Beyond the Black Curtain

Chapter 31 - Reassurances

"Nothing, you just seem a little on edge since you called," I noted. I then saw him nervously tuck a stray lock of hair behind an ear and tapped his pen over the table he had his tablet on. "And why are you only giving me next week's schedule? Don't you usually run through the entire month with me?"

Josh doesn't say anything but then he clears his throat tensely and looks away from the screen, pretending to write something on his notebook.

"Josh, you can't lie to me. Spill it, bro."

To say I was livid would be an understatement after Josh had decided to tell me everything. Apparently, the reason why he was only giving me next week's schedule was because I was supposed to have another week off after that and then I'd be doing overseas press and reshoots for Avengers 4 for the next 6 months. Even with the Captain America movies, the most I'd been away was four months at a time and I'd usually be told of this at least a month before I had to go. Apparently, Kevin Feige and the Russos felt I'd missed a lot of time by being in house arrest for two weeks and that they really needed to keep the schedule tight so that there won't be any delays during post production.

Six fucking months. I'd be away for Christmas, New Year and Rae's birthday in September. I guess I should be alright that they at least let me spend my birthday here, but it's not okay at all. I pace around the kitchen, trying to calm my goddamn nerves down but the walking only serves to agitate me further. My phone rings from out of nowhere and I almost drop it due to my hands shaking in anger.

"Yeah?" I say, my voice clipped.

"Sebastian, it's Chris. Are you okay? Josh texted me about you knowing the schedule. I'm not happy with it either, but it's Kevin who wanted it so..."

I take a deep breath and pound my fist on the kitchen counter to relieve some of the pent up anger. "Am I okay?! Goddammit man, we're gonna be spending the holidays away AGAIN! And I'm not gonna be here for Rae's birthday, so am I okay? Fucking hell I'm not! GOD!!!"

I was so upset and had been yelling on the phone so loudly I didn't notice Rae come in until I felt a pair of comforting arms hug me from behind. She was murmuring things against my back, I had to tell Chris I'd call him back.

"How long will it be this time?" She asks quietly.

"Six fucking months," I say and I can't hide the disgust in my voice. "Your first birthday and Christmas holidays with me and I won't even be here. God I am just so upset right now."

I turn around so I can hug my girl back. Rae holds on to me tightly while I kiss her crown. "Do you at least get to spend your birthday with me?"

Rae manages to get us to sit on the couch. "Yeah, I won't leave until the 15th. I'm so sorry baby."

"It's okay," Rae responds sadly. "It's what I signed up for when I got together with you right? Crazy actor life and all that shit."

"I can't believe Leslie wouldn't tell me this until days before I had to leave. Josh couldn't lie to me even if it meant his life," I said.

"We'll make it work," Rae says with a tinge of confidence in her voice. "I know we could."

"Yeah, we will. We're gonna make it work, we always do."

***

"Chris!"

"Seb!"

I give Chris a big hug as I met him at the arrivals in LAX. We were booked to do a shoot together the following day and I'd decided to let him stay with me since we were both scheduled on the same flight for when we travel to Europe for the reshoots. We sign a few autographs and take a few pictures with fans before I drove us back to my place.

"How are you man?" I ask as I pull out of the parking lot of the airport. "How's everyone back home?"

"Ahhh...everyone's good. Ma was worried about you when she heard about the little thing in Bucharest. She'll call later once I let her know we're at your place. The kids are great, Carly and Shanna are up to their eyeballs busy, but everything's real good."

I sigh as I make a turn. "Yeah, Lisa was texting me furiously the first few days I was back home. Between her and my mom, they kept me occupied the first few days."

"How's Rae?" he asks.

"Oh well, you know, she's ah...she's alright. She did hear our conversation that day I learned of the schedules and I could tell it upset her more than it did me. Half a year is a damn long time to be away. I think she was secretly glad I got advised to stay at home for two weeks because she was already so distraught about the prospect of me being gone for five months."

"Well at least you'll still get to spend your 36th with her," Chris says matter of factly.

"I know, and then we're out after two days. God this is so shitty."

My eyes were fixated on the road, but I suddenly felt self-conscious. True enough, when I took a sideways glance at my friend, he was eyeing with me a look I couldn't tell.

"What?" I chuckled lightly.

"You've changed a lot since...her."

"Her? Who? What do you mean?"

"Oh come on, Sebastian, do you really want me to say her name? You know who I'm talking about bruh."

I did know who Chris was talking about. She was probably the most toxic relationship I've ever been in and I have to agree with him, I'm so far removed from the person I was when Margarita and I were together to the man I am now with Rae.

I gradually nodded at Chris in agreement. "Yeah...I guess you could say that. Rae's like my homing beacon. When I find myself drifting away, she lights up and she pulls me back in. I've never had that before. That, and I get to treat her the way I've always wanted to treat my girlfriends before. You know how I always wanted to make an effort, but they don't want me to."

"Who knew you'd find the love of your life halfway across the world?"

"Heh, that's one mystery I'd always be grateful for, man."

***

"Honey, I'm home!" I shouted at the living room as Chris and I made our way inside. Chris playfully smacked me in the head and I just shrugged.

"Err...practice?"

Chris was about to say something in response when Rae came skipping from the kitchen and jumped straight to my arms. I groaned quietly in pleasure as soon as her body came in contact with mine. She smelled like vanilla and strawberries and if my bestfriend wasn't in the living room with us, she'd be against the wall right then.

"Hey baby," Rae said while I set her down. "How's the drive to here?"

"Absolutely horrendous," Chris says behind me and walks over to give my girl a bear hug. "I missed you, firecracker."

"Oh god, I missed you too, crybaby," Rae said in response and I fought a laugh bubbling from my throat. Chris told me about their pet names for each other while we were on the flight back to the US after the Singapore junket and I was in stitches the entire time. It was another one of the many reasons why I fell in love with Rae even as early as then.

"I heard this jerk gave you quite the scare in Bucharest," Chris says matter-of-factly as he set her down.

Rae wraps an arm around my waist and slaps my chest with her free hand. "Scare? I was fucking petrified Chris! I would've gone hysterical if I saw him fall down, thank whatever I didn't. But yeah, I got pretty shaken by it. I gave him hell for it though."

"Don't remind me," I mutter blandly. "Let's just say I know when to tell her when I'm hot potato or not."

Chris bellowed out his signature laugh with the left boob grab. "I want to ask further, but I think I'm okay with knowing Rae put you in your place, Seb."

"I sure as hell did," Rae says proudly then tugs at both my and Chris' hands to lead us to the kitchen. "Anyway, I'm sure you both are already starving, dinner should be ready in five minutes. Help me set up the table will you, boys?"

Chris and I share a look and give a salute to Rae. "Yes, ma'am!"