Chapter 4: The Rider

Tegan watched Camille's stream to the end.

At the bottom, Camille wiped one eye and said, "Please be gentle with her."

The hearts kept rising.

Tegan shut the laptop and called the network executive who had been at the director's lunch.

He picked up on the second ring.

"We didn't announce that," he said quickly. "Camille's team posted it first. The committee said a guest slot was possible. It was never signed."

"Does a guest slot need my consent?"

He was quiet while he checked.

"Section nine," he said. "The director wrote it himself. A guest appearance needs the lead's written approval."

"Then I'll give it," Tegan said.

"You will?"

"On conditions. I'll email them tonight."

She wrote the rider at the milk crate, sitting on the cot with the ring light off.

Camille could appear for one day.

She would not read a script, because there would not be one.

She would not speak for Tegan or about Tegan on air, and she would correct the word "unwell" on the same stream where she had said it.

The whole day would be live, with no edits.

Tegan read it twice and sent it.

The executive wrote back within ten minutes. Approved, he said, and a little pleased.

She did not sleep much.

At six the next morning she stood at the edge of the shallow lane in a borrowed swimsuit, with chlorine in her nose.

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