With an excited tone in her step, Jade moves quickly down the hallway corridor that leads to the soundstages that are used to film Manhattan Med. It's not often that she visits Beck on set, it's not often that their conflicting schedules allow her the time, but today is a very special occasion so she made it work.
"Hey!" Jack Chaplin grins as he comes around the corner "Jade's here! I didn't know you were stopping by today."
"Neither did I." Jade admits "It was kind of a last minute decision. Have you seen my boyfriend? I need to talk to him, it's really important."
"He's in the middle of a scene." Jack informs her "I'm actually supposed to be in that scene, but I needed to use the bathroom. You can head that way if you want, I'll catch up with you in a minute."
"They won't try to stop me from walking on?"
"Well, don't walk in front of the camera." Jack laughs "Just stay behind the director and out of the way and you'll be fine."
"Alright. Thanks, Jack."
"No problem." Jack nods "See you in a few."
Jade continues onto the soundstage and follows the voices and bright lights to one of the hospital sets. She hangs back as Jack had instructed her to, but gives herself a decent enough view of what is happening in front of her. It appears that they're doing close-ups on Beck, which would make sense given that his scene partner had left to use the restroom.
Even from far away, it's so easy for Jade to see how much passion that Beck puts into his work. They do multiple takes of him saying the same lines, and he gives the same amount of effort and emotion in each one. His work ethic and his dedication are definitely two of the things she admires about him. He's so fucking talented, and she's so proud of him.
"Have you ever seen him film before?" Jack asks, appearing next to Jade and startling her
"Oh!" She jumps "Hey. Yeah, I have. I was here a few times during the first season."
"He's the master." Jack says, watching Beck "You'd never be able to tell this is his first professional job."
"Yeah." Jade agrees "He's very talented."
"And...CUT!" The director yells "Take five, everybody. And someone figure out where Jack went!"
"Beck!" Jack calls out to his co-star "Yo! Over here, man!"
Beck follows Jack's voice out from behind the cameras and lights, and his face immediately lights up as soon as his eyes land on Jade.
"Hey you!" He smiles, moving quickly towards her "What are you doing here?"
He greets her with a hug and a kiss, but keeps his arms wrapped around her waist as he holds her close afterwards.
"I needed to come tell you in person..." Jade tells him "That casting director called me back this morning, I got the part!"
"You got the part?" Beck gasps "Holy shit, you got the part!"
He picks her up and spins her in circles, much like he had done when she booked the part in 'Our Town', both of them laughing and smiling as they celebrate together.
After her initial audition, Jade had received a call the next day about coming in for a callback. With the drama surrounding the picture of her and Marcus behind them, Beck spent every spare moment he had helping her rehearse and run lines. She felt more than prepared and left her callback feeling quite confidant, but didn't hear back from anyone. At least...not until this morning.
"Congratulations, baby!" Beck says as he sets Jade down "I'm so proud of you!"
"Thank you..." Jade chuckles, unable to keep from smiling
"HEY EVERYONE!" Beck turns around and yells to the cast and crew "JADE IS GOING TO BE ON TV!"
Everyone who had been close enough to hear him begins to clap and cheer, even though most of them don't know the full context of the situation.
"For a rival network..." Jade reminds him quietly "Be careful."
"It'll be on a different night in a different time slot." Beck shrugs "Rival networks, but no reason to be rival shows. They're completely different concepts anyway."
"Right." Jade laughs
"Well, we have to go out to dinner to celebrate." Beck insists "I'm not sure how late I'll be here tonight, but how does Friday sound?"
"I'm still with 'Our Town' through Labor Day." Jade reminds him "Remember?"
"Right, duh." Beck nods "Sunday night, then! How's Sunday?"
"Sunday night sounds perfect." Jade admits as she leans in to kiss him "Pick somewhere fancy."
"I will, don't worry." Beck assures her "Hey, I love you."
"I love you too." She tells him "Thank you for being so supportive."
"Of course." He smiles
"Hey...maybe we could celebrate a little bit at home tonight too." Jade suggests "After I get back from the theater? I could wear that little red outfit that you like?"
"Sounds more like a reward for me than for you..." Beck admits "But I won't complain. It sounds like a great idea."
"I have some exciting news to share." Jade tells her father as she sits across from him
She had called him once she left set with Beck the day she got her new job and asked if he wanted to get lunch with her the following day, her treat. Of course, John had said yes. Now that she's a working adult living in a different part of the city, he sees her less and less and will never turn down the opportunity to spend more time with her.
