Jacqui Wilkes And Me

Writers Note.

This story is a Romance Novella. In its entirety, there is nothing to follow. It is long and has about 37,000 words. The story is in UK/Australasian English and uses Australian phrases and colloquialisms. Sex is sparse. The story contains swearing.

The story is told through the eyes of the two relationship partners. There are a lot of characters in the story. A lot merely form the background. Don't get lost in the background. While Grammarly is used but is not 100% accurate the writer takes responsibility for all grammatical, and spelling errors, etc.

If any of the above mentioned concerns you, this may not be the story for you Mate.

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Chapter 1 - Me.

'February the fourteenth marks the day our own Jacqui Wilkes is receiving the key to the city presented by his worship the mayor at one-thirty pm. It is a public presentation in the city council auditorium. If you intend to be at the presentation, be early, it is expected to be standing room only.

Following the presentation at seven p.m. a black tie gala evening at the One Energy Concert and Theatre Centre where Ms Wilkes will be the Guest of Honour. Tickets for the event sold out weeks ago as it is touted as the city's premier social calendar event of the year.

Jacqui, having lived in the town of Marrabel until she turned nineteen is one of this city's favorite daughters. From a middle-class working family and one of three siblings who started in humble beginnings and having learned and plied her acting trade first in college and local theatre then early career-wise with TAFE performing arts Jacqui excelled and it was no surprise at all that success came her way so quickly or meritoriously. The national and international success speaks for itself.

Her latest role as Felicity Drake in her new Hollywood film 'Children of Time' has the film critics raving over her performance and nominating Wilkes for the best-supporting new actor category at the Oscar awards later in the year...'

I'd watch her stage performances, she grabs the character she's portraying by the throat and wrings every last bit of emotion and energy out. I never expected anything less from her. It's made lots of us her firm and in some cases adoring, I've read the posts, fans. The online news of Jacqui's visit home, her wish to catch up with friends and family, and the dates mentioned meant I'd miss her. I'd be traveling in the United Kingdom for three weeks and then a quick stop off in North Carolina. Then back to my rural accommodation a little out of Adelaide.

Jacqui and I grew up in the same town, we met at college, hung with the same crowd, and we always shared a distant friendship. We had ones that were special to us at the time so it took a while and a few mistakes in our personal and love lives before we came across each other again. She was at TAFE plying her acting and drama career while I worked as an on-site labourer looking no further than the big money I could earn.

A chance meeting, she was out with ten of her friends, some I recognized from college before I realized Jacqui was there. I, with three of my friends who thought god delivered the ultimate prize, eleven gorgeous single young women out for a night of fun.

It took a trip to the bar for us to get to talk to one another. I came face to face with a pair of deep brown eyes, a gorgeous face framed by shoulder-length dark brown hair. Her face broke out in a familiar sexy, cheeky, and questioning smile, "If I'd not chased after you to the bar Marcus King were you ever going to say hello?"

We smiled and laughed a bit louder than we should. I nodded to an empty bar leaner and we both quietly skulked off, "Anyway, Jacqui Wilkes I was biding my time. Acting casual before I made a grand entrance."

She looked at me with a cynical smile, "Urgh, what a load of horseshit King! Come here and give me a kiss."

Not that I'm complaining or anything but when she grabbed my head and stuck her tongue down my throat she wasn't actually asking. Her eyes searched my face for a bad reaction but there wasn't one and a small smile appeared.

Drawing close she raised and placed her right hand to my chest and rubbed side to side, "Good gosh Marcus, I've missed that."

"Jacqui. I'm pretty much dead to right, we've never kissed before."

The cheeky smile returned, "There ya go, King! My point exactly."

Couldn't see the sense in arguing with logic like that, we were more than comfortable with each other so we kinda sat back to see where everything was going to go. Jacqui talked about being sad, I'd disappeared from college and our house was for sale. It surprised me. I'd never even considered I'd be in Jacqui Wilkes sights.

Though we'd attended the same college, and hung with the same group, she was from academia. I was trades. She was modern dance, drama, and communication. Me: Holdens, ARL footy and cricket. Her boyfriend at the time was heading for the legal profession in his family's firm. I grafted and made money. Happy.

