Starting Over disc. - if you recognize it, I don't own it
Anna sat curled up in the alcove below her large livingroom window, watching the snow flakes fall softly to the ground. Today was going by very slowly, and it was very boring. Although there was one good thing that awaited her. Ricky, her old best friend and neighbour would be returning today. Apparently, from what his sister Kalie told her, he had gotten arrested for setting something on fire, and was sentenced to just over a year and a half at some detention center in Texas. She glanced at her baby pink watch, it was 4:46. Ricky was supposed to be arriving home at 5:00. Anna anxiously watched the snowflakes fall to the ground until her older sister, Brianna, came down stairs.
"'Bella, he isn't going to come home any faster. There might have been a delay at the airport, or traffic might be backed-up downtown. These things happen, beb. I'm sure he will come over and see you as soon as he can." Brianna saidusing her full name, AnnaBella as she took a seat at the end of the alcove's cushy bench.
Anna sighed and rolled her head around a couple times. "I know, I know. It's just that, I haven't seen him in so long? What if he doesn't remember me, or what if he doesn't want to see me?" she became a tad frantic.
"Don't worry, sweetie, I'm sure he will. Now what do you want at McDonalds? I'm going to head over to the drive thru and pick us up dinner since mom and dad are out of town for a while."
"Garden Salad with Feta Cheese and Italian dressing, please. . ." Anna responded distractedly as she continued to watch the snow.
Brianna smiled. "Alright 'Bella. See you soon."
"Drive carefully." Anna said softly as her sister disappeared out into the now snowy blizzard.
After watching the green van disappear down the street Anna allowed her head to fall back against the wall. It had been almost 2 years, what will he be like now? What will h- Anna began to think some more about Ricky until her brother, Jason, bounded down the stairs.
"Anna! Elizabeth(an - their 6 week old baby sister) is crying again. . .but this time I can smell the reason. And I REFUSE to change her diaper...it's...it's just...ew." Jason scrunched up his nose and stuck out his tongue. For 19 he could be insanely immature.
"Where is she?" Anna asked, slowly getting up off the bench.
"On Mum and Dad's bed." Jason replied, shrugging his shoulders and taking Anna's seat.
"Way to go genius, if she's on the floor I'm blaming YOU and only YOU." Anna turned around and stomped up the stairs and down the hall to her parents' bedroom. Little baby Elizabeth lay on the bed, all curled up and sucking on one of her feet as she rolled back and forth. When Elizabeth saw Anna she cooed and laughed loudly as she flung her little chubby arms up in the air. "Ahbagasooshatboo!" she gurgled.
Anna smiled and blabbered in baby talk as she made her way across the room and picked her up. "Hey wizzie, how's mwy fwavowite wittle swister? Who's mwy fwavorite?" she cooed at the tiny baby. Elizabeth just flapped her arms and legs violently. "Aww honey! Anna's here, Anna's here." Anna picked the baby up, sat down, and began to bounce the baby up and down. Elizabeth loved it when Anna, Jason, or Brianna did that. Then Anna remembered why Jason had sent her up here. Anna walked over to the changing table and proceeded to change the stinky diaper.
"Poo-tink you stink!" she laughed at the baby, using a line she remembered her parents saying to her when she needed a bath or something when she was younger. After she finished Anna doused the baby's tiny bum in Baby Powder and slapped on a new diaper. "There! Good as new!" she squealed, blowing rasberries. Elizabeth giggled loudly and Anna picked her up and set her down in a playpen that was randomly in the corner. "I'll be right back, baby!" And with that she bounced down the hall to Elizabeth's tiny nursery and yanked a simple white onesie and a pair of light purple infant sweatpants out of the drawer and ran back to her parents room. After she finished re-dressing her sister Anna sat with Elizabeth on the floor and red one of her favorite books until she heard Jason fall off the bench downstairs.
"Jase? You okay?" Anna called, picking up the baby and walking to the top of the stairs.
"Yeah, yeah, Ricky just scared the bejesus outta me!" He laughed.
