Holes in the fence

Reunited

Anne PoV: I was sitting in my garden playing with Pepper when I hear the back gate open.
"I don't wanna play with you Luke!" I grumble, getting to my feet.
"I'm not Luke silly" I gasp and turn around.
"Cathy!" I scream, running as fast as I can and hugging her. She giggles and hugs back as we jump up and down holding onto each other. I feel a gust pass by and we both look to see Kitty barrel into Anna who topples backwards with the unexpected weight of an 8 year old slamming into her. Me and Cathy start laughing and swap back our teddies.
"It's so good to see them reunited like that. I thought Cathy was gonna go nuts!" Catherine was over by the back door talking to my mom.
"Oh Anne was going crazy without Cathy. She was also less energetic which was probably the most terrifying part" I feel a little guilty when I hear that. Was me being sad really that scary for my mom? Anna comes over carrying Kitty who was completely attached to her.
"Hey guys. I'm guessing she missed me" Anna says and I nod, refusing to let go of Cathy.
"Hey girls! Let's get this party started" my mom says as she and Catherine come over to us.

***

Jane PoV: it was good to see Anne this happy again. And honestly? It had been pretty boring without Catherine and the girls. We'd been discussing the idea of camping and going to the lake with the girls. At least we would be responsible parents! We watch as the girls play some fantasy game and smile. It was honestly the cutest thing ever.
"I'm sensing a group Halloween costume being planned" Catherine whispers as she nudges next with her elbow.
"Oh definitely" I chuckle.

***

Anna PoV: plot twist time.
"But alas! The witch was too powerful and she dragged the knight to her lair where she'd make her into a monster too!" I say and the girls all gasp before Anne allows Kitty to drag her to the playhouse.
"The princess knew she had to save her knight. So she works up all her courage and defeats the monster" I say and Cathy tackles me to the ground. Tough kid.
"The witch, sensing that the princess would come, casts a spell on the knight to make her evil which can only be reversed by good magic!" I say and Anne steps out of the playhouse in a zombielike fashion. This is some good stuff!
"The princess however, had a secret. She was actually magical too! So she calls on the magic of...Pegasus and turns the knights heart of slime and goopy monster stuff back again!" I say and Cathy giggles, pretending to cast a spell.
"The knight was ever grateful and thanked the princess with a gift of her gratitude" the girls hug and I chuckle as they topple over and land on the ground giggling. Anne then hands Cathy a daisy she'd picked from the grass. Honestly you gotta work with what you have so it was cool. Hey. Maybe I could write a book of this for Cathy's birthday. A set of them. The princess and the knight. Or I could make it a novel and give it to her when she's older. I get up and walk through the gate and smile when the girls all hug me. Then Anne's grandparents arrive. They're pretty cool. Cathy was saying they let her wear whatever she wants when she visits them. They even get her cool clothes for her birthday. My mom got her an art set with an easel and some canvases. I got her paints and some paintbrushes and a paint palette. And Cathy got her green converse boots like her blue ones. Her mom got her a new bookshelf and Kitty got her some books for it. Anne thanks everyone and a few hours later, her grandparents have to leave.

***

Jane PoV: my little girl was 9 already. To think that this day 9 years ago I'd gone through two days of pain for this one and I wouldn't trade her for the world. I sit back and watch as she and the girls play a game of tag. Catherine had gone next door to make cookies and pack a bag for Cathy who was staying over. As I watch Anne duck away from being caught by Anna, all the memories come back.

"Keep pushing! I can see the head" this hurt more than anything. I groan and push as hard as I can. Where was that husband of mine?! I told him when my waters broke!
"One more push!" Suddenly there's the sound of a baby crying and I open my eyes to see the midwife holding my little one. They do all the necessary procedures and she's dressed in the little green matching onesie and hat I got her.
"It's a girl. Have you thought of a name?" She asks, putting her in my arms and I nod.
"Yeah. Anne. Anne Boleyn Seymour" I say, looking at my baby girl. She was absolutely beautiful. And had her eyes wide open. Sparkling green eyes. The door opens and I look up, expecting to see Charles. It was my parents instead. They sit with me for a while until finally Charles comes in.
"There's my baby! Oh honey she's beautiful just like you" he was drunk. I hold Anne more protectively and turn so that he can't get her. And that's how she spent the next three hours of her life. With her dad silently sitting beside me. And me holding her for dear life because I was scared his drunken self would end up hurting her.
"Jane? Are you okay?" Catherine was beside me. How long was she there?
"Yeah. I'm just remembering that beautiful day when Anne was born. He didn't get to hold her for a whole week. And when he did, he was too rough and made her cry. I hate that jerk" I say and Catherine nods.
"I get it. It was the same when Cathy was born. He dropped Anna off and then dipped. The nurses had to take her to go play while I gave birth" she says with a chuckle. "But it was one of the top five best days of my life. Those days in no particular order being Anna's birth, Cathy's birth, divorcing Arthur, moving here and then meeting you three"
"Funny. Our top five are the same! Kids births, divorce, meeting amazing friends. My fifth is probably the day that dick got arrested for the first time. He was awful" I say with a shudder and Catherine squeezes my shoulder. It was good being reunited with my best friend again. We could confide in each other with everything.