Chapter 13 Annabelle
Annabelle
When Annabelle pulled into the garage, James’s Range Rover was already parked in its space. Her stomach tightened in anticipation. As she opened the door to the kitchen, she heard angry voices.
“I didn’t do it! I already told you. I was only there because Avery was doing a story on it. I wanted to see them get in trouble.”
“I’m sorry, Scarlett, but that doesn’t make any sense. If what you say is true, then why didn’t Avery get in trouble too?”
“Because she was hiding in the stall, and Ms. Barlowe didn’t see her. If she had counted the vapes on the floor, she would have seen there were six of them, and seven of us. I can’t believe this shit!”
James’s face turned red. “Watch your language, young lady!”
Parker ran over to Scarlett, sat at her feet, and started pawing at her leg. She reached down absentmindedly to stroke him.
“Calm down, everyone. This isn’t solving anything. Even the dog is upset!” Annabelle said, moving into the kitchen.
Scarlett’s face was wet with tears. “I don’t vape! And now this is going to go on my permanent record. It’s not fair!”
Annabelle wanted to believe her. “Let’s all sit down. Start from the beginning. Tell us exactly what happened.”
“I already told Dad! Call Avery if you don’t believe me.”
“Who’s Avery?” Annabelle asked.
“My friend. Pretty much my only friend now. She wants to be a reporter. I only went in there because I thought it would be like an adventure, watching something happen as it went down. I didn’t think I’d get blamed for something I didn’t do.”
“So, you’re saying the vice principal didn’t see you with the vape?” Annabelle asked.
“No! Because I didn’t have one. The girls barricaded the door with a trash can so they’d have time to throw the vapes out if a teacher came.
But earlier that day, the teacher blocked off the toilets.
When she came in, the girls went to throw them in, but they landed on the floor.
She assumed I did it, too, because I was there.
Then she told us we were all suspended. But no one had a vape in their hand. ”
Annabelle looked at James. “Well, that doesn’t sound right, does it?”
James scoffed. “The girls blocked the door, then they tried to throw the vapes in the toilet but the administration had cleverly put plastic wrap under the seat. I can see how that’s a pretty good case for the administration.”
“Well, that may be so, but I think we need to fight this. As Scarlett said, it will go on her record, which up until now has been exemplary.” She turned to Scarlett. “Will Avery back up your story?”
“Definitely.”
“Okay. I’m going to talk to your vice principal tomorrow. We believe you, and we’re going to stand up for you. Right, honey?” She gave James a pointed look. She could tell he wasn’t convinced, but he nodded.
“Right, but—”
Annabelle groaned internally, waiting.
“We’re giving you the benefit of the doubt. If we find out that you’ve betrayed our trust, you’ll be in a lot more trouble than a two-day suspension,” he said.
Scarlett’s lips drew together in a tight line. “Way to have faith in me, Dad.” She bolted from the room, but not before Annabelle saw more tears rolling down her face. They heard the slamming of her door. Annabelle spun around and glared at James.
“Really? What was that?”
He threw his hands up. “What do you mean?”
“You acted like she was on trial or something. She’s never been in trouble before—”
“That’s not true,” he interrupted. “Are you forgetting she got detention last month for walking out of class without permission?” Annabelle’s eyes were drawn to his clenched fists and the image from that horrible dream flashed in her mind.
Get a grip, she scolded herself. She looked James in the eye, enunciating every word for emphasis.
“And are you forgetting that she had her period, and the idiotic substitute wouldn’t let her go to the bathroom? That doesn’t count!”
He threw his hands up. “You always defend her. That’s part of the problem. Scarlett can do no wrong in your eyes. Neither of our kids can.”
She was stunned into silence. Yes, she could be permissive at times, but she wasn’t blind to her children’s faults.
She just didn’t nitpick every little thing the way James did.
When they were first together, she had found his ways steadying and comforting.
Her life had been in chaos for so long that it felt good to give up control to someone else.
And he was a good father—but why did he have to expect so much?
They were still children, after all. Maybe she did give them a pass a little more often than she should, but if so, it was only to mitigate the stringent code of conduct he expected of everyone.
Her mother-in-law was fond of saying that they balanced each other out perfectly.
Annabelle prided herself on being a good mother, and it felt like James was telling her that she was failing. “Are you criticizing my parenting?”
He waved his hands. “No, no, I’m not. I’m merely saying I think they take advantage of your good nature sometimes.”
“And I feel like I’m on a tightrope. Always balancing how to keep everyone happy without offending someone. I just want peace!”
“What’s going on? Is something bothering you?”
Annabelle started to tell him about her dreams, but then she hesitated.
James was a man of science, his worldview based on facts.
For the most part, she’d always been the same way, scoffing at psychics who claimed to know the future.
But if she couldn’t discuss this with her husband, what did that say about their marriage?
And they had a good marriage. Didn’t they?
A good life. She reached out and took his hands in hers.
“Something is bothering me. I’ve had some strange dreams lately, and some of them have come to pass.”
Confusion played over his face. “What do you mean, ‘come to pass’?”
“That plane crash? I saw it in my dream. I was in a hotel, and it was on the news. And I also dreamt that you called me and told me that Scarlett had gotten suspended for vaping. I dreamt all this before either thing happened.”
His mouth was partly open, and he looked dumbfounded. “I don’t know what to say, other than…that’s impossible. You must have heard about the crash.”
“I thought the same thing. But what about Scarlett? That just happened today. I dreamt about it a couple nights ago.”
He kept shaking his head, looking off into the distance. “I think you’re mixing things up somehow. Maybe these dreams are disturbing your sleep. Sleep deprivation can play tricks with your mind.”
Now she was getting frustrated. “I’m not sleep-deprived. And dreams happen in the REM state, the deepest part of sleep.”
“Well, actually REM isn’t the only stage in which you dream.”
She stood up. “Whatever. You’re probably right. It’s nothing.”
“Annabelle—”
“I’m going to go check on Scarlett. You should probably get back to your office.”
Why did James always have to be the expert on everything.
Just because he’d gone to medical school, he thought he knew it all.
“Sleep deprivation can play tricks with your mind,” she mimicked in a singsong voice as she headed up the stairs to Scarlett’s room.
She wasn’t crazy. She would keep a dream journal and write down everything from now on.
But she wouldn’t discuss it with James. She would have to add it to the list of secrets she was keeping from him.