Annie's aunt said this in an accepting tone. "But call us when you get there." Annie smiled and nodded. "The line is moving dear," her husband warned. "We love you honey," her aunt said, hugging her tightly. "I love you guys too, " Annie said with a sniff, and handing her ticket to be punched by the lady at the podium.
Uncle Bud gave her a quick hug. "Don't forget to call us when you get there." He reminded Annie. "I won't," she promised, as a single tear trickled down her cheek. Annie waved at her family as she walked hurriedly after her fellow passengers down the long hallway to the plane. Her aunt and uncle waved back until she disappeared from sight.
Annie was hugging one side of the hall, so she wouldn't get run over by people who could walk a lot faster than she could. The bustling crowd was made up of businessman and women carrying brief cases, and a few families with young children, and other people, some in flowered shirts, that Annie thought must be going on vacation to some exotic places.
Suddenly, someone bumped into Annie; someone who was also hugging Annie's wall. "Oh, so sorry," the young girl said, in a small embarrassed voice. She looked to be about Annie's age, with sandy blond hair and amber colored eyes.
"That's okay," Annie said with a smile. The girl smiled back and moved up a few steps until she was walking beside Annie. "Hi. I'm Beth Ann Crosswell." My aunt's name is Anne." Annie said cheerfully; happy to have someone her own age to talk with. "My name is Annie Adams, she said, just as the two girls reached the door to the plane.
The stewardess smiled at them and examined their tickets to see where their seats were located and escorted them down the isle. Annie felt brave enough to ask, "Can we sit together?" Now that she had found Beth, or Beth had found her, she didn't want to let her go. The stewardess smiled and said, "Well, you're in luck, your seats are right next to each other.
Both girls grinned widely at her. But Annie knew that luck had nothing to do with it. Annie had said a prayer that God would give her someone nice to sit with. As Annie and Beth were shown to their seats, Annie looked up to the roof of the plane, as if she were looking through it straight to heaven, and mouthed the words, "Thank you God."
When Annie and Beth were seated comfortably in their seats, they continued their conversation, as if it hadn't been interrupted. "Where are you going?" Beth asked her. "Ridgemont; a private girl's school in Connecticut." Annie said. Beth stared at her with wide eyes. "I'm going there too!" She said excitedly.
Both girls squealed with happiness. Annie and Beth spent the entire trip in constant conversation. "I grew up in Bridgeport Connecticut. I was visiting my grandparents in Hendersonville." Beth said, with a smile. "I've never been out of Kentucky. So, this is an adventure for me." Annie said with a smile back at her.
Annie did consider it an adventure now, after meeting Beth. All the fears and anger of the months past had suddenly gone away, now that she already had a friend at Ridgemont.
There was a car waiting for them when they landed at Waterbury Connecticut airport. A plump woman stood in front of the vehicle holding a large sign saying, "Ridgemont Students!" While walking to the car, Annie gazed around at the skyscrapers in the distance, and the super highways leading into the city it's self. She was in awe of all it.
"Hello girls!...." The plump woman said, when they reached her. ...."I'm Ruth Sarber. I'm normally the cook at Ridgemont, but also on these occasions, the chauffer. "Annie Adams Ma'am," Annie said, feeling very grownup. ...."And this is Beth Ann Crosswell." She ended. "Just Beth." She said smiling.
"Pleased to meet you both." Mrs. Sarber said. "You too." The girls chimed, and then giggled. "Looks like you two are friends already." She said, with a grin at them. The girls looked at each other and giggled again.
The school was a forty five minute drive from the airport. The school was in a remote area, the nearest house five miles away. The girls and Mrs. Sarber chatted easily on the drive to Ridgemont; Mrs. Sarber asking them questions about their families, previous schools and the like. The conversation made the miles fly by and Annie was surprised when Mrs. Sarber pulled into a long u-shaped drive that led to the school.
Annie suddenly remembered she was supposed to call home. She pulled her cell out of her bag pack and punched a key. Beth noticed what her friend was doing, gave a small gasp, and dug her cell out of her jeans. Both conversations were short. The girls told their families they had arrived safely.
Phone calls done, the girls looked around at the tall pine trees lining the driveway. Fall flowers were in bloom in flower beds in between them. Behind the trees, heavily wooded areas seemed to go on forever. Some of the trees had already began to change into their fall colors, of red, orange and gold.
Annie and Beth oohed and aahed at their surroundings, and Mrs. Sarber chuckled at their enthusiasm. They finally arrived at Ridgemont. The girls gasped at the spreading four story, red brick building, with it's two towering columns on either side of huge deep red double doors.
Directly to the left of the building and fifty yards away set a tennis court, which the girls could see, and behind it set a croquet field and a volley ball court, which the girls would see in time. On the right side of the school, and across a wooden bridge, over the narrow river sat the boys school, Annie's uncle Bud had told her about.
Mrs. Sarber pulled up to the front doors and stopped. "Here we are!" She announced, getting out and opening the back door for the girls. Both of the girl's mouths were gaping, and Mrs. Sarber chuckled again. Annie looked around at the empty grounds. "Are we the first ones here?" She asked. "No. But you two are one of the first. There are a few girls inside."
It seemed strange to Annie that they weren't outside on such a beautifully warm day. She knew she would be. "The rest of the students will be arriving today and through Monday. Everyone has to be here by Monday morning at ten o'clock. Come on in, and we'll get you two introduced to Miss Leighton, our head mistress, and then I'll show you to your dorms." Mrs. Sarber said cheerfully.
Annie and Beth followed her inside. Annie's stomach was feeling a bit queasy. But she knew, not as much as it would have if Beth hadn't been walking by her side. The double doors opened into a grand foyer. Miss Leighton's office was immediately to the left of it. Shinny oak staircases stood straight ahead, running up a wall to the left and right.
A tall archway was situated under the mammoth staircase; when looking through it, one saw a view of a ceiling to floor window, with a hallway running in front of it. A long hallway ran left and right before the staircase. All the doors and windows that the girls could see were trimmed in the same shinny oak as the staircase.
Annie gave out a "Wowed" whisper at the beauty of it. Beth was seemingly to awestruck for words, her mouth still agape. "We'll meet our headmistress and then I'll give you a tour, Mrs. Sarber said, approaching the office door. Annie smiled, thinking of how much her attitude had changed about coming to Ridgemont. She was suddenly so glad to be there.
(I'll published the rest of this chapter later today. Thanks for reading.)
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Book 1-Annie Adams and the Mystery Club Detectives
Mystery / ThrillerAnnie Adams was orphaned at two years old. Her mother's last wish was that Annie be placed in the care of her mother's sister and her husband. Annie was very happy with them on their farm in Hopskinville Tennessee. But at age thirteen Annie learn...
