30. Anna
Anna
W alking into Harris and Associates after the week spent with Beau was like stepping into a time machine. She’d worked at the family firm since she was old enough to file and water plants, but nothing about the place welcomed her back to the real world.
The receptionist, Katie, raised her head as soon as Anna stepped through the door. The young girl’s eyes widened, and she straightened her back.
“Hi. How was your…trip?” Katie asked, stammering over half the words.
“It was great. How have you been?”
Katie had been with the firm since early October, and she probably deserved some kind of award. Anna’s parents did a fantastic job of running off employees who were too sweet.
“I’m fine. It’s just…” Katie gl anced at the doorway leading to the attorney offices. “Things have been tense.”
That wasn’t news. Her parents and the other attorneys were always upset about something or fuming whenever the smallest things went wrong. It was a pretty toxic work environment.
“Oh? What’s happening?”
Katie glanced one way, then the other before leaning in to whisper, “They’re not happy about the wedding.” Katie’s nose scrunched. “Sorry about that, by the way. You deserve better.”
Right on cue, Anna’s stomach clenched. Of course her parents were making the employees miserable because they were mad at her. Heat crept up her chest and neck, tightening her throat until her words were hoarse. “I’m really sorry you’re having to deal with that because of me.”
“Oh no. I just wanted to give you a heads-up. I don’t know if you’ve talked to them since you got back, but maybe tread lightly.”
Katie was a gift from the Lord and way more mature than most eighteen-year-olds.
“I haven’t talked to them yet, but hopefully it won’t be a big deal.” Who was she kidding? Her parents were going to lay into her as soon as they found out she was here.
Katie lifted her hand in a small wave. “I hope you’re right. I’m glad you’re back.”
Anna flashed a sweet smile. She wasn’t so glad to be back, but there hadn’t been any catastrophic damage since her return.
Yet.
“Thanks. I’ll see you at lunch,” Anna said as she headed for her office.
The whole place was eerily quiet. When she peeked into a few offices to say her hellos, the conversations were short and stilted.
She’d been lulled into a false sense of security while she was on the trip.
Freedom was just far enough that she could avoid her parents and ex, but now she was home, and the air was charged like the calm before the storm.
She slipped her purse into the bottom drawer of her desk and pulled her laptop out of its case.
At least there wouldn’t be a ton of work waiting for her.
She’d taken care of most things for the firm on the drive home yesterday, and she’d stayed home this morning to process all the mail she’d received while on the trip.
She must have had fifty packages from boutiques waiting for her.
The quick, heavy beat of her mother’s footsteps echoed down the hall, and it took everything Anna had to keep her shoulders pulled back. Beau had taught her well, but he wasn’t here. Her instinct was to cower and please.
Not this time. She wouldn’t let her mother make her feel like an abused animal.
Catherine Harris dressed the part perfectly.
Her hair was slicked back into a tight bun, her navy blazer matched her pencil skirt, and her scowl could terrify a grown man.
Somehow, Anna lifted her chin in the face of the tongue-lashing to come.
She thought of Beau and the way he built her up, and her insecurities faded from a burning wound to a dull ache.
Catherine didn’t give Anna a chance to greet her before she let the daggers fly. “How dare you.”
“Mom, please. We don’t have to fight like this.”
“Oh, really? You think you can walk out of a wedding, disappear for a week, and have no consequences?”
The burning in Anna’s core stoked to a raging flame. “I didn’t do anything wrong.” She pointed to her chest. “He cheated, and I cleaned up the mess.”
Her mom laughed, and the sound sent a chill down Anna’s back. “You didn’t clean up any mess. You’re an embarrassment. You made us a laughing stock. You ruined everything!”
“Please keep your voice down. People can hear you,” Anna pleaded.
Her mom pointed a thin, manicured finger at her.
“Don’t you dare tell me what to do. This is what you are going to do.
You’re going to really fix this mess. Dean is expecting your call, and I’ve smoothed things over with the vendors.
They’re willing to work with us again, but we have to make quick decisions to get on their schedules again. ”
“Do you hear yourself? I’m not going back to Dean. He cheated on me. The woman he was seeing showed up at my wedding! It’s not happening.”
There. She’d said it, and it felt good to let the truth out. Not only had she healed from the betrayal, but she was happy about the outcome. If Misty hadn’t shown up when she did, Anna would have tied herself to a man who wouldn’t be faithful to her.
Catherine took two steps closer until they were mere inches apart. Glaring down, she set her jaw and pointed a steady finger at Anna. “You are going to make things right. You have one week to come to your senses and make all of your apologies. I suggest you get started immediately.”
With that final order, Catherine walked out of Anna’s office, slamming the door behind her on the way out.
Anna’s knees weakened, and she lowered herself to the office chair. She’d held firm against her mother, but had it actually worked? She wasn’t any better off than before. Nothing had been resolved.
She grabbed her laptop, ready to shove it back into her bag and head home, when an invisible force stopped her. She paused, frozen in place with a white-knuckle grip on the computer.
You can do this.
Could she do this? Could she stand up for herself? Could she be firm when the one person who terrified her demanded obedience?
Yes. Anna didn’t serve her mother. She served the Lord, and there was a newfound determination to remain bold on this front.
Slowly, she released the laptop and sat back in her chair. The tension from her encounter with her mom eased as she closed her eyes and prayed.
Father, help me remain strong. I can’t do it on my own. I need help.
She sat there until her breaths came easily, then she straightened her spine and got to work.