The next morning Elizabeth got up and put on some blue jeans and a black, short sleeved shirt on, and slipped on some socks before she went to check on Annie. She peeked into the room to see Annie still fast asleep so she went downstairs and got herself a banana. She turned around in the kitchen to see Annie standing in the doorway.
"Morning Annie." Elizabeth smiled brightly at the little girl
"I'm thirsty." Annie yawned walking over to Elizabeth. Elizabeth picked her up and placed her on the counter top before she got Annie some orange juice.
"Thank you." Annie thanked her as she took the cup from her hands as Elizabeth got Annie some breakfast.
"How about we go get you dressed for the day?" Elizabeth spoke to her as she placed Annie's dishes in the sink
"You have to catch me first!" Annie teased as she hopped down from the chair and ran out of the kitchen followed by Elizabeth.
"I'm gonna get you!" Elizabeth cried out running after Annie then suddenly Carolyn came out of no where and Annie stopped dead in her tracks. Elizabeth stood up to her full height and gained her composure as Carolyn looked at her awkwardly
"My husband is sleeping Elizabeth, please control Annie. He got in late, he needs his sleep. I am going shopping today and will be back later. Keep Annie quiet." Carolyn informed her before she walked off. Annie just looked up at Elizabeth sadly before Elizabeth guided the little girl upstairs to her bedroom
Elizabeth brushed Annie's hair as she colored. Elizabeth looked down at the coloring and saw it was a picture of Annie and herself. Elizabeth smiled softly before using the pony she used the day before and pulled Annie's curls back with it.
"Elizabeth…" Annie's spoke softly looking up at her
"What is it Annie?" Elizabeth answered putting the brush down
"Is my daddy really home?" Annie asked her
"I don't know for sure, why?" Elizabeth asked her in confusion
"Because I never really get to see him." Annie replied just above a whisper
"Well if he is here, when he wakes up you should talk to him then." Elizabeth replied smiling down at her and Annie just smiled back
-x-x-x-
Elizabeth and Annie colored some more and played since it was Saturday, Annie didn't have school. Around 10 Annie heard someone talking to maid Sara. Annie jumped off her bed and ran out the door and stopped when she saw a man standing at the bottom of the stairs. She cried out with delight and ran to the bottom of the stairs and the man at the bottom picked her up and hugged her tightly.
"Hey princess how are you doing?" The man spoke softly kissing her forehead as Elizabeth walked out of Annie's room.
"Good, where have you been?" She asked him with a smile on her face
"Around, how about I come back tomorrow alright? Then you and I can play." The man suggested and she nodded
"Can Elizabeth play with us?" Annie asked him in curiosity
"Of course…Elizabeth can play with us." The man replied not knowing who she was talking about
"Okay, see you tomorrow!" Annie replied kissing the man's cheek.
He set her down on her feet and walked out of the house. Annie looked up at Elizabeth and smiled before she ran up the stairs not saying a word about the man and said she needed to use the bathroom. Elizabeth waited for Annie in her bedroom. Annie decided to sneak a peek into her parent's bedroom and saw a lump in the bed. She just smiled realizing her father was home before she went back to her bedroom to Elizabeth. Elizabeth just assumed the man was her father and didn't ask any questions about him…
-x-x-x-
Later that day a little after noon Carolyn came home. Unknowing to Annie and Elizabeth, Annie's father had left once again without telling anyone.
"Mommy!" Annie smiled brightly as her mother walked into the kitchen while she and Elizabeth were having a snack
"Hello Annie." Carolyn smiled softly at Annie and hugged her lightly
"Mommy will you play with me?" Annie asked her with enthusiasm
"I'm sorry sweetheart, the girls and I are going out in a half an hour I need to get ready baby." Carolyn replied softly
"It's okay." Annie replied sadly
"I love you baby." Carolyn kissed the top of Annie's head and Annie just nodded in reply before Carolyn walked to the door
"Keep her occupied please Elizabeth." Carolyn informed her and walked out
"Would you like to go for a walk Annie?" Elizabeth suddenly asked the girl and Annie nodded in reply
"Come on, let's go." Elizabeth held her hand out to Annie and Annie took it happily and they made their way to the door and walked out.
-x-x-x-
"Look!" Annie cried out seeing a flock of birds just sitting in the middle of the park.
Annie looked up at Elizabeth expectantly and she just nodded. Annie let go of Elizabeth's hand and took off towards the birds and ran right through them making them fly up into the air. Elizabeth smiled as she stood a few feet away watching Annie play, looking a lot happier than she did the day before when she picked her up at the school.
"Annie!" Elizabeth called out to her and she ran over to her
"May we continue our walk?" Annie asked her and Elizabeth just nodded taking her hand. Elizabeth and Annie fed some ducks before Annie saw a fat wall that was probably as tall as her and ran over to it. She jumped up on it and Elizabeth held one of her hands as she walked across it. Then she saw an ice cream stand.
