by H. P. Munro
The door of the property started to open and Lloyd fumbled trying to pick up his long lens camera while putting his coffee down on the dashboard. He watched through the lens of his camera, clicking away as a blonde woman stepped out and placed her sunglasses on her nose. She turned back, smiling as a dark-haired woman came into sight. The rapid fire of Lloyd’s camera continued to shoot as the women kissed.
“Gotcha,” Lloyd smiled to himself as he continued to capture the exchange.
***
“Wait, it’s going to be okay,” Jordan gripped Freya’s arm turning her towards her, a loud roar from a motorcycle going past caused her to pause.
“Dammit,” the director shouted. “Okay we’re still rolling, reset and go again.”
Jordan retreated towards the doors of the arts center that doubled as the exterior of Front Line’s German-based treatment center. She entered through the automatic door waiting for them to close before exiting again into the LA night.
“Emily? Emily?” she jogged up behind Freya. “Okay this is something more than me being delayed during your surgery. Is this because of what happened this morning ’cause, it’s going to be okay.”
Freya turned at the pressure on her arm.
“Really? We were caught having sex, in the hospital, by our commanding officer. You honestly think that it’s going to be okay,” Freya replied, her tone flat and emotionless while her face portrayed a woman keeping her emotions in check.
“I know it will,” Jordan responded tenderly. “You heard her, she’s not going to discipline us. We just have to be more careful.”
Freya turned as if to walk away then whipped back, “Careful, I have been careful my entire career. All through ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’, I was careful Georgia. Not once did I do anything to rouse suspicion or get caught doing something I shouldn’t. I’m a damn fine soldier as well as a doctor, Georgia.”
Jordan pulled her into an embrace. “I know you are and I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have come into the shower like that,” she murmured against Freya’s hair.
Pulling away, tears flowing down both cheeks, Freya looked angrily at Jordan, “No you shouldn’t. Just because being gay isn’t forbidden anymore doesn’t mean that I want the world knowing my private life.”
Jordan held her hands up in surrender. “I was wrong and I’ll admit that,” she narrowed her eyes. “But I wasn’t alone in that shower and I didn’t hear you complain. I get that you’re angry, but are you blaming me?” she asked starting to bristle at the undercurrent of an accusation.
“Yeah, yeah, I’m blaming you,” Freya raged, then shook her head, turned and walked off down the path leaving Jordan watching her exit.
“Cut, okay people, it’s three a.m., let’s call it there,” the director said smiling. “Good job,” he said to Jordan as she passed him walking towards Freya who was wiping the tears from her cheeks.
“God I hope that we get some hot make up time in the next episode, crying like that plays havoc with my karma,” Freya sniffed as she ran her pinkies under her eyes.
Rubbing her shoulder comfortingly Jordan whispered, “I know a cure for karma that’s out of whack.”
Freya shot her a lusty look as she smirked and shook her head, “I guess we’ll find out tomorrow at the read, or should I say later today!”
As they walked towards the mobile units used during location filming, Jordan started to fidget nervously. “Freya I was wondering whether you wanted to spend Thanksgiving together?” she asked, suddenly shy.
Immediately feeling her mood brighten Freya smiled, “I would love to. I usually spend it with my parents, but they’re in Europe, or with my grandmother, but she’s on some promotional tour at the moment. They’ve retouched her early films and are re-releasing them which just leaves Dan but, being British, he doesn’t really get it. So I would love to spend Thanksgiving with you.”
Jordan grinned and bumped her shoulder against Freya’s as they walked, “So tell me, where are you taking me on our official first date?”
***
Thanks to her night with Freya and then their filming schedule running into the small hours of the morning, Jordan had climbed into bed when she got home and lapsed into something akin to a coma. The following morning she had, as a consequence, slept through her alarm meaning that she had a mad dash to get ready and be at the studio for the table read of the next episode.