So, two nineteen-year-olds sat in a pub trying to figure each other out. She wanting to know more about him and he still wondering what the hell just happened.

Completely ignoring everybody else. Both sets of friends presented themselves at our table, tried to interject in the conversation, and got fed up with being ignored. As a hint to bugger off and leave us alone, I pulled some cash out and shouted a round. Did it twice 'til I realized they decided to get us drinks when we ran out. And leave us alone.

We talked about anything and everything. Migrating around the table 'til we sat with legs interlocked, engrossed in each other. No thought to where our night would lead, we exchanged numbers, and details as the night wound down. I was thinking we might both be wanting a relationship.

Amanda, one of our college mates came over to tell her they were going. Jacqui's mouth found mine again. We'd break apart, go to say goodbye, and end up kissing again. I inhaled her, "God your perfume is lovely, it suits you."

She pulled away, removed a small very thin scarf draped loosely over her shoulders, and passed it to me, it smelled like her, "Here, keep it until we're together and married so you'll not forget me."

Ignoring her friends gathered around the table we kissed and cuddled. Brett, one of my mates finally got us out of our indulgence, "Marcus mate, are ya comin' or are you two up for a room?"

Frustrated, we separated, "Jacqui, go. We better go."

"Okay. You're gonna call, ay Marcus. You call me... Promise?"

"I'll call as soon as I get in. Promise." God, she looked so pitiful as she stared back longingly. Like me, she would've taken a whole lot of grief from her friends on the way home.

Home was the flat above the garage at my Dad's house bought after his wife up and left us. It's in the 'burbs so I was last drop-off for my taxi ride so a bit over an hour later I'd just made it inside when my phone rang, "You promised."

"I know Jacqui. I should've told you it would be an hour for me to get home."

"Geesus King, how are we going to meet if you're that far away? I should've asked you to spend the night. We would've had all weekend. And Monday. I don't have classes 'til Tuesday arvo. Maybe we could meet tomorrow?"

"Jacqui, you're alright with that? We've only just reconnected."

"You don't want to Marcus?"

"Yes, I do. I just don't want to... Stuff it all up."

"We won't. I won't let you... Okay?"

We both went silent for a few, "Jacqui. Go pack a bag I'm getting and paying for a taxi."

That's all it took for us to become a couple, Jacqui and I. Never regretted a minute of being together. Until we weren't. She had always wanted to get to know me better for a very long time. I never knew. We fell in love over our first weekend together and never lost it.

_ _ _

My flat was far from TAFE and Jacqui's flat. It hadn't been an issue for me, I drove to and from work but Jacqui often had after-class meetings and course adjustments which didn't always finish at set times. My Dad found a solution.

My sister Karen left home to pursue her career in financial investment and corporate management. She's also an accomplished cellist. She moved with her partner Ron to Sydney to pursue both. Dad realized the house had become a bit big for just us two. He was in a relationship where his new partner Aislah wanted to share their lives. Aislah had a condominium she owned and loved and Dad has always been easy to please.

In a bid to make money from the house sale work for him, he bought a set of six flats in the inner city that were in good condition, four had long-term tenants. The fifth flat he gave us the keys to. Despite his protests, I signed a rental agreement. He knew sooner or later we'd want to buy our own property and was prepared to forgo rent.

Our little flat was at the opposite end of the main entrance. There was a janitor's flat below. Both had a private entrance off a service lane. A wooden fence and a gate separated the other flats. The flat needed a good cleanup and paint inside but it was ours. We spent time making it our home. I could cycle to my work and it was a ten-minute walk to Tafe for Jacqui. Half the reason for my Dad's offer, he and Aislah met Jacqui and they absolutely adored her.

The next three years our life became everything you'd hope for a couple. We got on with our lives together and thrived. We talked about marriage and decided we would sometime but neither of us felt the need right then. We discovered each other's quirks and idiosyncrasies, she loves drinking milk straight from the carton. I play drums so finding a pen or pencil that works or isn't broken can be an issue.

She introduced me to all of her family a bit at a time and I took an instant liking to them. Her mum Helen is proof of where Jacqui and her sister Jillian get their beauty. Her Dad, Lloyd, is a Holden man and a dyed-in-the-wool Adelaide Crows supporter so we get on like a house on fire. Jill is just as attractive as Jacqui, a year and a bit younger studying music at one of the city's music academies and working towards a diploma in production and recording.

