150
." He wandered out of the room, distracted. After a moment, Avika Spiegelman followed him. Rajiv hovered, and then went out into the main office to get another copy of the script.
I went over to Michelle. "Don't panic," I said.
"What was I thinking?" Michelle said. She ran both her hands through her hair.
"You just memorized the wrong scene, that's all," I said. "It's nothing to worry about."
Michelle rolled her eyes at me. "Tom, the scene has four lines," she said. "Don't you think I should have figured out it was the wrong scene?"
"Well, I think that the fact you're only line was 'yes,' should have been a tip-off," I admitted.
Michelle looked restless. I quickly held my hand up. "But -- even so. It was an honest mistake, Michelle. You need to roll with it, and do the scene right." I took her hand and clasped it, lightly. "You can do it, Michelle. Just be calm."
"Did you see how that woman looked at me?" Michelle said.
"I get the feeling that Avika Spiegelman doesn't get many thrills out of life," I said. "Think of her as an object of pity, not of fear."
"She made me feel like an idiot, Tom. Like I'm back in grade school and the nuns are out to get me."
I grinned. "That's a pretty good simile, Michelle," I said.
"A what?" Michelle said.
Rajiv came back in the office with scripts in hand.
"Listen," I said. "Practice the scene with Rajiv. I'll track down Roland and schmooze the man. It's what you pay me the big bucks for."
Michelle smiled wanly as I exited.
Roland's office was tucked into a corner of the studio lot; to the left were huge sound sets. To the right was a little park in the center of a collection of offices. Roland was in the little park, standing. Avika Spiegelman stood next to him. As I got closer, it became clear that Avika was chewing Roland out over something. Before I could hear what it was, however, she saw me approach, clammed up, shot Roland a look and walked away from him. He stood there,
