Chapter Text
Wednesdays for the last month and a half had been absolute hell, nearly twenty hour days, non stop costume changes and repairs, a steady flood of people coming and going out of the mid sized trailer serving as a dressing room on wheels. Nell Stewart had become accustom to the chaos and frantic pace that her job provided each and every day, grabbing a cloak from the rack labeled “Ubbe” she held the soft fur in her hands, marching it to the man who would display the glorious piece on screen.
“Thanks, Nell.” the smooth mix of Scotland and Australia met her head on.
“No problem,” Nell smirked “and Jordan, this time, don’t drop it until after the shoot.”
“I make no promises.” Jordan chuckled, glancing down at the woman who fastened the broach on the grey and tan fur.
“All set, go on with ya.” Nell waved the actor out of her “office du jour”.
Next up to dress would be “Ivar” - the name always made her smile thinking of her son’s not so far off name of Ivan. Ivar was undoubtedly one of the best characters to create, and one of the most annoying actors on set. Nell sighed, fingering through the pages on the cupboard before her. One last glance over the costume that she would be putting on the young Danish man.
Alex tried, he really did, yet somehow he always ended up offending the woman. How was he to sit there while she dressed and prepped him, and not want to talk to her? He had watched her with the other actors and crew, she was obviously sweet and a gentle soul. Somehow every time he got close to Nell, she ended up looking like she wanted to beat him with whatever heavy object was closest.
Taking his chances, Alex cautiously stepped into the costume trailer. He had been here seven hours and had another ten to go. Such was life, for anyone who thought acting was glamorous, fools. Whistling a merry tune with a pep in his step despite the hours he had spent crawling around in the mud on set, Alex was determined to make today different.
This was going to be the day that he got Nell to laugh with him, not at him, or worse stand stone faced while he attempted to make jokes.
“Hey, Ne…” He was met with a glare from the costume designer, her phone to her ear. “Sorry.” he muttered softly standing by the door, not daring to step any further with the mud on his costume. He had been lectured before about dragging mud through the trailer.
This woman treated him like he was her son, not somebody she worked with. A disappointing scenario.
“Are you still there, Janelle?” The man on the phone called her attention. She hated when he called her by her full name, more so she hated the feeling of electricity it sent racing through her.
Nell glanced at Alex, lowering her eyes and voice. Her private business didn’t need to be aired through the entire lot.
“I can’t talk right now, I’m at work.”
“I will only a take a moment, I promise. Is Ivan with you?”
“No, he’s at school. Why?” She found the pants, cloak, and jerkin she would need in order to dress the man waiting for her. Handing them to Alex, she motioned for him to use the space on the left. It was the easiest room to clean later. “And don’t get mud on the new costume.”
“Excuse me?”
“Sorry. Continue.” She returned to her call.
“I only wanted to speak with him, see how he is doing. How’s school, the usual. I don’t want to take your time, but I wanted to let you know that I have a bit of time off and…”
“And you wanted to see him?” Her ex had a habit of doing this to her. It was always the same story, they would go months upon months without seeing him, then he would call her and ask for a visit. In truth, she couldn’t really complain about a man making an effort to see his son, but it would be nicer if it wasn’t a once a year thing.
“If I could, yes. He can come to me, or I can come to you. Whichever works. Think on it and let me know.”
Nell tried her best to hide the sigh.
“Send me the dates. I don’t want him missing school.”
“It would be next month. I believe he is on holiday then. I will have the dates sent and we can discuss it, when we’re not sneaking away to take calls at work. Chat soon?”
“Yeah, sure.”
Freshly dressed from his base layer to the hooded wool cloak, Alex emerged after giving her a breath or two alone to regroup, her call hadn’t sounded pleasant. He didn’t want to pry, yet he felt sorry for the single mother. Alex knew her son, the bundle of energy that would sometimes tear through the trailer, accompanying his mother to work. Ivan’s dark curls were as wild as he was. Alex liked the kid, he was funny.
“Alright, what do we need to adjust?” Nell turned to Alex, her phone in her pocket and her mind somewhat on work.
“It feels good.” Alex raised his arms, bending at the waist, and moving about to prove his point. “The boots, tough.”
Nell nodded. “What about them?”
More than once she had accidentally pulled the wrong boots, trying to fit Alex’s feet into a pair meant for someone else.
“I can never get these done up, can you?” Alex blushed at the confession. The boots were double laced and the laces in the back were his kryptonite. Nell instructed him to sit and keeled down to assist. As a mother dressing someone was a second nature.
“You know,” Alex glanced down as she fitted his boots. “We’ve worked together for almost two years, I know nothing about you.”
“Oh yeah?” Her focus was on the laces of the knee high boots.
