"One of you, go get Miss Leighton, Ruthie, the nurse, anyone one of them. Quick!" Beth ordered. Trisha and Katie hurried away. Daphne helped get Annie on her bed then Daphne rushed to the bathroom to get a cold cloth for head. When she returned, she laid the cloth across Annie's brow. Beth covered her with a quilt, sat down beside her and held her hand.
Miss Leighton and Ruthie came into the room a few minutes later. "What happened?" she demanded. "Annie came into the room looked at us and passed out." Beth said simply, her voice cracking with emotion. Miss Leighton sat down beside Annie and began rubbing her arm. "Annie," she said softly. "Can you hear me?"
Annie's eye lids fluttered twice, then she opened her eyes. Everyone there, sighed in relief. "What's going on?" Annie asked in confusion. "She's just exhausted." Ruthie said, watching from the end of her bed. "I think you're probably right." Miss Leighton agreed. "But the nurse is on her way, and will take your vitals Annie and otherwise check you out, so to eliminate any other problems."
Annie wasn't satisfied with the information she was given, so she said, "But what happened?" "You fainted." Beth said plainly. "Maybe it was the shock of seeing me here," Daphne said, with a giggle, but only half kidding. Everyone laughed with her, including Annie. "Maybe a little." Annie admitted with a smirk. "I don't blame you." Daphne said.
"Maybe I've had too much good news too fast." Annie suggested. (She was referring to Patti's conversion and now seeing Daphne in her room looking happy to be there.) "But I think I'm okay now." She said, starting to get up. But Miss Leighton gently pushed her back down again. "Not so fast Missy. I want the nurse to have a look at you."
Annie started to protest, but Miss Leighton wasn't done. "Listen Annie. I have one student in the hospital, I don't need you there too." Annie sighed a sigh of resignation and relaxed back into her pillows. "Okay," she relented. Moments later, Miss Synder the nurse came in and took Annie's vitals and pronounced them all normal. "I think she's just exhausted. What she needs is rest."
"I don't want to be alone." Annie said, suddenly anxious. Miss Leighton and the nurse exchanged a look between them. "Alright. Your friends can stay, as long as you stay in bed and relax. Do we have a deal?" Miss Synder asked her. "Deal." Annie said with a small smile. "I'll come back in an hour to check on you," the nurse said. Annie thought it was as much a warning, as a promise, and she nodded.
Miss Leighton and Miss Synder walked to the door. "Feel better hon." Ruthie said, and then joined them. "You girls do what Miss Synder told her to do." Ruthie said sternly. "We will." They chimed. Then the adults left. But out in the hallway after Ruthie had gone down stairs, the other two women started a conversation in quiet tones."
"I'd like to give Annie a sedative. She seems very anxious," the nurse said. "I don't doubt it. She witnessed something today, that no child should see." Miss Leighton said passionately. "I trust your judgement. Go ahead and give her the medicine." "I assure you Ma'am, this sedative is used on Annie's age group for anxiety, after experiencing such things as Annie did." Miss Leighton was reassured. The nurse went to get the med, and Miss Leighton went back to her office.
Miss Synder called Annie's doctor in Hopskinville to get his opinion on the matter. After hearing the situation that Annie had been involved in, he agreed the sedative was the thing to do. Annie took the pill with no fuss and had to admit that she felt much more relaxed after taking it. The nurse told her friends that if Annie needed her, to come tell her and she would be there right away. Then Miss Synder left again.Sh
Suddenly Annie's cell rang. "Where is it?" Beth asked with a roll of her eyes. She had a gut feeling she knew who it was. "Um, still in my pocket, I think." Annie said sleepily. Beth pulled back the covers and retrieved it, and Daphne covered Annie up again as Beth answered the call. "Hi Collin.".....Beth said. "Is Annie okay? Because she wasn't too good when she called me earlier." Beth looked over at Annie with a raised brow. But Annie's eyes were closed and she didn't see."
"Yeah well, that makes sense. The nurse saw her, said she's exhausted and ordered her to bed. But said she'd be fine with a little rest." Beth told him. "Thanks for talking to me Beth. And tell Annie I'm praying for a quick recovery." "You're welcome Collin. And I'll pass your message on." Thanks Beth. See ya." "Bye Collin." Beth ended. She laid Annie's phone on the table next to the bed, not wanting to disturb her. Her eyes were closed again.
"From what I heard from this end, Collin's a nice guy." Daphne said. "Even though he did beat Patti and I at tennis," she giggled. "He is a nice guy. He's just kinda a pest when he calls at times like this," Beth answered, looking over at Annie again. Annie's eyes were still closed, but she smirked, and Beth knew who the look was directed at.
"His friends are nice too." Katie put in. "Especially, one friend in particular. Right?" Trisha said with a smirk of her own. Katie blushed red, but didn't say anything. "I think someone slipped me a "Mickey." Annie mumbled from the bed. Her friends laughed. "I think the sedative's taking effect." Trisha said, staring at Annie's limp form.
Daphne brushed a strawberry blond tress off of Annie's brow. "I want to apologize for the horrible way I've treated you. But I don't think you'll remember it," she said with a chuckle. "Oh, I'll remember that," Annie said sleepily. The rest laughed again heartily. When the laughter faded away, Daphne said, "I am so sorry Annie. I pray you can forgive me," she said, stuttering out the words, as her eyes filled with tears.
Katie, Beth and Trisha turned away with watery eyes. "I forgive you," Annie mumbled. Then she was snoring softly with a smile on her lips. Beth, Katie and Trisha giggled again. But Daphne murmured, "She really is the sweetest thing," still stroking Annie's forehead.
End of Chapter 13
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Book 1-Annie Adams and the Mystery Club Detectives
Mystery / ThrillerAnnie Adams was orphaned at two years old. Her mother's last wish was that Annie be placed in the care of her mother's sister and her husband. Annie was very happy with them on their farm in Hopskinville Tennessee. But at age thirteen Annie learn...
