Part 10 (2/2)
He shrugged modestly and took a bite of his own meal. He'd been a good brother, too, if a bit overzealous in protecting her.
”He's a very good daddy,” Diana agreed. ”He even reads Will a bedtime story every night.”
The scenario sounded so normal. Annie couldn't have been happier for her nephew, having a kind mother and an attentive father...enjoying his health and a typical childhood.
All the things she'd longed for. All the things that had never been hers. Her thoughts kept straying to Luke's intent, as they had every day since the night he'd expressed his interest in her. Charmaine had been right-about the courting part.
Could something so ordinary and so wonderful truly be happening to her? Should she allow her dreams to include a family of her own-a husband-children like Will?
For the first time she'd begun to think that those things were possible for her. Happiness bubbled up inside without a means of expression.
After coffee and dessert, which Mildred served herself, the family headed back outside. Annie remained in the kitchen to help Glenda finish. ”Will you take this note for me?” she asked. She'd prepared it that morning.
”Glad to help a budding romance,” Glenda said with a sly grin and took the paper, tucking it into her pocket.
”Go on now, I'll dry that pan,” Annie told her.
Glenda thanked her, hung her ap.r.o.n on a peg in the pantry and wished her a good afternoon.
”You, too.” Annie dried the pan, put it away and took herself out back.
The three adults were engaged in a game of croquet, and Will was getting in trouble trying to play with the wooden b.a.l.l.s.
”Here, Will!” she called. ”There's a rubber ball on the porch right there.” She got the message across to him and he ran up the ramp, got the ball and carried it back to her.
”Let's move over here and throw it.”
Of course Will's pitches landed on all sides of her, rarely reaching her unless they caught her in the head or the chest. It would have been so easy for her to get out of her chair and simply walk to the ball each time. Her arms grew tired of pus.h.i.+ng the wheels over the gra.s.s, and her frustration became a coppery taste in her mouth.
The ball sailed six feet to her right and the temptation to stand grew so strong, she drew a deep breath.
Standing, she limped to retrieve it and tossed it back.
Wide-eyed, Will grinned and picked it up, only to toss it in the other direction. Annie went after it. This was so much easier-and so much fun! Will was delighted, too, crying, ”Nannie! Nannie!”
”Annie!” Her mother's shriek broke into their joyful game. Burdell was at her side in an instant, pus.h.i.+ng her chair up behind her.
”What are you doing, child?” her mother cried in horror. ”Thank goodness there was no one here to see this!”
Annie sat and stared up at her, a sick feeling sinking in her chest. ”What do you mean?”
”I mean-you could have hurt yourself! You could have fallen! You may already have been hurt.” She turned to Eldon. ”Do you think we should send for the doctor?”
”I'm fine, Mother,” Annie said with disgust.
”Are you certain?” her father asked. ”Does anything hurt?”
They had no idea, no idea whatsoever. ”Yes, my arms, from pus.h.i.+ng this d.a.m.ned chair across the gra.s.s.”
”Annie!” Mildred's hand flattened on her breast in offense. ”Such language is inappropriate for a lady!”
”It's my fault,” Burdell said. ”I wasn't paying attention and Will wore her out.”
”Will didn't wear me out,” Annie disagreed with a disgusted flick of her hand. ”All this invalid stuff is wearing me out.”
Her mother's pale face took on a positively stricken expression. She grabbed her husband's arm. ”That tea that the Philadelphia hospital suggested. That will relax her. I'll go prepare it immediately.”
”I don't need to be *relaxed', Mother!” Annie called to her back. She studied her father's helpless expression, Burdell's smothering look of concern, and noted that Diana was giving the two men curious looks.
She met Annie's gaze.
”Diana, will you push me to my room?”
Diana stepped behind her. ”Of course.”
She wheeled Annie past her mother, who was fanning the fire in the stove, and got her to her room.
”You are all right, aren't you?” Diana said, more of a statement than a question.
”I'm perfectly fine except for wanting to tear my hair out and scream.”
”Don't do that. Your hair is too pretty to tear out.”
Annie couldn't suppress a smile. ”I'm just so tired of being treated as though I'm worthless,” she said wearily. ”I can do things! I can walk! They just won't let me.” She got out of her chair and demonstrated, walking first to the window and then to the wardrobe. The enormous room allowed her s.p.a.ce to walk in a circle and she did so, as she'd done every day for weeks and weeks. ”Is this so awful? Is my limping so hideous that I should be ashamed and hide myself away? Is it? Do I embarra.s.s you?”
”Not in the least! I'm thrilled you can walk so well. I had no idea.”
”Because they don't allow it.” Her temper had cooled and she stepped to the overstuffed chair near the window seat and sat, cradling this new injury to her pride and confidence.
Her sister-in-law took a seat on the padded window bench. ”Maybe they just need some time,” she said.
”How much time? Nineteen years, would that be long enough?” She hated the catch in her voice that gave away her hurt feelings.
Diana's glance at the ceiling and bob of her head said she'd gotten the point. Nineteen years hadn't been enough to show them she was capable of anything more than the slim allowances they'd permitted.
”I'll speak to Burdell,” she promised. ”Maybe that'll make a difference.”
Annie didn't hold much hope that it would, but she was grateful that Diana understood and cared. ”Thanks.”
Mildred tapped on the door and opened it, a tray balanced between her hip and forearm. ”Annie?”
Annie rolled her eyes at Diana. ”Come in, Mother. You'll notice I'm not foaming at the mouth.”
”I've made you tea.”
”I'm not going to drink it.”
<script>