by Lia London
“Then get me an order of steak fries and a kiwi salad with honey mustard—now!”
Antonio scribbled on his notepad. “Is that a single order or the Appetizer-for-Two Special?”
“Both. And some key lime frozen yogurt, too!” shrieked Chieko.
A dumbfounded silence followed.
“And cut!” Parker pointed to Jay, and the cameras swung around to face him again.
Jay’s teeth gleamed under the lights. “What do you think, everyone? Was that daytime drama at its best?”
“He’s kidding, right?” asked Milo, leaning close to Jill’s ear.
Jill glanced at him and his smile triggered a memory of the Romeo kiss. Flustered, she shrugged. “I guess he’s more of a pro than you gave him credit for, if he can keep a straight face while praising that.”
At the judges’ table, Kamilah clapped enthusiastically. “Brilliant! Brilliant work, Chieko!”
Slick folded his arms and leaned back in his chair. “I thought Chieko showed a bit of spark, but Crawford needs to go back to the surf shack. He was abysmal.”
“What about Antonio?” asked Jay.
Slick sneered. “Was he even up there?”
“Crawford, you’re just plain beautiful!” Kamilah winked at him. “I’d say Chieko is ready for an amnesia scene, or maybe a bridge-jumping one.”
Jill gasped.
Milo scrunched his forehead. “Is that good?”
She nodded, eyes glued to the screen. “Very good.”
“Cut! Jill, Amaya, and Milo, you’re up next.”
“Jill will be playing Margarita, a woman from the deep south who used to be in show business. She’s now suffering from a rare muscular disease that disfigures her face,” said Parker. “It makes her permanently frown.”
“Oh, this is so not cool.” Jill, now garbed in a hospital gown, scowled at Parker.
“Perfect. Yes. Like that.” Parker maneuvered her into place. “Amaya, you’ll be the nurse taking her vitals, and Milo, you’re playing her son, Thaddeus.”
“My son?! He’s three months older than me!”
“Lights!” Parker stepped back out of the way, a hint of sympathy on her face. “And action!”
Milo conjured his inner Forrest Gump. “You’re looking well, Mama.”
Amaya stuffed a thermometer into Jill’s mouth and took her wrist as if listening for a pulse.
Jill might have flinched, but she was a trooper, channeling the indignity of her role into a very convincing perma-frown. It held the thermometer in place. “Yes, Thaddeus.”
“Please don’t talk until your temperature registers, ma’am.”
Milo stared at Amaya for a second. Is she trying to silence the competition? Or is she just a good nurse? He turned to Jill and floundered to give her time. “I know it’s hard. You were once the most glamorous singer in all of Nashville. I’ll never forget the first time I saw your name in lights. I was so proud of you, Mama.”
Amaya removed the thermometer and read it. “98.3. That’s just fine.” She pretended to scribble notes on the clipboard at the end of the bed.
Jill nodded at Milo, undistracted by Amaya’s efficiency. “You were just four years old.”
“You were meant for the big time.” Milo sniffled.
“Will you need a bedpan today, or are you able to get up?” Amaya’s voice was smooth as chocolate milk, but both Milo and Jill snapped their heads to glare at her.
“I’ll get to that later, thank you.” Jill adopted a drawl, and a wicked glint sparkled in her eyes. “Oh Thaddy, you’re such a good boy. I must tell you the truth.”
“The truth?” Milo leaned forward, conscious of his elbows resting on her thighs through the sheet.
“I’m not your mother.”
“What?” He stifled a grin.
“You were just an infant when I found you wrapped in a paper bag.” Jill managed to show eagerness behind the sour expression. Even Amaya drew closer to listen. “I was only eight years old at the time. Thaddy, did you really think I could look this good in my forties?” She smiled radiantly, but caught herself and put the scowl back on.
“But Mama!”
“Thaddy, I’m only twenty-nine!”
Milo’s burst of triumphant laughter on Jill’s behalf was drowned out by Parker shouting orders and the cameras swiveling over to Slick and Kamilah.
“Good instincts, Jill. Never let them maim you or kill you off,” said Kamilah. “They tried to do it to me six times, but I came back every time! Once after I’d been buried!”
