“Rick? Unsure of himself?” Bess shook her head, in disbelief. “I’m sorry, Mattie. I don’t think you know the real Rick.”
“Maybe not, but I’ve known him a long time. We did summer stock together years ago. He was different then, warm and sincere. In the past few years, he’s really changed. He can be so cold now, even cruel.”
“Well, maybe he just hasn’t met the right girl yet,” Bess suggested.
“Wait a minute,” Nancy interrupted. “Mattie, why are you so concerned about a man you’ve just told us is cold, cruel, and steps on people?”
“Oh, I don’t know,” Mattie answered softly. “I guess I still think of him as a friend, even if it didn’t work out between us.” Looking over at Nancy imploringly, she added, “Rick would never admit it, but I’m sure that way down deep he’s scared. I’d just feel so much better if you were on the set tomorrow.”
Bess rolled her eyes and got up from the table. Nancy watched her go. She hoped Bess knew what she was doing where Rick was concerned.
“I’d like to be there myself,” Nancy replied, turning back to Mattie. “But now that the set’s closed to visitors—”
“Wait a minute!” Mattie cried. Her eyes shimmered with excitement. “I just got a brilliant idea! We’re shooting a hospital scene tomorrow, and I’ll bet I could get you and Bess jobs as extras! What do you think? Will you do it?”
Across the kitchen, Bess couldn’t help jumping up and down with excitement. “That would be fantastic!”
Nancy thought for a moment. “Are you sure you could do it?”
“Almost sure. Here, let me call the casting director. Eloise, do you have a phone book handy?”
Nancy’s aunt brought the book over as Bess loaded the dishwasher. “Just imagine, Nancy, appearing oh my favorite soap!”
“We’re in luck!” Mattie announced, hanging up the phone a few minutes later. “She says you two can be nurses. Just report to the studio at seven sharp, and go straight to the costume room as soon as you get there.”
“But what if people recognize us?” Nancy wondered out loud.
“Oh, they won’t recognize you.” Mattie laughed and stood up to leave. “No one ever looks at the extras. Besides, when you’re on camera you’ll probably have wigs and uniforms on. You probably won’t even recognize yourselves.”
“You know, Nancy,” Bess said after Mattie had gone. “No matter what anyone says, I’ve read that a lot of big stars started out as extras. You never know—this could be my lucky break!”
Bess and Nancy had reported to the studio at seven the next morning. After the dry blocking, in which they learned what they were to do, they reported to makeup and wardrobe. Now, standing on pedestals as two wardrobe people finished their final fittings for the dress rehearsal, Bess and Nancy couldn’t help giggling.
“You’re really a knockout as a brunette, Nancy!” Bess said.
Nancy looked over at her friend, who was wearing an identical uniform. She had a white nurse’s cap over her bright red wig, and Nancy had never seen her look more excited.
“Your dress rehearsal will be third, ladies,” a production assistant told them. “After the big love scene, which is the second, report to Lillian. You know where to stand and what to do from the first rehearsal. So, break a leg. Oh, if you want to catch Rick and Mattie in rehearsal, you can. Rory and Serena are going to have a big scene. It’s supposed to be pretty hot stuff.”
Bess immediately dashed down the corridor to the set, determined not to miss a word of Mattie and Rick’s scene. It was all Nancy could do to keep up with her.
Watching the cast and crew gather around the set of Serena Livingstone’s living room, Nancy could feel their edginess. The near-disaster of the day before had obviously gotten to everyone. Even though the set was closed to outsiders, Nancy could tell that nobody felt truly safe.
The only person who seemed at ease was Rick. Flashing a smile at Bess as he walked onto the set, he looked as if he were on top of the world.