Grace

Chapter 2(edited)

"Five more minutes."

Grace nodded at the director and turned to the lunch table. She grabbed a bottle of water and sipped it.

"You seem to have it all under control. Wish I could say the same for myself," one of the actors, Victor, said.

Grace looked at him from the corner of her eye. Victor was one of the protagonists of the movie they were shooting, her character's husband to be precise. He was tall and dark-skinned, and he smiled a lot. Grace thought him a pleasant person to work with, when he wasn't flirting with her, that is.

"Don't tell me Mr. Charismatic is nervous. I'd be very disillusioned," she teased.

"Okay. I won't tell you," Victor replied, reaching for his own bottle of water.

Grace took another sip. Victor was wrong. She was nervous. Despite the fact that she'd been in the movie industry for five years, she still suffered from what she termed 'pre-shoot nervousness'. It was pointless, really, since she was usually prepared. But she couldn't help it. It was harmless, though. Immediately she heard "Action" she became another person entirely.

"Take your positions, actors," the director said.

"I'm sorry for what I'll do to you, Wife." Victor winked and walked away, leaving Grace wondering why actors always thought it wise to hit on their leading ladies. Male ego, she mused as she positioned herself.

"Action!"

As expected, her nervousness disappeared in a flash as she got into character.

"Look here, Sophia. I'm getting tired of your shenanigans. I married you to take care of my home and child, and you're failing at both," Kola- Victor's character- said, incensed.

Sophia reeled back, hurt. "I'm sorry, Kola, but-"

"No buts, Sophia. What's this?" Kola gestured to the living room. There were clothes strewn on the settees, and a few books on the table.

"I went out to gather the clothes, then I heard Nifemi crying so I threw the clothes on the chair so I could pacify her. Then-"

"Excuses, excuses, excuses!" Kola yelled. "I'm tired of your excuses, Sophia."

Sophia reached out to pacify her husband. "I was only trying to-"

"Stop trying to do anything! Just do what you're supposed to do without messing things up!"

"Stop yelling at me!"

"Stop being such a liability and do something right, for God's sake!"

Sophia stared, hurt. She swallowed, as tears brimmed in her eyes. "I'm a liability?"

"Yes!" Kola threw up his hands, too angry to care about the effects of his words.

"What? I thought you loved me," Sophia whispered, weakened by his words.

"I thought so, too. But not anymore," Kola said as he walked out of the house.

Sophia's legs buckled, and she sat. She held her head in her hands as Kola's words echoed in her mind.

"He doesn't love me," she whispered, tears dropping from her tired eyes. She'd given him everything- she had even chosen him over her own family. She worked hard to keep the house and take care of his three-year old daughter. Yet, it wasn't enough.

She wasn't enough.

Sophia looked up, determination hardening her features. She was a liability to him, but she wouldn't be anymore. She would become a woman worth his love.