Redoing My Life (Modern Family)

"So, how is the college?" I asked, panting a bit. I could barely catch my breath.

Through the phone, Haley answered, excitement evident in her voice. "It's great! We've been here for like an hour, and I'm being treated like I'm famous!" She sounded thrilled, and I could almost imagine her smile.

"Uh-huh," I said, taking a long drink of water.

Haley's tone shifted, curious. "Why are you so out of breath?"

I looked around the gym and sighed. "I decided to work out with... you know what, never mind."

"Ohhh," Haley said.

"What?" I asked.

There was a brief pause, and then Haley's voice came through again. "I just got served a drink! And I didn't even ask for it!" she said, clearly delighted.

"Yeahhh," I said, suppressing a chuckle. "I think it's because I put in a word for you."

"Or maybe they just see how great I am," she said, her tone full of confidence.

"Could be that too," I replied, playing along.

In the background, I heard Claire's unmistakable voice questioning someone—probably the campus guide. I could barely make out her words, but it sounded like she was asking about parties or something.

Phil was saying something too.

Haley sighed loudly into the phone. "Oh my God, Mom," she muttered.

Suddenly, I heard the beginning of what sounded like an argument between Haley and Claire. Before I could say anything, Haley said, "Okay, I gotta go... and die of embarrassment now."

"Alright," I said, chuckling.

I took a deep breath and looked around the gym. I had come here to visit Alexandra, who was training here, and I had made the mistake of joining their training regimen for the day. Honestly, it really took the wind out of me.

'Maybe I was getting a bit out of shape,' I thought.

"You are out of shape, Mr. Adler," I heard the trainer's voice from behind me.

I turned to her, wiping sweat off my forehead. "Nooo, I don't look out of shape," I insisted, albeit not too convincingly.

The trainer raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms. "When was the last time you exercised?"

I opened my mouth, then paused. "Well... yeah, it's been a while," I admitted, giving a sheepish grin.

I saw Alexandra walking over, a water bottle in her hand. She was looking fantastic—strong, toned, and really starting to look the part. A few more months, and she'd absolutely embody Wonder Woman.

"Already done?" she asked, a teasing glint in her eyes.

"Yeah," I said, a little embarrassed. "I'm officially tapping out."

Alexandra smirked, taking a sip of water. "You look great, by the way," I added.

The trainer nodded approvingly. "She should. The girl's been hard at work."

Alexandra beamed, but then her expression grew a bit more serious. "How's the director situation going?" she asked. "I was really looking forward to working with Patty."

I nodded, understanding her disappointment. "Well, it was sad she had to drop out," I said. "I'm just glad we also got lucky with Comic-Con being delayed this year."

"Oh yeah, something to do with a bomb threat, right?" Alexandra asked.

"Yep, turned out to be some guy who was upset about star wars," I said.

Alexandra chuckled.

"I have a good replacement in mind," I reassured her.

Alexandra's eyes lit up with curiosity. "Oh? Who is it?" she asked.

Before I could answer, my phone started buzzing in my pocket. I glanced at the screen—Dave was calling.

I looked at Alexandra. "Oh, it's the boss." I gave her a small smile and stepped aside to answer. "Hey, Dave, what's up?"

"Are you meeting...?" Dave's voice came through the phone.

"Yes," I immediately answered, keeping my tone confident.

Dave sighed heavily on the other end. "I've been talking to people about this."

I cut him off before he could continue. "Dave, I think she can do it."

Dave hesitated for a moment. "She hasn't done that many movies," he said, clearly unconvinced.

"We agreed to give some of these projects to directors who are lesser-known," I countered, taking a sip of water. I looked out over the gym, keeping my eyes on Alexandra as she was taking a quick rest.

Dave sighed again. "She's an actress, Daniel."

"Yes," I acknowledged, "but not many people know about her work behind the camera." I paused for emphasis. "Look, she's clearly shown interest. She knows the character, and she's proven herself to be a competent director."

Dave was silent for a moment, but I could hear the wheels turning in his head. "Alright," he said finally, though his voice still held hesitation. "But if the others don't like what she has to offer, then we go with whoever Victor chooses."

I smirked a bit. "That would be worse, Dave."

"You've got that right." There was an audible eye-roll in his tone.

"Look, I'm going to meet her, and I'm sure she'll do the movie justice," I said.

Dave let out a resigned sigh. "Fine, Daniel. Just... keep me updated, alright? We need to get this sorted before we get Victor breathing down our necks."

"Will do," I said, turning my head back to Alexandra as she was getting ready to start another round. "Look, I gotta go."

"Alright. Take care," Dave said before the line clicked off.

I put my phone away, giving Alexandra a small nod as she looked over, clearly curious. She raised an eyebrow, her expression expectant.

"You haven't told me who the director is yet," Alexandra called out.

