Barbara pushed the script back at her agent in disgust.
"Nope, not interested."
He sweated through his khaki suit, running his fingers through his bright orange hair in a panic. Clearly he hadn't expected her to say no, and perhaps made some promises he shouldn't have.
"Ah, come on, Barbara! It's gold, and you know it!"
"Yeah, but no one wants to see a fifty-five year old woman running around in hot pink tights, no matter how famous she used to be."
"How famous she is. And are you kidding me? Who wouldn't want to see ol' Babs Stewart back on the big screen?"
"Don't call me Babs. I always hated that nickname."
The agent put his hands on the table, sliding the script back her way. Barbara looked off, indifferent.
"The guys making this one are super passionate about getting you in this role. They're willing to do anything to make it happen. And I mean, look at the project. It's the kind of story that's a complete 180 for you, sure, but it's exactly what your career needs right now. You could be making movies a lot worse than this. This role could put you back in the spotlight, Barbara."
"It's an old dog playing new tricks, Cal."
Barbara glanced at the mirror on the wall over her shoulder. A few more wrinkles creased in her frown, only adding to her grievances. Cal took her hand over the table, drawing her attention away from her fading features.
"Please, Barbara. You don't know how perfect this could be for you. It's a change from all those small budget indie films you've been doing to pass the time. It's the chance for you to come back to the limelight where you belong."
"But a superhero movie, Cal? Honestly? That role's written for someone practically forty years younger than me!"
"You'd be surprised what a good makeup team can do."
"Makeup's not enough anymore, Cal. I'm gonna need something a whole lot stronger than a little powder."
"Trust me, if you take this job, there won't be any problem making you look your absolute best. You bring the power to this role, and I swear to you everything else will work out fine. I'd bet my entire fortune, nay my entire life on it."
Barbara sighed and looked her old friend in the eyes. He'd been with her since the very beginning, when they'd both been starting out. How either of them hadn't left the partnership long ago was still a mystery to her. Still, if Cal made a bet, he meant it. He never gambled with her career before now, so he wouldn't be starting now. Yet she couldn't shake her worries about becoming this character. She definitely resonated with the struggling young super girl they wanted her to play, and there were some interesting emotional high points that definitely drew on her skills honed as an actress for thirty plus years, but could they pull it off without her looking ridiculous? Could she really trust Cal on this?
"…I'll give it a try, but only because you haven't let me down yet, Cal."
"Thanks, Barbara. You won't regret it, I'm sure."
That remains to be seen, she thought.
"One more thing for you, Barbara. I know how much you like getting into character beforehand, so here's a little piece from the prop team. It's Cosmodia's necklace. Maybe wearing it will help set your mind at ease about this whole thing."
"Yeah yeah."
She took the clunky charm from Cal's hands. Boy, was it weighty. Barbara let Cal clasp it for her, then turned around to look at herself in the mirror. The shimmering stone chunk around her neck looked strange compared to the waifish old body wearing it. She felt foolish. Cal seemed happy, of course. Barbara tucked the necklace beneath her scarf out of embarrassment. She then bid Cal adieu and walked out of the agency with a troubled mind. What was she getting herself into?
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