Jill clapped excitedly. “I remember that season!”
Kamilah nodded solemnly. “I can see it play out now. Thaddeus will become a famous plastic surgeon and restore you to your natural, dazzling beauty within two months. The viewers will have great sympathy for the young woman with the big heart and will be cheering for you all the way. Great work!”
Milo held his breath and kept his eye on Slick.
Slick cleared his throat and almost smiled. “I agree. However, Milo, the Southern accent isn’t working for me. Lose it.”
“But sir, Parker said our characters are from the South. This is how they talk.”
Slick shook his head and looked at Milo like he was an expired can of tuna. “Southern women are sexy. Southern men just sound stupid. You’ll be gored by harvesting machinery within three episodes.”
An hour later, Milo shook his head as Antonio, Crawford, and Jill vacated the stage after acting in a bizarre scenario about an arsonist, a banker, and a belly dancer respectively.
Jill came jingling over to Milo at the monitor screen. “Well?”
Eying the round trinkets that hung from every curve, Milo felt his chest tighten. “Now I know what to do with my coin collection.”
Jill giggled and shimmied closer. “Got to love the built-in sound effects, huh?”
Exhaling a nervous laugh, Milo nodded. “Oh yeah. Love it. Jingle all the way.” I did not just say that. Must. Change. Subject. He forced his gaze back to her face, cheerful now after another round of praise from the judges. “I feel kind of bad for Antonio getting cast twice in low-status roles, but he pulled it off okay. Crawford looked ridiculous in a suit because he still walked like he had sand in his shorts.”
Jill rocked backwards, laughing. “Who needs Slick with you around?”
“It was good that you got to smile this time. Nothing beats your smile.” Gaaaah. I sound so sappy!
Her eyes lifted to his with a twinkle.
“Milo, Amaya, and Chieko. You’re up!” Parker barked.
Jill gave him a thumbs-up. “Go rock it, Romeo!”
Milo braced himself for whatever nonsense would come next and felt a wash of relief that he simply had to play a guy in the middle of a love triangle. Apparently, he was dating Amaya, and Chieko was the jilted lover. Looking back and forth between the two girls as they settled into the fake park, Milo wondered what man would be attracted to both, since they were so different. Amaya was tall, dark, and elegant. Energy practically flickered from her skin. Chieko was petite, with a no-nonsense stillness, almost like a little marble statue.
At the call for action, Amaya grasped Milo’s hand and pulled him into a tight embrace, swaying.
Whoah. Unexpected. While he found it very pleasant to be in this beauty’s arms, it didn’t feel like a park thing to do. “Darling. What are you doing?”
She did some little flashy pull-out pose and then wrapped herself around him tightly enough to raise his blood pressure. “Silly. I’m practicing for the championship ballroom dance competition next month. Don’t you remember?”
“Right!” He swallowed hard, hoping he wasn’t supposed to improvise any great moves. “The grand prize of … a new car will be awesome.”
Amaya broke loose, locking her deep black eyes on him. “Oh, I don’t want the car. I’ll sell it right away to pay for my little brother’s new kidney.”
Milo nodded with genuine approval. She was good at the improv and clearly did
n’t plan to stay in small roles like the nurse. “You always think of others. You are the loveliest woman I—”
“You two-timing creep!” Chieko strode onto the scene from behind the fake tree. “You said the same thing to me just last week!” The stylists had put a short pink wig on her that completely derailed Milo’s train of thought.
Amaya pulled back. “You what?”
Milo panicked. Why had he broken up with her? Had Parker told him that part? He squared his shoulders and said the first thing that came to his mind. “That was before I discovered you were wanted for grand larceny in both Kansas and Nebraska.”
Chieko lit up. “What are felony charges in the face of true love?”
“It wasn’t the larceny. It was the fact that you’d willingly spent time in Kansas and Nebraska.” Oops. That was probably a bad move. I bet Midwest housewives are a big part of the viewer base.
Chieko came closer, standing as tall as she could in her four-inch heels. “Look me in the eye and tell me you don’t love me.”
