Chapter 11: You're here

Matt still had Kelly's iPhone in the palm of his hand. He was still staring at the screen and read the text again. 'What's wrong?' Kaylee asked. He looked at her, turned and ran out of the loft, away from the set and toward Kelly's trailer. It took him less than 2 minutes to get there. He didn't knock, he burst inside of her trailer. 'Kelly', he shouted with a panicky voice. He didn't see her. He looked around, no one. 'Where could she be?' he wondered. Just as he was about to leave the trailer, he heard retching noises coming from inside her bathroom. 'Kel!' he didn't think twice. He stormed into the bathroom, looked at her heaving body, her head hovering over the toilet. He sat down next to her, stroking her back and pulling her hair away from her face. She kept throwing up and crying at the same time. After a couple of minutes, Kelly's stomach had decided to give her some peace. Her head was all sweaty, yet she was shivering. Matt flushed the toilet and kissed the side of her head. She let her body fall against his and they sat both curled up against the wall of her bathroom. Both Kaylee and the director were staring at them with shock written all over their faces.

He let her sob in his arms for the second time that day just as long as she needed. Matt silently told Kaylee and the director to give them a minute, they did. Alone, in the small bathroom of Kelly's trailer, Matt was stroking her hair while slowly placing kisses all over her head. Suddenly, Kelly's phone, which was still in Matt's hand started ringing. 'It's your lawyer', Matt said. 'Shall I talk to him and hear what he has to say?' 'No,' she whispered. 'I'll take it'. Kelly took her phone and unlocked it before she took a deep breath and said: 'Of course, we're going to appeal it. I want this to be taken to higher court as soon as possible. There is no way I'll be letting my kids stay with their father just because he can't live here. I won't let it happen. I just won't!' Matt looked at her with admiration. The woman he loved, who only seconds ago was lying in his arms as if she were a helpless little child, had just regained her strength. He had never been more proud of her. After Kelly had set up a meeting with her lawyer and had broken the connection, Matt pulled her into his arms again. She lowered her phone; and looked into Matt's eyes. 'Thank you', she whispered before placing a soft kiss right under his right eye, then she did the same on the left side of his face before she kissed him on the lips ever so gently. 'Tell me what I have to do', he ordered her while rubbing her back with his left hand. 'You're already doing it' she whispered, 'you're here'.

They stood entwined in Kelly's bathroom for a couple of minutes. Kelly broke the hug and said: 'Come on, let's go shoot our scene'. 'Are you sure?' Matt asked, 'because if you're not up for it I'll ask the...' Kelly interrupted: 'I'm sure, let's go.'

Kelly and Matt entered the set again while their arms were locked behind each others backs. The looks Kaylee and the other cast members were giving them spoke volumes. 'Okay', Kelly said, 'let's do this right this time. Kaylee don't trip, okay.' Everyone was a little hesitant at first, but Matt gave a silent sign to the others that this is what Kelly wanted and that everything was all right. Of course, Matt knew Kelly was only acting strong; and a great actress she was. On the inside, however, she was slowly dying, of that he was certain.

ACTION

Ivy didn't trip this time when leaving Rufus' loft, leaving him and Lily alone together.

