The Covenant - Chapter Seven

Arriving at Kellynch Citadel Rick quickly jumps out of the car and reaching behind him opening Annie’s door as she is exiting the car but then immediately moves to the other side of the car where Lauren is impatiently sitting still waiting for the door to be opened for her as she has done with many previous dates.

In the parking space next to them, Chris Hayter runs up to Charles car “Hey Hailey!  I’ve been looking for you!  Did Charles take the long way around?”

“No, it just takes the ladies a little longer to realize what time it is and how long it takes to get some place” rationally states Charles innocently defending himself and his sense of direction “If you are looking for Hailey, she is talking to Captain Wentworth and her sister over there” nodding in the direction of the other car with a cluster of people surrounding it.

“Thanks!  I’ll see you later!” agreeably smiles Chris Hayter hoping to catch up with his girlfriend before she finds some other entertainment to keep her interest for the day.

The group moves towards the large courts and fields that have been turned into a Carnival to raise money for World Services to help missionaries and their educational and health programs overseas. There are colorful booths and games of every variety with plenty of visitors carrying a mixture of pink and blue cotton candy or fresh hot popcorn.

As the group of individuals walk under the large banner announcing the activities for the day and its purpose, Mary Musgrove grabs Captain Wentworth’s arm to support herself as she pretends to need help climbing over the uneven curb.  Charles walks up to her and gives her a look.  She returns a smile and soon moves over to her husband’s side bathing in his attention and concern.  Charles Hayter places himself firmly beside Hailey complimenting her on her outfit and the way it reflects her eyes successfully diverting her attention from the handsome officer.

The eclectic trio of Captain Wentworth, Lauren, and Annie are soon left on their own walking in step with each other amongst the booths. 

“Will you win a teddy bear for me?” flirtatiously asks Lauren wrapping her arm within his own pulling him towards the game and away from Annie whom he seems to be conscientiously observing  in his silence “I’m sure with your skills it wouldn’t take very long at all!”

With Lauren’s incredulous cheering, he throws the ball very expertly at each can while Lauren shrieks in delight and with flattery encourages his masculine technique. Annie watches for awhile but eventually rolls her eyes at the obtuse comments and decides to focus on something else.  With a deep sigh, she watches the young children fish for a buried treasure within a small plastic yellow pool in the next booth.

“I want something to eat!  Captain, what about a funnel cake?” asks Lauren smiling with a wink “I’m in the mood for something sweet”. 

Realizing that now they are a duet, Rick looks behind him to find where Annie has gone.  Feeling the warmth of the day and oblivious to others around her, Annie is putting her hair into a ponytail because of the heat. He remembers the same motions from years ago and how she liked to wear her hair like that because of its convenience.  He smiles at the memory lost in his thoughts for a moment.

Lauren smirks noticing where his attention is focused at the moment then grabs his arm pulling him towards her, “She’ll catch up with us.  If we don’t hurry there will be a long line and I don’t like to wait.”

Looking out of the corner of her eye noticing the movement, Annie reluctantly follows the couple in front of her a few steps behind them wishing that there was someone else to talk to so she wouldn’t feel like such a third wheel.  Her heart aches as she watches Rick and Lauren chat back and forth with each other remembering years ago when her and Rick use to spend hours chatting with each other when the time on the clock no longer mattered.

As the day wears on Annie decides to take a break and sit on a bench where she is joined by Mary and Charles who have caught up with them for the moment. 

“It’s so hot out here!” exclaims Mary taking a flyer which she has transformed into a fan rapidly moving in front of her face “You look flushed Annie. The heat is getting to you too. Maybe we should go inside for while and leave the others to enjoy themselves.”

“I’ll get you another water Mary. Annie would you like one?” politely asks Charles digging in his pocket for some loose change. 

“Yes, thank you” responds Annie leaning back and bracing herself on the seat of the bench then looking up and then down to shade her eyes from the sun “water sounds great right now.”

“Wait a minute!  I’ll go with you!” replies Mary putting her sandals back on “Maybe there is more shade over there” leaving Annie by herself and her thoughts.

Just around the corner, she can hear the voices of Rick and Lauren talking.  “Yes, my brother was interested in Annie for awhile.  But she didn’t date him.  I think it was because of Lydia Russell.  She didn’t think my brother was good enough for her.  So he ended up with her sister, Mary.  We always liked Annie better but he ended up marrying Mary.  She’s okay but Annie feels much more like a sister.”

“Do you think that if Lydia Russell hadn’t been around she would have chosen to be with your brother?” curiously asks Rick listening carefully for the answer.

“I don’t remember Annie dating anyone else and they seemed to get along really well.  I think she did like him.  How could she not like my brother?” rhetorically asks Lauren “I think he must have been the love of her life because there hasn’t been anyone else that I know of.  Lydia Russell is way too controlling.  I wouldn’t ever let anyone control me like that.  I have a mind and a will of my own.  I make my own decisions especially if I loved someone, I would do anything for them.”