Jacqui's brother, Simon, and his partner Raylene flat and work in Melbourne. St Kilda supporter. Still, he's in construction so one out of two isn't all bad. At least one Sunday a month we'd end up at the Wilkes for a roast dinner.

Jacqui's job was with the city theatrical company. It saw her engaged in all parts of the industry, advertising, stage management through to musical direction as well as acting. She shone as an actress and wrote three plays which were a confident success. The audiences lapped them up and when other national companies took her plays, bigger accolades followed. She wasn't on a big salary but that was no worries, getting experience counted.

A world of opportunities opened up to Jacqui. Acting roles in the advertising industry. It started small with local government and city business on local television and cinema. Soon demonstrations of cooking appliances, medical and health aids, food supplements, and those infomercial-type gizmos on late-night television.

Jacqui became the face of a popular Korean car maker and an innovative vacuum cleaner manufacturer and she worked hard as an ambassador for all her clients and it earned her recognition. The adverts for a popular international coffee manufacturer raised her profile and very quickly attracted the attention of television program makers.

At twenty-four years of age and five and a half years of intense work, she was awarded a new main character role in a popular long-running prime-time soap opera but it wasn't without sacrifice. Filming took place in Melbourne, a bit over seven hundred kilometers from Adelaide and too long a distance by car every week.

Jacqui and three other actors with roles in the same program who all came from outside the state got a flat together. Two women and one guy. All had partners who visited when they could. I'd go to Melbourne to stay with Jacqui often but I'd book accommodation away from the city center. It worked fine and we never disparaged about the time apart.

Early in Jacqui's career rise I sat her down and made her make a solemn promise to keep me completely anonymous. I tried to convince her to say she was single if asked but she refused. It was wrong but I made her give her employer a false name for next of kin contact. Well, in a sense.

My full legal name is Anthony Marcus Summersby-King. I go by Marcus King so Tony Summersby would suffice. Why the secrecy? Being in the spotlight or front of a crowd is not my thing. At all. It makes me extremely nervous. Anxiety? Don't know. I've never gone that far to find out. Physically: At the severest; stomach cramps. Jacqui knows. We've talked about it, tried to get me to seek professional help but I can live with it.

Finally but begrudgingly she gave me a promise and understood. I wasn't about to compromise. But that would not be the end of the matter though.

_ _ _

While Jacqui was off in Melbourne I worked. The company was trying to convince me to take on an apprenticeship but I didn't know what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I'd had a gym membership for years so that helped but I still had plenty of time to fill in.

I found my drum kit and keyboards, neither had been unpacked since moving. I started playing again and soon realised I'd missed it but it didn't mean my neighbours would necessarily appreciate it. The unoccupied janitor's basement flat Dad used for tools and stuff for maintenance on the building was a shambles so with the promise to clean it up into some order and soundproof it I set up my gear.

Nine months later I was pleased with my progress. In my younger days, practice was a chore. Now, I wanted to play and learn new techniques or rhythm. Experiment. I never mentioned anything to Jacqui, turned it off, or stayed away from it when she came home. I guarded our time spent together with jealousy.

Another end of year coming up Jacqui made a trip back to Adelaide with one of her other actors. Gwen Nolan played a doctor's assistant on the show and although I knew her face we'd never met. Gwen had an interest in where I stood in the equation so she asked me questions from the moment they arrived. The third awkward question in a row, "Gwen. Stop. Look Jacqui and I need a few moments alone to talk. Could you excuse us?"

We went to our bedroom, "Jacqui, what the hell is going on?" I could see she was hoping this wasn't gonna happen.

"Honey. Gwen is here to lend me some moral support. Her partner had similar issues about being in the public eye as you babe. Look, they've worked through it. She had to use a little bit of tough love on Jackson, but it's worked and they're both happy. Jackson's stayed and we've got to know him so well. We've also got end-of-season events organized and the producers want our partners to be a part of that too so I know it's a lot to drop on your shoulders honey but do you think you could do that for me."

