Chapter 18- Let It Go [E]

91.1K 3.4K 106
                                    


It was Monday morning when Annie woke feeling energized. She spent the entire weekend relaxing, resting and sleeping. When she entered her home on Friday–back from the hospital, she found her parents waiting up, worry etched on their faces.

They immediately noticed the state of exhaustion she was under. Both had matching expressions of disapproving frowns after she explained what happened to her. Patrick ordered her to rest and warned her not to even try going to work the following week.  Charlotte fawned and pampered her all weekend, nursing her back to health with food, rest, and plenty of love.

During that weekend, Anthony and his family finally made amends with their father and properly asked for Cici's hand in marriage with flowers and gifts. Anthony carried a large diamond ring in a velvet box and bent down on one knee in front of them all–after their parents accepted his prepared speech which expressed his worthiness and how important Cici was too him.

Everybody applauded the new couple and above all else, Cici finally got what she wanted.

An added surprise was when Anthony had a custom made diamond necklace made for Cici, and his only request is: she was to wear it for their wedding someday. Cici embraced him lovingly and congratulations were thrown at them during a nice private dinner at the Taverron home.

Annie was truly happy for Cici. That evening, she gave her big sister a warm and loving hug, wishing her an eternity of happiness. Cici thanked her and bent low close to Annie's ear, and whispered, "You're next..."

It was possible but Annie kept doubting her future. It was easy to hope, the reality of it was still too far away.  She wanted to respond back to Cici, but at the last minute she thought against it, not having the heart to shatter her happiness with negativity.

Continuing through the week, Cici and Sheila shopped around for the wedding, making arrangements and concluding unfinished preparations. Sheila's mother also helped, taking a load off their shoulders, which they were grateful for since Annie couldn't be available to help while she recuperated.

Charlotte started planning the bridal shower, hiring one of the top party coordinators in California to help. The bridal shower date was scheduled for after Valentine's Day, less than two weeks away. According to Charlotte the exact date could not be avoided and ended up landing on the day of Annie's date of birth–the 18th.  Further explanations revealed how it was unpreventable  since they were short on time and the bride and groom's wedding was right around the corner. She was assured they'd celebrate her birthday before the big shower party.

It appeared to Annie like her mother showed very little interest in celebrating her birthday like she was customarily accustomed to. She always made a big deal of throwing her children's birthday parties and never missed a year or the opportunity.   Annie felt a pang of hurt at the lack of attention but she wasn't in the mood to celebrate this year anyway, she assured herself. Too many changes were occurring around her and it was difficult to wrap ones head around it all. Skipping the celebrating this year sounded good to her. They had enough to worry about with Sonny and Sheila's nuptials.

Annie stretched out and rolled to the side toward her window thinking of Julien. Going over the events of that day at the hospital, it felt surreal. It was difficult to believe what she avoided for weeks, happened in just hours. However, as enchanting as that moment was, it was also the first crack in the thin layer of ice she's built around herself. She was truly vulnerable now, penetrable even, maybe finally allowing happiness to seep through.

She hadn't seen Julien since Friday night but continuously thought of him wondering his whereabouts. She hoped to have seen him, but he nor the rest of the St. James' visited. They were home, she knew from Cici who visited Phaedra personally. Annie's parents also stopped by to welcome Phaedra back home from her ordeal. Nobody spoke of the other family members and Annie never asked.

His Duchess  [Completed]Where stories live. Discover now