Henry shook his head at John as he left.

“What really happened?” his mother asked.

His father wiped his hands on his dish towel, taking a break from the stove. After three days of wallowing, he might as well tell them.

John explained about meeting Anna, the premiere, the option with Tom Melton, Rome, and all the rest, culminating in the past few days of John stewing in his apartment.

“I messed up with Anna and my career,” John admitted. “You should be glad my script is gone. Now I can give up my stupid dreams and start living in reality.”

His parents stared at him.

“What the hell are you talking about?” His mother never swore. The swear jar at their house was legendary. “You really believe we want to make your choices for you?”

John knew suggesting his parents wouldn’t want him to follow his dreams would hurt. She had no regrets about leaving her midwestern family when they had forbidden her to get her pilot’s license. His father had spent two years in law school before leaving to become a sous chef. Neither of his parents would hold him back if he was committed to what he wanted to do and did it the right way.

“We wanted you to be happy,” his mother said. “Living in LA, taking these bit parts, trying to sell your script, you sounded miserable.”

“It’s the only thing I want to do.”

“We aren’t saying don’t try,” his father said, voice raised as he turned the steak sizzling on the grill. “We’re saying you can’t keep living this half-life. You went against your instincts to take a deal that made your stomach turn. You need to decide what you want, make a choice, and tell everyone else to fuck off.”

“Swear jar,” his mom said.

John hated the way his father’s words wounded him. Was that what he’d done with the option? Was it as simple as John just making a deal that had backfired? Had he tried to go it alone and, in the end, cut himself off from the one person who could help?

“What about Anna, sweetheart?” his mother asked. “She must have been so scared.”

“You’re taking her side.”

“There are no sides,” his mother fired back. He could count on one hand the number of times she’d raised her voice or used sharp words. “There is only how are you going to fix this?”

“I can’t take on the most powerful man in the industry, and I can’t take back what happened.”

“You can apologize, son.” His father sighed. “You’ve always been the type to admit when you’re wrong.”

“Is she worth a second chance?” his mother asked.