53Annabel:
Two weeks later I found myself being driven up the Great Remington Driveway in London. To my mother it was a great privilege…but to me it was if I was some kind of pagan sacrifice and this was my chariot to my death.
"Miss Annabel?" Fortunately the Remington's were ALLOWING me to bring with me my nanny Josephine. Yes I know that seventeen is a little old to be having a nanny, but since my mother is 'oh so such a maternal woman' we had to hire Josephine after I'd gotten into my accident.
I wasn't paralyzed but I wouldn't be able to walk for a long time. At least that's what the doctor told me. My interpretation after three years is, That's all bullshit.
"Yeah, Josie?" The old woman smiled, she loved the nickname that I'd given her.
"Your Parents gave me specific instructions to make sure that you see this…uh,"
"Impressment?"
"Arrangement through," I snorted.
"Their worried I'll try and ruin it? Tell them not to worry. Why would I ruin something that they put together for me so nicely." Josie bit her lip.
"May I say something?" I shrugged. "In my opinion of course, your parents seem to only want to do the right thing, even if this isn't exactly what you wanted, at least their trying."
"Yeah, trying to stay rich."
"You don't think they are thinking of you?"
"I know their not. How in anyway would this be thinking about me?" She hesitated before she answered me, as if afraid to upset me further. "What?"
"Miss Annabel, in my opinion your parents are worried about…your condition and that you may not be able to find someone. So they did what they knew how to do, they paid for someone." I stared at her speechless. She was right, it did make some sense, but….
"No, They wouldn't stoop that low." Josie bowed her head.
"As I said, that was only my opinion."
Cole:
"Cole, honey?"
"Hold on," I covered my phone and looked up at my mother. "Yeah?"
"Annabel has arrived. Please come down and greet her." She gave me a firm look before she life my room. I rolled my eyes. I brought the phone back to my ear.
"Babe, I got to go. Yeah, I'll call you once I can get away. Alright, love you too. Bye." I hung up the phone and followed my mother down stairs. At the bottom of the stairs in the lobby was Annabel Heart sitting in her wheelchair. Her auburn hair had grown longer since the last time I'd seen her. Her eyes still held that green smiling spark. I cleared my throat and everyone looked up and was silent.
"Cole," My mother said in a high tone. "Come greet Annabel." I ascended the stairs feeling quite above her. She was in fact in a wheel chair. Mother hadn't mentioned that part. It was quite shocking actually. It was altogether a different picture of Annabel that I'd of rather not seen. I remembered the wild, carefree little girl always ready to kick around a ball, and challenge me to b-ball.
"Annabel," I greeted stopping in front of her. Even standing I was sure that she would have to tilt her head back to see me, but the sight of her sitting there sickened me. I may not like her, but no one deserved this. Especially not someone like Annabel.
"Hello Cole," she replied. Then looking to Her nanny, "This is Josephine. Your parents allowed her to come along with me. She'll be staying with me." That was her way of telling me that I'd better be nice to Josephine or there would be hell to pay. I smirked at that. She may be disabled but she was still such a hell cat. I turned to Josephine.
"Hi Josephine, if you would follow Ben he will escort you and Miss Annabel to your rooms." Annabel frowned at my words knowing that I meant them mockingly.
As she was wheeled away I called after her.
"Welcome back Bells!"