~BBW, Romance, ~Sex, ~SWG - A British soap star packs on the pounds and changes her life in ways she never expected.
[Author's Note: It was only through discussion with Aftershow that I became aware of the beautiful Miss Coleman, and it is with his help that this story approaches something close to realistically representing British society, which I do not live in, nor have I ever truly experienced. This story would not have been possible without his assistance, consultation, and ideas. I hope that my skills have done his vision justice.
As a note to most readers, all of the dress sizes here are United Kingdom sizes, which differ from American sizes. Simply subtract two from a given size to get the US equivalent.
This project has exceeded my wildest expectations on the composition end. It has been an incredible pleasure to write and I sincerely hope you will enjoy it as much as I continue to do.]
In the hierarchy of British primetime soap operas, there is the well-established EastEnders on BBC and the venerable Coronation Street (or Corrie for short) on ITV, both of which easily pull down some of the highest ratings for their respective channels. The two are in constant competition with one another for the title of top British soap opera, often sparing at the BAFTAs for Best Continuing Drama (Britain’s top award for the best soap opera).
And then there is Emmerdale, also of ITV, the third most popular soap in Britain, which is about the trials and tribulations of the populace of a hamlet of the same name. The series has a devoted following, but has always fallen short of its sister Corrie. One of Emmerdale’s bright young starlets was Jenna-Louise Coleman, who played Jasmine Thomas. Jenna, as she was usually called, largely flew under the radar when it came to popularity, often playing second fiddle to more prominent characters. However, many people who followed the show weren’t sure why Jenna didn’t get more screen time. After all, she was a very good actress, having won the part without ever having gone to acting school, a real rarity in acting. Many viewers were stunned that the producers didn’t better utilize a girl with Jenna’s beauty.
It was true, Jenna was a stunning woman. She was fair skinned, but Jenna benefited from a beautiful tan that made her look quite gorgeous. Jenna had straight brown hair that beautifully framed her face with its striking features and soft, rosy cheeks often complimented by her winning smile. Chestnut eyes glistened on either side of a cute nose. Jenna was a slim girl, but she had an impressive bust that the producers were smart enough to showcase not infrequently, which caused many of Emmerdale’s male viewers to salivate every time Jenna appeared on the telly. Jenna’s weight had occasionally yo-yoed up and down, but it usually worked itself out in short order. Luckily, nobody in the press, tabloids, or blogs ever seemed to notice, probably because Jenna stayed away from the limelight and wasn’t seen in public unless required for publicity. Recently, Jenna had probably been in the best shape of her life and the producers had made sure that Jenna’s figure was showcased for fullest effect (and greatest ratings, even if she wasn’t one of their stars).
Every once in a while, they’d make Jenna’s character the center of a major plotline, but afterwards she’d go quiet again and receive generally little work. It was just when Jenna was transitioning from the end of a major plot to a down period that Jenna was dumped by her former costar and subsequent boyfriend, Karl Davies. Jenna had been surprised by Karl telling her a few days ago that he’d lost the spark in their relationship and thought it would be best that they each went their own ways with no hard feelings. She’d really liked Karl and was disappointed that it hadn’t worked out, but she was taking it rather well.
“Yeah, Abs, I’m really sad it’s over, but you know, when it’s over, it’s over,” Jenna said over the phone to her best friend, Abigail Rhodes, while waiting for her scenes on the set. Their parents were good friends and Jenna and Abby had known each other from an early age. Jenna was absent mindedly nibbling at a cheese and cracker platter that had been brought on set for the cast and crew as she talked. “And, to top it all off, I just finished my major story arc. I’m not going to have anything to do around here for at least a month, at best.”
“Yeah, how horrible it must be for the rich and famous. You’re getting paid thousands of pounds to sit around and do a scene or two a day. What a rough life that is. I’m so glad I don’t have to quit my job working a juice bar at barely better than minimum wage to do something as hard as that,” Abby replied sarcastically.
“Oh get over it. At least you can go to the store without worrying that somebody’s going to accost you and start a mob,” Jenna said as she deftly plucked a chocolate chip cookie from the table.
“Come on Jenna,” Abby said, “Like that ever happens. Barely anybody recognizes you off set. If you were on Corrie that might be a different story.”
“Still, I’m going to be bored out of my skull and you know how I get after a break up,” Jenna said morosely.
“Fine,” Abby said with a sigh, “I’ll come over tonight and we’ll have some fun, just you and me. I’ll grab a movie or something and bring it over and we can have some fun together.”
“I’ll bring the booze,” Jenna said.
“You know it,” Abby said.
“I think they’re calling me for a scene. See you tonight,” Jenna said.
“See you later love,” Abby said before hanging up.
Jenna shoved the unfinished remains of a cheese spread on a cracker into her mouth, brushed off her luscious lips and then hurried to get on set.
