Packing the last of their things, Ellen wonders why Willoughby was so distant with Anne and so quickly changed his heart. It just doesn’t seem right. Anne and Willoughby were very happy together. He did everything with Anne at his side and seemed so content to have her there.
Liz and Lila walk in with tunics and uniform skirts. “I wanted to let you know. I’m sure at Ted’s suggestion, Fannie has asked Lila and I to return home with her. We are being hired to work at her corps. Now I will really become a part of the family. All of us had such a great time last night together. Today, Fannie is bringing me to meet his mother too. It’s amazing how it is all working out for Ted and me! Don’t you agree Ellen?”
“I hope you are able to be yourself with his mother since she hasn’t been so kind in the past” genuinely states Ellen.
“I’m not worried with Ted, Robert and Fannie on my side. Mrs. Farris can not like me when I’m already practically part of the family” smirks Liz “Ted will be so excited that his family already loves me!”
Ellen nods, but quietly says “that will be interesting.”
Lila grabs her cell and purse, “Come on. Robert and David are saving seats for us. We’re going to be late and miss saying goodbye to everybody. Ellen do you want us to save a seat for you too?”
“Thanks. I’ll be along in a minute” placing an arm around Anne’s shoulder “I’ll meet you there.” Liz shrugs her shoulders and Lila pushes her sister through the door.
Lila opens the door again, “Hey, there is a box outside with Anne’s name on it. Where do you want me to put it?”
“Is it for me?” grabbing the box Anne looks at the label “It’s in Willoughby’s handwriting. Maybe he is sending me a gift because he has changed his mind about Sophie and want to make up for last night” excitedly excuses Anne.
As the door closes Ellen is concerned with how Anne is reacting. She doesn’t quite look right as she tears off the clear packaging tape from the cardboard box. She picks up a couple of items one at a time and stares at them in utter shock and panic. “These are all the things I gave to Willoughby including his birthday gift. All the cards and trinkets, every last one of them is in here. Even the ticket stub from the concert we went to just before he left town!”
Anne looks through the box and there is a envelope of white ribbed stationary. She slowly opens the seal and starts to read the contents to herself. She gasps as she reads.
Observing the familiar paper and print, “He wrote you on letterhead? What kind of jerk does that?” angrily states Ellen.
“He doesn’t love me. He says that I misunderstood him. He says he never loved me. He says that he never felt about me in that way. He has affection for all my family but not for me in particular. How can he say things like that to me Ellen? Why does he say that? He did love me. He said so” Anne thinking very hard “I think he said so. There were so many things that he did say. He loved me very much. I’m sure of it!” Tears begin to pour down her cheeks and her whole spirit is crushed as she leans on Ellen. “I love him! I don’t want him to leave me.”
Ellen decides to skip the meeting and stay with Anne who is overwhelmed by the most recent life changing events in her life. Anne eventually falls asleep from exhaustion from crying. Ellen changes out of her uniform and puts on a t-shirt and shorts for their trip home. She is hoping to see Ted to say one last goodbye before leaving town because she missed him at the service.
A little while later Anne wakes up and finishing packing her things in her suitcase. “I’m ready to go. I know you want to say goodbye to Ted but I don’t feel like seeing anybody. I’m going to wait in the minivan for you. I’m so glad Liz and Lila have made other plans even though I’m sorry to hear that it is with Fannie. At least we don’t have put up with their nonsense right now.”
Slightly depressed at the turn of events she can’t help but think that it is a relief not to have the Steeles with them even if it gives them an opportunity to know Ted’s family better.
Anne goes on ahead while Ellen makes sure everything is out of the rooms and left in neat order. She will actually be glad to be heading back home. She wishes that she could spend more time with Ted though.
As she walks to the parking lot where Anne is already waiting for her in the van, Ellen sees Liz and Ted up ahead by his car. They are in a deep discussion. She knows they can’t see her from the angle where she is walking. She sees Liz throw her arms around Ted and they hug which seems like forever to Ellen. She sees Liz say something to him. Liz is crying and Ted is standing with his hands on his hips with his head tilted looking at the ground. She doesn’t know what to make of this.
Liz is obviously not pretending but she didn’t seem to mind spending so much time with his brother, Robert, this week-end. Ted looks upset too.
