Thursday – The day before graduation ceremony

Ana's POV

On Tuesday I sat my final exams. I am pretty certain I aced them. Just have to wait now for the results. There is not a chance in hell that I will not be graduating tomorrow. Even before I sat my final exams I was graduating with Honours.

I can't believe that in just over 24 hours I will be graduating for WSU and then moving to Seattle with Kate. Thank goodness Kate's parents have bought her an apartment that we are moving into. It is a 3 bedroom apartment which is big enough for us and her brother Ethan when he decides to come and stay.

Sitting here thinking procrastinating will not get my stuff packed and into boxes ready for the big move on Saturday. At least I have started packing. Not that I have much to pack as I have very few personal items with me apart from my clothes and toiletries. The furniture is being moved by the removalists that Mr & Mrs Kavanagh have organised. They will also use the removalist truck to move all of the boxes that we pack. However I am not comfortable with some of my items being taken by the removalists so those few boxes will travel with me in trusty old Wanda my VW to Seattle. I shudder at the thought of strangers carrying my underwear even though they would not be on display I don't feel comfortable with strangers being that close to my undergarments.

Grabbing the small suitcase from under my bed I start packing my underwear into the suitcase. I however leave enough underwear out to last me until Sunday. No way am I going to be searching for underwear on Saturday night after moving all day. After I have packed all my underwear and undergarments into the suitcase I zip it up and slide it back under my bed. I then proceed to the lounge room to find a few empty packing boxes so I can start packing up my clothes, shoes and other personal items. Before I start packing my clothes I make sure I put enough clothes aside to last me until Sunday and place them in a pile alongside my underwear on my bed. Packing the clothes from out of my draws doesn't take long, so I start on my hanging clothes. Folding my clothes as neatly as I can I place them into the boxes without creasing them too much. After filling 2 boxes with clothes and shoes I tape them shut and write my name on the Box along with what is in the box. That will make it easier when we get to Seattle to identify the contents and who they belong to. Finally I pack my few photo frames, jewellery box and teddies into a box which will travel with me in Wanda.

I make my way out into the Kitchen and notice that Kate has not even started on packing the kitchen and I am guessing since Kate isn't here it is up to me to start packing it up. Since I know that we won't be cooking dinner for the next few days I start packing away all the saucepans, utensils and other gadgets that we won't be using. After 3 hours I have completely packed up the kitchen leaving out 2 of the essentials like cutlery, plates, coffee/tea cups and glasses.

Finally Kate comes strolling through the front door. I give her a dirty look and she just smiles and keeps on walking.

"Oh no you DON'T! Get your arse back out here Kate." I yell. There is no way in hell am I going to pack up all her shit in the lounge room it was bad enough having to do the kitchen. Kate comes back into the lounge room trying to look all innocent.

"Kate you need to pack all your stuff that is in the lounge room into boxes."

Kate bats her eyes at me and asks "Can't you do it for me Ana?"

"Oh hell no! I just spent 3 hours packing up the kitchen and you have done absolutely nothing yet. This is your stuff and you will be packing it yourself." I take a deep breath.

"Kate I will gladly sit here and keep you company whilst you pack your belongings into the boxes. But I will not pack for you. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes Ana. Give me a few minutes to get changed and then I will come back out and start packing up my stuff." Kate says.

Gosh I thought for sure I was going to start world war 3 when I told her that she needed to pack up her stuff in the lounge room. While I wait for Kate to return I grab a few boxes and put them in near the TV cabinet so that she doesn't have an excuse to delay packing. If I didn't put the boxes there she would take forever to get them even though they are only on the other side of the lounge room. I sit down on the lounge and wait for Kate. While I do I kick my shoes off and put my feet up. Just as I get comfortable Kate comes back out of her room and heads over to the TV cabinet and starts packing her DVD's and CD's onto the boxes.

As Kate packs we talk about what has got us to this point in our lives. Kate knows about some of my past but not all of it especially where my mum is concerned. She is my mum but there are things that I can't forgive her for. And Husband number 3 is one of them. No way in hell could I tell Kate exactly what happened with husband number 3 she would go ballistic. The only ones that know what happened are Dad, mum and me. I was kind of glad when she came to her senses and sent that idiot on his way. It took me a long time to actually believe that she left him and that he was out of her life. It wasn't until she married Bob that I actually believed her and actually started speaking to her again. When the shit hit the fan between mum, husband number 3 and me I moved back in with dad. I had been trying to convince mum to let me to move back with dad but she wouldn't budge until it all came tumbling down around me. And mum finally caved and allowed me to go live with dad. Stuff the fact that husband number 3 had left me a total mess and poor dad was left to try and piece me back together.

Flash Back

Ray: Carla you do realise Annie is about to finish high school and start college.

Carla: Don't be smart with me ray of course I realise that.

Ray: Then you will also realise that I am no longer financially responsible for Annie once she graduates from high school. Which means YOU and YOU alone will be responsible for any fees that Annie accumulates whilst at college.

Carla: What did you just say?

Ray: You heard me Carla. Until Annie graduates from college you are responsible for paying her student fees and any student loans Annie may have.