***
At the end of the day, Jenna returned to her modest flat in Leeds, where the show was filmed. It was a spacious and modern, but simple, apartment. Though Jenna could have afforded much more (like her costars who lived in absolute luxury), Jenna had been instilled with a sense of financial responsibility by her parents. There was no guarantee how long she might be on Emmerdale (after all, soaps were rather notoriously for suddenly killing off characters for good drama), so she tried not to live too opulently, prudently investing a good portion of her income just in case she should hit hard times.
Jenna opened the door and found Abby already inside. They each had the other’s spare keys in case one happened to get locked out, so Jenna wasn’t surprised to find that her friend had let herself in. Abby was a slender girl, though not overly so. Most people who met her considered her cute, but not everyone. She certainly fell short of being considered generally attractive like Jenna was. Still, the blonde haired, green eyed, fair skinned girl was vivacious and fun loving, which endeared her to many people. Though many other people would have dumped Abby upon becoming famous in favor of acquiring new hip friends, Jenna never thought of doing such a thing to the girl she’d known since childhood.
“Hey love,” Jenna said as she threw her coat and purse on a chair by the door.
“Evening,” Abby said. She was arraying various confections on the island in the kitchen, “Precisely what do you eat? I’ve been looking in the cupboards and you’ve got almost nothing in there.”
“Then you didn’t look very hard. The fridge alone is full,” Jenna said.
“Yeah, sure. Vegetables, soup, healthy stuff.” Abby waved her hand. “You have absolutely no snacks in here.”
“That’s the last thing I need to keep on hand Abs. If I put on weight again I’m afraid the producers are going to notice and get mad at me. I enjoy working the show and people in the industry are beginning to notice me. With luck I might get on a serious project soon.”
“I think you really overestimate their powers of perception. Besides, nothing happened the last time your weight went up,” Abby said.
“Yeah, because I worked so hard to lose it before anyone else noticed. I think beyond the costume department nobody but you and I knew about it,” Jenna said as she opened a cabinet that held all of her liquor, “Pick your poison.” Jenna kept a healthy collection of alcohol on hand, and she was pretty handy with all of it. Before her big break with Emmerdale Jenna had worked in a bar and had gotten the hang of various drinks, which she’d occasionally whip up with a bit of flair to impress guests.
“Whatever you’re in the mood for. You’re the one looking to relax and forget tonight,” Abby replied with a shrug.
Jenna pulled out a bottle of Merlot and grabbed a couple of wine glasses. “So, what’d you get?”
“Well, for starters, I thought a nice light film might be the best thing for you tonight, so I brought Finding Nemo.”
“Yay!” Jenna squealed. Even though it was a kid’s movie, Jenna really liked it, especially when she just wanted to watch a movie to take her mind off of things.
“And it’s a good thing I brought a lot of cookies, crisps, and some ice cream otherwise this evening would go horribly. How are we supposed to have a girl’s night in when there isn’t any sinful food around here?” Abby asked.
“That’s why I keep you around Abs,” Jenna said. She handed Abby a glass of wine. “Cheers.”
“Cheers dear,” Abby replied and they both sipped their wine. Abby waited for a moment. “So, you going to hold it in much longer or…?”
Jenna raised her eyebrows in confusion. “Hmmmm?”
“You haven’t gotten emotional about the break up yet. Every time I come over after you break up with a guy you always get upset, especially when you really liked him like you did with Karl,” Abby said.
“Oh Abs, that’s not going to happen this time. Like I told you earlier, when one person isn’t in love with the other anymore, then the relationship is over, regardless of how the other person feels. It’s really for the best,” Jenna said as she moved to her couch, “Really. I mean now I can just relax and not have to worry about keeping up a relationship. It’s…it’s…oh God…” and with that Jenna started crying.
Abby hurried to the couch and hugged Jenna, putting Jenna’s wine glass on the coffee table before Jenna spilled it all over the carpet. That being done, Abby guided Jenna onto the couch where the pair hugged and Jenna cried not because she had truly been in love with Karl, but because she had cared for him, and now he was gone.
“It…it just hurts…so much…” Jenna said between sobs.
“I know,” Abby said rubbing Jenna’s back as they clung to one another.
“And things were going so well and then…then he dumped me,” Jenna said, gasping for breath between sobs so she could talk.
After a proper amount of crying, Abby pulled apart from Jenna and held her by the shoulders. “Jenna-Louise Coleman, you and I have known each other for most of our lives and you and I both know that any man who does not see your inherent beauty and quality is a total idiot and aught to be taken into an alley and beaten, right?”
Jenna sniffled and wiped her nose. “Right.”
“And you and I are going to watch Finding Nemo, eat junk food, have fun, and put this all behind us, all right?”
“Okay,” Jenna said as she dabbed at her eyes.
“Jenna, look at me.” Jenna obeyed. “What’s my name?”
“Abigail Rhodes.”
“And what do people usually call me?”
“Abby.”
“Which makes me…”
“Abby Rhodes.” Jenna smiled a bit and laughed as she wiped her eyes. It was a lame joke (and Abby was always exasperated when someone else made a joke about it, especially a guy trying to hit on her), but whenever Jenna was really down, it never failed to bring her back to herself after she’d gotten a good crying out of her system.
