Nicole and Penny exchanged looks over my head.

“Send her money,” Nicole stated resolutely.

“No fucking way.”

“Jackie, the woman will obviously say or do anything. She could make a lot of trouble for you.”

The lump in my throat made it impossible for me to speak without breaking down completely. I needed a cigarette. What happened to the days when a girl could light up in a restaurant?

As the waiter returned with my second drink and set down our pizza, a familiar voice rang out.

“Abigail, daaarling!”

Anna sailed through the restaurant and sat with the women at the next table. Kisses flew around in a circle. “Guess who is behind you?” the woman called Abigail said.

“Who?”

She pointed at me.

“Jackie?” Anna said.

I turned around.

I tried to smile. “It’s me, all right.”

“Honey!” Anna exclaimed. She could tell I was not okay. “Excuse me,” she said to Abigail and the others and pulled her chair over to mine. “What happened?”

I handed her the magazine. Anna scanned the photo spread, releasing a long whistle, a trait acquired from my father. “Your mother must have been desperate,” she said sadly.

“What are you all looking at over there?” Abigail called out.

I sighed. “Go on, show it to them. Everyone is going to see it anyway.” I took the paper out of Anna’s hands, tossed it on the table in front of Abigail, and walked out.

UNIVERSAL STUDIOS

INT. SOUNDSTAGE

DAY

1998

It was the day of my big scene and I was a wreck. The film was not only over budget but two weeks behind schedule, and with rumors circulating, the trades were pointing their inky fingers at me. A couple of hitmen sent by the studio lurked behind the camera, while over at the craft service table, Nicole and Penny stood poised to do damage control. There was talk of letting the director go. Fortunately, they couldn’t let me go because most of my scenes were in the can. Still, if the numbers didn’t add up, they could pull the plug and shut down the picture.

The day before we started rehearsal, I begged Penny to get me out of my contract.

“You’ll be great,” Penny crooned.

“What if I stink?”

“You can’t stink. We won’t let you stink. Right, Nicole?”

“Right, Penny.”

“Why can’t I just do another action flick? Why, all of a sudden, does everyone want me to act?”

They laughed and took my hands in theirs as if we were characters out of Little Women. “Listen to me, Jackie Gold,” Penny said with so much warmth in her voice I smelled butter melting on Marmie’s biscuits. “You can do this. I know you can.”

I leaned my head on her shoulder, overcome by the aroma of her faith in me.

“And wait’ll you hear this,” she continued, her old tone edging back. “I got you photo approval and merchandising!”