They all turned at once, to see Anna climbing down the stairs in a flowery gown and sandals. Her hair was packed into a ponytail and she was looking so refreshed.
"Why are you all looking as if you saw a ghost"? she asked, when she reached them.That was when they all realized themselves, and Grey asked..
"How are you feeling Anna? why are you dressed like that, are you going out?"
"Ugh Grey!! what does it look like am doing, staying in?" Anna said. she was already feeling exasperated, thinking to herself that Grey could be dumb sometimes.
He chuckled awkwardly before adjusting himself and asked again
"Oh uhm are you going anywhere in particular?"
"Why don't I just go with you, then you would find out if am going anywhere in particular huh!!"
"okay then"
"but am actually going to buy foodstuffs "
"That's fine by me too" she said.
"I just need fresh air"
They walked out and headed towards Grey's sports car. on the road, he couldn't help but notice that she seemed a bit restless, because she kept sighing at intervals.After sometime he couldn't help but ask
"Anna! are you okay?
"Yea am fine, why do you ask?
"You Keep sighing"..
"Oh..." am good. She said.
"If there's anything bothering you, you can talk to me, am right here.
"I Know" she said looking out the window.
Grey looked at her for a second and turned his attention back to the road .Twenty minutes later they arrived in front of a small supermarket.
"We are here" he said
"Oh... wait! where is this? Anna asked furrowing her brows.
"it's a supermarket, can't you see ?
"Uhh.. Duh. I know it's a super mart I can clearly see cos am not blind. But my question is why are we here and not at my supermarket?
(Anna's dad had transferred a big supermarket which was also situated around the school college to her name before he left and the deputy manager had been the one in charge while sending reports to Anna's phone)
"Oh! about that. actually this place is closer to your house, plus I still need to rush home, If we had gone to your supermarket, we might get stuck in traffic.
"ok"
They walked into the supermarket, and went to different sections so they could buy things quicker and leave. Anna was still checking the watermelon to know which one to buy when a loud voice came behind her
" If it isn't Anna the abandoned child or should I say Abby Annie.
Following the sentence were shrieks of laughter.
Anna didn't need to turn around to know who they were. She knew the voice which was as disgusting as it's owner, Juliana Johnson A.K.A J.J the daughter of Mr Johnson, the owner of Johnson corps and her father's good friend. She was an only child who's mother died while giving birth to her.
Her father doted on her but he was also strict most times. He was a no nonsense man who believed in working hard to get what he wanted, which was why he has a successful business. But it was quite unfortunate that his daughter believed in having fun and spending money instead of working, she was very lazy to the bone. She was in fact Anna's arch enemy.
Anna turned around, smiled and said "if it isn't Julie the wanna be"
When Juliana heard that, her face flushed red in anger and she suddenly lost her composure and screamed..
"who are you calling a wanna be"?
"You of course or perhaps you think you are something else, like a thief or something" Anna asked composedly with deep meaning.
Juliana's face flushed even more and she felt her throat dry up. she turned around and looked at the two friends that followed her and shouted " what are you two doing, just standing there, watching and saying nothing? perhaps you don't wanna be my friends anymore".
The two girls Gloria and Priscilla looked at themselves before Priscilla quickly said
" Anna how dare you call Julie a thief, don't you know who she is?
" can't you see she is covered in luxury from head to toe?
"who knows, she might just be jealous cos Julie's dad gives her everything she wants . Whereas her dad doesn't care if she's alive or dead". Gloria chimed in.
When Anna heard this, she got so angry, she turned around to hit Gloria, But before she could do that, someone said "At least she knows her father Gloria, why don't you first find out who your real father is before talking about others.Everyone turned around to see a lady who was also same age with Anna. She was standing there with her basket filled with foodstuffs.
Juliana rolled her eyes and said "don't poke nose into others business" when she heard that, she simply smiled and said "miss Julie I also would not like to interfere, but this is after all a mart. Besides don't you think a three to one is a bit unfair?. I am not saying that I care, because I know that miss Anna is more than capable of handling you but you guys happen to be blocking the counter for mayonnaise and I was asked to buy some".
Julie quickly passed the girl two mayonnaise and she turned around and left. she suddenly turned back to Anna and said "I will see you next time Abby Annie" and left with her cohorts.
Anna calmed herself, bought the remaining things and she went outside the mart to see Grey already standing in front of his car
***
In a different part of the city, at an unknown location. Sitting relaxedly on a sofa while watching news in a living room that exudes luxury, was an elderly woman in her early 70's.
A young lady was soon seen, walking in excitedly and heading towards the woman.
" Grandma ! guess who I saw today?" she asked happily.
"Anna" The woman said still looking at the TV.
"Yes ! how did you know?".
"You are not actually asking me that, are you?"
"I mean.. Everyone knows how you've been keeping tabs on her. You even sent your personal maid over there, just so you could keep an eye on her".
"I can't help it Grandma, I just can't."
"you know that I am doing all this to keep her safe. If only I could just tell her who I am and get her to come be with us, how happy I would be" she said looking away from her grandmother, so she wouldn't see the pool forming in the corner of her eyes.
When her Grandmother noticed what she did, she took her in her embrace and said...
"Child, don't worry. One day, when the time is right. She will know of us and at that time, she will be more than willing to be with us.
The girl sighed and nodded in agreement.
She knew her grandma was right, if Anna was to find out about them at the moment, she would not only be in disbelief but she would also be exposed to danger.
She released herself from her grandmother's embrace and went up to her room.
After taking a shower and changing to her home wear, she went to her drawer, opened it and took out a photo. She caressed it and said in a whisper.
"You will be safe until then...Right?"
Back at the mansion, everywhere was in an uproar. You could hear Miss Lara's stern voice saying...
"None of what happened here today should be disclosed to Anna. If I hear a word of it, you all should consider yourselves fired"
"But isn't it her right to know?" Lolita asked with boldness.
"I also think the same, she has to know that that woman called". Stella chipped in.
Miss Lara looked at them as if she were looking at two morons and just when she was about to reprimand them, she heard a soft voice ask behind her....
" Who called?"
They had no idea that Anna had come back.
Grey had brought her home and headed back to his own home. She had called out for Stella and Lolita but no one responded so she carried the foodstuffs she had bought inside by herself, though they were a little heavy and that was when she heard what Stella said.
"Anna! You are back so soon" Miss Lara said hiding her nervousness.
"What's going on Aunty? what were you guys talking about?" Anna asked again.
"It's nothing serious dear, nothing to worry yourself about". " what did you buy? Give them to tell Lolita so they can go keep them in the kitchen then you go upstairs, change your clothes and come down for dinner".
Anna decided not to ask any further, although she wasn't quite convinced by what Miss Lara said. But since she had no strength left after the banter with Juliana, she decided to go to her room.
The next morning, Anna woke up with a headache, she opened the bedside drawer and took out a pack of painkillers, and went downstairs to get some water which she would take the drugs with.
After taking the medicine, Anna started heading upstairs when she caught sight of something lying on the floor.
She went down, picked it up and it turned out to be an invitation. When she opened it and read the contents her hands started to tremble and she fainted.
This was the scene that Stella walked into, she screamed, and the broom which she was holding in her left hand fell, she rushed towards Anna and started shaking her, then suddenly she saw the invitation that Anna was still holding on to and her eyes widened in shock. Miss Lara had warned them!
(Abby Annie is a short form for "Anna the abandoned child) .