OoOo, I feel accomplished! I promised more soon and here it is. More of Chapter Four!
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Annabel rolls over, her arms raising high over her head as she stretches. Unconsciously, she smiles as her thoughts drift toward what might happen today. She casts a glance at the clock before deciding that a shower is definitely on the list of upcoming activities. She lets out a small groan as she stops stretching and swings her legs out of the warm bed.
After she is through showering and pulling her clothes on, a knock sounds at the door. “Come in,” she calls out, her top more than half way buttoned.
“You look nice today,” Helen’s voice comments from behind Annabel. The woman walks up and helps Annabel fasten her necklace asking, “Do you have plans with someone?”
Annabel shrugs slightly, “Not really, Helen.” She offers the woman a shy smile and tells her, “Thank you.”
Helen nods, “I was just asking because your blouse and skirt are very dressy. I thought maybe Jesse was taking you out for lunch?” The woman tugs at Annabel's green and blue spastic striped, silk, button up shirt that goes well with the ruffled black skirt that comes down about three inches above her knees.
Annabel shakes her head, “No ma’am. I m-might meet my friends and g-go shopping later?” She eyes the woman curiously. “Why?”
Helen shrugs, “No reason.” She turns to leave but pauses at the doorway. “Since you don’t have plans, could you take Hunter with you when you leave? Torii and Kelly just adore him, and won’t mind if he tags along.”
Annabel frowns, “Of course I can t-t-take him. Are you going s-somewhere?” Just then Hunter rushes by the door his toy airplane in his hand. The noise he is making could be described as an engine noise, but it is more loud and annoying than anything else.
“He’s full of energy today, and I just can’t take it anymore,” Helen tells her honestly.
“We’re is D-dad,” Annabel asks her, becoming annoyed once again with her stepmother.
“He flew out this morning for some business in LA.”
Annabel nods, “I’ll take the munchkin, Helen.” She shakes her head and mumbles, “He could have at least told me he was leaving so soon.”
Helen sighs, “He promised to make it up to you, although I don’t know why. You are very ungrateful for everything he does for you.”
Annabel looks at Helen, “I’m n-n-not in the m-mood for this, Helen. We can f-fight some other time.” She brushes past the woman and calls out down the hall, “Hey MONSTER! We’re leaving!”
Hunter comes running up behind her, “Where are we going Annie?” He latches onto her side for a second before breaking off. “I love you.”
Annabel smiles, “I love you, too, kiddo.” She sees that Hunter is wearing a sweater and slacks. She leads him back to his room. “Lets get you into some play clothes, okay?”
Hunter’s blue eyes widen. “Are we going to the park?” When Annabel nods he hugs her again. “Really?” Annabel smiles at him and pulls out an old shirt and jeans.
“Get dressed before I change my mind,” Annabel teases him. While Hunter is changing clothes she calls Riley. “Good Morning,” she says, smiling into her phone.
Riley has been waiting for this call for what seems like an eternity. “Hey, Social! You just now waking up?”
Annabel laughs as she looks at Hunter’s clock. “I wish I could sleep until eleven. I’ve been up for a while, but I called when I was r-r-ready to leave my place.” She pauses before saying, “My plans have changed slightly, though.”
Riley tries to keep the disappointment out of her voice when she replies, “Oh, that’s cool, Social.”
Annabel can still hear the disappointment and it makes her feel weird, but in a good way. “W-would you m-mind if my little brother hung o-out with us today?”
Riley's jaw drops a little, “You mean, you still want to do something?”
Annabel laughs, “Of course! My stepmom just wants a break from Hunter. I thought we could hang out at the park for a while and then, maybe go shopping?”
Riley grins, “Whatever your heart desires, Social. You want to meet at the park, or me to come by and pick you up?”
Annabel sees that Hunter is almost dressed and tells Riley, “We’ll meet you there, okay? Same p-p-place we were l-last time.” She helps Hunter up off the floor and leads him out of the apartment.
