Loving Annabelle 2 Chapter 10, a loving annabelle fanfic

Sorry it's taken me a bit to update. Life got in the way.

Chapter 10: Life's about change

"I don't need help I can do it myself" Senator Tillman yelled at her daughter.

"mom, I just want to help"

"look Anna, honey, I'm not completely helpless. I can do some stuff on my own"

"but mom"

"no, ever since I was released from the hospital you've been hovering over me" she said moving in her chair. "I'm fine, go spend some time with your wife" she added trying to get rid of her daughter. She loved her dearly but she'd been with her every moment for the last 2 weeks.

"fine" Annabelle said stomping away.

"she still acts like a teenager" Laura said shaking her head and wheeling herself into the kitchen.

"what's wrong?" Simone asked as Annabelle came stomping out to the patio, where she was sitting reading a book.

"my mother"

"what about your mother?" Simone asked confused.

"she, she" Annabelle said growling.

"baby calm down, sit down" Simone said moving over.

"she said she doesn't need my help"

"she's not completely helpless you know"

"but she's"

"no Annabelle listen. You're smothering her"

"she told me to go spend some time with you"

"did she?" Simone said laughing. They hadn't had anytime alone since before the accident. "I'd like it if we could be alone together" she added whispering in Annabelle's ear. She saw Annabelle shift, knowing what that does to her.

"I'd like that too" Annabelle said turning toward her wife and climbing on top of her kissing her.

"let's go spend the night at the beach house" Simone suggested.

"you think she'll be ok alone for the night"

"she's not completely alone, Krista is here"

"right" Annabelle said kissing her and climbing off. "let's go" she said holding out her hand to help her wife up. Once Simone was on her feet she pulled her in kissing her. When they pulled away they turned around to see Laura watching from the window. They both waved and smiled.

"you two are adorable"

They both smiled feeling a little embarrassed. They went inside to pack a bag and headed to the beach house. It was stuffy, everything had been closed up for almost a month. Simone opened the windows as Annabelle took their bag to the bedroom.

"feels like forever since I've been here" Annabelle said coming out of the bedroom. Seeing Simone standing at the door that led to the deck looking out over the ocean. She walked up behind her and slid her arms around her. Feeling Annabelle's warmth Simone leaned back into her.

"I've missed this" Simone said as Annabelle started kissing her neck.

"yeah it's been a while"

"I love you" Simone said turning around, pressing her lips against Annabelle's.

"I love you too" Annabelle said when they came up for air.

"make love to me" Simone said leading her to the bedroom.

"I'd love nothing more" Annabelle smiled pushing her down on the bed.

"we didn't happen to bring my guitar did we?" Annabelle asked later that night as they were relaxing on the deck.

"mm I don't think so" Simone said "why?"

"I had an idea for a song"

"and you need your guitar to start it?"

"well no but" Annabelle started to say and got up she went to Simone's desk hoping there was still a notebook in there. She found one and grabbed a pencil from the holder. "this will do" she said once back out on the deck. And began to write the words down. "wish I had my guitar so I could put music to it and sing it for you" she said looking up at Simone.

"well try without it."

"fine" she said "but it's kind of depressing"

"like how depressing"

"you'll see" she said clearing her throat.

Just let it go, don't want to argue anymore
I can't be sure I know just what we're fighting for
I know you're scared and that you're thinking I may go
I'm not leaving, I'm not leaving

And if you're thinking I might, might be lead astray
Just remember this one question

What if I was nothing? What if this is true?
What if I was nothing, girl, nothing without you
So what if I was angry, what did you think I'd do?
I told you that I love you, girl, I'm nothing without you

I know it's hard, it seems we've worked at this so long
It's often foolish pride that tells us we're not wrong
I hear your voice, you tell me that you'll never go
And I believe it, I believe it.

And if you're thinking I might, might be lead astray
Just remember this one question

And we can keep this going on, we'll make it work some way
And every step, it makes us stronger every day

And if you're thinking I might, might be lead astray
Just remember this one question

"wow" Simone said

"think it'd sound better with music"

"yeah but the words are amazing Annabelle" Simone smiled "how do you come up with them"

"I honestly don't know"

"hey, we never told Jack about the other song you wrote"

"shit no we didn't, I've been so busy with mom. Guess I'll have a full album then huh?"

