by Gibson, Jo
They had almost made it when Carla felt her feet slide out from under her. She stumbled and Michael valiantly tried to hold her up. Of course he didn’t succeed and they fell to the floor in an awkward tangle of arms and legs.
“Cut!” Mr. Robinson shouted. He glared at Heidi, who was laughing hysterically, and hurried to Michael and Carla. “What happened? Are you hurt?”
“I’m okay.” Michael helped Carla up and dusted her off. “Are you all right, Carla?”
Carla nodded. She was so embarrassed, her face was bright red. “I’m sorry I ruined your take, Mr. Robinson. I must have tripped.”
“On what?” Denise looked down at the perfectly bare floor. Then she led Carla to a chair. “Sit down, Carla, and give me your shoes.”
Carla watched as Denise examined the bottom of her shoes. There was a frown on her face. She handed them to Mr. Robinson, who examined them also, and they exchanged worried glances.
“Okay.” Mr. Robinson sighed deeply. “Tell the extras they can take their lunch break, but have them back on the set by two.”
Denise passed the word and the extras left, including the group from Covers. Heidi was the only one who stayed, and she was frowning as she approached her father.
“Do I have to leave, Daddy? I want to see Michael and Carla do their scene.”
“Run along, Heidi.” Mr. Robinson dismissed her with a wave. “Keep an eye on the extras and make sure they don’t wander away from the catering tent.”
Heidi was obviously disappointed, but she nodded and headed for the door. After she’d left, Mr. Robinson called for Denise again. “Get Jessie over here on the double. I want some friction tape on the bottom of these shoes. They’re much too slick. Carla?”
“Yes, Mr. Robinson.”
“Are these the same shoes you were wearing in rehearsal?”
Carla shook her head. “I don’t think so, Mr. Robinson. When I slipped them on, I noticed that they were a slightly different shade of brown.”
Mr. Robinson frowned. “Did you see who replaced your shoes, Carla?”
“No, Mr. Robinson. I was at the make-up table.”
It took only a moment for Mr. Robinson to assemble the crew. No one from props had seen anything, and neither had the continuity supervisor, the assistant director, the grips, or the lighting techs. They all agreed that it would have been possible for someone to replace Carla’s shoes, but no one had any idea who had done it.
“Do you think someone’s trying to sabotage the film?” Denise looked very worried.
But Mr. Robinson shook his head. “It was probably just a mistake. Let’s be very careful, folks. Mistakes cost time and money. We’re just lucky that this was a small one.”
Jessie put friction tape on the bottom of Carla’s shoes, and when she was finished, they shot the scene again. This time everything went perfectly, and Carla gave a deep sigh of relief as she walked to the catering tent with Michael.
“Are you sure you’re all right?” Michael looked down at her with concern.
“I’m okay. But I’m really sorry I blew that take.”
“Don’t worry.” Michael slipped his arm around her shoulders and gave her a hug. “Mistakes happen. It wasn’t anybody’s fault.”
As they entered the tent, Carla noticed Heidi sitting alone, at a table near the front. The moment Heidi saw them, she smiled and waved.
“Hi, Michael! I saved you a table. Get your tray and let’s eat together.”
“Thanks, Heidi.” Michael glanced at Carla, and winked. “I’d like to join you, but I’m having lunch with Carla. We have to discuss our next scene.”
Heidi’s smiled faltered a bit, but then it came back, bigger and brighter than ever. “Of course. I meant Carla, too.”
“Okay . . . we’ll be right with you.”
As they headed toward the food line, Carla glanced back at Heidi’s table. She was sure Heidi hadn’t wanted her to join them. There were only two chairs.
“Do you mind sitting with Heidi?” Michael turned to Carla with concern. “I figure I’d better be nice to her. After all, her father’s my boss, and I don’t want to get on her bad side.”
Carla nodded and forced a smile. “It’s fine, Michael. Heidi’s father is my boss, too.”
But Carla did mind. The less she had to do with Heidi, the better. There was only one person here who wanted her to fail, and that person was Heidi.
