"I still think we should go with 3," I said as I stopped at a traffic light in my 1969 Boss 429 Mustang, the car that DiCaprio had gifted me.
It was one of my favorite cars, even beating out the first car I ever bought: my Mustang.
Okay, well… I only owned these two cars.
Hell, Margot was going to have more cars than me soon…an old Hyundai, an Audi, and she was thinking of buying a Cadillac.
Maybe I should buy more cars, I thought.
"Daniel?" I heard Mason Douglas, the editor for The Witch, say from the phone, breaking me out of the tangent of thoughts I'd slipped into.
"Yeah, yeah," I said quickly. "What did you say?"
Mason sighed. "I think 4 is best."
I rubbed my temple. "Maybe we should just get back to it tomorrow."
"Alright then. See you tomorrow," Mason said, cutting the call.
The Witch was going to take some time in post. It was difficult putting together the movie mostly because it was my first time directing, but also because I was obsessed with capturing the exact atmosphere I wanted from it: the slow, creeping dread; the suffocating isolation; the sense that something evil was lurking just out of frame.
Still, I was sure it would be done by January.
"Hey, Daniel! Nice car, man!" I heard from my side.
I glanced over. Two men were standing on the sidewalk, grinning.
"Love Invincible," one of them said. "Looking forward to Comic-Con!"
I grinned and nodded. "It's gonna be big" and it was going to be a big one for the DCU; there was no doubt about that.
The light turned green, and I began to drive again.
I wasn't taking the regular route back to my apartment. I was headed to Bel Air Hills—to my newly completed house.
Everything had been finished a week ago, and Margot and I had decided to move in two days ago. We were still moving things in from the apartment, and tomorrow we were having a small party with close friends and family. Even Margot's family was flying in from Australia. Everyone I knew would be there: my friends, Colleagues, the Pritchetts, the Dunphys.
Jay had been very adamant about doing the closets in the house, and he really did some top-notch work. It was his final project before retirement, he said. The man now planned to become a full-time writer, continuing his detective novels.
I drove for fifteen more minutes before I entered one of the more secluded parts of the city. Considering how much I'd paid for the land, it was worth it.
The house loomed ahead of me.
It wasn't as big as I'd originally wanted Margot and I had compromised. She wanted something small and cozy; I wanted to go all out. We met somewhere in the middle.
The house was a four-bedroom home with two offices, one for each of us. The exterior was a blend of modern and traditional Californian architecture: clean white stucco walls, large floor-to-ceiling windows that let natural light flood the interior, and wooden accents that gave it warmth. A stone pathway led up to the wide front door, flanked by neatly landscaped greenery.
Inside, the open floor plan connected the living room, dining area, and kitchen seamlessly. The living room had high ceilings with exposed wooden beams, a stone fireplace, and sliding glass doors that opened onto a spacious deck overlooking the backyard. Upstairs, the primary bedroom was massive, with its own private balcony and an en suite bathroom that looked like it belonged in a luxury spa. The other bedrooms were smaller but still generous, one of which we'd already converted into a home gym.
The backyard was my favorite part. There was a big pool, a fire pit, and a lot of space. Margot had already started talking about adding a garden.
I parked in the driveway and got out, walking up the stone path and through the front door.
Inside was full of boxes.
And Margot was looking through one of them.
"I think we missed something," she said without looking at me.
"What?" I asked as I walked over.
"I don't know. I just feel it," she said, still rifling through the box.
I walked up behind her and kissed her on the cheek. "I mean, it's not like the apartment is going anywhere."
"Yeah, you're right," she said, relaxing slightly.
She glanced around at the sea of boxes. "When are the people coming to unpack and put all these away?"
"They're supposed to be here now," I said. Just then, I heard the sound of vehicles pulling into the driveway. "And I believe that's them."
"Great," Margot said, already heading toward the front door.
I went upstairs to change out of my clothes.
And soon, I found myself sitting in my new office, unpacking everything myself. The office had built-in bookshelves lining the walls and a large desk positioned near the window with a view of the hills. It was perfect, in my opinion. I felt I could get a lot of work done here.
I sat down at my desk, staring at the half-empty boxes around me, and my mind drifted to what had happened in New York a week ago.
Meeting my mom's uncle. Her cousins.
I thought I wouldn't be surprised by much at this point in my second life, but damn what a surprise it had been.
I wondered if they had existed in my old life. I'd never heard from my grandmother or the others before. Maybe they had, and I just never knew. Or maybe this was something new, something different in this timeline.
Of course they existed, I thought bitterly, considering how they'd acted toward Mom and how Mom didn't even want to talk about her mother. They had to be terrible people.
I didn't know why this bothered me so much.
It had been nagging at me since it happened. Even Margot had noticed something was off. And I hadn't really told her about the whole thing, either.