I couldn't look at Jacqui and sat down on the bed, "Marcus... honey..."

"Let me get this straight. You and your mates got together, and I'm only guessing here so tell me if I'm wrong but you've probably all talked about our private life including my problem, and made the decision that the best way to handle this all is to tell me to 'suck it up' is what I get for supporting your career?"

She knew she'd stuffed up. She blinked back tears but wisely said nothing. I stood silently, got a kit bag, and packed enough for a few days. I knew where I'd go, I owed him a visit. Jacqui hadn't said a word, not wanting to make the situation worse I'd guess, hoping I was working through 'their' suggestion. Come to the conclusion they were right.

I'd leave no doubt, put their minds at rest, "My answer is no. You want a partner that does what you want, like you and your mates are suggesting? Go find him. I don't fit the bill. No probs. Just go do what you need to do. But here's my warning: You, your mates. Producers. Whoever. Whatever. Anyone you've happened to spew my name and our private life about at. Make sure they lose my name. Understand?"

She nodded. She understood. I picked up my kit bag, "I'm sorry I wasn't what you needed Jacqui. Even worse, I let you down. Anyway, I'll leave you guys alone. I've got someone I gotta see so you'll be gone when I get back on Sunday night. Let me know what furniture and stuff you want to be sent, the address to send it and I'll sort it... Bye."

The bedroom door was partly open so I guess Gwen heard a bit of our conversation. She was hurriedly texting. She caught sight of me and froze not looking up, body tensed waiting for me to rage probably. I opened the door. Closing it I just caught Jacqui's muffled voice, "Wait. Marcus."

Too late. In my truck, I thought about our life. For her to succeed was going to take a huge sacrifice. As I drove in my Grandfather's gate I knew that part of that sacrifice would probably include us breaking up.

_ _ _

Chapter 2 - Jacqui Wilkes.

I had one of those moments. When the last word falls out of your mouth and you wanna say, 'Wait, forget everything I just said.' I got caught up in the hype of talking through our relationship with people I shouldn't have been talking to. ('You know better than that Jacqui Wilkes'). I talked about our problems to a bunch of actors. Worse, TV people. Should've just bought the front page of the Sydney Morning Herald and splurged it over the front page.

Too late to take it back now. He walked out of our bedroom, bag in hand. I waited for him to talk to or at Gwen. He wouldn't blow up too much but if he did I'd be there. I'm the one at fault. I heard the door security chain drop.

(My god, he's just gonna go! No real goodbye or anything?) "Wait. Marcus."

Gwen sat with a horrified look on her face. Looking my way, "Jacqui. Are you okay? What. What just happened? He just left. He didn't say a thing."

I don't think Gwen realized how pissed off with her and her stupid idea I was, "You heard what he said didn't you Gwen? He said it all. If I'd realized the outcome I would've kept my disastrous thoughts to myself and my dumb arse mouth closed."

Gwen did a hard swallow, went to say something, and read my look. My eyes. My scowl, I felt on my face. It said it all. ('Why did I listen to you? Your great idea has sunk my life.'). I went and sat on our bed. Okay, I can do this. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I'd undo it all. The whole damn lot.

Planned for the end-of-year event was us going through contracts for next year, with our agents. I'd seen the contract already. Happy with mine it was just a matter of signing. There were small niggles my agent Alison Swan noted that we could live with.

An email to Alison and I told her I wasn't going to sign, and had no further interest in continuing, and then I told her why. I said I was sending a similar email to the producers formally telling them I quit after Alison and I had talked.

A shadow fell over me and I looked into a fearful pair of eyes. ('Good, you should be feeling like shit'), "Gwen."

"Jacqui. I'm so sorry. I never expected Marcus to take it so hard. I thought he'd give it some thought and change his mind. I didn't want you to break up over it. Shit, what are you going to do? Do you think he'll change his mind?"

My phone dinged, 'WE NEED TO TALK. NOW! RING ME ASAP. A.'

I had a new determination, "Firstly, the event: I'm out. Secondly, Marcus did think it through and we talked about it at least four times over the last two years. Even right at the start. He said then we could break up if I wanted a more public-oriented partner. His answer was always the same. It wasn't that he never thought it through. It was me thinking I could force him to change his mind."