Chapter 11

Anna's POV

I never realized how big this school was or how many steps there were in it until I hurt by knee. I also never thought I'd be thankful for uniform skirts, but they really are much easier to wear with this big clunky brace.

I wonder if Chris Miller likes me or if he's just being nice. I was a little late this and I was struggling to get books out of my locker, since they had fallen to the locker floor and I can't really bend properly, Chris stopped and help me load my backpack. Then he carried it to homeroom for me and then from home room to English

Hannah thinks he likes me, but I'm not sure. I mean he's a nice guy. I'm sure if he was the only person around he'd help anyone on crutches. Still, I would be nice if he liked me.

Megan's POV

The gossip around the teacher's lounge is that Chris Miller has been very attentive to Anna Monroe. I'll have to watch for that. They could be a cute couple. He seems to be a nice boy. I have his older brother is in my poli sci class and he's a good kid. I've met the parents and they seem like good people. Danny's going to flip if anything comes of it.

Anna's POV

I can't believe they are making go to soccer practice and the games even thought I can't play if I want to keep my spot next year. Team spirit blah, blah. It's going to be so hard to watch everyone else play. Although, I guess I'd be here anyway since Megan is my ride home.

The boys will be practicing on the other half of the field. Maybe I can watch Chris. I've never really watched the boys very closely since while our schedules don't exactly overlap, they don't make it easy for us to go to each other's games.

Lindsay's POV

I thought last week was going to crawl by. Having a semi-mobile, kind of grumpy teenager around the house was getting old. Anna was a good sport about school and everything, but she couldn't carry anything in her hands and use crutches, which meant she needed help with more things than she would have liked. She's also an active kid so forced inactivity isn't sitting well with her.

Today, I'm going to pick her up from school after second period and take her to the orthopedist. Hopefully, that will go well, but I suspect that he's going to order an MRI, and we'll have to wait for the results of that before we know much.

Anna's POV

Well, that was pointless. The doctor looked at me for about five minutes, said I need to have an MRI for them to tell anything, but that I probably won't need surgery. I mean that's good, but I wanted a better answer. The good things is that while I have to wear the big clunky knee brace and I can't do too much walking, I don't actually need to use the crutches.

Danny's POV

I suspect that Anna is going to be a little disappointed with the doctors today. From what I've heard, he'll probably tell that she'll probably be fine, but they need an MRI. I wonder what I can do to cheer up my girls. I guess dinner out might work, I'll make a reservation at that Mexican place we all like La Loma.

Anna's just been kind of down because of her knee and she's been snappish and crabby, which tends to make Lindsay snappish and crabby. I'd like to see my girls laugh tonight.

Lindsay's POV

I love my husband! Seriously, Danny rocks. He knew that this doctor's visit wasn't going to resolve everything to Anna's satisfaction, so he made dinner reservations at our favorite Mexican place. Now, I'm sitting here getting a little buzzed on the world largest margarita, while Danny the designated driver will sip off the same beer all night. He's making Anna laugh. It's great.

All of a sudden Anna looks down at her plate and blushes, and then she sneaks a look again at the hostess stand. There is a family there. They have two boys who look high school age, I wonder if, yes the younger boy just turned and he is wearing Georgetown Prep Boy's Soccer jacket.

"So Anna who is the boy in the Georgetown Prep jacket you are pretending not to look at?" I ask.

"How did you know?" asks Anna.

"Don't forget kid, she's got the mom radar thing and she's a trained detective, she'll find things out," say Danny.

As I'm about to respond the boy walks away from his parents and over towards us.

He says "Hi Anna. How did it go at the doctor's today?"

Anna smiles kind of shyly and says "He needs an MRI to tell anything, but I can ditch the crutches if I keep the brace. He thinks I won't need surgery."

"That's great about the crutches, and that there is probably no surgery, but it stinks that he couldn't tell you more," says the boy.

OK, that's it I want to know who this is.

"Hi, I'm Lindsay Messer, Anna's aunt. This is my husband Danny Messer."

"I'm Chris Miller. Anna and I go to school together," the boy says now a little nervous.

Anna jumps in "I'm sorry, I should have introduced Chris right away. He's been helping me carry my books and stuff."

"Really?" says Danny. "Thanks for looking out for my little girl." His tone of voice indicates just about anything but thanks.

"It was nice to meet you. I'll see you in school Anna. I should get back to my family," says Chris walking back to his table as fast as he can without running.

"Danny! That wasn't very nice," I say.

"What?" "What I do? I said thank you," replied Danny.

"You know what you did. We'll talk about this later," I said since I'm more interested in what's going on with Anna.

"So what's up with you and Chris? I've never heard you mention him before," I ask.

Anna shrugged her shoulders and said "nothing, I mean I think he maybe kind of likes me, but I can't tell, he started helping when my books spilled and he was the only around."

"What do you mean he might like you?" asks a flustered Danny.

Luckily, the waitress comes with out dinner before Danny could launch into some not dating tirade.

Danny's POV

Montana's going to be pissed at me as soon as she comes to bed. I just don't like boys sniffing around Anna. I know what they are like.

As soon as Lindsay comes into the room starts "Nice display, Danny. Am I going to have to hide your gun when boys come over? She's not a baby."

"But she's 14 and I know what guys were like at that age," I said.

"Yes, Danny. She's 14 and she's going to find away to hang out with boys no matter what we say. So let's set some rules up. Here's what I suggest. She's too young to date one-on-one, but she can have a boy, like Chris, over here when we are around. They stay in public areas of the house, but we'll try not to make ourselves too obvious. She can go over to his house if his parents have similar rules. A date to any supervised school function is fine, so are outings with groups of kids or a suitable adult. We'll reevaluate one on one dates at a later time. What do you think?"

"I guess that's reasonable. But you'll talk to her, right, about stuff?" I ask.

"Danny, I know, Anna's got the biology down. I think it would be good if we both talked to her," said Lindsay.

"I don't know Lins, I'd have died if I had to have a conversation like that with my Ma. Do we need to torture the poor kid?"

"Fine, I'll talk to her, but I think it would be good if you talked to her just a little about how men treat woman they respect and care about. Just do that. Please."

"Sure, Montana, I can do that."