Doctor of the Heart

Chapter 9: The Light As It Blinds Me

“Darling, aren’t you supposed to be getting ready for work?” James was surprised to see Cameron sitting in the kitchen.

Cameron was sulking, still in her pajamas as she picked at her fruit. Today was the first day of their filming, and she was dreading it. “I’ll get ready in a bit,” she mumbled.

“Are you feeling alright? You look a bit peaked,” he held a few fingers to Cameron’s forehead, but felt she didn’t have a fever.

“I’m alright, I just want to stay home today,” she sighed.

“So stay home. I would love to spend my morning with you before I have to go back in later this morning.” James kissed her forehead, taking a seat at the table adjacent to her.

“I…can’t. Just…I have a, um, long shoot today. I’m just not looking forward to it, is all.” She hadn’t told James she was to appear in an adult film, and she didn’t know how he would react. Cameron didn’t want to upset him or give him another reason to tell her to quit.

“Alright, just be safe coming home, it’s supposed to rain this afternoon. I’d like you home in one piece,” James chuckled slightly as he tied his necktie.

***

“Tony, you’re supposed to look sexy, yes, but you need to be professional in these scenes,” Jason instructed from the sidelines as the director and producer also gave their directions to the camera crew.

“Why do I gotta wear the shirt under the doctor coat? The ladies can’t see my abs, y’know?” Tony argued back.

Cameron stood off to the side, wrapped tightly in her dressing robe, a skimpy and skin-tight hospital gown underneath failing to provide any warmth in the cool studio. “What do you think, Cameron? Is it everything you’d hoped for? It’s like you're a movie star!” Anna was really trying to hype up the situation.

“Sure, Anna,” Cameron sighed. She had to admit, it was a lot more elaborate than just standard photo shoots, and she wouldn’t admit it, but it was a little exciting. She hadn’t been in this part of the studio since her tour when she first signed. Forgetting a whole other world existed just on the other side of the building.

“Anthony is great, a true professional. We couldn’t have put together a more perfect pair.” Anna boasted like she wasn’t talking about a pervert. He was trying to justify with wardrobe and the directors that he shouldn’t have to wear pants, just be clad in his briefs and the lab coat.

Cameron rolled her eyes. He was good at his job, too good. She saw how into his scenes he got, on more than one occasion, he convened his co-star to actually sleep with him while the cameras rolled because it was more ‘authentic.’ She shuddered at the thought. Thankfully, he would be wearing a modesty garment, which was one thing she was absolutely insistent on.

“Cami! Get your sweet ass over here, girl.” Jason yelled from across the set.

With a groan, Cameron padded over to Jason in her bare feet, “Yes, you rang?”

“Get up on the exam table, we’re going to start rolling her in a few once we get Tony put together,” Jason checked his watch. “I’d like something done by lunch, people!” Jason boomed as he walked away from Cameron.

Shrugging off her robe, she felt completely exposed, even with another garment still on. She was not allowed a bra, but they did allow her to wear beige panties until it came to the nude scenes. She felt her breasts moving freely under the gown, causing her to cross her arms over her chest. It was cold, and her n*****s made it evident as they poked out through the thin fabric of the gown. Shivering slightly, she didn’t see Kendrick approach her as she looked off to where Jason and Anthony were.

“Cami, listen,” he put a gentle hand on her shoulder, drawing Cameron’s attention to him. “I know this is the last thing you want to be doing, but you need to really sell it. The less takes we have to do, the sooner we can rip the band-aid off and be done with this. Understand?”

Cameron nodded, looking off before meeting his gaze once more, tears stinging the corners of her eyes, “Kenny, I hate it here.”

He gave her a sympathetic smile, reassuringly rubbing her shoulder, “I know. I can’t wait for you to move on with your life, Cam. You need a new chapter, I don’t want to see you here until you’re in your 40s and too banged up to do anything else with your life.”

“Jimmie said we would be fine if I were to quit…But, I don’t want to be the gold digger that everyone thinks I am. I want to contribute too. I don’t want this relationship to be another dead end. I need to prove them wrong.”

“Cameron, sweetheart, you don’t need to prove anything to anyone. If you’re miserable, you need to do what’s best for you,” Kendrick looked at her intently.

“ I do, I need to do this to prove it to me, Kenny.. Everyone expects this from me; they want a show, I reckon I’ll give them one. I made my…bed,” she looked at the exam table she was sitting on. “And now I need to lie in it.”

Kendrick had opened his mouth to say something in return, but was ushered off the stage by one of the crew. “Alright, people, we’re set to start rolling, quiet on the set, please!” The producer called out over the chatter of everyone in the studio.

With the crowd hushed, the marker clacked, indicating the start of filming. Cameron took a breath, running through the few lines she had to memorize in her head. The blinding lights on the set made everyone who was set behind the stage almost invisible; maybe that was a good thing. The boom operators were only visible; it must be a hard task to hold a microphone in one place for so long, she thought, almost missing her cue.

Anthony had knocked on the door to the fake doctor's office, entering with a clipboard with blank papers on it for effect, the fake glasses he wore were perched on his nose, and the lab coat he was wearing was much too tight around his biceps. He almost looked funny. “Hello, Miss. I am the heart doctor. What seems to be bothering you?”

His fake professional voice, paired with such a dumb line, made her stifle a giggle, “Hello, doctor. I’m so glad you could see me on such short notice,” she said in a fake sexy tone. She hated everything about the script. Cameron took one of Anthony’s hands, placing it on her chest over her heart, “I have an ache, right here. Can you fix it?”

Anthony smirked, giving her breast an unsolicited squeeze, reflexively causing Cameron to smack his hand away, breaking character. “Cut!” The director shouted.

“Cami, get your head out of your ass!” Jason barked.

Anthony hooked a finger under Cameron’s jaw, making her look up at him. “Relax, princess, I’m just acting,” he winked at her with a smirk.

“Back to one!” The director called out, causing Anthony to retreat to his starting position.

Cameron tried to scan the crowd for Kendrick, but couldn't make anyone out. She swallowed as they brought the marker back in for a second take.