BEHIND HER SMILE

Chapter 2: Abandoned

It was another day for the Edwards,everywhere had been so stiff,there was an unusual silence as the day had come for Anneliese to be taken to her grandmother's.

Ring Ring Ring...the telephone line in the sitting room had been ringing nonstop and Charlotte had been busy preparing Anne's things and only came to the phone to see who would be calling so early

"8:00am? this is strange,I wonder who it is."

she picks up the phone and brings it to her ear.

"Hello, is this Mrs Charlotte?"

"Yes this is she, and who am I speaking with.?

"This is Timothy" the voice of a man probably in his 30s echoes round the room

"Timothy? you're calling at an unusual hour, anything the problem?"

Timothy was Andrew's PA and handled all the finances of the family, he was also Andrew's best friend

"No not at all, I called to pass on a message from your husband"

"Andrew? that is off, wait I'll speak to him myself, he left for work rather early today."

"No need for that ma'am, he's currently In an important meeting and won't be able to talk to you"

"Fine then after the meeting I'll speak to my husband directly"

"Like I said earlier there's no need for that,he says he won't be able to come back home today"

"What?"

"Calm down ma'am, the reason is a very serious issue came up at the office and it'll take time before it's resolved"

"More serious than his family? and why today of all days?" she said in a rather low disappointing tone

"Sorry to intrude ma'am, but Andrew had not been himself for the past few days"

"And what do you mean by that?"

"He always wears this depressing look that feels like he has a lot on his mind, i enquired a bit but he wouldn't say anything"

"Timothy, I'd advise you not prey further, the things happening are too big for you handle"

"Well I did try my best,have a nice day ma'am"

as the call got disconnected

"Oh my day's going to be anything far from nice" she muttered to herself as she stood there for what seemed like forever with the phone still in her hands

"Mother"

Anneliese had been pulling on Charlotte's blue dress for a while now

"You're up ,can I get you anything baby?

"no mother"

"okay come here" as they both went to sit at a nearby sofa

"Mother?

"yes dear"

"why are all my things packed, are you and papa sending me away?"

Charlotte was shocked that these words where coming out of her daughter's mouth

"No darling why would you think that, we're only going on a little trip"

"Really"she said excited as her green eyes sparkled

"yes baby, we're going to see your grandmother in Centerville "

Charlotte felt bad for lying to her daughter but she knew she had to

"why are you lying mother?"

the shock on Charlotte's face could be seen as she opened her mouth wide but words couldn't form

"An An Anneliese wha what do you mean?" she said stuttering barely bringing her self to say those words

"I know you and papa are sending me away, they told me already"

Tears rolled down Charlotte's eyes as she couldn't hide them anymore

"baby what are you saying?"

"Don't be sad mother,I knew a long time ago"

the words this 4year old was saying was too much for Charlotte to handle and before she knew it she had hit Anneliese

A loud bang and her fingers on her cheek

"Shut up Anneliese,we have no choice, you're not normal. You need help. I'm sorry, I'm really sorry to say this" tears fell from her eyes like a rushing tap on to the sofa

"It's okay mom" Anneliese had not shown even a slight of shock as her mom hit her for the first time

"I'll go back my toys mother" she said rather cheerfully as she ran up to her room

at this point what Charlotte felt was pure fear

"what has become of my daughter?"

she put her face in her hands and the crying continued

*

*

Few hours had passed and it was time for Charlotte to take Anneliese, her grandmother had been calling to find out if they had started their journey yet.

"Anneliese! it's time to leave now " She said in a loud tone her voice still choked from all the crying

"Coming mother" Anneliese packed up the rest of her toys in a little bag and ran downstairs to where her mother was

"I'll go start the car now. I packed lunch so we'll eat on the way"

"and papa?"

"He'll join us later"Still doubtful that Anneliese believed her as the look on Anne's face said otherwise

"Okay mother" she said smiling

The journey started off and Charlotte would make several stops to buy things she thought Anneliese would need they spent two days on the road and she had alot of questions for Anneliese but couldn't bring her self to ask and as the sun went down they finally arrived to an old house just right across the streets

and Charlotte had packed her car along the road.

"Wait here hunny, I'll go out and get the things"

After she took the things from the back she carried Anneliese in her arms

they crossed the road and there they found Anne's grandma sitting just outside the compound.

