You're the Direction I Follow

“Come on Mackenzie honey,” my manager Monica Palmers sighed. “You’ll be great. It’s a great role, and—“

“I can’t Mon,” I sighed. “I wish I could. But I just – I don’t know if I can.”

“What do you mean you don’t know if you can,” she demanded. “I say you can, so you can. Trust me sugar. Now tell me, how many years have I been your manager?”

I groaned. This was going to be one of those point things Monica tried to pull every now and then, life lessons she called them. “But—“ I started.

But she cut me off. “How many?”

“Nine,” I groaned.

“And how many times have I strayed you wrong,” she asked, smirking.

I sighed. “Mon—“

She put her hand up to cut me off, her face gesturing me to continue.

I groaned, rolling my eyes. “None,” I replied.

“Exactly,” she said, nodding knowingly. “Now come on Mackenzie. You’ve been off the horse for two years. It’s time to saddle up and get back in there.”

“Please don’t use analogies,” I groaned. “You know I’m scared of horses.”

She swatted me playfully. “You know what I mean. This part could be it for you. It could be your big comeback. Because, come on doll, you need a big comeback. It’s been two years. I mean, you’re talented enough to do it. Though the two years thing definitely doesn’t help.”

“My sister died,” I glared at her.

She put her hands up, defensively. “I know Mackenzie, god rest her soul. But honey, your career is hanging on the line here. You’re hearing what they’re saying about you in the magazines. You need to get back out there and try to show them you still got it, because you do hun. You just need to show them you do. You need to make the world crave a Mackenzie box office hit.”

“I don’t want to show them,” I groaned. “I can’t. I’d make a total fool of myself. Besides, there will be other parts. Movies are always coming out. Another movie can be the comeback Mackenzie box office hit.”

“Kenz, this part,” she sighed. “This part is a once in a lifetime chance. It’s exactly the kind you need. It’s serious, but so cute. It’s a big part. It could do some real good. I’m telling you. You can do it. This part was made for you.”

I sighed, thinking about it. Was it time to get back onto the ‘horse’ as Monica called it? “I don’t know Monica,” I admitted.

“Okay fine look,” she sighed. “How about you just go in and read some lines? Huh? Just lines. Read a few and see what happens. And we’ll see where to go from there.”

“But, Mon,” I started again.

“Just read some,” she begged.

I sighed. Was she right? Had two years been too long? Yeah, sure Massie was gone, but was I throwing away my life, my career? Maybe it was time. “Okay fine,” I agreed.

“Awesome,” she pulled out her phone. “I’ll schedule you. I’m telling you hun, it’ll be amazing.”

I sighed as she went out of the room to make her calls. This was not going to be easy.