The Winner

Pick Up The Pieces

Julia doesn't talk to me much this morning. She pours her own coffee. She sits with James. She ignores me.

Usually, every morning, we take a shower together. Not to have sex, just to be together. It's become part of our daily routine. I don't get to see her much while filming, so I try to make the most of every second I have with her. Which is a little out of the ordinary for me. I don't remember being this attached to anyone to the point that we take our daily showers together. Not even Macy. When we showered, it was for sex. This is just to be together.

But not today. Today, Julia didn't shower with me. In fact, she purposely took hers while I was still asleep and was out of the bedroom before I woke.

I'm not one to keep things bottled up. Not with Julia. Before I leave to do this shoot today, we need to clear the air. I can't go to work thinking she's mad at me. Thinking she's not doing ok.

I lean back on the counter and cross my outstretched legs while I drink my cup of tea, observing Julia and James. She is sad, but she smiles at him. She helps him open his yogurt. She peels his oranges for him. She takes care of him. She refrains from looking my way.

The damn dog must sense my irritation because the thing is at my feet all morning long. She looks up at me with her puppydog eyes. while I take a sip from my mug.

"May I help you?" I look down Maggie, who wags her tail the second she gets attention from me.

I sigh and put my mug on the table before crouching down.

"You're a good girl, yeah, Maggie?" I scruff her ears, and she rolls down on her back, wanting her belly scratched. "You're also a very spoiled girl. Are you gonna keep an eye on Jules for me today? Make sure she's happy? Safe. Make sure she doesn't jump off a ledge for me, ok?"

I look up at Julia, who glares at me. I'm like the fucking dog, wagging my tail the second I get Julia's attention. I smirk and look back down at the golden retriever.

"You think you're so funny, don't ya?" Julia squints her eyes at me. "You're not funny."

"Can we go shopping this afternoon, Jules? I want to take you. I can have Trish cancel my afternoon session or move it or-"

"I don't know Nate. I think you may be too busy shooting your shower scene and all."

I sigh and stand up straight.

"Jules. I'm sorry." I was so rude to her last night. It was uncalled for. I was tired and mad at myself for letting Mila get into my head like that. I took it out on Julia.

"But you're not, Nate. And SO WHAT if I'm a jealous person. Look at Mila Giovanni. I mean, c'mon Nate. You knew I already had insecurities. Right from the start."

James nudges her to hand him the spoon so he can start eating and she quickly apologizes, putting the utensil in his hand the right way for him to hold.

I DO know Jules is insecure. I remember it from the very first time we had sex.

"How did you think I'd react? I'm not saying you're doing anything wrong. I get it. It's your job. But the way you kissed her. And that was only a ten second sneak peek. What's the whole five minute video going to look like? That?"

Ohh Jules....it gets so much worse....

"Yeah, love. I don't know what the finished product will look like. That's out of my hands. But I really don't think you should watch it." I admit, knowing it gets a million times worse than that little snippet. I see her swallow hard, hearing that. 

"Jules... I have two more days of shooting. That's it. Then its done, and the producer and editors do their things with it, ok? Two more days. That's it. Now, can I please take you shopping? Hell, James can come too. I'm sure he'd like some new clothes, maybe some new sneakers and stuff, yeah?"