Indy and Annie
A/N: This is not a romance. Only sibling adventure. No Willie.
Summary: After a broken engagement, Annie Jones is trying to move on with her life. What better way than her older brother Henry coming to the rescue and taking her on a trip to search for the ashes of Nurhachi in exchange for the Peacock's Eye. What was supposed to be a simple trade somehow landed them in India. How will the Jones sibling survive with Short Round tagging along?
Chapter 1: Memoir.
Annie's POV
I was born on October 25, 1905.
My parents named me Annie Marie Jones. A play on words in my mother's name. Anna Mary Jones is a lovely woman with a golden heart. My father is Henry Walton Jones, a professor at Princeton. He teaches Medieval studies and other historical periods.
And then there is my brother, named after my father, so he was either called Junior or Henry. Although, later on, when he travels, he goes by Indiana or Indy. There was a six-year age difference between Henry and I. Yet, growing up, Henry was by my side as any big brother would do. He was a bit of a troublemaker, always finding himself in a peculiar situation that gave our parents a heart attack. Sneaking out of school, breaking a window with a baseball, attempting to send our dog into space in a blimp, almost run over by a train, and getting electrocuted.
I could hardly remember much other than being born in Princeton, New Jersey, during the beginning of the twentieth century. I could barely remember much in Princeton besides our dog Indiana by my side, Henry playing with me, and Mother singing to me.
When I was a toddler in 1908, my father's book about Chivalry was such a massive success that he got invitations to various schools and universities. I hardly remember much since I was a toddler, yet Henry reminded me we went to London, England, including Oxford, where our father attended. Father even got a teacher named Miss Helen Seymour. As she attended our tour around the world. Mother usually attended my education in the early years, although I recall Ms. Seymour helping me with my letters and numbers.
We visited different parts of the world, from Europe to Northern Africa to parts of Asia. I remember bits and pieces, especially getting confirmation from the photographs that were taken. Unfortunately, our travel was never easy as Father was occupied with his lectures, and Henry occasionally got into trouble. Well, not intentionally. Trouble seems to find him. Including how he narrowly escaped the Titanic with Ms. Seymour. Although, Henry said adventure seems to follow him. All my early years have always been with my mother, as she tried to keep me entertained and ensure I reached my milestones.
However, everything changed in 1912. When I was six years old, my mother contracted scarlet fever. By May 16, 1912, was the day our family fell apart. Mother died, leaving my father a widow, and my brother and I were motherless. Although, grief basically took our father away as well.
My father had a massive obsession with the Holy Grail. When Mother died, he focused on his research in finding the Holy Grail. Basically, Henry had to take the role of father and mother for me. He helped me to and from school and ensured I had a nightly routine and was fed. Along with telling me stories of his adventures growing up. Anything to distract us from our grief.
One Day Father decided to move us to Utah. There was barely much for any of us. Henry kept himself occupied with the Boy Scouts, achieving the highest rank of Life Scout. As for me, I was stuck home with my toys and books with Indiana by my side. Sometimes, I would help my father with his research, mainly organizing his mess or retracing pictures. I was only six years old, yet I knew history better than any child in elementary. As Father taught me Latin and Greek, translating text. But I think he was trying to keep me occupied.
I recall one time Henry was supposed to be camping at Arches National Park. I was in the living room playing with Indiana when Henry came barging in as if his life depended on it, especially with his chin bleeding. He had found the Cross of Coronado in the abandoned mines. Well, it's more like he stole it from treasure hunters. Father was so attuned to his research that he didn't bother to see the commotion as the sheriff, Herman, and five men came in.
It broke Henry's heart as the Sheriff gave the cross to one of the treasure hunters, giving it to a client outside. However, the treasure hunter with the fedora gave him his hate and a new fear of snakes. Henry told me about his escape on a circus train, fell into a vat of snakes, almost stabbed by a rhino, and tried to tame a lion if the treasure hunters hadn't saved him.
I was intrigued and jealous, wondering when I would get a chance for adventure. Henry laughed, saying one day, the adventure will find me. However, I think Henry searches for adventure more than the other way around. As the years go by, we continue our travels.
Until then, I will focus on my studies and maintaining the house. Well, to the best of my ability, as I somehow lost my good grace and became a havoc of clumsiness. There were moments of questionable events growing up, yet Henry found a way. My one faithful companion had been Indiana, as the dog stood by my side along with Henry. Yet Indiana soon passed away in 1916, and that broke the camel's back between our family.
During World War One, Henry enlisted in the Military. A part of me felt like he was abandoning me. As everyone seems to have abandoned me. Henry promised to write to me and that he would try his best to stay safe. Yet I felt so alone. Father tried to entertain me for a time, yet his mind was drowning in searching for the Holy Grail. Realizing he couldn't do his research and care for me, Father sent me to an all-girls boarding school.