"May we get some ice cream Elizabeth?" Annie smiled brightly at her
"Alright." Elizabeth replied picking Annie up off the wall and putting her down on her feet before they both took off for the stand
Annie and Elizabeth sat on a bench as they ate their ice cream and talked.
"Annie how come your parents are never home?" Elizabeth asked her
"My mommy is always with her friends and daddy is always working. But I think mommy is just never home because daddy is never home." Annie explained to her
"Do you ever go to your grandma and grandpas?" Elizabeth questioned
"My mommy's mommy doesn't like my mommy very much and my mommy's dad is gone. My daddy's mommy and daddy are gone too." Annie replied softly
"I'm sorry Annie." Elizabeth placed an arm around Annie and pulled her closer
"I am done." Annie declared holding her empty ice cream bowl up
"Would you like to go home?" Elizabeth asked her and she shook her head no
"Alright what would you like to do?"
"May we go to the zoo?" Annie asked with a smile playing at her lips
"Sure why not?" Elizabeth smiled back and took her hand before they took off for the zoo
-x-x-x-
Elizabeth and Anne didn't get home till 7 that day. Carolyn was sitting in the kitchen calling many people when she heard the front door open and heard Annie's happy voice…
"Where have you been?" Carolyn cried out walking into the entrance room
"Elizabeth took me to the zoo!" Annie exclaimed with a bright smile
"What?" Carolyn shrieked looking at Elizabeth with a shocked look on her face
"Annie said she wanted to go to the zoo today. You told me to keep her occupied so I asked her what she would like to do…" Elizabeth replied in confusion
"Annie, go to your room I need to talk to Elizabeth." Carolyn told her firmly and Annie just nodded before she walked off up the stairs with her new stuffed monkey Elizabeth bought her at the zoo.
"I never told you to bring Annie to the zoo and I never even told you to bring her out of this house!" Carolyn snapped. But little did they know that Annie was sitting at the top of the stairs listening in
"I'm sorry Carolyn, you just told me to keep her occupied and she asked to go to the zoo…" Elizabeth replied to her
"Well next time check in with me and make sure it is okay before you even do it okay? Or if you want another job I'm sure I can arrange that for you!" Carolyn snapped angrily
"Stop it! Just stop it mommy!" Annie suddenly screamed at the top of the stairs
"Annie go to your room now!" Carolyn yelled up at her
"Leave Elizabeth alone! She is nicer to me than you! I love Elizabeth! She plays with me, makes me happy! Don't fire her!" Annie screamed at her mother as tears started falling
"Go to your room!" Carolyn yelled even louder at Annie and Annie just ran to her room in tears
Elizabeth watched Annie run to her room crying before she took off up the stairs after the girl
"Annie?" Elizabeth spoke softly walking into her room seeing Annie crying on her bed clutching to her stuffed monkey
"It's alright sweetheart. Everything's okay." Elizabeth told her just above a whisper pulling Annie into her arms. Elizabeth sat with Annie for about an hour and watched her sleep peacefully when the door opened slowly
"What happened?" It was a man…
"Mrs. Sheppard yelled at her. She was angry with me for taking Annie to the zoo after Annie requested it. Mrs. Sheppard told me to occupy Annie today so I asked Annie what she wanted to do. We came home and Carolyn panicked and Annie started crying." Elizabeth told the man softly
"Ah yes…Carolyn has been a little off lately for some reason." The man replied sitting on the end of the bed
"Who are you?" Elizabeth asked in curiosity
"Sorry, I'm James. James Sheppard, Annie's father. You are?" James introduced himself
"I'm Elizabeth Weir." Elizabeth replied
"Well thank you for watching after my little girl. I haven't seen her all day. I've been busy all day." James sighed brushing some of Annie's curls out of her face
"You mean you haven't talked to or seen Annie today?" Elizabeth asked in confusion
"Yeah, I woke up around 11 and had to go back into work." James replied looking a little worried
"Well there was a man here earlier today that she was talking to."
"That must have been my brother. Annie is madly in love with him. She acts as though they never see each other." James replied with a laugh
"Oh…I just assumed it was you by the way she was acting. He said he would come tomorrow and play with her." Elizabeth explained
"That would be my brother. He loves playing with children, especially Annie. I don't know why he can't find a woman of his own and have his own children instead of taking mine!" James laughed and Elizabeth let out a small laugh
"Thank you for watching after Annie. I appreciate it, and don't let Carolyn get to you." James patted Elizabeth's knee before he said goodnight and walked out.
-x-x-x-
AN:: There is that chapter also! So who's James' brother? It should be pretty obvious. But what's the matter with Carolyn? Why is she so panicky and angry? Well R&R plz have any ideas er maybe want sumthing in the story. I can see what I can do and try to get it in there or something like it in there. Tell me your thoughts i guess (as corny as that sounds)! lol