Chapter 15
While Zwick had allowed for a full week for April and Dr. Ang to prepare for their roles, Betty insisted on cutting that down to four days.
“If Zwick thought they were good enough to play these roles, surely they’re good enough to learn their parts quickly.”
With that, Sonya spent all her time working with the new cast members. She alternated between working on songs with April and working on what little dialogue Dr. Ang had.
“You’re a natural,” she told him after they’d gone over a particularly difficult and emotional scene. “I think Betty will be impressed.”
“Thank you. I’ve been working on my regal stance. This king is a little lofty, isn’t he? Haughty even.”
“You’ve had a regal stance from the very first moment I saw you.” And it certainly explained how April was so exceptionally poised and graceful. No doubt the young girl emulated the distinguished steps of her adoptive father.
“As for lofty and haughty, you bring much humanity to this noble man.”
He laughed and Sonya marveled at how easy it all was.
Her time with April was precious and always engaging, and her moments with Dr. Ang were easy and comfortable.
Anyone walking into her bungalow would have thought they’d all lived together for years like a family.
It pained her to think that it would end in a day or two.
If she’d had things her way, they would have stayed with her until the end of the shoot.
Then again, she could understand Dr. Ang’s eagerness to find a real bed.
“Dinner’s ready,” April called out.
Sonya set the script down and turned to her. “What do you mean, dinner’s ready? Did you make dinner?”
“Of course. You’ve been working with Dad for two hours now. Someone had to think of what to eat,” she said with an amused laugh. “I made my specialty. Macaroni and cheese... and not the boxed kind.”
As with every other meal they’d shared, the conversation leapt from the script, to Hollywood, to Zwick and to vampires.
Fortunately, April and Dr. Ang knew that Sonya was a vampire.
April, herself, had a blood disorder, which Dr. Ang had been trying to cure for years.
It helped Dr. Ang to study vampires to understand April’s disorder, which made him a specialist in this area as well as being a scientist and inventor in technology.
Although a far cry from the spacious country home Dr. Ang and April shared on a vineyard in California, here in this cozy bungalow on a studio set, they shared acting tips, spoke of the oddities of Hollywood and the dangers of this new wave of vampires.
Throughout it all, the small house was filled with laughter and mutual affection for one another.
To anyone watching, they were a family; plain and simple.
“Tomorrow’s the big day,” Sonya said. “Are you two ready? Any last-minute questions.”
April finished her last bite of macaroni and clasped her hands together. “I’m ready. I can’t wait.”
*****
MARION HAD BEEN REPLACED with a young man, Lionel. His peroxide bleached hair was as straight as straw and looked just about as dry. He had an earring in one ear and rings on every finger.
But beyond that, there was something familiar in the eyes, the turn of the lips. Sonya immediately noticed a resemblance and said so.
“Marion was my cousin,” Lionel said.
Sonya sat down, instantly going back to when she’d found Eddie in the very same chair. Chills ran up her spine, and she tried to push the sense of discomfort away.
But as Lionel did her makeup, a growing sense of foreboding gripped her. Soon April would sit in the same chair. Would she be safe? Was the Bat still roaming about? The thought shook Sonya and she gripped the arms of the chair, her nails digging into the vinyl.
Stop being so paranoid, she told herself.
Lionel worked quickly, much faster than Marion ever had, but it felt rushed and imperfect. Looking at her reflection, the effect was the same at a distance, but the small, feathery details were missing.
“Next!” Lionel called out as he spun the chair around.
Kitty came in as April took the chair. “Betty is ready for you, Sonya”
“In just a minute,” Sonya said, unwilling to leave April alone. Being with Lionel didn’t count. If anything were to happen, she felt certain he would be of no help.
Kitty didn’t question her. She simply nodded and walked away.
No way, Sonya thought. No way was she going to walk out and leave April in the very same place Eddie was drained. Whatever had gotten to Eddie and Marion was still out there; still haunting the cast and crew.
“Your nervous energy is making me nervous,” Lionel said with a touch of annoyance. “Why don’t you come back in an hour or so?”
“Has anyone told you what happened here?”
“In a manner of speaking,” he said with disinterest. “Someone died. The king, I think. Another one went missing.” He shrugged, unmoved by the events. “Crap happens.”
Sonya glared at him. “The ‘other one’ who went missing was your cousin, Marion.”
He looked at her, a dumb look on his face. “Oh, yeah. Right. Marion has always been a little flighty. She probably just got fed up and left this place.”
She didn’t like him, and she didn’t like the idea of leaving April with him. And it wasn’t just fear of any vampires. Something was wrong with this beach bum turned makeup artist.
Dr. Ang walked in, ready for his turn in makeup and wardrobe. “I’ll watch over her,” he said softly.
Wringing her hands nervously, Sonya finally left and went to Betty and the cameraman.
“Kitty said you wanted to see me.”
“We’re going to get a few close-up shots of you singing in the moonlight.” She pointed to the painted moon in the background.
Sonya nodded but her heart wasn’t in it. She sang and, technically, it was perfect. But she couldn’t bring the necessary emotion to her performance.