She had tried calling Freya on the drive in but her calls went straight to voicemail. Standing outside Freya’s trailer, Jordan wrapped her knuckles on the door before pulling the door handle. She frowned at the locked door and stepped down from the small set of stairs. Giving the trailer one last glance, she shrugged towards the lot driver and jumped on the cart for the short drive to the rehearsal rooms.
Jordan slipped into the large room just as everyone was taking their seats. She sat down quickly and was surprised as she registered the empty spot where Freya usually sat. A cough from the production table tore her attention from the empty seat. Eleanor French stood up, her hands nervously toying with the papers on the table in front of her of her, “People, this week’s episode is being directed by one of our favorite directors Catherine Gilbert.”
Applauding, the assembled cast and crew gave their customary welcome. Catherine looked over the top of her glasses and smiled, raising her palm in acknowledgement.
“Before we get started, I have some news,” Eleanor paused her jaw visibly tightening as she looked around her cast and crew, her eyes avoiding Jordan’s direction. “Today the network released Freya Easter from her contract. She will therefore no longer be appearing on the show, effective immediately.”
There were gasps around the table at the announcement. Jordan rose slightly in her seat, turning as she felt a hand grip her thigh. Grant gave an almost imperceptible shake of his head as he squeezed her leg once before letting go. Jordan lowered herself back down and slumped in her seat fixing her eyes firmly on her hands, which were running up and down her thighs trying to dissipate the anger she felt.
Eleanor looked up the still shell-shocked cast and crew, “A formal statement will be released by the network later. Please can I ask that if you are approached for a comment you decline. Dianne, Jordan, there will be an additional scene for you both from the previous episode, scripts will be with you in a half hour.”
Dianne pushed her script back on the table. “What reason did they give?” she asked sitting forward.
Swallowing the distaste she felt at delivering the party line Eleanor answered, “It was felt that the chemistry in the Georgia-Emily relationship wasn’t working.”
“Bullshit,” Dianne muttered. “I’m surprised,” she continued raising her voice pointedly. “I thought that they had a huge amount of chemistry on screen and off!”
Jordan’s head shot up in surprise and she looked over towards Dianne, who was still glaring at Eleanor.
Eleanor held her hands up, “We have an episode to get done people, I’ve nothing else to say on this.” She sat back down and gave Catherine a curt nod.
Grant nudged Jordan’s arm and slid a piece of paper over.
You were papped kissing Freya leaving her house, I’m so sorry.
Jordan gulped and looked at Grant, he smiled sadly in confirmation before nodding his head towards Eleanor. Jordan followed his prompt and saw Eleanor bite her lip and close her eyes before giving a small sigh and returning her attention to the script.
Looking down Jordan noticed Grant had added to his note.
Think carefully about how you want to deal with this.
Thanks to Freya’s sudden departure, Jordan’s scenes were lighter than originally intended. As a result she was able to zone-out of the majority of the read only for Grant to nudge her occasionally to warn her that a line was coming up.
As they finished the reading Jordan leapt out of her seat and started to walk quickly towards the door. Checking her phone as she walked, she opened a text from Dan.
She’s at
mine. The door’s unlocked so come in, if you want or are able to.
“Jordan,” Eleanor called. “Can you walk with me?”
Nodding Jordan slipped her phone into her pocket and watched as her cast mates filed out of the room, a couple gripping her arm in a sign of support as they passed.
***
Dan stroked the head resting on his lap. The sobs had subsided and apart from the increasing wet patch on his trousers from her tears and the occasional sniff, causing Dan to pull a fresh tissue from the box and hand it down, they had very little interaction.
Freya lay her fingers lightly on Dan’s knee as she was soothed by his gentle caresses. When she had a call from Eleanor at five in the morning after finishing filming at three, she had a hunch that all was not well and had driven to the studio with a sense of foreboding gnawing at her stomach.
Earlier that day…
“Come in,” Eleanor called as she knocked on the door.
Freya anxiously opened the door and poked her head in, “Hi Eleanor, is something wrong?”