“And you’re Jenna-Louise Coleman and my best friend, so go get dressed,” Abby said.
“Yes Mum,” Jenna said sticking her tongue out.
Jenna got up from the couch and went to her bedroom to change out of her clothes from the set. She took off her blouse revealing her trim torso with its flat stomach and proud breasts supported by her lacy white bra. Jenna slipped out of her trousers and wantonly threw them on her bed. She nimbly darted to her dresser and bent over, subtly stretching her underwear across her firm butt. Rummaging about in the bottom drawer of the dresser, Jenna pulled out a pair of gray sweatpants which she drew up over her lithe, healthy thighs (which Jenna, like many women, always thought could be a bit slimmer). Jenna hurried over to her closet and pulled out a bright tangerine Blackpool FC sweatshirt and pulled it over her head. She pulled a pair of socks on to keep her feet warm. Going to the mirror, Jenna pulled her straight hair back into a ponytail.
Surveying herself in the mirror, Jenna smiled. Wearing sweats didn’t flatter her figure at all. However, that was part of what tonight was about. With Abby, Jenna didn’t have to be perfect. She could wear clothing that didn’t flatter her figure without having to worry about what other people would think or having pictures taken of her in the press. Being a public figure meant she always had to look good, even if she wasn’t a major star. None of that applied with Abby, with whom she could wear a garish, bright orange sweatshirt and unflattering gray sweatpants, eat all sorts of horrible food, watch a kid’s movie, and be as silly as she wanted. In all honesty, Jenna probably would have gone insane from the pressure of feeling to always be perfect if it hadn’t been for nights like this with Abby.
When she came out of the bedroom, Abby had already changed into a similar outfit of sweats. “You look lovely dear,” Abby said as she cued up the DVD.
“Oh yeah. The tabloids would love to get their hands on a couple pictures of me like this,” Jenna said, “The sweats have to add at least ten pounds.”
“More like fifteen,” Abby said, “And since you’re already so fat…” Abby pulled out a bag bearing the logo of Cadbury’s.
“Oh my word!” Jenna squealed with delight, “I haven’t had any Cadbury’s in ages!”
“Well desperate times call for desperate measures,” Abby said, tossing Jenna a Crème Egg, “Cheers love.”
Jenna eagerly unwrapped the egg and bit in. The hard chocolate shell resisted for a moment before giving way to the creamy, sugary inside, a chocolate swirl of goodness. Jenna’s eyes closed as she savored the rich chocolate on her tongue. The next bite was tricky as she had to try and keep from getting the crème all over the place. The sugary filling dominated the second bite and overwhelmed her senses. The final bite was an equal mix of hard chocolate shell and gooey crème. “Abs, if you were a guy I’d totally have sex with you right now for bringing me that.”
Finishing off her own egg, Abby said, “If only all Britain knew the way to the heart of Jenna-Louise Coleman was so easy. Cadbury stores would sell out in an instant. But I can see the commercial now…” Abby took out a bar of Cadbury’s Dairy Milk and posed. “‘I’m Jenna-Louise Coleman and nothing turns me on like Cadbury’s. It’s better than sex!’”
“Oh shove off and give me a bar so we can start the movie,” Jenna said throwing herself on the couch.
Abby hurried over herself bringing an armful of tasty treats for the pair to share. They started the movie and thus began a night of indulgence of guilty pleasures of kid’s movies, not having to worry about looking good, and eating everything that was bad for you.
***
The next morning, Jenna woke up to an enchanting smell. She was still in her tangerine Blackpool sweatshirt, having sleepily stumbled into bed after the movie and a couple glasses of wine last night. Not caring how mussed her hair was, Jenna followed her nose through the apartment to the kitchen.
“Good morning sleepy head,” Abby said, wearing an apron as she flipped an egg. She’d spent the night on Jenna’s couch, which was just as comfortable as Abby’s bed at her flat. “You’ve got to get headed out for work and you’re not leaving this apartment without a good breakfast.”
“Yes Mum,” Jenna said, still not fully awake, “That smells delicious.”
“That’s because you haven’t been eating breakfast, have you Jenna-Louise?”
“I do too eat breakfast!”
“Like what?”
“I have a couple slices of toast every morning.”
“That wouldn’t feed a five year old,” Abby said as she slid the egg onto a plate with richly buttered toast that she then handed to Jenna, “This however is the sort of breakfast for a soap star.”
“Thanks Abs, it smells and—tastes delicious,” Jenna said after she had a bite of the egg, “Maybe I should have you over more often. Do you clean and do the shopping too?”
“You know you could hire a housekeeper to do this sort of thing for you, Jenna,” Abby said as she poured Jenna a glass of orange juice.
“But they cost money and you’re free,” Jenna said through her egg.
“Oh the things I do for you dear,” Abby said giving Jenna a kiss on the cheek.
“No really, this is great. I haven’t had a breakfast like this in a long time,” Jenna said.
“First it’s Cadbury’s, now it’s breakfast. What else are you missing out on that everybody else knows about? You do use soap, right?” Abby said.
“Behind my ears and everything.”
