Scattered Seeds

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Morning, Darling! Tried to call but your mobile went straight to voicemail. Please don’t be upset with me, Jess. It’s only a movie. It’s just acting. Please call me when you get this.

8:09 a.m.

Jess, please. I’m sorry I didn’t say anything to you about Susannah. I was afraid you would think the worst. By the way you’re not accepting my calls, apparently I was right. Please, Jess. Pick up.

9:14 a.m.

Tom finished rehearsing a very physically demanding scene and plopped down into a chair to catch his breath. After polishing off half a bottle of water, he checked his phone.

Nothing.

No missed calls, no text messages.

“Damn,” he swore aloud.

Tom hung his tired head over the back of the chair and stared up at the ceiling, searching for what to do next. His lack of sleep last night didn’t help in conjuring any clever ideas. Tom didn’t want to stalk Jess, but it was imperative that she understand there was nothing going on between Susannah and him.

With a reluctant heart Tom set his phone down on the table beside his backpack. He’d returned to the set when the sharp ping of his notifications rang out. Tom held up a finger, motioning to the other cast members that he would only be a moment before bolting back to the table.

Been in and out of meetings all morning. Sorry for not answering sooner. Don’t worry about her. I’m not. I’ll call you when I go to lunch.

10:42 a.m.         

Relief washed over him, and Tom smiled for the first time that day.

He’d overreacted.

Jess wasn’t angry at him, she was just busy.

Enlivened by the joyous turn of events, a very happy Hiddles skipped back to the waiting cast and crew.

“I’m afraid I’m going to miss our Skype session tonight, Tom,” Jess told him later that afternoon.

She’d also missed calling him on her lunch break, and Tom’s brow furrowed with even more disappointment.

“Why?” he questioned.

He noticed the distressed, almost whiny inflection of his voice, as well as the cool detachment of Jess’s.

She might have texted that she wasn’t worried about Susannah, but the way Jess was treating him sent Tom a different message.

“Pauline and I are volunteering at a children’s group home this evening,” Jess explained. “I’m off tomorrow. If you have time we’ll sit down and talk in the morning. Will that work?”

Tom’s countenance fell in defeat as the crew began to shut down the set for the night.

“Of course, Darling,” he replied, attempting to sound understanding.

At least Jess was spending her Friday night with Pauline and a bunch of orphans instead of going out on the town with some man.

Tom, who had been walking towards the dressing rooms, now jerked to a screeching halt.

She was going to a facility for foster children, right?

Jess wouldn’t lie to him, would she?

Perhaps, after what happened during their last video chat, Jess decided she’d had enough of Tom’s busy schedule and the nude takes with his ex-girlfriend.