“Who is this woman?” Amaya demanded.
Milo couldn’t see her because Chieko had wrapped a hand behind his neck ready to kiss him … or headbutt him. He didn’t know which would be worse.
“Um, she’s my optometrist … checking on my contacts. They’ve been giving me trouble lately.” Milo retreated a step, just trying to get some distance, but managed to trip and topple backwards over the park bench, landing hard on his back and knocking the wind from his lungs.
Amaya rushed to his aid. “Are you all right?”
“I could use a little help.” Milo gasped and tried to sit up. He turned to Parker. “A little help here?”
She caught on, cued Jay, and he swept into motion schmoozing the panel while Milo coaxed his lungs into expanding again.
“I’m so sorry! I’m such a klutz. I didn’t mean to knock him over.” Chieko ran her fingers through her wig, making it stand up like angry cotton candy.
Regaining his feet, Milo shuffled over with Amaya and Chieko to get the judges’ feedback.
“I say give Chieko a crack at Amaya,” said Slick. “We could have a real hit show. Pun intended.”
Kamilah shook her head until her earrings smacked her cheeks. “No, no. Flailing violence runs the risk of snagging jewelry or messing up the hair. You’ve got to stay controlled in your gestures. That’s why soaps use guns and poison, not karate.”
“All right, everybody, glam it up!” Parker shouted. “Out to the lobby!”
The make-up crew descended on the contestants, chatting amongst each other about their weekends while they plastered stuff on faces and sprayed the life out of hair. Milo just squeezed his eyes shut and tried not to inhale the fumes, which was easier since he was still a bit winded.
Finally, Janot said, “All right kid. You look good enough for the line-up. Even if you cry, you ain’t gonna streak, but don’t touch the hair or you might hurt yourself.”
Milo lifted a finger tentatively to his head, but she smacked it back down with a brush. “I’m tellin’ ya, it’s sharp.”
“I’ll take your word for it. I thank you profusely.” Milo eased himself out of his canvas chair.
“Watch your mouth.” Janot winked. “You smart boys don’t really belong on this show, y’know.”
Milo winked back. “Thanks?”
“Confetti bombs are ready!” Parker’s voice came through a monitor. “Get ’em out here!”
Jill walked up to Milo, her mouth gaping.
“Yeah, that’s what I feel like, too. This stuff is crazy,” he said. “Did they say confetti bombs?”
“You look … amazing!”
Wait, did she just say…?
Jill grabbed his hand and squeezed. “Good luck!” They walked out onto the stage again, hand-in-hand. She let go and wiped her palms on her skirt. “Man, it’s hot under these lights.”
“That’s probably why the make-up had to have an element of cement in it,” said Milo. “Heat-resistant or something.” The spotlight intensified. “Whatever Janot did to my eyebrows makes it so I can’t squint.”
Jill laughed. “You’re so weird.”
“I’ll have to commend her on that later.”
“Get ready!” Jill’s squeak was barely audible above the hyped-up crowd.
The confetti bombs went off, showering the stage with industrial-sized glitter.
Milo snapped out of his haze to realize that everyone on stage was clapping along to the music and congratulating each other. Amaya hugged Antonio, and Crawford gave him a high-five. Chieko burst into happy pageant princess tears. Glancing up at the massive flat screen on the side, Milo saw the cameras had locked on to him. He looked alarmingly self-possessed and confident, which kind of freaked him out. Just as he was about to tear his gaze away, Jill nuzzled into his ear. “You’re so awesome to do this with me.”
He saw it larger than life on the big screen and decided he liked this new version of reality … a lot.
Scene 7: Taking a Break
Once the make-up team detoxed all the product from their skin and hair, Parker dismissed everyone for the day. Jill scanned the auditorium seating for Milo and found him near the back talking to Amaya. He raked his long bangs from his eyes and probably quipped something funny because she burst out laughing.
Milo turned and caught Jill’s eye, flashing his signature smile, warm and genuine.
Jill felt an unexpected twitch in her gut. “Hey Milo!” She waved him over, and Amaya followed. “Crawford told me earlier there’s a good Thai place out this way. What if we grab some takeout and head up to that domed building thingy on the river?”