“You’d better get dressed soon or you’ll be late.”
Jenna looked at the clock. “I don’t see why I have to get there so early when I’m barely going to be in a scene today. I might have one line today.”
“And I don’t see why I have to go work at a stupid juice bar serving pimply teenagers all day long either, but occasionally I’m surprised by a cute boy showing up, which generally makes my day,” Abby replied, “So stop complaining and get dressed young lady.”
“Yes Mum,” Jenna sighed as she headed to her bedroom to get ready for the day.
***
Though she’d just be changing when she got there, Jenna still took the time to dress nicely for going onto the set. It made her feel better about herself and more professional. Today she wore a tight v-neck sweater (which nicely showcased her bust) and a pair of khaki pants. As she expected, Jenna found that after wardrobe and make up, she had plenty of downtime on her hands since she only had one simple scene to do that day. She basically just had to be in the background of the shot while other people talked, looking like she was chatting with one of her costars.
Another exciting day in the life of a rich and famous star, Jenna thought with some chagrin as she grabbed a cheese danish from one of the catered tables.
“Jenna!” Quickly gulping down her bite of danish and placing it down on a napkin, Jenna turned to find one of the producers approaching with a tall black haired man. “Martin, I’m sure you know Jenna-Louise Coleman. She plays—”
“Jasmine Thomas, yes, I’m quite familiar with your work here, Miss Coleman,” the man said extending his hand.
“Well, thank you,” Jenna said shaking the man’s hand, “And you are—?”
“This is Martin Swift, new writer,” the producer explained, “Just came on board today. We’re hoping he’ll give the series a bit of an extra appeal, isn’t that right Martin?”
“Mr. Richardson! You’re needed immediately in wardrobe!” an intern said running up.
“Excuse me, I’ll have to leave you two to yourself,” the producer said, running off to diffuse whatever new emergency had cropped up.
Jenna and Martin awkwardly looked at one another for a moment, suddenly being left alone with very little introduction. As an actress, Jenna was a bit quicker on her feet than Martin. “So what brings you to Emmerdale, Mr. Swift?”
“It’s a wonderful opportunity to work with an excellent crew on a very well established show,” Martin said.
“Which you and I both know means it’s steady work, a paycheck, and intellectually tepid,” Jenna said. She smiled. “Don’t worry, half of us feel that way about it. Some of the old timers take it much more seriously, but lots of us are just building up the resume and making a name for ourselves.”
“That does about sum it up. Still, I did choose to come to Emmerdale. I could have worked Corrie,” Martin said.
Jenna nearly spit out her glass of water. “You could have done Corrie and instead you chose to come here? Why on earth did you do that? They’ve got to pay even the writers better on Corrie!”
“They do, but not so much when you’re starting on the ground floor. Frankly I think that Emmerdale’s a better show,” Martin said.
“How kind of you to say so,” Jenna said as she nibbled at her danish, “Really though, you don’t need to kiss up to us, least of all me. We’re all pretty nice around here, even to a new guy.”
“No, really, this show is going places. The storylines are solid for a soap and the characters are really poised to take off, especially your’s.”
“Flattery will get you nowhere Mr. Swift,” Jenna said with a wag of her finger.
“Martin, please. Mr. Swift is my father.”
“All right Martin, but there’s something you’re not telling me about your decision to come here. What is it?”
Martin considered for a moment. “All right Miss Coleman—”
“If you’re Martin, I’m Jenna.”
“Okay Jenna. I’ll tell you what. You promise to keep it under wraps and I’ll tell you.”
“Deal.”
“I was able to negotiate what I consider highly favorable terms in my deal. I get a considerable bonus if the show wins a BAFTA and a very generous raise if we overtake EastEnders in the ratings, plus greater creative control than most of the other writers and more writing if I want it. If the show doesn’t do either, well let’s just say I’m not going to be buying a new car anytime soon,” Martin said.
“I’m sorry to say you got the short end of the stick there,” Jenna said apologetically.
“Why’s that?”
“Because neither of those things are ever going to happen,” Jenna said as she reached for an apple.
“You don’t have too much faith in yourself then,” Martin said offhandedly.
Jenna looked up. “What do you mean by that?”
“The rest of the writing crew has assigned me most of your writing, among other duties.”
“Once again, I can’t help but say you’ve been shorted Mr…., Martin,” Jenna said before biting into the crisp apple, “I’m a secondary character at best. I only get plotlines every once in a while, and not very good ones. Just sensational stuff like lesbian kisses and all that.”
“Even secondary characters, if properly utilized, can be stars,” Martin said.
Before Jenna could reply to that, Mr. Richardson returned. “Ah, right where I left you, Martin. I trust you and Jenna have been getting to know one another?”
“Indeed,” Martin said.
“Well, we really must be going now. Don’t want to stress the actors out, do we?”
“Hardly. A pleasure, Miss Coleman,” Martin said as they parted.
“Quite, Mr. Swift,” Jenna said with a teasing smile. She liked this new writer. He looked like he might be fun to have around. Quite fun indeed, Jenna thought as she bit into a donut.
