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Once Michael had basically confirmed that Anna truly was Sally, things took a better turn. Anna was more confident with her new/old identity. She no longer snapped, wonder and argue whether or not she was Sallyanna Elizabeth Gray. But though she felt better about herself, she still had hard time confiding to Polly or call her mother.
Anna was no fool and knew Polly wanted her to call her that. She understood it but just couldn't bring herself to do it. Anna has never called anyone mother โ not to her recollection anyways. She has tried a few times when calling for Polly to see if she could call her mother or mum, but so far she's been unsuccessful.
"What are you doing here?"
Like a lightning, Anna jumped up from her chair and turned towards Isiah's familiar voice.
She hasn't seen him since he barged in that one day when Michael had just realized Anna was actually his sister.
"Polly's here," explained Anna. "She had some work to do."
"And you came here with her?" Asked Isiah, his brows furrow together.
"Well obviously," said Anna, her arms crossed over her chest.
Isiah smirked. He thought it was quite magnificent that when he had first met Anna, she was such a polite and well-behaved young woman. She was those things still but that little spark of Gray in her was pushing through the barriers of her forgotten past.
"Then it's good to see you. You are doing alright?"
Anna shrugged. "Yes, I'm doing fine."
She was doing fine though the sense of missing London and Imogen has grown significantly over the past week despite being more confident as Sallyanna Gray. She calls Imogen every other day to inform her that she was doing well and that being with Polly was what she needed and while she was convincing Imogen of this, she was also trying to convince herself.
"Good. I'm doing fine too, thank you for asking," said Isiah, a smile decorating the corner of his lips.
Anna stayed quiet and nodded. She didn't know what else to say to Isiah. They've spoken a few times before but not really after he helped Anna to find her family โ without her asking him to do that.
"I haven't seen Michael since I was at Polly's. Is he fine?" Isiah asked.
"He's okay. He... I guess he doesn't know how to feel about all this. I understand, I wouldn't either," shrugged Anna.
"Oh," said Isiah.
Anna sighed. "He thinks he let me down. He left with the Johnsons, leaving me behind. I don't blame him though but he thinks I should. I-I don't know really."
She didn't know why she was telling all this to Isiah. It wasn't his business to know even if he was a friend of Michael.
Things with Michael were strange. He's been avoiding Anna ever since the truth came out and she couldn't tell why โ it made her feel stupid. She often knew what people thought, how their minds work but lately, she doesn't know anything. Everything is just a big blur like her mind.
She brought her hand to the back of her neck, massaging the knots there as she felt a headache approaching her.
"I need to go out for a minute. Can you tell this Polly in case she comes here? She gets worried when she doesn't know where I am," explained Anna.
"Ummm..." Isiah stammered.
"Thank you," Anna said and hurried out of the room and to the streets.
The air outside was indeed much better than the musty air inside. Lately it's been like this almost constantly. The anxiety she's been trying to control and hide her entire life was now out there. Anna used to be a very anxious child but living in the streets toughened her some but after being with Imogen and now with Polly, she was has lost that toughness in her.
Young children were running around the streets with no worries โ she envied those innocent souls. They looked like they didn't know what pain was, what real life was all about. Those children were probably going home soon to their families and live their normal lives.
"Don't you know how to breathe inside?"
Anna sighed. "I told you to stay in case Polly wonders where I am."
"I don't play well with rules," said Isiah and walked to stand in front of Anna.
"Well you should. If Polly freaks out, it's on you," Anna said bluntly.
Isiah nodded. "Okay then, it will be my fault. Care to take a walk?"
"I think I'm fine here," said Anna although a walk did sound luring but she knew better than to leave without letting Polly know.
But Anna was independent and always has been. With Imogen, it was all right because Imogen wasn't her mother. She cared for Anna but it was different. And it had been fine by Anna, she has never really longed for a mother's love or attention โ she didn't know what it was like. But now she did and she was a little conflicted by it.
She liked the feeling of importance Polly's love gives her but she often thought she couldn't return that love โ Anna was such a stranger to the feeling.
"You sure?" Asked Isiah.
Though she should've said no, she shook her head and with that, reversed her previous decision.
"Let's take a walk then. But quick before Polly gets all mad with worry," she said.
Anna's seen the change of her behavior. She used to be such a difficult child or at least that's what she remembers people telling her. She never agreed to anything and made the simplest of things very difficult just because she wanted so. Then she met Imogen and all that was gone. It took some time of course but in time, she became a well behaving lady. And she liked it.
This new/old Anna was a stranger or someone she has met in the past but couldn't quite remember.
Speaking of memory, small glimpses of her past have made their way to her memory. Most of them weren't nice and Anna wondered why did she even remembers them now โ why did she want to torture herself like this.
The fact that Isiah found Anna very interesting was dangerous. He thought her life was interesting and he wanted to know more but knew better than to ask. He was aware of the blackholes in Anna's memory and didn't want to remind her of the bad things of her past.
"You said you lived in Australia and Stafford," said Isiah when they walked around the streets. "Anywhere else?"
Anna shrugged. "I don't think so. Maybe somewhere close to Stafford too but I'm not sure."
