1020 Shania’s Good News (1/2)

Her husband took the team to play an away game and her daughter had gone with the nanny to play outside. Shania finally had some time to herself. She curled up on the couch in the living room and was looking through the work arrangements that her agent, Mr. Fasal, had prepared for her.

It was now April and the work for the spring season had just ended while the work for the summer was still undecided. However, she had decided to reject all future jobs. Her current thinking was very simple: she was 29 years old and was already considered a 'veteran' at this age as a model. Her physical condition did not permit her to continue in this line of work. Moreover, the modeling industry would not give preferential treatment to an older model. The younger generation of models was very fierce, just like when she was when she first made her debut. She planned to quit the modeling world and stay at home to support her husband and be with her child. Uncle Tony always said that he was going to make it up to her. So, had she thought about making it up to Uncle Tony?

They had never spent a Christmas together in all the years since they had and gotten married. She wanted to make up for it.

Shania picked up the phone and dialed her agent's cell phone number.

”Mr. Fasal?” Despite their years of working together, Shania had always insisted on addressing her agent in this respectful manner as a sign of deference. How could she have such a status, had it not been for Fasal's hard work over the past decade or so? How else could she not have anything to do with the dark secrets and unwritten rules of the entertainment and modeling world?

”Yes, what's the matter?”

Shania heard some noise on the phone and asked, ”Are you outside, Mr. Fasal?”

”Ah, yes. I was in the supermarket. I just came out, ha-ha!”

”Is it raining outside?” Shania listened carefully and heard the endless pitter-patter sounds of water.

”Your ears are very sharp. Yes, it's raining here. I'm glad I drove. Anything the matter with you? Oh, hang on a second, it's not convenient to talk here. Wait till I get into the car.”

This was followed by the sound of footsteps. The sound of the rain was getting louder and louder. Finally, there was a bang, and the sounds of the rain and footsteps were gone. Then came the rustling sound of a seat belt being pulled.

Having done all this, Fasal spoke again. ”All good now. What's the matter, Shania?”

”Well... it's like this, Mr. Fasal. I hope you can help me get rid of all the runway show arrangements from now on...”

Fasal thought he had misheard and gave a cry of surprise. Then he wondered if this could be a joke of Shania's. Shania was somewhat unpredictable. She would always do some unexpected things. She had rejected some work before. However, to reject all the job opportunities in one shot… what was going on?

”Did I hear right? I'm in the midst of planning your jobs for the summer...”

”You heard right, Mr. Fasal. I have looked at the memo in my hand and there are already five jobs scheduled... I hope you can decline them for me.”

”Did something happen?” Fasal was more baffled.

”No, I'm fine.”

Shania answered calmly, and Fasal could not discern anything. ”Then how about Tony...”

”He's very well, too.”

”Then why are you...”

”I've thought it over for a long time, Mr. Fasal.” Shania continued to curl up on the couch, holding the phone as if she was chatting with a friend on a lazy afternoon. In fact, every word she said next was more shocking to Fasal than a thunderbolt from the distant sky.

”I'm going to quit the modeling business altogether. No, it's not just modeling. I'm not going to make any more movies either. I'm tired of being a star, Mr. Fasal. I want to be able to live a normal life like an ordinary person - taking care of my child at home and spending time with my husband. I hope to have more time with my family.”

”We can reduce your workload appropriately. You don't have to quit completely. Besides, isn't Tony retiring completely after the end of the season? He can accompany you...” As an agent, it was normal for him to react like that. He definitely would not immediately nod in agreement with his star's request for retirement.

”No, that's not enough, Mr. Fasal. To be honest, Mr. Fasal, I don't think I have a talent for acting. If I didn't have a lot of friends, I wouldn't have made it in Hollywood...”

”Don't say that. You're great...”

”Thank you, Mr. Fasal. In fact, you have arranged for all those good reviews of me after every movie, right? Truthfully, all those movies I've been involved in, I haven't watched them again, and I don't let Uncle Tony watch them either. I think I do a bad job on camera, but I have a bunch of very good friends who can tolerate me doing that. Now I'm tired of it, and I don't want to go on like this. I want to start a whole new life. I haven't figured it out yet at the moment, but I can be sure that it has nothing to do with the runway shows or acting. I don't like to do the runway shows, but I have to make money from it. I like movies, but I don't have the talent for acting. I think it's a good idea to quit completely.”

Shania poured her heart out openly as if she was chatting with her agent with no intention of talking business.

After she had finished talking, Fasal was silent for a moment before asking, ”I wonder why you have made such a decision now. It is not just some idea about spending more time with Tony that you have thought of recently, is it?”

”Well... I have thought about it long ago, but the reason that prompted me to make my decision was that I went to the hospital yesterday.” Shania turned her body around and leaned against the back of the couch, looking outside the window at the happy Teresa playing in the yard.

”The hospital?” Fasal was shocked and asked, ”Are you not feeling well?” He thought of a possibility: Something went wrong with Shania's health, so she had to give up her job. To tell the truth, filming and runway shows were not easy work. The workload was heavy and relentless.

Shania had nothing to hide from the agent, who had been with her for more than a decade. She came out with the truth. ”I missed my period last month.”

”Huh? Oh!” Fasal yelped twice in surprise, and then he did not know what to say. However, his mind was clear because he knew what was going on...

”I gave Dr. Sandy a call and he suggested I go to the hospital for a full checkup.”

Sandy was Shania's personal doctor, who had worked with her for years. Fasal knew this too.

”So, I went. As you know, Professor Constantine of the Royal Hospital of Nottingham University is a good friend of my husband's. He promised to keep it a secret for me and never let the media know. The result...”