Anabel Unraveled

by Amanda Romine Lynch

  Clara scoffed. “You clearly have a high opinion of yourself.”

  “Somebody around here needs to,” I retorted. “I realize you don’t particularly care for me, Dr. Moore, and I’ve tried to be as nice as I can, but I’m not going to sit here and watch you praise your sulky little golden child over there and ignore your other son who is an amazing human being.” I felt Matt’s eyes on me, but I continued to maintain my glare at Clara.

  “All you’ve ever seen him do is watch you, which only takes half a brain.”

  “Oh be fair, I get myself into all sorts of trouble without trying. Matt’s ability to keep me alive is unparalleled.”

  “Matt’s talents are wasted in babysitting for a spoiled little girl,” Clara snapped.

  “That’s enough, Mother.” Matt was calm.

  “No it’s not enough! You could have done so many things, and here you are, playing nanny to a Sallinger!”

  “I’m not technically a Sallinger,” I remarked.

  She ignored me and turned to her son. “You just let your skills waste away.”

  “This isn’t the time or the place,” he said.

  “Well I hope she’s worth it,” Clara huffed. “Because once these hearings blow over, Sallinger will drop you.”

  “Well then I’ll retain him,” I declared. “Matt’s been invaluable to me.”

  “Why? So you can try to get in his pants, since you’ve already been in—”

  “MOTHER!” And now Matt was on his feet. “That’s enough,” he said, his tone heated.

  I shook my head. “Everyone really does think I’m a slut.” I let out a dramatic sigh and stretched. “Well, I hate to miss dessert, but I think I’ll give you all some family time now.” And with that, I stood up, and stomped out of the room.

  “She even makes a dramatic exit,” I heard Geoff say.

  “She’s sassy,” came Scott’s snide remark.

  “Stay away from her,” Matt retorted, and then I heard him chasing me, which only strengthened my resolve to make it to my room before he could see the fact that—

  “You’re crying,” he noticed, catching my arm.

  “No I’m not,” I denied, wiping away tears. “It’s just an allergy attack.”

  “You are a terrible liar,” he muttered. “I’m so sorry, Anabel. I thought it would be slightly awkward, but I had no idea that this would happen.”

  “I probably should’ve kept my mouth shut,” I admitted.

  He put his arm around my shoulders. “You know, no one has ever done that before.”

  “Done what?”

  “Stood up to her. Defended me.”

  “Not even your dad?”

  Matt sighed. “He doesn’t like to get involved. He doesn’t love her, but he lets her run his affairs.”

  “Well that’s sad,” I assessed. “It would be terrible to be married to someone you didn’t love. I mean, that’s why . . .”

  “Why you can’t marry him?” he asked. “I know that’s what he wants.”

  I nodded. “I guess I love Jared in a way, but I’m not really in love with him.”

  “After what he did to you, you still have feelings for him?” I felt his grip on me tighten as we walked into my room.

  “It’s complicated.”

  “Sam says you have Stockholm syndrome.”

  “Are you serious?” I started to laugh. “I don’t sympathize with Jared, if that’s what you’re getting at. It’s just messy,” I lamented.

  “I see that,” he said, letting go of me and checking under the bed.

  “We’re in your parents’ house. Do you really think—?”

  “It’s my job to check,” he cut me off. “You know, I’m done with you telling me how to do my job.”

  I was taken aback. “I’m sorry,” I stammered.

  “What?” He sounded surprised.

  “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be critical of you. I think you’re wonderful.” It all came out in a rush. “At taking care of me,” I added, feeling the blood rush to my cheeks.

  Matt studied me for a minute and then cracked a grin. “You know, if anyone else ever criticizes you, you immediately get defensive. I get angry with you for a second and—”

  “—I beg your forgiveness.” I came to stand before him. “It’s because I don’t care about what anybody else thinks of me. Only you.”

  “Only me, huh?” He was softening.

  “I really value your opinion,” I told him.

  His face relaxed. “Alright, well I think I’m going to stay in here tonight.”

