Chapter Text
It was 3am when Jody got the call. Jenny Lind never cared for waiting until it was convenient for others. When she had an idea she acted on it and that was, unfortunately for Jody Moreno, at 3am on a random Friday. So she did the only logical thing, let it go to voicemail. It wasn't until hours later when she was making her coffee that Jody held her phone balanced between her shoulder and ear and listened to the message. “Jody! oh I was worried you would've changed your number! How are you, beautiful? I need you- I need you to direct me- no that sounded- direct my new music video. Oh will you? Please baby no one else gets me like you. Call me back m’kay? Think about it? Mwah!” The thrumming bass in the background and slight slur of the voice on the other end was enough to tell Jody the call wasn't made whilst sober. Even after all these years nothing could remove the voice of Jenny from Jody's head. Deciding this wasn't a problem to deal with on an empty stomach still half asleep, she put her phone down and made a start on scrambling eggs. She found cooking usually quietened her mind but the kryptonite she'd spent years trying to build immunity against was currently sitting in her inbox waiting for a reply. And simultaneously in a hotel room who knows where in the world possibly not even remembering making that call. But still even if it was whilst intoxicated, Jenny Lind had thought of her, a woman she hadn't seen in ten years, to direct her video. And that wasn't something eggs could push from her mind.
♤
2016. A writing workshop Jody had signed up for on a whim after her best friend at the time Colt had pushed her to, insisting screenwriting was her ticket to go from camera operator to director and he hadn't been completely wrong but the workshop gave her so much more than that. And then took it away for ten years.
“Can I sit here? My jet lag is killing me I think I might just fall over if I'm on my legs another second-” Jody looked up from her notebook to see the rambling woman had already sat down with a hesitant smile as if she hadn't intended to blurt all that out but also didn't care to take it back. “Yeah uh no one else is sitting there…” Jody shrugged, closing her notebook and turning to the stranger. “Oh thank fuck I was worried I'd be the only non-american here.” The woman sighed as she relaxed into the chair, observing the other writers filtering into the room. “Jennifer Lind. Jenny. You?” Jenny held out a hand for Jody who was still processing her presence “uh Jody Moreno. Hi…”
The workshop started with everyone sharing why they came and getting started with the exercises pretty much in silence until they stopped for lunch where Jody found Jenny outside smoking by the carpark.
“It's like being back in school” Jenny giggled leaning against the railings offering Jody a cigarette which she refused as she moved to stand next to the other woman. “Swedish, right? Your accent?” Jody commented, earning a hum. “Yes. My mother's side. And I don't need to ask about yours.” Jody laughed softly, unconsciously leaning closer into the smoke. “London born and raised, for better or worse.” She shrugged, refusing to let her brain dwell on her childhood which Jenny seemed to sense, redirecting the subject. “So what brings you out here hm?” She asked softly, taking another drag of her cigarette. “I uh I'm a camera operator. Or I'm going to be. Starting soon. But I want to direct really and some of my friends thought maybe screenwriting would be a good gateway or something” Jody chuckled awkwardly to herself looking away until Jenny's hand brushed her wrist “don't do that, don't say it like it's silly. I look forward to watching your movies. “Directed by J. Moreno” I can see it now.” That made Jody laugh again inwardly but the second she saw the sincerity in the other woman's eyes she froze, brain lagging until it eventually caught up enough to get away from possibly having to sit with the emotions Jenny was causing. “What about you? Why are you out here?” Jenny just rolled her eyes at the question being flipped back on her but took another puff of her cigarette and looked out across the parking lot “I sing. And I'm sick of singing other people's words.” That made Jody grin, “okay well now I have to hear you sing. I have to!” Jenny was very quick to protest, shaking her head despite Jody's persistence which eventually wore out. “Okay but a singer who smokes? Isn't that bad for your voice?” Jody raised an eyebrow as the cigarette was stubbed out and thrown into the bin “probably. But it looks good and I like the smell of the smoke so I figure I'll leave it to my future self to care about." Honesty was something Jody always admired in a person so it was at that moment she stopped fighting the pull she had felt towards the woman all morning and their souls became inexplicably tied. The kind of tie that can't be broken by distance or a decade of no contact.
♤
By the seventh time of Jody tapping the screen when her phone started to turn itself off from being on standby too long, she was half tempted to just throw it across the room. Mocked by the “call back” button under her missed call from that morning. Jenny was drunk. Maybe she didn't mean it. Maybe it didn't matter whether she meant it. The offer was made and Jody knew she would do anything to work with Jenny Lind again. The fact she was hesitating this much made her laugh at herself. There was no universe in which she'd be able to say no to Jenny. But actually calling her up and telling her that? Now that was a different story. So she took the coward's way out and opened her email, huffing at herself in disappointment as she did so.
To: [email protected]
Subject: Music Video
My dear Jenny,
Delete.
To Jenny,
Delete.
Ms Lind,
I got your message about the music video, if you really are interested this is where to reach me.
Delete.
Dear Ms Lind,
I would love to work with you again and help direct the video. Contact me here and we can arrange a zoom call to discuss further details, plans, and ideas.
Your Jody.
Definitely Delete.
Dear Ms Lind,
I would love to work with you again and help direct the video. Contact me here and we can arrange a zoom call to discuss further details, plans, and ideas.
-Jody Moreno.
Pressing send and then slamming her laptop shut before she could panic again, Jody got on with her day which consisted of constantly pretending she wasn't listening out for that notification saying she had mail.
It came that evening.
Jenny Lind [[email protected]]
to me
Jody,
Meet me at this hotel tomorrow evening. Plane tickets, directions, and room booking attached.
Yours, Jenny.
Sent from my iPhone
Jody re-read the email chain over and over but Jenny's reply was very blunt and sure enough attached to it was a ticket for an early flight the next morning from LAX to London Heathrow and the details for a hotel room in London. So she decided the universe worked in mysterious ways and started packing. No reason to stay in LA and one very convincing reason to go to London.