Their Next Chapter

Chapter 5

Don and Meryl shortly found themselves back in New York after their time in Indianapolis; and then they were in Connecticut at their house so she could shoot her new film, Hope Springs. She said he didn't have to come, though deep down she wanted them to be together as much as possible, as he looked at her like she was crazy. They had spent too much time apart as of late due to his illnesses and her shooting in London that he didn't want them to be apart if not absolutely necessary. He loved the idea of them out in the country. He knew how much she loved it out there as well. During the week he could work in his studio while she was shooting the movie in various parts of Connecticut; and during the nights and weekends they could take walks by the lake they loved so much and just be a boring married couple. They thought they had it all figured out; somehow forgetting how busy her filming schedule could be.

***

Don was in his studio working, taking a small break from welding his sculpture to answer some emails he heard ding through on his MacBook. Once he finished answering them a picture on his desk caught his eye. It was of his beautiful wife. It wasn't of her at a photo shoot or movie premiere or some Hollywood event. It was a picture he had taken of her this summer in Italy. One that he felt captured her beauty as well as any picture could; though he felt she was far more beautiful than any type of film could capture. He missed her. Yeah, they were both in Connecticut but she was so busy with the movie. He was glad the studio hired a helicopter and pilot to fly her from the various locations to home; but it wasn't like she was home by 5 every night. He would try to stay awake for her but on those nights when he fell asleep before she got home he could always feel and smell her crawling in bed beside him, instantly taking him into her arms. Last night was one of those nights. She was supposed to be home for dinner but she called him apologizing and sounding down when she said they were working through dinner and she didn't know how late she would be; it ended up she was incredibly late and was gone before he woke up. A smile came to his face when he thought about visiting her on set. He used to do that all the time when the kids were little but hadn't done it very much since they had gotten older. He knew how much she loved being in his creative space when he was creating in the studio; and thought he could be supportive like she was of him. He got in his desk drawer and pulled out her shooting schedule. Seeing the was at a stage location not too awfully far from their house. With a smile on his face he grabbed his phone and keys so he could go surprise his wife.

***

Don walked quietly on to the set after texting Roy and he let him in. Roy warned him that he probably wouldn't like the scene they were filming but Don shook it off saying he wasn't new to the acting world and her love interests. Roy heard what he said, but knew he still wouldn't be happy. Don quietly walked over as he watched his wife shooting a love scene with Tommy Lee Jones. He saw her lying in bed in a nightgown as Tommy kissed her. He watched the kisses get more intense. He saw Meryl take Tommy's glasses off him and lay them on the table by the bed; it reminded him of exactly how she took off his glasses when they were getting ready to make love. He saw her right thigh drop to the side just as it did when she wanted to take him deeper. He then saw Tommy grab HIS WIFE'S naked thigh and pull it closer to him. He watched as Tommy writhed on top of HIS wife and Meryl acted like she was having an orgasm. He knew she was acting but it all seemed to mirror reality life too much. He wondered just how many times she used her acting skills on him. He began to wonder if she was really as happy as she told him she was. He couldn't watch anymore and turned to Roy just as the director yelled cut. "Yeah, I'm going."

"Don!" Roy yelled now that they weren't filming.

Meryl got up out of the bed and put on the robe and slippers Roy gave to her. She felt herself come alive when she heard Roy say her husband's name. "Don? Is he here?"