The actor's wife

Chapter 36

He was woken up the next morning by his phone ringing. He scrambled out of bed, quickly answering as he saw her name come up on the phone screen. "Ruth?! Thank God, ya called! I was so worried! " he exclaimed. "Jack? I..." she began, as if regretting the events of the previous night. She stopped short, feeling the anger and feeling of betrayal resurface as a familiar, French, female voice waft from the other end- "Who is it, mon chéri? " "Yer with er again?! So...This is ya worryin?! " he heard her dejected voice cry out. "We're done, Jack! " he heard her speak her mind. "Ruth, I....I'm comin o'er, please lemme explain! " he exclaimed, before the phone went dead. He began putting on his clothes hurriedly, before rushing out.
"Love, open the door! I had nowhere else to go! I'm sorry! " he pleaded, banging on the door of their apartment. "I told ya before an' I'm tellin ya now- a sorry just isn't gonna work! " she interrupted, opening the door slightly and peeking out at him with her teary eyes. "Would ya just open the door?! It's my flat too, ya know?! " he argued, pushing the door open as he stormed into the room. "Hear me out, kay?" he whispered, clutching her hands in his as he peered into her eyes. "I was confused, kay? " he defended his actions. "Confused?! About what?! Who yer wife is an' who yer mistress is?! " she rebuked, freeing herself from his clutch. "I don't wanna hear a word! I've had it with yer explanations, Jack! " she interrupted, as he opened his mouth to speak. "I've been talkin to Mia. An' she thinks we need a break....to think things o'er...." she revealed. "What does that woman know about marriage an' relationships?! " he disagreed, turning a deaf ear to the idea of being seperated from her. "As a woman who's happily married to er childhood sweetheart an' a mum to 3 kids, I'd say she knows quite a lot! " Ruth retorted. "What?! When'd she get married?! " he asked, in surprise. "About four years ago. But we couldn't go, cuz ya were so busy with yer ad shoots an' yer photo shoots an' all that....An' I didn't wanna go anywhere without ya by my side! " she replied. "What'd ya want me to do? Drop everythin to attend a silly weddin?! " he muttered. "Well, ya found it easier to drop me for that French seductress! " she mocked. "An' maybe, I do need some time away from ya. I mean, I haven't been able to think about myself all the time I've been with ya, been afraid to go anywhere by myself or do anythin that ruined yer public image! " she exclaimed, giving the idea of separation some thought. "Jack, I need some time to think." she finally declared, shutting the door in his face before he could protest against it.
Of course, their marriage never recovered as she was unable to bring herself to forgive him for cheating on her. That's what it said anyway in the letter which accompanied the divorce papers a few months later. He pondered over them in shock in his trailer. "Dude, what're ya doin here? They're calling out to ya! " an impatient Jodie exclaimed, trying to convince him outta the trailer. She gave up in exasperation, just as his co-star- a grumpy old actor making his comeback in the film industry- Mr. Art Hooper staggered into the trailer. "I can't believe this....I wrecked my marriage! This wasn't s'possed to happen! We were s'possed to grow ol together...." he heard Jack began to whimper while burying his face into his palms as hot tears streamed down his cheeks. "Listen, mate. This is Hollywood. Most marriages don't pan out ere! But, ya know what? We actors have the ability to bury everythin deep inside, pretend like we ain't hurtin an' move on! An' right now, I suggest ya do the same, cuz we've got a movie to shoot! " the old man ordered. He exited the trailer, slamming the door shut and leaving his fellow co-star to dwell over his suggestion. A few minutes later, Jack set aside the papers, deciding to deal with em later as he wiped his eyes dry and followed him out with script in hand.