Danger Zone

Chapter 14: "I Remember You"

Christmas and New Year's came and went, and Jules and Tom still hadn't seen each other again since South Africa. They of course spoke via video calls, but it didn't really help their physical separation. Jules started to yearn for his touch and, especially, Tom again more than she'd ever cared to admit. Even to her Bestie.
"How long are you two going to do this?" Nora eventually asked.
"Fuck if I knew, sweetie. I miss the shit out of him, and ..."
"Do you two lovebirds really need me to set up a fucking date for you?" she teased her friend.
Just then, Tom rang her. "Look who's alive!" Nora hollered from the background.
"Don't mind this bish", Jules said with a laugh, although she wasn't really in the mood for that.
"How long since I last hugged you?" he deadass asked.
"When I flew back from South Africa."
"Exactly. And it's high time that I hug you again, Jules."
"It is." She was fully aware that she and Tom were flirting in front of her best friend who was watching them with a knowing smirk.
"Any plans for the week after next?"
Jules quickly glanced over to Nora who was about to hoot again: "Shut up!" she mouthed.
"Looks like I am going to make some then."
"That's what I wanted to hear. I miss you."
"Miss you, too. So ...in two weeks, then?"
"Yep."
Jules grinned from ear to ear. It was then that Nora couldn't keep her mouth shut any longer: "Just let me know when you two tie the knot and Jules needs a bridesmaid!"
"For fuck's sake, Nora!" Jules replied and flipped the bird with her free hand. "Sorry about that, but she's been insufferable ever since I met you."
Tom chuckled. "Well, at least I now got a bit of a glimpse on the infamous Nora. Nice meeting you!"
"I've been embarrassing myself with her for over 20 years now, Tom, and I wish I could warn you of her, but I love my girl to death!" Nora hooted.
"Nora, shut the fuck up already!" Jules chuckled.
"The question is – who's embarrassing whom here", Tom chimed in.
"Thanks for ruining my date, Nora", Jules snorted.
Nora then gestured that she was headed to the bathroom for a while, to give Tom and Jules a little room to continue their flirt. "Nope, Jules so totally ISN'T in love with him already. And they're also not flirting", she giggled behind closed doors.
"Sorry about that", Jules said with a sigh.
Tom looked at her. "No worries! She always like that?"
"Yep. But as I've said – I wouldn't be me without her." She still didn't dare tell Tom that it was Nora who had saved her life when she had worked herself into the burnout. There'd be time for that. And right now, it wasn't the right moment. "So back at your place then?"
He smiled. "I thought we'd simply spend some time there, away from work and all."
"Looking forward to it, Tom."

They had just hung up, when Nora returned: "If you tell me one more time that you aren't at least crushing on him, I'll personally drag you to a shrink to sort out that head of yours!"
"Are we that obvious?" Jules fired back. "But really, it's just fun and games, shits and giggles, that kinda thing."
"My ass!" Nora retorted.

"Whom were you talking to?" Lee Anne asked, although she knew the answer already.
"Jules, obviously." He paused for a moment. "Yeah, I like her. She visited me in South A-"
"She WHAT?!"
"Visited me on set. I invited her, as I thought it could be cool for her to get a glimpse behind the scenes. That is all." He didn't mention that they went on a skydiving date, let alone that he had come within a hair's breadth to actually kiss her.
Lee Anne still raised an eyebrow. "Aha."
"Don't 'aha' me, please. There is nothing else." Aside from the fact that I have a huge crush on her. He looked at his sister. "And yes, she's coming here again soon."
"You love her, don't you?"
"And even if I did – would that be an issue?" He started to feel frustrated, and at the same time understood how Jules felt because Nora kept teasing her all the time.
"Tom, you know that she isn't a Scientologist, and that she very likely was in therapy after her burnout."
"Y'all treat her like she's pure evil ..." he said, rolled his eyes and went away.

It didn't take long after that for David Miscavige, not just the leader of the sect, but also Tom's close friend, to reach out. "Tom, what is this thing about you and that lady?"
"She is on my PR team, is all."
"But is she, you know, clear? I heard she had a burnout. We might have to either audit her or ..."
"How about you leave her be for now?" Tom was really annoyed by now. He cared about Jules, and to him, it didn't matter if she was a Scientologist or not.
"She seems to be an SP."
"You haven't even met her and decide she's a suppressive person?"
"All I am saying is that ..."
Tom had it by then: "Look, I have only just met her a couple of weeks ago. I don't care what she's done or hasn't done. All I am asking for is – leave her alone for the time being." He hung up.