As she walked into the office she noticed the open laptop on Eleanor’s desk. Her shoulders slumped as she realized what the image displayed was of.
Eleanor closed the laptop, a small click breaking the silence that had descended. “I asked you, I specifically asked you,” the producer had said looking down at her feet, “and you told me there were no more secrets.”
“I…I...We,” Freya collapsed into a seat opposite Eleanor. “I didn’t know then, what we…”
Eleanor waved her hand dismissively and sighed, “I guess it doesn’t matter now, we don’t have much time before the suits arrive.” She stood up and walked around her desk. “I need you to know that this is not me, I…” she threw her hands up in defeat. “This. Is. Not. My doing,” she repeated. “I’m really sorry.”
Freya’s face crumpled as realization hit. “I’m being fired aren’t I?” she asked her voice almost a whisper. “Is Jordan being-”
Eleanor cut her off with a short shake of her head, “No, I’m sorry it’s just you.”
Freya swallowed hard and nodded, a numbness settling over her.
“I know you’re gonna want to rant, rave and holler to anyone that’ll listen. Hell, I want to rant, rave and holler about this and you have every right to do that,” Eleanor shook her head in disbelief at the thought of what she was about to say. “But I would strongly recommend that you don’t. This can be a ruthless, unforgiving, incestuous ass of a town. It’ll chew you up and spit you out,” she exhaled taking Freya’s hands into her own. “But it’s a job and god knows getting one of those in this business is hard enough, even if you are a Conor, and it’ll be even harder having a whole network pissed at you.”
“It would appear keeping the job is also difficult,” Freya added sarcastically.
“Yes it can be,” Eleanor gave a sad laugh. “I promise you Freya, when all this dies down, I will have a role for you if I still have a show, I have loved working with you and none of this. None of this. Is a reflection on your talent or ability.”
The door opened and Eleanor moved away from Freya as a suited man that she had never seen before entered. “Miss Easter, my name is Steven Abbot,” he held out his hand.
Freya gave a quick glance over towards Eleanor who had an impassive expression on her face, before returning her eyes to the outstretched hand. Eventually she raised her own and shook it.
***
Jordan drove as fast as she could. She abandoned Dan’s Mustang, which she was still driving, behind her own car. She ran up the stairs and burst through the door, her heart breaking as she saw Freya laying on the sofa her head resting on Dan’s lap.
Dan gave her a small smile before carefully extricating himself from under Freya. He gently laid her head onto a pillow and walked over to Jordan. Accepting his car key, he pulled her into a hug, “Your keys are on the table, I’m going to head over to hers to make sure that the place is okay. If you want to stay with her tonight let me know and I’ll sleep there. Make yourself at home.” He hesitated before leaving, “We’ve had the tears and now the shock. If I know my little Egg, the rage should be coming anytime soon. Call me if you need help.” He gave one last look towards Freya then left her in Jordan’s capable hands.
“Hey,” Jordan said softly, perching on the sofa beside Freya’s feet.
At Jordan’s voice, Freya looked up and a fresh wave of tears overwhelmed her as she flung herself into her lover’s arms.
“Shhhh, it’ll be okay I promise,” Jordan soothed, her hands rubbing up and down Freya’s back.
Freya pulled back hiccupping slightly. “They fired me!” she said incredulously. “The bastards actually fired me!” She looked wide-eyed at Jordan before brushing aside her tears angrily, “They took me into Eleanor’s office and fired me, Jordan!” She stood up and started to pace around the large coffee table.
Crap, thought Jordan, Dan wasn’t lying when he said anytime soon.
“I know they did, I’m so sorry,” Jordan stood up to try and placate Freya, who was striding around the table.
