Complications of the Heart

Chapter Two

rocker_boy67 says: there u r! u just left! what happnd?

annaBear:( says: sry about tht. my father saw my grades.

rocker_boy67 says: i take it u failed a class?

annaBear:( says: yep, spanish. he's not happy about that. took the internet cable away too.

rocker_boy67 says: so wats he like? if u dont mind me asking

annaBear:( says: oh he is just the most amazin person i have ever known |-_-|

rocker_boy67 says: was that sarcasm

annaBear:( says: yes. yes it was. he's a cranky lazy deadbeat n i hate him.

rocker_boy67 says: wow really

annaBear:( says: absolutely n the moment i turn 18 im leavin this awful town

rocker_boy67 says: oh where r u from

annaBear:( says: originally germany but we moved to texas when i was 8. u?

rocker_boy67 says: lol germany

annaBear:( says: omg no way!!! wat part?!!?! :D

rocker_boy67 says: Halle lol

annaBear:( says: sweet thats where my mom was from!! :)

rocker_boy67 says: oh wats her name?

annaBear:( says: angela bretschneider. u'll find her grave in one of the catholic cemeteries. i don't remember her, i guess she died when i was really little.

rocker_boy67 says: oh sorry :(

annaBear:( says: thts ok.

annaBear:( says: somehow i feel like i know you. pls tell me ur name?

rocker_boy67 says: u should try guessing, my last name begins with L :P

rocker_boy67 says: yeah anyway i might tell u but i need 2 think about it.

annaBear:( says: haha n e way im rlly tired so im gonna go to bed

rocker_boy67 says: alright lol gut nacht

annaBear:( says: night lol ttyl :)

Anna powered off her phone, hiding it back in her purse under everything else that lived in the bag and pulled her green comforter over her tired and battered body, drifting off into a deep sleep. Thankfully the next day was a Saturday and she had to babysit the kids that lived four houses down the street. She pulled herself out of bed and quickly tended to the numerous cuts and bruises, new and old, on her torso and legs; taking a quick shower, she hurried to wash and dry her curly blonde hair and pulled on clothes that stunk less.

"I'm leavin' to babysit! I'll be back 'round nine!" she called to her sleeping father, who twitched an eyebrow in response. Sometimes as a child she would listen to him talking in his sleep, muttering things to who she assumed was her mother.

What on earth had her mother seen in him? She'd seen old photos, knew what he'd looked like long ago. He had been, and still was, ugly. With stringy brown hair that hung down in greasy clumps, acne scars littering his face, lean and scrawny build he no longer had. Now he was more on the overweight side and balding, although his hair was still greasy and disgusting. His personal hygiene was absolutely revolting - she didn't know the last time he'd bathed. The fact he still had teeth in his mouth surprised her.

Anna knocked on the Parkinsons' door; Ms Parkinson was a single parent with three kids, who Anna knew from her days of wandering the neighborhood. Ben was a year younger than her, often busy with school and extracurricular activities. Lucy just turned six, and Jake was little over a year old. A little girl with long blonde pigtails, Lucy, answered the door with a toothless grin.

"Look at how many tooths I lost!" she grinned excitedly as she pulled a zip-lock bag out of her pocket, which contained six small pearly white teeth.

"Wow, Lucy! That's a lot! Are you gonna leave 'em out for the Tooth Fairy tonight?" Anna wondered as she hung her sweater in the hall closet.

"Yeah!" the little girl exclaimed and placed the plastic bag back in her pocket. "C'mon, Mommy made cookies!"

"Lucy, was that Anna?" Ms Parkinson called from the kitchen in a rather hurried tone.

"Yeah, it's me, Ms Parkinson." replied Anna and followed Lucy down the hall to the kitchen, the wonderful aroma of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies hitting her like a tonne of bricks.

"Good mornin', Anna. I added my new work number to the list on the fridge; I should be back by nine tonight. I just put the baby down for a nap, he'll be awake around two." Ms Parkinson exclaimed as she hurried around the kitchen getting ready. "I also just had the Internet hooked up, so feel free to use the computer. Oh, before I forget, Ben has soccer practice and will probably spend the night at a friends house afterwards; they'll be here soon to pick him up. Now Lucy, come give me a kiss before I leave."

Lucy stopped eating the cookie in her hand and placed it on the table, running towards her mother and giving her a messy kiss on the cheek. "Bye, Mommy! I love you!"

"Alright, well I'd better head out before someone fires me." Joked Ms Parkinson, picking up her purse from off the floor.

"Okay. Have a good day, Ms Parkinson." Anna smiled, watching as her neighbor slipped on a pair of black flats, grabbed a jacket, and hurried out the door.

Several hours later a green minivan pulled into the driveway, a boy with sandy blond hair stepping out. He walked up the stone pathway to the front door and rang the doorbell. Anna was in the bathroom, and asked Lucy to answer the door. "I'll be down in a minute!"

"Okay, Anna!" the little girl ran to the front door and yanked it open. "Hi, David!"

"Hey, kiddo. Where's your brother?" David smiled, looking around for his friend.

"He's in his room playing his video games. C'mon, I'll take you to him!" She giggled and pulled her brothers best friend upstairs.

Meanwhile, Anna was lying on the bathroom floor, writhing in pain. Unfortunately her cell phone was in her purse, which was downstairs. She could hear Ben listening to his favorite rock band in his room and luckily the music stopped so she could bang on the wall separating the two rooms. "Ben! Ben!"

"What?!" he replied, slightly agitated.

"Help...." she breathed before blacking out.