When dinner is ready they all sit down and bless the food. “You know we're a band of misfits,” Chris says. Everyone looks around at knee another “ hmm I guess we are,” Anika says. “So I've come up with some names for our squad,” Chris says with a giddy smile. “How’d I know,” Anderson says. “ I was thinking AC/DA you know to not get sued, the Odd Squad, Freaks and Geeks,” he says. “ You do know you're naming things that already exist right,” Debbie asks. “ Yes I get that. But what about Saved part 2,” he exclaims happily. “Minus the gay dude getting that girl pregnant,” he adds. Everyone stares at him confused. “ Wait. Don't tell me none of you have ever seen Saved! It's such a good movie! Matter of fact were gonna watch it tonight. Get ready to be blessed,” he says.
After cleaning up the kitchen the four go into the living room and pile on the couch. Chris pulls out a DVD copy of Saved! Chris had put a copy in Anderson's apartment just in case. “ Chris!,” Anderson exclaims. “ I maybe slightly obsessed with it don't judge me!” Chris says. Debbie and Anika giggle “ Chris I just want you to know I am inspired by your commitment to this movie,” Debbie says. The movie gets started and everyone is hooked (if you’ve seen the movie you know why).
In the middle of the movie Anika phone lights up. She turns to look who it is and it’s Emmy. She quickly picks up the phone. She greets Emmy happy to see her call but Emmy sounds distressed. As soon as Anika hears Emmy she gets worried. Emmy explains on the other end that her parents are passed out in the living room with their friends, the house is a mess, and no one will listen to her. She asks Anika desperately for her help. Anika gets up from the couch and goes to the bedroom. She shuts the door and tells Emmy to gather her siblings and put her on speaker phone. Emmy gets everyone into her bedroom. Everyone is very happy to hear Anika and they start in a whirlwind of words. Anika gets them to quiet down and explains what they are going to do. She puts Zephaniah and Emmy in charge she tells them they need to clean the house top to bottom and make sure everything looks as clean as possible and tells the others to listen to them. After she puts the two oldest in charge she gives Dan unpacking duties and assigns the two youngest girls Marcy and Jada to help him put everything away. She tells Reese to make sure the bedrooms are clean and to make sure the bathrooms are clean. She tells them to be quick and quite. She inscruts them after they finish cleaning they could get a snack and go to bed. Marcy and Jada volunteer to get the snacks and put them on everyone’s beds. After everyone gets their assignments they talk to Anika for a few more minutes. Anika knows it’s dangerous to talk to them anymore so she tells them goodbye. “ I have to go now okay,” she says with tears in her voice. “But I want y’all to do everything I told y’all to do without fighting. Remember quick quite like mice,” she says and they all laugh. “I love every single one of you to the milky way and back,” she says a tear escaping her eye, “don’t ever forget that,” she tells them. “We love you to,” they say. “Bye,bye” Anika says and the call ends. She wipes her eyes and goes back to finish the movie hoping she hadn’t been missed.
When she gets back into the living room she finds everyone staring at her. “What’s going on?,” Anderson asks. Anika walks to a chair sits down. “Emmy called me,” she takes a pause, “She said our parents were passed out with some friends in the living room and she needed my help to get everybody in order because they weren’t listening to her,” she says. “I’m sorry to be that person. But, who’s Emmy,” Chris asks. “Her sister,” Anderson says seriously. “So what happened,” Debbie asks Anika. “I told them what I needed them to do, but they had to be quick and quiet like mice,” she says with a little smile. “I just wish I could be there with them or they could be here with me,” she says looking into the distance. “ I can take them in two years because I’ll be 18 but that just seems so far away,” she says. Tears spill out of her eyes. They sit in solemn silence for a little bit wishing they could do something that would change the situation. Debbie finally breaks the silence “ We’re gonna go now. Stay strong Ani. And call me,” Debbie says walking towards the door. “It’s gotta get better from here A,” Chris says reassuringly.
Debbie and Chris leave. Anika and Anderson look at each other having a conversation that they could only understand. They stay sitting in the living room staring into the darkness.
