House of Dolls

Torn

Time had passed, and it had been a few months since Warren and Shari's heartbreaking funeral service. Nathan reached the age of eighteen and continued to live under The Cox's roof. Nathan couldn't help but feel he had overstayed his welcome as the changing colors of autumn gave way to the cold winter days. He remained close to Anna, but her parents felt it was time for him to move on.

Darren called Anna into the kitchen to speak with her. "Anna, please come here," he requested. Anna entered their small farmhouse kitchen and walked toward the Amish-made table where her father sat.

"What's up, dad." She had a giddy way about her that morning as she plopped herself down in the handmade chair.

"Anna, I need to talk to you about the living situation with Nathan here. I know he is your friend, and we said he could stay as long as he needed, but your mother and I think this isn't working out," Darren explained. He could see the anger on his daughter's face as her eyes widened with disbelief. He tried to move forward to comfort her, but she retreated with a look of disgust.

"Seriously? Dad, that's not fair! He is eighteen and still in school! What is he supposed to do?" Anna was furious at her parents for deciding to make him leave without telling her first. "Don't I get a say in this too? How is any of this right?" Anna screamed at her father in a disrespectful tone as she glared in his direction, "Where's mom? I want to talk to her about this too."

"Anna Rose Cox, this is mine and your mother's house, and both of our decisions. Your mother is at work, you can talk to her when she gets home, but she feels the same as I do. His staying here is starting to affect your school! You have college next year, and I'm not going to have you ruin your future by failing!" Darren scolded Anna as she talked back to him, feeling disrespected. He began to get the sense that Nathan wanted more from his daughter as well.

"I can bring up my grades, dad, I can ask for extra credit! My teachers will let me!" Anna had become increasingly frustrated with her dad.

"It's not just about that, Anna! The two of you spend almost every waking minute together, and I'm not OK with it! Not another word, I'm done talking about this! And I'm sure he can reach out to other family members who will take him in." Darren had not seen things Anna's way. He only saw Anna and Nathan start to fall for each other, which he planned to halt.

"He has no family in Pennsylvania! So what? He has to move his senior year because of you!" Anna stood firm as she waited for her father's next response.

"Enough! I told you what's going to happen, and I'm not changing my mind!" Darren reached out to slap Anna but quickly withdrew his hand. As he raised his palm to her, she stormed out of the kitchen and down the basement towards Nathan, informing him of her father's request.

Anna felt an overwhelming sense of dread as she trudged down to the basement. Nathan, she was sure, had overheard the argument. Anna knew her parents would eventually inform him of their wishes, but she wanted to be the first to do so. She was concerned about how he would handle the news. With everything Nathan had been through, Anna couldn't bear the thought of hurting him with her father's wishes.

"Hey, Nathan, can I come in?" Anna asked as she slowly peeked around the corner from the bottom of the steps. She noticed the look of sadness on his face and quickly realized he had heard everything. It was hard not to hear such a heated argument going on above his head.

"Sure, Anna, come on in." He placed his hand on the bed next to him to summon Anna to take a seat. He knew the discussion they were about to have. "I heard it all, Anna. You don't need to explain anything." He then set his hands in his lap as he hung his head. At that moment he was sincerely heartbroken at the thought of losing Anna.