“Mmm.” He nodded, his dark hair escaping his pony tail. “Let’s play a game. Three things about our self. I’ll go first,” Alex made his suggestion. She was shocked he could put his phone down long enough to chat. “When I was a little boy, I wanted to be a doctor. I love anything to do with Space, and my best memory is a family trip to the beach, when I was eight.”
“Such detail.” She mocked, a smirk gracing her lips.
“I reached deep for those,” Alex nudged her with his foot. “Your turn.”
“Fine.” She huffed, sitting back on her heels. The second boot could wait, while she found three things to shut him up. “I have worked in costume design for four years full time, I hate small talk and nosy people, and I hate cake.”
“You hate cake!” Alex exclaimed wide eyed with disbelief. “What? What do you have on your birthday?”
“Pie.” Her answer was flat.
“Huh.” Alex mused, he couldn’t get over the last statement. “Do you at least make cakes? You know, for when your family or friends want a birthday cake?”
“Nope.”
“Never?” She shook her head. Alex huffed. “Not even when your son asks?”
“He doesn’t like cake either.” Her voice softened.
“He doesn’t like it, or you don’t let him have it?” It was Alex’s turn to smirk. “You know, since you hate it and all.”
“You’re annoying.”
“When’s his birthday? I’m going to buy him a cake, a big one! Loaded with frosting and chocolate, sprinkles galore.” Alex continued his chatter. Mainly to hear himself speak.
“Look,” She sighed, finishing up the boot lace. “I enjoy working with you and I like my job, but can we leave my son out of this? Please.”
“O-Okay.” Alex frowned. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s just…it’s complicated and the last thing he needs right now is…forget it.” Nell rocked back on her heels. Admiring her handy work with the costume.
“I’m sorry, truly.”
“It’s fine. I’ve just…never mind. You’re good to go.” Nell stood up, wiping her hands on her pants out of instinct.
Alex sat for a heartbeat, trying to find another way to express his apology. The crease and frown on Nell’s face told him to quit while he was ahead. He could take a hint. Rising to his feet, he cleared his throat and thanked Nell for helping.
Alone with her thoughts for a moment, Nell rubbed the heels of her hands across her eyes. It would be another late night. The push to get these scenes filmed in the last season, in order for the cast and crew of Vikings to take their short term summer break. Her initial plans for the few weeks off was to pack up Ivan and take off for a vacation home.
A few weeks visiting her parents and the rest of her family, back in Canada would be ideal. She hadn’t been back since Easter, when Ivan had gone to spend time with his father’s family, and she wanted her son to visit his grandparents. So much for that plan, after the phone call from his father; Ivan wouldn’t want to do anything other than visit his father for a few weeks.
Despite the unconventional relationship, her son idolized his father. As a boy should.
Why did he make everything complicated? This man’s name came up and as if by some curse everything in Nell’s world would begin to fall apart, all over again.
“I see your boyfriend was in.” Nell pushed her hair out of her eyes and slowly looked up at her co-worker. She hadn’t heard Rayna come in.
Rolling her eyes, she shook her head at the teasing. “He’s not. He is however annoying.”
“Aww, he’s just trying to get your attention. Come on, Nelly, throw the kid a bone.” the seasoned designer laughed, handing Nell a cup of shitty set coffee.
“He’s too young.”
“You’re not exactly an old maid.” Rayna continued to laugh.
Nell shook her head, daily she endured a teasing from the other woman, among others on set. Alex Høgh Andersen turned into an absolute fool and a puppy around the costume designer, everybody but Nell seemed to notice his affection. What she passed off as annoying banter, was the Dane’s way of flirting. A skill he needed to work on, with women who were immune to actor’s charms, and on older women in general.
Thirty was far from old. So Nell was constantly told.
It had to do with having a son at twenty three. She had grown old and boring faster than she had ever wanted. Another resentment that Nell held toward her ex, he had gotten to go off and do whatever he pleased, while she had raised their son. Whoever said older men were more mature was full of shit.
“Whatever, we have work to do. I need to finish mending those dresses for next week. I don’t think our extras want to come in and be naked all day.”
“Some of them might.” Rayna joked, sitting her coffee down and grabbing her sewing kit.
Throughout the day Nell continued to dress cast, principal and extra alike. She enjoyed her job, the creativity and the structure. The pride and joy when a new costume was put together, nothing beat seeing her work on the screen and in the media.
She’d once been asked why she wanted to design costumes, simple. Without a good costume, nothing would ever be accomplished. There would be no life or charisma to a story being told on the screen. Costumes had been a last resort once, when she’d auditioned for a school play and was rejected for a role on stage. Even the chorus didn’t want her, leaving her to help the costume department. Nell got hooked.