Chapter 8 Finally A Normal Day It’s been nearly three weeks since Emmy called and Anika hoped they were doing okay. They had had a few sessions with Pastor Mark and his wife and they were learning a lot of helpful things. Anika has finally started classes at the community college and is taking on a big course load so that she can graduate earlier. Work is becoming tiresome for the both of them, but they still find time to be with each other and to hang with Debbie and Chris (who seem to be getting closer on their own). Everything has been okay lately. But, we all known okay rarely lasts long.
It’s Saturday! This particular Saturday Anika and Anderson decide to deep clean the apartment. So they get up early and start cleaning. After an hour of cleaning they decide to take a breakfast break so they go in the kitchen and eat. They agree that after they finish cleaning they’ll go to IKEA with Chris and Debbie to pick out furniture for the baby so they can start building and painting on Sunday. After breakfast they go back to cleaning this time turning some music on to help them work faster. Anika finishes cleaning and goes to help Anderson. She walks to where he’s cleaning and finds him singing and wiping the mirror. She leans on the door frame and listens to his voice fill up the tiny space. Once he finishes he notices Anika staring at him. “What,” he asks taking a step towards her. “ I was just listening to you sing and thinking how lucky I am to have such a wonderful guy in my life,” she says looking at him. “Oh?” he says with a smile on his face. Anika turns to leave, Anderson grabs her hand and pulls her close to him. She looks up at him and kisses him. He pulls her closer and they meet each other on a level they have never met before.
I know you’re freaking out! I am too! Did you fall off your bed? Did you scream? Because I did. Let’s just take a moment to regroup. This is too much happiness for me! Anyway I thought we’d take a moment to just freakout together, so sit back get your tea and keep reading.
Debbie and Chris are at IKEA shopping around for baby stuff. “So are we trying to get pink or are we going with another color?,” Chris asks. Debbie stops looking through a pile of stuffed animals “ I was thinking lavender and turquoise,” she says. “That’d be cute,” he says. “I know! I’ve been thinking about names and I’m thinking Ani and Andy,” Debbie says. “Yeah Andy and Ani those would be, wait,” Chris turns to look at her. “ YOU SAID AND! Debbie are you having two babies,” Chris exclaims loud enough for the whole section to hear. Debbie smiles and tries to calm him down (which doesn’t work). “Yeah! The doctor just told me yesterday,” she says smiling from ear to ear. “How did she miss that” Chris asks. “I don’t even know,” she says. Chris gives her a big hug. Anika and Anderson finally spot Debbie and Chris. They see Debbie and Chris hugging and wonder what’s going on. When they ask what’s going on Chris happily tells them Debbie is having twins. Anika and Anderson look to Debbie to see if it’s for really and she nods. The three envelope her in a huge hug. “I didn’t expect to be shopping for two babies today! Have you told anyone else,” Anika asks. “Yeah I went to tell David,” she says with a sad smile. “But I finally went to go talk to his parents. They were happy to see me,’ I told them about the twins and they freaked out. It was the best. But they didn’t beat Chris’ reaction,” She says. After everyone settles down the shopping trip begins. They get cribs, a rocking chair, stuffed animals, wall decals, baby swings, high chairs, car seats, a larger than life diaper bag, and other stuff. Chris, Anderson and Anika decide to help pay for the babies stuff as a gift to Debbie since she isn’t having a baby shower. Debbie cries and hugs her friends she’s so grateful to have people like them in her life.
On Sunday the whole gang goes to Debbie’s church. They enjoy the atmosphere
and the judgement free zone. After church they head over to Debbie’s house to start setting up the babies room. Debbie’s parents gave her pity cash instead of allowing her her entire trust so she bought a house with a good chunk of the money she was given. She wanted some type of stability for herself and her children so she sacrificed other expenses for the house.But, she'll make it work . Who knows the bridal shop job may turn into a bigger position or better she may start her own event planning company.
After they eat lunch they start painting the room. Anika and Debbie start building furniture while the guys paint. They talk separately about everything that happened pre-IKEA on Saturday. Saturday is the topic of discussion the whole time. After the room is painted Anderson and Anika agree to come back tomorrow to help set up the room and they leave. Chris and Debbie talk a little while longer and Chris falls asleep on the couch.
