“Why not? What do I have to lose? I know the information to change my ticket. It’s saved on the computer in the office.”

  “I don’t think you can fly underage without permission from a parent.” Brittani was trying to discourage her.

  “Well, then I will have to see, won’t I?” Ana got off the phone and got ready for bed. She was angry, not just at her mother but at herself and the whole situation. She didn’t know what she wanted, but she knew she wanted to see Jude. Andrea came into her room when she was brushing her teeth.

  “Ana, did you tell Jude we weren’t coming?”

  “No, I don’t want to. So, you’re really not going to let me go after we bought my dress, and we have hotel and airline tickets?”

  “Why would I let you go? You deliberately lied for the last month and a half. You had plenty of opportunities to tell me. Evidently, you are so infatuated with Jude you would do anything, no matter the consequences.”

  “That’s not how it is. I wanted to tell you, but I knew you would make me do the right thing, and I wouldn’t get to go.” Ana was angry.

  “You said it. The right thing is to finish what you started. You are not going, and that is final. You are finishing the play.”

  “You don’t understand,” Ana said, rolling her eyes.

  “Understand what, that you want to spend time with a guy?”

  “You don’t get it. He isn’t just a guy. He’s awesome, and he’s leaving, and I may never see him again.” Ana turned around and started to cry.

  “Ana, you did this to yourself. Did you really think you would get away with it, that I wouldn’t find out?” her mother asked.

  “I don’t know,” Ana admitted.

  “That was very selfish behavior.”

  “Maybe, but you're being selfish. You’re the one not letting me go, and I think it’s because you know I would rather be with him.”

  “Well, let me clear that up for you. I am not allowing you to go because you lied and schemed this whole situation up, and that is wrong. And I am not selfish. You are my child, you live here, and you will stay here. I do not care where you would rather be.” Andrea leaned toward her.

  “You can’t control me,” Ana shouted.

  “Yes, I can, and I will, young lady!” Andrea shouted back at her. “Give me your phone.”

  Ana handed it to her. “Here, you can have it, here’s my laptop and iPad too. I’m sure that’s what is coming next.”

  “Ana, I am warning you.” Ana sat on her bed and pouted but didn’t say anything. “Go to bed. You have school tomorrow. Do not leave this house. I mean it.” Andrea slammed the door behind her. Ana was angry, and she did want to leave. She wanted to go back to the Academy, and to Jude, and to her life when she felt free. Now, she felt like she was trapped. She sat in her window that night and looked out at the field below her. She could see part of the stables below. She wished she could go there, get on a horse, and ride as fast as she could away from here. There was a light on at the main stable. They always left it on for the horses. It had been two hours since her mom had slammed her door, so she had to be asleep by now. Ana thought she could sneak out to go see the horses and be back before anyone would know. She heard her mom say not to leave, but she really wasn’t leaving. She would be back. Ana went to her door and opened it. She saw the light from her mom’s room was off. She dressed, grabbed her slip-on boots, and snuck down the stairs closing the doors softly behind her. Once outside, she let her eyes adjust. She didn’t have her phone as a flashlight, so she used her night vision. This reminded her of when she did land navigation at night at the academy. The moon was bright, so it was easy. She walked down to the barn and opened the doors. The mare walked up to her, and Ana petted her face gently then placed her head up to the horses. She loved the smell of them and how peaceful they were. She needed their peace right now. She walked to the last stall to see her dad’s horse, Shotsley, and something caught her eye out the stall window. She wasn’t sure, but she could see something in the distance beyond the fence. Ana stood still, hidden in the darkness of the stall.

  The horse whinnied, Ana whispered to her, “What is it, girl?” Ana asked. She knew horses had keen senses. She backed up, her hands on Shotsley’s neck. She saw something walking in front of what looked like a vehicle. The interior light was on in the vehicle. She wanted to leave but didn’t want to leave the security of the stables. She waited. If she would have had her phone, she would have called her dad or Jeffery. This was not a good idea. I shouldn’t be here. She thought. After what seemed like a long time, she saw the lights of a vehicle drive away very slowly. She attached a rope to Shotsley’s halter and jumped on her back. She left the barn on the black horse riding swiftly to her house. She jumped off at the house and looked back, no lights. She sighed a sigh of relief and un-tied the rope. She patted the horse and took the rope with her back in the house, carefully.

