Advent Calendar Day 6

Well, you boys and girls must have been very good last year because we already have more fiction for your reading enjoyment. :-)

This is another very clever (IMHO) piece from Sarah Atkinson. You may recall that last year we did a little creative exercise wherein some of you were brave enough to write the first paragraphs of what could potentially be (no pressure of course!) codas for this year's calendar. And one of the resulting codas was "Playing the Part."

So we're going to do that exercise again tomorrow (put your thinking caps on, lick those nibs!) and today we're going to enjoy the fruits of last year's labors.

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Playing the Part

To calm his nerves, Lukas went over the lines of dialogue in his head but he couldn’t stay focused: his eyes were drawn to the movie posters hanging on the wall while his right foot jiggled up and down in time with the jaunty Christmas tune floating along the corridor from the reception area. He desperately wanted the part. He loved – no, he adored – the books.  He kept the fifth in the series by his bed, its last chapter read and re-read countless times. He couldn’t bear the idea of seeing someone else in the role; he knew the detective-turned-PI inside and out - the good, the bad and the ugly sides of him. The part, however, depended upon the on-screen chemistry with the actor who was to play opposite him.

Footsteps.  As he raised his head, he caught a glimpse, through the glass partition, of a slight, dark-haired figure. There was something familiar about the way the man carried himself. His breath seemed to still as his heart began to beat a faster rhythm. The door swung wide and Ezra Clark was ushered into the room. Judging by the look on his face, Ezra was as staggered to see him as he was to see Ezra. Lukas’ first thought was that there was no one more perfect to play Adrien. His second was to remember the off-screen chemistry  - or was it biology - they once shared.

He rose as Ezra came forward. There was an awkward hug and then, as neither quite let go, a second one that felt strong, warm and so very dear.  It had been two years since they had seen each other, two years since they had last spoken.  Two years without any communication except for the single card Ezra sent to let him know he’d reached England. The words revealed little: ‘Arrived safely. Ez x’. The picture said a great deal more. He knew Ezra had chosen it thinking of him. It was a reproduction of ‘The Thames by Moonlight with Southwark Bridge’ by Atkinson Grimshaw.  He had kept it, placing it gently between the pages of The Dark Tide.  Sometimes Lukas found himself opening the book just to run his fingers lightly, longingly over the name and the small x on the back of the card.

Filial duty and love had kept Ezra tied to England while Lukas had been tied to LA by a recurring role in a television series. He’d been killed off a month ago; it had been a pretty painless process.

There was no chance to say anything post-hug as they were swiftly taken down to a small studio where the director and casting director greeted them.  

They each did a few short scenes alone. Lukas watched mesmerised as Ezra performed. Then it was his turn to deliver a few solo lines – Adrien with an e. Uh Huh. Finally, they stood opposite each other, in front of the camera.

“Shit. I can’t do this.”

“Can’t do what? Kiss me?”

Lukas shook his head.

“My mouthwash isn’t working? What’s the problem?”

Lukas attempted to laugh (a scripted attempt).

“Why, Jake?”

“I open my eyes and I see the pores of your skin – your skin’s okay, don’t take this the wrong – but you’ve got five o’clock shadow. You smell like aftershave. Your lips –   It’s just – you’re not a chick.”

“You noticed,” said Ezra.

Lukas had noticed alright on Takes One, Two and Three – he could hardly miss those lips. He wouldn’t have hesitated with Ezra where Jake had with Adrien.

After a few technical adjustments, they changed positions before the next short scene.  Inhaling deeply, Lukas prepared himself to deliver Jake’s words . . .

“I’ve got this theory that Inspector Bull and Mr. Pinkerton are closeted gays.” Ezra delivered Adrien’s line with a faint smile.

“See, that’s the kind of queer thinking I despise. According to the fags everybody who’s anybody was really homosexual.  You name it. Michelangelo, Alexander Hamilton, Errol Flynn, Walt Whitman. It’s pathetic.” A pause. Lukas delivered the next line in a harder tone – the twisted words echoing those of the bigots he despised. “You’re just kidding yourself if you believe being a fag is common or normal or some lifestyle choice.”  Oh, Jake. Oh, Jake.

“I don’t think it’s a choice. It isn’t for me.”

There was little time to change gear again before shooting the last scene, which was taken from The Dark Tide.

OR IS IT????

Ezra began, plunging them deep into the scene. His performance of a man wracked in grief was so extraordinary that Lukas no longer knew whom he was talking to as he leaned his cheek against the cheek of the man who had once meant so much to him, before delivering his last line.

“Don’t. Don’t baby. I want to tell you something.  I’ve always been grateful… that it was you I fell in love with.”

Later they left the studio together, heading out into the street, where fairy lights danced among the branches of the trees.

Lukas broke the silence, “When did you get back?”

“Just two days ago. I’ve little to tie me to London now Mum’s gone and her estate is sorted. I contacted my agent over here. She told me about the part. I couldn’t miss the chance to try.”  He stopped and then began again a little awkwardly, “I hope… I just hope we both…”

“Me too,” replied Lukas, his thoughts wandering and wondering as they continued down the sidewalk.  Shoppers armed with bags and store windows draped in tinsel brought him back to the present.   He knew there would be other parts but he wasn’t so sure there would be other men. He stopped Ezra with a light touch to his arm, “So, what are you doing for Christmas?”

“Christmas? I hadn’t thought.”

“You should come over. I’m still in the same place. “ He paused and then, in remembrance of good times past, added, “It’ll just be Pete and me.”

Ezra gaped at him. Then swallowing visibly, responded in a stiff manner, “I wouldn’t want to intrude.”

“Pete won’t mind. He’s very sociable.”

Silence.

“In fact, he’s somewhat over-friendly, at times.”

A look that fell somewhere between confused and horrified.

“He likes to jump on people, get his paws on them and lick them.”

“Oh, you bastard,” grinned Ezra. “You got a dog.”

Perhaps it was the last scene they’d played in the studio that then gave Lukas the courage to speak from his heart, his voice cracking a little, “I couldn’t find anyone to replace you, you see.”

After wrapping his arms around Lukas, Ezra replied softly, “It was the same for me: nobody, because they just weren’t you.”

Finally, they drew apart and Lukas said, “So, Christmas?”

“Christmas it is.”