Rufus: Lil...
Lily just looked at him with empty eyes.
Rufus: God, Lil, the way you're looking at me right now is just...
Lily: What?
Rufus: Heartbreaking.
Lily: Heartbreaking?
Rufus didn't say anything.
Lily: Heartbreaking? You wanna know what is heartbreaking, Rufus. Coming here to make things right again and finding Ivy here. THAT is heartbreaking.
Rufus: Lil...
Lily: Don't "Lil" me!
(Pauze)
Lily: How could you do this to me Rufus? After everything she's done to my family...to us?
Rufus: Lily, I never meant...
Lily: Did you sleep with her?
Rufus: Lil, I ...
Lily: Did you?
Rufus: I never meant to ...
Lily: Just answer my god damn question Rufus, a simple yes or no will do just fine. Did you sleep with her?
Rufus: Yes.
Lily stood still, shocked, defeated, broken, empty...
Rufus: Lily, I'm sorry! I really am!
He wanted to grab her by her waist and hold her. But she flinched.
Lily: Don't touch me! Don't EVER touch me, Rufus! Never again.
Rufus: Lily! It's not like you are so innocent in all of this. YOU left ME for Bart, remember? It's not like you haven't had sex with someone else, right?
Lily blushed, turned around and wanted to leave the loft as quick as she could; she opened the door but Rufus stopped her by pushing the door shut before she could open it any further.
Lily turned around and looked him straight in the eyes. His hand was resting on the door, just centimeters away from Lily's head. He stepped closer towards her which caused Lily to take a step backward. Her back came into contact with the coldness of the door. Lily was starting to get a little scared and was fumbling to try and open the door again while still looking directly into Rufus' eyes.
Lily: Let me go, Rufus!
Rufus: No! I'm not letting you go! Not ever again.
Lily: Rufus! No! Let me go!
Rufus stepped even closer, he leaned in to kiss her but Lily turned away from him. He ended up kissing her on her left cheek, then he went for the left side of her neck. His left arm was still firmly pressed against the door to keep it shut and thus preventing Lily from escaping the loft.
Lily: Rufus, please no!
She tried to push him away but he wouldn't budge.
Rufus was still kissing her neck softly. He made his way up again. In between his kisses towards her cheeks again he managed to whisper:
I love you, Lily! Always have, always will! I still love you!
Lily was slowly giving up her attempts to leave the loft.
Using just his tongue Rufus was licking a wet trail all over her left cheek and then towards the corner of her mouth.
Again, she used all her strength to push him away while she said: Rufus, stop it! You and Ivy...
Rufus interrupted her immediately: There is no me and Ivy, Lily! There is only you and me! Us, Rufus and Lily, is ALL that matters to me!
Lily stilled. He went for her lips, he caught her lower lip between his teeth and started nibbling it softly.
Lily: Don't, Rufus.
He managed to keep their lips locked while saying: Tell me you don't love me anymore, Lily.
Lily: I...
Her breathing was becoming a little ragged.
Finally his hand left the door, leaving Lily the opportunity to escape the loft and never to return.
Rufus: You couldn't say it the other day and you can't say it now, can you?
Lily stood there quietly, letting him kiss her. However, she didn't return his kisses.
Rufus: Tell me you haven't missed me, Lily.
Rufus let his left hand slide to her stomach and started to draw a lazy pattern on her cashmere sweater. In the meantime, he was still teasing her lips with his own. Lily started to moan softly.
Rufus: Tell me you don't want me, Lil.
His hand dropped lower to the side of her upper left leg. He squeezed it.
Lily was starting to lose it and hissed: Ruuu-fus!
Rufus' left hand went to her buttocks and squeezed it. While his right hand went to her other leg to lift her skirt up a little further, he pushed his groin into her. Lily immediately lifted her middle to interact with his groin. She could feel he was getting hard through her skirt. Just then, Rufus stopped and took a step backwards. All physical contact was broken at once. Lily looked at him with questioning eyes. He looked into her brown eyes.
Rufus: I don't want to hurt you, Lily! I never could. If you want to leave, you're free to go! But, I hope you won't. I hope you'll stay. With me. But, you have to know one thing. If you stay, I will never let you go again.
Lily was never more convincing in her actions than then. She grabbed him by his collar and pulled him close to her. This time, it was her turn to play with his lips. He parted his lips and let his tongue slip into her mouth. With his right arm he lifted her up and pressed her against the door again. Lily's legs went around his waist while Rufus' left hand reached for her panties underneath her skirt. He pulled them down just a little.
Lily: No Bart!
Rufus: No Ivy!
Lily: Just us!
Rufus: Just us!
Rufus could no longer stand on his feet and slid down the door, pulling Lily down with him.
They slowly disappeared from the screen as they collapsed onto the floor. The camera captured the metal door and through the trebled glass window Ivy's image could be seen.

'CUT', the director shouted.