Reckless (23 page)

“She is only another girl to him,” I said.

“I don’t think so. She had to be more than that, she was pregnant with his child. He obviously had some kind of connection with her or he wouldn’t have believed her when she said the baby was his. At least, he wanted to believe her.” Ethan said obviously convinced of the idea.

Ava

Even though I know Sean is somewhere nearby, I do not like waking up without him. I crawl my way to the edge of the bed before I roll back over and crush my face into the pillow all over again.
What’s the hurry? I’m done for the day anyway.

“Hey sleepy head? Are you going to get up some time today?” Sean said grabbing my semi exposed foot, pulling me towards him.

I turn over smiling wide at my sexy husband.”No, I think I will stay here, in fact …” I reach up and grab a hand full of his shirt and pull him down on top of me. I suck on his lips and moan my desire for him in hopes to entice him to stay with me this time.

“Ava honey, I cannot do this with you all day,” he said kissing me one last time as he gets a hold of me, keeping me at a safe distance from him. “I wish I could stay in bed with you, hell I wish I could take you home to our bed and not leave for days but I can’t.” His smile disappears with his sigh. “And actually you can’t either.”

I scoot away instantly, eyeing him, “What? Why?”

Sean reaches out grabbing my hands and pressing his soft lips to the underside of my wrists. I twist my body awkwardly away from him as he tries to pull me to him, “They really liked that last scene sweetheart.

“So!”

“So they want you to do Aimee’s part now”
He said it so matter-of-factly it seemed like I should be excited about it but I am not … I’m terrified. She has speaking parts. Acting parts!
“Sean how is that possible, it’s two different roles?”

“Not anymore. Now you are the girl that reappears pregnant … with my child. And since we are shown having sex, it only makes since both money wise and flow wise if the script changes in this direction.”

“I thought this was a true story, how can it change?”

He laughs at me, “
Based
on a true story. Creative license you know, besides he obviously slept with her at some point who’s to say it didn’t happen this way?”

“Oh, wow Sean.” I grab a pillow burying my face into it.

“I know, but it’s really not that much more, only a few lines.”

I jump up, “I don’t have to have sex with you again do I?”

Sean laughs, “I am extremely hurt by that … but no, not on camera at least.”

I crawl into his lap, “Will you help me?”

“Of course, and Ethan said to tell you he will be available as well.”

Some little guy brings me a script to go over, my hands shake as I take it from him, unsure of what awaits me. Ethan helps me understand the character and how to approach each scene. It actually is not too much of a stretch for me. A scared pregnant girl unsure if the father of her child will hate her … or support her, sounds very familiar actually. However, things turned out better for me. Sean actually does love me, this guy was in love with another woman at the time.
Damn I wish I could drink.

Walking with Ethan and Carol to the set, I am dressed in my new wardrobe of jeans and a well-worn t-shirt that is stretched tight over my fake baby belly. They for some reason were concerned about me looking fat. Daniel the director greets me warmly, putting his arm around my shoulder as he explains things to me. I am glad Ethan pulls me away from him, I am not comfortable with him being that close. It is going to be simple, walk into where Sean will be with all of his crew and his newly declared girlfriend. I have to interrupt him and … tell him. They are in their hometown of Tennessee, working in their custom fitted garage and trying to figure out new stunts for a series of shows they are going to be kicking off in Texas. My name is Aimee, Aimee Barron.
I have to remember to call him TC for Thomas Castor and not Sean. That’s going to be hard.
They lockdown the set and on the other side of this door, the others begin their roles. Nerves creep into my body like needles piercing through my skin.
I miss when it was simply sweet butterflies.
I close my eyes and breathe until Carter walks up patting my arm.

“Ready?” He cocks his head to one side sympathetically. I shake my head. “You’ll be fine, just breathe, they are going to focus on Sean’s reaction to you anyway, not so much you.”

We wait to get our cue and Carter takes me to where we are supposed to enter, where we wait again until we are to go. I am glad Carter has to enter before me, introducing me to the scene. I look down at my rounded belly figure and my mind goes a million miles a second.
Calm down Ava or they will make you do it again and again.
I close my eyes and next thing I know … Carter is pulling me through the door, my security blanket. I follow behind him shuffling my heavy feet along with me. We approach a crew of people, most helping work on the car but a few going over ideas at a nearby table with Sean.
I mean TC! Dear God please help me get through this.
What I wasn’t expecting was Tami.
I mean Lacey, Damn!
I knew she was playing his love interest in this movie but I was not expecting her in these scenes. I don’t know why, she is supposed to be a part of the crew … his crew. Rambling, I’m rambling to myself and not paying one bit of attention.
I check back in luckily before I miss much, only some general hellos and nervous stares.

Scene: Reckless: Aimee / Ava

“Ummm TC, someone is here to see you,” Carter.
I mean Mitch his manager said, fuuuckkk!

“Really, who’s that?” TC turns catching an eye full of me.

“You should go talk to her … alone I think,” Mitch says tapping him on the shoulder.

TC gets up from the table intense and focused, my heavy feet instantly try to carry me backwards. I look away from him, only to see Lacey staring a hole right through me.
Oh God.
I gulp as I match up with TC one on one.

“So you have something to say to me?” He said crossing his arms and glancing down at my stomach before resting on my watery eyes.

