Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters.
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It was Christmas time again. Heaven sighed as she continued cutting the potatoes before her. It was a bittersweet time for her. Bitter because it reminded her of the beautiful extravagant Christmas's she had shared with Tony and sweet because she did so enjoy watching Annie open her presents with such enthusiasm.
However, she was never able to buy Annie as much as she had wanted to, unless she wanted to dig herself into a huge debt of course. But luckily Annie always enjoyed her few but carefully selected gifts.
Heaven nervously looked over her shoulder towards the door again as she had been doing all day.
Every year, without fail, Tony would send Annie two packages. One for her birthday and one for Christmas. They always came two days before hand, every time. It was now two days before Christmas and Heaven was dreading the coming of the present and what it would bring.
More than anything, Heaven dreaded the note. Not because she didn't know what it would say, no she knew Exactly what it would say. "Come home, Heaven". What scared her was not knowing if she would have the strength to throw it away again for yet another year.
The doorbell rang. Even though she was expecting it, it still made her jump a little. She dropped the potato into the sink and let the knife clatter down next to it
She took a deep breath before she opened the door. A middle age man in a worker's uniform stood leaning against an upright dolly with a large package balanced there. A smaller one sat on top. But on top of that...was the note.
"Heaven Tatterton?"
Heaven rolled her eyes. She knew that Tony must have known that she had changed her last name to Jones. For no other reason than she felt she had no tie to any other name. But still, he always instructed his workers to address her as Tatterton. It was quite frustrating.
Heaven nodded briskly and the worker proceeded to set the packages down at her front entry way. Heaven quickly shut the door behind him and snatched the envelop from it's place on the top of the second package. Holding it far from her, as if afraid that too much contact would burn her, Heaven rushed to the fire place in her front room and threw it in. She knew that if she only threw the envelop in the trash, it would haunt her all day. This way, there was no way of retrieving it.
The last whisps of the paper had disappeared beneath the flames as an 11 year old Annie walked into the room. Her clothes were wrinkled and her hair frazzled. Shaking her self out of her reverie, Heaven smiled at her daughter.
"You just wake up sleepy head?"
Annie nodded sheepishly and plopped down on the couch.
"Yea, the doorbell woke me up."
Heaven nodded.
"Well you wouldn't have that problem if you didn't stay up all night watching TV" Heaven replied.
Annie smirked.
"Mom It's Vacation. You're supposed to do things like that."
"Yes, just remember, when school starts, your bed time is back too."
Annie sighed but then perked up.
"Who was at the door?"
Heaven smirked knowingly. Annie knew when to expect the presents just as much as Heaven did. Maybe even more so, she did enjoy them very much.
"Santa, now come on. There are two this year so you can help me carry them," Heaven replied.
Annie squealed in delight and jumped up, hurrying after Heaven. Heaven handed Annie the smaller of the two beautifully wrapped packages. She knelt down to pick the much larger package, it was quite heavy.
Heaven idly wondered what it was. Usually Tony sent stuffed animals, dolls, paint sets, all a number of usual everyday presents. Of course, most of them were custom made and cost considerably more than what Heaven could have bought, but still, his presents were nothing out of the ordinary.
Heaven gratefully set the heavy package underneath their small tree. It dominated the area. Annie still had not let go of the smaller one that she was carrying.
"Mom, can I just open One. Just one? Please?"
Annie asked that every year. Heaven smiled and patted her daughter's mussed hair.
"Just two more days, dear. I'm sure you can wait."
Annie pouted as she set down the gift.
"You'll be fine," Heaven chastised and continued, "Now come help your mother finish making one of your favorite side dishes."
"Mashed potatoes and gravy?!"
Heaven nodded.
Mollified for now, Annie smiled and dashed into the kitchen, Heaven following calmly behind."
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The two days passed blissfully. Mother and daughter simply enjoying vacation together, watching "It's a wonderful life", playing in the snow, and eating late night snacks.
Christmas morning came and Heaven was being forcefully woken by her excited daughter.
"Come on, wake up mom! Mom, mom, mom, mom!" Annie finished in quick succession.
Heaven playfully batted away her daughter's looming face.
"Alright, I'm up, I'm up!" Heaven said as she laboriously rose from her warm bed. She was quickly dragged into the front room and left to sit on the couch as Annie plopped on the rug before the fire place.
Annie crawled over to the Christmas tree and started separating the gifts. Two presents for Heaven, three for Annie plus the two the came from 'Santa'. Heaven opened her presents and praised Annie for her drawing/paper cutting skills as Annie began opening her own presents.
Annie was very happy with her new ice skates, red sweater, and charm bracelet. After thanking Heaven profusely, accompanied by much hugging, Annie happily looked towards her two other presents.
The large one sparkled in it's bright wrapping. Annie pulled that one into the center of the room and started unwrapping the large package. She got to the plain cardboard of the box as Heaven looked on, mildly curious.
