Beyond the Sun

18

Annie sat and looked from Rebecca to Robert and then back again. "But that'll mean I'll be on my own."

"And we trust you enough to allow you to be so." Robert said while clasping her mother's hand as they looked to Annie. She was sitting in the living room at the coffee table finishing off some science homework, it was usually always the first lot to be done, followed by English and history. She'd been peacefully working away until she got these two coming to talk serious talk to her. It just so happened, that as a treat for doing so well, Robert had booked tickets to take Rebecca somewhere, Annie didn't even know where, she didn't even get told. Clearly Robert believed that if Annie knew she'd go tell Rebecca and then the whole surprise would be for nothing.

"But..." Annie trailed off, she didn't know what to say. It seemed silly, in a way. She'd only been here about a month now and already they were upping and leaving her for a couple of days, or however long it was. "Do you have to go?"

"Darling, I've been in this place now for too long." Rebecca moved and knelt by Annie's side. She put her pen down and looked at her. "We'll only be gone a few days. We'll be in constant contact, yeah? Just...your father never did things like this for me, did he? Hell, he didn't even do things like this for you...come the holidays, we'll all go away."

"It feels like you're going because I'm here."

"Oh no," Rebecca said while wrapping an arm around her shoulders. Annie leaned against her and shut her eyes. "No, not at all."

"Can't you just take your holiday here and we'll go out places together?" Annie asked while looking up at Rebecca and then to Robert.

"He's booked up, Annie." Rebecca said sadly, she pulled away and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I've been in contact with Martha though. She said she'd gladly keep an eye on you, only if you need it."

"I'll be fine," Annie said with a smile and a nod. It wouldn't be the first time she's basically had to look after herself after all.

——

"You know, I think it's every teenager's dream to be left alone in the house for as long as possible without parents." Clark said the next day as they laid in one of many long grassy fields which surrounded the farm. He looked to the side and could only just see Annie through the blades of yellow, green grass.

"It's not when you've already spent most of your life on your own." Annie replied while sitting up and taking to laying on her stomach. She picked at the grass with a frown and a pout. "Don't get me wrong, I'm happy that she's well enough to travel. But did it have to be now?" Annie looked at him and even threw a piece of grass at him with a chuckle. Waving the grass away, Clark placed a hand under his head while he repaid the favour. "Hey!" She laughed and pulled the grass blade from her hair and took to twiddling it in her fingers.

"My mum says you're welcome over though." Clark said while looking to her. "So, you're not really on your own, are you?"

"I guess not..." Annie's voice trailed off as she clearly took more interest in the piece of grass in between her fingers. Raking a hand through her hair, she pushed it up and out of the way so she could look at him. "She deserves it." She said at length. She watched as Clark propped himself onto his elbows and looked at her, clearly waiting for her to continue. "They both do."

"But?" Clark knew her well enough by now that he could see when she was going to contradict herself.

"But I wanted to go too." Annie looked to the grass underneath her fingers. She splayed the blades out and took to trying to braid them.

"They won't be gone long," he reminded her while laying back down.

"Not the point."

"Sort of is."