The One Where The Lines Get Kinda Blurry

The One With PDAs and NDAs

"You totally sure about this?" David asked quietly as they were in the back of his large, black SUV heading towards the home studio Zoe shared with Cleo.

"I'm sure" Jen replied in an instant. "Anyway, this isn't about me, this is about her" she continued, nodding her head towards the short, dark haired girl who was sat in the front chattering away almost none stop to the driver. "Does she know I'm coming by the way?"

"No, I didn't give her a heads up" he answered, "to be honest, I wasn't sure you wouldn't back out."

"Are you calling me a wuss?" Jen giggled, "because if you are... well, then you have a point. I hate confrontation, but this is going to be just fine, I can feel it in my bones."

David let rip with a loud burst of laughter, "I can never hear that saying without thinking of Matt and his 'playing with bones' joke."

Jen joined in his laughter, spending the rest of the journey reminiscing about some of the jokes they used to play on each other back on the Stage 24 set, and the fun they used to have on filming days where they would take it in turns to go out and entertain the audience between takes.

"We're here" Cleo suddenly shouted from the front seat. "Jen, get ready to meet my mom."

All three of them pulled on their masks, Jen twisting her hair into a ponytail and stuffing it inside her uplifted hood before leaving the privacy of the car. Cleo led the way. Next came David who carried her case. Both of them were followed closely by Jen, who was feeling a rush of nervous adrenaline at finally coming face to face with her frenemy. Cleo rang the video buzzer and was soon beeped in. They made their way up several flights of stairs before arriving at the door of the penthouse loft apartment which had a plaque outside reading 'Zoe Buckman Art Studio'.

"If I'd known you were coming too I'd have tidied up" Zoe said as she opened the door, wrapping Cleo in a giant squeeze and coming face to face, well face to mask, with her replacement. "Hi Jen. Oh sorry, can I call you Jen?" she asked, extending her hand in a slightly awkward, semi formal manner.

"Hi Zoe! You can definitely call me Jen, all my friends do" Jen replied, with a hint of unease also, shaking the hand that had been offered then removing her mask as David did the same.

"I wouldn't call you my friend just yet, but thanks" she replied as she stood back to let them past. "I assume you're coming in?" she asked.

"Just for a minute if that's ok?" David said, giving her a little frown as if to say 'be nice'.

"What?" she mouthed back at him as Cleo led Jen inside.

"Wow, this place is incredible" Jen said with heartfelt enthusiasm. "Did you do all this?" she asked looking around and then pointing over to the studio area which was highly adorned with multiple examples of Zoe's artwork. "Do you mind if I take a look?"

"Sure" replied Zoe, gesturing for her to go ahead and following her over towards the project she was currently working on at a desk strewn with pieces of material and underwear and brightly coloured threads, David and Cleo in hot pursuit just behind them. "Honestly, I wish I'd known you were coming, I would have at least tidied a little bit."

"I'm really glad you haven't" Jen replied, "this is just perfect. I love this space and your work is just... wow." There was a moment or two of silence as Jen carefully read some of the pieces of artwork that were laying around, tears forming in her eyes as she quickly understood the concept behind them. "Zoe, you are incredible" she said quietly after a few more seconds had passed. "I can instantly see where Cleo gets her artistic talent from. These are so moving and so raw. I've never seen anything remotely like this before."