Perhaps she has been wrong all week-end that Ted appeared that he hadn’t forgotten her. Maybe he was just being polite. Feelings of hurt and sadness come over her, but she tries to hide her feelings for the moment when she sees that Ted has recognizes her.
He raises his head and waves. He says something to Liz as she gets into his sister’s car whom is impatiently honking the horn waiting for her to settle in her place for the long drive back to Fannie’s home.
Ted smiles and walks over to the minivan where Ellen is loading her luggage into the trunk. “Here, let me help you with that” states Ted as he grabs her suitcase from her. “Hey, I missed seeing you at the meeting. I sat with everyone else and saved a seat next to mine for you. Are you all right? Is Anne all right?
“Yes. We’re both fine. As you can see we are getting ready to leave” practically states Ellen without her usual warmth.
“You’re not staying for lunch either? I was hoping that all of you would before you have to go back” disappointedly remarks Ted.
“I think it is better for Anne if we skip lunch. She feels quite humiliated by last night. All of her friends from around the territory were there that she has grown up with in various corps and attended territorial camps with as well” reflects Ellen.
“Was Willoughby there this morning?” asks Ellen “I’d really like to have a few words with him.”
“No. Evidently someone saw him early this morning but he became ill and wasn’t able to make it to the service to play in the praise team” surmises Ted “honestly, I think he is being a coward.”
“I think so too” agrees Ellen “he should have talked to her privately before embarrassing her. Anne didn’t deserve that. She’s always only been so kind and loving towards him even in my opinion when he didn’t deserve it”
Ted places his hand above the car door with his other hand on his hip where Ellen is standing for a moment before getting into the driver’s seat. “Ellen, I didn’t get a chance yet to talk to you and I’ve really wanted to this week-end” starts Ted but before he can say anything Ellen’s cell phone rings and she tries to ignore it so she can concentrate on what she hopes that Ted will tell her.
“Go ahead and answer that. We can still talk in a moment” reluctantly sighs Ted.
“It will only be a moment” replies Ellen hoping to literally only be seconds on the phone so she won’t miss this opportunity and hear what Ted has to tell her.
“Hello? Hi Brandon, how are you?” answers Ellen “Yes. I’m going to be driving home soon. Yes, I can come over as soon as I get there. That won’t be a problem. I agree it will be good to be back again soon too. Take care.”
Ted lips become very thin and tightly joined together as Ellen’s conversation continues. He stands erect and looks face forward while his neck turns a light shade of red.
“Was that Brandon?” demands Ted with a slight hint of jealousy.
Not understanding his tone, “Yes. He was checking in on us and finding out when we would be back in town” innocently replies Ellen “he’s invited us over to his house when we get back which will be a good thing I think.”
“Well. I need to go. I’ll see you later” replies Ted and turns to leave.
“Can I have hug goodbye?” asks Ellen “I don’t know when I’ll be able to see you again.”
Ted walks up to her and hugs her as if she is aunt whom he must give an obligatory hug to at the request of a mother. Ellen wants to hug him warmly but is confused by the signals she is receiving and feels him stiffen at her touch.
He doesn’t even really look at her, barely hugging her at all and walks away with a short “bye”. Ellen calls after him weakly “Bye” opening the door of her minivan. She sits and grabs the steering wheel with both hands and stares out the dashboard window for a moment. It hurts so much to leave him that she feels as if her heart will break. She doesn’t understand his sudden coldness. It was like he couldn’t stand her touching him. “You’re being such a fool” Ellen tells herself as silent tears start to fall down her cheeks as she pulls out of the parking lot. “He must really be in love with Liz. I’m hanging on to nothing that exists” quietly mourns Ellen to herself.
Ted angrily walks back to where his blue Ford Focus is parked, gets in and slams the door, then tears out of the parking lot with squealing wheels. Ellen wrongly assumes he is showing off for Liz before leaving since Fannie is still in the parking lot gabbing away with the home officer through her driver’s side window.
As Ellen watches Ted she notices he doesn’t even look back to see where they are. “What an awful day” thinks Ellen “I’m so ready to go home. This has been a horrible week-end”. Anne has already fallen asleep in the back seat from sobbing again. A few trinkets are left in her hand at she sleeps that Willoughby left behind this morning. Ellen turns up the radio to where it can only be heard in the front to cover up the quiet sobbing of her own and to help her get through the next few long hours back home.