"yeah" Simone agreed "he hasn't even called"

"probably wanted to give me some space with everything"

"I'm sure" Simone said getting a chill "let's go in, I'm chilly and getting tired"

"ok" Annabelle said standing and helping her wife up. Pulling her into her like she always did.

"Annabelle" Simone whispered. "I love you" she said looking into her eyes and falling apart.

"I love you too, Simone" Annabelle whispered back as their lips met, the electricity exploded around them. It reminded Annabelle of the feeling from when they first kissed. The electricity that went through them that night was magical. They made their way into the bedroom undressing each other on the way. Flopping on the bed Simone started her slow descent down Annabelle's body. Making sure to kiss every inch of it, as if it were the first time they made love.

The sun came through the window, shining right in Annabelle's face. "guh" she said trying to roll over but Simone had her pinned down with her arm. She used her hand to shield her eyes. Sighing knowing that she wouldn't be able to go back to sleep, she looked over at her wife. She couldn't believe how beautiful she was, and the fact that she was hers, forever. Annabelle smiled, at the thought. She couldn't imagine being with anyone else. Simone completed her in a way she, herself didn't understand. As they lay there intertwined she had no idea where she ended and Simone began. Moving her arm to move a strand of hair out of Simone's face, she saw those blue eyes pop open, as if she were busted.

"morning" Simone said in a groggy voice with a smile.

"morning beautiful" Annabelle leaned down to kiss her.

Simone finally letting go of the grip she had on Annabelle, stretched out.

"thank you" Annabelle said kissing her and hopping out of bed.

"wow"

"sorry baby, I have to pee" Annabelle said rushing to the bathroom.

The urge hit Simone all the sudden too. She followed Annabelle into the bathroom. "come on hurry up"

"I am" Annabelle said wiping quick and standing up "your throne your highness." Pointing to the toilet.

"aren't we funny this morning"

"aren't I always?" Annabelle said smiling while washing her hands. "I'll get the coffee started" she said leaning down to kiss her wife.

"must you do that while I'm on the toilet?"

"yup" Annabelle said leaving the bathroom. In the kitchen she noticed it was barely passed 7. She groaned knowing it was going to be a long day. She had to call Jack and get into the studio. Hopefully getting her two new songs recorded and the album done. "baby where's the coffee?"

"I think I put it in the freezer, because I knew we wouldn't be here for a while"

"in the freezer?" Annabelle said confused, opening the freezer and finding it. "why the freezer?"

"it keeps it fresh"

"make sense" she said finishing her task, then turning around to wrap her wife in her arms. "you're amazing you know that?"

"this one woman I know keeps telling me that" Simone said smiling.

"oh who's this woman?"

"oh just someone who thinks they love me"

"oh?" Annabelle did her best to sound jealous.

"don't be jealous"

"why would I be jealous?"

"because I think she's amazing and I love her too"

"god I love you"

"mm" Simone said leaning into her. The coffee was done, Annabelle released Simone, so they could get their cups, and went in search of her cigarettes. Finally finding them, she grabbed her cup and headed out to the deck. With Simone right behind her.

"want one" Annabelle said offering Simone the pack

"yeah why not?" she said taking one out and lighting it. They sat on the deck looking out over the ocean.

"I miss living here" Annabelle said

"I do but I don't"

"why?"

Simone sighed. "Amanda" Annabelle knew she didn't have to say anymore. She wrapped her arms around her. "that and as comforting as the waves are, they are also annoying" Simone added looking at her wife with a smile. The thought of Amanda totally left her mind. To this day she still didn't understand how Annabelle, in one swift move, helped her finally get over the one thing that was holding her back from living her life. "I have an idea" Simone said breaking free of the hold Annabelle had on her and went into the house, returning with the notebook, Annabelle had the night before.

"what are you doing?"

"we're going to write our song"

"oh you really want to do that?"

"of course why would I not?"

"you said you don't like singing"

"what can I say, you bring out the best of me" Simone said placing a soft kiss on Annabelle's lips and sitting down.

"ok, wish I had my guitar" Annabelle said looking over the words on the paper.

