Chapter 3: Ann


I walked to my window. It had been a full year since Popuri had left. I still had scars in my heart that would take eternity to heal, but I knew I had to move on. I decided I would visit the city and see for myself what Popuri had become. I walked to the docks and booked a ferry. It left in a half hour, so I just waited at the docks. When it came, I hopped on board and it took off. The ride was long. When it finally docked at the City, I ran to a desk in the dock station that had a listing of people living in the city. I looked up Popuri's family and read they lived in a low class section of the city.

Taking that bus to Popuri's home was so long. I was scared to see her, to see if she had changed that much as everyone said. When it finally arrived at her house, I got out and looked at it. The house was run down, needed a paint job, new windows and new doors. There were no shutters, and there was stains on the ground. I walked up and knocked on the door.
"Hello?" said a feeble voice as the door opened.
"Hello, it's me, Jack." I said.
"Jack? Oh yes, Jack, my daughter's old fling." said Lillia. She was obviously very sick.
"Yes, could I see Popuri?" I asked.
"Oh yes, oh yes, oh yes of course." she said. She stuttered a lot, and when she walked to a room at the end of the hall, it was saddening. She walked hunched over, and limped.
"Popuri, my dear, Popuri, you have a visitor." said Lillia.
"Mother, I told you not interupt me. Who would visit me, probably the social services." said a very unfamiliar voice. "J-Jack?" said Popuri as she emerged from the room.
"Yes Popuri, it's me." I said.
"Oh Jack! I wanted to visit you, or write you, but as you can see, we couldn't even afford a stamp!" she said laughing, that was familiar.
"I wanted to check up on you." I said. "Care to go for a walk?"
"I can't Jack. Your in the past, it took me so long to get over you, please don't do this to me." she said dryly.
"But Popuri, I need to learn about you. Can't we at least be friends? Don't forget I love you, always have, always will." I said.
"I'm sorry, Jack, I'm sorry. Please go, you don't belong here. Go with your wealthy friends back home. Tell Ann and Karen and Maria, and all the villagers we said hello, and best wishes to you." she said.

And with that, Popuri was officialy out of my life. She shut me out of the house with the door, and even locked it. I went back home on the next ferry and went to see Ann.
"Hey Ann." I said.
"Hey Jack, how are you?" said Ann. She had gotten over her crush on me, we were now best friends.
"I just went to see Popuri..." I said.
"You did? How was she. What's her house like? What is she like now?" she asked.
"Well.." I had to tell her the truth, "they're in bad condition. Her house is.....well.....a hell-hole, she looks sick, she might have what her mother has. They are just terrible."
"That's terrible, I can't believe they never wrote for help!" she exclaimed.
"They couldn't afford to write..." I said.
"Well, that's too bad. I feel sad for her, why doesn't she come back?" she asked.
"Her pride is at stake I think. She wants to prove herself, she can't come back before she does." I said.
"Oh, well I have to go cook, sorry, I'd chat more but I can't, bye!" she said, skipping off to the kitchen.

I walked away then stopped. I had this weird, awkward feeling. I watched Ann through the window, she saw me and smiled, then continued cooking. I had this feeling, butterflies. No, this can't be happening, I thought. I think I liked Ann! I walked away with this good feeling. I fell asleep that night thinking of Ann, and I dreamed of her. She was now like Popuri.

The next day I walked to the Inn.
"Hey Ann, the usual." I said casually, sitting down at the bar.
"One scrambled egg, two sides of bacon coming right up." she slid the food down, she knew I was coming.
"Ann, I have a question.." I said.
"Yup, what is it Jack?" she asked.
"Do you....do you still like me?" I asked.
"Er...." she said blushing.
"Don't be embarassed... just tell me." I said.
"A little bit...." she said.
"Well, Ann, would you go on a date with me tonight? A walk on the beach perhaps?" I asked.
"Really, no joke? Of course! Oh I'm so excited!" she said bouncing up and down. She grabbed me and hugged me.
"You don't know how long I've waited for you to ask me!" she said.
"You know, I always liked you, but I was fooled by Popuri." I said.
"I don't think you were fooled by Popuri. Part of the reason I was jealous was because she had you, but also she had love. You loved her so much Jack, everyone knew it, I wanted that." she said.
"Thanks." I said.
"For what?" she asked.
"For always liking me, even though I was a complete total jerk!" I said.
"Anytime!" she replied giggling.

That night, we had our date. We went for a date, then ended up kissing. I hugged her, and I realized I thought I loved her too.
"Ann, I really like you." I said.
"Jack, it's only our first date. It took you 4 months to realize you really liked Popuri!" she giggled.
"But....I don't think that was a true feeling.. I think I really like you, because I don't have to ask myself if I do, and I feel comfortable enough to say it." I said.
"Jack...I don't know what to say. I've always liked you!" she smiled.

I shared an intimate moment with Ann that night, actually.....an intimate experience. We continued dating for a few months, then she came up to my house one day.
"Jack, we need to talk." she said urgently.
"What is it?" I asked.
"Well, I've been feeling sick. So I went to the Clinic. They told me I was.... I was pregnent!" she said.
"What, how?" I asked. Even though I knew.
"Jack, you of course!" she said.
"What?" I screamed.
"Well, what are we gonna do? If my dad finds out, he'll kill me!" she said.
"Well, I was going to ask you anyways, will you marry me?" I asked.
"Yes of course, you knew my answer." she said.

A few weeks later we were wed. Then a few days later, she announced she was pregnent. It seemed perfect. I really liked Ann, I didn't know if I loved her yet, but I'm sure she'd be perfect. A few months passed after us being married. Nothing changed between us, we just called each other honey and cute names. It wasn't till later when we started fighting.

They started small, but soon we were fighting every day over everything. It didn't matter if it was how to milk a cow, water crops, or what tv show to watch. We were constantly on edge, waiting to yell at each other. Ann had had her baby a few days before, so I just thought she was grumpy. We had a baby girl we named Amanda. She was adorable, I loved showing her off to neighbors. They didn't know it, but Ann and I were slowly falling apart. I knew what I had to do.
"Ann, we need to talk." I said.
"About what honey, gonna tell me what to do again?" she snapped.
"No, it's about us. We aren't made for each other, I want to split apart." I said.
"What? We can't, what about Amanda!" she screamed.
"Must we torture ourselves for Amanda?" I asked.
"Jack don't do this. I know what it's like to grow up with only one parent, it sucks! Don't abandon her!" she pleaded.
"Ann, I can't.....I can't even stand you anymore! We always fight, I'm about to snap!" I said.
"Fine, fine then, leave I don't care." she screamed.
"Me leave? I made this house, this farm. You need to go back to the Inn!" I said.
"Fine!" she said, and with that, Ann dropped out of my life too.

Ann moved back to the Inn, and tried to raise Amanda on her own. She found she couldn't, and she put Amanda up for adoption. Amanda was adopted, and taken to some foreign country. Ann never even told me, about the adoption. I had to find out when going to celebrate Amanda's birthday.
"What do you mean you gave her away?" I screamed.
"You heard me, she has a new family now!" she yelled back.
"This, this can't be happening. You did not give my beautiful daughter away." I said, tears formed in my eyes.
"Jack....I'm sorry." she said.
"No you're not, your just a selfish baby. I'm out of here. Don't bother trying to talk to me." I said, I left crying.
"Jack...please...." said Ann, I ignored her.