Her Name Was Annie by Beth Rinyu (the little red hen read aloud txt) 📕

forty-five minutes, but it felt more like forty-five hours by the way I was feeling. The doorbell rang once again, and I hopped off the couch, stammering over to the door like I had a little too much to drink. “Who is it?” I called.

“Jack,” he replied from the other side.

I opened the door and he stepped inside. “What are you doing here? I thought Kara said you were in Florida.”

“I was. I left this morning. I had an emergency meeting at work.”

“On Christmas?” I shook my head in disgust. How could I have forgotten about all the emergencies Jack had with that job whether it be on holidays, birthdays, vacations. He always stopped whatever he was doing to be at their beck and call. So him flying home from Florida on Christmas Day was like any other day for him.

“I wanted to surprise Kara and give her gift to her.”

“Oh. She’s not here.”

“What?”

“She was invited to Ian’s parents’ house.”

“She ditched you on Christmas for people she doesn’t even know?”

I sensed frustration in his tone.

“No, she didn’t ditch me. We discussed it and we ended up celebrating Christmas last night instead. It’s fine,” I reassured him. “Did you want some coffee or a beer?”

“Coffee is good.” Part of me wondered if he was just accepting my invitation because he felt sorry for me being left alone on Christmas.

“You’re in your pajamas awfully early, aren’t you?” he remarked once we reached the kitchen and I turned on the light.

I shrugged. “Not like I was going anywhere or expecting company.”

“That was just wrong of Kara to leave you on Christmas.”

“Jack, she didn’t leave me.” I stretched my arm, reaching for the coffee filters on the top shelf of the cabinet. After prepping the coffee in the machine, I took a seat on the stool next to him at the kitchen island while it brewed. “Are you upset that she’s not here or are you upset because of who she’s with?”

He rolled his eyes. “Come on, Steph, you know Kara’s track record with guys. They do something to annoy her or she gets bored with them after a week. I just don’t think it’s right that she’s running off to spend Christmas with his family when they’ve only been together for a minute.”

“Actually she’s known him for almost a month now, and…I know you’re not going to want to hear this, but I think he’s her one. Call it mother’s intuition, but I really do.”

He threw his head back and let out an agitated huff. “Let’s just hope your instinct is wrong.”

“Come on, Jack. He’s a great kid.”

He rubbed his hand down the side of his face and gazed straight ahead, deep in thought. The same way he always would when he was agitated by something. “I don’t want to talk about that anymore.”

I knew from years of experience to end it there. It was something he’d have to come to terms with on his own. He would eventually because he loved Kara too much not to. “How are your parents? Is your dad doing better?” I switched topics.

“Yeah. He’s back to being his old ornery self.”

“That’s good news.” I smiled.

“What’s the latest with you and your newfound family?”

“I spoke with Francesca the other day. Then I texted back and forth with her and Jennifer today to wish them a merry Christmas.” I looked down at the floor, debating if I should share the letter with Jack. It only took me a few seconds to make up my mind. “I want to show you something. I’ll be right back.” I sprang from my seat and headed up the stairs, out of breath when I returned to the kitchen with the letter in hand. After placing it in Jack’s hand, I decided to prepare our coffee while he read it. He was still staring at the paper when I turned back around, holding our coffee cups.

“This had to be really hard for you to read.” His eyes shifted from the letter to me.

“It was. I just wish he…” I shook my head. “That maybe I could’ve met him. I don’t know. I probably would’ve thought he was crazy at the time, not knowing any of the backstory or that I was even adopted for that matter. But it would’ve been nice just to hear what his voice sounded like. To see what he looked like up close and not lying on a table in a morgue. I received the letter from his lawyer the other day, asking me to contact him about the money he wants to leave Kara. I have yet to respond. I don’t feel right accepting anything from him. He was a stranger to us.”

“Would you rather Kara, the person he intended it for, get it or his brother?” He raised an eyebrow.

“I guess you’re right.” I sighed. “I told Francesca that I’d be there for her if she wanted to confront his brother. That letter clearly states his wishes, not only for justice for Francesca but for himself as well. I kind of feel like I owe it to him to try and follow through with that request.”

“You don’t owe anyone anything.” Jack took a sip of his coffee, confusing me with his change of opinion. Just a week ago, he was telling me to push Francesca into doing it, now he was more or less telling me what I had thought all along—it wasn’t my business.

“But I thought you said I should coax Francesca into doing it?”

“Yes, Francesca. Give her the strength to do it not because you feel like you owe anyone because you don’t. You were just an innocent party in all this,” he clarified.

“I know. But I watched his brother on television the other night doing an interview, and he was so smug.” I was seething just thinking about it. “Such a bold-faced liar!”

“He’s a politician, that’s part of their DNA.”

“He’s a rapist is what he is.”

“Are those ramen noodles?” Jack totally changed gears on me,