The Return of Bananabelle

Mackenzie W

Disclaimer: Mackenzie W does not own the American Girl collection, they belong to some other lucky people that aren't her. Sadly. Any original characters are hers, however.

Come in! Its cold out and you look like you need to be warmed up. Would you like something to eat or drink? No? Are you sure? Well, if you're sure. Here, have seat. You look tired. The storm is going to last for a while so you might as well rest. No one else is going to be out in weather like this. It'll just be me and you for now. Do you care for a story?

I see you sitting up straight; you do want to hear a story! I see the book you're carrying—you know the story of Felicity Merriman? You do! Wonderful. Do you know about Felicity's marriage? Yes? Even better! Of course, there is a story after her marriage to Benjamin Davidson. This happened a few years after Ben returned from the war and asked Felicity to marry him.

Now don't groan, I know married life doesn't seem so interesting. But I know everyone loves a love triangle. Ah, now I've gotten your attention again. Yes, there was a triangle that Ben was unaware of. Felicity Davidson now had to go to bat for her oblivious husband. And her competition was not going to care who got in her way to get rid of Felicity and get Ben's heart. Whether it be the Merrimans, the Michaels (Elizabeth's family, remember?), or the Coles, they were all sitting ducks in the eyes of this determined lover.

Ha, I've really gotten your attention now! Don't worry, I won't leave you waiting. Let's begin…

The woman was dressed in black as she disembarked off the ship. She watched as her belongings were loaded onto a nearby wagon, which stood next to a waiting carriage. The driver stood off, watching the woman. She had told him she wanted to wait before getting into the carriage because she wanted to watch the sunrise over the water. The breeze blew around her, sending her shawl flying out. She held it tightly in her hands as the red sun began to rise in the sky. She sighed.

The sun rose in the East, the direction to which she wished to go back to. She had to leave England and break a solemn vow she had taken. She had vowed to never step foot in Virginia ever again, never return to the American shores. Yet, here she was. She had to come, she had no choice. She was a childless widow and her husband's fortune had gone to his brother. Her mother-in-law had turned her former daughter-in-law out with nothing, which might have been a scandal but she wasn't well liked. Her own parents had returned to Virginia because her sister had given birth and they wanted to be close to their only grandchild.

That was why she was in Virginia. When she sent the note telling her parents she was now a widow, they offered right away to help her. They sent her a ticket for a return journey to America, to help her sister with her nephew. She sighed as the sky continued to get brighter. She realized it didn't matter where she was, she was always better than everyone else. She would always get the best especially what she considered the best. She would find a new man and move on. Lady Annabelle Andrews, once just Annabelle Cole, did not stay down for long.

Annabelle nodded to the driver and she boarded the carriage. She gave him her sister's address and the carriage jerked forward. She watched as she journeyed into Williamsburg, watching the city grow larger and larger. She knew it was no longer the capital of Virginia, it had moved to Richmond. Maybe she would take trips up there if her parents allowed, court up there. She wasn't going to remain a widow helping to care for her sister's child. She leaned back, imagining herself back in some semblance of society soon enough.

She was brought out of her reverie by a jerk of the carriage. She scowled in the direction of the driver, who didn't bother apologizing. She leaned back, realizing the harsh look wouldn't work if the driver was going to look at her. Annabelle glanced out the window to watch the merchants open their stores. A familiar face caught her eye as he opened Merriman General Store. Elizabeth didn't tell her this in her letters, neither did her parents. Benjamin Davidson was alive? She thought he was lost in the war but now he was opening up the store.

Annabelle leaned back after she could no longer see Ben anymore. She had denied it to herself for a few years because how could she, a proper British gentlewoman, fancy a Patriot apprentice. It was preposterous! Then he went to war and she realized it was true. She did fancy a common apprentice who happened to fighting against her beloved England. Love was cruel. But she was a proper gentlewoman and was sent back to England for courting. That's where she had met Lord Andrews and couldn't resist. He proposed; she accepted and they were married. That's when she found out the same time Annabelle admitted she loved Ben was the same time her annoying sister Bitsy had become a Patriot herself. It was all that Felicity Merriman's fault. She and Peter had lived happily though Annabelle suffered a few miscarriages. Then Bitsy sent word she pregnant and the Coles rushed back to Virginia. Meanwhile, Annabelle watched her beloved husband grow sicker and die.

