JONATHON - Book 2

Chapter 8

Bea sat on set and watched the scene between Jonny and Alexandra. She felt uncomfortable but he had insisted that she be there. It was an erotic love scene but not sufficiently so to warrant a closed set. It was not often that he was insistent about anything so on the few occasions that he was, she acquiesced, anything that Jonny wanted was important to her and if he needed her there, to give him confidence or to allow him to show her it meant nothing to him then she put her own feelings aside and did whatever it was that he asked of her.

The scene went extremely well and at the end he grinned at Bea and she nodded.

‘Oh, Alexandra!’ he called out after the young actress as she made to leave the set.

She turned smiling to him, expectantly waiting to hear him give her some praise for the work that she had just done. Jonny was generous that way.

He stood where he was and called out loudly to her, that all could hear.

‘Would you do me the small courtesy of taking a shower before we do any other scenes together?’ he said scathingly, bitingly. ‘Your personal freshness leaves a lot to be desired.’

There was absolute stunned silence on the set before one or two more callous members began to laugh aloud. Alexandra gasped and turned very red before running from the set as the laughter grew more intense and ribald.

‘If you need any advice I’m sure Bea could......’

Bea stood up. ‘Jonathon!’ she rebuked him sharply.

He opened his arms out, the palms of his hands up and spread wide, a look of bewilderment on his face, plainly asking what he had done wrong. He had just smacked her rival down in front of everyone and yet she glared at him as if he had disrespected her.

She strode to him and he believed she was going to smack him now, literally. He waited and so did everyone else.

‘You will apologise to Alexandra for that Jonathon,’ she told him very quietly.

He swallowed and sucked his lower lip but she could see some defiance in his eyes.

‘That was very unkind and extremely hurtful and uncalled for. I am ashamed of you Jonathon. You will apologise.’ There was no room for manoeuvre in her voice.

He bowed his head. That was worse than a slap; her good opinion of him was everything. He lived for her praise and approval and now he had made her ashamed of him.

‘Yes ma’am,’ he submitted quietly.

‘In front of everyone,’ she spelt it out.

‘Yes ma’am. I’m sorry,’ he said softly.

‘Not to me, Jonathon,’ she reminded.

‘I know. I will. Am I forgiven?’

She smiled and caressed his ear, kissed his cheek. ‘You will be. After you’ve apologised.’ He nodded and she started to walk away.

‘Where are you going?’ he wanted to know.

‘To find Alexandra.’

He sighed and watched her go, she wouldn’t let him off the hook until he had done, he knew that.

‘Lucky escape there, Jonny,’ laughed one of the cast.

‘Shut your mouth!’ he retaliated petulantly. Bea was the only one he allowed to reprimand him like that and only then because he loved her; and she loved him.

Bea went to the ladies room. One stall was closed and she could hear muffled weeping. She was surprised; she had thought Alexandra was tougher than that. But then it had been an extremely personal attack. Jonny, to give him his due, didn’t seem to realize just how wounding and humiliating his words had been, although he had been at great pains to make sure everyone, especially her, had been there to hear it. She began to think she had been too soft on that young man.