Anna: Chapter 7

Anna walked down the hallway back into the family room where JJ was sitting on the couch watching tv.1

JJ: Anna, I want lunch. (she looks up from the tv)2

A: Yeah? And what do you want? (frustration in her voice)3

JJ: What’s wrong? (looks at Anna, with worry in her icy blue eyes)4

A: (walks over to her, sits down and puts her on her lap) I’m sorry…What would you like…? (says in a nicer tone)5

JJ: ummm…(puts her finger to her lips, thinking) I waaannt…PB&J! (smiles)6

A: (smiles) I could have guessed that. (gets up from the coach, seeing that Blue’s Clues was on, and walks over to the kitchen, watching JJ. Takes out the peanut butter, jelly, bread and a knife) Oh…hey…JJ?7

JJ: (looks up from the tv) yeah?8

A: I have someone I want you to meet. His name is Joey.9

JJ: ewww…a boy?10

A: no…he’s a nice boy.11

JJ: (sighs)12

A: Give um’ a try…for me?13

JJ: (grabs her toes and smiles big) OOOKAY!14

A: (smiles) Thanks. (finishes making the PB&J sandwhich and set it on the table. The tv can be seen from the kitchen table) Here yah’ go. Yah’ want some milk?15

JJ: (comes running over to the table and sits down) Yes, please. (says innocently)16

A: (Brings her the milk and sits down and watches her eat. Phone rings. She gets up and walks over to the phone. It’s on it’s second ring and pulls back afraid of it being her Dad. She picks it up anyways and pauses, holding the phone to her ear::…..Hello? ::her voice at a whisper)17

Steven: Hello? You ok? (he said almost in worry)18

A: Oh, Steven…yeah I am fine…thanks.19

S: Are you sure?20

A: Yes.21

S: Do you want to come over?22

A: Can’t…uh…Mom ain’t feelin’ good…you guys can come ova’ here…bring Joey too.23

S: Alright…I’ll see if Kelly wants to.24

A: (she holds)25

S: (he comes back on the phone) Well…she says she needs to sleep and that she’ll be better tomorrow. (says in a sigh)26

A: Okay, well then just bring Joey over. He can meet my sister.27

S: Sure no problem. I’ll be over soon. (hangs up)28

A: (clutches the phone a bit before placing it back on it’s hook.)29

JJ: Who was dat’?30

A: Steven. Joey’s comin’ ova’ too. (Walked back over to the table and sat down, placing her head in her hands, trying to sort out her thoughts)31

JJ: What’s wrong? (her voice showing curiosity)32

A: (raises her head) Nothin’. (she sighs, changing the subject, looking at the sandwich with only the crust remaining) Yah’ done?33

JJ: Yeah (jumps from the seat, running back over to the couch to finish the Blue’s Clues Episode)34

A: (throws away the trash and places the empty glass of milk in the sink. She then walks over and sits on the couch, waiting for Steven, closing her eyes)35

JJ: (looks over to Anna noticing she was asleep) Anna? 36

A: (gave no response)37

S&J: (pulled into the driveway and walked up to the front porch)38

JJ: (heard a car pull in) Daddys’ Home! (she cheers, runs to the door and opens it. Looks up.) You not Daddy. (she says inside the glass)39

S&J: (They both stare at her, not being able to here what she was saying)40

S: (bends down to her size, outside the glass) Can we come in? (The shouts points inside the house)41

JJ: (backs away, not knowing who they are) A-AJ…(turns around and runs to her, taps her lightly on the shoulder)42

S: (looks in the door, seeing Anna on the couch, and smiles lightly)43

A: (is startled) What is it Jenny? 44

JJ: Someone s’ at the door. (she says worried)45

A: (her eyes glance past Jenny’s head to the door.) Oh, it’s Steven (gets up and runs her fingers quickly through her hair) How long has he been here? (walks to the door smiling)46

S: (returns a smile)47

A: (opens the door) I’m sorry. I hope y’all weren’t out here to long. 48

S: Oh no, we just got here.49

A: Comon’ in.50

S&J: (step inside)51

JJ: (watches the two boys’ from the couch, shyly. She runs up to Anna and hides behind her legs)52

A: Aww…comon’ now Jenny, it’s ok. (whispers to Steven) She’s scared of older guys. (winks and pulls Jenny out from behind her. Bends down to her height) Jenny (pauses and looks at Joey) This is Joey…and Joey… (looks at Jenny) This is Jenny..53

J: (smiles)54

JJ: Or you can call me JJ. (smiles)55

A: (smiles) You two can watch a movie if yah’ like, we’ll be on the front porch.56

JJ: Wanna’ watch a movie Joey? We got tons. (her icy blue ice brighten)57

J: Sure, whatcha’ got?58

A: (smiled at the two and stood up looking down upon them) If you two need any help with the VCR tell meh’. (she turned to Steven) Wanna’ sit outside? We get a perfect view of the sunset. (smiles)59

S: Suuure…(smiles back)60

A: (walks past him, grabbing his hands and interlocking his fingers with hers, she walks out the door closing it behind. She sits down on the porch, her long red hair blowing gently in the breeze)61

