By the third day of rehearsals, Pam felt more confident with the zombie dance but wished she could get a little time to practice by herself and with the music. Seeing the day's rehearsal schedule as "10am-12 noon-dance rehearsal." Pam decided to grasp the rehearsal opportunity the schedule's 12 noon to 1pm lunch break provided. As soon as all were excused for lunch, Pam waited until the rest of the company had left the rehearsal hall. Then, after checking to be sure the "Thriller" rehearsal tape was still in the tape player, Pam pushed the button on the machine and, after moving to her place in the group of “zombies", performed the zombie dance flawlessly from beginning to end. Satisfied with her mastery of the steps but wanting just to be sure she ended the dance with the music, Pam walked over to the tape player, rewound the tape to the correct place, and got set to practice again.
Having come back to see if Pam wanted to go get lunch somewhere, Kelly, hearing the music, seeing Pam practicing ,and deciding she could use a little extra practice also, moved quickly and quietly in to her place, and joined Pam in the dance.
Shortly after Kelly's return, Michael-having come back to get something he'd forgotten to take with him-noticed Pam and Kelly practicing the zombie dance, and after watching Pam and Kelly for a minute, moved into his place directly in front, and joined the girls to the end.
"You girls are really good." Michael said with a smile after performing one of the spins that had been his trademark since the days of the Jackson Five.
"Thanks, Michael!" said Kelly, thrilled at receiving the compliment from her idol.
"Thank you, Michael." said Pam with a shy smile.
"Oh, I'm Kelly, by the way." said Kelly taking it upon herself to make the introductions. "And this is Pammy." she continued while putting an arm around Pam.
"Actually, it's Pam, P-A-M." replied Pam politely. "She's the only one who calls me..."
"Michael?"
Turning to see who had interrupted her, Pam saw Ola, an attractive young woman with brown skin-close in color to Michael's-approaching with a big smile when she saw Michael. Politely excusing himself, Michael joined Ola and left the rehearsal hall with her.
"She's very pretty, isn't she?" said Kelly of Ola, observing a certain "chumminess" between Michael and his co-star.
"Very." Pam replied.
"I wonder if she's Michael's "girlfriend" in real life?" Kelly continued in a low voice tinged with envy.
"I don't think so." Pam replied. "I think Michael's interested in someone else. I'm not sure who though. I know he dated Tatum O'Neal, and I thought I heard something about him and Brooke Shields but I can't be sure what that was."
Pam and Kelly continued their discussion about Michael and his girlfriends over lunch at a nearby restaurant during which time Pam began to wonder if what Carol had said about her earlier, that her freckles were ugly, and nobody'd want to marry her, was true. Pam also found herself experiencing the same envy Kelly had expressed aloud earlier. Determined to not let Carol's words spoil her mood, Pam decided to spend the remainder of the lunch break thinking about more important things, mainly the dance steps for the Thriller video.
"I think I'll practice a little more tonight at Kelly and Brad's." Pam thought to herself on the drive back to the rehearsal hall.
Once back at the hall, Pam followed Kelly's example and used the restroom before going back to rehearsal. While coming out of the ladies' room, Pam was greeted by Kelly's boyfriend Brad on his way to the men's room.
"Hi Brad." said Pam.
"Hi." said Brad while pushing on the men's room door as a thought occurred to him. "Oh, hey Pam...I was wondering...Would it be possible for you to find some place else to stay... just for tonight? Kelly and I are going to be out all night tonight and...well…Believe me, if it was up to Kelly and me, I wouldn't have to ask you but we have this landlord who's real strict, and doesn't like any visitors staying with the residents when the residents aren't there. You understand, right?"
"Oh, sure...I understand...No problem." Pam replied with an understanding smile. "Last thing you want is to be in trouble with your landlord."
"Thanks, Pam!" Brad replied, hugging Pam gratefully. "And I promise to make it up to you. You can stay with Kelly and me for the rest of the filming, and any time after that."
"Thanks, Brad." Pam replied to which Brad replied: "No problem." and punctuated his response by kissing Pam on the cheek.
"You're the best." Brad continued, then noticing the day's rehearsal schedule on the call board: "Looks like some of the others from our group are going to be here for the "movie theater" scene. Maybe you can stay with one of them."
"Maybe..." Pam replied as she and Brad went back into the rehearsal room for the remainder of the rehearsal day which continued with a break for dinner from 5:00-6:00pm.
Joining Kelly and Brad for dinner, Pam managed to put her concern about a place to stay for the night at the back of her mind so she wouldn't spoil the mood of the evening, which consisted of laughter and good conversation. Pam was also able to hide her concern during the last rehearsal hour of the day which resumed at 6:00pm, and consisted of rehearsing the zombie dance followed by an explanation of how and when the zombies would be making their entrances, as well as an explanation of what the zombies would be doing following the dance.
"We get to chase Michael's "date" to an old abandoned house?" replied Kelly gleefully under her breath. "This'll be fun...Watch out, Ola!"
