Not as they seem...

We meet again

That Saturday morning, Anna sat shovelling her cereal around her bowl while her father read the paper and drank his cup of coffee.

“Do I really have to go?” she whined,

He didn't look up. They'd had this discussion many times this week already.

“It's a family fun day Anna.”

“I'm sure its more for little kids,” she said, “I don't want to be the only older kid there. It'll be embarrassing.”

He sighed loudly and put his paper down. “We have been through this before Anna. It is not just for little kids. It is a family day. That means all ages and I know for a fact that there will older children there.”

She eyed him suspiciously, not really believing him, but knowing she was running out of excuses. He'd asked her weeks ago to get this day off work, which she'd done- before really knowing what it was for-so she couldn't use work as an excuse. She knew he always liked taking her to his work family days and she had to admit, they'd had some pretty cool days. Theyd been to close up encounters at the Zoo, had sole run of Luna Park, been to chocolate factories and on whale watching boats. She knew that he loved taking her to these days but she was starting to feel a bit too old to be toted about by her father.

“Come on,”he said encouragingly, a grin breaking out. "It's go-karting! I know you think you can beat me. Now you just have to prove it.”

It was a low blow, appealing to her competitive side, but it worked.

She pulled on her boyfriend jeans which hung low on her hips, then slid a fitted long sleeved T over her head. She pulled her hair up into a high pony, then thought better of it. She was going to have a wear a helmet, she thought, with a slight shiver of revulsion at the thought of having to put something on her head that had been on God knows how many other heads. She ditched the pony tail in favour of a low braid. She slid her phone in the back pocket and grabbed her jacket from the cupboard. She stood in front of the mirror and slicked a light link lip gloss over her lips. It was only go karting, but she could still look presentable. She was ready to go. “Well go karting!” she said with an air of resignation, “Please don't let this too mortifying.”

The car park was already pretty full when they arrived. Her fathers company always put on a good day, so it was usually pretty well attended. It was also looked upon favourably as a way to step up in the company. The company liked to preach family values and good work life balance and being able to show these things meant you were more likely to be seen as a good character. Having a good character might just give you that edge on the guy next to you. She now saw these days for what they really were-an unofficial way to kiss arse. She had been schlepped along to so many of these days now that she knew what was really going on. She never really understood why her father was just that bit edgy in the lead up to one. Her father was normally so level headed and calm, so it really stood out when he was moody. She used to wonder why, because all she knew back then was that there was going to be awesome fun and most likely some sort of face painting. Her mother used to poke fun at him, asking him who his boyfriend was this time or who she was going to have to sleep with. When he'd look at her stony faced, she'd toss her head back laughing and slap him on his chest. Even so, her mother knew he took family 'fun' day very seriously and did her part too. She always had something new and fresh to wear. She'd get her hair especially blow dried and spent a little bit longer on her make up than normal. Anna would normally get something new to wear too. Years ago, she looked forward to being able to pick out a new dress and shoes for the occasion.

All this seemed to have paid off for her father. He was now a senior partner and could actually enjoy these days now, so the lead up was much more relaxed-except the year Anna was going through her gothic phase and she tried to wear her tight faux leather studded pants, dark purple eye shadow and black lipstick. Her father wouldn't have a bar of it. Even though Anna cursed at him for stiffling her creative self expression. He turned her around and marched her back to her room with strict instructions not to emerge until her face was natural coloured and there was no shiny, synthetic materials in her clothing. She'd emerged in protest, dressed like a celebate librarian in a long plaid skirt and a pink twin set, her hair in plaited pig tails and her face scrubbed bare of make up. She'd really thought that he would make her change again, but it did have the effect she thought it would. So she'd had to endure a day at Luna park looking like a freak. She'd hated him for that, but then she'd hated a lot of things that year. That was the first one they had been to without her mother.