Jenna-Louise Coleman
By Id
With Aftershow
By Id
With Aftershow
[Author's Note: It was only through discussion with Aftershow that I became aware of the beautiful Miss Coleman, and it is with his help that this story approaches something close to realistically representing British society, which I do not live in, nor have I ever truly experienced. This story would not have been possible without his assistance, consultation, and ideas. I hope that my skills have done his vision justice.
As a note to most readers, all of the dress sizes here are United Kingdom sizes, which differ from American sizes. Simply subtract two from a given size to get the US equivalent.
This project has exceeded my wildest expectations on the composition end. It has been an incredible pleasure to write and I sincerely hope you will enjoy it as much as I continue to do.]
In the hierarchy of British primetime soap operas, there is the well-established EastEnders on BBC and the venerable Coronation Street (or Corrie for short) on ITV, both of which easily pull down some of the highest ratings for their respective channels. The two are in constant competition with one another for the title of top British soap opera, often sparing at the BAFTAs for Best Continuing Drama (Britain’s top award for the best soap opera).
And then there is Emmerdale, also of ITV, the third most popular soap in Britain, which is about the trials and tribulations of the populace of a hamlet of the same name. The series has a devoted following, but has always fallen short of its sister Corrie. One of Emmerdale’s bright young starlets was Jenna-Louise Coleman, who played Jasmine Thomas. Jenna, as she was usually called, largely flew under the radar when it came to popularity, often playing second fiddle to more prominent characters. However, many people who followed the show weren’t sure why Jenna didn’t get more screen time. After all, she was a very good actress, having won the part without ever having gone to acting school, a real rarity in acting. Many viewers were stunned that the producers didn’t better utilize a girl with Jenna’s beauty.
It was true, Jenna was a stunning woman. She was fair skinned, but Jenna benefited from a beautiful tan that made her look quite gorgeous. Jenna had straight brown hair that beautifully framed her face with its striking features and soft, rosy cheeks often complimented by her winning smile. Chestnut eyes glistened on either side of a cute nose. Jenna was a slim girl, but she had an impressive bust that the producers were smart enough to showcase not infrequently, which caused many of Emmerdale’s male viewers to salivate every time Jenna appeared on the telly. Jenna’s weight had occasionally yo-yoed up and down, but it usually worked itself out in short order. Luckily, nobody in the press, tabloids, or blogs ever seemed to notice, probably because Jenna stayed away from the limelight and wasn’t seen in public unless required for publicity. Recently, Jenna had probably been in the best shape of her life and the producers had made sure that Jenna’s figure was showcased for fullest effect (and greatest ratings, even if she wasn’t one of their stars).
Every once in a while, they’d make Jenna’s character the center of a major plotline, but afterwards she’d go quiet again and receive generally little work. It was just when Jenna was transitioning from the end of a major plot to a down period that Jenna was dumped by her former costar and subsequent boyfriend, Karl Davies. Jenna had been surprised by Karl telling her a few days ago that he’d lost the spark in their relationship and thought it would be best that they each went their own ways with no hard feelings. She’d really liked Karl and was disappointed that it hadn’t worked out, but she was taking it rather well.
“Yeah, Abs, I’m really sad it’s over, but you know, when it’s over, it’s over,” Jenna said over the phone to her best friend, Abigail Rhodes, while waiting for her scenes on the set. Their parents were good friends and Jenna and Abby had known each other from an early age. Jenna was absent mindedly nibbling at a cheese and cracker platter that had been brought on set for the cast and crew as she talked. “And, to top it all off, I just finished my major story arc. I’m not going to have anything to do around here for at least a month, at best.”
“Yeah, how horrible it must be for the rich and famous. You’re getting paid thousands of pounds to sit around and do a scene or two a day. What a rough life that is. I’m so glad I don’t have to quit my job working a juice bar at barely better than minimum wage to do something as hard as that,” Abby replied sarcastically.
“Oh get over it. At least you can go to the store without worrying that somebody’s going to accost you and start a mob,” Jenna said as she deftly plucked a chocolate chip cookie from the table.
“Come on Jenna,” Abby said, “Like that ever happens. Barely anybody recognizes you off set. If you were on Corrie that might be a different story.”
“Still, I’m going to be bored out of my skull and you know how I get after a break up,” Jenna said morosely.
“Fine,” Abby said with a sigh, “I’ll come over tonight and we’ll have some fun, just you and me. I’ll grab a movie or something and bring it over and we can have some fun together.”
“I’ll bring the booze,” Jenna said.
“You know it,” Abby said.
“I think they’re calling me for a scene. See you tonight,” Jenna said.
“See you later love,” Abby said before hanging up.
Jenna shoved the unfinished remains of a cheese spread on a cracker into her mouth, brushed off her luscious lips and then hurried to get on set.
***
At the end of the day, Jenna returned to her modest flat in Leeds, where the show was filmed. It was a spacious and modern, but simple, apartment. Though Jenna could have afforded much more (like her costars who lived in absolute luxury), Jenna had been instilled with a sense of financial responsibility by her parents. There was no guarantee how long she might be on Emmerdale (after all, soaps were rather notoriously for suddenly killing off characters for good drama), so she tried not to live too opulently, prudently investing a good portion of her income just in case she should hit hard times.