“That’s interesting.  I think it shows a strength of character to make good decisions for oneself without depending on the opinion of others especially those with ulterior motives” firmly agrees Rick as his voice gains intensity noticing his friend listening around the corner “I would think that real love and happiness would be worth it to put aside the unnecessary control and gossip of others.”

“Have you ever been hurt by someone?”  Cunningly asks Lauren “I couldn’t do that to someone I loved”.

“At one time, but that love has faded and gone.  It can’t grow if it is not respected and honored” regretfully admits Rick “Love is much more than just a feeling and shouldn’t be one-sided.”

Each word strikes Annie painfully to her core.  She did love Rick.  But she let the advice of others sway her to let him go.  It was her belief that he needed time to finish his education and to develop his own sense of self without being bounded to the obligations of a married life at such a young age.  It wasn’t that she didn’t love him, but that she had loved him enough to give him space to achieve all of his goals and freedom to become a man that he desired to be.   He hadn’t understood that at the time.  Rick angrily had misunderstood her motives and felt that she was sacrificing him for Lydia’s friendship and guidance as a mentor.   Perhaps even at that point if she had been more confident and would have felt more like a reliable strength and support rather than a hindrance to him things might have been different.  But the day is gone and that moment has past.  Annie can feel the heat rising to her face as her heart pounds at the echo of his words.  

“Do you think that you could fall in love again?” coyly suggests Lauren moving closer to him and gazing directly into his eyes.

“Maybe one day if I meet the right person” calmly reflects Rick “I’m about the right age to start settling down so I suppose that I should start looking again.”

“You never know, the right person may be under your nose” smiles Lauren looking into his eyes once again.

“We need to find Annie” states Rick knowing that she is sitting on a bench right around the corner having observed her earlier “She always seems to lose her way.”

A bit miffed, Lauren responds “I suppose your right. She has a tendency to get lost doing her own thing. She’s usually gone for a walk or absorbed in some book forgetting what time it is.”

“There you are!” exclaims Rick with a smile “We’ve been looking for you. I didn’t know if you had left us again and gone off somewhere.”

“No, I was just resting for awhile to give you some space to enjoy yourselves without me tagging along for a moment” responds Annie making Rick intuitively aware of the statement’s duplicite meaning.

“Why don’t we go over to the trampoline and try it out” suggests Lauren wanting to gather the attention back to her with her gymnastic skills.

“Sounds like fun.  Are you coming Annie?” asks Rick catching up with Lauren walking at break neck speed ahead of them.

“Yes, I’ll be there in a minute” replies Annie grabbing her bottle of water and taking off slowly behind them not feeling like interfering in their conversation any more.

Lauren does several difficult flips as she has many times before in her neighbor’s backyard.  “Come on Annie!” challenges Lauren believing the Annie would never join her and bouncing and flipping with each new request. “I bet you haven’t done this in awhile! Rick come on up! It’s easy!”

“I doubt Annie would want to.  She seems contented to sit and watch” responds Rick “I think those days have past for her.”

Feeling challenged and a bit insulted, Annie decides to put forth her best effort “I’ll try.  Not that I’ll be any good, but it might be kind-of fun.”

Annie climbs ungracefully on the mat and begins to delicately bounce.  Lauren moves towards her and obnoxiously bounces with all of her effort into the mat.  Annie’s body responds by flying into the air and accidently doing a not so bad flip. 

“That wasn’t too bad!” acknowledges Lauren “Why don’t you try it again?”

Annie concentrates doing a few practice bounces and then remembers the technique of few flips when she was on the diving team in high school.   

“Wow.  I’m impressed!” shouts Rick laughing “Both of you are quite good!”

In that second, Annie smiles back to him but misses her footing and lands on her ankle. “Oowww”  slips between Annie’s lips grabbing her ankle.

“Are you okay?” asks Lauren coming to an immediate halt after finishing an excellent double flip.

“No, I think this might be it for me today” reluctantly admits Annie scooting off the trampoline as Rick helps her down by letting her lean on his shoulder.

As she limps one step at a time leaning on his shoulder, they run into his sister and her husband.

“I didn’t know you were here too! Annie has hurt herself on the trampoline and needs to go probably to the ER.  Annie, you remember my sister and her husband, Colonel and Mrs. Croft.” Offers Rick.

“Yes, we’ve met recently.  They’re renting my dad’s home while the rest of my family are in Bath” replies Annie smiling at them through the pain in her ankle.

“We certainly can take her.  We were planning on leaving now anyway and just happened to run into you.  The hospital is practically next door to our house.  It would be a pleasure to take Annie” responds Mrs. Croft putting an arm around her for support as she moves Annie towards their car.  “Go ahead and catch up with your other friends.  We’ll take good care of her.”

Instead of leaving, Rick continues to walk towards their car and helps her into the front seat. He takes her hand lingering for a moment without saying anything and then releases it.  “I’ll see you later after you’ve seen the doctor” he mumbles shutting the door.

Lauren runs up to him placing an arm on his shoulder with laughter in her voice yells back through the car window “Don’t worry Annie, you just get better.  I’ll take good care of him for you.  He won’t miss a thing!”