“You’re sick?”
“Hey to you too Jossa.” He replied with a chuckle down the phone, nodding at his sister who was gesturing 10 at him, to let him know he had that long to wrap up this call and get back to his seat for the second half of the show.
His show. The show he left their show for. The show that was currently half-way through it’s opening night run. Without him.
He heard her groan down the phone. “You’re seriously sick? Sick enough to not perform?” she repeated herself. He made a non-committal noise down the phone. The ‘little cold’ he’d been trying to fight all week, whilst still throwing himself 100% into tech rehearsals, had been confirmed to be tonsillitis the day before. So in a decision he hated to make, he had to agree to let his understudy take over for opening night and the two nights following. To give him time to recover and make sure he was well enough that performing wouldn’t damage his voice.
“I’m fine babe.” His voice, tired and croaky gave him away though. He didn’t even know why he was pretending with her. It just seemed like the easiest option.
“David...” One word, just his name, but in it he could hear more. Her worry, for him. Her disappointment, knowing how hard this must be for him. Her concern, for his health.
“It’s just tonsillitis. Just didn’t catch it from you this time.” Her laughter echo’d down the phone, before she answered the question he was just about to ask. “Twitter told me.”
He wondered if everyone hated him, if they were disappointed in him. The show was sold out, and whilst he knew from rehearsals just how talented his fellow cast was, he also knew a lot of people were going purely from him.
“Can you believe it though?” she cried out, over dramatic as always. “I had to find out from freaking twitter you were sick and couldn’t perform.” He winced slightly, whilst she was mainly joking, there was just a little of serious there. They were still close, still exchanged texts and kept attempting to plan a night out. But it was different, as much as they tried to deny it, him leaving, it had changed things.
“Everyone’s wishing you better though.” Her voice had softened.
“Yeah?” He hated that he sounded insecure but he couldn’t help it. Whilst he was glad to leave Eastenders, to step away from that attention, he’d wondered what support he’d had post-exit. If he’d be lucky enough to keep a fanbase that would continue to support him with this next step or if he’d basically be starting again.
“Yeah. Everyone’s wanting you well David.”
“Including you?” he teased.
“Always.” One word, again, him hearing more in it. “Y’know I want...” So many sentences flashed through his head, she wants... , he was considering biting the bullet and asking her but before he could, in sync, both his end and hers, their lives called them back.
“Davey, we need to head back in.” Lucy, his big sister. Having come to look after him, well originally she was coming to watch his debut as Link, but plans having changed. “Jacqui! Come on, get your sexy self ready” Khali he recognised the voice, along with girls laughter at her end.
“Sounds like we both need to go” his sentence trailed off. “Yeah” she just agreed with him, pausing before she spoke again. “You get yourself better, you hear. People wanna see you strut your stuff Link Larkin” he chuckled down the phone. “Yeah, yeah. You look after you too.” She mmm’d down the phone in response.
“Have a good run though. Everyone’s gonna love it. Y’know how much I love your voice.” All of a sudden, a wave of something came over him. Not sickness, from this horrible infection he was struggling with. But a type of sickness definitely, homesick maybe. Best friend sickness, he misses her. He wishes she was here.
“It’ll be you one day” he managed to get a reply out, and he meant it. Her talent never stopped surprising him, and he has so much faith in her.
She laughed. “Maybe, maybe” he could hear comments in the background, about yeah it’ll be her on the karaoke that night. For a split second, he wished he was with them. They’d spent so many nights, having a blast singing and drinking, and generally having fun.
His sister smiled at him softly, not wanting to interrupt his call, knowing it was Jacqueline, but them needing to head back in. “I’ll see you soon?” He didn’t want to end the conversation, still not fully understanding why she’d called. Yes he was sick, but a text could have answered her question.
“Yes!” He grinned in response. “I want to try and see a show” That would be incredible, and he said as much, but he knew he had her support either way. She’d made him sing her the songs during his last few weeks at work, and laughed at him whenever he used his Baltimore accent.
“Hopefully soon then.”
“Yeah.” Her reply was soft, and he could hear footsteps as she walked away from her group, him moving too back inside. “I miss your face” teasing and light, but an edge of truth there too.
He didn’t reply straight away, weaving his way back to his seat, so she jumped in first. “Probably because it’s so ugly and interesting” she joked, a throwback to their characters. “At least mine is interesting” the reply came naturally.
“David! So mean to me you are” he could hear the laughter in her voice. “Only joking Jacs, you know you’re beautiful.” She cleared her throat, he bet she was blushing and had gone all awkward. “Still the same Jossa, still can’t take a compliment.”
“You are the one that left, I’ve not changed.” Whilst she didn’t mean it to be bitchy, there was still an edge to her voice. “I need to go.” He had no reply to what she said, not now anyway, and he did seriously need to go.
“David...” His name hovered it the air, her debating whether to apologise or not, him wanting to tell her it was fine but unable.
“Seriously babe, I gotta go. Show’s about to start and I’m supposed to be on vocal rest anyway.”
There was a pause before she cleared her throat and replied.
“Oh, okay. I’ll catch up with you soon?” she sounded off, but he didn’t have any idea how to fix it or have the time either. “Yeah I’ll text you tomorrow.” He sat down, shooting his sister a wink as she tapped her watch. Just in time.
“Okay. I hope you feel better.”
“Thanks. You have a good night babe.” Adding on a “Love you” without even thinking about it.
No response, he glanced at his phone as the lights dimmed and the opening number began to start.
..... Call to Jacqueline ended....
