Devotion

2 - Sebastian Connor

I was in the middle of my second photoshoot of the day when my phone rang. I loved shooting in Italy, the photographers always had the most amazing ideas and the settings were just as eye-catching. The weather was better than back home too, another plus of the job. I reached my hand out to grab the ringing device on the desk when Rebecca shouted.

“Don’t you touch that phone, Sebastian!”

I shot a guilty grin towards the photographer as I checked the caller ID. Knowing that Olivia rarely calls when she knows I’m away with work. I called a quick “back in a minute” to Rebecca before stepping out of the main room and into my small dressing room.

“Hey Liv, you alright?” I asked as soon as I answered the call. I took off the denim jacket they had me wearing, draping it along the back of the sofa before sitting down.

“Hey Tian, it’s all good over here, how’s the shoot?” I knew that voice and I knew that tone. Olivia wanted something and it wasn’t another night with my brother.

“The shoots fine, you want to tell me why you’re calling me? Or why you sound like you’re going to ask me to do something you know I wouldn’t for anyone else.”

I could hear as Olivia huffed out a laugh on the line. She knew it was true. Olivia and I had met a year ago at a project party, we’d become friends almost instantly with her claiming she had never met a model that didn’t make her want to commit GBH.

“Probably because I’m about to ask you for a favour but contrary to popular belief, I would never ask you to do something I wouldn’t do myself.”

“If you say so Livy,” I laughed when she grunted at the nickname. I knew she hated the name. It was something her family had refused to stop calling her and she was adamant it made her sound like a child.

“I need you to take my place Thursday night. I’m at home right now and before you ask, no I can’t get out of it.”

A knock sounded throughout the dressing room, making me pause before responding. Rebecca stuck her head around the door, her expression curious. She pointed at the phone I still held to my ear, before tapping her watch. I nodded, shooting her a quick grin and holding up five fingers.

“I’ve really got to get back to this shoot, Liv. What is it you need me to do?” Running my fingers through my hair, I glanced at my appearance in the brightly lit mirror. I slid the denim jacket back on before opening the door to try and locate my manager.

“There’s a charity gala for young people’s mental health, tomorrow, so it’ll be good publicity. My usual date is going to need a replacement.”

“Ouch, say it how it is Liv. You know I don’t care for the publicity but I’ll attend the gala for you, just text Johnny the details and I’ll be there.”

I apologised to Rebecca before getting back into position in front of the backdrop. It was another three hours before Johnny came in and called an end to the day. No sooner had he made that announcement I was back in my regular clothes and in the back of a car heading back to the hotel.

Johnny handed me an updated schedule for tomorrow. I knew he’d have had to cancel all of my appointments for the day but I owed Olivia one. She had covered for me at so many events this past year that the least I could do was fly back for a couple of days to fill in for her.

I could that the man beside me was silently seething. If there was one this Johnny hated it was me rearranging his perfectly planned schedule. However, after managing me for the last three years, he’d given up on trying to stop me, instead of giving me the silent treatment for an hour or so whilst he rearranged the schedule and sulked.

The car rolled to a stop in front of the entrance to the hotel and my door was opened by the concierge. I slid out the vehicle, thanking him quickly before making my way into the building. Once the doors to the lift closed behind us, I turned to Johnny.

“I’m going to need you to pick up a suit for me to wear to this gala, Liv’s dress was silver so I’ll need a silver tie. I’m not sure what is expected of me, so find out if I’m supposed to make a public donation. If not then just donate the usual, quietly.”

The doors to the lift reopened and I left Johnny to do his own thing. As soon as I got to my room, I grabbed the menus for room service. It had been a long day even in my terms and with Olivia’s call I didn’t manage to get a break for the rest of the afternoon.  It was now eight o’clock and I knew I needed to call home but I was practically running on fumes.

Putting in the order for food with the main desk, I got changed into some sweats and settled on the sofa beside the window to make the call. The phone only rang three times before it was answered.

“Hello, Connor household,” the soft voice of my sister floated down the line.

“Hey squirt, mum know you’re answering the phone now?” I worried about Libby answering the main house phone. Despite being almost sixteen, we’d had quite a few calls that weren’t what I would class as ‘friendly social calls’, especially when my sexuality became public knowledge.

“Yeah, she said I shouldn’t answer to any unknown or blocked callers but It’s only you so it doesn’t matter anyway.”

“I should have come up as an unknown caller, Isabella.” I knew my number didn’t show on screen, I’d contacted my provider specifically about making sure my phone calls hid my number. The only thing worse than a marketing call was a call from someone you didn’t want to speak to. If they haven’t got my number then I have to call them first, it’s really a win-win, for me anyway.