Annie opened the side flap and started pulling out the object within. A flash of white, Heaven saw a doll house mounted on a large green 'grass' board. Annie was smiling brightly with the discovery.
"Wow, this is Wonderful, Mom! It's look so real!" Annie exclaimed. And indeed it was, Heaven noted. There was a beautiful front fountain in the yard, the house, or actually mansion was made of real wood. There was even a hedge maze-. Heaven's breath caught in her throat. The house was an exact replica of Farthingale manor. Heaven could even see a miniature Troy and Tony standing in the front entry way.
"Hey, Mom, you think the other present is of their cars and stuff?" Annie asked excitedly as she tore open the second package.
Heaven looked on breathlessly, dread falling into the pit of her stomach. Annie pulled out the second object. It was another doll house, only a much smaller one. A split second later, Heaven realized that it was an exact replica of her own house.
Hardly daring to believe it, Heaven fell to her knees and closely examined the small house. It was an Exact replica, down to the color of her bathroom wallpaper.
Annie, still not noticing her mom's horrified expression ,prattled on happily. Annie squealed in delight as she found her own miniature replica in her own doll version bedroom.
Heaven sat back on her heels, speechless.
How had Tony done it? Well, not exactly how. Heaven knew Tony had access to unlimited funds and resources and could make a reality out of any toy he damn well pleased. But what she really wanted to know was how he had made such a close replica of her own house.
She felt violated. The privacy of her own home was Violated. All of her hatred for Tony that had been dulled over the years came rushing back
Heaven looked up to see her daughter playfully moving her own doll self through Farthingale manor.
Without thinking, Heaven reached out and violently shoved the wretched doll house across the floor.
Annie looked up, a confused expression on her face.
"You are Never to play with either of those doll houses again. You hear me? Never," Heaven ordered as she got up and started shoving the large doll house back into it's box.
Annie stood up, more confused than ever.
"Why?! You got it for me," Annie said. The idea that it came from 'Santa' was long abandoned but still accepted for tradition sake.
When Heaven didn't answer and only started closing the doll house box, Annie continued.
"Didn't you get it for me? Why would you not want me to play with something if You got it for me! I want it back," Annie demanded.
"No," Heaven stated firmly, moving on to stick the smaller doll house back into it's own box. Annie stepped in front of Heaven, blocking the way.
"You didn't get it for me did you?" Annie asked. Heaven didn't answer, only mentally cursed her daughter's reasoning ability. Annie continued hurriedly as if unable to stop herself.
"That means you have never gotten me any of those other extra presents over the years, did you?"
Heaven side stepped her and began putting the second doll house away.
"Who has been giving them to me then?" Annie asked heatedly.
Heaven was quickly running out of patience.
"I've always gotten them for you, I only changed my mind about it this time," Heaven finally answered, still shoving little pieces of the house back into the box.
"I don't believe you," Annie stated.
"Then don't," Heaven replied, still angry, in fact her anger continued to rise. How could she have been so stupid as to have allowed Annie to take those presents for all those years. She should have put a stop to it a long time ago, well now she would.
She picked up both boxes, they were quite heavy, but she was able to manage with her anger fueling her.
She started walking towards the front door.
Annie followed behind.
"Who gave them to me?"
Heaven didn't answer.
"I want to know!" Annie demanded. Heaven only continued to walk further outside.
"They're mine anyways. I want them back!" Annie almost shouted. Heaven continued to walk.
When Annie realized her mother was walking towards the trash can, she hurried forward and took the boxes into her own hands.
"They're mine!" She said again, tears of confusion, frustration, and anger threatening to fall.
Heaven tugged back on the packages and suddenly the cardboard box ripped, sending the doll houses crashing towards the hard concrete ground and Heaven's feet. A hard, sharp piece of wood cut her foot. Pain, along with her emotions were threatening to overwhelm her.
And still, Annie continued, never letting up. She was stubborn, Heaven fleetingly thought, much like myself, much like Tony.
"Who Sent It To Me?!" Annie demanded for what was to be the last time.
Heaven was never really sure why she answered the way she did then. Perhaps pain and frustration had clouded her better judgment. Perhaps she was just not thinking clearly due to the shock of the situation. Or perhaps Heaven was finally too weary to keep the secret of her daughter's heritage from her anymore.
Whatever the reason, Heaven answered in a tone just as final and clear as her daughter's question.
"Your grandfather."
Annie stepped back in surprise, a confused expression on her face. Suddenly, the cold morning air bit through the thick layers of Heaven's emotion and pain. She realized with startling clarity what she had done and regretted it immediately.
Annie stepped back once more. Her held back tears now falling freely.
"You Lied to me?" Annie asked.
Heaven opened her mouth as if to speak but no words came out. For how could she ever explain her past to her 11 year old daughter? A past...which she had a hard enough time even admitting to herself.
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