Following the Stars

Chapter Five

Johnny followed Lexie into her home, it was all fairly open plan, it had very chic decor but was homely and cosy. "Nice place darling. It's very you." "Ha, thanks, I like to think so. Can I get you a drink?" "Oh well I bought this, of course it might not go with dinner but please feel free to try it. It's from my French estate." "Wow. You just carry bottles of wine around with you from your French estate?" "I have a few spare bottles here and there." "Ok well let's try it. I'll reheat dinner. It's Italian, I hope that's ok." Lexie went into the kitchen, she turned the oven back on and grabbed two large wine glasses before pouring the wine into them. "Here's to a great summer." She said lifting her glass. Johnny clinked his with hers and they both took long sips.

A while later, after Lexie's delicious dinner they were both on the large corner sofa chatting. "So tell me again, you were how old?" "I was 19 when I won the BAFTA. That's why it has pride of place. The youngest woman to ever win the Best Actress BAFTA" she said as she pointed to a cabinet near the large 10 seater dining table that housed a lot of awards. "Wow that's incredible. Congratulations." "Thank you, but I'm sure that's nothing compared to your achievements." "Hey don't think like that. I like to think the awards are just recognition, the most important award of them all is when the kiddies recognise you or you create some form of magic that stays with them forever." "Like Captain Jack?" "Yes like Captain Jack." "I remember going to the screening of the first movie in London. You waved at me across the room." "I did?" "Yeah, it was one of the first events I was invited to as me, not as my Dad's guest or anything, we were at the pre screening drinks, somebody came over and we got chatting and they asked me who I was looking forward to seeing on screen so of course I said Captain Jack, to which the person yelled over to you. Oi Johnny, she's a fan. You looked up, and waved at me, I waved back" "Cute. I wonder who the guy was.." "he was an older guy, he was gathering people for press. He had white hair. Geoff? Jim?" "Jerry." "Jerry, yes that could have been it." "He was my saviour man." "Was?" "He passed a few years ago." "Oh Johnny, I'm so sorry." "Thanks."

"Wow, so you and Al Pacino really get on?" "God yeah, we've had the best of times. He always tells me the same jokes." Johnny began doing his Al Pacino impression, "John, a skeleton walks into a bar, he asks for a pint and a mop..." Lexie giggled and Johnny chuckled at himself. They were fast making their way through the bottle of wine and enjoying one another's company when a lull in conversation made them look at one another, their faces were merely inches apart when all of a sudden the air felt thick. Lexie's phone disturbed the moment, she looked at the coffee table where it was residing. It was her ex. Calling again. "Oh fuck off already." She muttered declining the call. "Problems doll?" "Just an ex who won't get the message. We are never getting back together." Johnny nodded "I see, sorry to hear that." "God don't be. I'm glad to be shot of him. Besides him sleeping with other people made me think he wasn't as in to it as I was." Johnny's eyes widened. "God I'm really sorry." "Don't be, I'm over it."

Before long the evening came to an end, Johnny ever the gentleman didn't want to outstay his welcome so called the guys to pick him up around 11pm. As Lexie stood to gather the empty glasses he followed her into the kitchen. "I just wanna say I had a lot of fun tonight Lexie, thank you. It means a lot." "No, thank you, I was just going to have a boring night in. Thank you for the wine and flowers too." Johnny smiled before heading to the front door. "I'll see you Monday then I guess?" "Sure thing doll. I'll make sure I'm on time I swear." Lexie giggled not holding her breath as she knew Johnny was infamous for being late. "See you then." Before she knew it he had swooped in and kissed her cheek and pulled back within a second. "Thank you again." Lexie smiled closing the door behind him. What a fun relaxed evening she thought, as she went to bed she realised she hadn't stopped laughing all evening and felt very content.

Johnny was in the back of the vehicle heading back to his hotel suite when Sean interrupted his thoughts. "Nice evening boss?" "Yeah lovely thanks." "Good good. Did you get what you went for?" "What?" Asked Johnny shocked. "You're sleeping with her right?" "I am not." "Oh. Sorry boss, we assumed you were. You know spending all this time with her the past few days. We just assumed." "God no. Just hanging out with her. Jesus what do you take me for? She's a colleague." Sean shrugged and hid his smirk "Sorry sir." "No worries, she's a gorgeous girl, any guy would be lucky to have her."

Once he was back in the hotel suite he called the kids to catch up with them. Assuring them as soon as the meeting was done on Monday he would be on the first flight back to LA to them. Man he did miss them lots but he couldn't help it that the director was London based.  He read for a while but always ended up losing his place as he was extremely distracted from the evening he had spent with Lexi, she seemed so normal, a breath of fresh air, even though she was famous too she seemed to be able to keep an element of normality. There wasn't one sign that she was a diva at all and he admired that greatly.

The next morning Lexie did her usual Sunday routine, she got up, showered, donned a fairly casual outfit and drove to her parents. It was mid morning when she arrived and like most Sundays they went on a long dog walk. Murphy their golden retriever was getting older so just plodded along besides her and her parents. Tom and Lizzie had bought him as a puppy when Lexie had moved out, something to fuss over, and pay attention to now that their only child was living elsewhere. They walked along the river before returning to the family home where surprise surprise her Dad's best friend Dan was on the doorstep. "Where's your key?" "I forgot it." "Dan you live literally in the next road, you could have gone and got it." "Well then I would have had to double the walk." Lexie and Lizzie rolled their eyes. "Where's Laura?" "She's got a few bits of paperwork to do then will be over." Tom and Dan had been best friends since they were 14. Tom had got his big break on a kids Tv show that was being shot in Manchester and although Dan auditioned, he fast realised that he was much better suited behind the camera. He became a Tv executive and had worked closely with Tom for some time before they decided to set up their own production company and work alongside one of the biggest Tv networks in the country. Laura was his wife of 5 years, she was 12 years younger than Dan and Tom and was 3 months pregnant with their second child, Tom had been unlucky in love for quite some time before meeting Laura, whereas Tom met Lizzie at 19, and they had Lexie when they were 21. For most of Lexie's childhood she felt like Dan was her brother because he was around all the time and even lived with them for the first 3 years of her life in a little flat before they moved to houses and finally decided that they should have their own homes.

As they all piled in to the Donnington home, Lexie let Murphy off the lead. "So how's Laura doing? Is she ok?" "Yeah she's fine, we've got another scan next week. Other than that same old. How's you? I thought you were coming by on Friday?" "I meant to but I lost track of time. Sorry." "Don't be darling you're a busy lady. When are you off to Venice?" "I leave for Paris in four weeks, I spend 5 days shooting there before onto Venice for 2 months." "Jesus that long. I wish we could come out but not sure if Laura will be up for the flight. We'll see." "I'll be back with plenty of time for her due date don't worry." "Ha as if you'll miss that. Just remember I was right outside the delivery room when you came along." "Ewww I think I'll wait for the phone call for you to say I can visit if you don't mind." "Dinner will be at 2/2:30 ok?" Said Lizzie coming out the kitchen. The group nodded and got comfortable in the living room.