And Cut

“Let me think about it.” Paul sees Aurora’s eyes light up and a smile play across her lips. It takes him a second to realize that she is not looking at him but rather just past him. He turns to see a guy walking into the coffee shop with a similar expression. Aurora jumps up and hugs him and he hugs her tightly in return.

“Jason, what are you doing here? I thought you had finals this week?”

“I lied to surprise you, I finished them last week.” They hug again and with the noise of Paul putting his mug down Aurora pulls away.

“Oh, I’m sorry Paul, this is my boyfriend Jason. Jason this is Paul we used to work together on the set.” With a mutual nod from both men Aurora grabs her purse and walks out. Paul is now annoyed and he knows there is no reason to be. Of course he likes Aurora that much he is willing to acknowledge; however, he has only known her for less than two days and he is already getting jealous.

“What the fuck is wrong with me? Am I that lonely that I will fall for the first woman to talk to me?” He sighs and leaves the coffee shop. Paul doesn’t want to think about how lonely he’s been, even before he broke up with Rebecca. His brain slowly sinks into his memories of Rebecca. Paul thought that she would be the one he would marry and start a family with. They had met at a bar when Paul was just starting out in show business. He was in love the instant he saw her. Her piercing blue eyes had a way of seeing into his soul that he had never experienced before. She seemed happy and in love with Paul but would never make the commitment; he had only met her family twice and her friends four times. It wasn’t until he’d become a household name that Rebecca began to demand things from Paul.

“If we are to get married I want a huge diamond ring. If it is less than ten carats I won’t accept.” Paul was so in love that he would have plucked the moon from the sky if she had said so. Paul went looking for that ring and found one that he knew she would like. Rebecca had different plans for Paul.
On the day that Paul was going to propose he came home early to prepare when he heard the telltale moans of two people having sex. As quietly as he could Paul walked to their bedroom door and saw Rebecca in the arms of an unknown man. Just as quietly Paul left and returned the ring. When he came back Rebecca was sitting on the couch reading a trashy magazine. She went to give him a kiss and Paul stopped her.

“Why are you in a pissy mood? All I want is a little sugar.” Usually that was enough for Paul to smile and kiss her. Instead Paul just looked coldly into her eyes and for the first time her eyes did not pierce his soul.

“Oh, I don’t know Rebecca, could it be that I came home an hour and a half ago and heard you in the throes of sex, saw you in the arms of someone else. Maybe it’s because I had planned on fucking proposing to you tonight but instead returned the ring.” Rebecca went pale and stepped back.

“How long have you been cheating on me? How many men have you been with? Is this why you are so damn hesitant to take me to family and friends get togethers?” All Rebecca could do is stand there and stammer.

“How about you just get the fuck out of my house.” Without another word Paul stomps into their bedroom and begins grabbing all of her things throwing them out in the hallway. Rebecca finally finds her voice at the sight of her clothes piling up in the hallway.

“I am left alone all day, sometimes for weeks on end while you are on set, what am I supposed to do? I did not sign up for this, you leaving me behind as you get more famous.” A chill went down Paul’s back at her words. He stopped dead and turned to look at her.

“You have got to fucking be kidding me. I have asked, fucking begged, for you to join me on my trips. I am met with resistance, ‘what about my job and my commitments’ isn’t that what you told me the last time? Out, I will box up your shit and I will fucking call you when you can pick it up.” Paul walked past Rebecca and opens the door. Rebecca stomps her foot and practically growled at him but in the end she left.

In the end Paul had his father call Rebecca and meet her to drop off her stuff, Paul just couldn’t do it. Three months later Paul was surprised to see Rebecca at his door.

“I have nothing to say to you.” Paul starts to close the door but the next two words changed his whole world.

“I’m pregnant.” He reluctantly let her in and they sat on the couch at opposite ends.

“I don’t believe you and I don’t know if it’s mine if you are. You were cheating on me remember? Maybe it’s one of the other guys.” Rebecca broke down and began to cry. A small part of Paul wanted to comfort her but he stopped himself.

“I, uh, I’d only been with the other guy a couple of times and, um, I’m four months along. You were the only one at that time.”

“I want a paternity test done. I will set it up and I will send you the information once it’s set up.” The baby did turn out to be Paul’s. His daughter is his world and he couldn’t imagine a life without Lily in it. It amazed Paul that all that drama was ten years ago. Rebecca still tries to wiggle her way back into Paul’s life, but he is wise to her ploy. He returns to his apartment and begins to read over his script for the next day when his phone buzzes with a text message.

*This is Aurora, I got your phone number from the director, I just wanted to let you know that I’ve thought about your offer. I’m sorry but I can’t be your assistant. I just want to work with my parents for a while. I hope you can find an assistant. Again I am sorry. Aurora.* Paul reads and rereads the text message a few times. He wants to respond but doesn’t know what to say. He goes to bed and tries to sleep but all he can see is the look on her face at seeing her boyfriend and how he desperately wishes that she would look at him the same way.

The set is noticeably calmer when Paul walks in the next day; apparently the second choice actress is working out well. Paul stops to speak with the director to get the skinny on what really happened. The director would not divulge anything about the letting go of Gwen but given the amount of whispers happening around him it is easy for Paul to put together that Gwen had an epic meltdown the other day. She’d apparently thrown a chair at the director when he made a critique of the scene she was doing. Once she’d been told that she was no longer in the movie she’d threatened to sue and that she ‘would own them all.’ Paul could not deny his relief at not having to deal with her anymore. Jessica, the new actress, and Paul have great chemistry and the rest of the movie goes off without a hitch.