Chapter 10

The warm sun radiated from the clear blue sky. Anna basked in its warmth, letting the heat embrace her. After a few minutes of relaxation, she decided that it was time to go back home. She strolled through the pasture, grabbing patches of wild flowers along the way. By the time she reached her porch, Anna had a handful of wild violets that she would put in a small mason jar she kept in her room.

As she walked into her kitchen, she hummed a song her mother sang to her every night. She decided to run up to her room and grab the jar so she could put some water in it. However, as she walked up the stairs, a sense of eerie dread possessed her. She breathed heavily with each step she took. "Momma?" she tried to yell, but managed only a whisper. "Momma? Are you there?"

Anna stopped in her tracks as she turned the corner into her mother's room. The body of a woman facedown in a pool of blood lay before her. Anna swallowed hard and took a deep breath before taking another step. A trail of bloody footprints followed Anna as she walked through the blood. Silent tears ran down her cheeks as she dropped to her knees, still clutching the flowers in her hands. She reached out to push the woman's hair aside, in order to see the woman's face. Her slender fingers trembled as she inched closer to the chestnut brown hair. Shock and fear coursed through her as she realized that it was her own face behind the blood-matted hair.

"No," Anna screamed into the darkness of the room. Her eyes darted around to survey her surroundings as she sat up, grabbing at the sheets to cover her naked body. She jumped when she felt a pair on hands on her shoulders. She quickly turned to see who the hands belonged to. Remy. She sobbed as she threw her arms around him and buried her face into his shoulders.

"Chere, Anna," Remy whispered. "It's okay." He pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her. "You're safe, chere. It was just a bad dream." He continued to caress her as she continued to sob, now into his chest. "Shhh, I'm here. I won't let anything happen to you."

After about a minute of crying, Anna looked into Remy's eyes. "I'm so sorry, Remy. I don't know what came over me." Anna reached for a tissue from the nightstand to dry her eyes. She couldn't even remember what her dream was about anymore. All she knew was that it upset her terribly.

"Want to tell me about it?" Remy asked. Kissing the tearstains that ran down her cheeks. Anna simply shook her head, as she lay back down. Remy followed suit and held her close. He kissed the top of her head again, massaging her scalp gently. He had never felt so much closeness with any woman before. Countless others had shared his bed, more than he would ever admit to Anna, but there were none he had cared so deeply for. Even in the short time that they have known each other, Remy knew that Anna was different. Anna was special. "I want you to know that you can always talk to me about anything."

"I know," Anna whispered back. A pang of guilt coursed through her, knowing that there was still so much that she was hiding from Remy. She had spent the last four nights in his bed, but he didn't even know her real last name. Would he still accept her if he found out about her past? She pushed the thoughts out of her mind, trying her hardest to turn her mood around. "Let's try to get back to sleep. We have a big day ahead of us."

"D'accord," Remy replied. It was, after all, the day of the big Masquerade Ball, the very event his father would announce their engagement.

~oOo~

Rachel played with her own set of pretend makeup as Jean continued to set hot rollers into Anna's hair. Jean had done such a wonderful job helping Anna out with her first date with Remy; Anna just had to ask the beautiful redhead for help again.

"Thanks so much for helping me out with this Jean," Anna smiled, trying to hold her head still.

"Don't worry about it," Jean answered. "It gives me and Rachel an excuse to get out of the house once in a while."

"Mommy, pretty?" the small girl asked her mother as she smeared the plastic lipstick across her lips.

"Yes, baby. You're very pretty," Jean smiled at her daughter.

Anna's heart melted as she watched the mother and daughter interact. It made her miss her mother, Moira, terribly. Anna barely remembered her birth mother. No, it was Moira that raised her. It was Moira that she thought fondly of every Mother's Day.

"Jean, do you mind if I ask you something personal? You don't have to answer if you don't want to," Anna bit her lip.

Jean narrowed her eyebrows for a moment, meeting Anna's gaze in the reflection of the mirror. "Sure."

"Well," Anna started. "I was just wondering. What happened to Rachel's father?"

Jean looked away to reach for another hot roller. "Well," she started, choosing her words wisely. "My grandmother always used to tell me, 'Never regret something that once made you smile.' Rachel's father was a mistake that I made in my life. We dated all through high school. He was captain of the football team, even got a scholarship to some big fancy school. Long story short, when I found out I was pregnant during college, Rachel and I didn't fit into his life plan."

"That's horrible," Anna replied.

"He's an asshole. But I don't ever regret having known him," Jean answered. "The way I see it, if I didn't know him, then I wouldn't have such a beautiful little girl." Anna understood just what Jean meant.

"Have you ever thought of dating again?" Anna asked next.

"Who would want a single mom?" Jean answered.

"Plenty of guys," Anna replied. "You're gorgeous, Jean! Any guy would be lucky to have you and Rachel in his life."

"That's sweet of you, Anna," Jean smiled. "But, I'm afraid a majority of single men just don't agree with you."

"I bet Logan would," Anna threw in.

Jean paused as she pulled out her makeup kit. She turned slowly to face Anna. "Has he said anything to you about me?"

"No," Anna replied, noticing disappointment wash over her friend's face. "But, I see how he looks at you when he thinks no one is watching him." Anna saw Jean start to turn red and a smile begin to form. She quickly turned around to the makeup kit once again.

They spent the next few minutes in relative silence. More so because of the fact that Anna would get scolded each time she tried to talk as Jean applied her makeup. During this time, Anna's mind ran through her agenda this evening. Remy reminded her that he would be there with the limo by six o'clock. Anna glanced at the mirror to see that it was already twenty-five after. Her stomach turned in knots with anticipation. She was glad that Remy promised to stay by her side the entire evening. Other than Henri, Tante, Mattie, and Belladonna, Anna had never met anyone else in Remy's family. And, the official announcement of her engagement to Remy would be the first time that anyone in Remy's world would be meeting her.

