Sky's Still Blue • Friday Night Lights

Chapter 4

"I still can't believe your mother dragged you all the way to Texas. What was she thinking? Selling the house that I bought for her, the hair salon that it took her years to establish... that woman is a wreck."

Her father had called her on her way home from school. Anne'd decided not to get a ride from Julie this time; choosing to walk all the way to Panthers Gifts to go check up on her mother. She'd listened to her cry in the bathroom during that morning, but insisted that she was okay once Anne confronted her about it.

"Mom, what's wrong?" Anne asked her mother. Janice Bradshaw's body was pale, and her expression was bleak. "I heard you crying, what happened?" She reached out to touch her, but the woman gently pushed her hands away.

"Nothing, dear, nothing." She gulped. Anne could see that her mother's eyes were still wet from crying, and could not understand why she was lying.

"Mom, is this about dad? You can tell me. I don't think you're weak because..."

"No!" Her mother's sudden change in tone startled her. "This isn't about your father. I'm fine. Now come on, or you're going to be late for school."

"Yeah, well, whose fault is that?" She spat, wincing at the memory. "Listen, I don't wanna talk anymore. We don't need your money and we sure as hell don't need you. I'm hanging up."

"Wait, Annie, wait..." Anne could hear his voice breaking. "Are you sure you don't want to come home to live with me? I know how much you love L.A."

The nerve of this man. "Dad, I hate you. You cheated on mom and ruined our family. I don't want to live with you. And I'm fine here; I've made nice friends, and I've got a job. Bye." She put away the phone and continued to walk.

In all truth, her father had a point. She understood that her mother was in pain, but why did they have to give everything up? They went from owning a big house in L.A. to renting a small one in Dillon. Her mother had gone from being her own boss at a prestigious hair salon to being just another employee at a gift shop.

She's hiding something from me, and I've been too afraid to ask what. I think that's because I know I won't like the answer. "Hey, mom." Anne greeted, looking around the store. This town takes football very seriously. There were all types of things themed with the Dillon Panthers. From coffee mugs to t-shirts; even snow globes and stuffed panthers. Anne smiled, thinking of some little kid going to sleep at night holding one.

"Hey, Annie. Can I interest you in a Panthers t-shirt? It's on me." Her mother said cheerfully, sounding nothing like the woman from this morning.

"No, thanks. But those stuffed panthers are so cute!" She said, taking one. "How are you?"

"I'm good." No, you're not. Stop lying. "How was school?"

"Oh, it was good." Don't change the subject, mom. "Listen... dad called me. He asked me if I wanted to go back to live with him."

Her mother looked at her as if she were ready to kill somebody with an ax. "Honey, I don't want you talking to that man."

"Yeah, I don't want to talk to him either, but it's hard to ignore him when he's constantly buzzing my phone."

"You told him no, right?" Her mother wasn't even looking at her now, and Anne's gaze softened. Does she really think I would leave her?

"Of course I told him no! I'm fine here."

"Have you talked to any of your friends from L.A.?"

No. They have been ignoring me since I told them I was going to move. "I haven't talked to Max or Kaylee since we moved. They haven't returned any of my texts."