the face, thatâll be it,â Viva says. Sheâs very into protecting my face, not for my safety, but for the camera.
âNot bit. Stung ,â I say.
âCool it, Smart-mouth,â she says, giving me the eye. âAnd cover your wardrobe.â She tucks my napkin into my collar and spreads it across my chest as if Iâm a baby about to eat mashed carrots. My wardrobe is a tank top with a picture of a rocket ship on the front. Itâs already dirtied on purpose, but itâs not supposed to get dirty by mistake.
Just as weâre getting settled, Rodney reaches across the table and snatches two of Chrisâs rice pudding cups as he heads to his seat. The grown-ups ignore it, but Chris closes his eyes and curses under his breath. I feel so bad that I give him one of my puddings as soon as Rodney turns his back. Let me tell you, pudding is the last thing that Rodney needs. Heâs plenty mushy around the middle, and donât even try to tell me he put on those pounds for his character.
âI got some extra potato salad. I know how much you like it, TJ.â My mother passes Terrance the bowl. She started using his nickname when we first got to the studio in Brooklyn. She likes getting chummy with people from the start. But Iâd feel disrespectful calling him TJ.
âAh, thank you. Bonus,â he says, mixing the potatoes with his corn. He passes me another napkin, since mine is around my neck. I grin at him. Terrance says that having meals together makes for a better movie because it makes us feel sort of like weâre a family. Heâs right. This is the type of family Iâd like, anyway.
The closest I ever had to a dad was Brian Shea Towson; he played my country singer dad in Hit the Road . We ate all our lunches together, too. I liked calling him Pops, even off set, which I guess is kind of like staying in character.
âGo easy there with the healthy stuff, Joss. What is that, broccoli?â Terrance inspects my tray. âIf you get too tall, weâll have to recast you.â
Not funny. And there goes a perfectly nice lunch with my happy imaginary family. I stare at my buttered roll.
If I could stunt my growth so I could play a child forever, believe me, I would. Iâm lucky I still look young enough to play Norah. Doris says that being small in Hollywood is the pot of gold. Thereâre a ton of parts until the awkward age. Iâm living proof of that because I keep playing younger than I am. In The Locals , Norah is meant to be ten even though Iâm twelve.
Terrance is talking to Christopher now, about the real day he tried to build the crowâs nest. âI want you to remember the excitement I felt at the beginning. That lookout was going to be my connection to the ocean, the one place I really loved. It was going to be my escape.â
Chris is pushing his food around as he listens. Heâs under a lot of pressure, but at least he gets to talk with Terrance about his part. I donât know how Norah felt about the crowâs nest or the ocean, and I donât know whatâs really in her heart. Iâve never played a real person before. I wish I could talk to her and know that Iâm doing good enough.
âTerrance, when am I gonna meet the real Norah? You mailed my letter, right?â I say. Norah lives somewhere nearby. Damon helped me write a quick note asking her to visit the set. Terrance gave me her address to put on it.
âDonât be pushy, Joss,â my mother says. âSorry.â She squeezes Terranceâs arm and leaves her hand there.
âItâs fine.â Terrance winks at me. âI did mail it, kiddo. Iâd love for Norah to come. But sheâs very busy, my sister. She must be out of town.â Terrance drops his fork into his not-beef-stew and then he pokes me on the nose. I donât mind if he treats me like Iâm ten when weâre on set. But I wish he wouldnât do that
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