As they headed for Heidi’s table, Carla trailed a bit behind Michael. The expression on Heidi’s face was strange. She looked proud and a little smug. Heidi had laughed when she’d slipped on the set. She’d enjoyed seeing Carla stumble and ruin the take. What if the replacement shoes hadn’t been a mistake? What if Heidi had substituted those slick-soled shoes deliberately, so that Carla would fall?
There were no more dirty tricks that day, and Carla actually started to relax. She was enjoying her film debut, especially since most of her scenes were with Michael. She began to think that she’d been mistaken when she’d suspected that Heidi was trying to sabotage her role. The next incident didn’t occur until the next afternoon, when Carla put in her new contact lenses for a party scene with Michael. They were announcing their engagement, and Carla was supposed to look radiantly happy.
“Places, please.” Mr. Robinson smiled at Michael and Carla. The scene was being shot at the studio restaurant, which had been dressed to look like a lavish and expensive bistro. This was one of Carla’s speaking parts, and she’d rehearsed her lines with Denise. Michael would announce their engagement, and all the extras would clamor for a speech. That was Carla’s cue to stand up and tell everyone how much she loved Michael.
Carla sat with Michael at a raised table in the front of the restaurant. There was water in the glasses, and she took a sip to moisten her mouth, which was very dry. Her face felt flushed, and she was slightly dizzy. What was the matter with her?
“Stage fright?” Michael looked concerned. “You look really pale, Carla.”
Carla nodded, and put a hand to her forehead. Her forehead was clammy, the dizziness was growing worse by the second. But before she could tell Michael that she was ill, the cameras started to roll.
Michael got up to announce their engagement, and Carla forced herself to smile. But Michael’s voice sounded hollow to her ears, growing fainter and fainter as the dizziness grew.
“Speech! Speech!” The extras applauded and stared at her expectantly. “Speech! Speech!”
Carla tried to rise to her feet, but a wave of dizziness made her grasp the edge of the tablecloth to keep from falling. As the tablecloth slipped, water glasses crashed to the floor and she fell heavily back in her chair.
“Cut!” Mr. Robinson rushed up, and stared at Carla’s pale face. “What happened, Carla?”
Carla burst into tears. “I’m sorry, Mr. Robinson, but I . . . I’m so dizzy, I can’t stand up.”
“Help her to the dressing room.” Mr. Robinson motioned to Michael and Heidi. “Denise? Call for the doctor.”
It took only a few minutes for the doctor to arrive. He examined Carla, and turned to Mr. Robinson with a worried expression. “Her vital signs are normal. I can’t find anything wrong. But her balance is completely gone, and she can’t see anything clearly.”
“She can’t see?” Heidi frowned as the doctor nodded. “I think I might know what’s wrong. It happened to me once, when I first started wearing contacts. Let’s take out Carla’s lenses and see if that helps.”
It only took a moment for the doctor to remove Carla’s contact lenses, and drop them back in their case. Almost immediately, a little color came back to Carla’s face.
“How do you feel now, Carla?” Heidi looked very concerned.
“Better.” Carla blinked and took a deep breath. “I feel a lot better.”
The doctor nodded, and turned to Carla. “Okay, young lady. Try to stand up for me. I’ll catch you if you fall.”
Carla was still a little shaky, but she managed to stand up. Her knees had
stopped trembling and she took a tentative step. “I’m not dizzy anymore. What happened?”
“You had your lenses reversed.” The doctor smiled at her. “The correction for your left eye is a lot stronger than your right. Reversing them threw you off balance and made you dizzy and disoriented.”
Carla frowned. “But . . . how did I get them mixed up? The cases are marked.”
“Oh, don’t worry about that, Carla.” Heidi patted her on the shoulder. “It could have happened to anyone, right Daddy?”
Mr. Robinson nodded. “Of course. I’m just glad it wasn’t anything serious. You rest up for a few minutes, Carla. Heidi can fill in for you while we do another rehearsal. I’ll send Denise to get you when we’re ready to shoot.”
After everyone had left her dressing room, Carla stared down at the cases that held her contacts. She was almost certain that she hadn’t mixed them up. Was this another attempt to throw off her performance?
