Stay (Wild Creek Ranch Series Book 6)

Chapter Twenty-Four

It was 4 o’clock in the morning when granny woke her up. They had an early morning flight to Las Vegas and had to reach Great Falls Airport immediately. The car was waiting for them and Anastasia hugged her grandparents for the final time. Helpless tears rolled down her eyes while her mom hurried her sitting inside the car. 

“I’ll come to meet you whenever I can, granny, grandpa. Till then you can always call me,” she said. Granny wiped her eyes and held her tightly to her bosom. 

“Don’t worry, dear, we’ll call you everyday,” said granny. Anastasia’s eyes looked longing down the road that led to Wildcreek ranch. She wanted to go and meet Ryder for the last time. 

“Hurry up, will you? The flight won’t wait for you,” barked her mom angrily. Anastasia sighed and trudged back to the car. Their luggage had already been loaded and she looked at her dejected grandparents as the car drive away. The whole drive to Great Falls, her mom spoke to Madame Slovene on the phone. Anastasia turned a deaf ear to their conversation, her heart was breaking as she took her fill of the sights and sounds of Fordsville flitting by her window. It was the last time that she would see them, as she had no idea what her mom and her mentor had planned for her. Ever since she saw her mom last night, a strange sense of defiance welled up inside her. She realized how much she hated Bianca Farrell. They hardly spoke a kind word to one another and Anastasia compared her to Renée’s family all the time. If only she had run away to Ryder last night! Switching on her phone, she typed a message to Ryder. 

Mom came last night to take me away forever, Ryder. I wanted to see you for the last time – Your Annie

Tears welled up in her eyes and the screen blurred before her. She had signed of as ‘Your Annie’ on purpose, wanting Ryder to know that she loved him too. Wanting him to know that she was his for life. 

“Stop over reacting Anastasia. We here are trying to improve your life while you are just stuck here like a country bumpkin, just like your dad,” said her mom, with an eye roll. Anastasia wiped her eyes and looked away. Her entire body seethed with anger at her rude words. She hated her more with every passing minute. Seeing her lack of response her mom muttered for sometime and finally got busy, talking on the phone with her best friend. They reached Great Falls and unloaded their luggage. The next few hours went by quickly and finally they reached Las Vegas. Thankfully they had separate seats on the flight and Anastasia could close her eyes and think of Ryder and her grandparents. 

Her dad, David Farrell picked them up from the airport. He smiled down at her when her mom wasn’t looking. “How have you been, Ana?” he asked. He was a man of few words and hardly stayed at home. He was an architect at a renowned company and his work entailed a lot of traveling to client locations. The little time he stayed, he hardly spoke to her in front of his wife. She knew that her dad liked her but he had no say in front of his wife and mentor. He was just a spineless puppet in front of his wife and her mentor. They dictated his life and he didn’t have the courage to protest. 

“Fine, dad. How are you?” she asked softly. Her mom strode towards then, disconnecting the call she was attending to. 

“Enough of your chit-chat. David, drop me at my boutique. I don’t have to stand and waste. This stupid girl has already wasted a lot of my time,” said her mom, glaring at her as she climbed into the car. Her dad gave her a sad smile, gesturing her to climb in as well. Anastasia sat at the back seat while her dad drive them home. 

“Did Anson come home while I was away?” her mom asked her dad. David Farrell shook his head slowly. Anastasia knew the usual scene at home. Anson, her foster brother was a rebel and hated staying at home. Even at twenty-four, he didn’t do anything for a living, making his parents disappointed in him. With a degree in hotel management, he could have easily found a well-paying job but he was still indecisive and spent most of his time with his wild circle of friends. Since her mom’s dictatorship never works on him, she tries her best to control Anastasia and her husband to her heart’s content. 

“What will I do with this boy!” exclaimed her mom with disappointment. Anastasia knew what would spew out of her mouth now and true to her prediction, after a minute, her mom turned to look at her. 

