Chasing Rainbows
Part Twenty Seven

Emma felt as though she was kissing a wet fish. It was both impersonal and very wrong. But it was her job, and she was nothing if not professional, so as the director called out instructions, she obliged, swooning against him, letting him pull her close, and allowing his lips to devour hers. He moaned against her lips, and she kept her eyes closed until the director shouted “cut!”

Pulling back she took a deep breath then looked at Theo, “nice of you to finally show your face.”

He grinned what Emma presumed was his boyish grin that had no doubt broken many a heart in the past, “been busy! And hey, all publicity is good publicity!”

She stared at him, “you mean you orchestrated all this?”

He laughed, “I want this show to do well, so us being seen around town is good.”

Furious she stormed past him and towards her dressing room.

He was so conceited, he’d used her and her naivety to create gossip about this TV show, there was no regard for her life, her career. Did she give that up when she’d signed the contract to be part of this show? For the first time she thought about Jacob, and wondered what he was thinking, after all that had happened she’d hate to hear that he was cavorting with someone else via the tabloids, that was an awful thing to read...again...not that there was anything between her and Theo, but it seemed he was happy with the world believing there was. This was all so complicated.

Sighing she pulled on her own clothes, grabbed her bags and made to leave the studio for the night, she had a cab booked to take her home, but it wasn’t due for another half an hour...the studios were only a few blocks away from Rodeo Drive, and as she’d had a large pay check that weekend she was keen on shopping, something to take her mind of her anger...and embarrassment that still pained her after the recent revelations, and people’s reactions to it. Buying herself some Hollywood glam, and maybe dinner at that awesome cheesecake place would cheer her up!

As she reached the gates her plan for a quiet exit dissolved when she saw a glut of photographers poised writing for any snap shots they could steal. Theo must be used to this, but she wasn’t, and she hated being perceived as the latest in a long line of lovers for the Oscar nominee. Stepping back into the protection of the buildings she took a few deep breaths, how the hell was she going to make it past these? She’d cancelled the cab, so she headed for the reception, but the security guard was less than helpful. Exasperated she headed outside once more, and saw the photographers snapping away at each passing car. On foot she’d be stuck in the middle of them and she didn’t think she’d manage to escape. At that second she spotted Theo’s car...or rather Theo’s driver cutting across the car park towards the gate, his tinted windows would at least help her.

“Jump in, I’ll shout you dinner. Seeing as how I’m your public enemy number one!”

She was still angry with him, and told him that as she slid into the rear seat and shied away from the window.

The car stopped a few blocks away at a restaurant and Theo led her quickly inside. Secluded in a booth at the back of the room he relaxed, “you need to chill over all this Emma, I mean any publicity for you will only benefit your career.”

“I’m hoping that my performance will do that for me, I’m not wanting to hang on your coat tails!”

He laughed, “this is a cut throat world, and it won’t be long until you’re eating those sentiments, mark my words. Now what do you want to eat?”

She sighed, she disliked this man, disliked how he had treated her, “if I leave, go back to my apartment, will you sack me?”

Theo guffawed loudly, “why the hell would you do that? I’m not about to cut you for showing some spunk...I mean that’s a major reason that I wanted you on set. You have a great couldn’t care less attitude.”

She looked at him, the moralistic part of her was ready to run, but the restaurant smelled great, she had no food in...she was weak really.

“I’ll eat, but then I’m out of here.”

Gesturing for the waiter, his guffawing continued until the man approached for their orders.

She had a glass of sparkling water, and ordered pasta. Then tried to appear interested in Theo’s discussions about their scene that day. Glancing at her watch she wondered how she could get out of there without seeming rude.

“I’ve got to leave.” She sighed as she finished her drink. Reaching into her bag she pulled out a credit card. He tamely argued with her over who paid, but he let her pay, sensing that she was filled with a lot of conflicting emotions.

As she stood and made for the door, Theo gave an annoying laugh, “see you tomorrow for more of those kisses? Think we may have to reshoot judging by the dailies.”

She scowled; he’d not had any chance to see any dailies, so she knew he was winding her up, “whatever boss!”

But it was a mistake, bursting out on to the pavement, suddenly Emma was swamped by photographers, “where’s your lover?” They pestered, “where’s Theo?”

Emma was not used to this sort of attention, but she always imagined she’d deal with it properly, but this had taken her by surprise, she was flummoxed, and wrong footed, and the worst thing was she had nowhere to go. There wasn’t a taxi in sight. No one walked in LA.

Holding her head high she passed the cameras and made for the street, a couple turned to follow her, until chaos ensued behind. Glancing back she saw Theo emerge to a flash of lights and attention. He met her eyes gave a strange look, then got into the car that had appeared from nowhere.

It was the most public snubbing of her that he could display, several of the presumably experienced snappers laughed, staring at her. For Emma this was the lowest moment of her life. The last six months had been traumatic, emotionally and physically, she was at her lowest ebb, and that was why she suddenly felt faint, why her eyes were rolling in her head and she felt sick. Staggering she reached for the wall fighting to hold herself up, when she looked up, gained a little composure, her eyes met Theo’s again, just as he disappeared into the car uncaring.