I gave her a smile, starting to back away. "I'm going to meet her now, and I'll text you if everything goes well."

Alexandra gave a quick thumbs-up before refocusing on her trainer. I gave her a final wave and turned, walking out of the gym.

Returning home, and after properly dressing myself for the meeting, I made my way over to the restaurant where we agreed to meet.

The ride through LA was a mix of chaotic traffic and bright afternoon sunshine, a combination I had grown familiar with over the years. The city was always alive, always moving—like a film perpetually stuck in fast-forward. The car wove through streets lined with palm trees, past high-rise buildings with polished facades that seemed to gleam in the sunlight.

The person I had in mind wasn't well-known for sci-fi. Her name wasn't even associated with directorial work. But from what I knew, she had a lot of potential—especially after the work she did in my previous life. Back then, she directed some of the best episodes in the Disney Star Wars series. Her work on The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett was impressive, showing her vision and talent for handling large-scale stories. She'd also done smaller, character-driven films that revealed her keen understanding of human emotions. That mix was exactly what I needed for Wonder Woman.

When I called her to pitch the project, she didn't even hesitate to agree.

As the car turned a corner, my thoughts snapped back to reality. The restaurant loomed into view, a cozy, upscale establishment tucked in a quieter part of town.

The car rolled to a stop. The driver nodded at me as I stepped out, adjusting my suit jacket. I took a moment to glance around at the restaurant's sleek exterior. I walked up to the entrance, and the doorman immediately stepped forward to open it for me.

"Good afternoon, sir," the host greeted me with a polite smile. "Can I help you?"

"Yes," I replied, "my name's Daniel Adler. I believe my guest is already here."

The host quickly checked his list and nodded. "Yes, Mr. Adler, she is waiting for you. Right this way."

I followed the host through the maze of tables, catching glimpses of people chatting over expensive wines and gourmet meals. Finally, we reached a corner table, where she sat, her head down as she flipped through the menu.

"Bryce!" I called as I neared her table.

The redhead looked up, her face breaking into a wide smile when she spotted me. She stood up, brushing her red hair back before extending her hand.

"Daniel, you're late," she teased.

"Well, I'm fashionably late," I replied, grinning as I took her hand in a quick shake.

We sat down at the table. I had met Bryce Dallas Howard back during the filming of 12 Angry Men. She was Ron Howard's daughter, and she had come by to visit her father. From there, we became acquaintances, and she even approached me when I started Midas Productions to pitch her movie idea.

"So," I began, leaning back in my chair, "what did you think of the script?"

Bryce's eyes lit up, and she nodded enthusiastically. "It's great. Gail did a fantastic job. Honestly, you made a solid choice by bringing her on board."

"Yeah," I agreed.

Bryce hesitated for a moment before asking, "Is it just you that wants me to direct, or is everyone at the studio on board?"

I gave a noncommittal shrug. "Weeellll, they aren't all entirely sure. You know how it is. You've only directed three movies—not the big ones—so they're a bit... hesitant."

Bryce sighed, her expression falling. "That doesn't sound good."

I leaned forward, my voice sincere. "Look, I think I can convince them. Might need to throw your dad's name around a bit, but—"

Bryce rolled her eyes, cutting me off. "Really, Daniel?"

I gave her a sympathetic smile. "You know how things are."

She sighed deeply. "I really want to do this, Daniel. This is my big break. I've always wanted to follow in my dad's footsteps."

I smiled. "And I think you can pull it off. What did you think of the cast?"

Bryce's eyes brightened. "It's impressive! You've got some new names, some recognizable ones. I just hope Alexandra can pull off Wonder Woman's physique."

"Oh, don't worry about that," I reassured her, chuckling. "She's been hard at work ever since we cast her. We even started casting before we finished the script, and she jumped right in. She's fully committed."

"I know some of the execs will be naysayers—you know, the whole stigma around female directors...." I said.

"That's another reason why I want to do this," she said. "What you're doing—and what Marvel's doing—it's creating a lot of buzz. No one is blind to it."

"Well, I'm all for it," I said. "This is going to be the most talked-about thing this decade."

Our food arrived as we continued talking. We discussed timing, the cinematic universe plans, and how Wonder Woman would fit into the larger DC storyline.

"I think it might be a good thing that Patty dropped out," I said after a while. "I think I can use this as leverage to convince the execs to delay the movie. More time will mean a better final product."

Bryce smiled and nodded. "Oh, definitely."

We ended our lunch meeting on a hopeful note, agreeing to meet Dave and the others at the studio tomorrow.

"Well, Bryce," I said, standing up, "let's hope everything goes well."

She smiled confidently. "If anyone disagrees, I guess I'll just have to throw my dad's weight around after all."

"That's the spirit," I said, laughing as we shook hands again.