There was cheering as the two teen actors walked on stage. They sat down on the chairs available and shook hands with Rob.
"Welcome to the show," he said when the applause died down. "Welcome to England!"
"Thanks," they said together.
"Ever been to England before?"
"Nope," Reece said, "but I think Hope has?"
"Yeah," Hope nodded with a smile. "Umm, I think I was last here one, two years ago?"
"Well, welcome back. So, you two are…" Rob went on to ask them some questions about making the movie and they showed a clip from it.
Hope and Reece were on a promotional trip in Europe for their new movie.
"Okay rumours. Here's a good one... you two are dating?" asked Rob.
"No we're not," Reece grinned. "I do have a girlfriend, but it's not Hope."
"Do you have a boyfriend Hope?"
"Naw."
"I don't believe it."
Hope giggled.
"Now there was some… okay I never got the whole story because I'm… me. And uhh," he chortled to himself. "Okay, so there was some whole thing going on a while back about you, Hope. Something about surgery, or you were dead - well, you're obviously not dead…"
"Oh, well, last year I was diagnosed with a brain tumour. I had to have surgery to get it out, but it's all gone, and I'm fine now," Hope smiled. "And most certainly not dead."
"That's really good to know. Otherwise… who are we talking to?" Reece joked.
"Okay so while we're on the subject of dead people," Rob grinned. "Your father, Hope, I believe, is Zac Hanson?"
"Yeah."
"Look, the other day when I was telling my wife that you were coming, we got on this very subject. She said that the whole reason why the rumour that you were dead is really funny is because the same rumour went around about your dad."
Hope laughed.
"Yeah, Dad told me about that. Actually, they were in England when they first heard it, so there we go."
"Say, you being in the entertainment industry and all, have you ever been interviewed on his show?"
"Oh no! Goodness no! That would be way too weird," Hope exclaimed, then, glancing at Reece, "What's so funny?"
"I can just imagine it. Mr Hanson asking you if you have a boyfriend," he laughed. "What if you said 'yes'? Oh man, he's be going 'What? You do? Since when?' I can see it all now!"
Hope raised her eyebrows, then looked at Rob.
"Yes, he really does find that amusing. Actually he finds anything involving my family amusing. I don't know why."
"You have a lot of relatives in the entertainment industry, huh?"
"Yep."
"For those who have no idea, would you mind elaborating?"
"Well, my Dad, my Uncle Taylor and my Uncle Isaac kinda started it all with their band, Hanson. Dad, of course, now has his show, I Must Have Been Insane That Day. Umm, my Auntie Zoe is a solo singer, and she used to be in a band with Uncle Mackie, who now runs a recording studio in Tulsa, and Aunt Sarah," Hope winced. "I'm used to calling Sarah, 'Sarah' though, because we're only, like, four years apart or something. Sarah's in Dinomight now. Umm, my Auntie Jess is a radio DJ, and her husband is an actor, Austin Andrews. My Auntie Avie is also an actress. My cousins, Mike, Sam, Adam and Xavier, are the Four Amigos, and another cousin, Morgan, writes screen plays."
"And?" Reece prompted. "What was that you were telling me the other day?"
"Oh, and two of Xavier's sisters, Rogue and Storm, have started their own band called Mutant Girls. They're working on a new album. In Uncle Mackie's studio, actually," Hope mused. "Umm, I think that's it… Well, my Auntie Babsie used to interview celebrities on TV, much like what Dad does now, actually."
"That's quite a menagerie," Rob commented.
"And that's probably the right word to use," Hope grinned. "Especially considering some of them. Like Xavier."
Reece started laughing again. Hope gave him a dry look.
"I heard about that," Rob grinned. "Got into a black tie dinner wearing a Hawaiian shirt. I met him. I believe it. Normally I don't give much weight to hearsay until after I've asked the person who it is about, but that I believe."
"Well, it happened. And the rest of us have been paying for it since. I have been asked about that in practically every single interview I've done so far, and that's why Reece is laughing, because it's starting to tick me off."
"Oh sorry."
"Don't worry about it."