Disclaimer: Not ours. The real ones at least. Just wild imaginary spinnings.
Summary: Hmmm, about technophobes and friends who mean well.
Chapter Six
Orlando wished he could decide what to write to Jen that wouldn't be a lie. And he was afraid the truth would hurt her. He couldn't bear the thought. He looked at the clock and knew he had to be on set in twenty minutes. Not much time.
He started typing: "Dear Jen, I am awfully sorry to have missed our chat last night. I wish I could tell you what happened, but anything I say will only sound like a pathetic excuse. So I'll just say that I am more sorry to have missed you than you know. Please forgive me? I realize I need to talk to you every night to feel better and not so lonely. You make things better. I hope I haven't upset you too much. I'd rather cut my hand off than hurt you. Please meet me tonight online? At the usual time? I promise to be there ... Yours, Orlando"
He sent the mail, but he realized he could not leave it at that. He had to take the next step. Before he could get off, Orlando received an e-mail. His heart picked up when he saw that it was from Jen. Clicking on it, his heart sank when he read the first few words.
"You bastard! And before you get the wrong idea, this isn't Jen, but rather one of her close friends, Michelle. I'm writing to let you know of how much you hurt Jennifer. I have my suspicions about you, Mr. Orlando. I feel you've lied to Jennifer somehow. And when I find out…I'll make you pay. You can bet on it! Michelle"
Orlando blinked a couple of times, amazed at Michelle's loyalty to Jennifer. And then he realized what he needed to do to make it all better. He clicked on the IM button, crossing his fingers that Michelle was still on.
Michelle was about to log off Jen's computer, when a chat screen popped up.
bloomie: Michelle? Are you still there?
merlin2: Yes?
bloomie: It's Orlando. I just read your e-mail to me.
Michelle cringed and bit her lip. "Fuck," she muttered.
bloomie: You're right, Michelle. I am a bastard. And I never meant to hurt Jen.
merlin2: Could have fooled me.
bloomie: I want to make it up to her, but I don't think an e-mail is going to cut it.
merlin2: You're right, it's not!
bloomie: So…will you help me out?
merlin2: Meaning???
bloomie: I need her address and phone number. Not to mention her last name would help.
merlin2: Are you out of your fucking mind? You expect me to just give out personal information like that after what you did? You're mad!
bloomie: No, just a man falling for her…hard.
Michelle sighed, her cold resolve melting toward him just a bit. She imagined this man was a real sweet talker when he wanted to be.
merlin2: Okay, I'll help you out…but I swear if you make me regret this, I'll rip your heart out.
bloomie: Didn't expect anything less, love…
********************
Jen got back home close to 8:00. She had spent a horrible day, forcing herself away from home and from any PC. But she found out it wasn't the solution. So, she fed Merlin and sat down at her PC. She logged in and opened her mail program. And there it was, an e-mail from him. She still was trying to decide if he had truly meant it when the phone rang. Not her land line, but her cell phone. That one she had to answer.
"Jennifer Anderson."
"Hello, Jen. I'm really sorry," a soft spoken, velvety male voice said. If Jen hadn't been sitting, she might have needed support. It was him, no doubt about it. She pressed a hand to her chest, the air suddenly gone from her lungs. She tried to answer him, but all she could do was squeak.
"Jen? Jen, are you there?"
"Yes! Yes, I'm here!" she barked out, wincing at the loudness of her own voice. She heard him chuckle over the line and blushed. "Sorry," she laughed softly. "I'm here, Orlando."
"Jennifer, I'm sorry I wasn't there last night."
"It's…okay."
"No, it's not okay. I missed you."
"I missed you, too," she said, sinking back in the chair she was in. "I was just about to read my e-mail…I see there's a message here from you."
"Then let me save you the trouble and tell you what it says. It says, I'm an ass, and I wouldn't want to hurt you for anything...and I hope you forgive me."
Jennifer felt a warmth blossom inside of her, as a smile spread wide on her face. She wouldn't tell him she had already read it. "Yes, I forgive you."