"Oh, alright." John nods, setting his fork down "Are you...?"
"Am I what?"
"Are you pregnant?"
"Oh my god, no!" Jade insists "Dad, I'm barely twenty-three years old."
"Remember, I had you at twenty." John reminds her "You having a baby at twenty-three wouldn't phase me in the slightest."
"Happy to have your support, but I'm not pregnant." Jade smirks "If I were, Beck would be here with me and we would be telling you together."
"Noted." John laughs "Well, what's your news then?"
"I got a new job!" Jade announces "A new role, in a TV show this time."
"Congratulations, Jade." John smiles "Is it a guest spot? Or is it-"
"I'm a series regular." Jade tells him proudly "I'll start as a supporting character, but the writers and producers have already told me that if the audience responds well to my character she has the chance to become part of the main cast."
"Well, you'll be part of the main cast in no time then." John insists "Everyone who meets you falls in love with you, there's no denying that."
"You have to say that, you're my dad." Jade points out "I appreciate the compliment, but we'll see what happens."
"I feel pretty confident." John assures her "So, tell me more about this TV show. Is it already on air, do I know it? Or is it new?"
"It will be new in January." Jade tells him "It's a mid-season premiere with a twelve-episode season. If audiences respond well to it, we'd get picked up for a full twenty-two the following year."
"Sounds reasonable enough." John nods "What's the plot? How do you play in?"
"It's about...a law firm." Jade laughs
"Oh!" John perks up "I know all about those!"
"I know you do." Jade smirks "The series starts out with this huge scandal surrounding one of the name partners, I haven't read a full script yet but they've told me it involves some workplace harassment and embezzlement that was used to keep certain people quiet. The firm is trying to fix their reputation, but it's the typical 'things aren't what they seem' scenario. I play an associate named Lindsey Cross, who was hired just before all of the shady stuff came to light. She's torn between wanting to right everything and everyone who has been wronged, and getting the hell off of the sinking ship."
"Sounds like she has some depth to her." John notes
"I'm going to try and play her that way." Jade sighs with a smile "But I think it's cool because I get to do what I love, and kind of honor you in a way."
"You honor me every day just by being yourself." John tells her, reaching across the table and touching his daughter's hand "I'm so proud of you, Jade. I know your mother would be too."
"Thanks..." Jade says quietly, her tone softening at the mention of her mother
She's been missing her more than usual these days, with all of the major life changes that she's gone through. Jade wishes that her mother could have been there to see her graduate from college, or to see her make her professional debut in 'Our Town'. She wishes that she could have met Beck, because she likes to think that the two of them would get along. Regardless, she hopes that she's making her proud.
"I know you miss her." John sighs "I do too, but she really would be so so proud of you. You were her pride and joy, and seeing you thrive would make her the happiest."
"I know she would..." Jade nods "Um, speaking of parents...there's something else I wanted to talk to you about..."
"Okay?"
"Beck's parents are coming to New York to stay with us over Labor Day weekend." Jade informs him "They're going to be with him at my last performance of 'Our Town', and I know you had planned on coming too. I wanted to know if you'd come to dinner with us all beforehand. I've gotten to know them a bit over the past year or so, and Beck has gotten to know you...we thought it would be nice if everyone got to know everyone."
"That sounds very nice, sweetheart." John smiles "I would love to."
"Great." Jade smiles "I think you'll all really get along."
And they do. Within minutes of meeting each other John and Beck's father, James, have bonded over and are discussing their shared love of fishing. It turns out that they each own similar boats, although John keeps his stored upstate in the winters and James keeps his in the garage. They both admit that they wish they had planned things better so that they could have taken John's boat out at some point over the weekend together. Beck occasionally chimes in on the conversation as well, contributing what he can. He isn't as into fishing as his father, but had been on many trips with him and his two grandfathers over the course of his life. He makes a mental note that it could be a potential bonding experience with his girlfriend's father as well.
Meanwhile, Priya and Jade can only sit back and roll their eyes. While they're happy that all of the men are getting along, neither of them cares about fishing...nor have they ever. Jade is desperate to start up a conversation with Beck's mom, if anything to make the whole situation less awkward.
"He took me fishing once when I was like ten." Jade says to Priya "It went so well, he never brought me back."
