The Boy She Illegally Brought To The Lavender Field (bwwm)

Chapter 17: I Got It

Annie woke up abruptly from the feeling that she was asleep for far too long.

She saw Daniel out of the bed and getting dressed for work.
She rushed up and started getting situated.

Daniel looked at her. "Morning."
She didn't respond as she quickly stuffed her things into her bag.
"Annie?"
"What time is it?" she asked.
"Uhh..."
"I have to go. Hurry." she commanded.
Daniel saw her panic and started moving quicker.

She threw her bag onto her shoulder then quickly hurried towards the staircase.
Daniel followed behind her, still trying to buckle up his belt.

"Morning, you two." Stephen greeted with a cup of coffee as he left the kitchen and headed towards his office.
"Good morning." Annie smiled.
"Morning." Daniel responded.
Stephen disappeared into his office and the couple hurried down the stairs.

Annie opened the front door and froze when she saw her mother approaching while looking inside her purse.
They both quickly shut the door and Daniel grabbed Annie's wrist and pulled her elsewhere.

They stormed into Stephen's office.

He looked up from his paperwork and over his glasses to see them.

Daniel acted casual, "Hey, dad, how's it going?"
"What're you up to?" Stephen asked.
Daniel's jaw fell. "Me?!"
Stephen looked at Annie.
"I'm not supposed to be here and I just saw that my mama is on her way inside," she panicked.
Daniel threw his arms up in defeat. "Remind me to never rob a store with you."
Stephen looked at him.
"Not that I've ever robbed a store." Daniel laughed. "I would never." His expression fell.

They all heard the front door open.

"What do I do?!" Annie whispered to Daniel.
"Just...let me go out there and distract her and you sneak out."
She nodded and moved away from the door.

Daniel peaked out and saw Diana wasn't in the foyer.

He walked out of the office and went to the kitchen.

"Nanny! Hey! How's it goin'?!" he smiled.

Annie took a deep breath.

"You two are the reason for my grey hairs." Stephen sighed.
Annie snickered then left his office.

She started tiptoeing towards the front door.

"What's for breakfast?" Daniel asked Diana.
"Grits, eggs, toast, and bacon."
"Nice."
"Mhm. Go ask Annie if she plans on staying for breakfast or if she's gonna continue that walk home."

Both froze.

"What're you talkin' about?" Daniel scoffed and crossed his arms with a shrug.
"Annie!" Diana called.

Annie nervously sucked her lips in and stayed out near the entrance to the kitchen.

"Annie, come out here! Now!"

Annie's head bowed as she began walking into the entranceway of the kitchen.

She looked up and saw both Diana and Daniel looking at her.
She looked back at the floor.
"I'm sorry, mama."
"Come over here and get started on the grits. Daniel, go gather your dirty clothes so I can handle 'em later. We're gonna have a talk when breakfast is over."

"Are you gonna start whoopin' me again?" Daniel asked nervously.
"I don't know yet. Go on."
Daniel sighed then left the kitchen.

"Come here, Annie. I gave you a job to do." Diana restated.

Annie put her bag in one of the chairs and walked over to the stove to help her mama.

"I looked for you this morning. Wondered why you weren't comin' out for breakfast." Diana explained. "Went to your room and saw the bed empty but your window has a crack in it."
"I'm-..."
"I don't wanna hear it. We'll talk about it later. Make the grits."

Annie shamefully maneuvered throughout the kitchen to find the grits and start cooking while her mama took care of the bacon and eggs.

•~~~•

Daniel, Annie, and Stephen all ate at the table while Diana cleaned up the counter and the dishes.

"Well...I'll get back to work." Stephen stood up.
"Sit." Diana commanded as she rinsed off the pot.
Stephen sat back down and Daniel snickered.

Diana placed the pot face down then turned to look at the three of them as she dried her hands on a towel.

Annie sat in the center while the men sat at either end. Daniel continued toying with his food and fork, Annie stared down at the table with her hands in her lap, Stephen read the newspaper while sipping his coffee for the third time to avoid her gaze.

"So..."
They all looked at her.
"Do you three have anything you'd like to say?" she asked.
"I'm sorry..." Annie repeated.
Daniel continued messing with the food on his plate.
"Why am I in trouble? This is my house!" Stephen stood up.
"Stephen, sit your ass down. I'm not playin' with you."
He sat back down.

"Whose idea was it?" Diana asked.
"Mine." Daniel replied and ate the last bit of grits and eggs off his plate.
"Why?"
"Because I can't spend time with her any other way." He looked at Diana.
She looked back at him.
"Nanny, it's been months. Months. And you still don't trust me with her. We ain't just sneakin' around to avoid other white people, we had to avoid you too. It's gotten cold and Annie hates to be cold. Goin' outside wasn't an option anymore. We needed somewhere safe."
Diana looked at Stephen.
He shrugged. "What kind of hypocrite would I be if I told them no?"

Diana looked at the floor.

"Mama..." Annie called.
Diana looked at her daughter.
"I'm sorry you had to find out this way, but I'm not going to stop." she said softly.
Diana just stared at her daughter.
"I've tried time and time again to get you to understand and let me have this. I'm 20 years old, mama. Y'all wanted me married and to have a protector and I found one. I think it's time I made these decisions on my own. I've been happy for the past few months even though you said it wouldn't last and it couldn't happen."
Diana's eyes saw Annie's hand grab onto Daniel's and his held hers.
"He's gotten better. Much. And I don't regret anything I've done. I just regret how you found out. If this is the only place I can talk to him and hug him or hold his hand, then it's where I'll be."

Diana looked at Daniel.

He was staring at Annie contently as she stared at her mama.

"Diana." Stephen called.
She looked at him.
"You can see why I didn't tell you, can't you?"
She didn't respond.
"I know just as well as anybody that my son's an asshole."
Annie and Diana snickered while Daniel was obviously offended.
"The boy was loud, obnoxious, he curses too much, he was immature, he has no respect for authority, and he expected everything to be handed to him."

Diana wondered how this was supposed to help her accept Daniel.

"But when it comes to your daughter, the boy gets his act together." Stephen continued.
Diana looked at Daniel and saw him staring at his father.
"He works three jobs now and when I asked him why, every reason is Annie related. He wants to take care of her, treat her well, get her what she wants and needs. When he was just working to work, the boy got in a fight at the job and I had to get him from the police station. He works for her and after a few months he got a raise."
"Alright, alright. I get it. They're in love and I should accept it."
"Exactly." Daniel stated and leaned back in his seat to relax.

Diana sighed. "Your daddy won't. All of that will go in one ear and out the other once he takes a look at that boy's face."
"Is it because I'm white?" Daniel wondered.
"It's because you and your little friends tormented our son in front of our house and my husband don't forget a face."
"You did what?" Stephen questioned.
Daniel sunk into his seat.
Annie slapped his wrist.
"I'm sorry!" he stated. "I never did it again. People change..." he muttered.

"Y'all go on so I can start cleanin'."
"I'm late for work now." Daniel groaned as he stood up. He and Annie began to leave the kitchen.
"Better late than with your behind whooped and not at all!" Diana exclaimed behind him.
Stephen chuckled.
"And let me tell you somethin', Mr. Keep Secrets." Diana sassed with a mixing spoon in her hand.
Stephen sighed, "Sweetheart, I'm sorryy..."