"let's try and sing it"

Dancing in the dark
Middle of the night
Taking your heart
And holding it tight
Emotional touch
Touching my skin
And askin' you to do
What you've been doing
All over again

Oh, it's a beautiful thing
Don't think I can keep it all in
I've just gotta let you know
What it is that won't let me go

It's your love
It just does something to me
It sends a shock right through me
I can't get enough
And if you wonder
About the spell I'm under
Oh it's your love

Better than I was
More than I am
And all of this happened
By taking your hand
And who I am now
Is who I wanted to be
And now that we're together
I'm stronger than ever, I'm happy and free

Oh, it's a beautiful thing
Don't think I can keep it all in
And if you ask me why I've changed
All I gotta do is say your sweet name

It's your love
It just does something to me
It sends a shock right through me
I can't get enough
And if you wonder
About the spell I'm under
Oh it's your love

Oh, it's a beautiful thing
Don't think I can keep it all in
I've just gotta let you know
What it is that won't let me go

It's your love
It just does something to me
It sends a shock right through me
I can't get enough
And if you wonder
About the spell I'm under
Oh it's your love
It's your love
It's your love

"it'd be better if I had my guitar" Annabelle said

"it sounded fine" Simone smiled looking over the words, "how about we write another one?"

"another one?" Annabelle asked surprised.

"yeah" Simone said liking how it felt them working together.

"alright" Annabelle said smiling. It took them a few hours but they had, what Annabelle hoped to be their second duet written.

These times are troubled and these times are good
And they're always gonna be, they rise and they fall
We take 'em all the way that we should
Together you and me forsaking them all
Deep in the night and by the light of day
It always looks the same, true love always does
And here by your side, or a million miles away
Nothin's ever gonna change the way that I feel,
The way it is, is the way that it was

When I said I do, I meant that I will 'til the end of all time
Be faithful and true, devoted to you
That's what I had in mind when I said I do

Well this old world keeps changin', and the world stays the same
For all who came before, and it goes hand and hand
Only you and I can undo all that we became
That makes us so much more, than a woman and a man
And after everything that comes and goes around
Has only passed us by, here alone in our dreams
I know there's a lonely heart in every lost and found
But forever you and I will be the ones
Who found out what forever means

When I said I do, I meant that I will 'til the end of all time
Be faithful and true, devoted to you
That's what I had in mind when I said I do

Be truer than true, you know that I'll always be there for you,

That's what I had in mind,

When I said I do.

"wow" Annabelle said

"what?"

"your voice is amazing, but it'd be better with music" she smiled.

"you and that damn guitar. I'll never forget it again" Simone said standing up going into the house, noticing it was already noon, and they hadn't eaten yet. Her stomach was beginning to growl. "baby, are you hungry"

As if on cue, Annabelle's stomach grumbled. "yeah I guess I am"

"there's nothing here, so why don't we get dressed and head out"

"and leave our safe haven" Annabelle said wrapping her arms around Simone.

"yeah, we have stuff to do" Simone kissed her cheek "and you miss your guitar"

"true" Annabelle said smiling. "let's get cleaned up" she said dragging her wife into the bathroom.

"I thought you'd be gone longer" Laura said as Annabelle came in the door.

"you thought wrong" Annabelle smiled

"don't worry she'll be locked in the room for a while" Simone smiled coming in behind her.

"why?"

"I wrote 3 songs"

"we wrote 2 together"

"you're going to sing too?" Laura asked confused. She knew Simone didn't like singing.

"yeah, I decided it was time" Simone said smiling. Turning around Annabelle had already disappeared. "well she's gone" Simone said with a smile. Taking the bag, she was still holding into their bedroom. Annabelle was sitting on the bed guitar in hand. "I won't disturb you, I just wanted to get rid of this" she said setting the bag on the floor.

"it's ok baby, you can stay if you want" Annabelle said with a smile.

"I'll be fine, I want to finish my book anyway" Simone said walking to her wife and placed a kiss on her lips. "I love you"

"love you" Annabelle said with a smile. Simone pulled back smiled at her wife, and headed out of the room.

"she already at it?" Laura asked as Simone walked down the stairs.