Jenna opened the door and found Abby already inside. They each had the other’s spare keys in case one happened to get locked out, so Jenna wasn’t surprised to find that her friend had let herself in. Abby was a slender girl, though not overly so. Most people who met her considered her cute, but not everyone. She certainly fell short of being considered generally attractive like Jenna was. Still, the blonde haired, green eyed, fair skinned girl was vivacious and fun loving, which endeared her to many people. Though many other people would have dumped Abby upon becoming famous in favor of acquiring new hip friends, Jenna never thought of doing such a thing to the girl she’d known since childhood.
“Hey love,” Jenna said as she threw her coat and purse on a chair by the door.
“Evening,” Abby said. She was arraying various confections on the island in the kitchen, “Precisely what do you eat? I’ve been looking in the cupboards and you’ve got almost nothing in there.”
“Then you didn’t look very hard. The fridge alone is full,” Jenna said.
“Yeah, sure. Vegetables, soup, healthy stuff.” Abby waved her hand. “You have absolutely no snacks in here.”
“That’s the last thing I need to keep on hand Abs. If I put on weight again I’m afraid the producers are going to notice and get mad at me. I enjoy working the show and people in the industry are beginning to notice me. With luck I might get on a serious project soon.”
“I think you really overestimate their powers of perception. Besides, nothing happened the last time your weight went up,” Abby said.
“Yeah, because I worked so hard to lose it before anyone else noticed. I think beyond the costume department nobody but you and I knew about it,” Jenna said as she opened a cabinet that held all of her liquor, “Pick your poison.” Jenna kept a healthy collection of alcohol on hand, and she was pretty handy with all of it. Before her big break with Emmerdale Jenna had worked in a bar and had gotten the hang of various drinks, which she’d occasionally whip up with a bit of flair to impress guests.
“Whatever you’re in the mood for. You’re the one looking to relax and forget tonight,” Abby replied with a shrug.
Jenna pulled out a bottle of Merlot and grabbed a couple of wine glasses. “So, what’d you get?”
“Well, for starters, I thought a nice light film might be the best thing for you tonight, so I brought Finding Nemo.”
“Yay!” Jenna squealed. Even though it was a kid’s movie, Jenna really liked it, especially when she just wanted to watch a movie to take her mind off of things.
“And it’s a good thing I brought a lot of cookies, crisps, and some ice cream otherwise this evening would go horribly. How are we supposed to have a girl’s night in when there isn’t any sinful food around here?” Abby asked.
“That’s why I keep you around Abs,” Jenna said. She handed Abby a glass of wine. “Cheers.”
“Cheers dear,” Abby replied and they both sipped their wine. Abby waited for a moment. “So, you going to hold it in much longer or…?”
Jenna raised her eyebrows in confusion. “Hmmmm?”
“You haven’t gotten emotional about the break up yet. Every time I come over after you break up with a guy you always get upset, especially when you really liked him like you did with Karl,” Abby said.
“Oh Abs, that’s not going to happen this time. Like I told you earlier, when one person isn’t in love with the other anymore, then the relationship is over, regardless of how the other person feels. It’s really for the best,” Jenna said as she moved to her couch, “Really. I mean now I can just relax and not have to worry about keeping up a relationship. It’s…it’s…oh God…” and with that Jenna started crying.
Abby hurried to the couch and hugged Jenna, putting Jenna’s wine glass on the coffee table before Jenna spilled it all over the carpet. That being done, Abby guided Jenna onto the couch where the pair hugged and Jenna cried not because she had truly been in love with Karl, but because she had cared for him, and now he was gone.
“It…it just hurts…so much…” Jenna said between sobs.
“I know,” Abby said rubbing Jenna’s back as they clung to one another.
“And things were going so well and then…then he dumped me,” Jenna said, gasping for breath between sobs so she could talk.
After a proper amount of crying, Abby pulled apart from Jenna and held her by the shoulders. “Jenna-Louise Coleman, you and I have known each other for most of our lives and you and I both know that any man who does not see your inherent beauty and quality is a total idiot and aught to be taken into an alley and beaten, right?”
Jenna sniffled and wiped her nose. “Right.”
“And you and I are going to watch Finding Nemo, eat junk food, have fun, and put this all behind us, all right?”
“Okay,” Jenna said as she dabbed at her eyes.
“Jenna, look at me.” Jenna obeyed. “What’s my name?”
“Abigail Rhodes.”
“And what do people usually call me?”
“Abby.”
“Which makes me…”
“Abby Rhodes.” Jenna smiled a bit and laughed as she wiped her eyes. It was a lame joke (and Abby was always exasperated when someone else made a joke about it, especially a guy trying to hit on her), but whenever Jenna was really down, it never failed to bring her back to herself after she’d gotten a good crying out of her system.
“And you’re Jenna-Louise Coleman and my best friend, so go get dressed,” Abby said.