The dressing rooms weren’t locked. It would have been easy for someone to slip in and switch the tops of the cases. And there was only one person who would be spiteful enough to pull a nasty trick like that. Heidi had known exactly what was wrong, and now her father thought she was a genius. What if Heidi had switched her lenses, and then pretended to solve the problem?
Even though Mr. Robinson had told her to rest, Carla got to her feet and made her way back to the set. She stood in the back, where no one would see her, and watched Heidi rehearse with Michael. They were very good together. Too good. Heidi had gotten exactly what she wanted, a chance to take Carla’s place. Of course it was only a rehearsal, but everyone was bound to notice what a perfect couple they made.
Carla held her breath as she watched Michael put his arms around Heidi and kiss her. It was supposed to be a polite, public kiss, but Heidi made it into much more. She snuggled up against Michael so tightly, there didn’t seem to be any space at all between their bodies. And Michael certainly looked to be enjoying Heidi’s kiss. Their lips were glued together, and they seemed almost unwilling to break off their kiss as the extras stamped their feet and applauded.
“Cut!” Mr. Robinson was smiling as he called for a break. There was no way he could fail to notice the attraction between Heidi and Michael. No way at all.
Suddenly, Carla felt cold and she shivered slightly. This was more than a simple rehearsal for Heidi. She was auditioning! Would Mr. Robinson reconsider and give her part to Heidi? Carla didn’t think so, not this time, but he might if these nasty little incidents kept happening. Mr. Robinson was a producer, and he was concerned about the bottom line. Every time Carla blew a take, whether it was her fault or not, it cost him time and money. Carla was sure that if she wanted to keep her part in the movie, she had to watch Heidi like a hawk. Even though she couldn’t prove it, Carla knew that Heidi had planted the slick pair of shoes, and switched the covers on her contact lenses. Heidi would try again. Carla was sure of it. And somehow, she had to make sure that Heidi didn’t succeed in her plan to replace her.
Ten
Covers was dark on Sunday night, and Carla sat in her office and did her best to concentrate on the payroll. This past week had been a disaster, and it was all because Heidi was making a play for Michael.
Carla and Michael had planned to go to the midnight movie on Monday night. Both of them had wanted to see They Shall Have Music, a 1939 black and white film, with Jascha Heifetz. They’d planned to leave Covers right after the show, but Heidi had spoiled their plans. She’d told Michael that she was having trouble with a song he’d written for her, and she simply had to have some extra rehearsal time. Naturally, the only time she’d had available was that night, right after the show.
Michael had sounded very sorry when he’d told Carla that they’d have to see the film on Tuesday night. But on Tuesday, they’d had the same problem. Michael and Heidi were still working on the song, and he had re-scheduled the film for Wednesday.
As it turned out, Wednesday hadn’t worked, either. Heidi had invited Michael to a Hollywood party where he could make some good contacts. Naturally, Michael had agreed to go. Carla couldn’t fault him for that. She knew how important contacts were in the world of show biz.
On Thursday night, Michael had canceled again. Heidi had car problems, and she’d asked Michael to give her a ride home. And on Friday, Heidi had presented him with two tickets for a stellar fund-raiser at the county Art Museum. She said she’d tried to get an extra ticket for Carla, but she hadn’t been able to get more than two.
On Saturday, when Heidi’s car was supposed to be ready, it wasn’t. Naturally, Heidi had expected Michael to pick her up and take her home after the show. And tonight, the last night the movie was showing, Heidi had insisted on helping Michael choose which songs to sing at the audition she’d arranged with a record company executive.
Carla sighed, and did her best to look on the bright side. Perhaps she could rent a tape of the movie. If Michael could ever free himself from Heidi’s clutches, they could watch it together at her house. But the chances of that happening were very slim. Carla was sure that Heidi would continue to monopolize all of Michael’s spare time so he wouldn’t be able to share an evening with her.