"Alright, where do you want to put the—" Margot said as she walked into the office. She stopped mid-sentence when she saw me, then narrowed her eyes and closed the door behind her.
"Put what?" I asked.
Margot crossed her arms. "Okay, what's up with you?"
"It's nothing," I said. "Lot on my mind."
"No," she said firmly, walking closer. "You've been off for a week. I can tell… you were more excited than me to move and now—"
She didn't finish the sentence as I interrupted, "Okay, something did happen."
I told her everything—about going to New York, about my mom's family, about the confrontation in the lawyer's office.
Margot was a bit angry I hadn't told her about it sooner.
"I really need to put some people on them, you know," I said. "To make sure they won't cause any issues."
Margot nodded. "Yes, of course you do. They seem like cunts of the highest degree."
I couldn't help but laugh. "I mean, my second cousins seemed cool."
Margot raised an eyebrow. "Oh, is that what you think? It won't be long until an article pops up about 'Daniel Adler's Extended Family.'"
I nodded grimly. She had a point.
She softened slightly. "You should have told me." Then she added, "Now put it out of your mind and come help me."
I nodded and stood.
As we walked toward the door, she asked, "So what was this precious heirloom, anyway?"
I froze for a moment, thinking of the ring hidden in one of my desk drawers, then quickly said, "It's an earring."
"An earring?" Margot said, her interest piqued. "How does it look… remind me to ask your mom about it… but really, how does it look?"
"You know I don't know much about these things," I said quickly, putting an end to that conversation.
Margot gave me a curious look but didn't press further.
========
"That is some rock, Adler," Joanna said from my left, lying on my bed, holding the ring in her hands and looking at it with shining eyes. If this were some cartoon world, there would be literal sparkles around her.
"Yep," I said.
"Give me that," Scarlett said from the other side, snatching it from Joanna and examining it closely. "Okay, Danny. I am now officially jealous."
I chuckled.
"I should have never introduced you to Margot," she said dramatically.
I laughed.
Joanna chimed in. "And I should've shot my shot in high school… dammit."
"Really? All this because of a ring?" I said.
"Yes," they both said in unison.
Scarlett turned the ring over in her hand. "How much does this even cost? I mean, can it be checked? You did say it was stolen, right?"
"Yeah, it was stolen, according to what my mom said, but there's no record of it happening, so…"
Joanna squinted at the ring. "It's got to be worth at least half a million, right?"
Scarlett nodded in agreement.
"Five million," I said with a huge grin.
Both of them turned to me, shocked.
"Five million?" they said at the same time.
"Yup," I said, pulling out my phone and showing them the appraisal I'd had done discreetly.
Joanna took the phone and began reading aloud:
"3.2-carat Fancy Vivid Green diamond, emerald cut, Type IIa. Fourteen D-color, Flawless, Old European–cut white diamonds. Victorian-era 18K yellow gold shank with platinum crown."
"Damn," Scarlett said as Joanna finished reading.
Joanna handed my phone back. "There's a bigger story here, Danny."
"No, there's not," I said. "Like I said, my great-great-great-grandmother stole it from a duchess because she hated her, and then she left for the U.S."
Scarlett raised an eyebrow. "And she didn't just sell it?"
I shrugged. "Maybe she wanted to keep it for herself."
Scarlett gave me a look. "If that's what you think… okay." She paused, then asked, "So when are you going to pop the question?"
"I don't know," I said.
Joanna blinked. "You don't know?"
"I don't think I'm ready for marriage, you know?"
"Right," Scarlett said slowly. "But you know who is ready for it? Your girlfriend."
I shifted uncomfortably. "I see. So it's been brought up with you two."
Joanna nodded. "Yes. I mean, she expected it to happen last year."
"What?" I said, sitting up slightly.
Scarlett nodded as well. "Yes, she did. It's a good thing it's going to happen now, so, Adler—make it as grandiose as possible to make up for it."
"I mean, I don't have any plans… for… right now," I said weakly.
I really didn't. There were no plans for marriage right now. And this whole thing about Margot expecting it was very much new to me. I mean, I should have seen the signs, right?
I tried to think: were there any signs or hints from her?
I thought back to that lunch we had with Chris and his wife, who had been telling us how Chris proposed.
"I think when someone really loves you, they just know when the time is right," said Margot, making eye contact with me.
I'd nodded along, thinking nothing of it.
Then there was Margot catching the bridal bouquet at her best friend Sophie's wedding last year. She'd turned around immediately, holding it up with this wide, radiant smile on her face, looking right at me. I'd given her a thumbs-up and grinned back.
And then last month we'd been watching some rom-com at home, and the main character proposed at the end. Margot had turned to me and said, "You know, I never understood why people wait so long when they already know." I'd said, "Yeah, I guess," and then changed the subject to what to eat.
