to walk Dinah home. Adele glanced at her bulging tote bag with the stuffed Toto’s head sticking out of it and started to go in, but hesitated.
“I’m coming with,” she said. “I’ll just drop this off.”
“I’ll be back before you get out of the store,” I said. “You don’t have to come.” I motioned to Dinah and we began to walk toward the corner.
Adele ditched her plan of leaving the tote bag and rushed after us. “You know Molly had me over for French toast,” Adele said to Dinah. “Just me.” She let the words sink in before continuing. “Did she ever have just you over for French toast?”
I saw that Dinah was stifling a chuckle before she said no. Adele gave her a knowing nod.
“Maybe you’re not the best friend you thought you were.” Adele threaded her arm through mine. “Pink and I are French toast sisters.” First it was yarn sisters, now French toast sisters, what was next?
The street curved up ahead and at first all we could see was Dinah’s house on the next corner. Only when we got closer, did the production come into view. Eric stood at the curb next to his motorcycle.
They must have been planning to film a scene in the street as all the trucks had been moved out of view. Several cars were parked at the curb, including a police car.
A group of people were congregated in front of a house, several down from Dinah’s.
Without saying a word, the three of us stopped in front of Dinah and watched, mesmerized. I knew there’d be no embarrassing interventions from me this time. Not only was I very aware that whatever was going on in front of me was fake, but now that Barry was out and about, I wasn’t as sensitive anymore.
The scene in front of us did not look at all like what it would look like on television. All the audience would see was North Adams, in character, trying to console a distraught woman. The audience wouldn’t see all the people standing around the pair, or the large reflectors bringing more light into the shot, or the camera and other equipment.
I stepped a little closer to get a better view and I had to laugh. It appeared that North had listened to Barry’s advice and this time his dress shirt had a few well-placed wrinkles. But while he had the right amount of stubble on his face, his close-cropped dark hair was still a little too perfect to believe he’d been working all night.
They seemed to be rehearsing and then all the outer activity stopped as they began to actually film the scene. Suddenly an angry voice yelled “Cut!” and everything stopped. I recognized the tall jean-clad director from before.
Adele turned toward me. “Did you do something, Pink?”
I put up my arms in a sign of annoyance. The director motioned to Eric and a few moments later, the motor cop appeared holding the handlebars of a bicycle in one hand and someone’s arm in the other.
Jeffrey? Again?
Eric walked the bicycle and Jeffrey toward us as the director joined them. Barry’s son gave me a weak wave.
The director glared at me, clearly remembering me from before. “You know him?” he said with an annoyed shake of his head. “It figures.” His gaze moved to Adele and her Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz outfit and he rolled his eyes. He stepped in front of Jeffrey. “Kid, stay out of the shot—now and forever.” The director walked back to the setup.
“Don’t tell my dad,” Jeffrey said with a touch of panic in his voice. Eric with his duty done, had turned his attention to Adele. He winked and blew her a secret kiss.
“See you later, cutchykins,” he said in a low voice before going back to his station.
We withdrew from our position and moved around the corner while Jeffrey explained about his reel, again.
“I was riding by Autumn’s house,” he said. “I was going to ask her mother when she’s coming home from camp. But when I passed the street and saw they were shooting, it was like fate, or something. So I just drove my bicycle up the sidewalk.”
He gestured around the corner. “I might as well go see if Autumn’s mother knows anything. Some camp,” he said with a groan. “No cell phones or e-mail.”
I was prepared to let him go, but Dinah turned to me. “I think we should make sure he gets where he says he’s going.” All