At least Carla had one thing to be thankful for. There hadn’t been any more dirty tricks at the studio. Heidi had been too busy monopolizing Michael to think up any more ways to sabotage Carla’s scenes. Despite Heidi’s interference, they’d managed to shoot the last of Carla’s scenes on Friday, and Jessie and Denise had helped Carla carry over thirty new outfits to her car. As the icing on the cake, Mr. Robinson had told Carla that he was so impressed with her work, he might have a part for her in his next movie.
Since Michael was still working at the studio and Carla’s part was finished, they hadn’t seen much of each other. In the brief time they’d managed to spend together, Michael had talked about Heidi’s obsession with him. He’d said that he’d much rather be with Carla, but he really couldn’t tell Heidi to get lost. He was hoping that his association with Mr. Robinson would lead to a major career move. He couldn’t jeopardize that just because Heidi was making a play for him.
Carla understood. Really, she did. But she was beginning to hate the sight of Heidi’s head, nestled close to Michael’s chest. Heidi had a way of hugging Michael when she walked, and making sure that her body pressed up against his in all the right places. And Michael wasn’t exactly immune to her charms. He was flattered that Heidi found him so desirable.
There was the sound of the front door opening, and Carla jumped up from her chair. No one was supposed to be here tonight.
Carla switched off the lights in the office and listened as footsteps sounded on the wooden floor. Two sets of footsteps, one heavy, one light. She crept out of the office, careful not to make a sound, and almost screamed as the lights snapped on. And then she saw them, Michael and Heidi, walking across the brightly lit stage.
Michael had his arm around Heidi’s shoulders, and she was smiling up at him. Carla watched as Michael placed two stools in the center of the stage, and took his guitar out of its case.
“Sing your new song first.” Heidi slid onto one stool, and clasped her hands in front of her. “I think that one’s your best.”
Carla’s heart beat faster as Michael started to play. Michael had sung his new number for her, and she thought it was wonderful. But now the words took on new meaning, as she stared at Heidi and Michael. It was about a singer who’d won the heart of a beautiful girl by writing all his songs for her.
Heidi waited until Michael had finished, and then she sighed in pleasure. “It’s perfect, Michael! The best song you’ve ever written. I was just wondering if . . . no, it probably wouldn’t work.”
“What?” Michael looked interested. “Tell me, Heidi.”
“I think it might be better if you had the girl join in on the last chorus. I mean . . . there he is, singing to her. And she’s so enchanted, she joins in.”
Michael took a moment to think
it over, and then he nodded. “You’re right, Heidi. It might add just the right touch. Do you want to try it?”
“Sure, if you want me to. But we’ve never rehearsed it, so you’ll have to excuse me if I don’t get it right.”
Carla frowned deeply. Heidi looked like the cat that ate the canary as Michael started to sing again. She gazed up at Michael with an adoring expression, and when he came to the last chorus, she joined in, her voice rising and melding with his. The harmony was perfect, the timing was exactly right, and Carla listened in awe as they finished the song together. It really was better this way.
“That was fantastic!” Michael reached out to hug Heidi. “You’re amazing. How did you manage to do it so well?”
Heidi shrugged. “It was easy. Our voices just blend together, naturally. It’s almost as if we were born to sing duets together.”
“Maybe we were.” Michael stared deeply into Heidi’s eyes. “You’re . . . you’re wonderful, Heidi.”
Carla’s breath caught in her throat as Michael pulled Heidi closer. And then he was kissing her, their lips melting, their bodies pressed tightly together.
She couldn’t watch. Carla turned to go back into the office. She couldn’t stand to see Michael taken in by a girl like Heidi. Denise had told Carla all about Heidi, and her series of up-and-coming boyfriends. Heidi had dated all the young stars of her father’s movies, but the day after the movie premiered, she’d dropped them cold. Heidi might want Michael now, but she wasn’t the type to be loyal. The moment the premiere was over, Heidi would dump Michael just like she’d dumped all those other actors.
It took only a moment to gather up her purse and car keys. There was a back door to the building, and Carla walked toward it with tears in her eyes. She’d really thought that Michael cared about her. Perhaps he did, but right now he was blinded by Heidi and his ambition for stardom. She was very afraid that Michael was in for a real let-down, but there wasn’t a thing she could do about it.
