"I must say, sweetheart, you really gave me a scare." Susan turned to her daughter with a mixture of surprise and affection in her eyes after watching Nancy and George leave.
"Because they're made out of meat?" the little girl blinked innocently.
Susan then bent down and playfully pinched her daughter's cheek. "No matter what you're made of, you are my daughter!"
"Okay, I know what you mean. But Mom, this is all just a misunderstanding. I was just trying to earn some pocket money," Catherine said earnestly. Unlike her previous fibs, this was the first time she was telling the truth.
In American families, it's quite normal for kids to earn their own spending money during holidays. They might do simple jobs like delivering newspapers, which helps them build character and saves parents some money. Even wealthy families like theirs often encourage this practice.
Of course, it's never compulsory. Parents usually just suggest it as an option when kids want to prove themselves or need extra pocket money.
For Catherine, though, she didn't really need to earn money this way. She wasn't interested in plush toys or Barbie dolls like other girls her age, and her eight years as a homebody had worn down her ambition. She wanted extra money because she had her eye on the latest limited-edition Optimus Prime and Megatron models from Hasbro. She was sure these versions hadn't been released before, at least not in Europe. As someone who grew up in that era, Transformers were a huge passion for her, so even Catherine, who was usually quite detached, was tempted.
However, she had no interest in early morning paper routes. Instead, she chose the easiest way for a reincarnated person to make money: plagiarism. What? You think buying stocks is easier? Sure, in the '80s, buying Microsoft or Apple stocks would have been a great investment. Even the laziest person would know about these companies, right?
But money wasn't the issue. The problem was she had no money! Have you ever seen a little kid asking their parents for money to buy stocks? When Catherine first tried asking her father for money to buy stocks, he cheerfully gave her $10 and said she could use her entire year's allowance if she needed more. That killed her grand financial empire dream.
"In fact, that short sci-fi story was my real moneymaker. The script for 'The Parent Trap' was just a sudden inspiration, and 'The Lion King' was something I wrote to pass the time. I didn't plan it out much," Catherine declared earnestly. But it was clear that her mom wasn't focused on that.
"Alright, darling, I know how smart you are and how brilliant you can be. I just want you to tell us what you're planning to do so we don't worry, okay?" Her mom knelt down, pressing her forehead against Catherine's and looking deeply into her eyes.
"I understand, Mom. I'm sorry." Catherine's voice softened. She didn't want her mom to worry, but she had no idea how to explain. No matter how talented she appeared, she was still just an 11-year-old girl. Most parents would just give verbal encouragement and then laugh off the idea of an 11-year-old writing screenplays or sci-fi stories for money.
However, with Nancy's visit, everything was now out in the open, which was a relief. At least her mom wasn't too shocked. Catherine didn't want her mom to see her as a freak. She love her mom, and this is her family, just like the deep memories from long ago.
"Okay, now that you've apologized, you know what you have to do?" Susan smiled at her daughter.
Catherine's head dropped slightly in resignation. She pressed her lips together and reluctantly said, "I'll practice for an extra half-hour."
The little girl dutifully sat down on a proper chair in the living room, balancing three thick books on her head. This was one of Susan's etiquette training exercises—to maintain this posture for at least 30 minutes. It was said to improve poise, willpower, and concentration.
Catherine, however, was skeptical. She had never felt that her willpower or concentration improved. She only ended up with a sore back, aching legs, and a dizzy head. Of course, she kept these thoughts to herself and obediently went through the training.
Even though today's session was extended by half an hour, Catherine didn't complain. She was actually a bit pleased because she had successfully distracted Susan from the receipt for the check.
For an 11-year-old to cash a check was nearly impossible—well, almost. Remember how Macaulay Culkin did it in "Home Alone 2"? Yes, movies aren't real life, but sometimes life imitates art. Forging her father's signature was simple, but her mom must never find out, or the consequences would be dire! Even though everything else she did was now exposed, this would definitely make her mom add more etiquette training. So, for her own happiness, she had to keep quiet!
"Honestly, I thought today would be somewhat productive, but it turned out to be extremely productive. I can't believe it, Nancy, she's just an 11-year-old kid!" George was practically bubbling over with excitement, waving the script for "The Lion King" around as he spoke. Nancy had to remind him, "You're driving, George."
"Yes, I'm driving. I know. Nothing will happen, Nancy. We're only going 20 miles an hour. I can control it," he continued to wave the folder around. "I want to sign this girl, either as a writer or an actor. It doesn't matter. Even if we can't sign her long-term, or if the child welfare association needs to supervise, that's not a problem. I believe signing her would be immensely beneficial for Disney!"
"Alright, George, you're just the head of the script review team. Can you convince the board?" Nancy sighed.
"It would be tough with just 'The Parent Trap' script, but with 'The Lion King' as well, the board members would have to be brain-dead not to agree," George said, looking at Nancy. She might not realize it, but as someone who had worked at the main office, George knew the significance of "The Lion King" script. The board members would overlook everything else once they saw the girl's script and the concept art.
"How about having her play both twins in 'The Parent Trap'? A double role!" George suddenly suggested.
Nancy paused. She had already considered this idea when they left the Mason house. Catherine's performance far exceeded what one would expect from an 11-year-old. Since she was the script's author, she understood the characters better than anyone else. She admitted to basing the story on her family, meaning the roles were practically her incarnations. However, there was a problem...
"I support it, George, but are you sure you can convince her guardians to let her act?" Nancy shrugged.
George opened his mouth but said nothing. This was indeed the biggest issue. As long as the child welfare association followed its rules, it wouldn't be a problem, and the board members were pragmatic. If they saw profit, they wouldn't be an issue either. But as they had seen, Catherine's family wasn't middle class. Would such wealthy parents let their child act? Even if it was just for fun, it was typically something allowed when the child was old enough to make their own decisions.
"How about this, Nancy? If I can convince the board, you talk to Ms. Mason alone." George suggested.
"Talk to her alone?" Nancy knew what he was thinking, but why not? Honestly, she had been in Hollywood for many years, earning a good reputation as an independent producer, but the industry's bias against female producers was still frustrating. This was one of Hollywood's bad habits. There were plenty of actresses, but few female directors or producers. Nancy needed a blockbuster project. "Father of the Bride" was good, but it was a remake, which limited its audience. Critics were always nitpicking.
"The Parent Trap" caught her eye as a fun, light-hearted script, perfect for her. If she could make it, she was confident it would be her most successful film. If Catherine acted in it, she had a 90% chance of making it a hit.
Nancy hadn't overestimated the girl. Despite their brief encounter, Nancy had observed Catherine's intellect and maturity, far beyond her age. She trusted Catherine to handle the role.
"Alright, George. I'll do it," Nancy agreed readily. "I'll wait for your news."