Riley grabs her jacket, “I’m already there.” She disconnects and bounces excitedly out of the door calling a hasty goodbye to her aunt. “Be back soon!”
*************
“I can’t meet you at B-Bergdorf’s,” Annabel says into her phone as she watches Hunter go running straight for the slide. “Why,” she repeats. “Because I’m at the part with Hunter.” She shakes her head, “No, I’m not being p-punished. I promised him we’d go. It’s fine, really. We’ll g-go shopping some other time, I promise.” She feels a pair of hand squeeze her side and she jumps, letting out a small squeal. “Eeeh!” She whirls around to see Riley with a very amused look on her face. “No, I’m fine Tor. Just saw a b-b-bug. Yeah, we’ll make plans for tomorrow. Toodles.”
Riley smiles and places a quick kiss on Annabel's cheek, “Hola, Princess.” She doesn’t hear Annabel's blushing response because Hunter runs up and nearly tackles her at the knees.
“You actually came?” He is excited and begins pulling her off to the swings. “Annie gets tired ‘cause she’s sickly, but I bet you can swing with me!”
Annabel smiles as she watches Riley being pulled helplessly. She follows behind them and sighs as Riley sits down in the swing next to Hunter and pushes off. “Remember what I taught you,” Annabel calls out to him and her smile grows as Hunter gets moving all on his own.
“I’m doing it,” he squeals, looking over at Riley. “See? Annie showed me the last time we were here.”
Riley nods, “You’re doing great, little guy.” She flashes a smile at Annabel and mouths, ‘He’s a cutie!’ Annabel grins at her new friend and finds herself sitting in the swing next to Riley. When she doesn’t start swinging, Riley asks, “What’s the matter, Social? Afraid that your skirt will fly up and show off your frilly panties?”
Annabel teases her, “You look at my panties often?”
Riley blushes deeply and stammers, “Um, no. I haven’t been – wait. You were teasing me.”
Annabel nods and tells Riley, “I’m just comfortable sitting here.”
Riley considers that the truth and continues swinging, going higher and higher with each thrust. Hunter slows down and tells the girls, “I’m gonna go play on the jungle gym.”
Annabel calls after him, “Be careful!”
Riley smiles as she watches Annabel sitting next to her. After a minute she asks the blonde, “When you were little did you come to the park a lot?” When Annabel nods Riley continues, “Did you swing?”
Annabel shrugs, “Every little kid swings, right?”
Riley grins, “Something like that.” She pushes extra hard and flies that much higher. “Well, did you ever jump out when you reached the top?”
Annabel shakes her head, “Never. I was too scared.” After a beat, “What about you?”
Riley laughs, “I was scared of nothing when I was younger. I knew that no matter what came along, I could face it and beat it.”
Annabel grins, “I wish I could have been more like that.” She keeps her eyes on Riley, watching the beautiful girl float back and forth in front of her. “Are you still as f-fearless?”
Riley blushes a little and quietly tells Annabel, “No.”
Annabel debates whether or not to push the issue, and her curiosity wins. “What are you scared of?”
Riley shakes looks back at Annabel their eyes meeting briefly. “You.” Annabel's eyes widen as she stares at the girl swinging in front of her.
She whispers too low for Riley to hear, “You scare me, too.”
Riley calls out, “Should I jump?” Without waiting for a response Riley lets go of the swing with her hands and sores into the sky. Annabel jumps up, frightened that Riley will hurt herself. “Be careful,” she yells, too late to stop Riley.
Riley lands on her feet, a little out of breath. She smiles as she turns back to face Annabel. “Swinging is kind of like life, Princess. Sometimes you just have to jump, even if you’re scared. Because, you know that if you stay in that swing for another second you’ll be stuck there… and who wants to be stuck in a swing that isn’t going anywhere?” Riley sighs, mad at her philosophical side for coming out.
Annabel bites her lower lip before whispering, “Can you teach me?” Riley cocks her head at Annabel, unsure of what to say. Annabel continues, “I don’t want to be stuck, Riley. Teach me to jump?”
Riley offers Annabel a winning smile, “I’ll teach you anything you want to learn.”