  The next morning Ana overslept, and her mom came in to wake her. “Ana, get up. You’re going to be late.” Ana was tired, and school seemed so wrong. Either way, she got up and dressed. As she went down the stairs, she heard her mother say, “You can eat this in the car,” as she handed her a bagel and a bottle of water.

  “Thanks,” Ana replied as she shoved the bagel in her mouth.

  Andrea cranked her car, and Ana knocked on her window. Andrea rolled the window down. “What?” she asked.

  “Can I have my keys?” Ana asked, holding her food and bookbag.

  “Ha, no way. Get in. I’m taking you to school. I would hate for you to miss anything.”

  “Really, Mom?” Andrea ignored her and honked the horn.

  Ana looked at her mom and threw her hands up, and said, “Oh my God, really?” Ana plopped down in the seat and put her bag on the floorboard.

  “Can I have my phone?” Ana asked.

  “Yes, but you have to call Jude and tell him you’re not coming. It isn’t right to tell him.”

  “What do I say? Sorry, Jude, my mom won’t let me come even though she told me I could, and we bought a dress for the party. How stupid is that?” Ana crossed her arms and huffed.

  Andrea thought, is this ever going to end? Is this how daughters treat their mothers?

  “Anastasia, tell him the truth.”

  “Mom, that sounds like I’m a child. I don’t see why we can’t go. Who cares about the play? I have an understudy. She knows the part.”

  “You don’t do that. You made a commitment, and you’re going to fulfill your obligation.”

  “You should let me make my own choices. It is my life.” Ana stared out the window at a kid standing on the sidewalk waiting on the school bus.

  “Ana, I know you probably did not have parents that told you what to do or not do. I know you did what you wanted. But I am your mother, and If you make bad choices, young lady, it’s my job to correct you and teach you that your actions have consequences and to make wise choices.”

  “I hate it when you call me that, don’t call me that,” Ana said.

  “So now you’re angry, and you’re going to pout,” Andrea said as she parked the car at school.

  Ana wiped her eyes. That comment made her angry, and yes, Ana was a pouter. “I don’t know why I don’t get on a plane and go anyway,” Ana said as if it were a threat.

  “Because you know I would come get you and bring you home. And, your father and I would be very upset, to say the least.”

  “You make me so mad. I don’t know why I even care.” Ana was breathing away her tears, trying to calm herself.

  “Because you know I am right, and you care because I’m your mother. I love you, and you love me.” Andrea turned to her and pulled her close to hug her.

  “This is my fault. I really screwed this up. But now Jude is going to be crushed.” Ana sobbed with big tears streaming down her face. Andrea wiped Ana’s tears away with her thumbs, and she smiled. Ana smiled back. It was true, Ana did love her more than she ever thought was possible, and she couldn’t really explain why other than the obvious.

  Andrea didn’t think she was wrong with how she raised her children, although she did have moments when her anger got out of control. She remembered slapping Ana in the face and how Ana reacted. Andrea was so mad. She could remember the anger on her face. She remembered leaving Ana at the kitchen table crying with a red cheek. She got in her car, shaking as she tried to calm herself. For a minute, Andrea reminded herself of her mother. Andrea had been slapped in the face many times growing up, and she remembered how humiliated she felt. On the day she slapped Ana, Andrea had cried all the way into work. Not because Ana was wrong, but because of her actions as a parent. Today, Andrea went to work with plans to meet Diane for dinner.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Supervision

  Ana called Jude at lunch and told him the bad news. She told him she couldn’t come because of the play. He sounded like he understood, although she knew he was disappointed. Ana apologized over and over again, but Jude just grew more and more silent on the other end of the phone. Ana performed that night just like the others, but she was very sad. She kept thinking about how she could have been spending the evening with Jude and how happy she would have been with him. Ana gathered her things from the theatre and walked with her mother and aunt to the car. “Ana, you did so well. Thank you again for playing this most important role. I know it was a lot for you being new, but you really put yourself out there,” the director said to Ana in the parking lot. He then turned to Diane and Andrea. “I know you must be very proud of her.” They both smiled and said that they were. Ana felt that like a kick to the gut. The three of them rode home.

