Hmm ... I could still go to Clark all of March and April and be free to do pre-production work in May. My schedule would be clear if Hutch wants me.... Who am I kidding? I don't even have an audition! Hutch Adams probably doesn't know who I am. "Speaking of my press commitments"-- I clear my throat, gripping my chair under the table -- "I wanted to talk about the hectic schedule."

"What about it, Kate-kins?" Dad bites into a juicy crab cake. "Laney makes it and you do it. She's a machine, this girl." Dad pats me on the back. "The more work, the better!"

"Actually, Kaitlin was just telling me how tired she is," Liz says, nudging me.

"Did you?" Mom asks me impatiently. "Now's not the time to be tired. We're talking about Hutch Adams here. What we've wanted for a long time."

"Liz, that's crazy!" Laney chuckles. "It's not like Kaitlin's working twenty-four-seven. She's on a soap series, for God's sake."

Everyone laughs. Even Matt, who has no clue what he's laughing about.

"I do work hard," I try to speak up, but not so loudly that people in nearby booths will hear me. "And I'll keep working hard. But I need some time off." I sit up straight. "And I'm going to take some this hiatus."

It's so quiet I can hear the 50 Cent tune that's being mixed in the background.

"We shouldn't be talking about this in public," Dad grunts. He loosens the blue-checkered Armani tie around his neck. "The competition could be listening."

"No one can hear us over 50 Cent, Dad," I remind him. "Now's the perfect time to talk."

"Sweetie, you're just tired," Mom says. "You don't need to change your hiatus plans. We gave you a week off before your press starts. That's plenty of time!"

"It's not, Mom." I look her in the eye. I pause and glance at Laney and Dad. "I need some time to do what I want to do this hiatus; otherwise I'll get burnt out --"

"You're not getting burnt out." Laney cuts me off. "Are you?" Did a shadow of doubt just cross her sun-kissed face?

"I will be if you keep pushing me like this." I'm surprised at the confident sound of my own voice. I glance at Nadine. She nods her red head for me to keep going. "You guys can't decide everything for me. This is my career and I think the best thing for it right now, with all this tabloid garbage and the stuff with Sky, is to take a breather."

"A breather is code for retirement!" Mom gasps, clutching her chest. "You're not thinking of retiring, are you? Because you have a three-year contract with Family Affair. You can't break that, Kaitlin, you just can't!" Matty rolls his eyes and fans her with his white linen napkin.