The Actor's One & Only

Chapter 15

"Took ya long enough!" she smiled on hearing his impatient voice on the other end when she finally answered the call. "Well, took ya long enough to call me. So, ya finally a star now? Can I tell yer mum so that she's got a headstart on tellin the news to the neighbors, eh?" she enquired with a teasing grin, accidentally over-watering the posies and butter cups as she tilted the heavy watering can in one hand and pressed the mobile phone against her ear with the other hand. "Well, not exactly. But this next movie I'm gonna do might just be the big break I've been waitin for." he replied. "Really?" she exclaimed. "Aye. I auditioned for it the day ya left. I got a callback...an' I bagged the role!" he revealed, unable to control his happiness. "Oh?! That's marvellous!" she congratulated him.
"Aye, I know. I'm leavin for L.A. some time next week to film it. Sure am gonna miss ya." her face drooped on hearing him. This was way before the invention of Skype or any form of video calling, so his departure to the States meant a great deal to her. She hadn't really prepared herself for a long distance relationship, but she figured it was one of the prerequisites of dating an actor. He was bound to go places for his shoots and she had no choice but to make her peace with it.
"I'm gonna miss ya too, love..." she found herself reciprocate, trying hard not to cry over the phone. It was as if he could read her thoughts, trying to get her to smile as he began to list out all the things he'd miss about her, all the best features which made him proud to consider her as his best friend/girlfriend- "I'm gonna miss that sunshiney smile especially in the mornings when I wake, havin yer gorgeous brown hair and those golden highlights in it brush against my cheek....watchin as ya absent-mindedly over-water the flowers in yer garden wearin that black an' white polka dotted number..." She raised her eyebrows, looking down at the black and white polka dotted outfit that she was wearing currently, then at the half-empty watering can, spooked out by his spot-on description while she looked around as if searching her surroundings for the man whom she'd last seen at the train station back in London.
"Oi, wait a min...how did ya...Where exactly are ya right now...Jack?" she cried out in surprise. "Thought I'd give the flip phone a rest for a day, ya know? Why dontcha look past the hedges, at the phone booths linin the street across from ya, eh?" he suggested, dropping a hint as he grinned mischievously, playfully twisting the cord of the payphone around his finger as he spoke. "Why...? Golly! Are ya in Scotland right now? At this moment?! I mean, when'd ya...?" she demanded to know, her anxiety and excitement to see him building up as she gripped the mobile with clammy hands. "Would ya just look, so I can greet ya properly, woman?!" he ordered, before hanging up with an impatient roll of his eyes. He had a clear view of her standing in her garden from the window of the phone booth.
She did as told, setting the watering can down on the window sill as she strained her neck to see beyond the overgrown hedge and sure enough, there he was! He waved at her, emerging from the rows of functional phone booths which lent a vintage look to the street, stepping out of one of them. She waved back, delighted on seeing his dimpled grin once again, looking both ways before running across the street towards him and embracing him.
"You've got sideburns now. I don't like em!" she remarked on his new hairstyle- a gelled up look, sorta stickety-uppity hair with sideburns- which made him look older for his years. He looked handsome in an ironed blue blazer, a crisp white shirt and denims. She still felt the urge to run her fingers through his hair however new it looked or felt and fortunately had the opportunity to do so as he leant forward for a kiss.
She pinned him against one of the phone booths to deepen the passionate kiss, messing up his hair as she ran her fingers through it while he cupped her face in his hands as they snogged. He didn't mind as long as he could nuzzle her face, continuing to peck at her soft skin and her rosy cheeks when she pulled back. He didn't want this to stop- the touching, the kissing, the embracing...
"Couldn't leave without personally thankin my lucky charm. A kiss isn't gonna cut it though. Ya alone at home?" he enquired suggestively, letting his hands rove before squeezing her shoulders in an intimate fashion. She was aroused by his actions, but had to decline politely- "I'd love to, but I've gotta reach the school." "School? What're ya teachin night school now?" he enquired, raising an eyebrow since it was evening and she was usually home from work by the afternoon. "No. But, I've been given an additional responsibility o' preparin the students for a school play. I'm the script writer, the director an' everythin else. We rehearse in the auditorium o' the school every evenin. Mia's s'possed to gimme a hand, but she's always hangin around with Mr. Clarke, so..." she replied, explaining her exhausting new responsibilities to him. "Sounds like someone's got a lot on their plate, eh?" he pitied her.
"Aye! In fact, now that yer ere, ya could help as well. Take some o' it off my plate. What d'you say, eh? An experienced actor sharin his craft with a bunch o' inexperienced students? It's better then me teachin em to act. Ya pointed it out yerself- My actin is absolute shite! How bout it?" she requested for his help in preparing the students. She'd had a hard enough time as it is, preparing the unruly teens for the Nativity play at Christmas! He seemed indecisive about teaching drama to a bunch of school kids.
"C'mon...pretty please...? If it's not too much trouble? The actin, expressions an' choreography's just all o'er the place! You'd be a tremendous help. Besides...if ya agree to it, I might just have a lil gift for ya...." she pleaded, deciding to break out her secret weapons, charm and seduction. She repeated her request, only this time she pressed up against him with a mischievous grin and slowly began unbuttoning the top button of his shirt, running her fingers through his chest hair in a tickle-inducing movement, in a bid to lure him into helping. "Alright, then! My experience in theatre had to come in handy some day, eh?" he finally accepted her invitation, gulping as he immediately succumbed to her charms. Victory was hers!