Memories in Jars

Chapter 16

Author's Note: Get ready.  Get set.  For a chapter you have been eagerly awaiting in terms of content.  I know I'm giving away spoilers, but I just cannot help it. :D This is one of my absolute favorite chapters for BOTH Annabelle and Leigh.  I hope you enjoy!

Please vote and comment! Follow me! Send me a private message! Anything! 

Motivation for this chapter goes to: The Birth of Venus by Sarah Dunant, lemon bars, hot yoga, The Life and Times by Jewels5 on fanfiction.net, Gilmore Girls (The ending of season 4.  Comment if you know what I mean.  :O), the fabulous (FREE!) podcast "When the Kids Go to Sleep" on iTunes, the Point Judith Lighthouse in Rhode Island, tapas, rainy days, U2, mint chocolate chip brownies, Melissa & Joey (the show on ABC family---comment if you watch it/have watched it because I've never talked to another person who has), Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follet, Breakfast at Tiffany's, which, yes, I did watch for the second time this winter break (no shame), cute puppies, and true amour.

I'll be done now.  I guess this was another one of those especially thankful weeks.

This chapter is dedicated to holdingontomemories, who writes one of my favorite stories on Wattpad: "Confessions of a Teenage Caffeine Addict".  Check it out!

Now then.  For the chapter.  Thank you for you patience.

xoxo

Kay (dreamer44)

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----- Annabelle -----

            Today was the day.

            The minute I woke up, a virtual drumroll sounded in my head.  Today.  Monday.  The day I had been both dreading and looking forward to had come.  Maggie was coming home.  Today.

            My nervous energy was overwhelming me to the largest possible degree.  Left without a purpose until two o’clock, when Maggie had told me to come over, I was stuck finding busy work for myself for another whole two hours.  So far I had brushed my teeth three times, organized my desk and jewelry, painted my toenails, and vacuumed the entire downstairs of my house.  Finally, I accepted that I would never get the circumstances with Maggie and Tim—the Situation, as I had named it—out of my head.  I plopped myself down on the couch with mindless TV as background noise and just sat there and dwelled.

            When ten-to-two rolled around, I got in the car and drove; ten minutes later I pulled in Maggie’s driveway.

            She met me outside of my car, running up to greet me.  “Belle!” She screamed, launching herself onto me in a giant hug.  “I’ve missed you so much.”

            I squeezed her tightly.  Even though I was stressed about the whole Situation, I realized that a part of me had been missing—and that it had now returned with Maggie and her suitcase.  “Me too, Mags.”

            We pulled apart and I took a good look at her.  Her brown hair had light streaks in it from the sun, and she was sporting a major bathing suit tan.  But she was my Maggie, and that made me happy—happier than I had been in days.

            “So,” Maggie began as she walked towards the garage, her arm around my waist.  “I texted Rachel this morning when I got home, and she said that she was having a bunch of people over this afternoon—you know, to go swimming, since she lives on the pond in town, with a little day-drinking thrown in there as a last hurrah of summer.  Then, she told me that Will Redford from our History class thinks you’re hot, and that he’s going to be there.  So,” she pushed me into the passenger seat of her car, “let’s go.”