"yeah" Simone smiled. "when I see her like that, all happy and excited, it reminds me of a kid at Christmas"

"she's always been like that when she's in into something"

"I love it" Simone smiled leaning against the door frame

"come on in and have a seat" Laura said pointing to the couch. "I could use the company of someone who's not going to hover"

"yeah she's good at that" Simone said laughing. "when I'm sick she won't leave me alone always thinking I need something"

"she got that from her father" Laura said smiling.

"may I ask what happened? Annabelle said he's gone but never said how" Simone asked "and it hasn't come up again" she said looking up at Laura, who had a sad look on her face.

"Annabelle was 12, we were on vacation that we took every year." Laura paused Simone could tell she was fighting back tears, but she kept going "we ran out of milk, so he decided to head into town to get some. It had rained the night before, and the roads were still wet. Nathan was a good driver, but he was in a hurry, he wanted to get back before Annabelle woke up. He was going a little too fast around a curve, came upon a wet spot on the road and lost control, he tried to correct it but corrected too much and hit the guard rail. When the paramedics found him, he was already gone." Laura finished.

"wow, I'm sorry"

"Annabelle was a wreck. Her father was our world, I was so in love with him, I loved him from the moment I first saw him" Laura paused with a smile remembering. "I know that's hard to believe, love at first sight"

"no it's not hard to believe at all" Simone smiled.

"oh right" Laura smiled. "she is so much like her dad; she looks just like him too. Maybe that's why after he left, I couldn't look at her. I don't know. I feel so guilty about everything that we've been through"

"Annabelle does too. I'm really glad you two have made up"

"so am I" Laura said tears began to sneak out of her eyes. "I know I didn't show it much but Annabelle is my world. I just didn't know how to control her once she started to rebel. Nothing seemed to work. Until..." she said looking at her daughter in law. "until she met you. I saw that light in her eyes again."

Simone didn't know what to say so she just smiled.

"thank you Simone?"

"for?"

"bringing my daughter back to me"

"I didn't do anything"

"yes you did, dear" Laura said touching her arm "you changed her"

"she's changed me too" Simone said smiling. Just then they heard a noise and both looked up to see Annabelle standing in the door way.

"hi" Annabelle said still standing there. The sight of her still took Simone's breath away.

"hi" Laura said. Simone was still sitting there staring at her beautiful wife.

"I've finished" Annabelle said smiling.

"already?" Simone asked it had only been a few hours.

"yeah" Annabelle said smiling.

"you have music for all three songs?"

"yup" Annabelle said. "I already had music for the first one, I just needed words"

"can we hear?" Laura asked.

"I don't know, ask my manager" Annabelle said smiling looking at Simone.

"go get your guitar" Simone said smiling back at her wife.

"ok" Annabelle turned around, running back to the room grabbing her guitar she went back to where her mother and her wife were. "baby can we do the ones we wrote together?"

"sure, I'd like to hear what they sound with music"

Annabelle smiled opening her book to the right page. She chose the second one they wrote to sing first. Strumming to make sure the guitar was still in tune they began.

When I said I do, I meant that I will 'til the end of all time
Be faithful and true, devoted to you
That's what I had in mind when I said I do

"Simone you have a lovely voice; your voices go good together" Laura said

"I've been trying to tell her that, mom, maybe she'll listen to you"

"hey it was my idea to write the duets wasn't it?"

"and you're singing them with me too, on the album and on stage"

They could see the panic look on Simone's face. She was fine with the album, people wouldn't see her but on stage, she wasn't sure about.

"if I ever get that far, I haven't been to the studio in over a month"

"oh yeah I have to call Jack" Simone said, pulling out her phone, and leaving the room.

"will you play some more for me?" Laura asked

"sure what would you like to hear"

"the song you sang for Simone at your wedding"

"which one?" Annabelle smiled.

"the one, right after the ceremony" Laura said smiling "I really liked that one"

Annabelle smiled, remembering the first time she played it. "alright"

In the space between what's wrong and right,

You will find me waiting for you,

All your fortresses go down in the night,

To the dawn I'll see you through.

Cause I know, that you know

You're all over me now,

And it's clear you will show

Your curtains will go

But if your heart is cold, my sheets are warm

I will shelter you through the storm

I will shelter you all through the storm

The answers aren't so easy to find,

The questions will have to do,

Cause I've lost myself deep in your life,

My only fix is you.

