Casting Debbie

Chapter 13

Jane stared at her, dumbfounded. "I guess I didn't..."

Jordan didn't let her finish. "If helping me out of my skirt is so terrible, then you're welcome to go back to your little cubicle on the second floor and do whatever it is you do in there." Jordan sauntered back to her office and slammed the door.

"And, cut! Let's re-set." John walked over to Debbie. "You nailed it, Debbie. You freakin' nailed it."

"Thanks, John Not too much?"

John chuckled. "You're holding your own with Lou Miller. If you haven't noticed, she nails her lines every time." John motioned with his head toward Claude Becker, the actor who played Jordan's arch nemesis, the District Attorney, Richard Dent. "I'm only telling you this because I don't want you falling prey to him, but he's the one who slows us down. If he tries to get you to change what you're doing to suit his pace, tell him to... you know."

Debbie nodded. "Got it."

Lou came out of the office grinning from ear to ear. She waited for John to walk away and then went over to Debbie. "So, that scene felt familiar. Kind of like how it went the first day I met you."

"Oh?" Debbie smirked. "Did I upstage you that day, too?"

"Yeah, speaking of that, will you pick up my dry cleaning? I'm going to need... no, stop!" Lou squealed as Debbie tried to tickle her.

***

"And Action!"

As they exited the courtroom, Jordan handed her briefcase to Jane, instead of throwing it on top of the file box she always seemed to be carrying. "You saved my ass back there, Jane. You pulled that precedent out of thin air."

"Glad to help. And now you can save mine by letting me off early today."

"Why would I do that?"

"I have something personal to take care of," Jane said.

"Whatever it is, I'm sure no one's life is at stake."

"Maybe not literally, but figuratively. Please Jordan, can you help me out here?"

"Is this a millennial thing? You have one good idea and expect the day off?"

Jane stopped walking and pursed her lips together. She let out a big sigh as she ran to catch up with Jordan.

"Cut!"

Lou slumped against the wall, holding onto her arm. Debbie dropped the file box and went to her. "Get you home?"

Lou nodded, hoping no one would notice how exhausted she was. "Please."

Debbie glanced around to see if anyone was watching them. "You know, you could just tell them to cut back a little."

"I've never missed a day of work in five seasons. I'm not going to start now." Lou pushed herself off of the wall and stood up straight, cradling her arm in her hand. "This is where you nod your understanding instead of arguing your point."

"Yeah," Debbie said with a huff. "Like you ever listen to me anyway." She held Lou's elbow as they walked to the door.

"I'll make it up to you with some delivery pizza. I know how much you love Hawaiian pizza even if only lunatics put pineapple on their pizza."

"Yeah? What else do you know about me?"

Lou paused at the door and faced Debbie. "I know you're hardworking, just like me. We both take our jobs seriously, and that's why I know you understand where I'm coming from."

Debbie smiled. "This is where I nod my agreement, knowing you'll make good on that pizza."

***

"And action!"