They dissolved into helpless laughter, the kind that leaves you breathless and a little unsteady. When the wave of amusement ebbed, Madeline wiped her eyes, still grinning, but underneath the hilarity, something softer bloomed. A warmth she hadn’t expected. “I mean… maybe the island is working its magic on all of us,” she said quietly. “Even Ruthi.”
Her smile gentling, Kel nodded slowly. “Maybe especially her.”
Looking at the script again, Madeline traced Ruthi’s words with her finger. She’d spent so long bracing herself for criticism, for being told she wasn’t enough. But here, in this strange, beautiful place, surrounded by people who saw through her defenses, Kel most of all, maybe she could try something different. Maybe she could let herself be honest. Vulnerable. Real. She closed the folder, looking at Kel, her heart full. “I’m scared,” she whispered. “But I want to try. I want to show them who I really am. Not just the TV mom. Not just the joke.”
Reaching for her, Kel pulled her into a hug. “You don’t have to do it alone, Madeline. I’ll be right there. Every step.”
Madeline smiled, the last of her nerves melting away. Tomorrow would come too soon, with its cameras and its expectations and the pressure to be perfect, but tonight, she was here, held by the woman she loved, buoyed by a note she never expected. Maybe that was enough.
15
Kel shifted as the jeep bumped along the dirt track. The sun was barely on the horizon, and Madeline sat beside her, with hands wrapped around a travel mug of coffee. They rounded the final bend and the cove unfurled before them. Mist rose off the water, and the palms were sharp silhouettes against the brightening sky. As their jeep rolled in, the set was already a hive of activity. Crew members hustled between equipment jeeps and the shooting setup. Only one bit of calm stood out—Antonia. Kel guessed the woman was there to ensure the location was secure, and her presence made Kel breathe a little easier.
At least Ruthi wasn’t in this car, Kel thought, relief and nerves tangling together. Apparently, the director had insisted on riding out even earlier with the crew, to “make sure nothing else exploded before sunrise.”Typical, but at least it gave Madeline a quiet ride. Kel knew it was something the woman needed. Today was a big day.
As soon as they stepped out of the jeep, Ruthi materialized at the edge of the staging area in dark jeans, a black T-shirt, sunglasses, and a clipboard in hand like a weapon. “Madeline,” she called, voice brisk but not biting. “Makeup tent, five minutes,tops. I told them no heavy coverage. I want you as you are. Natural.” She flicked her gaze over Madeline, pausing long enough for Kel to catch the faintest glimmer of approval. “Let’s move.”
Nodding, Madeline glanced at Kel. “You’ll wait right here?”
Kel smiled, squeezing her hand. “I’m not going anywhere. You’ve got this.”
Madeline smiled back, gratitude and nerves warring in her eyes. “If I run, tackle me.”
“Deal,” Kel said with a wink. “Now go get gorgeous.”
She watched as Madeline hurried off, shoulders a little straighter now, before exhaling a shaky breath. She was still riding the high of the day before. The sun and laughter and Madeline’s mouth on hers, but now the old anxiety was back, coiled tight in her chest. Today was Madeline’s moment, and Kel wanted everything to be perfect for her.No sabotage. No drama,she thought.Just Madeline shining.
Lost in thought, Kel didn’t notice Ruthi had drifted closer until the director spoke. “Do you always come to the set and help with the shoot? Assistants aren’t always so involved.”
Kel startled, then shrugged, trying for casual. “I guess I got in the habit. Madeline likes to have someone in her corner, especially on big days.” She hesitated, then added, “I’m used to it. I was… logistics on a couple of indie projects before this. Expectations were high because there were only so many of us to do the work, and it stuck.”
For a beat, Ruthi only tilted her head. “Not a bad gig,” she finally said. “You’re lucky. Most actors treat their assistants like furniture.” Then she gave her a hint of a smile. “But it seems Madeline is lucky to have you too.”
Kel ducked her head, surprised by the compliment. “Madeline’s… different. She actually listens. She cares.” She hesitated, then, before she talked herself out of it, added, “And,um—I’m actually a screenwriter. Or I’m trying to be. I write at night. Bad habit, maybe.”
Ruthi’s eyebrows rose behind her sunglasses. For a second, Kel braced for the snark, but it didn’t come. “Screenwriting’s a blood sport,” Ruthi said, sharp, but not unkind. “Hardest door in Hollywood to kick open. Smarter people than you and me have given up trying.” She paused, as if weighing something. “But if you’re already writing, you’re ahead of most. Keep at it. And don’t take notes from idiots.”
Caught off guard, Kel blinked. “Thank you. I—wow. I wasn’t expecting… that.”
Ruthi gave her the hint of a smile. “Don’t get used to it.” With that, she turned and strode toward the monitors, barking an order at the lighting crew, all business again. Kel watched her go, feeling a strange swirl of emotions. A little relief, hope, and something like awe.Maybe the island really is working some kind of magic, she thought.Even on Ruthi Shay.
A soft voice pulled her back. “Kel?” She turned to find Madeline standing outside the makeup tent, radiant in the morning light. Her skin glowed, eyes luminous, hair swept back in soft waves. She looked both nervous and electric.
Kel’s heart twisted with pride and longing. “You look incredible,” she said.
Madeline smiled. “Ready?”
Nodding, Kel felt warmth blooming in her chest. “More than ready,” she said. “Now, go show them who you are.”
The jungle air was thick,and the cove shimmered behind her as Madeline stepped onto her final mark. Her body thrummed with adrenaline. The kind that felt like hope and victory. She had delivered her lines with a clarity and honesty that felt new, raw, and exhilarating. Each time she finished a take, she caught littleglimmers of awe on the crew’s faces. The sound woman had even high-fived her after the last setup. “You made my job easy,” she whispered, and Madeline grinned, heart buoyant.
Behind the monitor, Ruthi’s voice cut through the hum of the crew. “All right, people, you can celebrate later,” she said, sounding efficient but not harsh. “We need our closing shot. Madeline, on the path. Walk away from the camera, slowly, and naturally. Let the moment breathe. I want to see hope, not a toothpaste ad.”
Madeline nodded, nerves giving way to a giddy kind of peace. She glanced at Kel, who stood a little off set. Madeline gave her a wink, then took her place at the edge of the jungle, the dappled light painting her skin. The script called for her to walk away from the camera, leaving footprints in the sand, vanishing into the green. A symbol of transformation, of stepping into the unknown. It felt almost too on-the-nose, but the moment felt real. She let herself breathe and let the island’s hush settle inside her.
Ruthi’s voice came again, softer this time. “And… action.”
Moving forward, Madeline walked slowly and steadily, her bare feet sinking into the warm sand, until the jungle swallowed her in lush, fragrant shadow. She let everything fall away. Her doubts, her old fears, the pressure to be perfect… She walked, letting the camera drink her in.This is it, she thought.This is me. I am enough.