She wanted to storm off, march away with the remnants of her dignity, but failed, because everything started to go black.

Jacob felt like a stalker watching the restaurant from a distance, he wanted to hit Theo Samuel with his cocky smile and that superior arrogance. He’d seen them arrive, pale and nervous Emma, with that obnoxious Samuel, and he told himself that his hatred had nothing to do with the photos of him and his wife. It was his attitude. They entered the restaurant, and there was no warmth between the two, if anything there was a great distance. Had he got this wrong?

He was about to leave, how long could you realistically sit in a cafe watching the door to a restaurant before people called the police? But he sensed movement, across the road, he’d spotted a few photographers arrive, but when he glanced up from his coffee he realised there were maybe twenty there. All ready to fight for a photo.

Poor Emma!

Then she appeared, alone, her face contorted with sadness? He couldn’t tell from this distance, but she wasn’t happy, and those bastards were there to feed on her insecurity lambasting her with camera flashes when she clearly wasn’t up to it.

He was halfway across the street dodging the suddenly busy traffic when he saw Samuel emerge, courting the cameras and attention like the pro he was. But Jacob’s eyes were on Emma, who was suddenly deathly white and unsteady on her feet. He’d been to her home, he’d met her family, seen the place she called home, she had no clue how to deal with this attention, and Theo Samuel should be helping her, instead he was disappearing into a limo, not oblivious of her, because he’d seen her. The bastard was abandoning her, leaving her to that pack of wolves.

Never had he wanted to damage another person.

But he felt that thought disappear as Emma slid to the floor, her head hitting the pavement far too heavily.

“Shit!”

Within seconds he was beside her, calling to the vultures who circled to call an ambulance. He didn’t want to move her, but she was so exposed on the street.

“Emma, hold on in there darling, help is coming, ok?”

She moaned an answer, but her eyes were still closed, he was just happy she was breathing.

A flash went off over his shoulder and he turned his head, anger emanating out of every pore, “if a single photo makes it to the tabloid rags, or even the internet, I will sue the hell out of you bastards, and do not doubt that I can afford it, so I suggest you start using the delete button.”

There was a glare and a determination in his voice that assured all the observers were in no doubt that he was telling the truth. As the wails of the ambulance approached, the men had the good manners to step back.

“What’s happened?” A young female leapt from the passenger seat of the truck and was at Emma’s side within moments.

“She fell, collapsed, one minute she was stood, then she was unsteady...then she fell, I wasn’t close enough to catch her.”

The woman was assessing her as she listened, “what’s her name?”

“Emma.”

The paramedic nodded, gesturing to her colleague, who then pushed Jacob away from her. He could hear Emma’s voice - a great relief, but she didn’t look well, and it was only as he stepped to his right, getting a better view of her prostrate body, that he saw the pool of blood on the pavement below her head. She’d cut her head open, and he hadn’t caught her, hadn’t been there to look after her, protect her. His mind flashed to that bastard Samuel, he’d seen her pale and swaying and he’d just driven off and left her. If Emma was ok, if she got through this he’d kill Samuel, he wasn’t joking!

Eventually the medics were happy and planned to move her into the ambulance to travel to hospital, as he made to join them, the female attending her held out a hand, stopping him, “sorry but it’s family only with us in the bus.”

“She’s my wife,” he breathed, hating that he was so worried, so scared. The woman glanced down at Emma then back at him, then nodded, letting him into the vehicle.

“Is she going to be ok?” He asked as the ambulance started to move.

The woman smiled, “she’s really sleepy, she may be concussed, she’ll need to be assessed in hospital, she was coherent a few minutes ago, but she’s not now. I’m worried about her, but she’ll be okay, I’m sure of that.”

He couldn’t take the optimism offered, instead he remained worried, but every step took them closer to the hospital.

Emma felt as though her head was exploding, she had pain, more pain that she could ever remember, the back of her head throbbed, and her eyes hurt. She fluttered trying to open her eyes, but it was too bright and she was too exhausted. But a few moments later she tried again.

Looking around she suddenly remembered what happened. She argued with Theo, as close to arguing without confronting him, then she’d gone all funny, light headed.

She knew she was in hospital, but had no recollection of getting there, it was all confusing. With a sigh she rolled her head to the left, then groaned. Sat there with a face like thunder was Jacob.

Closing her eyes she took a deep breath, she hadn’t seen him since throwing him out weeks ago, she’d not even heard from him. That had surprised her...anyway, here he was. And he looked beautiful. Angry, hostile even, but beautiful.

“Jacob?” she croaked, amazed at the relief she felt at knowing he was there.

Instead of concern, friendship, his face contorted into a hideous scowl, “what”?

“What is it?” She asked quietly, “why am I here?”

He laughed, and ugly, angry sound, “were you going to tell me? If I hadn’t come looking for you would you have come to replace me? Would you have told me?”

Throb, throb, throb, Emma was trying to follow all that he was saying over the deafening thud of her painful head. “I don’t know what you mean.” She managed.

He laughed again, “I’m sure you don’t, I expect you think it’s funny that a doctor is the one to tell me you’re pregnant!” he shook his head, “it should have been you! YOU should have told me!”