Star Shine by Constance C. Greene

dark hair stuck out on either side of his baseball cap. The peak of the cap was extra long, so long it made the man look like an anteater. Jenny thought maybe it was one of those trick hats with the hair glued onto it, and when the man took it off, the hair would come with it. If that was the case, she hoped she’d be around.
    â€œI’m Norm Dubie, the director,” the man said. “Can I help you?”
    Their father introduced himself. “These are my daughters, Mary and Jenny,” he said. “Jenny had a call last night from someone who said she’d been chosen as an extra to skate in your movie today. I’m here to make sure everything’s on the up-and-up.”
    Mary and Jenny cringed, thinking their father shouldn’t have said that. But Norm Dubie said, “Good for you. More parents should be more careful about what their kids do, where they go. Anna”—he hailed a thin girl walking by carrying a clipboard—“have we got Jenny Chisholm on our list for today’s filming?”
    â€œWe do,” said Anna, checking her list. “And we’re almost ready to start. Got a thick sweater, Jenny, and some earmuffs? It’s gonna be cold in there.” Anna grinned at them, and Jenny nodded.
    â€œI like your hair,” Norm Dubie told Jenny. Her hair had grown since she’d hacked it off, and now it stuck straight up and out in every direction.
    â€œYou look weird, like your finger’s stuck in a light socket,” Mary had told her only this morning. But Jenny had decided to let her hair grow so she could have braids.
    â€œIt’s splendid,” Norm Dubie said. “Your basic American gamine is what you are, Jenny. Are we on schedule?” he asked Anna. She said, “Are we ever?” and he looked glum.
    â€œWe’ll take good care of her, Mr. Chisholm,” Norm Dubie told their father. “Never fear.” Then, to Jenny’s delight, he removed his peaked hat and scratched the top of his head, which was very bald. But the hair was all his.
    â€œOh, hello, Mr. Chisholm!” Tina and Susan churned up, breathing hard. “Guess who’s here! Complete with skates! Guess!”
    â€œScott Borkowski,” Jenny guessed.
    Tina looked sour. Sue stuck out her tongue. “Turkey. Think you’re so much just because you’re an extra.”
    â€œListen, girls, I have to be off,” their father said. “Behave yourselves and come right home when this is over, will you? I don’t know when your mother will show up—maybe not until tomorrow—but I’d like you there anyway. Be good,” and he bussed them both on the cheek and left.
    â€œIt’s a good thing my father was in a hurry,” Mary said, rolling her eyes. “He might’ve punched Scott Borkowski out. He was so mad last night he almost called up Scott Borkowski’s parents, but we talked him out of it.”
    â€œMary,” Jenny said, but Mary had Sue and Tina on tenterhooks and wanted to keep them there.
    â€œMy father practically had steam coming out of his ears, he was so mad when he got a load of the empty beer cans. He nearly blew his cork. I never saw him so mad. He was just about to call up our grandmother, to ask if we could stay with her, when the telephone rang.” Mary’s timing was perfect. She stopped talking, leaving Sue and Tina with their mouths hanging open.
    â€œSo what happened?” Sue asked, running her tongue over her lips, almost panting.
    â€œWe were saved by the bell, you might say.” Mary tossed her hair in an expert manner, adjusting her black velvet ribbon. “It was our mother saying she was coming home.”
    â€œHow come she’s coming home so soon?” Tina asked.
    â€œIt’s not so soon. She’s been gone for ages,” said Sue.
    â€œShe has not. She’s only been gone for eighteen days,” Jenny snapped.
    â€œHow come they picked you