Cause I know, that you know

You're all over me now,

And it's clear you will show

Your curtains will go

But if your heart is cold, my sheets are warm

I will shelter you through the storm

I will shelter you all through the storm

Saying what I am what we are

It's a start towards the truth

Taking my breath with each delicate step in my heart it's you…

In the space between what's wrong and right

You will find me waiting for you…

Simone heard the first line of the song and rushed back to the living room. Seeing Annabelle sitting there playing and singing for her mom, put a smile on her face. She didn't know how she got so lucky, Annabelle was amazing in all aspects. Yeah they fought, but they always came out of it better than before, if that was possible. Annabelle finished singing and looked up. She saw Simone standing in the doorway and smiled.

"she wanted to hear it"

Simone nodded "it's fine"

"Annabelle it was beautiful; will you tell me about when you wrote it"

Annabelle looked at Simone, they both had a sad look on their face. They didn't talk about the school. Always changing the subject quick when it came up with the girls. Simone nodded, and walked into the room. Sitting down next to Annabelle they looked at each other remembering the pain they were both in.

"it's hard to talk about" Simone said. "that was such a rough time for both of us. It's hard knowing you are falling for someone who you can't, or shouldn't be with" Simone looked Annabelle in the eyes. As they began the story of how they met and the love for each other had blossomed.

"I knew there was something about her when she came walking down that hill that first day, it was about 20 minutes after you left"

"you sat out there that long?" Laura asked in shock.

Annabelle just nodded "she looked so amazing in her black pant suit" she paused looking at Simone, "you still look amazing" Simone smiled at her.

"when I first saw Annabelle, I felt a pull at my heart. Hoping against all odds that she wouldn't see through the walls I put up." Simone frowned. "when I came down that hill, she took my breath away"

"do you remember when I asked you what your name was?"

"I said my students call me Miss Bradley, and you said you weren't my student, so I came back with not yet" Simone smiled.

"I looked her up and down and said that was the best news I've heard all day" Annabelle said taking her wife's hand. "when you first shook my hand I instantly felt something"

"I did too" Simone smiled shyly "when you came into my room that first night you scared the shit out of me"

"I know I could tell" Annabelle smiled. "you looked so beautiful sitting at your desk" Annabelle smiled at the memory. "god how did I get so lucky" she said looking at her wife. Forgetting her mom was sitting right there she got lost in Simone's eyes, leaned in, kissing her wife passionately. Until they heard Laura clear her throat. "sorry mom" their faces were both red. "the second day in class was the best"

"oh don't remind me" Simone could feel her face getting red as she was getting embarrassed

"how did that poem go again?" Annabelle asked

"which one" Simone asked blushing, she knew which poem Annabelle was talking about, she remembered that day like it was yesterday.

"that one that had the fluids or something, where I said that they were talking about sex"

"Annabelle Nichole you did not" her mother scolded her.

"she did" Simone said laughing. "which prompted me to keep her after class"

"yeah well if I hadn't done that, you wouldn't had found out I liked you"

"and the poem is like this" Simone said looking at Annabelle.

"enter of all centers, core of cores,

almond self-enclosed, and growing sweet—

all this universe, to the furthest stars
all beyond them, is your flesh, your fruit.
Now you feel how nothing clings to you;
your vast shell reaches into endless space,
and there the rich, thick fluids rise and flow.
Illuminated in your infinite peace,
a billion stars go spinning through the night,
blazing high above your head.
But in you is the presence that
will be, when all the stars are dead."

"wow" Laura said. "I can see why you thought that" she giggled

"see" Annabelle said

Simone just shook her head and smiled. "Annabelle tell her what happened after class"

"what" Annabelle asked confused.

"I asked if she was trying to get attention"

"oh right I remember now" Annabelle said blushing.

"I had asked her if she was trying to get a rise out of me"

"or perhaps I'm intrigued"

"intrigued by what" Simone said right on cue.

"by you" Annabelle looked her up and down just like she did that day so many years ago.

"so that was how this all got started?"

"yes and no" Simone said. "there's a lot more to the story"

"well enlighten me then. I have nothing else to do sitting in this damn chair" the Senator said.

"then they through a fit about my beads"

"just to be clear mother Immaculata through the fit not me, I was just doing what I was told" Simone chimed in.

