Chapter 12 ~*~ Swashing Buckles ~*~
The Blooms were in Los Angeles, Orlando filming on a soundstage, while Raya invested her time buying fabric and designing a brand new line of stylish maternity clothing. She made it her duty, before visiting Orlando on the set, to call Liberty.
“Liberty, would gold and turquoise look too Indian tacky?” Raya asked, at a very high end fabric store on Rodeo Drive. “I’m trying to go for something not too drapey but enough to cover the bump.”
“What, are you showing now?” Liberty asked, stepping past piles of clothing that she hadn’t bothered to clean up. “How far along are you now?”
“Five months.” Raya replied nonchalantly. “There’s a bit of a bump, I’m now Anaka’s size. I’ve gained about fifteen, so far.”
“Fifteen pounds in five months? Isn’t that not enough?” Liberty asked.
“You’re not answering my question about turquoise and gold.” Raya sighed into the phone. “Oh never you mind, I’ve found a way to make it work.”
“So, have you found out if it was a girl or a boy?” Raya was now out on the street, her cell phone in one hand and her purchases in the other.
“We want a surprise.” She said, smiling into the phone. “So how goes life in, er, Michigan?”
“That sounds so funny coming out of you.” Liberty said with a snort. “It sounds completely wrong. I think you’re too British.”
Raya gave a carefree laugh to this new discovery. “Liberty, darling, I’ll have to cut this one short, they’re very picky on mobiles on the set. Good bye, dear. I’ll call you tomorrow, and make sure you stop eating McDonalds. It’s terrible for the complexion.”
“Whatever you say goes, Raya.” Liberty said, hanging up the phone.
Tossing her newly bought items in the trunk of Orlando’s car, she reapplied some gloss and stepped into the studio. “Raya,” Johnny’s drawling voice came into earshot. “How are you?”
“Johnny! You look awfully…piratey good.” Raya said, surveying his outfit. Clad in rather piratey garments with excessive eyemakeup, Johnny was grinning like an idiot. “Filming today went well, I hope?”
“It was lovely. Just tell that husband of yours that if he ‘accidentally’” Johnny stated using finger quotes, “has a swipe at my throat again…I’ll get him, once I’m out of the hospital of course.” Raya looked aghast at this. “Only joking. Orlando’s over there, he’s filming with Keira. It was lovely seeing you again, Raya.”
Raya walked to where Johnny was pointing. She very much enjoyed Johnny’s company, seeing that he was very approachable on set. She found Orlando standing on the set of what seemed to be a large mansion, saying his goodbye to a rather tall young woman dressed in a very tight corset. “Cut! That was good guys, alright, we’ll see you all tomorrow.”
Orlando’s shoulder’s relaxed and he came off of the set, wiping his hair back. “Raya!” He said, genuinely happy to see her. “You have to meet her, Raya.”
“Meet who her?” Raya asked. “The girl in the corset? The corset that looks as though it’s bruising her sides?”
Orlando looked puzzled. “Erm…yeah.” He took Raya over to this new girl as she was getting on her way to the wardrobe department. “Keira! This is my wife Raya, Raya, this is Keira. She plays Elizabeth.”
“Your love interest, right?” Raya asked, a perfectly arched brow raised. Her arm however went instinctively around Orlando’s. “Pleasure to meet you. Now, do go get that corset off, you look as though you’d faint.”
Keira looked more than pleased. “It is a pleasure, and…thanks.” She ran off mumbling trying to take the corset off herself.
Raya waited as Orlando changed into his normal apparel before heading to the car. “She’ll be having dinner with us tonight. Her, Johnny and his wife, I mean.”
“When did you plan this?” Raya asked, stopping and looking at him.
Orlando looked at her sheepishly, not liking the look that he got. “This morning. I was going to call you, but I couldn’t!” Raya very uncharacteristically rolled her eyes. “Oh come on, you’ll love it! It’s at that new restaurant on Sunset Boulevard.”
“Back entrance?” Raya asked getting into the car. She reached into her bag for some saltines.
“Of course, and casual dress.” Orlando said, looking at the flowing maternity top she was wearing. They drove along the interstate, silently until Orlando asked “Have you spoken to Liberty today? How is she?”
“Good, she’s left the house at least once a week for grocery purposes. I haven’t brought Dom up yet.” Raya said. “I suppose there’s trust that needs gaining.” She nibbled on another cracker. She then made a very puzzled face. “My god…what was that?”