"Oh my oh my,Who do we have here" Elizabeth was a tall woman in her 40s, she married her childhood sweetheart Mr Dalton at a very young age and had Charlotte but lost him to stomach cancer

"Anneliese say hello to your grandma"

"hello grandma Elizabeth"

grandma? come on call me Elizabeth I'm not that old" she said laughing

"Mom you haven't changed I can see" Charlotte had forgotten all about what happened home before she came here

"you don't visit me at all Charlotte ever since you married that husband of yours, and by the way where is Andrew?" Elizabeth was not very fond of the man Charlotte had chosen to marry

"Mom you know we talked about this,treat my husband with a little respect"

"Anneliese dear you've grown so big since the last time I saw you"she said totally ignoring Charlotte

"yes grandma mother has been taking care of me well" she said giving Charlotte a look that creeped her out

"Is that true Charlotte, I guess all my hard labour training you alone after your dad died payed off"

"I've heard that story enough mother"

"I told your mother I'll come myself to take Anneliese but you see she's very stubborn"

"Mommm, you know you have weak knees the journey will take a toll on your health"

"Okay but dinner will soon be ready, you're staying for dinner right?"

"No mom I need to get going I have unfinished business to settle"

"and what unfinished business is that?"

"you don't need to know mom,take care of Anneliese, all her things are in the bag and I'll also put some money in your account so you can enroll Anneliese in a good school"

"Charlotte we need to talk" she said and she took Anneliese to her room

"Mom whatever it is, we'll talk on the phone when I'm in the city you know it's a two day trip"

"no this is even more important than your so called unfinished business"

"you haven't told me why Anneliese has to go to school here?"

"is anything wrong with that mom?"

"it's just strange,I'm sure there's alot of good schools over there that you and Andrew are very well capable of sending Anneliese to"

"I and my husband decided this will be best for her, mom please try to understand"

"okay fine let's say she's enrolled, don't you think she should wait and be homeschooled until middle school?"

"Whatever decision you make will be best for her and we'll give you my full support, that's the best we can do to repay you for taking care of Anne."

"Come on now I'm not some stranger Anneliese is my grandchild and I'll be more than happy to have her around"

"I'm glad mom" she said and gave her mom a kiss on the cheek

"Very well run along now the streets are not safe at night"

"thanks mom"she got up to leave

"and Anneliese?won't you say goodbye to her?"

"she must be tired from the journey and if you check, I'm sure she's sleeping already"

"Okay make sure to bring that husband of yours the next time you come visiting"

"I'll try" she said in a depressing tone and Elizabeth sensed there was something more happening that she didn't know about

"Charlotte there's something you're not telling me"

"where did you get that from mom"she tries to put on a fake smile but she knew nothing could get past her mom

"I know my daughter, is Andrew giving you a hard time?"

at the thought of Andrew, Charlotte couldn't hold it back any longer and burst out in tears

"oh hunny come here " she pulled Charlotte into a hug

"so it's really about Andrew, now tell me, what has he done? ,infact I'll call him right now, how dare he make my daughter cry?"

"mom I've tired calling him since the past two days, he hasn't been picking my call"

"I'll call him myself he wouldn't dare ignore his mother-in-law"

she walked to the dinning room which was attached to the sitting and picked up her small mobile phone, dailed in his number...

"what is this? it's saying his phone is switched off?

I hope it's not what I'm thinking" she said walking back to take her sit

"What? what is it mom anything? something might not have happened to him right?, he's okay I'm sure, I'm sure of it" she tried to convince herself but her mother wasn't having it

"look her,you know I want the best for you, I knew ever since that boy started chasing you in your teenage days he was no good for you"

"Mom let's not bring up the past now, Andrew genuinely loved me you know right"

"It was a little unconvincing,he didn't even get to know you and before you knew it, he had already proposed but of course I was happy to see my daughter engaged"

"Mom now I remember all the ruckus you threw when he always came to our house to look for me " Charlotte's face lit up a lil as she talked to her mom

"Doesn't he have a house I would always think ,the boy was always here all the time and one day I had to find out his mother's number"

"but then Andrew lived with his uncle"

"exactly I felt bad that he had to grow up without parents so I sympathized with him a little.

"you sure it's just a little? come on mom I know you love Andrew for me deep in your heart, after all the gifts he would bring for you ,you never rejected anyone"

"Who doesn't like good things"this conversation had turned from a sad one and both mother and daughter were laughing and smiling

"But mom you would've rejected at least one"

"Charlotte leave me be,who doesn't like gifts?, I knew he genuinely loved my precious daughter here but I was hesitant in giving my blessings."

"I and Andrew would have run off and gotten married either way mother"

"oh I know even as a child you would never listen to me but you always knew what was good"

"you know your daughter is grown up, I mean look at us I and Andrew both have a stable job and there's Anneliese"

"you've gone back to teaching?,Charlotte,why didn't you inform me?"