“Can we go somewhere a little more private?” I said gripping my trembling hands.

“This is private enough, just tell me what you have to say,” he snapped.

I take a deep breath, feeling the tears making their way to the surface, “Do you remember me?” I said softly.

“What?” He yelled.

“Do you remember me? You know from South Carolina, the little town that you stopped in to do your show about six months ago? We met at the bar. I was sitting on a stool and then …”

“Yeah I know, so what about it?” He stares into my eyes daring me to confess my secret.

The floor becomes my new focus as my back meets the wall, “So you do remember me?”

“I said I did, didn’t I?” He snaps at me.

I cringe feeling his anger heat up my skin, “Well I just wanted to let you know that I …” I force myself to look up at his harsh eyes. “I’m pregnant.”

“I can see that. Are you claiming it’s mine?” I nod while holding my breath. “Why should I believe that?”

I shake my head.
Breathe!
Tears are flowing down my face uncontrollably and I lose concentration. I close my eyes trying to remember my line but I can’t.

End Scene: Reckless: Aimee / Ava

I grip Sean’s arm and they stop us.

“That was good Ava,” Sean said taking me into his arms. “That was real good sweetheart.”

“I couldn’t remember my next line though.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“You did wonderful Ava,” Tami said kindly.

“Really?” I asked her.

“Oh yes, you almost made me cry,” Tami said patting me on the back before leaving to have her makeup retouched.

“See, I told you,” Sean said kissing me on the cheek before he is over taken with people to check his own appearance.

I step back into place. We are to start from Sean’s last comment. Sean stares at me with a furious intent for a few minutes before we start, reviving my uneasiness again.

Scene: Reckless: Aimee / Ava

“I can see that. Are you claiming it’s mine?” I nod cautiously. “Why should I believe that?”

“Because …” I said softly. “Because I haven’t been with anyone else. Why else would I come all this way Tennessee?” My southern twang easily comes back to me as my emotions get carried away.

“To get money,” his says with an assured voice.

I look back at Lacey before finding my secure point on the floor. “Just forget it. I’ll figure it out on my own. I knew this was a mistake,” I move back towards the door.

TC grabs my arm spinning me back around, “What do you mean you’ll figure it out?”

“I don’t want anything from you. I only wanted to let you know is all.”

“Well who is helping you now?” He said stern but with a softer tone

“No one.”

“No one? How have you been getting by?”

“I was waitressing at McKinney’s Bar but they don’t really like pregnant girls working there so they fired me a few months ago. Now I’m a cashier at the grocery. It doesn’t pay as well but I got another roommate to move in with us to help pay the bills.”

He narrows his eyes at me, “Us? How many people do you live with?”

“Five, three girls and two boys. It’s not much to look at but a pretty sturdy house. It’s down the street from the Piggly Wiggly, so I don’t have to walk far. I even made up a spot in the basement for me and the baby - it’s like our own little place now. I hung up sheets so we can have our privacy and the church gave me a crib. The sheets for it are pink with yellow bows though, but I suspect he won’t ever know the difference anyhow.”

He is silent and breathing steadily. “He?”

“It’s a boy,” I shrug with uncomfortable smile.

“Oh, ummm,” his eyes wander the room around him before they meet mine again. “You should live here in Tennessee. Stay here and I’ll help you with whatever you need.”

“Really?” I ask with excitement.

“I’m not about to have my son live in that mess,” he said flashing a meager smile.

“So what now?” I asked him.

“I don’t know … I guess we get you moved here.”

“I only have this one suitcase and my cousin Jeanie drove me here, so … this is all I got.” I confessed, feeling embarrassed for some reason.

He folds his hands over his head sighing again, “Well that should make it easy. You can stay with me for now.” He looks me up and down a couple of times seeming to contemplate something. “Anyway, I have three bedrooms, so there is plenty of room for you both.”

I bite my lip, fighting my emerging smile.

End Scene: Reckless: Aimee / Ava

The scene ends there, with us anyway. Sean has to go back and do another with the rest of them. Tami especially, who he now has to tell that I am having his baby and moving in with him. I can’t watch this scene, Sean said he is going to get hit and slapped several times by her and I can’t handle any more crying by anyone. My next scene is late getting started because Sean continuously refers to me as Ava rather than Aimee in his scene with Tami, which shocks me - he does not usually mess up like that.

My heavy eyes, force me to fall deep into my dreams that is until I feel soft lips on mine. I reach out and hold him to me. “All done?” I asked relieved to see his smiling green eyes again.

“Almost,” Sean sighed sinking in next to me, “Only our scenes left now.”

“You look worried,” I said.

“I am not worried about you, I am worried about me.”

“Why?” I asked.

“Ava are you serious?”

“It’s only a movie,” I shrug trying to lighten his mood.

“Yeah well it’s a little too close to home for me. It’s …” He lets go of me to rub his face and exhale fully.

“You will be wonderful Sean, I know it,” I said.

“Thanks for the confidence but I’m not so sure.” I kiss him and lie against his chest listening to his heart beat rhythmically.

For my next scene I am dressed somewhat better than previous scenes. I have on a simple dress that meets my knees and is not nearly as tight, I can actually walk and breathe at the same time. “Are you ready?” Sean asked me.