Olivia laughed. ‘Me too! Wa-cky Wal-rus likes to dance and sing . . .’
Ivy joined in for the second line, ‘Wa-cky Wal-rus, he’s the walrus king!’
Ivy squinted in the sun. ‘I’m glad Lillian lent me her sun block. It’s so hot!’
The sisters wandered across the sunny lot to the door marked VIP ONLY.
‘Oooh.’ Ivy played with the VIP pass around her neck, waving it in the air even though there was no one there to see it. ‘VIP, that’s me!’ she said and Olivia giggled.
Her sister stuck her nose in the air. ‘I’m very important, let me through!’
‘Hey you!’ shouted someone. ‘You can’t go in there!’
Olivia and Ivy swivelled around, their VIP badges swinging from their cords.
It was a bald security man, and he did not look amused, but as soon as he saw their passes, he stopped. ‘My apologies, ladies,’ he said, backing off. ‘Guests of Mr Harker are welcome anywhere.’
‘Uh, thanks,’ Ivy said. It was funny when they were pretending, but people bowing and scraping like that really made her uncomfortable.
Olivia pushed open the door to Studio 6 and Ivy followed her inside. The motion-sensor lights flickered on when they walked in to reveal a huge open space with wires snaking across the floor and random props everywhere.
‘Look!’ Olivia said, her voice echoing oddly in the emptiness.
She had found a display of Wacky Walrus merchandise and photographs behind the scenery. Olivia picked up one of the soft-toy versions of Wacky Walrus and made it dance through the air.
‘Wa-cky Wal-rus,’ she sang and Ivy joined in.
They started skipping around the studio, shouting the song louder and louder.
Olivia made Wacky Walrus sit on one of the tall, expensive-looking cameras and Ivy goofed around with a big soft-toy fish, making it swim up to Wacky and almost get eaten.
‘You can’t catch me, Mr Walrus King!’ Ivy shouted, making the fish swim away.
Olivia shouted. ‘Mm, tasty fish!’ and chased Ivy over on to the stage area, which had a piano and big quilts hanging up on a laundry line.
‘This totally reminds me of The Parent Trap!’ Olivia said.
‘Let’s get together . . .’ Ivy started, knowing she was off-key but not caring.
‘Yeah, yeah, yeah!’ finished Olivia.
Ivy used the fish to play a little air guitar and hopped around the stage, but her foot caught on one of the cables on the floor and she lurched right towards a camera.
Olivia lunged, trying to stop Ivy crashing into it. But it was too late. All Ivy could do was twist at the very last second so that she landed on the fish, rather than on the camera.
‘Are you OK?’ Olivia asked as she helped Ivy get up.
Ivy nodded, relieved that she didn’t break anything – especially the equipment. She straightened her black wrap-around skirt, the good mood disappearing. ‘See?’ she said, wishing she was anywhere but here. ‘Me anywhere near a camera is a disaster waiting to happen.’
Chapter Eight
‘Girls?’ called Mr Vega.
Olivia hadn’t heard the door opening, but she turned to see Mr Vega, Lillian and Mr Harker walking into the studio.
‘We’re over here!’ she called.
‘But how did you know where we were?’ Ivy asked as they drew near.
Harker pushed his wild hair out of his face. ‘Big Kev said that he’d seen you coming in here.’
The name definitely suited him, Olivia thought, putting Wacky Walrus carefully back in his place on the display.
‘Everything is gravy for this summer’s filming,’ said Harker. ‘You two will be my leading ladies, and Lillian will chaperone, as well as acting as assistant director.’
‘And I’ll be on set as much as possible,’ said Mr Vega, smiling at Lillian.
‘So we just need to finish the paperwork.’ Harker grinned. ‘And you’ll both be hugely famous!’
Olivia watched her sister. Ivy had a grimace on her face. She’s only doing it to help me, Olivia knew. And it’s too much to ask.
‘Actually,’ Olivia said, struggling not to cry. ‘I don’t think we’re going to be able to do it after all.’ This felt like her greatest acting challenge yet – not to crumple in front of this hotshot producer.
Harker’s face fell and Mr Vega looked baffled.
‘What are you talking about, man?’ Harker said. ‘It’s all fixed.’
Mr Vega put his back to Harker and asked the girls quietly. ‘What’s going on? Should we leave?’
‘Olivia –’ Ivy started, but Olivia didn’t want to stop.
‘No, it’s fine,’ Olivia said to both of them. ‘Mr Harker, thank you for flying us all out here. I would totally love to be in your movie, but my sister?’ Olivia grabbed Ivy’s hand. ‘My sister would very much like not to be in your movie.’
‘Not to?’ Harker said, like she was speaking a different language.
‘Not to,’ Ivy confirmed. ‘Olivia is the actress – I’m a behind-the-scenes kind of girl.’
There was a moment of silence. ‘This is so not cool, man. SO not cool,’ Harker murmured, shaking his head.
Deep down, Olivia had known that this moment would come. It had all been too good to be true. ‘I’m sorry to put you through this trouble.’
‘I thought you girls were on the same wavelength as me.’ Harker was pacing up and down, running his hand through his hair. ‘I’ve got a lot of money riding on this. And you were so good in that Inside Hollywood interview . . .’