"Yes, I've been on my fair share of failed trips as well." Priya laughs "I didn't have the patience for it."
"I think that was my problem too." Jade admits "So if you're not into fishing, what do you like to do in your free time?"
"Well, I'm a kindergarten teacher, so that doesn't leave me a whole lot of free time to do much else." Priya sighs
"You must have at least some patience then." Jade smirks "I definitely would not be able to handle being surrounded by twenty or more six year-olds all day."
"Patience for children is much different than a patience for fishing." Priya laughs, causing Jade to laugh as well "Children are at least entertaining."
"Fair enough." Jade agrees, taking a sip of her water
Normally in a situation like this she would be drinking alcohol of some kind, but she has to be on stage in less than two hours and she doesn't want to jinx anything compromising her last performance. She'll drink with Beck when they get home later. Well into the night, most likely.
"You must have your fair share of specific patience as well." Priya points out "To be putting up with my son."
Again, her comment makes Jade laugh. She has to try not to spit water all over the table as she smirks at Priya's remark. Yes, Beck does the occasional thing that irritates her, but she's sure that she does the occasional thing to irritate him as well. That's just how relationships work. All is well at the end of the day so long as the wonderful things outweigh the small irritations.
"I don't know if 'putting up with' is the right term." Jade assures her "Your son is great, he's the best thing that has ever happened to me."
"I can see that, and you to him." Priya smiles "You two are lucky to be so young."
"I'm not sure I follow..."
"I didn't meet my husband until I was in my thirties." She explains "I lived over a third of my life before I met him, there was so much of me that he didn't know about. But you two...you're so young."
Priya had meant this as a good thing, of course. She had intended it to mean that Beck and Jade won't miss out on any of each other's important experiences, that they'll be able to be there for each other through everything and won't have to worry about missing a single moment. However, in the true spirit of miscommunication, this is not how Jade understood it.
"Uh huh..." She nods
In her head, she's panicking. Are she and Beck too young to be as serious about each other as they are? Is that what his mother is trying to imply? They started officially dating just a week after they met, they said I love you after less than two months. After a year of dating, they moved in together. They're only twenty-three...
Fuck, did they move too fast? There's nothing wrong with moving too fast if you know you're with the person you're truly supposed to be with, right...?
"Jade?"
"Huh?" Jade snaps out of her panic to see Beck smiling at her "I'm sorry, I zoned out. What did you say?"
"I said it's 5:45." He repeats himself, looking at his watch "You should get going."
"Right!" She agrees "Sorry to eat and run, everybody. I have a show to get to!"
John, James, and Priya all offer her a chorus of 'good luck's and 'break a leg's as Beck stands up to walk her out of the restaurant. He'll return as soon as he's seen her off to finish out the meal and then pay the check before escorting everyone to the theater, where they will watch Jade's last performance from a private box.
"You okay?" Beck asks her as they reach the door "You're looking a little 'dazed and confused' there."
"I'm fine." Jade lies "I just...there's a lot on my mind, you know? This was my first professional job, and it's the last time that I'm ever going to do it. And our parents are here..."
All of that and a simple comment from his mother now has her questioning the stability of their entire relationship. It's wonderful, and she loves him, but is it doomed to implode at any second because they rushed into it? Will it all blow up because one of them feels that they've missed out on something?
"Hey. S'nothing you haven't done before, right?" Beck reminds her, tilting her chin up to make eye contact with her "You'll be great, I know you will."
"Thank you..."
"I love you." Beck reassures her with a kiss "Break a leg."
"Thanks..." She manages to smile "I love you too."
Of course, the last performance of 'Our Town' goes on without any issues. The cast and crew receive a standing ovation from the audience, and Beck is there waiting backstage with their parents and a bouquet of flowers to congratulate her. Jade should be riding high, and from the outside it appears that she is, but on the inside...she's absolutely terrified.
Is her relationship with Beck going to last? If it isn't going to, how much longer does she have left? Does she even want to know the answers to these questions right now?
At the end of the day, Jade is an actress. She gives the speech to her cast mates, smiles for the pictures, and hugs everyone with a huge smile plastered across her face. Part of it truly is genuine too. She's excited for the next chapter of her career, and she's so happy that her father and Beck are able to be with her as she moves into it...she's even happy that James and Priya had gotten to see the show at least once.
She just can't seem to shake the feeling that her entire relationship, with the man she doesn't think she'll be able to live without, has the chance to implode.