"and making me wear those god awful rosary's?"

"you will respect the rules of this school or face the consequences" they both started to giggle.

"the look on your face, when she handed me that giant rosary was priceless"

"yeah she made me wear them before, so I knew how embarrassing they are" Simone said making a disgusted face.

"really? Were you that bad?" Annabelle asked. They had never talked about the past, it just held too much pain.

"yeah, let's just say Amanda and I used to get into a lot of trouble." Simone said pausing at the mention of Amanda "one thing you didn't know is I had asked her to move you to a different dorm, because I couldn't control you. She looked at me with her stern look and said." Simone paused to stand up "that shouldn't be too hard of a job Simone, I was able to control you" she said giving her the best Immaculata impression yet.

"that was great you had her to a T" Annabelle said laughing, letting go of the comment about her moving to a different dorm. But she sent up a silent prayer that she didn't get moved, everything would have been different now.

"well she is my aunt"

"oh right" Annabelle laughed.

"what beads?" Laura asked confused.

"do you remember those red beads I wore all the time that Sammi gave me?"

"no" Laura said sadly

Annabelle looked at Simone who pulled them out from under her shirt "these" she said showing them.

"I'm sorry honey I don't remember you having them" Laura said they could see the sadness in her eyes. "why do you have them now?"

"we'll get to that" Annabelle said. "and then you gave me that book with that saying in it."

"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes." Simone quoted "that was the day I found out you were gay" Simone said blushing.

"yeah" Annabelle said looking at the floor.

"it was after that, that I realized you were different and I quite possibly might have feelings for you." Simone said reaching for Annabelle's hand. They both felt the spark that they felt that day when Simone touched Annabelle's arm. "then you sent me those flowers"

"sister Claire was hilarious when she brought them in"

"they're not from me" Simone said doing her best sister Claire impression. That made Annabelle chuckle. "I thought they were from Michael, until I opened the card and saw the quote."

"your eyes quickly looked at me"

"and we held eye contact for a while" Simone said "I was hoping none of the other students saw"

"I'm sure Cat did"

"probably" Simone said shaking her head. "then you came into my room that night with some lame excuse about needing someone to talk too"

"your face when I said Cat kissed me was priceless"

"yeah I was a little jealous"

"a little" Annabelle said laughing "do I make you nervous?" Annabelle said running her fingers along the same line she did that night. Simone felt the same electric feelings she felt way back then.

"I should have let you kiss me that night, or that time at the pool." Simone said "I'm sorry Laura, I shouldn't have said that"

"it's all in the past," Laura said "I'm loving this story please keep going"

"I was having a hard time dealing with my newly found feelings, so I couldn't sleep, I decided to take a walk, and found Annabelle in the pool"

"I saw Simone walk up and sit down on the edge so I swam over and got out, she looked so lost"

"I was; she saw right through all the lies I told" Simone said sighing remembering that feeling, shaking it away she added "she got out of the pool, I handed her a towel and we sat there, she said I looked lost and asked if I needed a hug, giving in, I leaned in"

"I remember the feeling I got. I knew then I was going to fall hard for you"

"yeah, then I found her in the library with her pictures, that was when I found out Immaculata was her aunt"

"and about Amanda" Simone said quietly "you know I never told anyone about her. No one even knows how she died"

"how did she die" Laura asked

"mom" Annabelle scolded

"no Annabelle it's ok" Simone said "she overdosed on pain killers, by the time I found her it was too late"

"Amanda was your first girlfriend?" Laura asked

"yes, my first love, I thought I would never find love again until I met this amazing woman" Simone said bringing Annabelle's hand to her mouth giving it a soft kiss. Annabelle smiled. "she somehow broke through the walls I put up, and made me see that I wasn't being fair to myself hiding at the school, and let me grieve for Amanda the way I needed too"

"she has a way of doing that" Laura said smiling at her daughter.

"then I saw her with Collins, after Prissy died"

"who was Prissy?" Laura asked confused

"her pet porcupine" Simone answered

"you let them have a porcupine as a pet"

"Collins found it in the woods, she thought it's mother had died so I let her keep it" Simone said shaking her head. "she had no one until Annabelle showed up. Seeing how gentle and caring she was for Collins really got to me"

Annabelle smiled "spring break came, you weren't around so I had to stay on campus, and mother Immaculata made Simone stay with me"

"uh oh I don't like the sound of this" Laura said.

