“Didn’t listen to it yet.But I just realized he can’t fire me.We’ve shot so much of the movie already that if he replaces me, he’ll have to reshoot all my scenes, and he’ll go over budget.I signed a contract.He could sue me.”
“I understand.”
“You shouldn’t have to, after the way he treated you.”He kissed me.
“Why don’t you listen to his message and see what he said.If you have to go back to filming, how much longer will it take?”
“Three more weeks.”
“Then you’re free?”
“Yeah.Free to fuck you whenever we want.”
“So, I can book this place and ask for the time off work?”
“Let me see what Jack has to say.”
He picked up his phone and listened to the message.
“Well?”I said.
“Go ahead and book the cottage.”
“What did he say?”
“He apologized.He wants me back on set tomorrow morning.”
––––––––
The next three weekswere hard.Eddie went back to work.When I asked him how Jack was treating him, he said he was fine, but he was working long hours, and when he came home, it was so late he went straight to bed and got up ridiculously early.I think Jack was keeping him underslept to punish him.Once, Eddie told me Jack invited him to stay the night at his house, but Eddie said no.I trusted Eddie, but I didn’t trust Jack not to take advantage of him.I used to feel sorry for Jack, because I knew what it felt like to love Eddie and not be able to have him.I didn’t feel sorry for him now.If he wanted me back for reshoots, he could fuck off.I didn’t care if I didn’t end up in his movie.
A couple weeks after they filmed my scene, I got a check.I almost ripped it up, but, well, I’d earned it, and I couldn’t afford to throw money away.I felt petty enough to put it aside for the wedding.Assuming Eddie accepted when I proposed.
My therapist upped me to two sessions a week for the next couple weeks after that scene.I wouldn’t say I bounced back, but I worked through it, and realizing what had changed since I was a kid and that it couldn’t happen to me again helped.I was an adult, and I wasn’t alone anymore.I had Eddie.
I kept practicing, because I’d missed tapping so much.I also worked on his Christmas present, writing him a song.I’d co-written songs for Undeclared Mustard before, but I’d never written one by myself for anybody.
While I was gigging and Eddie was shooting his film, we had hardly any time together.Some days, I’d wake up in the morning and know he’d been home because the sheets smelled of him, but he’d be gone.I missed him so much I put a note on his pillow that read “Wake me up when you get home.Please.”
That night, or morning, he did.He woke me up so gently I thought I was dreaming.He was beside me in bed, looking tired, but smiling.
“Hey,” he whispered.
“Hey.”
He turned over so I could spoon him.What it felt like to hold him like that, especially after not seeing him for so long, was like everything was going to be okay.He stroked my arm with his thumb.He liked to do that.
“You’re still dancing,” he said.
I remembered I’d left my tap board out in the living room.I’d stopped putting it away because he was never there for it to be in his way.
“I’m thinking of auditioning for a dance company after we get back home.”
“Will that interfere with your gigging?”he said.
“Yeah, which is why I’m quitting the band.Two days before we go on holiday is my last day.Brian’s being an asshole to me.And Alan’s not taking sides.”
I left out the biphobic shit Brian had been saying because that wasn’t Eddie’s shit to deal with.
