The Actor's One & Only

Chapter 20

Ruth had learnt about her pregnancy while in London. She wondered whether the cramped, not-so-safe flat (it was all he could afford with the money he earned solely from his play performances and his readings of audio books for BBC radio) would be the best place to bring their child up in, although she didn't bring it up cuz she didn't want to stress him out. He was already keeping busy, a known face in London's theatre circles. He'd found himself a fast friend in an older redhead actress/comedienne named Anita Noble and gone on to act with her in highly successful stage adaptations of Much ado about nothing, Look back in anger and she'd even offered him bit roles in her skits on her comedy sketch show: Nonsensical nights with Noble. He still harbored Hollywood dreams, but Ruth was happy as long as he was getting offers to showcase his talent. It made her happy to see him bring all those characters to life and to see him under that spotlight at Old Vic or West End or wherever.
"What d'you think we're gonna name the lil tyke? D'you think he...uh, she...it...it'll ever consider bein an actor or an,uh, actress when it grows up?" Jack hounded her with questions, pulling down the sheets and resting his head on her flat tummy which was yet to show signs of a baby bump. It was a frosty morning and she wished she'd a shawl to cover up, since she was clad only in a tank top and knickers. She smiled and purred as he provided the warmth, cuddling up to her and covering her up with an extra blanket. "Would ya stop already?! I just got pregnant, yeah? The baby's not even growin in my body yet! I'm not even all bloated yet...!" she cut in, laughing at his eagerness as he took time off from cuddling to plump her pillow up for the umpteenth time. She pushed her body up against him, while he wrapped his arms around her once again and planted a kiss atop her head.
"Hmmm...ya bloated..you'd look so sexy in those maternity clothes...!" she heard him tease, blushing as she felt his hands start to wander over her bare thighs. A sudden inner warmth took over when he played footsie under the covers and planted soft kisses on the side of her face, before bringing his hand up to her shoulder, fondling and sucking it lovingly, leaving lil love bites wherever she let him.
"Get off, ya!" she squealed, squirming as his intimate touches grew ticklish, accidentally tangling herself in the covers. "Tryin to!" she moaned, feeling something poke her in the back as her mischievous fiance made her giggle with a double-entendre. "Ya get horny at the drop o' a hat, dontcha, love? Dontcha have a shoot to get to?" she scolded, unable to hide the blush that his affection brought on even as she freed herself from his embrace and they lay side by side, his fingers entwined between her own since she didn't trust him to keep them to himself any longer!  "Aye, right!"  he growled, his arousal subsiding on hearing her remind him. He hated that she kept a timetable for him on the rusty fridge (which she'd already begun to child-proof) in their kitchenette to remind him about all his work commitments.
"Can I come watch? Ya said they did their best to recreate L.A. in Cardiff?" she requested, rolling on her side as she watched him dress. "Aye, in order to save money cuz they're on a bloomin budget too! I actually thought they were gonna fly us out to actual L.A. This is ok, I guess." he grumbled, as he laced up his converse before standing up. He pulled on a leather jacket over his tee and denims before walking up to her for a goodbye kiss. "It's more than ok. I'm still gettin o'er my last bout o' jetlag, as is! I don't like stayin in while yer havin a ball out there, doin what ya love." he heard her complain. He knew his stubborn fiancee would continue to insist and wasn't going to take no for an answer, so he waited outside till she got dressed as well. She grabbed her knapsack containing her handycam and other essentials before they set out for the studio.
He let her sit in the trailer while he filmed, since he couldn't have her running amok among numerous fragile props and celebrities far bigger than him who walked about the set with their noses turned-up/ buried in their scripts as they ran lines with a glass of juice in hand. She felt claustrophobic and hated the trailer that was more cramped than their flat, so she burst out for a breath of fresh air. She took off her cardigan as she slumped into a folding chair reserved for cast and crew, draping it over the chair. From there, she'd a nice view of the filming taking place, the director checking his monitor, someone readying the clapperboard and the costume designers, makeup artistes and hair stylists rushing about from point A to point B. She readied the handycam which she'd snuck in past security, secretly filming her fiance as he pulled faces into the camera every time it was left unmanned by the cameraman! She chuckled at his childishness even at work.
