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Ann
The fog rising from the water was drawing her away from the conversation. Actually, anything could have taken her off of the topic: it wasn't one with which she was comfortable. "Earth to Ann. Come in please. What planet are you currently orbiting?" A hand was waving in front of her face, obscuring her view of the lake. She shook her head slightly and looked at her companion, smiling. "I'm sorry. I just got lost there for a minute. What were we talking about?" Mike rolled his eyes in mock disgust. "You know what we were talking about. You just don't want to discuss it." Ann sighed, rolling the coffee mug in her hands to warm them. She had known that, by asking her brother to have dinner with her she was opening herself up for the usual inquisition and lecture session. Like politics and religion, it was something she didn't enjoy discussing with her brother. "I don't see why I should have to discuss it. My social life is my own business. You may be my brother, but that gives you no right to poke into my business. Mike was silent for a moment, his head lowered over his after-dinner drink. When he finally spoke, his voice was barely above a whisper, and he sounded hurt. "Annie, for as long as I can remember you have been there for me. If you hadn't, I wouldn't have survived this long. You pushed me through high school. You supported me through Tech school and even got me my first real job. Hell, you even introduced me to my wife." He raised his head and looked at Ann with tears in his eyes. "What I'm trying to say, is that you have always been around to help me: emotionally and physically. I want you to know that I love you and am here to help you, now. Sure, I'm not doing such a good job at it, but I want you to be happy. And no matter how you protest, I can see you aren't." He stopped to take a drink before continuing. "And besides, Josh will want cousins to play with soon." Mike's confession had stayed with Ann through the night and well into the next morning. She was still thinking about it when she got to her office the next morning, and only by concentrating on the stack of papers littering her desk, was she able to exorcise it from her mind. At half-past twelve, her typing was interrupted by a soft tapping on her head. Her heart leapt to her throat as she turned and met the infectious grin that called itself Alex. "Anyone at home?" he joked. "I'm going out to the Barnhoff for lunch. Want to come with? My treat, your car?" Ann smiled. Alex rode in to work on public transport and had been asking her to lunch ever since she had driven him in during a transport strike. Sometime since then she had fallen head over heels for the man. "Sorry, Alex. I've got a load of work to do today. I think I'll just catch a cup of coffee and get back to work." She reached into her desk drawer and pulled out her car keys. Tossing them to him, "You can take my car, though. Bring me back a jelly doughnut, would you?" Alex's grin faded as he looked at the keys in his hand. "Are you sure," He asked. "You won't change your mind?" He looked at her pleadingly. "Okay, okay. A croissant. Now scat!" Ann's smile died as she watched Alex walk slowly away. She usually looked forward to eating with him: it was a chance to have him to herself and pretend that his teasing declarations of love and the jokes about his undying devotion to her were real. If it weren't for the company rules about inter-office relationships and her own personal fear of rejection, she'd probably have asked him to dinner when she'd realized her feelings for the man. How long ago was it? Almost a year, now, she realized with a sinking heart. Just about the time Mike's son was born. Mike. It was his little remark about cousins that had made her turn down Alex's lunch request. She sighed and returned to her typing. She would buy a candy bar at break to make-up for missing lunch; maybe the chocolate would make her feel better. She doubted it. That's all I got - the muse has left the building for this one. |