After a few minutes Carla responds

Carla: Ray Can you give me a few hours to reconsider your idea of taking Ana to live with you?

Ray: I will give you until tomorrow morning to reconsider my proposal of having Annie come live with me.

End of discussion.

Needless to say Carla rang Ray later that evening at his motel and asked when Ray could come and collect me and take me back to live with him. I can tell you I have never packed so fast in all my life. Well when I say pack I meant throw my clothes into my suitcase and collect my photos of dad. Most of my good stuff I left at dads when I left with mum because I wanted it kept safe.

End Flash Back

All I can hear is Kate calling my name. Then I realise where I am. Shit Kate must think I am off with the fairies. Goodness knows how long she has sitting there calling my name.

"About time you decided to come back to planet earth. I was talking to you and when I looked up you were staring into space with a weird look on your face. I didn't want to shake you so I started calling your name until you finally snapped out of it."

"Sorry Kate" I mumble. Looking up I can see Kate is slowly making progress. Looking at the clock I realise that it is just on 1pm. So I decide to ask Kate what she wants for lunch. I tell her if she keeps packing lunch will be my treat. It's decided that burgers from the local take away shop. So I leave Kate to her packing and head out to grab our burgers. Kate has decided on a steak burger and I grab myself a chicken burger.

A few hours later I start to feel a little unwell.

"Kate are you feeling ok after lunch?" I ask.

"Yeah I am fine. Why?"

"I think my chicken burger may have been dodgy I am getting stomach cramps and feeling a little sick." Shit this is all I need the night before graduation ceremony.

"Actually you don't look that crash hot Ana. Maybe you should go lay down for a bit" Kate says with concern in her voice.

Oh shit I think I am going to hurl. I run to the bathroom and start throwing up. Why is this happening to me? Slowly I stand and walk back to my room. When I pass Kate she takes shakes her head and walks to the kitchen. Lying on my bed with my waste paper basket beside my bed I hear Kate come in.

"Ana you look horrible. I think you may have got food poisoning from lunch. If you aren't feeling any better by 7pm then I am taking you to the emergency department."

I just nod and Kate leaves me to rest. Waking up with a fright I realise I am feeling sick again so I jump up and run to the toilet again. Eventually I walk out into the lounge room to find Kate standing there looking at me.

"Hmm, you actually look worse than you did earlier."

"Gee thanks Kate. You sure know how to make me feel better."

"Seriously Ana it is nearly 7 and like I just said you actually look worse so go get changed into something warmer because I am taking you to the emergency department."

I don't argue. I change into some sweat pants on along with a light sweater and my ugg boots. Kate helps me into the car and we head off to the emergency department at Portland Hospital. On arriving we walk to the desk and Kate explains what is wrong. They tell us to take a seat and wait. After about an hour I am called in to a cubicle by a nurse and a Doctor comes in. I explain what has happened and the doctor starts poking and prodding me. The Doctor confirms that I have food poisoning and since I am unable to keep fluids down I am also dehydrated. Then she drops the biggest bomb of them all 'I am on bed rest all day tomorrow.'

"Shit" I exclaim.

The Doctor looks at me. Kate then explains that we are supposed to be graduating tomorrow at 11am. That is when I see the Doctor shaking her head.

"I am sorry Miss Steele but you will not be attending your graduation ceremony as planned. Give me a few moments and I will write you a doctors certificate to explain your absence from graduation."

The Doctor then instructs the nurse who I didn't realise was still in the cubicle to get a bag of IV fluids and to start a drip. I am not going to be discharged until the bag of fluids has been administered.

Great this totally sucks. Then it dawns on me. Dad is driving here in the morning to be at my graduation. I ask Kate to get me my phone, I need to call dad and tell him not to come since I am not allowed to attend my graduation. I take my phone and call my Dad.

"Dad, its Annie." I sigh

"Annie, why are you calling? I am heading to see you in the morning" dad says.

"Umm that is why I am calling dad. It will be a wasted trip as I have food poisoning and the doctor has put me on bed rest tomorrow and I am unable to attend my graduation."

Dad sighs "Oh Annie sweetie that is unfortunate but I can still come and look after you."

"No dad I know you don't like travelling to much and me being stuck in bed makes the trip a waste of time. Please stay home and come and see me after I settle in Seattle." I hope I haven't hurt his feelings. After a few moments of silence I hear dad take a deep breath.

"Ok Annie I will delay my trip and come and see you once you have settled in Seattle. Please pass my congratulations onto Kate."

"I will do that when I get off the phone dad. Love you and I will call you once I have arrived in Seattle on Saturday."

"Can't wait Annie. Love you too. Bye Annie."

"Bye Daddy" and then I hang up and give Kate my dad's congratulations.

Finally after an hour sitting here with this blasted drip in my arm the bag is empty and the nurse comes back in and goes to get the Doctor so she can sign my discharge papers and give me my doctor's certificate. I can't get out of there fast enough. Once home I head to my room grab my pyjamas have a quick shower and head to bed. Kate brings me in a cup of tea once I am snuggled up in bed. We sit and talk a little then before she leaves me for the night she goes and gets me a glass of water and places it on my night stand.