  “With me?” That came out at a much higher pitch than I had anticipated.

  “Yeah, I think given the circumstances—my brother eying you like you were that chocolate cake you turned down—”

  “It was chocolate? I am clearly an idiot.”

  He ignored that. “And the nagging feeling I have that my mother would smother you with a pillow if the opportunity presents itself solidifies that decision.”

  “There’s only one bed,” I pointed out.

  “I’ll sleep on the floor.”

  “That’s stupid. This is your house.”

  “Fine, I’ll sleep with you,” he decided.

  I felt my eyes widen. “Oh.”

  “Unless you don’t want me to,” he said quickly.

  “No . . . that’s . . . fine,” I managed.

  “It’s not like I haven’t seen—”

  “I know,” I interjected.

  His face grew concerned. “Anabel, surely you don’t think I would—”

  “NO!” I said, a little too loudly. “No, that’s not it. It just caught me off guard, is all.” I offered what I hoped was a convincing smile. “I’m going to put on my pajamas now.”

  “I need a few things from my room, anyway,” he told me. “I’ll be back in ten minutes. Try not to kill yourself in the interim.”

  I nodded, and watched him leave. Then I quickly dug into my bag, rummaging for my pajamas. I sighed at the sight. I had brought an oversized T-shirt that had belonged to my brother and some oh-so-sexy maternity pajama bottoms. With haste I disrobed and slid them on, and grabbed a brush and ran it through my unruly hair, pulling it into a low ponytail. After brushing my teeth, I noticed that Matt had left the door cracked. As I went to close it, I heard voices.

  “You could do a lot worse,” I heard Geoff say.

  “This is not open for debate,” came Matt’s voice.

  “She likes you.”

  “And you think I’m not aware of that? Anabel’s about as subtle as a thunderstorm.” I colored and tried not to giggle.

  “I like her a lot,” Geoff commented. “She’s feisty. I wouldn’t mind seeing you happy, either. There’s the matter of that baby, but I think you have enough character to deal with that.”

  “That baby is a Sorensen.” He was firm.

  “What happened to Nat—look, it’s not Jared’s fault, Matt. You’ve got to let that go,” said Geoff.

  “What if I can’t?”

  “Then it probably wouldn’t work with Anabel, and you’re wise to keep your distance,” he replied.

  “You think she would make me happy?” Matt sounded thoughtful here.

  “She’s not the only one who’s easy to read.” Geoff chuckled. “You should’ve seen the look on your face when she took your mother to task.”

  “I was just impressed. She doesn’t usually stick up for herself, let alone somebody else.” Matt’s tone was guarded.

  “Well, let me ask you this. Why did you bring her here?”

  “She wanted to meet you all.”

  “I don’t think that’s the only reason.” Geoff paused. “I’ll just say that I like her, and we’ll leave it at that.”

  “This was her own doing.” Now Matt sounded defensive.

  “Whatever you say, son. Goodnight.”

  “Night,” I heard Matt say, and I hurried to make my way back over to the bed, my heart pounding. I smiled up at him when he came in. “Do you w
ant the right or the left side?”

  “The left. I’m guessing you want the side closer to the bathroom.”

  “Good call.” I slid under the covers, pulling a pillow between my legs and turning on my side, looking at the wall. I felt Matt climb into the bed and I started to giggle.

  “What’s so funny?”

  “I haven’t shared a bed with anyone in a long time,” I admitted.

  “Besides Emma, you mean.”

  “Yes, besides Emma.” I rubbed my belly. She kicked where my hand was. Such a clever child.

  “Are you okay for the night? Do you need any water or anything?”

  “I had the foresight to bring some bottled water. It’s on the nightstand.” I turned and looked at him. “You really do take such good care of me.”

  “It’s my job,” he told me.

  “Well, you’re the best friend money can buy, Matt.”

  He laughed at that. “Thanks. You’re not so bad yourself.”

  I maneuvered myself over to look at him. “Do you mean that?”

