Annie's New Deal - Chapter Two - Another New Deal
Three weeks after the wedding of her new parents, Annie ran down the stairs into the kitchen to see what Mrs Pugh had made for breakfast. When she entered the room, she saw Grace, her new mum, sitting at the bench, her head in her hands, her body shaking as she sobbed and cried. Mrs Pugh, Mrs Greer, Cecille, Annette and Drake were all standing around her, trying their best to make her happy again.
"Grace," she said, running up to give her a hug. "What's wrong? Why are you crying?"
"Oh, Annie, you wouldn't understand. I... I.." the distraught secretary couldn't continue what she was saying, as she burst into another round of body-shaking sobs and tears.
"Would you like me to get Mr Warbucks, Miss?" Mrs Greer rose to move towards the kitchen door.
"No," she sobbed. "You don't need to get him. He won't understand either."
"What about another trip to the orphanage, Miss, you could always adopt another child."
Annie wondered what the maids were suggesting.
"No, adopting another child won't help. I need to have a child of my own." Grace looked into the eyes of her adopted daughter. "Annie, I want a baby of my own."
Annie looked into her eyes, seeing the sorrow now in her mother's eyes that used to be in hers. "A baby. A real baby, really?"
Grace nodded, the sullen look still on her face. "But, Annie, you can't tell Oliver anything I just said. I will tell him myself, OK?"
The child nodded, then stood on her toes and kissed the cheek of her mother. " I love you, Grace. I really do."
The maids cooed at this show of affection, then returned to their duties as they heard their boss stomping down the stairs and into the main hallway.
Annie led Grace to where her doting husband was waiting, stopping only to give her a tissue to wipe the tears from her eyes.
Later in the day, Grace and Oliver were taking a walk in the large garden when, suddenly, a wave of dizziness overcame the secretary, and she fell into her husband's widespread arms.
"Grace, what's the matter?" he asked.
"Oliver, I feel really dizzy and nauseous. I can barely stand, let alone walk."
"Should I call the doctor to have you checked over?"
"No... Yes, you better. But can you carry me to bed first, I can't stand up and I would be more comfortable there," he moved to stand and pick her up. "Oh, and Oliver," he turned around to look at her, "Thank you, I love you."
"And I love you," was the last thing she heard before she fainted in her husband's arms.
The doctor stood up from his position next to the bed Grace was lying on. He moved to the door to the bedroom to let Oliver Warbucks into the room.
"How is she?" was the first thing he asked as he sat down next to his wife. "What's wrong with her?"
"I'm fine," Grace said, sitting up in the large bed she shared with Oliver. "Actually, we're both fine."
"Both?" Oliver asked questionably, a puzzled look on his face.
"Your lovely wife is pregnant, sir. You're going to have a baby!"
The look on Oliver Warbucks' face showed his emotions to the world - he was overjoyed. Finally, he would have a child biologically related to him, not that he didn't love Annie, he did, but to have a child of blood relation would be wonderful.
"Oliver, can you not tell Annie yet," the woman in the bed looked at her husband with a pleading look on her face. "Please, Oliver. I want to tell her myself."
"OK, darling. Do you want to tell her now?"
"I think I'll tell her tomorrow. Right now all I want to do is sleep."
With that, everyone left the room, big smiles on their faces. Grace fell back into the pillows and slept for the rest of the day.
Annie ran around the house, wondering why everyone's faces were so lit up, smiling and happy. She was playing with Sandy, wishing there was someone else around to play games with.
"Annie! Now where has my little Annie gone?" A voice was calling her in the main hallway, and she was hiding behind the large flower vase, not knowing the voice calling her cold really see her.
A small giggle escaped from her mouth, and Annie looked around the side of the vase. She gasped, the person looking for her had gone. She turned around, looking for them, when Oliver jumped out from behind a large white pillar, scaring the 11 year girl and making her jump.
"Oh, Daddy Warbucks, you scared me!" the little girl shrieked and giggled at her adoptive father.
"Annie, Grace wants to see you in our bedroom. She has somethin very important to tell you," Oliver said to the child, not revealing anything. "Now, run along, you don't want to keep your new mother waiting."
Watching Annie run off to the bedroom, Oliver was wondering how she would take the news.
"I wonder what she wants to tell me?" Annie said as she started climbing the large staircase leading upstairs.