"Good. Then you won't mind accepting my apology gift."
She frowned and sat up straighter in her chair. "Apology gift? What are you talking about?"
He chuckled again, the sound sending shivers of bumps along her skin. "You'll see."
"Orlando, I don't know if I ever told you, but I don't really like surprises…so I think you should tell me what it is. Now."
"And I don't know if I ever told you, but I don't give in that easily. You'll just have to wait and see."
"No fair," she mumbled. "Wait! How did you get my number? And my address?"
"Uh…well, I sort of had help."
"What help?"
"A really wise person who knows that I am not some pervert out to hurt you. At least not intentionally," he explained quickly. "I promise you that."
Jennifer got to her feet and walked toward her bed. "I know you wouldn't do that, Orlando."
"Why don't you call me Orli?"
She smiled as she laid down on her bed, hugging her pillow tight. "Because I like Orlando. Much nicer."
She hear him pause and wondered if she had said something wrong.
"What are you doing?" he asked, his voice dropping several octaves.
Jennifer frowned slightly. "Laying down on my bed…why?"
She thought she heard him groan but wasn't sure.
"No reason, love. So, since you forgive me for not being on last night, do you also forgive me for getting your phone number and address?"
She laughed, rolling onto her back and staring up at the ceiling. She felt as giddy as a teenager taking to her boyfriend on the phone. "I don't know, depends on what the surprise is."
"Should be there in…fifteen minutes or so."
Jennifer sat up in the bed. "Be here? As in here at my house? You're sending me something now?"
"Yes, I am. And I hope you like it."
"Won't you tell me what it is?"
"No. Good things come to those who wait."
"I never did believe that," she laughed. "But if I must wait, then you must stay on the line with me."
"I never thought about leaving."
Jennifer closed her eyes against the shiver that racked her body again. His voice was just too sinful. "Okay," she whispered. "Uh, are you ever going to tell me how you got my number?"
"No, but if you're a good little girl, I'll give you mine," he said, his voice dropping to almost a growl.
Jen laughed to cover up her nervous reaction to him. "Did I ever tell you about Merlin's passion for house plants?"
"No, I don't think so."
She heard the amusement in his voice, but she wasn't sure if it was her or Merlin that he was laughing at. Probably her.
"So, Merlin shags the house plants?" he asked, letting her change the subject.
"No, but he does love to eat them."
"Well, I can think of worse things he could do."
Jennifer laughed, as she glanced over at the dog in question, who was snoozing away on his fuzzy blanket. Before she could think of something else to say, the doorbell rang.
"Sounds like you have company," Orlando said, drawing her attention back. "Better go answer it."
After setting the phone down, Jen hurried to the door, her heart beating a mile a minute. She stood up on her tiptoes to peer out the small window in her door. She tried to see who it was, but the colorful flowers were blocking her view.
Flowers! He sent her flowers!
Jerking the door open, Jen stood there staring at the huge bouquet that the delivery man held.
"Are you Jennifer Anderson?"
"Y-yes."
"These are for you," the man said, smiling as he handed over the heavy bundle. "Someone must really love you."
Jen gasped, not only at the weight of the flowers, but at the man's statement. No one had ever sent her flowers…but someone who loved her? Did he? Shaking her head at her own silliness, Jen locked the door behind her and headed back to her bedroom. She set them on her desk beside her computer and then picked up her phone again.
"Orlando?"
"Yes, love?"
"They are beautiful."
"I'm glad. Did you read your card yet?"
"No, hang on." Jennifer grabbed the card and quickly opened it, her hands shaking so bad she nearly dropped it twice. " 'Jen, sorry for being such an ass. Hope you'll forgive me and still spend time with me. I cherish what we have. O' Oh," she sighed.
"I wasn't sure what kind of flowers you liked, so I just ordered a bit of all of them," he said nervously, trying to cover up the silence.