“The camera is over here, Sonya,” Betty cut in. “Why are you looking over there?”
“Sorry,” Sonya said. “Can we start again?”
Betty silently signaled for the cameraman to roll.
But Sonya’s gaze darted everywhere. Any little noise caught her attention. Betty’s patience was running thin when April and Dr. Ang finally came to the set.
“I’ll get it this time,” Sonya said. Finally calm, she gave Betty the performance she needed.
“Okay,” Betty called to everyone. “This is a midnight scene. We need the king, the queen, her lady and Songbird on set. Oh, and two chambermaids.”
“What do I do?” April said.
“The queen’s lady will walk in through here,” Betty said. “Songbird... by the window.”
With everyone in place, Betty called for action.
It took only three takes to get the scene right and they then went on to film several more scenes together. The newcomers impressed Betty and the cast who’d had their doubts.
“Good job,” Betty said. She pinched April’s chin and gave Dr. Ang a congratulatory pat on the shoulder. “We’ll break for lunch and get back here for two.”
The cast and crew dispersed.
“That was fun,” April said, her eyes bright with enthusiasm.
Sonya couldn’t resist putting her arm around the girl. “You were wonderful, both of you.”
“Before we start filming again, I’d like to practice that song we do together.”
“You girls practice,” Dr. Ang said. “I’m going to head to the bungalow to prepare a light lunch.”
Sonya nodded. “We’ll be there in twenty minutes.”
April quickly went to the piano and sat down, her fingers poised over the keys.
“Do you want the music sheet?”
Her fingers responded by playing the intro to their song.
“In addition to your kung fu practice, you’ve been keeping up with your piano lessons,” Sonya said, more and more impressed with the girl. “And you memorized the piano parts?”
Grinning with pride, April nodded. “At the end of the day, almost every day, I’d sit at the piano at home and just play... anything... sometimes nothing in particular, just melodies that I found interesting.”
She stopped playing and looked at Sonya who nodded for her to start again. April played the intro to the song. Sonya, so close to her daughter, sang with more emotion than she ever had. The song held new meaning, and when April joined in, tears filled her eyes. Tears of joy and longing.
This. More of this. It was what she longed for. Time with her daughter. Catching up on years lost. She’d missed so much and now ached at the thought of missing a single moment.
The song ended with April playing three simple notes in quiet repetition.
Slow and condescending applause came from behind them. “How quaint.”
Sonya turned to see Connie, still dressed as the queen, standing there. Her expression was harsh, just as the queen had often been harsh with Songbird.
“You guys are just way too chummy,” she added. “Looks like you’ve known each other for years. I don’t believe this girl was simply plucked off the street and you two now have this chemistry.”
“April is my... she was my student,” Sonya said. “I taught her to sing and play piano... also a bit of violin, cello and flute.”
Connie smiled, a flat smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “You did a very good job. She must have been a star student.”
“An eager student who wants to learn is always a pleasure to work with.”
“No doubt.” Connie came close, her eyes on April as if looking for something wrong with her. “You have natural talent. I can tell. And you have a sweeter disposition than that other actress. You’re also much cuter.”
Sonya watched the queen closely. There was something not quite right with her. Something had changed. Her gaze was strange and cold and the words she spoke seemed to hide a darker meaning.
“She’s just a child,” Sonya heard herself say.
April tensed up, her hands balling into tiny fists.
“Of course she is.” Her eyes widened and her pupils split into the straight vertical line of a venomous snake.
Sonya gasped and stepped closer still to her daughter. But Connie’s eyes resumed their natural human form. Sonya shook her head. Had she just imagined it?
“A child,” Connie said, looking to Sonya. “Be sure to keep her away from Zwick.”
Sonya grimaced. What a horrible thought. “She’s just a little girl.”
“You never know. Some pretty strange things happen out here in Hollyweird. It often feels like anything goes in this place. As if rules and morals have no meaning here. Do as you like. Do whatever makes you feel good. It doesn’t matter, especially if you’re a big star or a big producer who can make a pretty girl a star. The rules don’t apply to you.”
Connie looked past them and Sonya turned to see Dr. Ang returning to the studio.
“I read up about your Dr. Ang,” Connie said with a chuckle. “Impressive man. A medical doctor and a rich businessman. Nice. Real nice. What I don’t understand is... well... it’s strange to see such a man here in this cheap movie production. Why would he do such a thing?”
“April is his daughter,” Sonya said. “I think Dr. Ang is well aware of the creeps out here in Hollyweird. If you ask me, he’s here to keep an eye on April.”
“Good move,” the queen said. “It’s reassuring to see a good and dedicated father. I’ve seen father’s out here who would gleefully hand their daughters over to a movie producer... for money... for glory... for fame. The degradation never ends out here.”
“I’ll be sure to tighten our watch of her,” Sonya said as Dr. Ang came up to them.
“Yes. Do that.” She cupped April’s cheek. “Such a special girl. Such a sweet and innocent girl... exactly the type of girl these monsters look for.”
Sonya nodded and tried to remain calm. But the queen, Connie... her interest in April was disconcerting.