Cut to the beat

Far Away

Patrick woke up to the sun shining on his face. He blinked, looking across from him. Ellen lay peacefully on her side, sleeping still. Her eyes moved under her eyelids, and he could see her body rise and fall with each breath. Patrick tucked a strand of frizzy hair behind her ear, kissing her cheek. She looked innocent, and small, but most of all she was his loved one. Quietly Patrick took the polariod camera they had been messing around with yesterday, a lot had become blurry once they developed, and took a quick snapshot of her asleep with sun shining down across her head.

Ellen snapped up at the sound of the shutter, her eyes wide. He chuckled.

"You looked so peaceful." He said. Ellen pushed at him, a flirty look crossing her face.

"Oh yeah? So you had to disturb my sleep?" She asked. Patrick shook his head, putting an arm around her.

"Oh come here," he held her close to him, taking a deep breath. Ellen didn't reply to him, her hand on his chest. Together they listened to each other's heartbeats, unready to go back to hazy LA where they were not one but two. Separate souls who had separate lives to fake to the world.

*******
"Patrick, thank you for this weekend." Ellen glowed as they arrived at her house first. She kissed his cheek, squeezing his arm.

"I'll text you later, hopefully." Ellen promised, leaving.

"Love you Ellie, see you later." Patrick waved, returning the kiss. He drove to his place, where Jill was with the children.

"Daddy!" Talulah ran out of the garage, to the car door as he got out.

"Hiya Tal," Patrick hugged her, lifting her up. Together he walked them inside the house, that smelt like roasted chicken.

"I made dinner Patrick. Go on and unpack, it's already ready," Jill said from the kitchen. Patrick made his way in, smelling the sauce Jill had simmering on the oven. Jill turned to face him, trying to ignore the hydrangea and lavender scent all over him. Ellen. Jill knew where and who he was with but it still stung a little.

He spent his time unpacking and eating dinner with his family, a small feeling in his chest he couldn't shake. Emptiness. Like Ellen should be there. He missed her presence, and this week was dedicated to Pr stunts with Jill. Patrick sighed, digging into the meal. It was pretty basic compared to the literal feasts Ellen made with him. It was different. And he didn't like it one bit.

******

Ellen began to unpack herself, since Chris was out. She liked the quiet, but missed Patrick. Ellen ran across the Polaroids in her bag, blush spreading up her cheeks. She opened a shoebox and placed them in there for safe keeping. She took her time, not rushing, playing some music on her stereo. Life was quaint. Until the front door opened.

"No! No that wasn't our agreement! It's in the contract, no I don't have to-listen to me sir, read the contract!" Chris was on the phone, yelling at a client. He wanted to sign him desperately, but the star was having trouble with the contract. Ellen turned up her music, trying to block out the sound of his arguing. She finished unpacking and laid out on her bed, tired. It had been three hours and she missed Patrick. Ellen laughed at herself, feeling pathetic. Not even a full day had passed and she missed him. It was stupid, they both knew they missed each other.

"Ells," Chris opened her bedroom door,
"Hey. I know you're tired and I'm pissed, so I ordered us pizza. You cool with that?" He asked her. Ellen sat up, nodding.

"Pizza and beer sounds amazing, thanks Chris." She agreed, watching him close the door. She pulled out her phone, calling Patrick.

***
Patrick had just put the kids in for bed when she called.