Athena said as she passed by. “I think I heard someone say something about a meeting. Or a doctor’s appointment or something. I’m not really sure.”
“Gone?” I couldn’t quite believe it. “In three years, Mark hasn’t missed one day on the set. Remember? He even came when he had the flu. Wore a mask.”
“That’s right. We all ended up getting sick in spite of it.” Athena laughed. “He’s always been so good at sharing.” She headed down the hallway, continuing to talk to herself.
My mind reeled as I thought about all of this. Had Mark given us any signs he was sick? If so, I hadn’t picked up on them. I ushered up a silent prayer on his behalf, asking the Lord to heal him—quickly!
Fortunately—or unfortunately—I didn’t have much time to think about Mark’s disappearing act. Jana, a petite blonde from the wardrobe department, stopped by.
“Hey, Kat.”
“Hey.” I leaned in to ask, “How are we doing on our little project?”
“I’ve found quite a few more dresses in Lenora’s size.” Jana chuckled. “I think we can keep her stocked for a few more weeks. After that, I’ve got a friend I can call over at Paramount. She’s got a huge stash of evening gowns from the ’40s and ’50s. Really nice things. They’d just be on loan, you understand, like the ones I’ve already passed your way.”
“Of course.” I laughed. “I still can’t believe she hasn’t noticed that the gowns are coming and going from her closet. Carolina has done a fine job of helping me shuffle things around. Thanks for sending a driver with the dresses each week.”
“You’re welcome. Anything I can do to help. As long as we get them back before they’re needed elsewhere, it’s no skin off my teeth. And it’s not like the studio executives are going to argue about it. They love Lenora. And they love you too.”
“This means so much to me.” I felt tears well up. “The gowns really seem to be energizing her . . . and helping with her memory too. She always had a closetful of beautiful dresses from the old days, but I was getting a little tired of seeing the same ones over and over again, so this helps. Besides, some of her old gowns don’t fit anymore. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but she’s lost a little weight.”
“Yes.” Jana nodded. “She tells me she’s a size seven, but a five swallows her alive. I’ve been disguising the size tags so she won’t notice I’m giving her threes.”
“Thank you.”
“And get this . . .” Jana leaned closer to whisper, “She tells me nearly every day that she’s still five foot eight.”
“I’m sure she was . . . at one point,” I said. “I’m guessing she’s . . . what? Five six?”
“Five five. But she looks great in the gowns, and that’s really all that matters. Keeping her happy is my priority.”
“Mine too,” I whispered. In fact, it was one of the top priorities in my life.
I was just wrapping up my conversation with Jana when Rex walked up. I couldn’t quite read the expression on his face. Worry? Fear? Sternness? Hmm.
“Kat, do you have a minute?”
“Sure.”
Jana excused herself and headed back to the wardrobe room.
I turned to Rex with a smile. “What’s up?”
“I know we need to get through our round-table reading, but I wanted to talk to you and Scott before meeting with the rest of the cast.”
“Sounds interesting.”
“It is. I’ve already asked Scott to meet me on the set. He should be here any moment. Will you join us?”
“Sure.” As if I would dare turn my producer down.
Scott appeared moments later. He looked great in his UCLA T-shirt and jeans, and I couldn’t help but notice he’d had a haircut.
“Sorry I’m late,” he said. “Had to stop for a trim.”
“I like it. Very nice.” In fact, it was so nice that it made my heart flutter.
Scott responded with a grin and a “we’ll talk about this later” look.
Rex led the way to Angie’s living room set and
“Gone?” I couldn’t quite believe it. “In three years, Mark hasn’t missed one day on the set. Remember? He even came when he had the flu. Wore a mask.”
“That’s right. We all ended up getting sick in spite of it.” Athena laughed. “He’s always been so good at sharing.” She headed down the hallway, continuing to talk to herself.
My mind reeled as I thought about all of this. Had Mark given us any signs he was sick? If so, I hadn’t picked up on them. I ushered up a silent prayer on his behalf, asking the Lord to heal him—quickly!
Fortunately—or unfortunately—I didn’t have much time to think about Mark’s disappearing act. Jana, a petite blonde from the wardrobe department, stopped by.
“Hey, Kat.”
“Hey.” I leaned in to ask, “How are we doing on our little project?”
“I’ve found quite a few more dresses in Lenora’s size.” Jana chuckled. “I think we can keep her stocked for a few more weeks. After that, I’ve got a friend I can call over at Paramount. She’s got a huge stash of evening gowns from the ’40s and ’50s. Really nice things. They’d just be on loan, you understand, like the ones I’ve already passed your way.”
“Of course.” I laughed. “I still can’t believe she hasn’t noticed that the gowns are coming and going from her closet. Carolina has done a fine job of helping me shuffle things around. Thanks for sending a driver with the dresses each week.”
“You’re welcome. Anything I can do to help. As long as we get them back before they’re needed elsewhere, it’s no skin off my teeth. And it’s not like the studio executives are going to argue about it. They love Lenora. And they love you too.”
“This means so much to me.” I felt tears well up. “The gowns really seem to be energizing her . . . and helping with her memory too. She always had a closetful of beautiful dresses from the old days, but I was getting a little tired of seeing the same ones over and over again, so this helps. Besides, some of her old gowns don’t fit anymore. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but she’s lost a little weight.”
“Yes.” Jana nodded. “She tells me she’s a size seven, but a five swallows her alive. I’ve been disguising the size tags so she won’t notice I’m giving her threes.”
“Thank you.”
“And get this . . .” Jana leaned closer to whisper, “She tells me nearly every day that she’s still five foot eight.”
“I’m sure she was . . . at one point,” I said. “I’m guessing she’s . . . what? Five six?”
“Five five. But she looks great in the gowns, and that’s really all that matters. Keeping her happy is my priority.”
“Mine too,” I whispered. In fact, it was one of the top priorities in my life.
I was just wrapping up my conversation with Jana when Rex walked up. I couldn’t quite read the expression on his face. Worry? Fear? Sternness? Hmm.
“Kat, do you have a minute?”
“Sure.”
Jana excused herself and headed back to the wardrobe room.
I turned to Rex with a smile. “What’s up?”
“I know we need to get through our round-table reading, but I wanted to talk to you and Scott before meeting with the rest of the cast.”
“Sounds interesting.”
“It is. I’ve already asked Scott to meet me on the set. He should be here any moment. Will you join us?”
“Sure.” As if I would dare turn my producer down.
Scott appeared moments later. He looked great in his UCLA T-shirt and jeans, and I couldn’t help but notice he’d had a haircut.
“Sorry I’m late,” he said. “Had to stop for a trim.”
“I like it. Very nice.” In fact, it was so nice that it made my heart flutter.
Scott responded with a grin and a “we’ll talk about this later” look.
Rex led the way to Angie’s living room set and
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