  “You did well. You should be proud of that,” Diane said to Ana.

  “Yeah,” Ana said softly. When they walked into the house, Phillip was waiting on them in the foyer. “How was it, ladies?”

  Andrea kissed him on the cheek and softly said, “Fine, but I think someone isn’t very happy.” He looked at Ana and raised his eyebrows. Drake was standing in the kitchen, watching them.

  Ana stood with her bag in her hand and asked her father, “May I be excused to my room?”

  “Yes,” he said. Ana stopped and handed her mother, her iPhone.

  “Did you call him?” she asked Ana.

  “Yes, ma’am.” Ana walked up the steps to her room.

  “Mom, what’s wrong with her?” Drake asked as he ate cereal.

  “She’s upset because of her trip.”

  “So, you didn't let her go because she lied? And you took her car and her phone?”

  “No, I didn’t take her phone.”

  “Then why did she give it to you? That was stupid.”

  Andrea looked at him and shrugged. “Maybe she feels like she doesn’t deserve it.”

  At 9:30 p.m., Andrea went to Ana’s room. She was sitting on the floor near her closet. Her arms were around her knees, just staring at the wall. “May I come in?” her mother asked.

  “Yes,” Ana said, then stood up.

  “Your father and I are going out of town tomorrow, but we’ll be back by dinner. Would you like to go with us?”

  “No, I’m good,” Ana replied.

  “Hmm, ok. I will let Diane know you will be with her until we get home.”

  “Won’t Nellie or Drake be here?”

  “He’s going with his friends, and Nellie won’t be here all day. We can’t leave you unsupervised,” her mother said. Usually, Ana would have argued, but she understood her mother’s trust in her was gone. Ana nodded and looked down at the floor. “You should go to bed, dear?” Ana walked over to her bed and laid down. Her mother kissed her head and said, “I love you, goodnight.”

  Ana replied, “I love you.” Andrea turned the lights off and left the door cracked. Andrea was disturbed by Ana’s behavior. It wasn’t like her to pout that long. Andrea worked in her office until almost midnight, then went to the kitchen for a drink. She peeked in on both her kids. Drake was asleep with his TV on as usual. When she looked in on Ana, she wasn’t in her bed but laying in a ball near the closet asleep. It puzzled Andrea. She went in, woke her softly, and put her back to bed.

  The next day she awoke early. She went to wake Ana, but she wasn’t in bed. She was downstairs in the kitchen with Nellie. “Wow, you’re up early,” her father said. Ana smiled in response.

  “You may need some old clothes. Never mind, those are fine. Diane is working in her garden today,” her mother said, smiling at her. Ana looked down at her clothes, then at her mom.

  “Andrea, I can take Ana over when I leave around ten. It would be no trouble,” Nellie offered.

  “We will take her, thank you though,” Andrea said. When they dropped her off, Andrea said, “Wait, I will walk you in. Here’s your phone in case you need us.” Andrea walked her in, Diane and Jeff were sitting at the table.

  “Have fun. She will be just fine,” Diane said to Andrea as she left.

  What am I eight? Ana thought but didn’t say. Ana said good morning to her aunt and uncle as they finished their breakfast.

  “Good morning to you, Ana, come sit and have some tea,” her aunt said. “I’m going to be doing some landscaping today if you want to help.”

  “Castin is coming over around nine. He’s going to help me unload some of the stone,” Jeffrey informed Diane.

  “Oh great, that will save your back,” she said.

  Jeffrey got up and walked toward the door, “See you, ladies, soon.” Ana and Diane waved. Ana drank her tea and ate some fruit.

  “Ana, are you ok?” Diane asked.

  “Why?” Ana asked.

  “Well, your mom said you didn’t want to go with them, so I wondered if you were upset.”

  “Not specifically at them. I just didn’t feel like going, that’s all.”

