went on to film his next subject while a big, white dog followed behind him. Jessica told Wang Yang it was their family's Labrador, Danny.

”Hey, Jessica. Who is he?” At that moment, several youngsters—guys and girls, blacks and whites—approached them. They looked at Wang Yang curiously.

Jessica's eyes flicked from her friends' faces to Wang Yang's and back to her friends'. Then with a smile, she introduced him. ”This is Wang Yang. He's a good friend of mine and a director.” Wang Yang acknowledged her friends with a nod and said, ”Hi, guys.”

The youngsters let out a collective ”wow” as they sized up Wang Yang. Wasn't he a little too young for a director?

Then, Jessica introduced her friends to Wang Yang. Elijah Wood was first, a modestly sized white male who starred in Flipper. He and Jessica obviously had come to know each other on the set. As Wang Yang stared at his fine, youthful face, he couldn't help but find him familiar. Upon deeper introspection, he realized he'd later star in Lord of the Rings as the hobbit, Frodo Baggins.

Next was a young guy named Jack Frank. Tall, well-built, and white. It turned out he was also a cinema major, just like Wang Yang, and from the reputable UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) no less. Rumor had it that he was quite the basketball player, adept at playing as a swingman. He was good friends with Elijah Wood, and it was through Elijah that he had come to know Jessica. Wang Yang tracked Jack with his eyes, feeling slightly uneasy about him. Could he be the ”Jack” that Joshua had been telling him about?

Then there were John, David, Winters, Erin, and the rest of the gang. Some of them were Jessica's neighbors, whereas the others were her classmates from acting school.

After everyone had become acquainted with one another, it seemed as if Jack Frank had suddenly noticed the stack of A4 paper in Jessica's hands. He asked curiously, ”Wow, Jessica, what's that you're holding?”

Breaking into a smile, she simply said, ”It's a script. Wang Yang gave it to me as my birthday present.” Her laconic reply suggested there was more to the present than she was willing to divulge, a happy little secret that she was perfectly content with keeping to herself. She looked at Wang Yang smilingly and said, ”Yang, come with me. Let me introduce you to my family.” She excused herself from her friends, took Wang Yang's arm, and made their way across the lawn to the backyard.

”A script?” Out of the corner of his eye, Jack Frank studied them. As they went off talking and smiling at each other, he furrowed his brows and murmured in displeasure.

First, Wang Yang was introduced to Jessica's mother and her grandmother. Her mother, Cathy, was a very charming and incredibly gorgeous middle-aged woman with a friendly disposition. It was immediately apparent to him that she'd come from a well-educated background. Scanning his mental database, Wang Yang gathered that Cathy had come from a Canadian family of Danish and French descent. No wonder she'd begotten such a beautiful girl as Jessica. Jessica's grandmother was as kind and amiable as old grandmothers went, though Wang Yang wished she hadn't been squinting at him and chuckling to herself the whole time.

Then, Jessica spotted her father from across the lawn and fetched him. His name was Mark Alba. Unusually tall and square-shouldered for a Mexican man, he had the most vivid and striking face, which was further accented by his crew-cut hairstyle. Although he was a real estate mogul these days, he still had the commanding presence of an air force officer.

With one hand around the script, the other around her father's arm, her eyes proudly on Wang Yang, and her face all smile, Jessica said to her father, ”Daddy, this is Yang. He's an old classmate of mine. I knew him back when we were still living in San Francisco. He's a really nice guy.”

”Hi, Mr. Alba, nice to meet you.” As Wang Yang reached out for a handshake, something strange struck him. Why was Mark looking at him with such sternness and disapproval? Was it the army in him that was giving Wang Yang such a threatening vibe?

Mark Alba glanced at Wang Yang up and down and reached out his hand to shake his firmly. With an impassive voice, he said, ”Nice to meet you. Welcome to our home.”

So much for the introduction. Jessica dropped her hand from her father's arm and clutched Wang Yang's script with both her hands again. ”Yang, please make yourself at home. I'm going to keep your present somewhere safe!” she said. With that, she made her way to the house, leaving Wang Yang alone with her father, holding each other's eyes.

Mark Alba stared at Wang Yang out of stern, steely eyes. Abruptly, Wang Yang bristled. Then, frowning out of the blue, Mark Alba asked, ”Yang, are you and Jessica dating?” Wang Yang froze up a second, then answered, ”No, no, sir. Whatever made you think that?” He shook his head, trying to laugh the tension away. ”Mr. Alba, I think you're mistaken. Jessica and I are just good friends.”

”Oh!” Mark Alba nodded as if Wang Yang's response made any sense to him. Inside, however, he was a little confused. If he wasn't Jessica's boyfriend, why did she give him such a dignified introduction? The only time his daughter had ever wrapped her arms around his was when she was begging him to let her go to acting school.

Jessica hummed a tune as she skipped happily into the house with the script in her hands. Just as she was about to go upstairs to her room, her grandmother appeared in her path. She let out a gentle, knowing chuckle and asked, ”Jessica, is that boy, Yang, your boyfriend?” Jessica stood stunned, then said, ”What? Grandma, did you say Yang? No.” Fighting the curve on her lips, she added, ”We're just friends!” With that, she disappeared upstairs with her precious script in rapid little stomps.

Isn't he? Grandma chuckled to herself in soft, drawn-out haw-haws.

Once in the privacy of her room, Jessica breathed a sigh of relief and giggled like a schoolgirl. She laid the script on her table. Opening up a page at random, she began to admire the writing and the drawings. She caressed the paper with her fingers, a smile flickering over her face. She wondered, ”When will Wang Yang make it into a movie?”

Wang Yang's first conversation with Mark Alba was excruciating but brief. Though he was told to make himself at home, Wang Yang didn't dare to venture too far. He stayed on the lawn, walking around for the entirety of the afternoon until his stomach growled. Realizing that he hadn't eaten anything in a while, he made his way to the huge spread and picked up a doughnut. As he bit into the sugary treat and chewed it, he couldn't help but moan and burst out with pleasure, ”Oh, my God! This is sweet.”

As he ate his doughnut, he looked at the children frolicking and chasing one another on the grass, wondering if Little Mary, the DV enthusiast, was among them.

At that moment, Jack Frank walked toward Wang Yang, pretending to mind his own business. He grabbed a doughnut, took a bite out of it, and looked sidelong at Wang Yang. ”Hey, Yang,” he said, trying to strike up a conversation. Wang Yang reciprocated in kind. Then, Jack Frank asked, ”Yang, did you actually write that script?”