Annie watched the passing world through the window of the tour bus. The dismal gray sky and gentle rainfall were in no relation with her feelings. Today they were going home, if only for a short while. Well, as close to home as she was going to get anytime soon. Her parents were still in the midst of their archaeological dig. But Annie would be staying with the Phillips family, Molly and Jack. Molly's daughter Fi was staying with her aunt in order to pursue a more normal life style. In spite of the fact that her parents were so far away, Annie was excited about the break in Molly's rock n' roll tour. Her older cousin Bethany and Bethany's father Carl were coming for a visit. Although the Phillips and Bells were nearly like family to her, it was definitely going to be a nice change to be with her actual family for a while.
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Jack grinned. He was whooping Carey's butt at Rummy. He looked at the cards in his hand, then back at Carey's face, scrunched in concentration. This would be all too easy. Poker was Carey's game, but it had been Jack's turn to choose the card game they would play. He knew that Rummy was Carey's weak spot and he planned to exploit it in order to finally beat his friend at cards. Jack looked up as Annie shuffled into the room looking excited and anxious. She had been acting oddly all day. Her cousin and uncle were arriving today and Jack knew that she was desperately looking forward to their visit. He only wished she would calm down a bit. Her anxiousness was contagious and her presence was making him feel edgy as well. Annie began pacing in front of the bay window, looking out every few steps.
"Annie!" Jack and Carey said simultaneously. They looked at each other, than back at Annie who was looking rather startled.
"What?" She asked confusedly.
"You are pacing and...making me feel nervous," Jack replied. "Calm down. Sit down. Do something, anything besides acting all weird. They'll be here." Annie looked down at the carpet.
"I know. You guys are right. It's just, I haven't been around my own family in so long. Don't get me wrong, you all are great...but you're not my real family. It'll be really nice to have them around, if just for a little while." Carey nodded and grinned at her.
"We understand Annie, really we do, but wearing a hole in the carpet and making the rest of us nuts is not going to make them get here faster." Annie smiled and opened her mouth to reply but no words ever escaped. A taxi from the airport had pulled in the driveway.
Annie pivoted and bolted out the door. Jack and Carey put down their cards and watched from the doorway as Annie ran out to greet her cousin and uncle, yelling the whole way. A middle-aged man with reddish hair going slightly gray greeted Annie with a smile and a huge bear hug. The next one out of the cab was a tallish young woman with auburn hair spilling over her shoulders. She too hugged Annie tightly and the two began to talk enthusiastically. Carey and Jack went out to meet the guests, Carey wondering about Annie's cousin. He had never seen pictures of Bethany, and he was surprised at how pretty she was. And how old she was. He had expected her to be closer to Annie's age, but now that he saw her, he realized that she was about his own age. He smiled brightly at Bethany, and she smiled back. This was going to be interesting.
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Jack grinned. He was whooping Carey's butt at Rummy. He looked at the cards in his hand, then back at Carey's face, scrunched in concentration. This would be all too easy. Poker was Carey's game, but it had been Jack's turn to choose the card game they would play. He knew that Rummy was Carey's weak spot and he planned to exploit it in order to finally beat his friend at cards. Jack looked up as Annie shuffled into the room looking excited and anxious. She had been acting oddly all day. Her cousin and uncle were arriving today and Jack knew that she was desperately looking forward to their visit. He only wished she would calm down a bit. Her anxiousness was contagious and her presence was making him feel edgy as well. Annie began pacing in front of the bay window, looking out every few steps.
"Annie!" Jack and Carey said simultaneously. They looked at each other, than back at Annie who was looking rather startled.
"What?" She asked confusedly.
"You are pacing and...making me feel nervous," Jack replied. "Calm down. Sit down. Do something, anything besides acting all weird. They'll be here." Annie looked down at the carpet.
"I know. You guys are right. It's just, I haven't been around my own family in so long. Don't get me wrong, you all are great...but you're not my real family. It'll be really nice to have them around, if just for a little while." Carey nodded and grinned at her.
"We understand Annie, really we do, but wearing a hole in the carpet and making the rest of us nuts is not going to make them get here faster." Annie smiled and opened her mouth to reply but no words ever escaped. A taxi from the airport had pulled in the driveway.
Annie pivoted and bolted out the door. Jack and Carey put down their cards and watched from the doorway as Annie ran out to greet her cousin and uncle, yelling the whole way. A middle-aged man with reddish hair going slightly gray greeted Annie with a smile and a huge bear hug. The next one out of the cab was a tallish young woman with auburn hair spilling over her shoulders. She too hugged Annie tightly and the two began to talk enthusiastically. Carey and Jack went out to meet the guests, Carey wondering about Annie's cousin. He had never seen pictures of Bethany, and he was surprised at how pretty she was. And how old she was. He had expected her to be closer to Annie's age, but now that he saw her, he realized that she was about his own age. He smiled brightly at Bethany, and she smiled back. This was going to be interesting.