  “I bet you weren’t expecting to be here on a Saturday.”

  “No, and I’m sorry you got stuck supervising me.” Ana used air quotes around the word supervising.

  “You know it’s part of it, and even if you were not being punished, they wouldn’t want you home alone. Are you ok, though? I know you're upset about your trip.”

  “I’ll be ok, but I’m upset because I lost my friend.” Diane looked confused. “He won’t respond to me since I told him I wasn’t coming.”

  “Oh, I am sorry. But maybe he’ll come around. Come on. You need different clothes.”

  “Mom said these were fine.”

  “Mom doesn’t work outside much, does she?” Diane said with a laugh. Ana smiled and followed Diane to Laurel’s room. “Here, you can wear some of Laurel’s old stuff. It should fit. Here, wear these boots. You can’t wear your shoes in the mud.” Ana had never been in Laurel’s room before. It was a lot like her own. There were pictures of her and a guy on the dresser and one of her and her mother.

  “Who is this guy, her boyfriend?” Ana asked.

  “No, they never dated. That’s Castin. He’s one of her good friends,” Diane explained. Ana thought he was handsome.

  “Where is Laurel, Aunt Diane?”

  “She’s at college. She’s been there about a year and a half now.”

  “Why didn’t you send her to St. Mary’s?”

  “We did, and then she got into some trouble and had to go away for a while. She came back home after that and is now studying at a college about four hours from here. She is doing well now.”

  “Are you close to her, like we are?”

  “I think we were at one time, and maybe will be again. It’s an age thing, I think.” Diane put her arm around Ana.

  “I don’t ever want to be far from you. I love you.”

  “Sweet Ana, if you leave me, I will come find you. I love you like you are my own.” This made Ana happy.

  They went outside, and Diane showed Ana what the plans were. Ana put her phone in the back pocket of her jeans and played music while she worked. The sun shining around the dew-covered blades of grass was beautiful. “This is the day that the Lord hath made,” Ana said to herself, not aware her aunt was close behind her.

  “That’s correct, seize the day. Doesn’t it feel good to be out here with your hands in the dirt?”

  Ana laughed at Diane’s dorky tone and said, “Yes, it does actually. You sound like a hippie.”

  “Well, I kind of was a little bit hippie when I was a teenager. As much as I could get by with anyhow.”

  “Did you smoke weed?” Ana asked.

  “Well, just dive right into the hard questions, huh?”

  “Well, it isn’t a big deal. I know a lot of people that have.”

  “I did try it a few times, but it was never my thing.”

  “Did my dad or mom?”

  “That’s not for me to answer,” Diane said. “But, to my knowledge, they were not into it.” Diane laughed. It was nine-thirty when Ana saw a vehicle. “That must be Castin to help Jeffrey,” Diane said. “I will be back.”

  Ana pushed her hair out of her eyes. She was on her knees deep in a flower bed when a boy walked up. “Laurel, is that you? Oh, sorry, my bad. I thought you were -- Is Diane or Jeffrey here?” the boy asked her.

  “Oh yeah, she’ll be right out,” Ana said.

  “Ok, I’ll walk around the house,” Castin said, but he couldn’t stop looking at her. Ana gave him a shy smile that he returned. Ana rubbed her face and realized there was a smudge of dirt on her cheek. Ana rolled her eyes. The one time she sees a cute guy, and she’s knee-deep in the dirt. Ana kept working, and Diane returned.

  “Where did he go?” she asked Ana.

  “That way, I think I freaked him out.”

  “Oh, don’t be silly.” Diane walked around the house. She returned in just a few minutes. “I found them. Come on. I need your help.” Ana stood up, and without realizing it, dropped her phone in the dirt. “We have to unload these stones. Castin will lift the big ones. Don’t hurt yourself.” Ana began carrying the rocks from the truck to the side of the yard. She was a hard worker, and her aunt was impressed, so were Castin and Jeff. It took what felt like an hour to unload them all. “Let’s take a break. Ana, come with me to the house. We’ll get some snacks ready.” Ana didn’t say anything. She just followed her aunt.