Thanks for the review, and I hope that you can still stick with me until I can get everything in order so it makes sense. On with chapter 8! Now this chapter will seem very confusing and out of place, but I assure you that you'll fine out the whole meaning before the story ends.
What Are You Doing Here?
As Annabelle walked by the opening to the ice, she couldn't resist going out and looking at it. It seemed like a million years since she last skated and her legs almost made her walk out on the ice. The only thing that stopped her from walking out on the ice, or to her office to get her skates, was the persistent giggling. Annabelle looked slightly over her right shoulder and saw…
Annabelle tried to hold in her anger at the two people she saw, but it really didn't seem to work.
"Well Dennis it's great to see you up to your old self huh?" Annabelle said hot headedly.
"Oh Annabelle I don't know what your talking about. Jack and I were here just talking about his new hockey career and you just had to come out here and accuse me of doing something. Doesn't that seem a little unfair?" Dennis said with a sneer.
"No it doesn't. I'll see you tomorrow Jack and don't be late." Annabelle said threateningly and walked out the rink so fast she didn't know how she made it through the doors. What she didn't know was that she was being followed closely by Jimmy.
"Annabelle…" Jimmy said before she made it to the street. "Annabelle wait up." He was slightly out of breath when he made it up to her. "Was that who I think it was in there with O.C.?"
"If you mean Dennis, then yes. I thought I could leave that bitch back in Boston, and to think she was once my friend, and I always knew she was after Jack from the moment she met him!" Annabelle yelled and started to run across the semi-empty street, again closely followed by Jimmy.
"Annabelle slow down!" Jimmy yelled at her after he grabbed her arm. "Just calm down and stop acting like a little kid in a candy store that is being told no!" Jimmy yelled at her. Annabelle was slightly taken-a-back at his attitude. "Jack can't control every damn thing that bothers you or this whole world! You should know that! Your not a little kid anymore, grow up and get over the fact that he might like Dennis and he used to like you."
"What does it matter to you?" Annabelle yelled back yanking her arm from his grip. "I don't need to listen to you right now. Just leave me alone alright! I'm sick of people trying to tell me how to deal with my anger and thoughts. Maybe I want to deal with them for myself on my OWN!" With that Annabelle kept running until she found herself in front of the Brooks' house. In a way she just wanted to talk to Patty and not get judged like she would with her mother.
She knocked twice on the door and heard little thumping sounds and yells coming from Kelly. "Annabelle!" She said sailing into her arms after she opened the door. "What're you doing here?" She asked intently. "Mommy Annabelle's here!" Kelly yelled inside the door still latched around Annabelle's waist.
"Well let her in silly." Patty said happily until she saw Annabelle's face. "Kelly take your brother over to Margie's and I'll call you when it's time for dinner." Patty said. Kelly was about to say something back, but stopped by the look on her mother's face. She let go of Annabelle and went to get Danny. "Come in the kitchen, I'll get you some tea and we can talk." Patty said sweetly. Annabelle nodded and followed her into the kitchen and sat down in one of the chairs. Patty handed her a nice cool cup of tea and sat down in front of her waiting for her to start.
"When I went to the rink today…you know how I can't just stay still for long in one place?" Annabelle started out slowly and looked at Patty. Patty nodded letting her know to continue. "Practice went great and the guys were working hard. I couldn't have been happier…Herb wanted to have a meeting in his office with Doc, dad, and I, so I went, well afterwards I went back out to the ice. I kept hearing this giggling and it sounded familiar in a sickening way. I looked up in the stands and saw Jack with one of my former best friends, Dennis. I knew Jack liked her and Dennis liked him too. I blew my top when I saw them and Dennis acted like everything was like it was three years ago. Jack of course didn't say anything and just watched me. After I ran out of the rink, Jimmy followed me…" Annabelle stopped to get a drink. "He knows the whole thing behind Dennis and me, and how I act around her. Well I guess I sounded real stupid at sounding like I owned Jack, and Jimmy let all the bricks fall. I guess he is sick of me telling him everything that's going on and just let loose, but I couldn't handle it anymore." Annabelle had tears running down her face now, and looked her fisted hands.
"Annabelle…" Patty stopped and waited until she looked at her before continuing. "I know that Jack still loves you in a way you love him, but if he sees something in Dennis, it's his fault for leaving you. Don't go all out and blame yourself for what he does and doesn't do." Annabelle nodded.
"I think I should call Andrew down here so I can at least have someone that I can trust besides you, Herb, Doc, and dad." Annabelle said and stood up.
"Do you think that a wise choice?" Patty asked a little surprised.
"Yes." Annabelle said and nodded. "Tell Kelly and Danny I'll visit them before the next round of games. I have to get back to the rink and help Herb determine who should be cut from the team."
"Just remember Annabelle, don't do anything that you'll regret in the future." Patty said and hugged her.
"I won't. Bye Patty. I love you." Annabelle said and walked out the front door.
The next day, Annabelle walked into the ice rink with her old hockey bag from a former club she used to play in. Inside it was all her hockey gear, skates, a couple of sticks, and about a dozen pucks. Today she was determined to keep up with her practice and not just become a girl that used to play hockey. Annabelle didn't get that much sleep the other night, and it reflected in her appearance. Herb had stopped her on the way in asking if everything was ok, and Annabelle had made up the lie of the players that were going to be cut to the players that were cut that was getting to her.
'I can't keep doing this! I thought that being back here with Jack was going to make all my dreams come true about the future, and now all I know is that it was one huge mistake.' Annabelle kept saying to herself. Mentally every time Annabelle thought of the good times she had with Jack, Rizzo, and Jimmy in college was going down the drain because of Dennis.
Annabelle walked into her office, locked the door and closed the blinds. She changed into her hockey gear and walked quickly out to the ice. At this point all she wanted was to be alone and not have Jack or any other person, including her dad out there on or near the ice. Annabelle skated and slapped a few pucks around for an hour before she heard the team come in. after gathering all the pucks and broken hockey sticks, Annabelle walked to her office and changed back into her daily sweat suit and worked for the remaining four hours on things Herb needed done before the day was through so he could mail it off to Walter.
Four and a half hours later, Annabelle was interrupted by a soft knock on her door.
"Who is it?" Annabelle asked annoyed.
"It's me honey can I come in?" Her dad asked.
"Sure."
Annabelle watched as her dad stepped through the door and looked around at how it seemed to be cluttering up with papers and hockey memorabilia.
"I saw you out on the ice today and I was wondering what's bothering you?"
"Nothings bothering me dad, I just sometime like to be alone. I've been like this since the divorce and this is all I really want is to be alone and not be in a room all the time with people."
"Annabelle your mom called me today and asked that you come up to Boston during Christmas. I know that it's not that far from now, but it's up to you if you want to stay here or go have Christmas with your family."
"Can I think about it before I say yes?" Craig nodded and turned to leave. "Hey dad…Thanks for everything. I know I haven't said it in a while, but I really mean it." Craig smiled and walked out closing the door.
'I might have to take my mother's offer and leave for Christmas.' Annabelle thought to herself and went on with her work.
Please tell me if this chapter seemed a little out of place because I might change it, but it's up to you readers. Thanks.
