“Mother! What were you thinking?”

Laura looked up from her desk at Annie standing in the doorway. Tall, elegant, with a flair for the dramatic, Annie was holding her hair away from her head, looking totally frustrated.

“Actually, I was thinking about the upcoming elections. Is that any help?”

Annie rolled her eyes. “Mother, look at me! Look at my hair! What were you thinking?”

“I’m very fond of your hair, darling. After all, I’m a redhead, too.”

“Then why didn’t you think? Why did you name me Annie! Of all the names in the world you could have picked, you had to choose Annie?”

“You know very well you were named after Meg’s mother. Do you want to tell me what this is about?”

Laura smiled as her daughter fell onto the sofa in her office. “My hair. I have red hair…red, curly hair. And you named me Annie!”

“And that’s a problem?”

“Mom, all I need is a bald father and a dog who says—” At the word “dog”, their dachshund, Copper, raised his head and barked. Even Annie had to laugh at his timing. Pleased that he’d made them laugh, Copper got up, disturbing his twin, Penny, and they both began to bark cheerfully.

“Hush, puppies!” Annie giggled.

As the dogs settled down again, Laura asked, “Now do you want to tell me what this is about?”

“Auditions, Mom. I have to get my resume together, and my headshots for next semester. I started working on it and looked at my name under my picture and realized that every producer and director I audition for will be thinking of that Annie and not seeing me. I can’t even use my middle name instead since you gave me your name. Collins? Do I look like a Collins?”

“Actually, you do. Your grandfather and me.” Before Annie could protest, Laura held up her hand. “But I know what you’re saying. I’m sorry. When you were born your father and I weren’t exactly thinking of your future plans.”

“You should have been,” Annie muttered. “Think Dad would let me change my name?”
“When you turn eighteen next year you can do whatever you want. Do you have something picked out? I’ve always been fond of the name Melanie. How about Melanie Morgan?” Laura shook her head. “No, that sounds like a romance author not an actress, unless you’re planning on a soap opera career.”

“The fact that I’m planning on a theatre career makes it a problem. And while we’re on the subject of a career, I’ve decided not to go to college.” Annie made the announcement as calmly as if she was asking for a glass of water.

“Guess again.”

“It’s my decision, Mom!”

“It’s our money that supports you!”

“But Dad…”

“‘But Dad’, what?” An amused voice came from the doorway and Annie turned to find her father leaning against the doorjamb, regarding her with that ‘what’s my little girl up to now’ look.

Annie darted a glance at her mother who just raised her eyebrows and settled back to watch the show. Taylor and Annie were both such strong personalities that they clashed more often than they agreed and the “discussions” were never dull.

“So what’s up, Princess?” Taylor pushed his daughter’s legs from the couch and sat beside her.

“Dad, I’ve asked you not to call me that!”

“Only in private, Annie. So what’s the disaster this time?”

“I just told Mom that I’m not going to college.”

“Guess again,” Taylor said.

“That’s what Mom said, too!”

“She’s right. You need to finish school before you start out.”

“Why? You didn’t.”

This time it was Taylor who looked to Laura for help. She shook her head silently. This was going to be good.

“No, I didn’t, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t.”

“And it doesn’t mean that I should!”

Taylor had an ominous sense of déjà vu…

"But, I know it's what I want to do… what I'm supposed to do!" Eighteen-year-old Taylor Morgan had just told his parents he was giving up college to head straight to New York.

"Taylor, I have no objection to you trying for a theatre career," his father answered. "I just think you need to take it a little slower, finish school first."

Taylor looked to his mother for support. She was the one who had gotten him interested in theatre in the first place. She'd driven him to all of his theatre classes and never missed a performance. Surely, she would understand!

"Don't look at me like that, Taylor Patrick. Your father's right. We're not going to try to stop you. We just want you to wait until you've finished school and are a little older."

"Mom, older won't change anything. I'm sorry. I know what you want me to do but I can't. I'm going to New York by the end of the summer, with or without your support!"

Taylor tried to pull himself back to the present. He met Laura’s eyes and knew she was remembering the story he’d told her. The problem was, his parents had given in!

It hadn't been easy for any of them. Taylor had always gotten along with his parents and that had been the only serious argument of his whole life. After days of slammed doors and arguments, his parents had offered a compromise. If the University would let him defer his scholarship for a year, they would help him through a year in New York. If, at the end of that year, he weren’t self-supporting, he would come back and go to school.

He’d been determined to make it and he had…but with only a month to go.

And it certainly hadn’t been easy. Long hours, not enough money, working nights, auditioning days, no time for rest…Annie had no idea what she was wishing for.

“Dad?”

“Annie, humor me. Finish applying for colleges. We’ll discuss it at Christmas.”
Annie stood up and looked down at her father. “Fine. Christmas. And don’t think I’ll forget!” She stalked from the room and, a moment later, they heard her door slam. Only then did Laura laugh.

“Oh, Taylor, if you could have seen your face!”

“What was I supposed to say, Laura? Sure, it worked out for me but I’m not going to have my daughter living like that. It’s out of the question.”

“And how do you plan on convincing her?”

“I don’t know. I have ’til Christmas to think of something.” Taylor ran his hand through his own reddish hair in a gesture so similar to Annie’s that Laura had to smile.

“That wasn’t all of it, by the way.”

“There was more?”

“It seems we did her a terrible injustice in naming her Annie. She wants to change her name.”
“Laura, I know I wasn’t this much of a trial to my parents, so it must come from your side of the family!”

“I don’t doubt it, Taylor. She’s one of the Armijo women. Don’t forget, we generally get our way.” She stood up and dropped a kiss on top of his head as she headed out the door. “How long do you think it will take you to get used to calling her Melanie?