"Oh," I muttered, lying back down.
Joanna smirked. "Ah, now he realizes it."
Suddenly the door opened and Margot walked in. I quickly pocketed the ring.
She saw all three of us on the bed and gasped, mock-acting as if she'd caught us in the act. "Oh my God, in our bed, Daniel?"
"Well, there's space for one more," I said, earning laughter from Scarlett and Joanna.
Margot shook her head with a grin. "Well, our guests are coming, so come down." She walked out.
"That was close," I said as I stood up and put the ring away in my personal safe in the room.
I walked out with Joanna, with Scarlett staying behind she wanted to take a nap. Couldn't really blame her; she'd come straight from the airport.
In an hour or so, the house was filled with guests. After greeting everyone including my parents, Margot's parents, my friends, colleagues, and more I found myself talking with Phil as we watched Lucy, Claire, and Margot chatting near the kitchen.
"So everything's set up, then?" I asked.
"Hundred percent," Phil said with a grin.
Two years ago, Phil and I had planned to scare Claire well, it was mostly Phil who wanted my help but we were outmaneuvered by Margot, Claire, and Lucy, who had teamed up to scare us. And it worked. From then on, we'd been plotting revenge, and we were reaching the final stretch.
"I can't wait," I said with a grin. I turned to Phil. "Keep your excitement in check and don't give everything away."
Phil started to protest. "Come on, Big D, when have I ever—" He stopped as I gave him a look. It was his mistake that had caused the last scheme to blow up in our faces.
"Okay, I will," Phil said quickly.
"Good," I said. "Oh, and you did get the tickets, right?" I asked, referring to the tickets for the NBA Finals.
"Oh yeah, can't wait," Phil said.
"Let's hope my luck rubs off on the Warriors," I said.
After some time, Alexandra Daddario arrived. She and Grant were the only Justice League cast members here the others were too busy, especially Henry and Jenson.
"So it's really happening, then?" Grant asked as we grabbed drinks.
"Yes, Grant. I told you Flash 2 is happening."
Alexandra looked confused. "Why wouldn't it be?"
Grant shrugged. "Well, you know, The Flash didn't do as well as the others."
Alexandra scoffed. "Seven hundred million is a lot. And also, I need some company in the 'under one billion' club."
I laughed. There was a group chat with all of the Justice League cast in it. Sterling had just been added recently. Jenson had joked about having an "over one billion" club, which had caused some drama.
"Once Justice League is out and you guys get more exposure," I said, "the sequels will have a lot of eyes on them."
I added, "Don't think about box office. That's our job."
We talked about Comic-Con and the table read for Justice League next month.
It was going to be an exciting month: Batman Pt. 3 teaser release, the big Justice League panel, and revealing the next two years of movies.
Yeah, I was very much looking forward to it.
.
.
.
r/nba
Posted by u/Haris23sll22
"We'll get them next time" Daniel Adler to Steph Curry after the Finals
[Video Link]
[The video shows Steph Curry walking off the court visibly dejected. Daniel Adler approaches him, pulling him into a hug. The audio is faint, but you can just barely make out Adler saying, "We'll get them next time." Curry nods.]
Top Comments:
u/imanarmy22
Man, I knew the change in ownership would affect the team.
u/WrerrorsRise replying to u/imanarmy22:
How the fuck would it affect the team? They still have the same roster, same coaches. Ownership change doesn't mean shit on the court.
u/imanarmy22 replying to u/WrerrorsRise:
It's bad juju, man.
u/LaeShoegacy
LeBron just dad-dicked the entire Warriors team. That's greatness. That's King James.
u/Cavdsdithful replying to u/LaeShoegacy:
Bron was unreal. People forget he dragged this squad to the Finals. Kyrie and Love were great, but LeBron was on another level.
u/Iemie3334dd
So what happens now? Do they run it back? Try to add pieces? I've heard rumors they're looking at Kevin Durant in 2017 if he opts out.
u/Thundan4Life replying to u/Iemie3334dd:
KD's not leaving OKC. Stop it.
u/Iemie3334dd replying to u/Thundan4Life:
I'm just saying what I've heard. The Warriors have the cap space. If they want to make a move, they can.
u/Bask6giinalyst
Game 6 was brutal. The Warriors couldn't hit a three to save their lives in the fourth quarter. Steph went cold at the worst possible time.
u/UeashBroth0 replying to u/Bask6giinalyst:
Steph was gassed. You could see it. He played out of his mind all playoffs, but LeBron just willed his team to the win. No shame in that.
u/Hollywoottrrcogul
I guess Adler's golden touch has its limits.
u/LeBror44itness
LeBron just beat a 73–9 team.
u/DNatioopium67
Pain. Just pain. Like Adler said we'll be back. We'll get them next time.