Darla and Amber's Parent Trap

chapter 9

After getting on their swimsuits...

Annie wore a T-Shirt over her swimsuit as they came outside while Maisy obviously stayed inside to avoid the water.

"Girls, this is Meredith Blake." Nick introduced the woman to his daughter and her friend.

"Hello, Miss Blake." Darla greeted.

"Hi, wow, I can't believe I'm finally meeting the famous Hallie," Meredith smiled to Hallie. "I've looked forward to this all summer and this must be your friend."

"Darla Fudo." Darla held out her tiny hand.

"It's so nice to meet you." Meredith said while shaking her hand.

Darla shook her hand back as she looked into the woman's grey-blue eyes.

Meredith then smiled to Annie. "Oh, Nicky, she's adorable."

Annie forced herself to smile.

"You know, the way your father talked about you, I expected to meet a little girl, but you and your friend are so grown-up." Meredith cooed.

"I'll be twelve soon," Annie replied. "How old are you?"

Meredith chuckled before answering. "26."

"Impressive." Darla said.

"Only fifteen years older than me," Annie said. "How old are you again, Dad?"

"Wow, suddenly you're so interested in Math," Nick smiled nervously. "Look, I'm gonna go inside, I'm gonna get some more chili and maybe a bottle of champagne to celebrate."

"What are we celebrating?" Darla asked.

Meredith looked to her. "Why, Hallie's homecoming of course." she then said like it was obvious.

"Be right back." Nick smiled as he then went to get that chili and champagne.

Meredith's cell phone then started to ring and she answered it. Darla and Annie soon got in the pool. Annie took off the T-Shirt and stuck her feet into the water as Meredith talked with Reverend Moseby, but she seemed to be lying about Nick over the phone.

"She sounds like she's lying," Darla said to herself as she was a little nervous about swimming in the water, but put one foot in and settled down as she got used to it quickly and her legs didn't change since this wasn't ocean water. "Whew."

Annie looked to her curiously.

"Uh, this water has purified chlorine." Darla smiled sheepishly.

"Yeah." Annie said, slightly confused.

"Oh, yes, I am writing it all down..." Meredith said on the phone, but wasn't even doing anything like she said she was. "Okay, while it all sounds very worthwhile, but unfortunately, I see Mr. Parker is going to be out of the country on those days. Yes, absolutely, I will be there to mention it to him. Thank you!" she then hung up and smiled to the girls. "So, how was camp, girls? Was it fabulous?"

"Hallie's dad is going out of the country?" Darla asked.

"Oh, no," Meredith replied with a small giggle. "I just had to tell a little white lie to get him out of something."

"Ohh." Darla smiled.

"You know, Hallie," Meredith then said to Annie. "I've never met a man who talks about his daughter the way Nicky talks about you. You two are obviously, incredibly close."

"Well, you know, we're closer than close," Annie stood up with a small smirk. "We're all each other has..." she then jumped into the pool to purposely splash the blonde woman.

"Oops, did she splash you?" Darla acted.

"Just a little..." Meredith forced herself to smile as she took off her hat and dried herself off.

Darla hid a giggle at Meredith's misfortune as she then slid into the pool to come beside Annie. "This is a nice pool." she then smiled.

"Hey," Meredith walked over to talk directly to Annie. "Guess what? I went riding with your daddy the other day and he let me ride your horse, I hope that's okay with you."

"Oh, sure!" Annie replied as Darla helped her into the inner tube. "Sprout's used to strange women riding her. Not that you're strange or anything. Actually, compared to the others, you're relatively normal."

"Others?" Meredith replied. "What others?"

"Oh, surely you know..." Darla played along with Annie. "Hal's told me everything. I couldn't blame you for wondering if I were number... What was it?" she then looked to Annie. "28 or 29?"

"I believe 29 if you count Meredith." Annie nodded.

"Ohh, yeah." Darla nodded.

"I'm number 29?" Meredith asked them.

"Yeah..." Annie sighed. "It's always the same routine. Horseback riding, the vineyards, romantic dinners with his special reserved labeled wine, moonlight swims..."

"Yep." Darla nodded in agreement.

"Well, here we are," Nick walked by with two glasses and a bottle. "A bottle of my special reserve label. So, did you girls find something to talk about while I was gone?"

Darla and Annie soon went underwater.

"Does that mean 'yes'?" Nick asked.

"It most certainly does." Meredith said.

Darla and Annie did not trust Meredith one bit. Not one bit at all.