From Fame To Shame

Chapter Two

“I’m going to kill her. How did she talk me into this?” I punched the decorative pillow in my lap and brooded.

“That’s what I ask myself on a daily basis.” Sarah chuckled.

Kelly swept back into the living room and dropped a suitcase by the door. Finally. She and Sarah had spent at least two hours going over Kelly’s itinerary for the next several days and briefing me on anyone I could possibly encounter. Then she’d spent over an hour gathering her stuff. The sooner she left, the sooner she could get on with her sabbatical and the sooner I’d be done with the charade.

I rose from the sofa to see her off.

“Thank you so much for doing this, Candy. I owe you big time.” She sighed. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

I scrunched up my nose. “Just don’t alienate my friends back home.”

“You worry too much.” Kelly gave me a big hug. “Love you.”

My stomach tightened. I could do this. “Love you, too.”

“Oh, I almost forgot.” She reached into her purse and pulled out her wallet.

“What do I need that for?”

“You need my ID if someone asks for it. You’re me, remember? And if you want to buy something, your ID has to match the plastic. We’ll trade.”

I flinched. Handing over my ID and credit cards made it so much more real. For the next few days or weeks, I wouldn’t be me. I wouldn’t even have my faithful Volkswagen Beetle. I’d have her Tesla though. And Kelly needed this. I’d do it for her. In a daze, I rifled through my purse, then offered up my wallet.

“You’re going to do great. Thanks again. Really.” She snatched my wallet, gave me another hug and darted through the door.

Sarah closed the door after Kelly, then glanced at the legal pad she’d been making notes on. “I think we covered any situation that could pop up. Other people in the building you might run into, upcoming appearances. But if you forget something, I’m familiar with most everyone she knows, so I can give you a refresher any time. If I’m not here, you can reach me on my cell. All you need to do is stick to the plan and not leave this condo without me. Okay?”

I nodded.

“I’ll be back here at eight in the morning. We’ve got that movie premier tomorrow night. You — I mean Kelly — had to send the dress back for alterations. They swore they’d have it ready, but just in case it’s still not quite right when we get there, I’d like us to arrive early.”

“But you guys already worked out the dress stuff. What problem could there be?” I asked.

“Kelly’s the one who fitted for the dress. You two look the same weight, but you never know.” She shrugged.

I didn’t want to go gown shopping for myself, much less Kelly. I'd rather be in jeans and a tee. Besides, I’d surely end up with something Kelly Bloom wouldn’t be caught dead in. “What are we going to do if it doesn’t fit?”

“We’ll figure it out. Believe me, I’m highly motivated to convince everyone you’re Kelly. If we pull this off, Kelly's promised me a big, fat bonus.” Sarah grinned. “Gotta go. I have a date.”

“Have fun. See you tomorrow,” I said, returning her smile as she waved and left.

From the black leather sofa, I glanced around the room and willed my muscles to relax. Okay, so staying here wasn’t exactly a hardship. I had all the modern luxuries — gleaming, hardwood floors, a giant kitchen, more bedrooms than I needed and the biggest TV I’d ever seen in my entire life. Then there was the gorgeous balcony with a dazzling view of the Hollywood Hills. I'd think of this as a vacation. All I had to do in between was make a few appearances.