The Actor's One & Only

Chapter 21

Cameo by Catherine Tate as Anita Noble.
Chris Elliott as  Mr. Simpkins, the producer from the States.

"Your husband's a real braveheart, Mrs. O'Donnell." she heard Mr. Simpkins praise as she came to in the hospital.  "Please, Mrs. O'Donnell's my mum. She's still Ms. Richards...Actually, just Ruth. We're not married, yet." Jack corrected, smiling toothily as he brushed off strands of her hair which fortunately hadn't been scorched in the fire. She was still recovering from asphyxiation which could've been fatal had he not put his life on the line for her. "You've got soot in yer teeth!" she pointed out with a giggle. "It's for this new part in this movie...I'm playin a,uh, a demon...Crowley, actually!" he joked, embarrassingly shutting his trap on hearing her! Blackened teeth or not, she was still gonna kiss him.
   "Wait...Braveheart? What d'you mean by that?" she enquired, realizing his producer was still in the room. "Yeah, he just swooped in there an' carried ya out...like a real action hero! Like a scene outta a movie, ya know? Try as we could to stop him!" Mr. Simpkins continued to shower praise on a blushing Jack. "Aww...love, really?! I love ya so much, ya silly show off!  Are ya alright though? Did ya get hurt?" she cried out in disbelief, at the same time concerned about his well-being. "I mean, I did get hit by some debris in the back o' my noggin on my way in...but, it's just a nick." he replied, in order to put her at ease. "I wouldn't call that a nick! Wowser, that's one big wound!" he heard a familiar voice disagree from behind him.
"Nice to see ya ere too, Anita." he greeted sarcastically, as his friend dropped in with a bouquet of flowers. "I'd to come after I heard." she whispered, hugging him with a smile and patting his back. "It's fine! It's just...just a few stitches, that's all. Atleast, this money maker's outta danger, eh?" he quickly fixed the situation, turning towards his worried wife whose expression had turned horrified and pale on hearing Anita. "I mean...really?! I can't believe you'd just jump in there an' save us...save me an' the baby...? The baby! It's alright too, right..?" he heard her question as he embraced her in order to comfort her.
  "Uh...love...can we talk bout this at home. The doctor, well, he..." he pulled back from the embrace, trying his hard to not cry in front of her. He was an actor. He was trained to cry on cue and he could hold in the tears in front of his traumatised fiancee if he tried hard enough. He wanted to be strong for her sake. "What's wrong with the baby?" she repeated as he sat down beside her and took her trembling hand in his.  "It wasn't yer fault, love, just know that, yeah? It was...the doctors said they detected an infection, an' they just couldn't save the lil tyke, I'm sorry." he revealed, planting a kiss on her hand as he spoke. "Wh...? Our baby...? " the distraught woman whimpered, before letting go of his hand, bringing both palms to her face as she broke down in tears, muffling her cries with her palms.  "Should I give ya two some time alone?" Anita offered, as he held a weeping Ruth in his arms and rocked her to console her.
"I sure would. I mean losin a baby, at the same time losin out on a movie which would've made millions...! Gosh! Must be hard bein ya, buddy!" Mr. Simpkins muttered, putting on his shades and deciding to take their leave since he wasn't really comfortable being around distraught people. He narcissistically flipped back his phony red mane that matched his red beard before he departed. Jack left his fiancee in Anita's safe hands without a second thought, forgetting that the love of his life had just lost their child as he quickly wiped away his tears and stormed out after Mr. Simpkins and caught up with him.
"What d'you mean...? What's the...what's the problem with the movie?" the shocked actor stammered. "Well, we're shuttin the whole thing down, man! It's been cursed from the start! Director's a real superstitious dude too. I'm sorry, man." hipster Simpkins explained in a no-worries tone, waving his ring-studded, Rolex-adorned hands about as he spoke.  "An' I rather liked the sets too...especially that huge, authentic-ish Hollywood sign. Pity to see it melt like that! Well, better luck next time, man!" the carefree producer exclaimed, seemingly more concerned about material things rather than the young, struggling actor's loss, while Jack was helpless as another opportunity slipped out of his hands. "Wh...Mr. Simpkins! But...I needed that role. That....I need somethin in my bloody resume that isn't nude black an' white headshots or minor roles or ads for TP or bloomin low budget, indie movies with a shitty plot, ok?! I'm a talented actor with loads o' experience in theatre...I deserve more! I'm sick an' tired o' this crapola!" a desperate Jack called out behind him, red-faced and furious as he brought the entire hospital to a standstill. "Just take a chill pill, dude!" Mr. Simpkins retorted, rolling his eyes under those gold rimmed shades at his tantrums as he returned to his Porsche in the parking lot. "Jack, Jack...listen to me. There's gonna be more roles out there, kay? But, right now...someone else needs ya to be there for her, yeah?" he heard Anita run up to him to console him before he further blew a fuse. "But, Mr. Simpkins, can't we just talk this out?!" he ignored her, still calling out to the hotshot producer. "Oi, listen, mate!!" Anita, who could be a hothead when provoked, screamed at him to remind him that there was more to worry about than his failing career right now.
"Oi! Your fiancee's in there." she reminded, disappointed in her friend for his behaviour. "Aye, she is..but, she'll be fine. I'll...I'll just be a minute.." a puffy-eyed Jack muttered, turning away as he spotted Mr. Simpkins still in his parked car outside. "An' she's just received devastatin news that she's just miscarried. An' you're runnin after some bloody movie producer to bicker over some silly movie?!" she reprimanded, forcing the towering man to face her as she spoke. "That role could've made my..." he began to argue. "She's...just...miscarried. She's goin through God knows what an' you're...so help me God...!" she repeated through clenched teeth, raising her voice at him as she was growing impatient with him and she certainly didn't like leaving young Ruth by herself in the hospital room.  "Alright, I get it,I get it...! I'm goin in there right now, kay? See?" he grumbled as she tugged him by jacket and pushed him back into the room to his resting fiancee. "Think monkey think!" she mocked.
"Monkey...?" he cried out, insulted by her comment. "Right! Cuz you've got a face like one." the fellow actress jeered. "Oi, I do not! " he defended his precious looks.  "Relax, Jacqueline! I didn't mean anythin by it." he heard her tease, one last time before forcing him to sit down next to Ruth.
"Told ya I'd drag the madman back in here." Anita bragged, being helpful as she handed her friend's sobbing fiancee a tissue. "Uh..th..thanks for that, Anita." Ruth whispered hoarsely, more grateful towards her for handing her the tissue than for bringing Jack back. She couldn't believe he'd acted so insensitive and run off like that. This wasn't the Jack she knew and loved.