“Yes Mum,” Jenna said sticking her tongue out.
Jenna got up from the couch and went to her bedroom to change out of her clothes from the set. She took off her blouse revealing her trim torso with its flat stomach and proud breasts supported by her lacy white bra. Jenna slipped out of her trousers and wantonly threw them on her bed. She nimbly darted to her dresser and bent over, subtly stretching her underwear across her firm butt. Rummaging about in the bottom drawer of the dresser, Jenna pulled out a pair of gray sweatpants which she drew up over her lithe, healthy thighs (which Jenna, like many women, always thought could be a bit slimmer). Jenna hurried over to her closet and pulled out a bright tangerine Blackpool FC sweatshirt and pulled it over her head. She pulled a pair of socks on to keep her feet warm. Going to the mirror, Jenna pulled her straight hair back into a ponytail.
Surveying herself in the mirror, Jenna smiled. Wearing sweats didn’t flatter her figure at all. However, that was part of what tonight was about. With Abby, Jenna didn’t have to be perfect. She could wear clothing that didn’t flatter her figure without having to worry about what other people would think or having pictures taken of her in the press. Being a public figure meant she always had to look good, even if she wasn’t a major star. None of that applied with Abby, with whom she could wear a garish, bright orange sweatshirt and unflattering gray sweatpants, eat all sorts of horrible food, watch a kid’s movie, and be as silly as she wanted. In all honesty, Jenna probably would have gone insane from the pressure of feeling to always be perfect if it hadn’t been for nights like this with Abby.
When she came out of the bedroom, Abby had already changed into a similar outfit of sweats. “You look lovely dear,” Abby said as she cued up the DVD.
“Oh yeah. The tabloids would love to get their hands on a couple pictures of me like this,” Jenna said, “The sweats have to add at least ten pounds.”
“More like fifteen,” Abby said, “And since you’re already so fat…” Abby pulled out a bag bearing the logo of Cadbury’s.
“Oh my word!” Jenna squealed with delight, “I haven’t had any Cadbury’s in ages!”
“Well desperate times call for desperate measures,” Abby said, tossing Jenna a Crème Egg, “Cheers love.”
Jenna eagerly unwrapped the egg and bit in. The hard chocolate shell resisted for a moment before giving way to the creamy, sugary inside, a chocolate swirl of goodness. Jenna’s eyes closed as she savored the rich chocolate on her tongue. The next bite was tricky as she had to try and keep from getting the crème all over the place. The sugary filling dominated the second bite and overwhelmed her senses. The final bite was an equal mix of hard chocolate shell and gooey crème. “Abs, if you were a guy I’d totally have sex with you right now for bringing me that.”
Finishing off her own egg, Abby said, “If only all Britain knew the way to the heart of Jenna-Louise Coleman was so easy. Cadbury stores would sell out in an instant. But I can see the commercial now…” Abby took out a bar of Cadbury’s Dairy Milk and posed. “‘I’m Jenna-Louise Coleman and nothing turns me on like Cadbury’s. It’s better than sex!’”
“Oh shove off and give me a bar so we can start the movie,” Jenna said throwing herself on the couch.
Abby hurried over herself bringing an armful of tasty treats for the pair to share. They started the movie and thus began a night of indulgence of guilty pleasures of kid’s movies, not having to worry about looking good, and eating everything that was bad for you.
***
The next morning, Jenna woke up to an enchanting smell. She was still in her tangerine Blackpool sweatshirt, having sleepily stumbled into bed after the movie and a couple glasses of wine last night. Not caring how mussed her hair was, Jenna followed her nose through the apartment to the kitchen.
“Good morning sleepy head,” Abby said, wearing an apron as she flipped an egg. She’d spent the night on Jenna’s couch, which was just as comfortable as Abby’s bed at her flat. “You’ve got to get headed out for work and you’re not leaving this apartment without a good breakfast.”
“Yes Mum,” Jenna said, still not fully awake, “That smells delicious.”
“That’s because you haven’t been eating breakfast, have you Jenna-Louise?”
“I do too eat breakfast!”
“Like what?”
“I have a couple slices of toast every morning.”
“That wouldn’t feed a five year old,” Abby said as she slid the egg onto a plate with richly buttered toast that she then handed to Jenna, “This however is the sort of breakfast for a soap star.”
“Thanks Abs, it smells and—tastes delicious,” Jenna said after she had a bite of the egg, “Maybe I should have you over more often. Do you clean and do the shopping too?”
“You know you could hire a housekeeper to do this sort of thing for you, Jenna,” Abby said as she poured Jenna a glass of orange juice.
“But they cost money and you’re free,” Jenna said through her egg.
“Oh the things I do for you dear,” Abby said giving Jenna a kiss on the cheek.
“No really, this is great. I haven’t had a breakfast like this in a long time,” Jenna said.
“First it’s Cadbury’s, now it’s breakfast. What else are you missing out on that everybody else knows about? You do use soap, right?” Abby said.
“Behind my ears and everything.”