"Okay, Kelly, be nice." Pam replied kiddingly, although completely understanding Kelly's feelings. Ola certainly was pretty...And pretty lucky to be playing Michael Jackson's "date" in one of his videos.
"See you later, Pammy." Kelly called after to Pam when Kelly, Brad, and the other dancers left the rehearsal hall for the night. Deciding 7:00pm was too early to go to bed, Pam decided to take a walk around the block near the rehearsal hall to check for motels and vacancies.
"Wow." Pam thought to herself as she noticed the prices on the signs outside the motels she walked past. "I know it's only for tonight-or so Brad tells me-but still...Let's see if I have enough." she continued while checking her bank balance over the phone.
"Well, if push comes to shove, I have enough...I guess." Pam continued as she hung up the receiver of the pay phone. "Thank God, I got my student loans paid off." she whispered while walking back to the rehearsal hall..
.Arriving back at the rehearsal hall, Pam checked her watch. "7:45." she thought to herself. "Still too early ...although," she continued while trying to stifle a yawn. "Oh, boy!...Now what do I want to do?"
Looking around, Pam noticed an empty row of chairs lined up against one wall of the room. Crossing over to the arm less, fabric-covered chairs, Pam sat down on one chair, and within minutes found herself stretched out across the chairs, her head resting on a pillow she'd made out of the light weight jacket she'd brought with her.
"Much better." Pam sighed, and fell asleep as soon as she closed her eyes...
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...Three hours later, when the digital clock on the nightstand on her side of their bed read "10:45pm," Kelly awoke, slipped quietly and carefully off the mattress so she wouldn't disturb Brad, and tip-toed out of their bedroom, down the hall to the bathroom. On her way, she happened to pass Pam's bedroom.
"Good-night, Pammy." Kelly whispered.
Sensing something odd, Kelly called Pam's name again, and when she didn't receive a response to either her voice, or to the gentle tapping she made with her hand on the door frame, Kelly reached along the wall, just inside the door, flipped the light switch, and gasped when she discovered Pam's room empty, her bed still made; and her backpacks untouched, sitting on and under the chair beside the bedroom window. Concerned about her friend-unaware boyfriend Brad had asked Pam to find another place to stay for the night-Kelly hurried back to her bedroom and over to Brad's side of the bed.
"Brad!...Brad wake up!" Kelly whispered urgently while shaking her boyfriend awake.
"Um...huh?...what's going on?" Brad replied sleepily, rolling over to his back to face Kelly.
"It's almost 11:00, and Pam still isn't back yet!" replied Kelly.
"She's a big girl." replied Brad. "She's probably on her way home right now...Turn the light off, and come back to bed."
"I'm going to look for her." replied Kelly, annoyed at Brad's seeming lack of concern.
"Kel, wait.” replied Brad, moving quickly off the bed, and apprehending Kelly. "Listen, if you go looking for her, you'll wind up driving all over L.A....She's no doubt checked into a motel somewhere...And you know how many motels there are around here."
"Why would Pam check into a motel for the night if she's on her way back here?" asked Kelly, suddenly suspicious of Brad. "I could tell she was worried about something, and she didn't look like that until after we got back from lunch this afternoon. And I noticed you talking to her as you two came into the rehearsal hall together. What did you say to her?...C'mon, I know you said something. What did you say?"
"Take it easy." replied Brad with a placating tone while attempting to hold Kelly in his arms. "All I told Pam was you and I wanted to have the house to ourselves tonight...that's all...Now you can't blame me for wanting to be alone with you tonight." continued Brad seductively, kissing Kelly on the cheek while holding her in his arms. "Can you?...Besides, it's just for tonight."
"Oh my God..." whispered Kelly in Brad's arms, resting her head against his shoulder, "Pammy must be so pissed..."
...Contrary to what Kelly believed, Pam was, at this moment, fast asleep on her make-shift chair bed in the rehearsal hall. Unaware of the passage of time, Pam, now curled up on the chairs, felt herself starting to wake up. Feeling herself returning to consciousness, and with eyes still closed, Pam became aware of the sound of music playing in the room.
Curious about the source of the music, and who was in the room with her, Pam opened her eyes, only slightly at first, and thought she could make out the form of someone practicing an unfamiliar dance routine. After her eyes adjusted to the brightness of the light, and she awakened fully, Pam saw the lone figure was none other than Michael Jackson.
Unfamiliar with the song now playing, and the dance steps Michael was practicing, Pam watched quietly as Michael executed each dance move with the same precision and professionalism Pam had noticed while rehearsing "Thriller”.
Finding herself mesmerized by Michael's performance, and not wanting to disturb him, Pam found herself literally biting her tongue to keep from saying anything. However, when Michael suddenly, and without warning, launched into one of his trademark spins, Pam found herself unable to contain her enthusiasm any longer.
"Wow!...That's amazing!" Pam exclaimed, though more quietly that she had thought.
Kindred Spirits (c) 2010