The drive is slow and long. They hit quite a few pockets of construction which delays the trip be even more hours. The trip has left time for Ellen to think of the events of the week-end and try to put them into some type of decent perspective. But everything seems so confusing. When she is convinced that Ted really likes her, she reminds herself of how he said goodbye and that seems way too much to hope for.
He hasn’t written or called her in nearly six months except for the half hour he showed up at her house to drop off things for Brandon. Even then, Liz was with him. Maybe he never really liked her at all. Maybe she just wanted him to. But he did seem so happy when he was around her and content in spending time with her. He did tell her that he missed her at least and that he liked her letters. But what was the point if he was going to be angry with her when she tried to be closer to him? How was she going to stop caring about him? She thought about him all the time. How was she going to make him disappear out of her life or out of her thoughts? Life can be so unfair and cruel sometimes.
Maybe one day he’ll want to be her friend again. Being a friend is better than not having anything. She hopes that he at least stays in contact with her after this week-end and gets over whatever made him so angry when he was around her. She then considers maybe he is angry with her for liking him more than he wants her to. Her thoughts run on and on but with no reasonable resolution.
Ellen finally admits to herself that she loves Ted but the whole relationship seems rather hopeless and futile at this point. Liz is standing right there, available and waiting for him. She is already becoming a part of his family too. According to Liz, they already have a long term commitment to each other. The way he just acted in front of her seems unlikely that Liz’s assertion is untrue.
Ellen’s heart aches as the road seems endless before her. There is not much she can do to change things right now. But perhaps in a little while Ted will realize Liz is not all that she claims to be and doesn’t fit with him. Maybe he will give her another chance then.
They pull in to her home in the early hours of the morning. They have driven straight through and tried to drive faster in the sparse traffic of midnight to make up for lost time.
As they come into the house, Mrs. Dashing greets them. She hugs Anne tightly while whispering in Ellen’s ear “Jennings told me everything that happened.”
“How did Jennings know?” asks Ellen while Anne leaves for her room.
“Evidently Fannie has been on the phone with everybody about what has happened supposed in sympathy and to put her on the territorial “prayer chain list” for Anne” replies Mrs. Dashing “but it is convenient gossip if you ask me”.
“How many people do you think know?” asks Ellen
“Jennings said it was throughout the territory. Fannie told everybody that Anne made an ‘absolute fool’ over Willoughby who was already engaged” Sighs Mrs. Dashing not realizing that Anne was listening in the hallway.
“Is that what my friends think of me? They think that I’m some sort of idiot?” hysterically asks Anne “I’ve humiliated myself and everybody knows it!”
“Anne, it will be okay. It will all be over in a day or two and everyone’s attention will move on to something else” advises Mrs. Dashing “You’ll be okay.”
“Everyone is laughing at me. Why didn’t anyone tell me that he was engaged? I’m the butt of everyone’s joke and there is nothing I can do about it” sobs Anne.
“Your friends care about you not about what you like or don’t like” Mrs. Dashing comments “you don’t need to be so dramatic and make a bigger deal out of it than what it is.”
“It’s not you! That’s why it doesn’t matter. My whole world is crashing down around me and you make it sound like it is a fever that will go away. That’s not how I feel! You can’t even begin to understand how I feel!” infuriated answers Anne.
“You’re right I don’t know how it feels right now to be in your situation. But I’ve been in a similar place at one time and have seen many others go through it. You will eventually feel okay” explains Mrs. Dashing “but for now you will probably feel better after you rest for awhile and then can put everything into perspective.”
Anne doesn’t say anything else but shuffles to her room where she immediately falls on the bed again and twists her hair with her hand as her thoughts get lost in her past personal memories.
“Ellen you must be tired. How was your trip? Was it safe? Did you see Ted? How did things go?” inquires Mrs. Dashing
“My trip wasn’t all that much better than Anne’s but it is all right. I’ll be okay. I’m more concerned about Anne being able to get over this and move on right now” reflects Ellen.