"Ricky?" Anna screeched and Elizabeth started to cry. Anna bounced her up and down til she was quietly cooeing again.
"Yeah, he just came up to the window and I didn't notice til I looked up from the magazine I was reading."
"Well are you going to let him in?"
"Uhm, yeah, he's coming around the back right now."
"Omigosh." Anna rushed down the stairs, thrusted Elizabeth at Jason, and dashed up to her own bedroom.
After a few minutes of trying to decide what to wear she heard the back door being thrown open and Ricky's voice ring out. "Jason?"
Jason went out and greeted them, Elizabeth in hand. "Hey, man. How you doin'?"
"Good, good," he began, the noticed the tiny baby curled up in Jason's arms. "You've been busy?" he joked, pointing at Elizabeth.
"Jesus christ, no way. This is my sister. Mum had her 6 weeks ago. She's a good baby, thank fucking god."
At hearing her brother swear with the baby around Anna shouted. "Jason! WATCH YOUR LANGUAGE. MOTHER OF GOD!" she exclaimed, then quickly covered her mouth.
"ANNA! HURRY UP AND GET DOWN HERE!" Jason yelled as he handed the baby over to Ricky and walked to the bottom of the stairs.
"I AM TRYING TO HURRY, JASE, BUT I HAVE LIZZIE'S POO AND BABY POWDER AND THAT NASTY GREEN BABY FOOD ALL OVER ME! I'M CHANGING! I'LL BE DOWN IN 5 MINUTES!" Anna hollered, running a hand through her dishwater brown hair. Quickly she grabbed a pair of Seven Jeans and a long sleeved buttercup yellow sweater that fit her like a glove and pulled them on. After brushing her hair and pulling it into two low braids she applied lipgloss and mascara and washed her face before slowly making her way to the TV room in the basement. Jason saw her first because there was a wall separating the stairwell from the TV room and he was sitting in the chair that was against the wall with Elizabeth, and Ricky was on the other side. Anna hadn't seen him yet, but already her heart was thumping underneath her shirt.
"Took you that long to come up with that?" he chuckled. Anna smirked and threw a pillow at him that was lying by the entrance.
"Jase, please shut it." she quickly and briskly walked over and took Elizabeth from him before going over to the laz-y-boy in the corner. Ever so timidly she raised her gaze from her sister's bald head to Ricky, who was staring at her.
"Hey." he murmered with a smile.
"Hey, how's it going." Anna asked, her voice shakey.
"Not to bad. What about you." he asked.
Anna surveyed his appearance. The crazy hair she used to love to brush and style was now gone. It was replaced by a much shorter shaggy hair cut, that was tucked up under a black wool knitted skull-cap. The only way she knew it was shaggy is because pieces of it stuck out from underneath the hat. It was so cute.
"N- n- nothing." she said shakily.
"Oh, Anna, it's just Ricky. Why are you so nervous?" Jason loudly interuppted her.
Anna gave him the death glare. "Jason. Leave me alone."
Ricky chuckled. "Yeah, Jase, give her a break."
Anna beamed over at him. "Thanks." she smiled sweetly.
Ricky winked at her and was about to say something, until Anna wrinkled her nose. Uh-oh. Elizabeth had terrible timing. Anna raised the baby until she was facing her. "I JUST changed you half an hour ago." she murmered quietly.
"What's wrong, Anna?" Jason asked. Like he cared.
"I think Lizzie had another accident." Anna cooed in a baby voice. Ricky smiled when he heard this. It was cute hearing Anna be so kind and gentle with the little baby, even if lizzie had just done something totally nasty.
Jason laughed. "What are you laughing at Jase, it's YOUR turn."
Jason shook his head at Anna. "I don't think so, babe. I don't DO diapers."
Anna squinted real hard at her brother. "Jason, you are STUPID." she put major emphasis on stupid. " I don't want to do this again, you think I like it anymore than you do?"