  “Anabel, why do you think that I hate you?”

  “I guess I just . . . I’m trying to figure out where I stand with you.”

  He stared at the ceiling. “Where you stand?”

  I shifted, trying to get comfortable, which was proving to be a challenge. “Well, sometimes I think that we’re becoming friends—like, real friends—and then other times I think that you regret taking this job.”

  He turned to look at me. “I’ve never regretted taking this job. Not once.”

  More butterflies. I swallowed. “Even though I’m a spoiled princess?”

  “You aren’t what everybody thinks you are. Do you need some help?” He had noticed that I was readjusting myself.

  “I can’t find a position,” I gasped, pushing up on my arms, “where I don’t feel like I’m squished.”

  “Come here,” he ordered. He sat up and gently helped me over to him. I rested my head on his chest and felt his arm go around me. “How’s that?”

  I couldn’t deny it. “Perfect.”

  “Good. So, I was thinking maybe we should leave a little earlier than I anticipated.”

  “So your mom doesn’t get a chance to poison me?” I smiled into his chest.

  “I hadn’t thought of poison. That’s a good call. No, I think we’ll stay through lunchtime though. If you want I’ll test your food.”

  “Sounds like a plan,” I agreed. “And then go home for dinner?”

  “No, let’s go out,” he suggested. “There’s a restaurant down the street I want to take you to. I know the owner.”

  I want to take you to. More flutters. “That sounds great.”

  “I figure that if I’m going to make you suffer through my childhood memories you may as well get some really good food out of it.”

  “So why don’t you and Scott get along?” I asked.

  “You picked up on that, huh?” I felt him stroke my hair. “You’re too perceptive.”

  “I’m guessing your mother tries to pit you against each other.”

  “Scott is, as you put it, the golden child. He could never do any wrong, unlike Nat and me. She got a free pass because she was the girl, though.”

  “So you were the scapegoat,” I concluded.

  “Pretty much,” he replied. “It used to bother me. But I was always my father’s favorite, so that helped.”

  “I like your dad.”

  “He thinks you’re great as well,” he assured me, and I could hear a smile in his voice. “Now Anabel?”

  “I’ll shut up now.”

  “Goodnight, sweetheart.”

  “Goodnight,” I bade him, and I fell asleep with a smile on my face.

  Chapter 34—Jared

  Meghan flung a sugar packet at me. “Why am I here, Jared?”

  “To keep me company?” I asked half-heartedly.

  She snorted. “You’ve been staring at the menu in silence for a good ten minutes now. Our waitress is afraid to come over here, and I’m hungry!”

  “I’m sorry,” I muttered. “I’m ready.”

  “Good,” she said. “WAITRESS!”

  “Is it really necessary to draw so much attention to yourself?”

  “You seemed to miss the part where I’m starving. I haven’t eaten since breakfast.”

  “That’s not good, Meg. You need to eat.”

  “I know,” she concurred. “Instead I spend all my time taking care of my mopey brother. I had a date tonight, you know.”

  “You should’ve gone on that. I’m not very good company.”

  She sighed. “Look, why don’t we just talk about Annie and get it over with?”

  My laugh was bitter. “She’s away somewhere with her bodyguard.”

  “Is that what this is all about?” Meghan shook her head. “I got news for ya, buddy. She’s always somewhere with her bodyguard.”

  “They took a trip. Together.”

  “Maybe she just needed out of here. I wouldn’t blame her. This place is suffocating,” Meghan smiled at our waitress. “We need bread. Now.”

  After we placed our food orders, Meghan turned to me again. “Look. Anabel has every right to be mad at you. I think it was downright compassionate of her to call you and say she was going out of town. Give it a rest, okay?”

  “Okay,” I agreed. “Let’s talk about you.”

  “I’m dating Kevin Miller,” she announced.

  “Seriously?”

  She nodded. “He asked me to go get coffee after Anabel’s fiasco birthday party. We’ve been seeing each other since.”

  I rubbed my forehead. “I wasn’t expecting that.”