Chris and Debbie have been living together for a couple of months now. Don’t turn your nose up because it is completely platonic. Haters gonna say it’s fake, but Debbie hated coming home to emptiness and Chris had been complaining about his roommate so she invited him to stay which he happily agreed to. The arrangement has worked out pretty well they have found each other to be nice company, something everyone needs.
Chapter 9
One in One Out BUZZZ! Anika phone vibrates on the nightstand she picks up her phone. “Come to the hospital now!” he says. Anika jumps out of bed shakes Anderson awake and tells him they have to get to the hospital in record time they are out on their apartment on the way to the hospital. Chris gives his phone to Debbie so Anika can talk to her to keep her mind off the pain. Anika jumps out of out of the car before Anderson completely stops and runs into the hospital. She finds Chris and he takes her to Debbie’s room. Anika gets their just in time.
After awhile the twins are born. Debbie is over the moon as she holds Andy and Annie. The smile on her face is heart melting. After hours of cooing and looking at the babies Anika, Anderson, and Chris for back to Debbie's house to finish setting up the babies’ room. They finish around 3:00 in the afternoon and go back to the hospital.
When they get to the hospital they find Debbie asleep and David's parents looking at the babies. Anderson invites David's parents to eat lunch with them in the cafeteria. They discover their names are Ron and Danielle. And that they have two other sons. They spend time getting to know David’s parents and learn about David and Debbie’s relationship. After they finish talking they start to head back to Debbie’s room. While on their way a two police officers who have been looking at her weird stop her. “Are you Anika Wilson?” A woman in her mid-thirties with a kind voice asks Anika. “Yes,” Anika answers tentatively. “ Is there a problem?” Anderson asks. The two police officers look at each other. “I’m sorry to tell you this.” the second police officer says in a low sympathetic voice. “Anika your family has been in a fatal car accident,” she says.
It feels as if the rug has been pulled from up under her and she’s free falling in outer space. She tries to understand what’s going on. She asks the officer how repeat what he had just said. He did and she asked him to repeat it again and again in hopes one of the time’s he’ll say something different. But, he never does. “Anika. We’re going to need you to come identify the bodies,” the kind officer says. “Okay,” Anika replies in a whisper. They walk to a room with a thick glass wall separating them from the actual room and the hallway. It looks like an interrogation room off of T.V. The officer with the low voice taps the wall two times and the screen that was over the door starts to go up. Anika sees her once living family laying lifeless on the tables. Her eyes widen in horror and sadness. “Is this your family Anika?” the officer with the low voice asks her. “Yes,” she replies her voice trembling. The kind police officer steps towards Anika and touches her shoulder in a reassuring way. “You’re going to have to go in and individually identify most of them. I know it’s hard but you have to do this,” she says. Anika nods but she can barely comprehend what the officer is saying. She just stares at her family. The kind officer opens the door and Anika walks in her hand locked in Anderson’s. The police officer with the low voice stops him. “Family only. You’re going to have to wait outside.” Anika stops and turns to him “He’s my husband it’s fine.”
For the next two hours Anika identifies her family and fills out paperwork releasing them into her custody. She never lets Anderson’s hand go because she knows if she does she’s going to fall apart. He’s her last piece of sanity and she can’t lose him. Anika is given the option to have the bodies sent to a funeral home to be be cremated or to start the funeral arrangements. She tells them she wants the bodies cremated at the in funeral home. After the hours of decision making Anika is tired so they go home.
