Six Degrees

Heat flushed Ann's cheeks as memories sped through her mind. Every time she thought about what happened she felt foolish, stubborn, spoiled. Images burned into her mind as if fresh, though they were almost a year old. She shook her head, letting her bangs sweep her face. Even if she had acted like a brat, only one person had been affected, had witnessed it. And she had pretty much disappeared since then. Not that she had been clearly visible to anyone to begin with, oh no. Quiet and sophisticated, she hid a brilliant mind beneath her striking appearance. Noticed by not being noticed, if that made any sense.

"Ann!" A deep voice called, disrupting her thoughts. "Are you done with those omelets yet?"

Crap. Looking down at what, moments before, had been a perfectly cooked omelet, she reached for the spatfula and sighed. She scraped off the burnt remnants from the omelet into the trash before lifting the lid of the egg carton- empty. Ann pulled the white apron over her head, then made for the door that lead to the main part of the Inn. "No more eggs." She briefly explained to her dad while she pushed open the double doors to the Inn.

"What have you been doing this whole time?" He asked, his brow crinkled in confusion. But the redhead was already dashing down the cobblestone street.

After having run half of the way to the poultry farm, Ann brushed her hair that had stuck to her sweaty forehead away. Slumping onto a bench and panting slightly, she thought about what had just happened. Why had she run from her dad? Would he even be upset if she told him the real reason the eggs had burned? What would she say, that she was wallowing in self pity? Or that she had been cleaning up? Then what if he looked in the kitchen and noticed it was still dirty?

Straightening up, she heard a small rustle of leaves from the bush beside her.

"Hello?" She called, her voice somewhat raspy from her run. There was a sniffle, and she reached out a hand to move a few branches out of the way. A little girl, about no older than five, was curled into a ball. She had midnight hair that was braided into two. When the girl turned- or more rolled over- to see who had found her, Ann noticed she was crying. Or had been, seeing as how the tear tracks were visible but there were no fresh tears. "What's your name?" Ann asked, extending her hand to the girl. The girl looked at it, examining it, before she took it.

"May." The little girl said, sniffling at little. Ann pulled her out of the bush, and sat down on the bench, gesturing for the May to do the same. Ann's eyes met the glossy eyes of May. They were not the happy-go-lucky eyes of a child, more like those of someone who had just seen their dog put down.

"What's the matter, May?" Ann asked, using a calm voice. She noted that at this question, May's eyes filled with tears. "Don't cry, don't cry," Ann added hastily, and May raised a pudgy fist to wipe away her tears.

"My- my-" She started, her bottom lip quivering. "My mommy doesn't love me," she finished and at this, she burst into fresh tears.

"Shhh," Ann said, wrapping an arm around May and using the other to wipe her tears off her face. "I'm sure your mommy loves you very much."

"...She left me..." May added quietly, talking to her bright red shoes more than anyone.

"I'm sure your mommy didn't want to leave you." A bell sounded in Ann's head, and instantly she recognized the story. Manna was talking about Barley's daughter leaving him with a child. To be sure, she asked, "Is Barley your grandpa?" The little girl sniffled some more, then nodded. "I'll bet he's worried sick about you. What were you doing in the bush?"

But May pushed her away when she asked this question, and continued to watch her feet. Ann kneeled down in front of May and put a hand under her chin so that their eyes met. "My mommy left me, too. But I know my mom loves me. Someone very smart told me once that just because she left me doesn't mean that she can't stop, it just makes it harder for me to believe it. You should feel lucky you have a wonderful grandpa to take care of you."

May sniffled once more at this, before nodding again.

There was a long silence, in which Ann sat on the bench and wrapped a comforting arm around May.

"May? May! Oh, there you are!" Ann heard a familiar voice call. "I've been looking everywhere for you..." Her voice trailed off. "Ann?"

"...Nami?" They both asked, equally shocked as the other.

"You've met May, then I see?" Nami asked, her bright red hair bobbing as she walked towards the two.

"Yeah, how do you know her?" she asked, intrigued.

"...She's my sister's kid."

Author's Notes: Hmm. Don't really like this one too much, but it's the sequel to Confessional. C&C, please and thank you.