Only he couldn’t say the words. Instead he simply stood there, feeling like his heart was being ripped in two. He’d prayed for Bing’s return. On his knees prayed! And here Bing was, without any explanation for his disappearance. No apology. Nothing. And that silence cut straight through Walter’s heart.
“I thought we were friends,” Walter said. Andfriendwas a pale word for what he’d felt for Bing. They’d lived together for a year. They’d sacrificed, sweated, and fought for this movie for a year. Then one bad day happened, and suddenly it was as if the two of them had never even met.
Meanwhile, the woman still on the floor was catching on. “Wait a second. You two know each other?”
Bing looked to her. “From my old life.”
Her eyes widened. “Oh, wow.” Her gaze moved to Walter. “Um….” She looked back to Bing. Then she held up the cell phone. “Support texted back. They’re on their way.”
Bing nodded. “I can carry you outside.”
Great, just great. Bing was about to disappear again. “I thought you had died,” Walter said. “Only it turns out you’re just an asshole.”
Finally he saw a break in Bing’s expression. The man’s face contorted, and he bowed his head. His hands came together before him, palms pressed tightly together as if he was praying. It was an attitude of shame, and Walter was sure that in China, it had real significance. But Walter had been born and raised in LA.
“Damn it, talk to me!” Walter screamed. “I’ve been worried sick about you for eight weeks. Eight weeks I’ve carried on, praying that you’d come back. Your agent said to forget you. Your parents don’t know that anything’s wrong. And the banks….” He rubbed his hand over his face. “The banks don’t give a shit because I’ve been paying the bills. But damn it, Bing….” What? Questions crowded in his throat. Fury and absolute desperation clogged his thoughts until there was no space for anything but a primal scream. But he wouldn’t give Bing the satisfaction of seeing him come undone. Or more undone than he was now. All that came out was a single word. “Why?”
Bing shook his head. “I can’t,” he said, the words a low murmur. Then he lifted his face and Walter saw true anguish there, at a level that felt more real to him than anything else that had happened that day. “I’m not allowed to explain,” he said as his eyes shimmered with unshed tears.
If this was a movie, there’d be some dramatic reason behind such a declaration. Aliens, CIA, kidnapped baby…. Walter’s writer brain could come up with a million. But this wasn’t a movie, and he needed real answers. Instead Bing just stood there, looking miserable.
“That’s not good enough,” Walter said. His voice was strong, but inside he was pleading with his friend. He needed Bing to break, to speak, to reach out somehow.
Bing shook his head. “It’s better this way.” Then he crossed over to the girl on the floor. He bent quickly and effortlessly scooped her up in his arms. Her face was white with pain as she gripped his broad shoulders. Walter watched as she closed her eyes and let her head fall against Bing’s chest. A perfect movie shot. The hero with his heroine, walking away into the sunset.
Walter’s heart wrenched in agony. He’d known his fantasies were never going to come true, that there’d never be a romantic future between him and Bing. But to see this now, to see Bing’s back when there was so much unsaid between them… it was a betrayal that cut so deep, he didn’t think he’d ever recover. It was like watching your own limb be amputated. Bing was consciously cutting himself out of Walter’s life, and all Walter could do was watch. And feel.
Mentally, he scrambled against the pain. He tried to find the words that would make Bing change his mind, but they didn’t form. They probably didn’t exist.
Turn around!he ordered himself.Give the bastard your back!But though all sorts of thoughts about dignity and pride burned through his brain, he couldn’t do it. He couldn’t not look as Bing moved. He was graceful, his strength beautiful, and even his hair was poetry in motion. Walter was a screenwriter. He wouldn’t be who he was if he could turn away from someone that gorgeous.
So he did something else. He grabbed the nearest walkie-talkie and all but screamed into it. “Danger is over. Everybody get back to the set or you’re fired.”
Almost immediately, the unit began crackling back answers. His crew was returning.
As if on cue, the set door banged open. Only it wasn’t any of the crew members. Instead, a large man with a harried expression burst inside. Following quick on his heels was a lanky blond guy with eyes that sparkled in the lights. He looked as if he found life perpetually funny, though he still came off as a badass as he burst into the nearly empty set.
Both newcomers scanned the area with professional movements. “All good?” the big one asked.
Bing tightened his grip on his burden. “She’s hurt.”
The big guy nodded. “Put her in the van.” Then his gaze traveled over the entire set again, pausing briefly as he looked at Walter. “Any other cleanup?”
“No.” Even though the word was spoken softly, Walter heard it clear as day.
“Good,” the big guy said, but then the smaller blond interrupted.
“Oh wow. This is the movie set.” The lanky guy spoke with awe in his voice—the kind of reverence that only came from a true fan.
“Josh, we don’t have time for this,” the big guy said, but Josh was already wandering around the set, looking at everything.
“No, listen,” Josh said as he picked up a script that had fallen to the floor. “Nero, this isthe movie.” He waved the script in the air. “Bing’s movie. The Red Wolf origin story.”
The big guy grimaced. “That’s in LA. We’re in Wisconsin.” But when the blond held up the script, the man groaned. “Hold on,” he said to Bing, who had been maneuvering forward, presumably to set down the woman. He paused as Nero touched his arm. “This is your movie?”
Bing shook his head. “No. It’s his movie.” He jerked his head at Walter without looking in his direction.
“Yes,” said Walter loudly as he stepped forward. It felt good to assert himself again. No more would he be lovelorn, grieving Walter. He was in charge. “This is my movie, and I’d like to know who you are.”
