"So Mac what's you story?" Ana asked her new found friend. She was lounging in a chair while Mac kept a stead paced on a nearby treadmill.
"What do you mean?" Mac asked hitting a button to stop the machine.
She wiped her face with a towel before placing it around her shoulders and having a seat in the chair next to Ana's.
"Like how did you end up doing what you are doing?" Ana asked.
"Well I guess you could say I got into this business for all the wrong reasons. My dad was against his daughters getting into the business and I was so mad at him for not having any contact with me for most of my life so I did everything I could to disobey him but once I started training I realized that I loved it and the rest is history" the red head explained.
"So did you debut the same time John and Randy did?"
"No. I was already working for the company when Randy and John were signed" she replied.
"So was that when you first met John?"
"Oh god no I meat John years ago" Mac answered "we met at a college party"
"You and John went to the same school?"
"No, I'm a Harvard alumni"
"Really?" Ana asked surprised.
Mac laughed "Does it really surprise you that much that the redneck went to Harvard?"
"Oh" Ana flushed a little "no it's not like that at all it's just I always pictured people from Harvard differently"
"You thought we'd all be snobs right?"
"Yea … I guess"
"Some of them are but most are really down to earth"
"What's it like having Bob Orton for a dad?"
"It's more like what's it like not having a father at all" Mac's tone changed just a little. Her lips set into a hard line and there was this brief look of hate on her face. "We've never seen eye to eye on anything and we don't speak to each other"
"That's unfortunate" Ana sympathized.
"That's life" Mac retorted.
"But I have a lot to be thankful for in my life so there is no need to dwell on the negative" she added.
"Like John" at the mention of his name a smile returned to Mac's face.
"Yes John is definitely in the good column"
"I'm going to get something to drink you want something?" Mac asked.
"A water would be nice"
"Coming right up" Mac grinned as she stood up. Ana closed her eyes and rested her head against the back of the padded chair. She liked Mac, she had been nothing but nice to her from the very beginning but she still wasn't sure she could trust her.
Mac's cell phone began to ring in her bag. Ana opened her eyes and deliberated retrieving the phone or not. At first she was against it but then the more she thought about it she convinced herself that maybe it was somebody important that Mac needed to talk to. She opened up her friend's bag and searched for the ringing phone. It stopped ringing after a few seconds of searching. Ana stopped rummaging through the bag but something caught her eyes. She pulled out a picture, it was of Mac holding a little blonde haired blue eyed boy. The boy was grinning goofily at the camera as Mac kissed his cheek.
"I see you have discovered Jarrett" the sound of Mac's voice startled Ana and made her drop the picture.
"Mac, I'm sorry your phone was ringing and I went to answer it for you but it stopped ringing" Ana tried to explain 'I swear I wasn't going through your things"
Mac threw Ana her water and held her hand out for the picture. Ana shyly handed her back the picture but she couldn't meet the red head's eyes.
"I'm not mad at you" Mac said.
"I swear I just wanted to make sure you didn't miss an important phone call"
"It's fine" Mac sat down once again.
"Is that your son?" Ana asked.
"Yes" Mac said after a long pause.
"He's beautiful"
"Thank you" Mac said "but I would appreciate it if you didn't mention him to anyone else … only me and John know … and well now you too"
"Why?"
Mac sighed "You haven't been here that long so you don't really know the ins and outs of this business yet. Vince forbids … well he can't actually forbid … but he strongly agrees with his no inter-company romance so to know that two of his top stars have a baby and are married to boot would put me and John in some hot water"
"W… wait you and John are married?" Ana was shocked that they were able to keep that a secret.
"Yea we have been for about 8 years now"
"And nobody has ever figured it out?" Ana asked amazed.
"When John and I decided to get into this business we both agreed to keep our marriage a secret so that we wouldn't hold each other back … two single and attractive people do better with the audience then a couple does" Mac returned the picture to her bag.
"How did you explain your pregnancy?"
"Well as soon as I found out I asked for immediate and indefinite leave of absence due to personal problems which I was granted and I was out for almost 2 years so I could spend time with my son before returning to the road"
"So what happens to your son while you work?"
"He lives with my mother and John and I take turns flying out to spend time with him and we call him every night before he goes to bed"
"Sounds hard" Ana mused.
"It is" Mac agreed "but it's also necessary"
"Why did you tell me all that?" Ana asked "you don't know me"
"Because only one who has a secret can see when someone else is trying so hard to hide one" Mac responded.
"I guess you could say my life is very much like yours" Ana said as she began picking at her nails.
"You didn't know your father growing up?"
"No I always knew him … it's just that I always felt like I never truly belonged in his world"
"I'm confused"
Ana took a deep breath "My dad is Bruce Springsteen" she said in a tone barely above a whisper.
"Well knock me over and call me a bowling pin" Mac said with a laugh "musta sucked growing up"
"You have no idea … everyone wanted to be my friend because of my dad and never because they liked me so when I started training I dropped Springsteen"
"Well your secret is safe with me Ms. Springsteen"
"oh shut up" Ana rolled her eyes.
"But you have to tell Ken … He'll propose to you right then and there" Mac laughed again.
"That's the perfect reason not to tell him" Ana grimaced "I want Ken to like me for me and not my dad"
"Eventually you'll have to tell people" Mac advised her.
"Yea, as soon as you tell everyone your secret"
"Everyone has secrets Ana" Mac said "and most of the time people make mountains out of mole hills"
"I wanna keep my disguise a little longer"
"It's your life"