‘It wasn’t your fault,’ Olivia replied with a pained expression. ‘Don’t blame yourself.’
‘There is no one else to blame,’ Ivy said. ‘Brendan shouldn’t have said he’d done it. I’m so lucky to have him – even if Aunt Rebecca doesn’t think so.’
Olivia nodded. ‘She just needs to get to know him.’
‘Except now she’ll never let him set foot on her property again,’ Ivy replied.
I’ve messed everything up, Ivy thought. I’m definitely not my mother’s daughter.
She thought about her mother’s journal, lying wrapped up on top of the dresser. It was almost like she didn’t deserve to read it any more.
As she laid down on the floor, wishing she was at home in her coffin, Ivy drifted off, to dream of a white horse running in the moonlight.
Back in Franklin Grove five days later, the twins were upset to hear that Lucky was still missing.
They had phoned Aunt Rebecca every day for updates, but there were no new leads. Now Olivia had to put him out of her mind. In less than an hour, it would be the grand opening of Romezog and Julietron. The entire cast was assembled backstage in all their metallic glory for a last-minute pep talk.
Aliens were perched on parts of the holodeck set, robots were scattered among the bizarre blue trees that Sophia had designed for the outdoor scenes. They were big spheres of Styrofoam stacked on top of each other. Everything was on wheels, ready to be whisked in and out by the stage crew at Ivy’s command.
Camilla hopped up on to an alien sculpture from the party scene to address the group. ‘You all look amazing and you’ve worked so hard. Our play is going to be in a galaxy of its own.’ She looked very professional, dressed in a black suit with a moon rock necklace. ‘Special praise goes to Sophia Hewitt for the incredible costumes and to Garrick for all the extra time he put in memorising his lines.’
Olivia had butterflies in her stomach that had mutated into alien creatures that threatened to burst out of her and do a little dance on the table. Opening night meant no more air-kissing. This was it.
‘And remember: yorg zup fandiot.’ Camilla saluted and strode away.
‘What on earth does that mean?’ Olivia asked Jackson, who looked like a real cyborg in his metal and wires.
Jackson shrugged. ‘Probably Martian for “Break a leg”.’
Olivia giggled. ‘I hope not! Can you imagine how funny Garrick would look writhing around even more than he already does!’
She glanced at her Romezog, who was sitting in the corner on a silver four-poster bed from Juliteron’s bedroom scenes with his head in his hands – all ten of them.
That doesn’t look good, Olivia thought.
‘Thirty minutes until curtain,’ Ivy called, in stage-manager mode. There were dark shadows under her eyes from worrying about Lucky. ‘Doors are now open and the audience are taking their seats.’
Charlotte stomped past with Sophia chasing after her. ‘I will not wear another pillow!’
Garrick didn’t even look up.
‘Just give me a minute,’ Olivia said to Jackson and headed over to Garrick. She stood in front of him and said, ‘I hope I don’t regret asking, but what’s wrong?’
‘I can’t find my itching powder,’ he said, still staring at the floor. ‘Without it, I can’t do this.’
‘What do you mean by “this”?’ Olivia asked, worry creeping in.
‘This!’ He threw his many arms out wide, indicating the whole production. ‘Be Romezog.’
Olivia’s heart dropped into her knee-high gold boots. If Garrick wouldn’t take the stage, then there was no show!
‘Don’t say that,’ Olivia said. ‘The show must go on!’
‘I can’t,’ he whined at her. ‘The only reason I got the part was because of the itching. Now I won’t get my kiss.’ Garrick looked like a wreck. ‘And I had all this extra stuff planned at the end, too.’
Olivia didn’t know what to make of the extra stuff, but she knew she didn’t want him to call off the performance. You can’t do Romeo and Juliet without Romeo … or Romezog, she thought.
‘You don’t need the powder,’ Olivia said. ‘Just act it. Remember what it felt like and pretend.’
Garrick looked confused. ‘Pretend to itch?’
Olivia suppresed the urge to beat him with his goggly eyes. ‘Yes, pretend. You are supposed to be acting, after all.’
‘Maybe …’ Garrick stood up.
Jackson came over. ‘Break a leg,’ he said to Garrick, flashing a grin at Olivia.
‘Enough with the jealousy, man,’ Garrick said.
‘No, no,’ Jackson replied. ‘That’s how they say “good luck” in the theatre.’
‘Oh, well, uh, thanks, but I can’t go on.’ Garrick shuffled his feet.
‘Are you kidding?’ Jackson said. ‘You are the most convincing alien octopus that has ever graced the stage.’
‘Absolutely!’ Olivia added, hoping she sounded like she meant it.
Garrick looked suspicious.
‘I’m serious,’ Jackson said. ‘You own that role. Be confident, man. Be strong!’ Garrick started to nod along. ‘You are Romezog, and you will have your Julietron!’
‘You’re right, Jay Jay,’ Garrick said, punching Jackson on the arm. ‘I will have her, won’t I?’ He winked at Olivia and made a clicking noise. ‘See you on stage, baby.’ Garrick stood up from the bed and sauntered off.