"All done," Jean smiled, admiring her handy work.

Anna opened her eyes and her jaw dropped. She could barely recognize herself in the mirror. "Om my god, Jean. I love it!" Anna squealed in excitement as she hugged her friend.

Anna's long brown hair was curled into a Grecian updo. Her trademark white streak was braided into her hair, creating a unique frame on her beautiful face. Jean had even managed to weave in extra strips of the same moss green satin from her dress. Anna had wondered why Jean had asked her to ask the seamstress for left over strands of the fabric. Her eye shadow was a paler green that accentuated her own emerald orbs and her lips were colored with a pale glossy pink. Anna thought that she looked like a woodland fairy.

"I'll let you get dressed," Jean smiled, grabbing her supplies.

Anna carefully put on her custom satin gown, making sure not to smear or ruin any of Jean's hard work. She gave herself one more glance at the mirror when she heard someone at her front door knocking. Her heart jumped from the excitement. She gave Jean one more gleaming smile before she asked who it was.

"It's Logan, kid. Can I come in?" the voice said from the other side.

"Hey, Logan," Anna replied as she unlocked her door. "I wasn't expecting you to come by tonight." Anna glanced over to Jean, who quickly pulled her hair into a neat ponytail.

"Hey, Anna. I was wondering," Logan started before looking up to see Anna dressed in her masquerade gown. He let out a whistle. "You clean up well, kid."

"It's all thanks to Jean over there," Anna motioned to Jean, who was gathering her belongings.

"Hey, Logan," Jean smiled.

"Jeannie," Logan smiled back. "I didn't see you there. Umm.. uhh.."

"Logan, did you want to talk to me about something?" Anna questioned, noticing an even more on edge Logan.

"Why are you… oh that's right you're going to that Masquerade Ball tonight," Logan continued to mumble.

"Is everything okay, sugar?" Anna asked her boss. "You seem upset."

"No," Logan replied, shoving an envelope into his leather jacket. "I'm fine, kid. Just wanted to see if you were okay."

"Why wouldn't I be?" Anna laughed.

"Huh, no reason," Logan replied. He quickly turned his attention to Jean who was trying to juggle a toddler, a diaper bag, and two makeup bags. "Do you need some help there, Jeannie?" Logan quickly made his way over as Jean dropped some of the bags.

"Thanks, Logan," Jean smiled. Anna watched the way the two interacted and wished that they would just become a couple. She couldn't think of two people that deserved happiness more than Jean and Logan.

As Anna observed her friends, she heard another knock on her door. She walked over to open it and was greeted by a large bouquet of red roses. The bouquet slowly lowered revealing the face of a man that brought Anna her own happiness. She smiled shyly as Remy walked into her apartment.

"You look tres belle, ma cherie," Remy whispered in her ear, giving her a gentle kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you," Anna smiled. "You look pretty good yourself."

"Logan, Jean, let me introduce you guys to Remy LeBeau," Anna motioned to her friends. Jean immediately walked over and shook his hand.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you," Jean smiled. Remy took her hand and placed a kiss on it.

"And this belle petite must be your little sister," Remy motioned to Rachel, who was now hiding behind her mother.

"My daughter actually," Jean blushed.

"Well, I can see where she get her beauty from," Remy smiled. He then turned his attention to Logan, who was staring at him intensely. "Monsieur Logan, it's a pleasure to finally meet you. Anna's told me so much about you."

"I'll be downstairs," Logan said to Jean, carrying all her bags. Anna stood in shock at Logan's outright rudeness as he walked right past Remy and out her door.

"I'm sorry, Remy," Anna apologized. "I have no idea what's wrong with him today. He's been acting weird since he came over."

"No worries, chere." Remy smiled at Anna, gently stroking her cheek.

Jean cleared her throat. "I don't want to keep Logan waiting. It's nice to finally meet you, Remy. I hope you guys have a great time tonight. Ready to go, sweetie? Say bye to Auntie Anna."

"Bye, bye," the toddler waved.

"Bye. Pumpkin. Thanks again, Jean," Anna said. She gave her friend once more hug before seeing her and Rachel out of the apartment.

As soon as she shut her door, Remy wrapped his arms around her waist. He nuzzled his face in the crook of Anna's neck, inhaling her intoxicating perfume.

"Anna, you look so beautiful right now," Remy whispered.

Anna closed her eyes and enjoyed the moment of silence. It was interrupted, however, by a feeling of coldness on her skin. She looked down and noticed a large square cut emerald necklace.

"Remy, what's this?" Anna asked.

"I saw it the other day and thought it would go perfectly with your dress," Remy replied.

"Did you rob a jewelry store to get it?" Anna joked. She knew he was rich, but this was just overboard.

"Not quite, but I do have to give it back by the end of the night. It's only a loaner piece," Remy explained. This bit of news actually relieved Anna. "How about we blow this ball off and just spend the entire night together?" Remy teased, wrapping his arms around her waist again.

"Oh no you don't, Mr. LeBeau," Anna smiled as she pulled away. "The whole reason we even got into this arrangement is because of this Masquerade Ball. It was your idea for your father to make our engagement public at this event, remember?"

"Oui," Remy acknowledged. "Well, shall we then?" Remy offered his arm to his beautiful date.

"Let's."

A/N: Update! Woohoo! Happy Mardi Gras! Please read, review, and enjoy!

November-February are always hectic months for me, I'm sorry for the delay. I should be okay until the spring baseball season starts though! Big love to my reviewers and story followers! 3