**********
“Where to now, kid?” Riley reaches over and messes with Hunter’s hair. She smiles at Annabel sitting on Hunter’s other side on the bench before returning her attention to the boy.
He smiles, “I’m not going home?” Riley looks to Annabel who shakes her head and she does the same. “We can do what I want?”
Annabel gives Hunter a small kiss on the top of his head, “We sure can, Hunter.” She looks at Riley and mouths, ‘Thank you.’
Riley shrugs, “I like they guy, what can I say?”
Hunter blushes and asks Riley, “You like me?”
Riley tells him, “I most certainly do.”
The little boy beams and tugs at Annabel's sleeve, “She likes me!”
Annabel laughs at his enthusiasm. “Where are we going?” She looks at her cell phone and announces, “It is nearly 2 o’clock.”
Hunter frowns, “What can we do?” He looks at Riley, “What do you wanna do?”
Riley shrugs, “Whatever you want to do, Bud.” She smiles as the child wrinkles his forehead in thought. “Don’t hurt yourself tryin’ to think,” she tells him, playfully.
He looks up at Annabel and asks, “Is that why your head hurts so much, Annie? ‘Cause you’re thinking too hard?”
Annabel shakes her head, “No, Hunter. I don’t think that’s it.”
He nods, “Okay. Maybe we should ask Uncle Keith about it?”
Annabel smiles, “Next time I go, I’ll be sure to ask him for you.” Riley is lost and casts a questioning glance at Annabel who ignores it. “How about a movie,” the blonde suggests to move the conversation along.
Hunter smiles, “My pick?”
Annabel looks at Riley who nods and tells him, “Go for it, Hunter. I’ll watch whatever you want to watch.” Annabel stands up, tugging Hunter along with her. Riley moves to take the boy’s other hand and tells the two, “I’ll get us a cab.”
“Picture of the happy family,” a Brooklyn voice calls out as they begin departing. Riley turns around and sees a man with a camera pointed their way.
“No thank y--.” Riley starts to protest, but Annabel stopped her.
“We’d love one!” She scooped Hunter up in her arms and moved closer to Riley.
“This guy is just ripping us off,” Riley mutters to Annabel who ignores her.
“Say cheese on three. One. Two. Three.”
A chorus of “Cheese” erupts from Annabel and Hunter.” Riley reluctantly adds, “Cheese.”
The man snaps the picture and within seconds the picture floats out of the camera. Annabel smiles and steps up to him, setting Hunter down. “That’ll be 5 bucks, lady.”
Annabel smiles kindly and hands the man a twenty. “Keep the change, all right?” She takes the photo from him and places a kind hand on his arm. “And thanks.”
“Man,” Riley comments when Annabel returns to her and Hunter. “Why’d you give him a twenty? It’s not even a good picture.”
Annabel shrugs, “He’s just trying to make a living so he can eat, Riley.” She looks down at the picture which has finally developed. “And I think it’s a very good picture.”
Hunter tugs at her arm, “I wanna see!” Annabel hands him the picture and he smiles. “Can I keep it?” Annabel nods and they begin walking to the sidewalk.
Riley is still worried about how naive Annabel seems. “Sometimes you are just too nice, Social. One of these days you’re going to be nice to the wrong person and they’ll take advantage of you.”
Annabel is feeling feisty and asks Riley, “What if I want to be taken advantage of?” Riley raises her eyebrows and is about to respond when Hunter chimes in.
“What does ‘taken advantage of mean’?”
Annabel frowns and tries to explain to him. “Well, it can mean a lot of things, but m-m-mostly it means that when you are nice to s-someone they make you be nice to them and they are mean to you.”
Hunter frowns, “Why would you want someone to be mean to you?”
Annabel sighs, “I didn’t mean it like that, Hunter.”
Riley touches her elbow softly, “How did you mean it?” Annabel shakes her head and tries to send to Riley, ‘Not now!’ Unfortunately her telepathic powers are nonexistent so she settles for hailing them a cab.
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