“What? Are you alright?” Orlando asked, pulling into the garage for their condo. Raya was still looking at her stomach. “What’s wrong? Is the baby okay?”
“The baby’s fine…if he or she kicks my bladder like that again however, it won’t be a lovely story.” Raya said. She shook herself and got out of the car, Orlando however gaped at the spot where Raya had previously been.
“First movement! This needs to be written down! What day is it today? How far along are you?” Orlando asked with very rushed tones. Raya appeared by the driver’s door.
“Orlando, it is August 23rd, I’m five months along.” Raya said. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to find something to wear.” She sounded rather exasperated at this, since her good tops were all looking to be stretched if she would attempt to wear them again.
Orlando followed her into their apartment, muttering the information she told him over and over again. He opened a scrap book, full of the sonograms mostly, and pictures of Raya’s slowly growing bump, and wrote in disturbingly swirly writing: First movement- August 23rd. He looked quite pleased with himself, clapping his hands before skipping off into the bathroom to shower.
“Shame filming’s almost done, isn’t it?” Orlando said at dinner that night, sipping casually on a glass of red wine. “I was starting to get used to kicking ass.”
“Like shooting those arrows while looking pretty wasn’t?” Johnny asked with a smirk. “Is your husband always like this, Raya?”
“Yes, he’s quite good at anything that has to do with acting, but tell him to fix the leaky faucet, and you’re absolutely fucked.” Raya said plainly.
Keira, who’d been silently going on through dinner, gave a big laugh. “But Orlando looks such the handy man type, Raya.”
Raya looked at Keira, and smirked. “Oh he’s handy for killing insects. I usually make him go and kill spiders and such. Doesn’t help that he’s scared half to death of them either.”
Orlando pouted and complained with mock contempt, “I am not terribly afraid of spiders. And, I refuse to be talked about this way.”
Johnny looked at Keira and Raya who were now amicably chatting after a good half hour of coldness, and then at Orlando. “Too late, we’re going to talk about you the whole night.”
The Blooms were jetting off to New Zealand to do reshoots and dubbing for the Two Towers, which would begin premiering in late November. Raya was now completely devoted to her new maternity line, having created at least twelve new dresses, she expanded into adding tops and skirts into her portfolio before sending them off to get manufactured, and perhaps put them in her own stores on both coasts of the United States and London.
“I still can’t imagine you as a mother.” Billy said, chewing happily on a celery stick as Raya indulged a craving of chocolates dipped in ketchup.
“Thank you, Billy for your words of great kindness.” Raya said, shrugging.
“You’re too… put together, very calm.” Billy continued, much to Orlando’s dislike. “I honestly can’t see you running after the little ones.”
“Billy, do yourself a favor and wipe the floors will you? Raya and I both have painful backs.” Orlando said, not looking up from the lines he had to dub the next day.
Dom was sitting on the Blooms’ sofa sulking as he watched some movie on the television. Raya tapped Orlando’s arm and pointed to Dom. “He’s been like that since we’ve been here.”
“I can’t blame him.” Orlando responded, looking at Dom who hadn’t shaven, and quite possibly hadn’t showered since Friday. “Though hygiene, that could get worked on.”
Raya sat at the counter, massaging her temples. “This is too much. I can’t take this anymore. I’m calling her.”
Orlando looked on with feigned aghast as she took the phone, dialed some numbers and walked out of the room. He sat comfortably, relearning lines and watching as Billy slaved away on making their marble floor spotless.
A good hour had passed, Dominic and Billy gone, and Raya was still on the phone with Liberty. She finally hung up leaving an exasperated Raya heating up water for some hot chocolate. “Love, it’s about a good eighty degrees outside. Why are you having hot chocolate?”
“Must you ask a silly food-related question to a pregnant woman?” Raya asked with much amusement. “I’ve told Liberty to call Dominic.”
“Have you? Did she say no again?” Orlando asked, script down as he waited eagerly for Raya’s response.
“Didn’t give her much of a choice, really.” Raya replied, turning off the stove. “It’s her payment of me being her counselor.”
“You’re a sly one, Miss Raya Scott Spencer Bloom.” Orlando said, saying the last bit with much a grin on his face.
“How many times do I have to tell you, I’ve completely taken your last name?” She giggled, ruffling his very long wavy hair.