Tenacious Tuesday is a series of ten short stories (ten chapters, three parts each) following the adventures of Tuesday, an up-and-coming actress. Be sure to catch up on past Tenacious Tuesday posts so you're up-to-date with the story! Just look for "Tuesday for Tuesday" on the posts index.
Tenacious Tuesday
Tuesday's Turmoil: Chapter 3, Part 3
by Lindsey Michelle
She started to spend the night at Kenneth’s somewhat regularly, not every night, but often enough that no one at the estate was surprised to see her.
One morning a few months later, as she and Kenneth were asleep, the ring of her cell phone awoke them.
Tuesday groaned when she heard her agent’s voice, but she didn’t have time to complain. He informed her that her film’s Los Angeles premiere was going to take place earlier than anticipated, and despite the British-heavy cast, before the London premiere.
“I wasn’t expecting to return home for another month,” Tuesday said.
“Do what the rest of them do,” her agent responded. “Fly in for a few days.”
“Oh.”
After she hung up, Tuesday told Kenneth the news. The downside, they realized, was that Kenneth already had a work obligation and wouldn’t be able to accompany her to the premiere.
“I guess we’ll have to wait for the next one,” Kenneth said apologetically.
“That’s okay,” Tuesday assured him. “He suggested I go with Andrew anyway.”
It felt strange to be back in Los Angeles, even if it was just for a few days. Tuesday checked into a hotel – which felt rather luxurious – and busied herself with clothing arrangements.
The day of the premiere, as her hair was being done in the hotel room, Tuesday received the news that Andrew had a relative who had fallen ill and couldn’t attend the premiere.
“Don’t you have someone else you can go with?” was the consensus, but Tuesday shook her head.
“Is it so bad to go alone?” she snapped.
Once she was dressed and ready, everyone left her alone in the hotel room. She took a moment for herself – this was her big premiere. She noticed a flower delivery on the table. No one had even told her it had arrived.
She smiled, assuming they were from Kenneth. She picked up the card.
“I hear you need a date,” the card read. Tuesday turned it over, confused.
There was a soft knock on her hotel room door. She started to open it, then hesitated.
“Who is it?” she asked.
“Your date.”
It sounded like – it couldn’t be, could it? She swung the door open. Peter stood there, smiling.
“I was in town,” he explained.
Tuesday was speechless. Peter didn’t let her debate whether to go with him or not. He simply took her arm and led her down the hallway with him.
“I don’t know about that card,” Tuesday finally managed to say. She knew she was babbling. “That was rather cryptic. You may have to rethink your idea of romantic gestures. No wonder your marriage broke up.”
She stood in place, wishing she could take back that last sentence. She shut her eyes briefly, unable to look at his face. Why had she said that?
But he simply chuckled. “I’ve never been married.”
“You haven’t?”
Peter shook his head. “Me, married? Nope.”
She understood now. “You haven’t.”
Kenneth lay on top of his hotel room bed, exhausted after a day of travel. Tomorrow he’d show his paintings in the French gallery that was down the street from the hotel.
He looked at the clock. It was already well after midnight. All he wanted to do was order room service and watch some television.
He turned on the TV and found a news station. His French wasn’t perfect, but it wasn’t hard to decipher some of the top stories. It was currently the entertainment report. He was glued to the television when he realized that they were going to show clips of Tuesday’s premiere.
And there she was! He watched as she stepped out of the limo and photographers took photographs. Her hand was rested upon the arm of…
Kenneth’s mouth dropped open. It couldn’t be – could it?
He’d thought Peter was still in Asia.
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