  “He’s over her. She’s too much of a mess for him, he’s acknowledged as much.”

  “She’s also not interested,” I pointed out.

  “Well, she’s never been,” noted Meghan. “Which is why it doesn’t bother me.”

  “Anabel’s a lot to deal with,” I admitted.

  “Yes, she is,” she agreed, taking a sip of water. “Kevin says the baby’s doing really well,” my sister continued. “As long as Annie sticks to her regimen there shouldn’t be a problem with her making it through the birth. It looks a lot better now than it did in the beginning.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  Meghan looked nervous. “You mean she didn’t tell you? I thought for sure she had . . .” She trailed off. “She must have decided not to after you forgot about her birthday.”

  “Meghan,” I reiterated, “what are you talking about?”

  “I really shouldn’t be the one to tell you,” she protested.

  “Well you’re going to. Right now.”

  She looked uneasy. “Can you call her first?”

  “Now, Meghan,” I demanded.

  She sighed. “Okay. Anabel has blood clots and she’s on this heparin regimen to keep her blood thin so that they don’t get stuck in her brain or her lungs. However, once it gets closer to the birth, Kevin is saying she has to not take the heparin anymore, and that can cause complications.”

  “What kind of complications?”

  Meghan swallowed. “She could die, Jared.”

  I was stunned. “Why didn’t she tell me?”

  My sister touched my arm. “You know why.”

  And I did know why. Because, like my sister, I knew that Anabel would not listen to any suggestion that she didn’t put the baby’s needs above her own. I also knew that my neglecting her had made her decide that I didn’t need to know about this.

  Meghan was staring at me, concerned. “I really shouldn’t have told you. That was Anabel’s place, not mine.”

  “Does everyone else know?” I asked.

  “Um, I think just me and Matt. And Sam, of course.”

  “Of course Matt knows,” I scoffed.

  “I think Sam told him.” Meghan glanced at her phone. “Princess’ ears must’ve been ringing. She just texted me.”

  “What’s it say?”


  “Am back earlier than expected. Matt’s mom hates me. Hope your mom doesn’t feel the same.” Meghan got wide-eyed. “Interesting. I guess she spent time with the Moores.” She shook her head. “Poor Anabel. That can’t feel good.”

  I picked up my phone.

  “I wouldn’t call her,” she began.

  “No, I won’t do that,” I replied, typing in a message.

  Can I see you tomorrow? I want to give you something.

  A moment later I got this reply:

  Is it a pony? My response depends on this answer.

  I grinned and wrote back: Absolutely.

  Liar. Come by my house in the afternoon.

  At two o’clock the next afternoon, a very tired-looking Anabel answered the front door. “Hey!” she greeted me, but her expression was guarded.

  “Hey yourself. Not sleeping?”

  She groaned. “Baby doesn’t seem to get that we sleep at night.” She smiled. “Would you like to come in?”

  “Yes,” I said, and she stepped aside. “Anyone else here?”

  “Um, Matt is somewhere, but I asked him to give us some space,” she told me. “Charlotte, Phil, and their daughter went to a movie. So it’s just us.”

  “And Matt.”

  “And Matt,” she agreed. “But I don’t know where he is. So where’s my pony?”

  “That was a ploy to get you to see me,” I smiled at her.

  “I knew it! Well is the big pink squareish bag for me?” She started to take it from me.

  I drew back. “It’s too heavy for you, honey.”

  Anabel sighed. “I’m not allowed to lift anything anymore. So what is it?”

  “It’s for your room. Can we go up there?”

  She hesitated. “Okay.”

  We walked up the steps, and I saw Anabel biting her lip. “You okay?”

  “This feels weird,” she admitted, looking down. “I’m still kind of peeved at you.”

  “I know,” I told her. “Like I said, I won’t be long. I just wanted to give this to you.”

  She grinned. “Well I’m guessing it’s for the baby, with the pink and white polka dots.”

  “No, it’s actually for Matt. Too bad he’s not around.”

  She laughed and smacked my arm.