Ricky got up out of the chair. "Here, I'll help you." he took baby Elizabeth from Anna and followed her up the stairs to her parents' bedroom where the changing table was.
Anna set out the diaper, wipes, and baby powder. "Thanks. I mean, I don't really mind doing this 'cause I love Elizabeth, but I mean, it's GROSS." she made a face, scrunching her tiny nose.
"Oh, it's no problem. I used to have to change Kalie ALLLL the time. I got used to it. Wipes."
Immeadiately Anna thrusted the baby wipes at him. They smelled like lilac. How ironic.
"So, where DID you go these past 2 years?" Anna asked as she inched closer to him.
"Camp." he replied simply.
"Oh. Okay. Was it fun?" she asked.
Ricky looked at her then burst out laughing. "Anna, baby girl that's the LAST thing I'd call it, but I DID meet some pretty cool friends there."
"Well that's good. So have you been home yet today?"
"Well, yeah, I had to drop my backpack off and go visit Mum and Kalie and Grandpa. Dad wasn't home though." Ricky shrugged his slightly muscled shoulders. Anna's ear-to-ear grin faded.
"Ricky. . " she began.
"Yeah? Powder." Anna handed him the powder.
"Uh, I don't really know how to say this. . I thought they would've told you. . ." she trailed off.
"Go on? Diaper." Anna thrusted a diaper at him.
"He left. He left about 6 months after you were gone."
"What do you mean, GONE?" Ricky asked, picking Elizabeth up off the changing table.
"You're parents are...uh...divorced. I'm so sorry." Anna's eyes got teary as she watched Ricky's smile drop.
"It's my fault." he said simply. "My fault. I messed up."
"No, Ricky, No. It wasn't your fault. Your father. . .he. . he cheated on your mum. And then he threw Kalie down the stairs. I know this because after it happened your mum and Kalie came and stayed with us for a few days until they could take him to court." Tears began to seep out the corner of Anna's eyes. Ricky's eyes widened.
"I...I...I...I don't know what to...say." he said, stunned.
"I'm really really realllllllyyy sorry. I thought you would've found out, Ricky, really I did. I would've wrote you even, but no one gave me the right mailing information. I'm so sorry." Anna laid Elizabeth down in her little cradle for a nap and sat beside him. Instantly she felt arms around her.
"It's not your fault. I just thought dad was so much cooler than that. He used to be my like, HERO, Anna. I. . .this. . .it's. . .it's hard to comprehend a hero doing something so stupid." Anna hugged him back.
"I know, I know." she whispered.
"What are you guys DOING?" Jason asked as he came into the room. "Whoa, whoa, WHOA. I'm sorry. . ." he stuttered as he saw them hugging.
Anna raised her teary eyes to Jason's form in the doorway. "Jase, it's okay. I told him."
Jason raised an eyebrow. "Told him what?"
Anna lifted her whole head and her jaw dropped. "Take a guess." she challenged. She and Ricky both turned to face him.
It took Jason a minute to understand. "Oooooh...you told him THAT. . .Ricky, Man I'm so sorry your father turned out to be such a d-"
"Jason. . ." Anna warned.
"It's alright, Anna." Ricky began, standing up. "He's right. Dad's a dick."
"W-w-where are you going?" she spluttered.
"Home. Gotta go see home Mum and Kalie are doing, they didn't really say much when I got home. They just cried and cried and hugged me. . .they'd still be squeezing me if I didn't say I had to go see Anna." he chuckled.
"Oh...okay...well why don't you come back later tonight, Jason, Brianna, Kateia Jason's girlfriend, and I rented '13 Going On 30'."
Ricky wrinkled his nose. "Isn't that a chick-flick."
Jason coughed loudly and whispered something in Ricky's ears. Ricky looked confused then a look of comprehension came across his face. "Ooh..Jason..that's..that's..I don't know. But sure, Anna, I'll come. What time?" he asked.
"7:00." she smiled.
"Alright, see you at 7:00." Ricky hugged both of them before walking out the front door and down the steps and down the sidewalk to his house next door.