“Before I forget, Brandon has asked if he can come over later today. He in particular wants to speak to you Ellen. I have no idea why though. When I asked him what this was all about, he rather impolitely said it was personal” curiously states Mrs. Dashing “Do you know what he wants?”
“I have no idea” reflects Ellen “I even wonder what he is talking about. He called me before leaving the training school and was asking about Anne. Did Jennings talk to him too?”
“Yes. Unfortunately, I think she has talked to everybody trying to find out more information. It is not because she is a snoop but she genuinely loves Anne and wanted to find out if there was anything she could do to help” apologetically replies Mrs. Dashing.
“I hope Brandon is understanding or can help Anne. Willoughby was acting so strange even when we first arrived. Something was obviously wrong but I had no idea like Anne that he was already engaged to Sophie Grey” explains Ellen “that came as quite a shock even to me”.
Ellen and Mrs. Dashing share breakfast together but share long periods of silence. Ellen tries to push her own feelings of hurt to the back of her mind but the ache remains and everything she looks at has some association with Ted and the task appears to be quite impossible.
The doorbell rings. Maggie runs to the door for the school bus grabbing her backpack for school today.
“Whoa” as Maggie runs straight into Brandon. “I’m so sorry Brandon. I’m late again. I don’t want detention. Mom will kill me!” Brandon laughs “If you miss the bus I’ll take you so you can be there on time.”
“Thanks! But it’s here! See you later!” yells back Maggie as she runs at full speed towards the yellow and black striped bus.
“Is Anne here?” concerned asks Brandon as he walks in with some white and red speckled carnations from the florist for her.
Ellen smiles “Yes. But she is sleeping right now.” Looking down and smiling at the welcomed treasure in his hand “I think she’ll really appreciate those flowers once she is up. That was really thoughtful of you.”
Brandon blushes “I wanted to give her something to cheer her up. I know carnations are her favorite. But it is good you’re here without her. I want to talk to you by yourself if you don’t mind.”
Mrs. Dashing picks up her Home League Program Aids spiral planning notebook for the next year which she has been glancing through for new creative program ideas. “I’m going to work in my room this morning.”
When they are left by themselves in the living room Brandon asks, “Am I to understand that things are completely over between Anne and Willoughby?”
“Yes. He’s engaged to Sophie Grey and they are getting married in a couple of months. I think the date is in April” explains Ellen.
“That’s interesting” remarks Brandon “there is some confidential information that I would like to share with you and have you tell Anne when you feel the time is appropriate.”
“What do you want to tell me?” asks Ellen not having a clue about the next information that was to follow.
“Well as you know and can probably remember Julie worked with Willoughby last summer. Do you remember at the corps picnic when I had to leave for out of town so quickly? “asks Brandon.
“Definitely, you were gone for a couple of weeks right as the kettle season was starting which seemed awfully strange to everyone especially since vacation isn’t usually allowed for officers during that time” remarks Ellen.
“Exactly, I had to go to see Julie and her grandparents. You see, Julie is pregnant. Her baby is due in April. The father is Willoughby. Her grandma called Willoughby’s grandma and that is why he was rushed back to THQ. She didn’t believe it and has arranged for Willoughby to quickly marry someone else so that no one notices” replies Brandon.
“According to Julie he is the only man she has been with. She is turning 16 this month. I believe her. He obviously will take a paternity test after the baby is born and will be responsible for child support and will have shared custody if he is interested. Julie is hoping that he will give up all his rights since he doesn’t seem that interested in her or the baby. She repeatedly tried to contact him but hasn’t received an informal response” further explains Brandon.
“I’m not sure this will ease her pain any except to make her feel that she is not the only one whom Willoughby has hurt and perhaps make it easier for her to get over him” hopefully reflects Brandon.
“I think is something that she needs to know. But I might wait for a little longer until she is recovered somewhat from the trip” replies Ellen.
“If there is anything I can do for Anne, anything at all, let me know. I want her to know that I am here for her if she needs me” sincerely offers Brandon “Anne is very special to me and it is difficult to hear of her being in so much pain. I’ll come by tomorrow again if that is all right to see her.”
“Come by anytime. I’m sure Anne will appreciate seeing someone who cares about her” invites Ellen.
Ellen closes the door quietly behind Brandon. She looks down at her shoes. She asks for guidance and to walk wisely especially in the next few days.
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