"Hullo, mum!" she put down the handycam and took a break from recording everything that was going on around her on set to answer a call from her worrywort mum.  "How's my Ruthy? An' my grandchild?" Mrs. Richards enquired from the other end. "We're both fine. An' yer future son-in-law's doin well as well, thanks for askin. In fact, we're watchin im film his new movie in Cardiff. We could've been in the States by now, but apparently, the filmmaker's on a budget an' they've got a tight schedule an' what not...!" Ruth replied. There was a long pause, before her concerned mum began to smother her with questions- "Oh? Well, have ya, ya know, got a new job yet? I don't want ya both runnin on fumes."  "Jack doesn't want me takin on a job. Says he'll earn enough for all three o' us. Says he'd rather have me rest at home till the baby's ere. I mean, I try to look for jobs when he's not around...But, somehow, he always seems to know about it an' my stubbornness to not follow instructions annoys im! But, don't worry, mum, we'll be fine. An' he's doin well. I mean, his career, it'll take off soon en..." Ruth began to assure, lest her mum popped a vein! The woman had already begun preparing for their wedding, although Ruth wanted to wait till her fiance had the steady acting career he'd dreamt of.
"D'you need me to send o'er money? Is that it? For the rent, perhaps? Ya could always come back too...I'm not sayin, leave im behind or anythin...although that'd save us all that money we've been savin up for yer weddin!" she heard her mother ramble, meddling into her love-life once more. "Mum, bugger off, kay?! We're fine ere in London. I love my new life with Jack an' my unborn child. An' we're gonna get married the next time we're down in Scotland or whenever his schedule isn't too hectic, cuz I don't really wanna raise my baby without its father, kay?!" Ruth retorted through clenched teeth, not wanting to sound rude, but feeling flustered and cornered by her mother's incessant questions. Why couldn't she have faith?!  "Love, I was just..." Mrs. Richards began to explain her actions, although Ruth was too fed up to listen.  "Give the lass a break, woman! She's enjoyin er newfound freedom, yeah?" she grinned on hearing dad scold mum in the background!  "She hung up on me...!" Mrs. Richards fumed, as Ruth decided to hang up and watch the remainder of the shoot in peace.
"Mothers, eh? Don't worry. I won't be as overbearin as she is, ya can be sure o' that, my love." she cooed in  soft, adoring tone, running a gentle, caring hand over the front of her lacy blouse as she talked to their developing fetus and smiled coyly. She leant back, returning to her handycam. As soon as she held it up, she heard an explosion from behind her. She leapt up, watching wide-eyed in horror at the orange glow from the LCD screen of the handycam as the scenery behind her was lapped up by growing flames. She quickly snapped the device shut, switched it off and stuffed it back into the knapsack. There was another loud explosion from the parked trailers nearby that made her jump. The fire hadn't spared the grand sets either. She hoped Jack was out of danger as she heard screams.
"Jack!! JACK?! Any-body?! Please...? Help!!!" an ashen Ruth called out, with no way out as the flames surrounded her. She backed away as the flames inched closer, but was barred by the melting metal trailers. "Where's my wife? Anybody...have ya seen Ruth? Ruthy?!" she overheard a concerned Jack search for her. "I'm ere...Jack, by the trailers....help!!" she cried out, only to have her cries drowned out by sirens. "Ruthy?! I'm comin...hang on!" she heard footsteps in her direction. "Don't try to be a hero, mate. It's dangerous. The firemen'll get to her, don't fret!" she heard someone warn him. She could only hear their voices, but no faces in sight.
"No, ya don't...my wife's in there...! She's right there! She's pregnant an' she's scared...an' she's right there!! I can't wait for the bloody firemen...I've got to... I can get to er...I just need to...Ruthy!! Hang on, love!" he insisted, ordering her to stay put. Her cough persisted as the toxic fumes of smelted metal invaded her nostrils. Finding the sweltering heat and strong smell unbearable, she gasped one last time before passing out in the middle of a fiery ring.