Reunited

The Library

(Alexa's POV)

A week or so later, while Anna was out for an interview or something for her new movie, I found myself entranced in her library. She had a surprisingly large collection of classics; some I'd already read like Oliver Twist and Wuthering Heights, and others like Peter Pan and The Wind and the Willows I was yet to read. Taking Peter Pan off the shelf, I sat down on a little armchair by the desk and got stuck into the first page. I must've been reading for at least over an hour before I doggy tagged the page and put it aside.

I wasn't sure what time Anna was supposed to be home but by the view of a setting sun out of the library window, I could tell it was getting late. I decided I'd go down and get dinner ready. Anna admitted to me that morning before she left she didn't feel up to a day of interviews, so I figured coming home to a meal already cooked would make her feel better. I was just about to leave the room when something on the desk caught my eye. It was a copy of Anna's book. I'd never gotten the chance to read that – what with the orphanage's collection of books written strictly in the past centuries and lack of money to buy it. Thoughts of dinner completely flew away as I returned to the armchair, book in hand. A smile stretched onto my face as soon as I finished the first page and didn't leave until I heard the front door open downstairs. Even just reading the first half of the book about what this woman went through to get to where she is now, the fact that I'm related to her amazing me even further. Keeping a mental note of which page I was up to, I closed the book, placed it back on her desk before going down to greet Anna.

She was in the kitchen, dropping her bag and containers of Chinese takeaway on the bench. Her sunglasses were still over eyes but that didn't hide the flustered look written across her face. Her expression changed completely once she saw me.

"I'm home." Her pinched lips turned into a smile. "And I brought dinner." She motioned to the containers. I smiled, glad that I hadn't made dinner after all.

"How was it?" From her previous look, I guessed I already knew the answer.

She sighed, "let's just say I'm glad to be home." She'd taken off her sunglasses now and hung them on a board with her numerous other pairs.

"Let's eat, shall we?" She sat down at the bench and opened the box closest to her; sweet and sour pork. Anna couldn't believe that I'd never had Chinese food before. We rarely went out at the orphanage and when we did, we usually only were allowed pizza or fish and chips. Definitely not allowed to go to expensive Chinese restaurants. Or any restaurants for that matter.

She ranted to me about her crappy day throughout the duration of the meal. How she got pampered up first thing to go from interviewer to interviewer answering the same questions all day. How the only good thing about the day was that she spent the majority of it with Rebel Wilson.

"Thank god they were just down the road. Sometimes they send me half way across the country." She sighed and scooped a large spoonful of rice into her mouth. "Anyway, how was your day? Get up to much? I know there's not a lot to do here."

I told her about spending most of the day in front of the TV, or outside with Spinee and then finally discovering her classics selection. Her eyes widened when I mentioned finding her book.

"Did you read any?" She asked, still chewing. I nodded. "Did you like it? Was it, like, okay? For a book? You seem like you read a lot, how would you judge it?"

I laughed as she rambled. "Anna, it was great. I loved it actually. You're a great writer."

"Pff," she waved her hand, "you're just saying that."

She then continued to ramble on about her lousy day until all of the containers were empty.