“The Vista House at Crown Point?”
Jill snickered. “What, did you memorize the names of all the tourist attractions out here?”
“No,” said Milo, casting a sideways glance at Amaya. “She just told me about it.”
Amaya nodded. “Multnomah Falls is close by, too. Some of the highest falls in North America. If we beat rush hour traffic, we could hike the trail before it gets dark.”
“Sounds great!” cheered Jill. “Lemme go tell Crawford.”
Amaya’s eyes widened. “Oh, is this like a double date?”
Jill pondered the ramifications of this. True, she thought Crawford was pretty hot and wouldn’t mind hanging with him, but Milo and another girl? He hadn’t gone out on dates more than a handful of times in all the years she’d known him. “Let’s call it team-building.” She could see the gratitude in Milo’s eyes, and she gave him a thumbs-up.
In the lobby, Milo saw his parents and stopped so quickly that Amaya bumped into the back of him. “Oh man, I totally spaced that they were still here.” Milo spun, searching for Jill to rescue the situation.
Mendel Halsey slapped Milo on the back. “Okay, how many of your friends are we taking out for lunch? This is my only chance to rub shoulders with celebrities, you know.”
Mabel wrinkled her nose and smiled at Antonio passing by just as Jill walked up with Crawford and Chieko.
A lump of guilt formed in Milo’s stomach. He had forgotten Antonio. “Hey, Antonio, do you want to come to lunch with us? Thai food—our treat.”
Antonio gave a half grin. “Wow, that’s really nice. Thanks.” He came over and was soon shaking hands with Mabel and Mendel.
Jill, however, looked at Milo cross-eyed. Talking without moving her lips, she leaned in close. “Milo, we were going to do the hike thing.”
“I thought it was a team-building time.”
She grunted a little.
“That is really nice of you to offer,” said Crawford. “But I think Jill, Chieko, and I are going to head out on our own this time. We’ll catch you next time.”
Milo stiffened. “Wait, what?” Was the Beach Bum stealing Jill away?
Chieko chirped appreciatively, and Jill winked and waved good-bye as they bounded out the door into the sunshine.
“Okay, then,” said Mendel. “Just the … five of us?”
“Wonderful,” said Mabel.
Mendel gestured to Amaya and Antonio. “I’ll want to hear your whole life stories!”
“Mendel, you’re scaring them.” Mabel tugged at his arm.
“I’m prepping them for the paparazzi.”
Amaya laughed. “I doubt that. They won’t feed us.”
***
Milo still wasn’t sure what had happened since the Thai food was Crawford’s idea and the hike was Amaya’s, but there he was in a quaint little restaurant with super high ceilings and a mural of a thirty-foot orchid filling the wall. His dad lost no time in fawning all over Amaya, who sat on Milo’s left, fielding questions.
Antonio elbowed Milo from the right. “Sounds like she doesn’t even like soaps.”
“Do you?”
Antonio lifted both hands vaguely. “Who knows. It’s just nice not to be waiting tables for a change. And if I win this round, that’s a nice wad of cash, huh?”
Milo nodded numbly. “Yeah, I could pay off a bunch of college debt.”
“I could pay rent and get my transmission fixed.”
Milo considered this. Antonio’s world felt very different from his own.
“Wait, why are you doing this?” Mendel’s voice grabbed Milo’s attention and he turned to see his father watching Amaya intently.
She shrugged. “Every performance skill I gain gives me that much more of an edge for the future. It’s all good experience.”
“And good exposure!” Mendel drummed on the table with his palms. “Between the airing on prime time and all the ads they’ll probably release, you’ll have at least minor celebrity status for a while. You’ll be able to capitalize on that, surely?”
“Are you volunteering to be her agent, Mendel?” Mabel teased.
Mendel chortled and then became distracted by the waitress bringing the food.
Amaya glanced sideways. “You have an agent, Milo?”
“What? Me? No!”
She passed the white rice and placed her napkin on her lap. “Well why are you in this? Have you always wanted to be on TV?”