“Yeah,” was the only response she gave. I did not envy my parents dealing with her teenage attitude right now. If Bella is even half as difficult as I was then I’m extremely glad I’m out of the country.

“Can you pass me over to mum please, Squirt?” I heard the phone crash haphazardly against the side table before I heard her call out for mum.

“Is that my baby on the phone?!” The lilting voice of my mother sounded, getting louder as I assume she approached the phone. “Sebby? Are you still there?”

“Yeah mum, I’m here,” I assured her, holding my phone between my shoulder and ear when I heard the knock on the door to my room. Opening the door, I stepped back allowing the waiter to push the cart into the room.  Fishing my wallet from my back pocket, I pull out a few notes before handing them to the bloke. “Cheers, mate.”

“How was your day? Did you have dinner? Are you okay, you’re calling quite late I thought you’d just check in tomorrow?” The questions were rushed, I don’t think she stopped to breathe at all as she continued to ramble out her questions.

Letting her talk, I removed the covers from my food and grabbed a drink from the small fridge under the counter. Taking a bite from my double bacon cheeseburger, my response was half-muffled by the food.

“I’m eating now, didn’t eat dinner though so I’m starving. I’ve got a burger bigger than my face so I’m pretty happy right now. I know it’s late, I just wanted to call and let you know I’ll be back in the UK tomorrow afternoon.”

“What? Is everything okay? I thought your shoot didn’t end until Friday?” The sound of paper rustling filled the line and I knew mum was checking her calendar to make sure she hadn’t gotten her countdown wrong. Every time I left for work, she’d make her own countdown for when I returned, she did the same for my brother, Ross.

“No mum, you’ve got the dates right, put your calendar down.” I took a sip of my coke and wiped my hands on a serviette. “I owed Olivia a favour and she’s cashing in.”

“What do you mean she’s cashing in? Sebby, I told you I would support you but if you’re doing something illegal, I would rather not be involved or informed.” I could tell by her teasing tone of voice that she knew it wasn’t anything remotely illegal.

“I’m attending a charity event, for young people’s mental health. She can’t go so her usual date is now in need of a date.” I polished off the burger relatively quickly, before starting on the chips. Making a mental note to get Johnny to complement their food and portion sizes tomorrow.

 “Sebby, isn’t her usual date a man? Me Knight, I think his name was.”

“Yes, Nathan, I think that’s what it said in the information she gave Johnny anyway.”

“Right, but he’s straight? Does he know that you’re neither female or into females?” I could tell she was genuinely concerned for me, although I wouldn’t be in any physical danger, I knew she worried about me emotionally.

I had gotten f****d about and left broken-hearted by my last partner, having been together for three years. I knew he wasn’t out when we first met, we managed two the first two years and when I was away with work, he told me that he’d come out but he didn’t want to go public with me. I figured it was because my job thrust everyone around me into the spotlight.

Unfortunately, his version on ‘not in the closet anymore’ was a little bit different to mind. He was so far in that proverbial closet he was practically sitting on the knee of Mr Tumnus.

“He requested me specifically, apparently.” My response was hesitant, Johnny had said that he had asked for me, although it didn’t really make sense. Unless he was a closeted guy waiting for the dramatic flair, I couldn’t understand why he would have asked for me specifically. Olivia had some very attractive friends in the modelling industry, ones that would be extremely pleased with the job.

“I just worry about you, that’s all. I don’t want you to get hurt, or used for someone else’s ridiculous publicity stunts.”

“I know mum, I’ll text Livy and find out what’s happening. I’ll call you tomorrow when I’m in the UK, alright?” I stood from my seat, piling the empty plates on the trolley and leaving it outside the door to my room. I was knackered and now I had more things to worry about. My mind was spiralling and I knew it was going to be a rough night.

“Okay Sebby, talk to you tomorrow, love you.”

I uttered a quick ‘love you too’ before ending the call. I headed for the bathroom to take a hot shower the scalding water soothed my muscles. My newfound relaxation putting me in a state of almost sleep, I stumbled out of the shower, over to the sink to brush my teeth.

Once I was back in the bedroom, I slid on some sweatpants before sitting down on the bed. Ruffling a towel through my dark hair with one hand, I typed out a message to Olivia with the other.

Seb: Why is an openly straight actor requesting me personally as his date to a public event?

Plugging my phone in, I set it down on the table beside the bed. I on my back under the covers and listened to the traffic that rushed by outside the window. I prayed that my best friend hadn’t gotten me into a situation that would have me back in the office of Rachael Richardson, my family’s therapist.