“I got out of Eleanor’s office and the efficient bastards had packed up my trailer into a box and left it sitting for me,” she stopped pacing. “You know what, I’m done!” she started to pace again throwing her arms around as she wailed. “I’m done with LA. I never wanted to come back here, but I got guilted into it with Anna’s health. My family never works in TV and now I know why. I am done working in a place more interested in ratings and revenue and market share and demographics and…and audience profiling,” she continued to rant barely pausing for breath. “And where sponsors call the shots over creativity and the story.”
Freya had worked herself so far up that nothing Jordan could say or do was going to bring her back down again.
“I’m fed up with shows pulling out of stories because they could damage the network’s brand and God forbid if someone doesn’t want to go on a damn roller coaster or buy washing powder because two women, who kiss on primetime, also kiss each other off of it.” She stopped immediately in front of Jordan, “I love you and I’m done with a town that thinks it can dictate to me who I fall in love with and how I’m allowed to show it!” She stopped slightly out of breath looking at Jordan, whose eyes had widened at Freya’s inadvertent admission, “And I didn’t plan on the first time that I told you that I love you being me shouting it in your face.” She hung her head down.
Jordan hooked her finger under Freya’s chin and pulled the tear-laden green eyes up to meet her own, “I love you too.” She leant down to kiss Freya who hiccupped into the kiss.
“Sorry.”
“I love you, shut up and kiss me,” Jordan murmured as she brought Freya closer and kissed her.
***
Freya snuggled further under Jordan’s arm, she absently ran her fingertips up and down the skin of Jordan’s stomach, “I didn’t even get a proper exit! We just had that stupid fight about shower sex.” She lifted herself up so she was laying on top of Jordan, her chin resting on her hands which were splayed across Jordan’s naked breasts, “And then schlooop.” She smacked her lips together, “I’m gone.”
Jordan looked down, her face a mixture of amusement at Freya’s description and sadness at the accuracy of it.
It was Sunday and the two women had holed themselves in Dan’s beach house since Freya’s sacking, neither wishing to step out of the bubble they had created around themselves and return to reality.
“Sucked into oblivion,” Freya mused.
“At least they didn’t drop you down an elevator shaft,” Jordan added.
“Oh, or drop a helicopter on me!” Freya laughed. However her laughter quickly turned to a wistful sigh.
“They re-deployed Emily to Afghanistan,” Jordan said carefully. This was the first time that she had admitted to Freya that she knew the fate of her character. “I had to shoot an added scene with Dianne the day they told us. They had Emily request a deployment to a combat su
pport hospital.”
Freya sighed and shook her head at the news. “I’ve missed pilot season. What am I going to do?” she groaned turning her head to listen to Jordan’s heartbeat.
“Something will come along,” Jordan said, sounding more optimistic than she was feeling.
***
Freya lay on her sofa having returned home from Dan’s, a box of cupcakes sat open on the table. She pulled the sleeve of her onesie over her hand freeing her fingers so she could change the channel on the TV. Despite her loathing of the outfit, Jordan had returned it the previous evening in an attempt to cheer her up. However, neither the power of the onesie or the sugar hit of the cupcakes could shake Freya from her gloom.
She sighed as she recalled earlier that day when Jordan had returned to work. It had felt awkward as Jordan had got ready to head into the studio and admitted that she had a light day. Neither commented on the reason for the sudden reduction in her workload.
Freya roamed through the channels before her attention spiked at the sight of her grandmother waving towards a studio audience. Unmuting the TV, Freya recalled the text from her mother that morning reminding her that Anna was on Opinionated Women to publicize the re-release of her films. Anna made her way onto the set smiling broadly towards the presenters, air-kissing them before perching on the sofa.
“Anna Conor, it is such a privilege to have you here,” the show’s main presenter, Pandora Paterson, smiled.
“Thank you, it’s lovely to be here,” Anna replied, smiling as the excited audience broke into applause once more.
Freya zoned out as the presenters asked her grandmother about the films that she was promoting, paying just enough attention to be able to tell Anna later how great she was.
“Anna, I have to ask, are the rumors true? Has your granddaughter Freya Easter been fired from Front Line?”