The Actor's One & Only

Chapter 6

Cameo by Freema Agyeman as Mia Harper & Noel Clarke as Noah Clark.

"I waited for ya all mornin to pick me up, ya know?  I showed up late for my class an' that new, boastful teacher who thinks he's da man, Mr. Clark substituted for me. An' then, I'd to carpool with that ol geezer Mr. Syracuse...who ,by the way, is flatulent...ugh! So...what? Ya thought it was better to give im a lift, then yer best friend who ya see everyday? Ya picked the bloke who's been an absentee since high school?!" Mia overreacted, shooting daggers at Jack as she spoke. "It's great to see ya too, Mia." he greeted with a hint of sarcasm in his voice, speaking on Ruth's behalf since she was too drunk to reiterate. She'd challenged him to a tequila shot drinking duel and had won it hands down, bottoms up, only cuz he'd emptied most of his drink on the dance floor behind him and only pretended to drink. The seasoned actor that he was, it was easy to pull it off and in her drunk stupor, she hadn't noticed anyway!   "Yea...blow it outta yer arse, O'Donnell!" Mia retorted, rolling her eyes at him.
"Who da man?!" a British bloke in a tweed jacket about Mia's age interrupted, bellowing as he arrived. "Oh...! Who's this, then?" they heard Ruth slur on seeing this new entrant. "This is Mr. Clark. We're datin as o' this moment. It's a good thing he's handsome an' makes me weak in the knees or I'd hate im forever!" Mia introduced, a tad embarrassed by her current boyfriend's bellowing.  "Got you your appletini, love." he whispered in a gentlemanly manner, handing her a drink.  "Thanks. I'll finish that later. C'mon,let's hit the dance floor! I feel the need to dance away my sorrows...after this betrayal o' my trust!" Mia exclaimed, setting down the someone on the bar before pulling the substitute teacher onto the dance floor.
"Well...She certainly hasn't changed!" Jack muttered under his breath with a snicker. "She won't mind if I have just a wee taste o'  er appletini, will she?" Ruth ignored him, tempted by the drink on the counter which she wished to savor. "Oh, no, ya don't! You've had enough to drink, lass!" he declared, cutting her off and motioning to the bartender to move the drink away and out of her reach. "Fine...ya spoil-sport! Atleast, can I have this dance? C'mon, ya!" she ordered him onto the dance floor.
He felt uncomfortable as she danced drunkenly, grinding against his body in time with the loud music, gyrating and twirling around him like a helicopter until she was woozy. He caught her, placing his hands on each of her hips as she almost stumbled. It was too late now to lead her outside and all he could do now was hold her hair as she threw up on the dance floor, before passing out in his arms. Luckily,everyone was too drunk and dancey to notice.
"Ya know...I don't think I've ever told ya this before, but I g..guess you've always known...but I love ya, mister Jack I've forgotten yer middle name O'Donnell!" she proclaimed in a slurry manner, as they finally reached the stoop of her home and she drifted in and out of consciousness in his arms. She cackled as she reached up and playfully flicked his nose with a finger. "Huh! It's Albert, by the way..An'... Well, I too...Mrs. Richards! Good evenin!" he began to reciprocate her feelings, knowing she'd be too drunk to remember it in the morning, but deciding to take a shot in the dark anyway. He was interrupted by the arrival of her mum at the door.
"I see you've got my daughter, mister. Well, don't just gape. Get er upstairs before er dad wakes up." Mrs. Richards ordered, before he obediently began to carry her to her room up the stairs. He tucked her in with a goodnight kiss to her forehead and almost knocked over a frame on her bedside table.
He recognised the young man in the photo with her, but couldn't put a name to the face. Her mum invited him for a cup of tea in the kitchen downstairs for bringing her home safely and put on the kettle. They sat at the breakfast table to talk while the kettle boiled away on the stove.
"Her dad's quite a crank ever since the cancer's, ya know, in remission. Can't catch a wink o' sleep, either o' us. An' this one just gets all hot an' bothered bout it, like she always is. Never been outta the house in a long time...to attend parties an' stuff young ladies are s'possed to do, so thank you for this." she thanked, pitying her daughter as she offered him some biscuits. "Ya don't say." he muttered, raising an eyebrow at her confession, before biting into the biscuit.
"Of course, that's all cuz o' what happened between er an' that brat Bronco." he heard her mutter in an annoyed tone, almost cursing Bronco for ever having walked into her daughter's life. That was when he realized who the man in the photo was. His old foe!  "Why, what happened between er an' Bronco?" he enquired, curious to know why Ruth had a picture of him on her table. "She turned to drugs after ya left. Smoked a lot too, like a bloody chimney! Then, she fell into bad company...especially into Bronco's arms. I knew he was trouble from the start! But she moved in with im, thinkin she was in love...till he started to beat er." her mum recounted. He gulped and the dry biscuit crumbs almost caught in his throat. He coughed, clearing his throat to utter the first words that popped into his head on hearing about her ill-treatment at the hands of the bully- " Oh, gosh!"
"Aye. Fortunately, I turned the alcoholic bastard in an' she's been lonely ever since. He locked er up too, ya know? Never let er out unless it was for work. Kept a close watch on whom she met an' everythin. Now, I keep a close watch on whom she meets. I'm really protective o' that lass. She's my one an' only, ya know? Can't afford to lose er!" a concerned Mrs. Richards confessed, forcing herself to smile for Jack's sake. He squeezed her hand to comfort her. Their silence was broken by the sound of the kettle.
"Tea's done. Arentcha stayin for a cuppa?" she enquired, as he stood up to leave. He glanced at the clock and decided it was getting quite late. "Uh..I've gotta pack. I'm plannin on leavin tomorrow. Head back to London, since stuff didn't really pan out like I'd hoped ere. Got a couple o' work commitments back in London. Mostly photo shoots an' stuff to keep me afloat, ya know?" he replied, excusing himself as he made his way to the front door. "Well, I'd like it if ya stopped by, just to say goodbye to er in the mornin, ya know?" she requested, pouring the contents of the kettle into her mug since she didn't want it going to waste.
"Surely, I will. I wouldn't dare to go without sayin goodbye to my bestie! G'night, then, Mrs. Richards. Was nice catchin up with ya." he promised, bidding the older lady farewell with a dimpled smile. "G'night, take care!" she called out after him, shutting the door behind him.