‘I can’t get comfortable,’ Ivy complained, pushing the fluffy pillow on to the shaggy white carpet and tugging at her flannel bat-covered pyjamas.
‘At least you haven’t been stuffed like a cabbage leaf,’ Olivia groaned from her four-poster bed.
‘Thanks for eating my share. I’ll make it up to you, somehow.’ Ivy wondered if she could block out the moonlight by taking the thick comforter and taping it up over the lace curtains on the window. How do bunnies get any sleep?
‘It wasn’t as bad as that time I had to face black pudding at your house – ugh!’ Olivia said.
‘You mean, yum,’ Ivy said, her tummy grumbling. She wished she could sneak out of Olivia’s bedroom window and go get a burger. ‘Anyway, I’ve figured out the best way to show my appreciation for your deadly garlic breath: we go back to the movie set tomorrow and I get Jackson’s autograph for you.’
Olivia sat up in her bed in her pink nightie and looked down at Ivy. ‘He’d probably write: To Olivia, seek counselling, from Jackson. P.S. please keep at least 500 feet away from me.’
Ivy laughed. ‘No, he wouldn’t. I think he liked you. He went out of his way to ask your name. Besides, it would be totally killer for you to have a boyfriend, even if he wouldn’t exactly be “perfectly normal” like you said you wanted.’
Olivia turned over on to her tummy, propping her chin on her hands. ‘He asked Camilla her name, too. Besides, he’s a movie star. Super-famous and super-talented and super-nice.’
‘It was definitely love at first sight . . .’ Ivy teased, ‘of earmuffs.’
‘I just wish I hadn’t been such a dork when he came over,’ Olivia said, flopping down dramatically.
Ivy realised her mission shouldn’t be to get Olivia an autograph but to find her a second chance to make a first impression. ‘Let’s just see what happens tomorrow,’ she said, lying back down on the mattress. But with every shift, the mattress squeaked and Ivy knew it would take eternity to fall asleep like this. Maybe she could sleep on the floor?
‘You are squeaking like a bat on that thing.’ Olivia climbed out of her bed. ‘I think I know what might work.’
Olivia cleared off the hair brushes, perfumes and accessories from her extra-long white wooden dressing table. ‘If you used this as a mattress, it might feel like a coffin.’
‘Genius!’ Ivy declared. ‘You are the best sister.’
As quietly as they could, they shifted the mirror safely off and carefully flipped the dressing table over so its legs were up in the air. Ivy lay on the upside down table and folded her arms. ‘Aaah.’ The moon was still shining in through the window, but with the hard wood against her shoulder blades, the faint smell of the forest, and coldness under her head, it was almost like being at home.
Olivia dragged over the air mattress and propped it up against the wall at an angle over Ivy’s head. ‘My own makeshift bat cave,’ Ivy said appreciatively. It wasn’t her coffin, but it would definitely work. ‘Good night, Olivia.’
‘Good night, my unusual roommate.’
Ivy could hear her climbing back into bed.
As Ivy drifted off, she ran through scenarios of how she could get Olivia and Jackson to talk to each other again. Maybe she and Olivia could sneak on to the set disguised as bushes? Or pretend to be singing telegrams? Maybe she could put her sister in a suitcase marked for special delivery to Jackson? On second thoughts, that really might land them with a restraining order.
Ivy was determined it was her turn to play matchmaker. I’ll make this happen, she swore. One way or another . . .
Olivia was woken by Ivy bouncing on her bed. ‘What bunny magic has made you so chirpy?’ she groaned as she peered through her half-awake eyes.
‘Tai chi with your dad,’ said Ivy, who had developed a refreshing glow. ‘I feel amazing! Energised and enlightened!’
‘Can you be enlightened somewhere else please? I’m trying to sleep.’ Olivia pulled the duvet over her head, but she was only teasing; she loved seeing her twin getting on with her family.
‘Hey, I thought I was supposed to be the grumpy one, remember?’
Olivia pushed back the covers and sat up straight. With a huge grin she said, ‘That’s right! Let’s call Sophia and we’ll have a full-on girlie morning!’
‘Awesome!’ said Ivy, jumping up in an uncharacteristic cheerleading pose.
Sophia was over within half an hour. Sophia and Ivy, declaring themselves Olivia’s stylist team, debated over what Olivia should wear for her second meeting with Jackson, and settled on a light blue sweater with denim shorts and lacy leggings.
Then they had a quick hair and make-up session. Olivia did Ivy’s nails with Diva at Dusk blue-black and Sophia chose Vampy Violet. Olivia covered her own in Just Peachy. It meant they had to eat their scrambled eggs carefully, holding their forks so that they wouldn’t smear the varnish.
As they left Olivia put on her glittery earmuffs.
‘Jackson’s favourite accessory!’ Ivy teased.
But Olivia ignored her. ‘Bright red, frozen ears only look good on elves,’ she announced.
They headed out of the door for the Meat & Greet.
Ivy continued to talk about Jackson. ‘What if we rented a helicopter and dropped you inside? Jackson would be impressed by that.’
Or I would break my neck and be rushed to hospital, Olivia thought.
‘As long as I don’t have to chip in to pay for it,’ Sophia said.