Chapter 7: Read-Through

The rehearsal hall was on the Sterling's top floor, under the roof, where the rain was loudest.

Twelve folding chairs stood in a circle. Each one had a script on it with a name taped to the cover.

Mine said MARA. ROMY TILNEY.

I sat down and put my hand flat on it.

It was Monday morning, ten o'clock. Day four.

"Twenty-six days, fourteen hours," the System said.

"I know how to count," I told it under my breath.

The actor next to me, a skinny older man who played our father, gave me a nervous smile and moved his chair two inches away.

Delphine came in last.

She wore a soft pink sweater and carried a green juice, and the whole room turned toward her.

"Hi, everyone. Hi. I'm so happy to be home."

She kissed the director on both cheeks. She hugged the stage manager.

She didn't look at me once.

She sat directly across the circle, so we'd be facing each other the whole time.

The director clapped her hands.

"Page one. Let's just hear it."

It went fine for forty pages.

Delphine was good. I'd forgotten how good. She could make a line about a broken teacup sound like the end of the world.

Then we reached Mara's big speech in the second act.

It's the one where Mara sits at the kitchen table and tells her sister what the fire took.

The props assistant had set a few things on a card table for us to handle.

There was a teacup, a hairbrush, and an old brass candlestick with a real candle in it.

Delphine stood up as my speech began.

"Sorry. Sorry. I just think she needs this. For the moment."

She lit the candle with a match from the props table.

Then she walked around the circle and set it on the floor by my chair.

Right beside my left elbow.

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