Jen glanced at the flowers again, her breath being taken away for the second time that night. She blinked back her tears and sighed. "Thank you. No one has ever sent me flowers. They…they are beautiful."
"You're welcome, love."
"Orlando?"
"Still here."
"What is your last name?"
She heard him pause. Was it a big secret? Sure they hadn't ever talked about sharing more personal information, but since he already knew hers, it only seemed fair.
"Bloom. Orlando Bloom."
"Bloom," she laughed. "I got flowers from a Bloom!"
Orlando laughed, albeit a bit more strained. Jennifer wondered if she had offended him.
"Yeah, you wouldn't believe the jokes I had about my name while growing up. Had to perfect my fighting skills."
"I'm sure you whipped them all."
"Oh, of course. Do you have a pen with you, love?"
She smiled, loving the way he said 'love' to her. "Yes, why?"
"I'm going to give you my cell number so that you can reach me any time that you want."
"Does that include four in the morning?" she teased.
"If you need me…of course."
He sounded so sincere, it took Jennifer back. "Okay, ready."
Orlando rattled off his number to her, which she quickly scribbled down with his name.
"I guess I better go now, love. I have to get up early in the morning."
"Okay," she said, her heart dipping a little in disappointment. "Thank you for calling. It was a wonderful surprise."
"Did you like it more than the flowers?"
"Hmmm, let me think…hearing your voice or looking at these beautiful flowers….yeah, I guess you're right. The flowers are better."
She heard his choked laughter from the other end and joined in.
"Cheeky git," he mumbled. "Sleep well, love, and I'll talk to you tomorrow night."
"Okay. Bye, Orlando."
"Bye."
Jennifer ended the call, her face starting to ache from all the smiling she had been doing. But it was an ache well worth it. Orlando Bloom. The man now had a voice and a name for her dreams, but still no face. She'd work on that soon enough.
She was so tempted to do a simple search on the Internet to see what she could come up with, but she didn't. Mostly because Jennifer wanted to get to know Orlando as himself. Not as how someone else saw him. Besides half the information she found might not even be true. She also didn't want him to think she was checking him out behind his back. No, it wasn't fair for her to do that to him when he wouldn't be able to do the same to her. For now, she was happy to know what she did about him.
Just as they had gotten into the routine of chatting every night, Jen and Orlando got used to talking on the phone nightly. She insisted that they chat instead, because it was costing him a fortune for him to call her, but he said he preferred to talk on the phone. Easier to tell jokes, he said. And then Orlando would insist he had a pal at the phone company and the calls wouldn't cost a thing.
He actually felt bad lying to her, but since she had made no comment after he had told her his last name, he just knew she didn't have a bit of fame attached to his name. It had been too long since anybody had thought of him as the guy next door and not the hottest newcomer in showbiz. He would do anything to keep Jen believing it. Even telling a couple of little white lies. But if Michelle found out…he was a dead man.
Orlando was sure Jen didn't lie to him because she was the sweetest woman on earth. Every night on the phone, they grew closer to one another, though they never approached the subject of actually meeting in person. They kept that door still closed, not ready to risk crossing it.
Jen was in seventh heaven. Orlando was funny, smart, nice…and she was starting to think he was wooing her. The thought made her fuzzy all over. Life was good: job was bearable, Michelle wasn't setting her up for dates, it was autumn (her favorite time of the year), she felt alive, and there was a wonderful man out there thinking about her. Could it get any better? When this much good luck happened she knew it had to be too good to be true, and it scared her.
********************
It was Sunday morning. She went out for her morning jog, with Merlin on the leash. The big dog would run by her side and help her keep up a good rhythm. She loved running early in the morning, just after dawn, when the grass was still wet with dew and people were just starting to wake up.
When she reached the main street, she saw a huge Rottweiler on the other side of the street, barking at old Merlin, but she didn't worry. Jen tugged the leash shorter to have a better grip on it and avoid having Merlin run over. Suddenly the old leash ripped and Merlin ran for the other dog.
Directly in front of a speeding car.
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