‘Yeah.’
‘Please don’t tell me you’re not coming?’
‘No, I’m coming, it’s just… my friend Lou is watching the show and as we’re not allowed to bringguests to the official drinks thing, I’ll probably just come for one and then go for a drink with her. Just wondered if you fancied coming?’
‘Is that theonlyreason you’re leaving early?’
‘Yes, of course! Well, that and… I don’t really like the idea of spending an evening with Oscar and Tamara in the same room. If they do want to make out again I’d rather not see it this time.’
‘Olive, I know he’s been a massive,massiveidiot but… everyone can see how much he likes you.’
‘Then why did he kiss someone else?’ Olive said without a smile.
‘Because he’s a massive,massiveidiot. Look I’m not making excuses for the guy but – you’d had a fight, he was drunk and from what it looks like, he suffers from serious low self-esteem.’
‘He seems confidentenough to me…’ Olive folded her arms across her chest.
‘Oh, that’s all just a front! Let’s look at the facts, shall we? One. Michael calling him “TV” all the time has probably made him feel insecure and a little unwelcome here. I know it would if it were me. Two, did you see all that stuff in the papers about him and Zadie?’
‘How could I miss it?’ Olive sighed.
‘Oh yeah, andall the drama she caused about that picture of the two of you. He’s not exactly had the best of luck with women, has he? It’s all drama, drama, drama! It’s hard enough having a relationship in the public eye, let alone it going so pear-shaped with everyone watching and wading in with their own opinions. He might play the confident lad but I reckon he’s actually a little bit… I dunno… broken byit all? Getting with someone like Tamara, a girl who looks like she stepped off the Victoria’s Secret catwalk, probably made him feel good about himself – even if it was short-lived!’
‘A second ago you were ready to castrate him!’
‘And I still would! For you!’ Sammy grinned through a heart she made with her fingers. ‘I could be wrong but I’m just saying, he may haveactedlike amassive arsehole but I just don’t think heisan arsehole.’
‘Hmm.’ Olive turned back to the mirror and started to take the pins out of her wig.
‘Oh, please don’t be like that!’ Sammy skittered over to Olive, and wrapped her arms around her shoulders, swaying them both back and forth as she spoke to Olive in the mirror. ‘I’m being serious. I’m a very cynical, cut-throat person. Ruthless,I tell you! Ruthless! And if I thought saying goodbye to Oscar was the way forward, I would tell you so. But you both make each other smile and we’ve all loved watching you flirt back and forth since the beginning of rehearsals. We’ve all been dying to see where this thing between you might go.’ Sammy squeezed Olive’s shoulders and then started helping remove pins from her wig.
‘You’veknown about us since rehearsals?’ Olive asked, and Sammy stopped and looked at Olive in the mirror, raising her eyebrows at her with a smile.
‘Oh, honeeeey…’
‘Yeah, all right. We weren’t subtle, were we?’ Olive sighed, looking down into her lap.
‘No, babe. You weren’t. Look, he’s a good guy. He’s just at a point in his life where he’s a bit lost and he made a wrong turn. Abig Tamara-shaped wrong turn.’
Olive couldn’t help it, she laughed.
‘THERE SHE IS! Now get dressed, quickly. We’re going for burgers before the big show.’ Sammy slapped Olive’s thigh and ran back to the door.
‘Who?’ Olive said, her stomach rumbling at just the mention of food.
‘Not Tamara. Or Jane. So you’re coming.’
‘Only if you come for drinks with me and Loutonight?’
‘Of course I’ll be there!’ Sammy scarpered, skidding down the hallway to the stairwell in just her tights, calling back, ‘GET DRESSED, OLIVE!’ and so Olive got dressed.
Olive was gratefulto be preoccupied by the company of Sammy, Doug and Howard but time managed to escape them all and before any of them had finished their burgers, they realised they only had ten minutes to finish up and pay before ‘the half’ was called. Back inside the theatre, actors were running back and forth between their dressing rooms and wardrobe, making sure they had all the right items of clothing theyneeded. Dressers were carrying baskets of costumes to quick-change areas and setting them out in a way that made it easier for the actors to get in and out of their clothes between scenes, and in amongst it all was Walter, worrying about how much the lights had been flickering since they’d been turned on that morning.
‘Fawn, I don’t know what you’re up to but I’m not entirely sure I likeit,’ he muttered.
‘Hi, Walter!’ Olive bustled through the door with the others not far behind who all mumbled their hellos. ‘This is Sammy, Doug and Howard. Guys, this is Walter,’ smiled Olive.
‘Yes, I recognise them from the programme. Hello,’ Walter answered. ‘You’ve got some mail, Olive. Some in the pigeonhole and that package by your feet is yours too, I believe.’
