A Daughter's Troubles

Catherine was troubled. First, after coming back from the film company that day, she called her irresponsible uncle, but Frank seemed innocent. He claimed that he and the big-mouthed sister were just friends who got along well, and there was nothing wrong with sending a postcard every week. This made the little girl gnash her teeth in frustration, but there was nothing she could do about it. After all, who Julia befriended had nothing to do with her, and she had already said what she needed to say, hadn't she?

Well, if that was just an ordinary annoyance, then Jessica's actions truly gave her a headache. Ever since she discovered that every kiss made her dazed, Jessica would always counterattack by pouting her lips whenever she was at a disadvantage during their play.

Damn it, Jess! Doesn't she know how much damage that does? Isn't she afraid I might commit a crime? The little girl pouted, using her upper lip to hold a pen under her nose, sitting at the small table on the balcony, tugging at her hair in frustration. The script for "Sleepless in Seattle" on the table hadn't seen a new word written in a long time.

Moreover, a girl named Avril had written a letter all the way from distant Canada. The two-page letter was all about music. She said she managed to hum parts of the song Catherine had sung and even found someone to help write it down. If possible, she wanted the sheet music, lyrics, and the name of the song.

Catherine initially didn't want to reply, but the passion for music evident inside and outside the letter made her take the letter writer seriously. The name Avril sounded very familiar, and the fact that she could hum parts of the song after hearing it only once amazed her. So Catherine planned to reply once she felt a bit better.

The only good news was that Kate had gone to Cambridge, or was it Oxford? Who cares, it was good news either way.

Also, Kate had found a part-time job during the summer vacation as a small role in a theater play. Although she didn't explicitly state it in the letter, the implication was that she might want to make movies in the future. This made Catherine both happy and worried. She was happy because Kate finally seemed to be on the path to making movies, partly due to her father's influence and partly due to Catherine herself. But she couldn't explain the source of her worry, though something about it just made her uneasy.

In short, these matters left the little girl in a constant state of depression through the end of August. Thus, when Disney invited her to the premiere, she politely declined with the excuse of being in the middle of writing. She really wasn't confident enough to face her performance on the big screen. Besides, she already had a version of "The Parent Trap" in her head, and she didn't want to compare the two versions.

"Hi, honey," Susan knocked on the door and walked in.

"Hi, Mom," Catherine responded listlessly.

"What's wrong? Still upset about Dad teasing you this morning?" Her mother walked onto the balcony, smiling.

"No, it's just…" Catherine took the pen from under her nose and sighed, "Thinking about going to the theater tonight to check my own work makes me restless."

"Since when did you get these kinds of feelings, Catherine?" Her mother clicked her tongue. "You weren't like this when you agreed to Mrs. Meyers' invitation."

"Mom," the little girl pouted, looking unhappy.

"All right, we won't talk about it. Your friends called. They want to ask if the girl in the movie last night was you. I told them you were resting," Susan's fingers tapped lightly on the table. "Do you want to call them back?"

"Oh no, Mom. Please hang up such calls in the future," Catherine shook her head and then added, "Including Jess!"

"Including Jess? All right, I'll say so." Her mother raised an eyebrow and was about to leave, but as she reached the door, Catherine's voice came softly, "No, Mom, if it's Jess, call me."

"Got it." Susan replied as she disappeared through the door.

The little girl sighed again. Her mom probably thought she and Jessica were having a normal spat, but she knew very well that if she didn't answer Jessica's call, she'd get pounced on next time! Wait, did she just use the word "pounced"?

A shiver ran through Catherine's body. She quickly stopped her wild thoughts and tried to focus on the script in front of her.

**************************************

After the end credits rolled on the big screen, the lights in the hall came on, and the audience started to file out, carrying empty popcorn boxes. Most of the audience were teenagers, with quite a few young adults in their twenties. They chatted excitedly about the movie as they left, their faces showing that they enjoyed it.

"Dear, let's go," Vincent patted his daughter beside him in the theater box. "I have to say, you were really great."

"Yes, Catherine, at least I think you were very natural," Susan also praised.

However, they soon realized that the little girl wasn't listening. She was leaning on the edge of the box, thoughtfully watching the departing crowd below. Vincent and Susan exchanged a glance but didn't disturb Catherine, letting her watch as she wished. After a few seconds, she seemed to realize something. She turned around and pulled her parents, urging, "Dad, Mom, let's leave now."

Fortunately, Vincent and Susan were already prepared to leave at any moment, and they followed their daughter immediately. As they walked, Susan asked, "Catherine, what's the matter?"

Catherine stopped, quickly took the pink round hat from her mother's hand, put it on, tucked all her hair inside, and pulled the brim low over her face. Then she looked up, "Dad, Mom, can we take a walk outside before we go back?"

Her parents only needed a moment to understand what she wanted to do. Of course, they wouldn't object. Vincent nodded, smiling, "No problem, David will wait for us."

The crowd outside the cinema hadn't completely dispersed. Couples and families strolled along the street, chatting.

"Julia's acting was amazing. If I were Dennis, I wouldn't have divorced her," said a fan of the big-mouthed sister.

"Why did Meg play the other woman instead of the mother? Did she and Dennis start having issues right after their honeymoon?" an avid gossip lover speculated.

"Mom, do I have an unknown twin sister living in London?" asked a little girl of only a few years.

"The little girl in the movie was so cute. I wish I could meet her," commented a boy who had just entered adolescence.

"Sister, were those two girls really twins in the movie?" asked a pair of sisters.

Catherine walked slowly along the street, occasionally listening to the conversations and comments of passersby, while her parents followed not far behind. Before coming to the cinema, she had asked Mr. Sparrow about it, and he mentioned that the opening day box office for "The Parent Trap" was over three million. This was quite a respectable number for a medium-budget film. Considering the value of the dollar, if the momentum continued, the box office would be more than satisfactory. She had also seen the reviews—some good, some bad. Now, she just wanted to hear the audience's thoughts.

She had watched her own movie. Yes, many parts were different from the original version, but no matter what, it remained a romantic and warm light comedy. The editing was perfect, but what mattered most was that Catherine saw a completely different version of herself—not the "him" from her previous life, nor her current self. It was a completely new character, as if she had been reborn or transmigrated again, with a completely different life. Perhaps that's the magic of movies.

For the first time since filming ended, the little girl felt a strong desire to continue making movies. She believed that each filming experience would be like living a completely different life journey, a temptation too great to resist. This was why she wanted to know what the audience thought of her performance.

"Catherine, let's go home," her father said softly, coming up to her and putting his arm around her.

"Okay, Dad," Catherine replied just as softly. She paused, then suddenly looked up and asked, "Dad, if I want to keep making movies, would you agree?"

"Of course, it's your choice. Remember our Q&A session that day?" Vincent smiled. "My daughter isn't the type to get arrogant and rebellious just because of a bit of success, nor will she indulge in alcohol, stay out all night, or engage in promiscuity."

"Vincent!" Susan chided playfully.

"All right, all right, let's go home now," Vincent laughed.

Catherine shrugged and didn't say much. Since her dad said so, perhaps she could go back and start considering her next script. But wait! Although she was still a child, American movies didn't shy away from showing children in revealing scenes. Even in "The Parent Trap," she had a scene where she jumped into the lake in her underwear. If she was a little older, kissing scenes and sex scenes would follow one after another. This... this is too scary!