Goldilocks Forever

Chapter 28

Santa Monica, California

March 2006

In the few days Sabian and the others took to fully heal, Anna and George kept busy with the arrangements for the emergency Council Meeting. Even from his sick bed, Sabian gave orders and called the meeting so the Council could determine what to do in the aftermath of the events Casey had spun into motion. Anna worked from dawn until she collapsed into bed at night, her body exhausted and her mind grateful for the distraction the work provided her.

On the morning of the meeting, she and George set up the dining room table with six chairs on one side and one on the other.

One hot seat.

They angled the table so the remaining Council members and high-ranking elders could sit in the living room behind it and still participate in the proceedings. George instructed her to line up additional chairs in the hallway outside the living room.

Just before the meeting started, he released her to get ready. By the time Anna rejoined him dressed in the least prissy dress Casey owned, Vida, Burt, and Toby took up three of the four chairs in the hallway.

George pointed to the fourth. "Sit and don't get up until you're called."

Anna took the chair next to Toby. He smiled at her and watched George greet the Council members as they arrived. 

When he was out of earshot and occupied, Toby leaned over to her. "Heyyyy, Sunshine," he drawled in a low voice, the friendliness in his tone masking concern. "You mind telling me what the hell you're doing here?"

She whispered back to him."I came to find my sister. She used to live here with Sabian."

"Yeah. I gathered. She was living here before she became a homicidal maniac."

Her voice came back louder. "Everyone thinks it was Casey, but is there any evidence?"

Vida whipped around so fast her ponytail batted her neck. "We got it on video, girly. Face the facts. She did it."

Anna slumped against the chair. "Hurting me and my family is one thing, but I just don't understand—" She frowned and bit off her words.

A woman with a mane of chestnut curls waved at Anna with the beauty queen tilt of one wrist. She wore a pair of white kid gloves and a fitted dress with a slit up the back. She glided across the room and took Anna's hands in her own. "What a pleasure to meet you in person, Anna! I'm Victoria." Anna's mouth dropped open. She remembered Victoria as the mystery woman who dressed her for the concert she attended with Sabian. "I'm hosting a meeting of the planning committee next week. I would love it if you could play your violin for us. In fact, the Anniversary Celebration—"

George put his hand on Victoria's shoulder. She whirled and kissed his cheek. "George! You delight! I was just telling Anna about the committee meeting I'm hosting. With your permission, of course, I would love it if she could provide the entertainment."

George smiled sweetly at Victoria. "I'm afraid I can't give you an answer at the moment. Let me get back to you after we hear everyone's testimony, okay?"

Victoria took a step back, noticing for the first time that Anna sat with the rest of the subjects about to be questioned. "What?" She stared, aghast. "George, what is Anna doing sitting up here? Surely, she's earned the right not to be treated like...like..." She glanced at the others sitting next to Anna in the hall as she tried to formulate the least offensive words.

Vida grinned at her unabashedly. "Who's Pollyanna here?" She asked Anna, jerking her head at Victoria.

"This is Victoria. She's—"