"nah we were cool, the only thing we did was went to the beach house" Annabelle said looking at Simone who was giving her let's not go there look. "and hung out on the beach all day"

"I felt bad, I was letting my feelings for a student get the best of me, so I shut down, and wouldn't talk to Annabelle for a few weeks. Up until the dance actually."

"you're missing parts" Annabelle said "you forgot the part where I finally confronted you about not talking to me for 2 weeks"

"I looked you in the eyes and said 'I can't do this'" Simone sighed remembering how hard that was. "you know that was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do"

"I know" Annabelle said squeezing her wife's hand. "then Cat and I got into that fight"

"what was that about anyway?"

"you"

"me?"

"her and Kristen were talking about the dance and asking if either of them were going to get lucky. Cat looks at me and says 'how about you Annabelle I hear Ms. Bradley will be there' I told her to shut up she kept going saying I needed to get laid"

"what's funny is you did" Simone whispered giggling.

"shh" Annabelle said laughing. "then you came in and saved the day, with your blonde hair flying everywhere"

"you were such a bitch to me that night"

"yeah well I was hurting"

"you have no idea how bad I was hurting too, all I wanted to do was hold you, but you pushed me away" Simone said looking at the floor.

"pretty sure I have more than made up for that"

"I went to my room and cried in the bath for a good hour"

"sorry"

"so where's the song come in?" Laura asked.

"hold on mom, we're getting there" Annabelle said "when I walked into the dance and saw you dancing with him. It about tore me to shreds, I went out for a smoke, and Cat's brother came out. I asked if I could sing with them, he agreed, so I ran back to my room and grabbed my stuff"

"when I heard your voice on that stage my heart sank. I knew exactly what those words meant, and it hit me. That's why I left"

"and I followed" Annabelle said "telling myself it was now or never, I thought for sure you were going to flee"

"how could I when I went to leave and you grabbed me. Your touch sent fire through my whole body."

"the kiss did that for me" Annabelle said brushing her wife's face "it still does"

"so you sang the song at the dance?" her mother asked

"yes"

"where do the beads come in then"

"we're getting there. We'll spare you what happened next because you already know" Annabelle said blushing.

"the storm knocked out the power, when I woke up with the sun in my eyes. I rolled over to the clock which was blinking. And thought 'shit', I woke Annabelle up."

"we tried to get dressed as quick as we could, knowing someone would be looking for us"

"I was dressed, but Simone still had her shirt in her hand when Immaculata came barging in"

"I sent Annabelle on her way. Sat in my room for a few minutes trying to collect my thoughts" Simone sighed, she was feeling uneasy at what happened next. "I went to Immaculata's office. Where she sat with disgrace on her face. Asking me a bunch of questions. I told her I didn't expect her to understand, she yelled something about it not being right. Like she did at the wedding. And I said that I loved Annabelle" Simone paused again. "then I heard something behind me, turned around and saw the officers. She looked at me and said she was sorry. That was the last time I talked to her until the wedding."

"so the beads?"

"I was on my way back from mass, when I saw the government vehicle. I ran as fast as I could, as I got there they were taking her away. I yelled for them to wait, Simone broke free and ran into me, as they pulled her away I put the beads in Simone's hand. Knowing she would know what they meant. Although it was on impulse, it still had meaning"

"oh I get it. I remember you were playing with them when I was talking to you" Laura said.

"now you remember the beads" Annabelle asked

"I do" Laura said with a smile. "so the song and the beads are what got you through"

"yes" Simone said.

"when I sent her that email I sent a file with me singing it, so she could have something."

"that's an amazing story, I'm sorry I didn't pay more attention before that. Maybe you wouldn't have ended up at that school"

"mom, if I didn't I wouldn't have met Simone"

"good point"

"we have each other now, and nothing will change that" Annabelle said standing up to give her mother a hug.

The songs in this chapter:

What if I was nothing by All that remains, It's your love by Tim Mcgraw and Faith Hill, When I said I do by Clint Black and his wife. And of course all over me. Thanks againg