When they get home Anika goes to their room and sits on the bed. Anderson goes to cook dinner incase she’s hungry. While he’s cooking hears a scream of agony come out of their room. He drops what he is doing and runs to see what’s going on. He finds Anika on the floor shaking violently and rocking back and forth, tears pouring out of her eyes. He walks calmly to where Anika is and sits down next to her. He wraps his body around her and pulls her close to him. She stops shaking and melts into his arms in a mess of tears. “They’re gone,” she gets out between shaky breaths between her tears. Anderson doesn’t say anything he just holds her and prays that she’ll be okay. After awhile Anika stops shaking and crying she lies still in his arms. He can still feel her chest rattling with sadness in every breath she takes. He picks her up off the floor and puts her into their bed. He goes to clean the kitchen and hurries back to their room to make sure Anika is alright. He gets in bed and tries to go to sleep but everytime he tries he just worries about Anika. Finally he stops trying to sleep and just watches Anika. She wrestles and moans in her sleep as nightmares flood her. Anderson can’t help her and his heartbreaks because he can’t save her from this pain.
The next day is colored in sadness. Anika stays in bed all day with the covers pulled over her head not talking. She doesn’t eat and she refuses to go back to sleep. She just lies in her bed staring at the bleak gray wall on her left side. The wall seems to be the only one to understand her sadness. All her fight, energy, and ambition feels like it has been ripped out of her and in their places is sadness. While Anika’s in bed Anderson deals with the funeral home. Anika had told Anderson that she wanted to sprinkle her family into the waterfall at Lindy Park, three hours away from Williamson Bay County. He spends the day making arrangements for the trip and calling the funeral home to see when her family would be ready. Anderson makes all the arrangements he can and goes to check on Anika. He finds her lying in bed still staring at the wall. He climbs into the bed and stares at Anika. And she stares back at him. “ I wonder where they were going that was so important they had to drive 30 over the speed limit.” Anika says angrily. “ I should’ve been there with them. I could have saved them. Or at least I would have been able to be with them when they died,” she says. “Anika, there was nothing you could have done for them. You being there is not a guarantee that you could have saved them,” Anderson says. “I could’ve stayed home with them, so they wouldn’t be in the car with my parents. I could’ve driven.” Anika says. “Could you have done those things, yes. But that doesn’t mean the outcome would be any different then it is right now. Anika, you can’t blame yourself for this because you didn’t do anything.” Anderson says. “That’s the problem. I didn’t do anything,” Anika says frustrated. “Anika. You and I both know that you could not have done anything. You weren’t allowed to see them. And you did do something. You were the best big sister those kids could have ever asked for. And you gave them happy memories and love. And that is the best thing you could have ever done.” Anderson says. Anika soaks his words in and tries to make herself believe they’re true.
Chapter 10
When Tragedy Strikes
It seems one hit after another is coming to Anderson and Anika. A few days a
fter Anika and Anderson lay Anika’s family to rest Anderson gets a call from his mom. On the day Anderson got the call from his mother he was worried because she was calling at an odd time. When he picked up the phone he didn’t recognize his mother’s voice. She had this sadness that he had never heard in his life from her. She told him his uncle had been in surgery and experienced some complications that had left him brain dead. The phone nearly fell out of his hands when he heard the news. His uncle was like a second dad to him. Anderson credited his uncle for the person he is now. His mother told him they would be taking him off of life support in a few days and the funeral would be a day after.
Anika had been at work when he got the news, he didn’t want to bother her because she already had her grief to deal with so he tried to stuff his emotions down. When Anika got home from work she found Anderson sitting at the table with his Bible open and staring straight ahead. “Hey babe. You okay?” She asked. Anderson tried his hardest to put on a brave face but Anika knew something was wrong. “My uncle is dead.” When Anika heard the news she closed her eyes. She couldn’t believe someone else had died this soon. Anika sat down at the table and held his hand. She didn’t bother him with questions because she knew those only made it worse. For a long time they didn’t say anything to each other. “ I have to leave on Friday because they’re unplugging him on Saturday.And the funeral’s on Monday so I probably won’t be home until Wednesday.” Anderson says. “I’m finished with my classes and I have some off time I’ve been saving so that’s fine.” Anika says. “ You don’t have to come Anika,” he says. Anika looks at him and grabs his hands. “I’m coming. If you need me I’ll be a shoulder to cry on. And if you don’t then that’s fine to. But, we’re a team and we don’t leave each other alone in tough situations Andy.” Anika says firmly to him.
Finding Him Page 5