“Be ready in the evening, Madame Slovene is joining us for dinner. She wants to talk to you,” she told her. Anastasia nodded.

“Yes, mom,” she said quietly.

“Good girl, don’t let me down,” she said, breathing a sigh of relief. “I’ll send a beautiful dress for you from the boutique. Wear it for tonight,” she added. 

“Okay,” said Anastasia. Her mom surprisingly smiled for the first time in the last fifteen hours. 

“I have asked chef Delaney and his team to oversee the food. They should be arriving in the afternoon. Will you be there at home, David?” she asked her husband.

“Yes, I’ve taken the day off as you had asked me to,” said Anastasia’s dad, his face devoid of emotions. He hated these dinners with Vida Slovene but what else could he do? 

“Good, good, I’ll return early. Please call Anson and ask him to be present for dinner tonight at least,” said her mom. Her dad nodded stopping the car right in front of her mom’s boutique, Seasonal Hues. It spanned the entire ground floor of a huge commercial tower located at a strategic corner and was immensely popular as the perfect place to get a lot of varieties for the entire family. There were sections for children’s apparels, menswear as well as maternity wear along with women’s clothing. With her factory located nearby, her mom was a busy woman, shuttling between them everyday. Her love for fashion designing could be seen in her designs, yet her mentor, Madame Slovene refused to acknowledge her talent because of her marital status. 

Her dad smiled at Anastasia once her mom had gone inside her shop. “C’mon in front,” he said. Anastasia got out of the car and sat down in the passenger seat with her dad. “Would you like some ice cream?” he asked. Anastasia grinned at her dad. 

“Yes please,” she said softly. Her dad drove them to an ice cream parlor and parked the car. He led her inside and then sat down at an empty table. Anastasia was surprised to see her dad so relaxed. She had never seen him this way. He always had to run around, catering to clients all over the world on behalf of his company. They placed their order and  roughly their treats back to the table from the counter. Anastasia had opted for a chocolate, strawberry and butterscotch sundae while her dad just ordered a plain vanilla cup. 

“So, what did you do in Fordsville for so many days?” asked her dad. Anastasia noted the sad note in his tone. 

“I enjoyed with granny and grandpa. We handled the bakery together. I attended my best friend Renée’s birthday. She lives at Wildcreek Ranch. Do you know of it, dad?” asked Anastasia hopefully. Her dad’s eyes sparkled with interest. 

“Your best friend lives at Wildcreek? Is she Keith’s daughter? Keith Wilson was my childhood friend,” said her dad.

“No, she’s uncle Kendrick’s daughter. You know them?” asked Anastasia looking surprised. Her dad smiled at her question. 

“Of course I know them. I spent twenty-two years of my life at Fordsville and at Wildcreek with them. They were the best days of my life,” said her dad, remembering his childhood. 

“Then why don’t you visit granny and grandpa, dad? They’re so heartbroken and lonely. They miss you so much,” said Anastasia. Her dad nodded.

“I want your mom to willingly let me go. I don’t want to create any more problems in her life than she is already facing. I want her to be at peace. I want her to be released from the debt that she has on her shoulders. It’s killing her!” said her dad. 

“How do you love her so much, dad? She doesn’t love any of us,” pointed out Anastasia.

“Yes, she does. She wasn’t always like this. When we had met she was completely different, just like you are now. Life has been unkind to her. Her current state is because of the pressure Madame Slovene puts upon her. I want you to work very hard and live up to her expectations, Ana. But remember one thing. Do not change yourself or your principles for anyone. Stand up for what you believe is true. Stand up for yourself. We have adopted you out of our own free will. You haven’t forced us to adopt you. So it is our duty to give you a good life, to look after you. You aren’t indebted to us in any way. Remember this always and don’t let anyone crush the free spirit inside you,” said her dad. Anastasia nodded. 

“Why don’t you also follow that last bit, dad?” she asked. 

“I’m a coward but I want you to be brave, to be a fighter, to never give up,” said her dad.