S: Sooo- (stops) What’s up? (looks at her) Everything ok?62

A: (looks down) Ye- (stops)63

S: And don’t you even say yeah. (lifts her chin)64

A: (Her eyes were forced into his.) It’s nothing I can’t take…(She smiles lightly)65

S: I didn’t ask that…(He kissed her lips softly, holding her chin)66

A: (She tried to make the kiss last)67

S: (He pulled away, keeping his face still close to hers, letting go of her chin)68

A: (She opened her eyes and looked down again.)69

S: Aww, come on...(He wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her close) Please?70

A: (She sighed deeply) My dad…he just…He’s not comin’ home for another year. And this winta’ he got my mom pregnant. I hate when he does this. He did it with Jenny and now with this child. I was only 12 when he did this with Jenny. I’m the one who had to get my Ma’ to the hospital. I’m the one who had to take care of her…71

S: (He hugged her tighter) I can help…72

A: No Steven…It’s not that. It’s just my dad. It’s like he doesn’t care. He should get his own ass down here and help “His” wife, with “His” child. 73

S: (He looks down and didn’t say anything)74

A: (Looked at him) No…no…Steven, I’m sorry. (She takes his cheeks in his palms) I didn’t mean it like that. I just meant…It’s not your job, it’s his. He did this to her…75

S: (Studied her ivy green eyes that had filled with water.)76

A: He wasn’t even here for my birth…(A single tear dripped from her eye)77

S: Anna…(He leaned in and kissed her tear and looked back in her eyes. He could taste her salty tear against his smooth lips) I will be here to kiss away every one of your tears…78

A: (She started crying more, hearing him say that.) Steven, I love you…(She kissed his lips back)79

S: (Pulled back slightly) I love you…Anna. (He smiled lightly and then kissed her back, wrapping his arms tightly, holding her lower back)80

A: (Leaned up against the wooden pole that was supporting the over-hang on the porch, letting his tongue explore gently inside her mouth)81

S: (He ran his fingers through her long red hair, kissing her passionately.)82

A: (She could feel his love in his kisses and she kissed him back just as much.)83

S: (Pulled back for a second and grinned)84

A: (Looked at him) What? (Laughs and Playfully hits his arm)85

S: (He just kept smiling)86

A: (This made her blush) Steven! (She laughs)87

S: You said you loved me…88

A: I do love you…89

S: (He kissed her once more) And when did you find this out?90

A: When you made tears come into my eyes. I’ve never cried over a boy…What you said…it came from your heart.91

S: (He doesn’t stop smiling, he holds her tight)92

A: You wanna’ stay for dinner?93

S: I would like that…94

A: (stood and reached down her hand) Comon’95

S: (Grabbed it and walked inside)96

Since Anna’s Mother wasn’t feeling well, Anna cooked some pasta for five and they all ate at the table. After dinner, Anna talked with Joey for about an hour about his parents and different things while Steven played some ball with JJ outside before it got dark outside.97

S: (Walked in laughing with Jenny on his back)98

A&J: (Look up from talking.) 99

A: Well…we can be done for today, okay?100

J: (Smiles and nods)101

A: Just remember what we talked about and we can talk again soon. (Anna stands from the couch.) What do y’all have planned for tonight? (To Steven)102

S: Nothing at all.103

A: Yah’ wanna’ stay the night?104

S: If it’s okay with your mom. (Looks to Joey) Want to stay with Jenny tonight, Joey?105

J: (looks at Jenny and smiles) Yeah!106

A: K, I’ll be right back. (She walks to her parent’s bedroom and sits on the side of the bed) Hey Ma’, Steven and Joey are stayin’ the night. (Then she stands up quickly walking back to the door)107

M: Whoa whoa whoa…(She says rolling over.)108

A: (Freezes and sighs) Ma’ it will be fine…109

M: Where are Joey and Jenny sleeping?110

A: Uh…The floor in the family room.111

M: And you and Steven? (She raises a brow)112

A: The sofa bed downstairs…(And she tries walking out quicker, avoiding her mother’s wrath.)113

M: Anna! Hold on now…Come back here.114

A: (Cringes and walks back towards the bed.) Ma’ we are just friends…Nothing will happen…I promise…(She thought, “After all we are kind of just friends…I mean it hasn’t quite yet been established we are more…” Her thought was then interrupted by her mom’s voice.)115

M: Anna, I’m going to trust you.116

A: (walks up to her and kneels down beside her) Ma’ you can…(She then stands up and walks to the door then turns) I’ll get Joey and JJ to bed and you get some rest. I’ll fix breakfast in the morning too.117

M: (Smiles some. Her eyes grew heavy.) I love you…118

A: Love you too, Ma’. See you in the morning. (She leaves the room and comes back into the family room.)119

Anna set up two sleeping bags for Joey and JJ and settled them in. Then she took Steven down stairs and unfolded the bed and placed sheets on it. She brought down ‘The Sound of Music’ with her, knowing they probably wouldn’t watch the movie much anyway. She was a little nervous about what would happen tonight, but at the same time excited….120