Bluebird

16

December 15, 2011

Lindsey and Annabel had moved from a three bedroom condo to a four bedroom house in the Pacific Palisades. Why the Pacific Palisades, Lindsey's reasoning was because it was in the same district for Leelee and Stella's private school so they could legally still attend school when they were staying with Lindsey during the week. But Annabel's reasoning was because it was just a step closer to her mother. She didn't know where Stevie lived. She didn't really honestly care to find out either. But Stevie had announced a DVD to accompany her most recent album, In Your Dreams, and in some promo thing Annabel watched on Youtube, Stevie had said that she lived in the Pacific Palisades. 

Their four bedroom wasn't anything to scream about. It was a brand new build, so they literally had to start from scratch and get all new furniture, but it was a one story house. Each bedroom had an ensuite and there of course was a powder room off of the living room. 

Annabel's alarm clock rang at eight in the morning on the dot. She was supposed to be going Christmas shopping for that day while Lindsey stayed back and finished unpacking. They had only been in their new house for about a week and a half, but Lindsey wasn't getting the girls for Christmas and New Years. They would be arriving tomorrow and because they had been so consumed in the move, they hadn't gotten any shopping done. 

But Annabel was getting up so early so she could be front in line when most of the stores opened up at ten. She wanted to get in and out of the mall as soon as possible she didn't want to deal with people. She whined as she shut the alarm off and then she sat up in her queen sized bed. Her mirror was directly  across from her bed and she stared in it. She had two options. Go to the store with her hair how it was, thrown up in a very messy top knot and just throw on a pair of sweatpants, or she could get in the shower and actually make herself presentable for the day. She cracked her back and noticed that her head was starting to itch, it always happened if she went a couple days without washing her hair. Groaning she rolled out of bed and headed towards the bathroom. 

When she finally emerged from her bedroom she was wearing a pair of blue drawstring wide leg sweatpants. She had a white tank top on that was half tucked into the front and over her shoulders she was wearing a grey sweater. California was substantially warmer than Utah. While it was in the low twenties in Utah, in California it was in the mid fifties, so she had no need to wear a coat she'd be fine dressed like that. On her feet she had on a pair of grey boat shoes and she did not look put together at all. Save for the hair that was down her back in waves. 

"You look miserable?" Lindsey laughs from his spot at the counter sipping on his morning coffee.

"I feel miserable." She nods.

"How late were you up last night?" He inquires. She had gotten a burst of inspiration the night prior around ten in the evening.

"It was like 3 in the morning." 

"So why are you up?" He asks.

"Because the sooner I get to the mall, the sooner I can leave the mall." She states.

"I need you to go to Target too." 

"For what?" 

"Ornaments. Will and I are going out this morning to get a real life Christmas tree." Lindsey explains.

"I've never had a real live Christmas Tree." She shrugs.

"We just think it looks better. We've only ever had real trees." Lindsey explains.

"Well you guys have fun with that. Want me to get lights too?" She asks.

"It would be appreciated." He nods. 

She holds a thumb up, grabs herself a travel mug of coffee because the morning commute was going to be a bitch, and then she heads out of the house. 

***

She was finishing up her shopping at Target. Leelee wanted a polaroid camera and Stella wanted a Wii for Lindsey's house so since she had to go to Target anyway she figured she might as well. Lindsey had starred the things he wanted her to buy the girls for him and though those two things weren't starred, she figured she could manipulate the gifts so her name could go on a few of them so it wasn't like Lindsey was spoiling them. 

She was crossing off her list, her basket on her arm. She needed ornaments, lights, and two small devices so there was no sense in getting a basket. But she wasn't paying attention to where she was going and she collided with a shopping cart.

"Oh dear, I'm so sorry...I didn't see you there." The older woman gasped.

"No, no its my fault, I wasn't paying attention. I'm okay." 

"Well still, I'm sorry." The woman explains. 

It was at that point when Annabel took notice of her and her eyes almost widened but she controlled herself. It was Barbara Nicks.

"Say, you look familiar." Barbara states.

"Um, yeah...you do too." Barbara Nicks and Stevie Nicks looked a lot alike, but so did Stevie Nicks and Annabel Buckingham. 

"I'm wondering if we know each other." Barbara shakes her head.

"I don't think so. I just moved here form Salt Lake City." 

"Oh well, I guess we just have those faces don't we." She shrugs.

"Yeah, I guess so." Annabel nods.

"Christmas Shopping?" Barbara looks at her basket and the subsequent bags in her arms. 

"Um, yeah...my dad is clueless, so I had to do the shopping for my little siblings." 

"No mom?" 

"She's not around." Annabel shakes her head.

"I'm sorry. Well, I don't mean to pry. Merry Christmas dear." 

"Merry Christmas." Annabel nods.

"And just a friendly reminder...watch where you're going." She smirks.

"Oh yeah, absolutely." Annabel nods as they separate from each other. 

After she checks out and gets back to her car, she starts to bang on the steering wheel. She didn't know why, she just felt explosive and had to get that energy out. She wasn't angry, so wasn't upset, she had no idea what she was feeling she just knew she needed to hit something.

"Oh my god, oh my god....I just met my grandmother, oh my god." 

With that she pulled out of the space and she headed home.