Happy Together
Forever Changed Chapter 2
Christmas Eve was a restless night for Oliver and I. The FBI detectives who were investigating The Mudges, as they called themselves were coming and going. I'm not sure if Annie was more excited about the presents for Santa waiting for her under the Christmas tree or the anticipation of leaving to go to Canada to go live with her new "parents". I was happy that I couldn't be more correct about Ralph Mudge looking like the sleazy gentlemen I had seen outside the orphanage a week before. It was indeed Agatha Hannigan's brother Daniel, also known as Danny the Dip, also known as Rooster. His female accomplice was Lily St Regis and I had a feeling Ms. Hannigan was in on this whole thing too.
At 7:30 am we walked into the foyer and saw Annie waiting on the steps. Her loyal dog Sandy and her suitcase were next to her.
"You're up early this morning Annie." Oliver said
"Yes, well my folks are comin' and I have to be ready."
Annie had a very sad look on her face and I remembered our conversation from the night before.
"Remember Annie we'll try to visit you whenever we can." I pulled her into my arms and rubbed her back comfortingly.
"You're up early too Ms. Farrell and Mr. Warbucks."
Oliver nodded. "Yes Annie we've been up all night. It turns out you may not be going with the Mudges after all."
Annie looked up at him in shock. "What do you mean? They're my parents; I have to go with them."
Oliver held his gaze firmly on Annie.
"Annie, I have something very difficult to tell you. President Roosevelt has been here all night and he is going to help me tell it to you."
"What is it?" Annie looked more confused than ever.
The president rolled up to Annie in his wheelchair.
"Annie, the FBI was able to trace the handwriting on your note to your parents."
"We already know that the Mudges are my parents." Annie said.
I put my hand on Annie's shoulder gently. "Sweetheart, listen to President Roosevelt."
"The handwriting on your note was traced to a David and Margaret Bennett."
"Who are they?"
Oliver cleared his throat.
"The Bennetts were your parents Annie. They died years ago."
"Then I guess I'm an orphan after all."
I wrapped Annie in a warm embrace.
"Annie, do you remember our conversation last night?
Annie nodded. "Yeah, I said I loved you and Mr. Warbucks very much."
"And remember how I said we loved you too?"
"Yes, Ms. Farrell. I do."
"Well, then you're not really an orphan anymore are you?"
Annie's frown was immediately replaced with a wide smile. "I guess not."
Annie looked from President Roosevelt to Oliver then back again.
"Well, if my real parents are dead then who in the world are the Mudges?" Annie asks
Oliver had a grin a mile wide on his face. "That's the right attitude Annie. That's what the FBI has been looking into all night. It turns out they were frauds, not unlike the other people that claimed to be your parents."
"But they knew about my locket. How could that be possible if Ms. Hannigan was the only other person who knew about my locket?"
At that moment Drake entered the hallway "Ms. Hannigan, sir and the children from the orphanage. "
Ms. Hannigan came in with the orphans in tow. "Hi Kids." Annie said. She didn't even give Hannigan a second glance.
"Hi Annie! Hi Annie! The kids screamed excitedly,
"Annie has picked out Christmas presents for all of you and they're all under the tree." Oliver said.
"Hooray!" the kids screamed. Ms. Hannigan walked up to Oliver.
"Thank you for having us. You have a nice place here."
'Much better than that dump you call an orphanage. 'I thought to myself.
"Thank you." If you want to help yourself to some coffee and biscuits Mrs. Pugh just brought some out."
Ms. Hannigan grinned. "I will help myself. Thank you."
'Don't get too comfy Hannigan, you'll be leaving soon.' The voice inside my head carried on.
Drake came back from the entryway with a snide look on his face. "The Mudges are here."
"Show them in!"
"With pleasure sir."
In walked the Mudges… though I knew exactly who they were… and that they weren't Annie's parents at all!
"Good morning one and all! Merry Christmas." 'Ralph Mudge' said.
'We're on to you Rooster Hannigan.' I thought to myself.
"We don't want to be in your way too long interrupting your Christmas celebration and all so Shirley and I will just take Annie.. and the check."
"Of course, the check. I almost completely forgot about that." Oliver said handing it to him.
"A certified check for $50,000 paid to the order of Ralph Mudge."
Drake was watching this from the side of the room. "Read it again sir." The snide look from three minutes before was slowly being replaced with a grin.
"Pay to the order of The Jig is up"
And that's when they knew they had been caught.
"Yes, the jig is up Ralph Mudge, also known as Daniel Francis Hannigan, also known as Rooster Hannigan also known as Danny the Dip." I said.
Rooster and Lily tried to escape but Roosevelt's Gmen and Drake barricaded the door.
"Franklin, I believe your GMen have the power to arrest people who have committed fraud." Oliver said.
"That's very true, hand them over."
Lily St. Regis pointed to Agatha Hannigan who was smiling, watching the kids by the Christmas tree and drinking her coffee. "She's part of this too. If we're gonna go to the slammer so should she."
Hannigan tried to feign innocence. "I just met these people two days ago." "Annie, tell these people how good always have been to ya."
Annie had a smug look on her face. "The one thing you always taught me Ms. Hannigan was never tell a lie."
Hannigan's face was filled with rage as she lunged at Annie and I shielded her against me.
"Lay a hand on her and I can easily have you arrested for child abuse." I said.
"You'll be out of a job too as you're violating child labor laws by the way you run your orphanage." President Roosevelt added.
"You wanna know the truth Annie? I never liked you. Out of all the orphans in the place you were the most rotten one."
Annie looked at Hannigan once more square in the face.
"Well, I can't say I liked you either Ms. Hannigan. You always treated me bad. And by the way I'm not an orphan anymore, SO THERE!"
"Franklin, please have this woman arrested too and have her charged with being an accessory to kidnapping."
"With pleasure Oliver."
The secret service men led the three crooks out to the waiting police cars.
"Hey kids, guess what? Ms. Hannigan is gone for good."
"Yippee!" The orphans cheered.
"And we won't have to work anymore or eat mush for breakfast."
More cheers.
President Roosevelt rolled his wheelchair forward.
"And you'll each be adopted by fine upstanding families in the surrounding areas. The orphanage will be torn down and turned into a school which you all will attend next fall."
"Hooray!"
I couldn't tell if the children were excited about going to school but they were certainly excited about being adopted. I was happy for them all too. I could tell Annie would be happy to be seeing her friends more often.
Oliver took his hand in mine and smiled at Annie. "This can be a wonderful new start for all of us and I do mean all of us. He then reached into this jacket pocket and pulled out a box from Tiffany's.
I was completely shocked. "Sir, what is this?"
Annie grinned at me excitedly. "Open it Ms. Farrell, open it!
I did and I was even more shocked with what I saw a glistening silver engagement ring.
Oliver looked at Annie and then looked at me.
"Grace, there's no doubt that Annie has had an impact on both of us. I had this ring delivered from Tiffany's special yesterday. It's engraved too."
I turned the ring over in my hand and read what it said.
"To many happy years ahead."
"Mr. Warbucks.."
"Oliver, Grace… please call me Oliver."
"Oliver, this is a complete surprise. I don't know what to say."
There was silence for a few seconds… then Annie broke any tension.
"Say you'll marry Mr. Warbucks Ms. Farrell."
I scooped Annie up in my arms and ruffled her hair, still completely shocked by all of this.
"I love you Annie… and I love you Grace." Oliver said. Oliver kissed Annie first and then me.
"Grace will you marry me?"
I finally swallowed the lump in my throat.
"Yes Oliver, I will."
Based on the ending to the 1999 movie. I do not own rights to any Annie characters.
