A Masterpiece Gone

Chapter Twelve

"Sorry I took so long in the loo, but somebody had - " Cliff began as he entered the private dining room flipping back his kinky blonde hair that he clearly dyed at his bold age of fifty-five.  He immediately stopped the moment he saw Brendan furiously staring down David while Henry stood behind Jessie in massive perplexion.  "Um, what did I miss?"

At first nobody said anything, much like how the room had been the past two minutes.  Then suddenly, Jessie's bewildered eyes turned towards Brendan.  "Did you know?" she nearly hissed without even thinking.  

Brendan took a step back a little frightened of the infuriated expression that he had never once seen Jessie wear throughout their marriage.  "No.  I would never," he assured her calmly as he extended his hands towards her, but was careful not to touch her.  "If I knew, this meeting never would happen.  Babe, come on.  Let's just go home."

Before anybody else could react, Henry bravely moved in front of Jessie and Brendan leaving David and Cliff observing with very different expressions.  "Before anybody goes anywhere, why don't we all take a seat at this beautifully set table with complimentary caponata and bruschetta and talk this over, yes?" he asked with a hopeful smile.  "You all can explain what the problem is and we will move past it and onto this movie deal."

"There is no deal," Brendan said gruffly narrowing his eyes towards David, who just stood there with the same grave, but assessing expression.

Cliff laughed nervously.  "Okay.  Before anybody claims anything, let's get some drinks!" he exclaimed.  "I'm going see if I can get us a carafe of both red and white wine for the table from the bar."

As nobody objected nor consented, Cliff nodded and slowly exited back into the main dining area.  "Clearly you all know each other somehow," Henry finally stated the obvious.  "And there is some sort of issue, but we will work it out.  David here has quite the enticing deal that really should bring in a load of money when production is complete."

"David is my ex-fiance," Jessie finally spat out still gaping at David's unreadable face.  

"And a complete piece of shit!" Brendan shouted abruptly now lunging towards David's standing figure.  "What you did to my wife -"

Not knowing what else to do, Henry jumped in front of Brendan once again as David defenselessly moved backwards behind the chair closest to the wall.  "Brendan, don't!" Jessie cried as she went to grab him from behind.  "Please, not here. "  

Brendan spun around and held Jessie's waist.  "But the way he treated you and how he still haunts you," he barked testily without making eye contact with her.  

"I know and as uncomfortable as I feel now, I don't want you to make a scene," she insisted as she reached for his chin to force him to look her way.  "I'm just....in utter shock from it all."

In all honesty even though Jessie was experiencing a gross mix of emotions, she really thought she would be in a corner right now bawling her eyes out but she supposed that scare in the pharmacy somehow strengthened her mental state.

Brendan turned towards Henry without taking another step with a somewhat clearer mind.  "How did you not know?" he demanded.  "He completed humiliated her on television years ago to the point where it destroyed her career, her morale, and herself as a person.  How could you even think that this was a good idea?"

Henry threw his hands up surrendering.  "I have no idea what you are talking about," he replied honestly.  "Of course I know who your wife is, but I do not pay attention to every celebrity banter and downfall through the years."

"Jess, I apologize how awkward this is," David finally spoke up in a low voice.  "I had no idea you would even be here."

Feeling her blood boil, Jessie took in a deep breath refusing to let her fury get the best of her.  It was the same reason why she did not want Brendan to beat him to oblivion as much as he deserved it; celebrities who made scenes found themselves in bad lighting negatively impacting their careers and who they were as people.  "If I had seen you five years ago, perhaps I would be uncontrollable right now," she admitted to David, fighting off the temptation to sneer.  "Did you seriously think I would not find out you were producing the film for my own husband's book?"