Wren giggled at Ana's hello. It was rare for the librarian to answer her call with a simple hello and it always put a smile on her face.
"Hey Ana. How are you?"
She missed her friend. That was foremost in her mind as she listened to Ana's answer. It was not going to be easy to leave behind Ana, and Joey and The Studio, but her mother needed to take precedent.
"Mom's doing good. They moved her to a private room and their starting to make her sit up in a chair and are slowly weaning her off the heavy pain meds onto something weaker and more manageable. In another week or two they'll send her to the Rehab center and then after she learns everything they want her too we'll be able to bring her home."
Wren was bursting to tell Ana the big news, but she could be patient, this was important too.
Unexpected News (attn: Wren)
Ana found herself lying across the expanse of her livingroom couch, her head propped with one hand, watching Spider-man 2 (in preparation of seeing the third, of course) and her other hand brushing Russ' tangled mat.
The house felt so empty. Joey hadn't been around for nearly a week. Their recent almost-fight had been over his sudden but inevitable three-day absence, and somehow he had gotten it into his head to not come back right away. The conversations she'd had with Fallon and Aishe over the last few weeks regarding said absences had been brief and telling. As in, "he's still not telling you something." That was a bitter truth that Ana knew all too well.
Every now and then Russ would lick her cheek, catching the tears that dripped there. She debated turning off the movie, especially considering she couldn't actually see it, what with her glasses lying somewhere in a pile on her bed. It hadn't been used in two days. She felt odd sleeping in it alone, after having shared it for months with her boyfriend.
The only sparkle of hope she had at the moment was that he had first text-messaged her after the initial third day, then called her - his timing on that often sucked, and this time he caught her in a meeting with the Library's Board of Trustees - but the contact bolstered her a bit that day. Family business was the reason... Extended family business.
And today she found herself alone, on her day off, watching superhero movies. She told herself that she should finally tear open the packaging on the Buffy - The Chosen set Fallon had gotten her for her birthday. Albeit late, but still, it was a goofy funny gift. Buffy was a superheroine, right?
Her musings and brushing were both interrupted by the sudden eruption of the tune of Swan Lake from her cellphone. She had given that specific ringtone to Wren, after the morning Wren nearly had her breakdown about Drev and life. Leaping gracelessly over the form of dog next to her, she narrowly avoided slamming her knee against the coffee table on her way to almost falling over herself to reach the phone before the initial strain ceased. Happiness flowed through her as she answered, "Yello orange and purple, g'day!"
Wren
16 years ago
Montana
16 years ago
Relief flowed and worry disappeared briefly when Wren spoke. There was a distinct lack of non-positive emotions in her voice, and that helped buoy the librarian from the minifunk she'd allowed herself to settle into.
She hadn't even been able to respond to the "how are you" when Wren exploded into the "good news about mom." And Ana certainly didn't begrudge her that.
"Wow, Wren, it sounds like she's making amazing progress, even in such a short time. She'll need you, coming up, even more than she needs you now. She's a very lucky mother to have such a wonderful daughter as you. How're you doing with all this? How's Drev? Is he adapting to smaller town life?"
She hadn't even been able to respond to the "how are you" when Wren exploded into the "good news about mom." And Ana certainly didn't begrudge her that.
"Wow, Wren, it sounds like she's making amazing progress, even in such a short time. She'll need you, coming up, even more than she needs you now. She's a very lucky mother to have such a wonderful daughter as you. How're you doing with all this? How's Drev? Is he adapting to smaller town life?"
Wren
16 years ago
Wren smiled into the phone. She knew Ana couldn't see it, but it was enough to smile. "I'm really doing okay. I was worried that it would be overwhelmingly difficult to leave my life in Nachton behind, but it's not been too bad. I miss you."
Her throat clogged and she had to clear it to keep the tears at bay, it was happy happy news time. "He's doing amazing. Oh Ana! Ana, he proposed!"
She gave an almost hysterical burst of laughter. "I'm getting married!"
Her throat clogged and she had to clear it to keep the tears at bay, it was happy happy news time. "He's doing amazing. Oh Ana! Ana, he proposed!"
She gave an almost hysterical burst of laughter. "I'm getting married!"
Montana
16 years ago
"I miss you too, Wren. Your quote unquote replacement Keeley is a nice lady and all but she doesn't have the special touch with the basket cases - ie me - that you have."
She stopped complaining long enough to hear the clearing of Wren's throat, then the sudden change in her dancer friend's demeanor had her smiling. "Oh my God, Wren, that's awesome! Amazing, wonderful, happytastic! When? Have you worried about setting a date?" Already Ana was half planning on putting aside at least five days for this happy occasion. "Or are you just taking it a day at a time? Have you told your mom yet? Did he ask her blessing? Am I asking too many questions at once for you to follow and successfully answer?" Giggling, Ana shut up, and allowed her Midwestern friend to fill the gaps.
She stopped complaining long enough to hear the clearing of Wren's throat, then the sudden change in her dancer friend's demeanor had her smiling. "Oh my God, Wren, that's awesome! Amazing, wonderful, happytastic! When? Have you worried about setting a date?" Already Ana was half planning on putting aside at least five days for this happy occasion. "Or are you just taking it a day at a time? Have you told your mom yet? Did he ask her blessing? Am I asking too many questions at once for you to follow and successfully answer?" Giggling, Ana shut up, and allowed her Midwestern friend to fill the gaps.
Wren
16 years ago
Wren giggle as Ana spouted questions at her in typical rapid fire style. "Oh God, um...He just asked me last night, so no date yet. And I haven't told mom yet, we planned to do that tonight when he comes to visit with her. I'm not sure if he asked her blessing, I didn't ask, I don't care either. I would say yes either way."
She giggled again, unable to contain her joy and the sheer pleasure of sharing big news with her friend. "I don't think she'll be unhappy about it. She really likes Drev. He's been crazy sweet to her and super charming. My brothers are scared rabbits around him, which I find humorous. Oh Ana. I love him so much. I don't think I could be happier."
She giggled again, unable to contain her joy and the sheer pleasure of sharing big news with her friend. "I don't think she'll be unhappy about it. She really likes Drev. He's been crazy sweet to her and super charming. My brothers are scared rabbits around him, which I find humorous. Oh Ana. I love him so much. I don't think I could be happier."
Montana
16 years ago
"Well when you find a date, give me a month's notice to save for my ticket and save me a spot on the couch." Ana figured that would be enough time to research flights and ticket prices. She knew right off the top of her head she had the money to get a ticket, but better safe than sad checkbook.
Ana felt herself smiling widely at her friend's gushing ecstasy and obvious good spirits. "I'm so very glad you've found happiness, Wren. And love. I just wish I could be there right now to be hug-dancing and squeeing with you, cuz I think I'm about to shake the battery out of my phone. Or my glasses off my nose."
Ana felt herself smiling widely at her friend's gushing ecstasy and obvious good spirits. "I'm so very glad you've found happiness, Wren. And love. I just wish I could be there right now to be hug-dancing and squeeing with you, cuz I think I'm about to shake the battery out of my phone. Or my glasses off my nose."