When Annabelle wrote to her parents, they wrote back that they were extremely sorry about Peter and his untimely death. They regretted not being able to attend the funeral, but Bitsy was about to go into labor. There had been a time when she was the number one thing in her parents' lives. That's why Elizabeth was Bitsy to them, she was small, secondary. But now Bitsy had supplanted her in her parents' lives. Bitsy and little James. Not that Annabelle could hate her little nephew; the baby hadn't done anything wrong. He hadn't ruined her life. Everyone else she had called her family had.

But now this was an interesting development. Ben was back and nothing could restrain her anymore. She could romance him, marry him. They could create their own family, people who would never turn their back on her. People who would always see her as the most important thing in their lives. That's what she would do. She smiled as the carriage pulled up to the Michaels' home. Things were looking up, she thought as she allowed this man to help her out of the carriage. "Thank you," she said, digging through her purse for a tip. She paid the driver and turned to the man, who put a hand up.

"No need, Annabelle. I'm Phillip, Elizabeth's husband," he said. Annabelle looked over the handsome blonde and decided Elizabeth finally did something right. She smiled at her brother-in-law.

"I'm sorry. It's nice to finally meet you, Phillip." She held out her hand and Phillip kissed it. Annabelle smiled; Elizabeth was actually smart with her match. "Do you have somebody who will handle my bags?" She motioned to her wagon.

"Of course, you're parents warned that you would have a lot," Phillip said, before clapping his hands. Two black slaves rushed out and started to unload her things. "Come inside, Lucy has breakfast ready. It's nice and warm." Annabelle nodded and let her brother-in-law escort her into the house.

After a rather grand breakfast, Annabelle retired to her new room. Her sister's mother-in-law had provided a slave for Annabelle's use for as long as the Andrews widow lived in the Michaels' household. Her name, she was told, was Rachel and she was a young teenager. She was meek, young thing who curtsied every time her mistress gave her an order. However, Annabelle had to admit Rachel knew her mistress very well; she didn't have to change anything around. The room was perfect. Annabelle dismissed Rachel so she could take a nap.

The nap was a suggestion from Anne Michaels, Phillip's mother. She was concerned for Annabelle after the voyage, early arrival and carriage ride. Annabelle was tired and she wanted to sleep for a long time. She took off her traveling clothes and got underneath the covers, thinking of the people she had just spent breakfast with. She immediately liked Anne and Roger Michaels, even if they were Patriotic Americans. They were very similar to the proper ladies and lords she had met in England as Lady Annabelle Andrews. She knew she was going to like Anne very much. Her parents were well as always and Elizabeth was actually glowing. She had brought little James over to see his aunt. To Annabelle, he looked like a ball of pink with black puffs of something that could be call hair. James cracked one blue eye open to gaze over his aunt before yawning and rolling over. Even though she had been ignored, Annabelle thought her nephew was adorable.

But the nap could allow her to plan how she was going to re-enter Ben Davidson's life. Elizabeth and Phillip had no mention of Ben or of any of the Merrimans. Of course, Annabelle had not brought it up at breakfast. It wouldn't have been in character for her. She had never cared for the Patriot family that produced Bitsy's spitfire best friend (whom Annabelle was certain would remain a spinster unless her personality had toned down). She could say she saw Ben that morning, which was the truth. But she was certain she had never let on about her crush on Ben, so no one would expect her to ask about him. No, Elizabeth had to bring him up first. Annabelle was determined on that point.

Annabelle closed her eyes, sleep making them happy. She was just going to think of Ben and the possibility of a new life. When Rachel woke her new mistress, Annabelle was in a better mood that the family just attributed to a good rest not knowing the plans she had dreamt of during that rest. Life in Williamsburg was about to get interesting; Hurricane Annabelle had landed without any warning.

A/N: This is slightly short, but they should get longer. Hopefully. Anyway, till next time! Mac