This Whole Time

“Guys, where’s Damon?” Sam asked.

The director looked up from his script and scanned the crowd of actors and extras who were milling in the courtyard; Damon’s familiar blond head was nowhere to be seen.

Sam, who was still surrounded by make-up ladies, craned his neck. “Has anyone seen him?”

“He got a phone call and rushed off somewhere to take it in private,” Lily said. “I expect that’s where he still is.”

The alcove just below the main stairwell up to the great hall was by unspoken agreement the place to take private phone calls. The director nodded his head at one of the ADs, who peeled away from the cluster near the camera to summon the missing actor.

Several moments later, three more ADs scurried after her. Sam extricated himself from the make-up ladies and moved to follow, see what was the matter. Then the director came tearing past, and Sam knew something was genuinely wrong. Luckily, he managed to get into the building before the ADs began corralling it off.

“What’s going?” he asked.

And then he saw. Damon was curled into the alcove, sobbing wretchedly into his hands. His mobile lay on the floor at his feet, the screen flashing, a tinny voice shouting,

“Son, son, are you all right? What’s the matter?”

Sam knelt down and peered at the screen. The name and the photo were familiar - it was Damon’s dad. Sam scooped up the phone carefully.

“Hi, Mr. Hamilton. It’s me, Sam - one of Damon’s costars. Is everything all right?”

“I don’t know.” Mr. Hamilton sounded shaken. “Is something the matter with Damon? He answered the phone, and then he went insane - accused me of being an impostor or playing some prank on him. He asked me all sorts of strange questions and said he didn’t believe I was his father because his father died when he was sixteen. This isn’t some drama exercise, is it? Because it’s not in very good taste.”

Sam said, “I don’t know what’s going on. I’ll speak to Damon. I’ll have him call you when things are settled down.” Then he disconnected.

Damon had scrunched himself into a corner and was batting away anyone who tried to come near. Sam saw the stark emotion on his best mate’s face and knew it was unfeigned. Damon was an amazing actor, but what Sam saw was raw and uncontrolled. That first day, Damon had explained why he was an engineer - because his father had died when was sixteen and he needed a practical job to help support his family.

Sam felt his heart plummet into his shoes. Everyone had been sure Damon’s semi-amnesia was some extended prank, but this whole time, Damon hadn’t been lying - he’d meant every bit. And now he’d just heard his dead father’s voice.

(471 words)