Now, she knew to toe the line and she didn't have any points to prove. Whilst a lot of the other teenage kids rarely went anymore, she still sort of enjoyed it. She'd even become the sort of make shift baby sitter. At first, little kids just started hanging around her. She didn't even really talk to them, they were just sort of attracted to her. Then she started to have fun mucking about with them. So now, she would actively take the little kids off their parents hands- leading them through playgrounds , mini rollar coaters or jumping castles. She'd line them up at face painters and fuss about how cute or scary they looked. She help them in the petting farm, sitting them down and putting bunnys or guinea pigs on their laps or standing by them as they worked up the courage to pat that goat. It was totally better than hanging next her dad all day and listening to work colleagues try and find some common ground outside of work.

As they arrived, she shot her father a stern look. There was a line of families making their way to the entrance of the go kart centre. All of them were wrangling toddlers and/or pushing strollers. He ignored her. “Looks like a good turn out today.” he said cheerfully, swinging the car into a vacant space.

She followed him into through the entrance. The families were still trying to navigate their way in through the child safe gates with their prams and nappy bags and other child related paraphenalia, but they all greeted her dad cheerfully and stood aside to let them go through. She smiled in thanks as they went through and she took in the massive warehouse spread out before her.

The go kart track obviously took up most of the space. There were a few people on the track already and she could smell the rubber tyres and the petrol they used. Before the track was a wide area set up with tables and chairs, where some families were already setting up base camp. To the left was a the kiosk where everything was fully paid for by the company and kids were already campaigning for lollypops and ice creams. On the far left, past the kiosk was a toddler play area, fully enclosed so they could be safely deposited in there with out fear of having them wonder near the go kart track. It seemed they also had some staff waiting there to look after all the babies and toddlers. On the far right looked like a games arcade for the older kids. She could see air hockey, skill testers and other arcade games. There were no older kids in there. She sighed to herself. She knew she should have asked Hannah to come. She would have loved a place like this.

She followed her father through the mingling crowds. Everyone turned to say HI to him and shake his hand. They would introduce their significant others and any kids they had. They all seemed overly cheerful and happy to see him. He would introduce Anna to them as well. They would smile too widely at her and ask her all those questions the adults like to ask kids, “How old are you?', “What grade are you in?”, “What school do you go too?” and her favourite, “What are your favourite subjects?”. Sometimes she would say home ec. or sewing, other times she would say Legal Studies and their faces would light up Oh, you want to take after your father do you? That's great!. She would smile back and say, yes, she would love to take after her father'. Her dad could always tell when she was having a lend of people and would give her a little nudge on the arm and move her on whilst trying not to laugh.

She could see the other senior partners in an area near the arcade. Some were much older and now brought their grandkids, others were in that stage after their kids become adults but are not yet procreating grandchildren for them. Her father slowly made his way towards that area, stopping to chat with everyone who turned to him- which was just about everyone. He had a great way of making everyone feel at home and it always amazed Anna that he could remember so many names. He would coo over their babies and ask their partners about what they were up too.

Eventually, they made their way to the other partners. Right away she saw a set of twins that were grandkids of Allan, who worked in the office opposite her fathers. She had entertained them at many work functions now, and they always loved her and never left her side. They were now 6 and their faces lit up when they saw her approach. “Anna's here, Anna's here!” they squealed excitedly.

Her father's attention was drawn beyond Allan, and he continued on, raising a hand in greeting.

“Doug!” he exclaimed, “So great you could make it.”

“Hey there...”Anna called to the twins as she felt her father take her arm and spin her in the direction that he was now talking. As she finished her sentence witha loud “Cuties!”, she came face to face the love of her life. The picture perfect Zander. Right there in front of her....larger than life....as she appeared to call him 'cutie'.

“Anna,” her father laughed, “This is Doug. He just joined us a couple of months ago.”

Anna had no hope of stopping the immediate blush that flushed over her. She was struggling to reply. She was trying to form a word, but her brain was not synapsing with her mouth. How did this happen? Everytime single time she saw Zander up close, it always astounded her and today was no different. It was almost like he was too good looking to be real and she wanted to reach out and poke his face or chest to make sure he wasn't just some computer generated image. Thankfully though, she didn't follow through on this impulse.