“Who cancelled it?”
“They said someone from production called. I think it was Kenzie. Even though I don’t know why she’s trying to ruin her own show.” She shook her head. “I’ll deal with it tomorrow. Right now, Margot’s more important.”
I filed that information away. Something felt off about all these “mistakes,” but Lila was right. Margot came first.
I lowered my voice. “I can’t get her to come out of the bedroom. She’s been in there since we got here.” I ran a hand through my hair. “Mia, maybe you can coax her out?”
“Totally.” Mia looked uncertain for a second. “Should I knock? Introduce myself?”
“Yeah, I guess so,” I said. “I don’t know if she’ll even respond.”
Mia walked over to the door and knocked lightly. “Hey, Margot, you in there? I’m Mia. A friend of Vance’s. Of your dad’s. My mom and I brought food and we have a present for you.”
“Why?” Margot asked, clearly close to the door.
Mia rested her forehead against the door. “Oh, why? Um … because we really like your dad. And we’re excited to meet you.”
“How old are you?” Margot asked, still behind the closed door.
“I’m fourteen,” Mia said.
Silence.
Mia glanced at her mom, then tried again. “I’m going to start high school in a few weeks. I’m kind of scared. Are you scared to start a new school too?”
A second or two and then, “It doesn’t matter. I won’t be there long.”
We all exchanged glances. Mia returned to her mission. “We brought a present for you. I picked it out. And Thai food. Are you hungry?”
The door opened a crack. Margot peered out, her eyes red-rimmed but dry. She’d changed into pajama pants and an oversized sweatshirt with the San Francisco professional football logo on the front. She looked at Mia first, then peered behind her where Lila hovered near me.
“Hey, Margot.” Mia smiled wide. “You’re super pretty.”
“So are you,” Margot mumbled.
“I love your sweatshirt,” Mia said. “Are you a football fan?”
Margot glanced down at the front of her sweatshirt as if she didn’t remember what was on it, stepping a little closer to Mia. “I don’t know. Are you?”
“Not really. I’m not into sports. I prefer musicals.”
“I likeWicked.”
“Right? Isn’t it genius?” Mia asked. “I have no talent for music but my best friend, Grace, is practically like a professional actress. She gets the leads in all the plays.”
Margot stepped closer still, now completely out of the doorway. “I saw the movieWicked. With my grandmother. But then she died.”
“Oh my gosh, that’s awful.” Before any of us knew what was happening, Mia knelt slightly to hug Margot. To my shock, Margot hugged her back, wrapping her arms around Mia’s waist as if she were a life preserver.
I swallowed the lump in my throat.
Margot let go of Mia and stepped closer to me, peering at Lila.
“This is Lila,” I said. “Mia’s mom.”
Lila smiled warmly. “Hi, Margot. It’s so nice to meet you.”
“Hi,” Margot said quietly. “Are you his girlfriend?” She gestured toward me.