As my peers called me Clumsy Annie, I tended to fumble anywhere I went. Even tripping on my own feet. I kept my head down, focusing on my studies and listening to the news about the war. I worried about my brother and sighed in relief when a letter would arrive from him.
Adventure never came, as I remained behind the walls of the boarding school. The only time being out is for the summer seasons and holidays. I was mainly alone while my father focused on his work and research. Henry would stop by occasionally, especially when he returned from the University of Chicago. But it was clear our family was broken.
Over the years, I have gotten my education, and Henry pulled his sleeves to allow me to attend university at Marshall College. Not many women attended, yet I was the exception as I focused on my studies in history and literacy, hoping one day I could be an educator. But when I learned about the public education system and the expectations of women, I nearly frowned. The moment I get married, I would have to resign. All the hard work, only to give it up out of marital obligation.
I try to be a researcher, even dabbling in archeology. However, due to my sex, I was hardly getting anywhere. I graduated with a bachelor's degree, yet I couldn't get a job. Many societies stated I was overqualified to work in their department, while others pointed out I was a woman. Even with nepotism of being related to both Henry Jones they barely fluttered an eye than asking how they were.
Fortunately, I got a job as an assistant to Dr. Marcus Brody, who is a curator for several prominent museums on the East Coast, including a part-time librarian at Marshall College. It wasn't as adventurous as my brothers' archeological travels or my father's studious research abroad, yet it was very productive. Even helped my brother with his research before he took off on a grand adventure. I even organized his exhibits in the museums and wrote excerpts about the artifact with Henry's notes. He offered me a few trips, on occasion I would attend, as we explored ruins in Mexico, Greece, and the United Kingdom. Of course, I do not go regularly since someone has to keep an eye on Brody. I shall never understand how that man can get lost in his own museum.
Yet Brody is not always on track.
Not even I, since, on occasion, I can be a travesty. My grace has diminished to the point I was a walking disaster. Not all the time, but a sporadic moment of humiliation can happen. For example, I tripped over nothing and collided into a diorama of the Roman Empire in one museum. Add insult to injury when Brody said, ""Atlas has fallen."" One would say Brody was a knucklehead. Well, despite my common sense, I was a clutz. There were times I wondered how I hadn't been fired yet.
Nepotism maybe.
Then again, Henry works part-time for the university and the other half in finding relics for the museums. Henry believes artifacts and relics belong to a museum. Whether it be locally or an institution, depending on what the relic is. A gray area, versus other archeologists, is to sell their finds to the highest bidder or the British Museum.
I had spent ten years of my adult life in education and curating. As colleagues talked about their wives and starting a family. I began to crave such a desire to have a family of my own. But I did not want to give up my career for it. It was tedious, and even Brody's wife arranged some dates. Unfortunately, things did not go as planned.
Until one banquet did, I met Douglas Lockwood. He was a few years older than me and a doctor. As he is a practicing surgeon on the side. We held many interests in history and playful debate. A Christian man, that would please my father as well. After several dates, he told me he wanted to start a family. Yet not to jump ship. Things were tight since our nation was in the Great Depression. But Douglas wanted to know me, and I was with him.
We dated for a year until Douglass asked me to marry him. He had gotten along with my father, and Henry, though cautious, approved. We were in the early stages, as I spent my spare time coronating the wedding plans.
Until one day, everything changes.
I wanted to get Douglas's opinion on the venue and have dinner together. It has been a long week, and we barely see each other in the past month. I had a folder containing wedding plans and a bag filled with groceries for tonight. The moment I entered the apartment, I felt my world crumble.
There was Douglas on the couch, kissing another woman while his hands were up her skirt. I stood there utterly shocked as the bag filled with groceries fell, and the bottle of wine shattered on the floor. That got their attention, as the woman gave a scream, and Douglas turned around, paling. He tried to convince me that the woman meant nothing. However, she defended herself, saying she was a nurse at the hospital they worked at and had been coupling for a few months. Douglas tried to deny it, but what I saw ended it all.
I didn't utter a word. Merely took my ring off and left. Douglas tried to stop me, grabbing my arm. Yet my brother taught me some self-defense moves, so I turned around and punched him straight in the nose. That knocked Douglas down, letting me go.
I left, got in my car, and headed home. I live with Father since the man could not care for himself. Father stared at me, utterly surprised, after slamming the door. I told him what happened, how Douglas had an affair, and the wedding was over.
Father's face turned red before saying, "I never liked the man. You deserve better."
And that was that.
Nothing else. No comfort. It's just confirmation that I deserve better.
I ran to my room and cried.
In moments like these, I wish Mother was still alive. She would know what to do. Or even Miss Seymour. And yet, I had no one. Henry was in China. Said he would be back for the wedding since reservations for the chapel were set. Realizing what happened, through tears, I wrote a letter to Henry letting him know the wedding was canceled.
Everything was canceled.
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