“You’d better get dressed soon or you’ll be late.”
Jenna looked at the clock. “I don’t see why I have to get there so early when I’m barely going to be in a scene today. I might have one line today.”
“And I don’t see why I have to go work at a stupid juice bar serving pimply teenagers all day long either, but occasionally I’m surprised by a cute boy showing up, which generally makes my day,” Abby replied, “So stop complaining and get dressed young lady.”
“Yes Mum,” Jenna sighed as she headed to her bedroom to get ready for the day.
***
Though she’d just be changing when she got there, Jenna still took the time to dress nicely for going onto the set. It made her feel better about herself and more professional. Today she wore a tight v-neck sweater (which nicely showcased her bust) and a pair of khaki pants. As she expected, Jenna found that after wardrobe and make up, she had plenty of downtime on her hands since she only had one simple scene to do that day. She basically just had to be in the background of the shot while other people talked, looking like she was chatting with one of her costars.
Another exciting day in the life of a rich and famous star, Jenna thought with some chagrin as she grabbed a cheese danish from one of the catered tables.
“Jenna!” Quickly gulping down her bite of danish and placing it down on a napkin, Jenna turned to find one of the producers approaching with a tall black haired man. “Martin, I’m sure you know Jenna-Louise Coleman. She plays—”
“Jasmine Thomas, yes, I’m quite familiar with your work here, Miss Coleman,” the man said extending his hand.
“Well, thank you,” Jenna said shaking the man’s hand, “And you are—?”
“This is Martin Swift, new writer,” the producer explained, “Just came on board today. We’re hoping he’ll give the series a bit of an extra appeal, isn’t that right Martin?”
“Mr. Richardson! You’re needed immediately in wardrobe!” an intern said running up.
“Excuse me, I’ll have to leave you two to yourself,” the producer said, running off to diffuse whatever new emergency had cropped up.
Jenna and Martin awkwardly looked at one another for a moment, suddenly being left alone with very little introduction. As an actress, Jenna was a bit quicker on her feet than Martin. “So what brings you to Emmerdale, Mr. Swift?”
“It’s a wonderful opportunity to work with an excellent crew on a very well established show,” Martin said.
“Which you and I both know means it’s steady work, a paycheck, and intellectually tepid,” Jenna said. She smiled. “Don’t worry, half of us feel that way about it. Some of the old timers take it much more seriously, but lots of us are just building up the resume and making a name for ourselves.”
“That does about sum it up. Still, I did choose to come to Emmerdale. I could have worked Corrie,” Martin said.
Jenna nearly spit out her glass of water. “You could have done Corrie and instead you chose to come here? Why on earth did you do that? They’ve got to pay even the writers better on Corrie!”
“They do, but not so much when you’re starting on the ground floor. Frankly I think that Emmerdale’s a better show,” Martin said.
“How kind of you to say so,” Jenna said as she nibbled at her danish, “Really though, you don’t need to kiss up to us, least of all me. We’re all pretty nice around here, even to a new guy.”
“No, really, this show is going places. The storylines are solid for a soap and the characters are really poised to take off, especially your’s.”
“Flattery will get you nowhere Mr. Swift,” Jenna said with a wag of her finger.
“Martin, please. Mr. Swift is my father.”
“All right Martin, but there’s something you’re not telling me about your decision to come here. What is it?”
Martin considered for a moment. “All right Miss Coleman—”
“If you’re Martin, I’m Jenna.”
“Okay Jenna. I’ll tell you what. You promise to keep it under wraps and I’ll tell you.”
“Deal.”
“I was able to negotiate what I consider highly favorable terms in my deal. I get a considerable bonus if the show wins a BAFTA and a very generous raise if we overtake EastEnders in the ratings, plus greater creative control than most of the other writers and more writing if I want it. If the show doesn’t do either, well let’s just say I’m not going to be buying a new car anytime soon,” Martin said.
“I’m sorry to say you got the short end of the stick there,” Jenna said apologetically.
“Why’s that?”
“Because neither of those things are ever going to happen,” Jenna said as she reached for an apple.
“You don’t have too much faith in yourself then,” Martin said offhandedly.
Jenna looked up. “What do you mean by that?”
“The rest of the writing crew has assigned me most of your writing, among other duties.”
“Once again, I can’t help but say you’ve been shorted Mr…., Martin,” Jenna said before biting into the crisp apple, “I’m a secondary character at best. I only get plotlines every once in a while, and not very good ones. Just sensational stuff like lesbian kisses and all that.”
“Even secondary characters, if properly utilized, can be stars,” Martin said.
Before Jenna could reply to that, Mr. Richardson returned. “Ah, right where I left you, Martin. I trust you and Jenna have been getting to know one another?”
“Indeed,” Martin said.
“Well, we really must be going now. Don’t want to stress the actors out, do we?”
“Hardly. A pleasure, Miss Coleman,” Martin said as they parted.
“Quite, Mr. Swift,” Jenna said with a teasing smile. She liked this new writer. He looked like he might be fun to have around. Quite fun indeed, Jenna thought as she bit into a donut.