"I had to, because of the baby mom, you know how many miscarriages I've had but now that I'm stable I have to work"

Charlotte had studied education in the university so naturally she got a teaching job at school but quit because her husband told her to focus on their child when she was finally pregnant

"oh yes but I still think you should take leave for a few more months"

"I've been off for a two year mom"

"oh yes I remember,hunny whatever problem it is with Andrew I hope it's settled, I know he may not look like it but he loves you alot"

"I know that very well mom,I'll be leaving now"

"Hm I know there's nothing I can say to convince you so before it's late I'll see you off"

"it's fine just stay, I can handle myself

thanks mom, for the talk it really helped."

"Anything for you my darling" she said pulling Charlotte close into a tight hug

"you're choking me mom "she said out of breath

"Oh I'm sorry, I'll miss my lovely daughter alot "she said smiling

"I'll still come around mom I'm not dying or anything"

"God forbid that happens who will bury me?"

"let's not talk about death now mom we'll both live long lives"

"Okay but rest assured call me when you get there"

"Okay mom bye now"

"Bye"

Charlotte had gone to where her car was packed got in and drove off just then Anneliese had come in to meet her grandmother.

*

*

*

Elizabeth had gone to see if Anneliese was sleeping, alot had happened, the talk with Charlotte had her worried,but what she saw was extremely shocking...

Blood Blood the red color was splattered everywhere on the floor almost as someone had been in the room with her

Anneliese!!! by this this time she was already on the floor Elizabeth felt a presence for a short while and it was gone

She rushed to get her phone panicking she pondered on who to call first, Anne's parents or an ambulance

the ambulance of what course what the hell am I thinking right now,no there's no time to wait before they get her, Anneliese would be long ago

and with this ,her weak knees she rushed her to a nearby clinic in the area

At the hospital, Anneliese was immediately rushed to a ward

Call the doctor hurry up now my grandchild is dying!! She's dying she was screaming at the nurses attending to critical patients in the same ward

Please ma'am it's best if you calm down this is a hospital

calm down?you're telling me to calm down?? I was left to take care of my granddaughter and look what happened when she just got here

The doctor is here! the nurse who had rushed in to call the doctor said

Oh thank goodness Elizabeth was having a breakdown and could faint anything soon

please calm now ma'am you're not in good shape

doctor please forget about me look at my Anneliese save her Elizabeth had never been a religious person but she prayed with both hands in the air for the first time as the doctor checked the vitals to see if Anneliese was still alive

I'm sorry Ma'am we lost here she has bleed alot there's nothing we can do for her now "the doctor said with a depressed look on his face

No No that's can't be doctor check again check

Lord if you're up there in heaven please hear my cry bring back my grandchild!! Tears rolled down the old womans cheeked as she called unto a God she never believed in

Just then

Grandma Elizabeth?The faint voice of Anneliese could be heard and the shock on everyone's face be seen

how is this possible she was not breathing just a moment ago and now

Hugging Anneliese tightly she thanked God for bringing back her grandchild

The doctors and nurses couldn't believe what they all saw

some thought it was some kind of witchcraft

Mrs Elizabeth please I would like to speak to you in my office the nurse's will attend to Anneliese see if she's stable,I've stitched up the cut so she should be okay now

thank you doctor oh thank you Elizabeth had calmed down now and the joy on her face could not be hidden

Ma'am you'll have to fill in this papers

what's your relationship with the patient?

she's my grandchild

And her parents?

her parents live in the city and they left me to take care of Anneliese

Mrs Elizabeth have you taken into consideration the fact that Anneliese is still quite young for her to be left alone with you?

I'm very well capable of taking care of her doctor

that doesn't seem to be the case,look at the state she was in she miraculously came back to life somehow

But doctor I don't know how it happened I left her for only a minute

well you've have to contact her parents she'll be in the hospital today,she'll be discharged tomorrow after we run some tests

tests? for what doctor?

it's nothing serious so there's no need to worry we just want to make sure she is really okay

Once again thank you doctor I'll take my leave now "she gets up to leave but remembers she doesn't know where she had kept her cellphone

at the ward! it's definitely there lying there somewhere

she was going back to get her phone when one of the nurse's approached her

ma'am are you looking for something

oh yes dear have you seen my cellphone

Ha yes you're the owner if you just walk down a little it's at the counter

Thank you very much

you're welcome ma'am

she walks down to where the nurse had told her to go to taking her phone she calls Charlotte

The phone rang for quite a while before she finally got an answer

Hello dear

Hello mom how are you

you're sounding very fiant dear is anything wrong

no no mom that's what I want to ask how's everything over there

honey promise me you won't panic

what is it mom you're making me nervous

it's Anneliese,I don't think I'll be able to take care of her anymore.