Alex had gone out to set, coming back only twice that Nell had been in the trailer. He tried his hardest to strike up another conversation, but the two times they were in the same proximity, Nell was too busy to chat. He felt horrible for making her feel like he was prying earlier and needed to tell her.
Wisely, advised against it, Alex kept his head low. For now.
Knocking off nearly twenty one hours after arriving at work, Nell stretched her arms and groaned. Tomorrow was a later start for her, which meant she would be able to walk Ivan to school and spend a little time with him. He was in bed when she’d left and would be in bed when she arrived home.
Thank god for their Bridie. Nell would be lost without the saint of a woman.
Dropping her keys on the stand inside the door, her bag was next. Letting go of the bag felt like the weight of the world had been lifted from her body. The house was quiet and smelled delicious. Bridie was in the kitchen, tidying up when Nell poked her head in.
“He’s in bed, has been since eight.” the well put together blonde woman smiled affectionately. She looked like she should be a CEO or investment banker, not a full time live out Nanny. “Long day?”
“Extremely. I am going to run up quick. Thank you!” Nell held her hands together as if in prayer and smiled.
Tiptoeing up the short flight of stairs she followed the path to her son’s room. Her bedroom at the other end of the seven foot hallway beckoned her. Not yet. Soon, bed, soon. As expected, Ivan was sleeping soundly, a Captain Underpants book fallen open on the floor and his blankets half tossed off. Her son slept like whirl wind.
Picking up the blanket and draping it over her son, Nell smiled. Dark curls sprung across his head and his tiny arms were wrapped around his pillow, snoring away somewhere in dreamland. As adorable as he looked, it hurt her heart to be gone all day. Since the final season had been announced to the cast and crew, the days at work had become longer and the time for anything else seemed nearly impossible.
Only a few more weeks and Nell would be home for a break. Except…She wanted to groan, instead opted for an eye roll.
Ivan stirred, shifting around in his bed but not waking. Tucked in and kissed by mom, he was good to resume his slumber uninterrupted. Slumber. In the hall, Nell heard her bed calling once again. A loud Siren Song.
Soon!
Downstairs a cup of tea waited on the counter, while Bridie fished around for a plate to put the freshly made sandwich on. Nell’s heart swelled and her shoulders sagged, overwhelmed by the gesture. Bridie was here to look after Ivan, bless her for always watching out for Nell, too.
“I know you’re going to say you’ve had dinner, but you need something hearty.”
“Actually, I missed dinner. I had a fruit bar and an orange that one of the lighting guys shared with me.” Nell slid onto the stool at the breakfast nook, accepting the peppermint tea and chicken sandwich. Not at all embarrassed by the moan when she took the first bite, causing Bridie to laugh.
“Pleased that you like it.” Bridie winked. “There are some muffins in the container next to the toaster, blueberry. I made his lunch up, and yours, for tomorrow. Left over shepherd’s pie.” She listed off a few other details from the day. “When should I return?”
“I don’t go in until eleven, I’ll need you to pick him up then you can bring him to me. I’m in the office studio all day tomorrow.” Nell instructed. “Thank you, for all of this.”
“You know I love doing it.” Bridie gave her a gentle pat on the shoulder.
“I know and I love you for loving it.” Nell chuckled. Tucking her hair behind her ears, “Oh, Ivan doesn’t know, but in a few weeks his father wants to visit him. I’ll let you know when he has the dates sent. I think it will be while we were supposed to be gone, anyway.”
“That sounds…” Bridie paused, watching Nell’s face to gauge the reaction.
“It’s a good thing.” Nell tried to assure her nanny and herself. “It will be good.”
Fingers crossed.
“Well, if you need me for anything you know how to find me.” Bridie would help hide a body, no questions asked. Nell was certain of it.
“Thank you, but I think we’ll be okay.” Nell stood to hug the older woman. “Now, go home. I am sure Joe is missing you like crazy. Tell him that you’re his for most of the day tomorrow.”
“Good night, Nell.” Bridie waved disappearing toward the door. Nell heard the final click of the lock, signaling that she was on her own until Ivan woke for school.
Dirty plate in the sink, resting until Nell had the energy to do something about it, the cup of peppermint tea joined Nell on her way to bed. Too tired to shower or move, she kicked off her clothes and reached for an old tshirt to wear. The weather was growing warmer as summer approached Ireland.
Summer in Ireland was majestic, really any season in Ireland was majestic. Nell thought as she crawled into her bed. She had decided that the first year she had come here to be an intern. How giddy and naive she had been back then. How different life had been in 2007. How different Nell had been in 2007.
Something about Ireland and that majesty.
Phone down to charge and her alarm set, she was ready for sleep. Slipping under her duvet, she barely had time to get comfortable before sleep over took her.