Annie's Request

Disclaimer: I do not own Annie but I think it is one of the greatest stories in the world.

Annie didn't sleep very well the rest of the night. She kept waking up and thinking about the dream she had had. Was it trying to tell her something? She wondered if her parents had really been involved with the president. She didn't know for sure but she did know one thing. As soon as it was morning, she was going to go to Daddy Warbucks and request that they visit the president right away. She had to know the truth. If what happened in her dream was what had really happened than she was going to go search for her parents.

The next morning, Annie rushed to get dressed. She was so determined to make her request that she almost put her shoes on the wrong feet. She wondered, if it was true, why then had the president told her that her parents had died. Then, it dawned on her. Maybe the president had told her that to hide the truth because, her being only eleven, he might have thought that it was too much for her to handle. Annie wasn't mad at the president if he had lied. On the contrary, she was kind of able to see where he had been coming from.

When she finished dressing, Annie ran downstairs and through the house, searching for Daddy Warbucks. She found him in his study, fully dressed and drinking coffee. He was on the phone with someone but when he saw Annie enter the room he told the person he had to go and hung up. Then he patted the seat next to him. Annie ran over and sat in the chair. Daddy Warbucks smiled at her.

"Good morning Annie."

"Good morning Daddy Warbucks," Annie said in a voice that suggested that she was thinking very hard.

"Annie, what is it? You seem like something's troubling you." Annie frowned. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's really wrong, it's just that you are right, something is troubling me." She looked down at her feet and then up at him again.

"Do you want to tell me about it?" he asked. Annie nodded. Then, she launched into the story of the dream, scene by scene. It had been so strongly on her mind that she had not forgotten any of it. Daddy Warbucks just sat there listening with curiosity. When she finished, he looked mildly surprised. "Well Annie, that's quite a dream you had."

"But Daddy Warbucks, I don't think it was just a dream, I think it was trying to tell me something. I had trouble sleeping the rest of the night. That has to say something, doesn't it?" He nodded.

"In deed it does. Well, what do you want to do?"

"I wish to go see the president, right away. I want to know the truth. If he doesn't tell me, I'll find out another way but I have to know or else I might go insane." Daddy Warbucks laughed. Annie frowned again. "It's not funny Daddy Warbucks!" but he could tell that she had started to crack a small smile. Apparently fighting against laughing with him and staying serious.

"Okay, okay Annie. I'll see what I can do. Maybe I can get us in to see him this afternoon. We'll fly out there on my private jet. Does that sound alright to you?"

"That sounds swell Daddy Warbucks!" Annie cried, hugging him tightly. He hugged her back. "Please get right to work calling him. I will leave you alone to negotiate."

"Are you sure?" Annie nodded.

"I still need to get some breakfast anyway. Come on Sandy!" she called. The sandy fur dog came running out of a hallway. "Be back in a little bit Daddy Warbucks!" she called as she and Sandy headed off for the kitchen in hopes of getting some breakfast.

Daddy Warbucks picked up the phone and dialed the president's office. The secretary picked up the call.

"Hello, President Roosevelt's office, how may I help you?"

"Yes, this is Oliver Warbucks. I would like to speak the president please."

"Certainly Mr. Warbucks. Hold on just a moment and I'll let him know you are on the line."

"Thank you."

The secretary pushed a button to hold him and then she pushed another button that went through to the president's office.

"President Roosevelt here?"

"Yes sir, Mr. Warbucks is on line one. He wishes to speak with you."

"That's wonderful. Put him through."

"Yes sir." She pushed the button to take Daddy Warbucks off hold and switched the line over to the president. Then she put down her phone and went back to work.

"President Roosevelt here, what may I do for you Oliver?"

"Hi President Roosevelt. I simply wanted to ask you if it would be okay for Annie and I to drop by a little later this afternoon. Annie has something really important she wants to talk to you about."

"Annie does?" He wore an expression of miner confusion on his face.

"Yes sir, she does. So, would it be okay if we came?"

"Certainly! I had a meeting with congress scheduled this afternoon but it's not a very important matter of discussion. I'll just get the meeting changed to tomorrow. You and Annie come on by. I'd be happy to discuss whatever it is Annie wants to talk to me about."

"That's excellent. We'll be by about, say, two-o-clock?"

"That sounds swell. I will see you then Oliver."

"Of course. Bye."

"Bye." He hung up the phone and beeped through to his secretary.

"Yes sir?"

"Change the meeting with congress to tomorrow, I am meeting with Mr. Warbucks and Annie this afternoon. Make sure to tell them."

"Yes sir." She went about doing as she was told and the president went back to his work.

Daddy Warbucks hung up the phone just in time to see Annie re-enter the room, Sandy at toe. He smiled at her.

"Well? Were you able to get us in to see the president this afternoon Daddy Warbucks?" Annie asked impatiently.

"Yes Annie, I was. We are to be there at two-o-clock so I recommend you get your coat. We will be leaving shortly." Annie ran over and hugged him quickly. Then she took off up the stairs to get her coat. This was going to answer a lot of questions that Annie had had burning in her head ever since she had awoken from the dream. She felt that after all this time, she was finally going to find out the truth about her parents and why she had really been left on the doorstep of that awful orphanage.

Although, she might finally have a chance to see her real parents, if she ever found them, Annie was determined to not leave Daddy Warbucks. She was his by law now and she wouldn't have it any other way. She headed down the stairs, humming happily to herself. Finally, after all this time, a great burden on her chest was going to be lifted.