"Oh right," sighed Isiah.
"It's fine. That you ask. I've lived many years now without knowing things so I'm used to it," Anna said when she noticed the sheepish look Isiah held.
"That's good to know. You see I don't know what to talk to you about," explained Isiah and earned a small smile from Anna.
He hasn't seen her smile too often but whenever he did, he thought her smile was something almost mesmerizing. Isiah felt something in his stomach turn and frowned at the sensation.
"Polly doesn't know either, nor Michael. No one really does but Thomas. It's strange but he knows what to talk about," said Anna.
"Well Thomas knows everything, that's why he's the boss," said Isiah.
"Right... the boss," Anna repeated.
Even know after spending weeks with Polly, she didn't know the nature of the family business. Imogen had told her something but those were just words Imogen had repeated to her from a file โ and Anna knew files could be false. She found it rather odd, that Polly hasn't mentioned anything and this morning when they went to work, as Polly said, she didn't say anything else.
"What business does the family do again?" Anna asked.
Isiah's eyes widened and he found himself in trouble. If there was anything, he knew Polly didn't want Anna to get mixed up with the family's illegal business like Michael has.
"Oh I don't really know. I'm not working there," said Isiah vaguely.
"I thought you did," said Anna.
"Not really," Isiah shook his head. "Maybe we should head back? In case Polly's freaking out."
Anna frowned and knew that Isiah was hiding something. But she also knew Isiah was right and in case Polly has noticed her sudden disappearance from the office, she's on a verge of a mental breakdown.
So Anna didn't ask any more questions but kept in mind that if Polly wasn't going to tell her anything, Isiah might if she just manages to get it out of him. Anna didn't like to be kept in the dark โ she has never been good at holding her curiosity back.
When they got back they could hear and see people running around the offices as they were looking for someone. Like predicted, Polly had realized her daughter was gone and was now sitting on a chair, her face buried in her hands like she's been crying for awhile now.
"Polly..." sighed Anna.
The second Anna's voice echoed to Polly's ears, the woman lifted her head up to see her daughter standing by the threshold of her office.
Relief washed over her and she got up from her chair, stumbled across the room and wrapped her arms around Anna's shoulders without a warning. Anna flinched by the touch but it was only a fleeting moment.
"Where have you been?" Whispered Polly, her tears falling on Anna's shoulders.
"I went for a walk," said Anna quietly.
"A walk?" Polly repeated and a soft exhale left her body. "You should've told me."
Anna glanced at Isiah who was waiting just outside the office. She almost rolled her eyes at him but he was smirking smugly.
"I know," she said and broke the embrace by taking some steps back. "I was fine though."
Polly tried to smile but couldn't do so. She had truly thought perhaps Anna was gone for good. It tired her to think so every time she couldn't find the young woman. Polly couldn't be sure but she wondered would she feel this way if Imogen wasn't in the picture โ then Anna wouldn't have anyone else to go to.
It was a horrible thought because why would a mother wish their child would be all alone in the world if it wasn't for her and the family.
"Where did you go?" Asked Polly, pushing her other thoughts aside.
"Just a walk," answered Anna.
Polly frowned at the vagueness of her daughter's words.
"Alone?"
Anna shook her head. "No. Not alone."
"Care to tell me whom were you with?" Polly said, one of her brows arched.
"Isiah," Anna said.
The answer seemed to have surprised Polly. She frowned before sighing heavily and bringing her fingers to the bridge of her nose.
"You were with Isiah?" Repeated Polly.
Anna crossed her arms over her chest like she was hugging herself.
"Yes I was. He saw me and we went out for a walk. Or I went out and he came after me," she explained.
"With Isiah," said Polly.
Anna has never been patient and she began to grow tired with Polly's interrogation. It wasn't Polly fault โ Anna just wasn't someone who's used to a parent looking after her every step. Imogen did look after her but it was different. With Imogen it wasn't so obvious and she didn't freak out every time Anna was out of her sight. With Imogen, Anna got to be more free.
"Is there something wrong with that?" Asked Anna. "I can't have a walk with anyone?"
"That's not what I mean," said Polly and brought the hand which been by her face to her chest. "I just got scared."
"That I was with Isiah?"
"No. I got scared that someone had taken you. Like they did back then and..." said Polly but stopped herself from saying anything else โ thinking what had happened around fifteen years ago was too much.
Anna sighed. "You have trust me."
"I trust you. It's the others I don't trust," said Polly and Anna could see visible fear in her eyes.
"Okay," said Anna as she didn't want to upset Polly. "It's okay. I was fine. No one's taking me away."
Polly bit her lip, almost tasting the blood coming. She couldn't trust anyone anymore, not since her children were taken from her. Not since people told her Sally was dead. She couldn't trust that Imogen Bernard was going to leave them alone โ she could come and get Anna any time she wants. The law wasn't on Polly's side โ the law had been the one to fail her all those years ago. In the eyes of the law, she wasn't fit to be a mother.
While Imogen didn't adopt Anna โ how could she if Anna was stated as deceased โ the law would prefer her to be Anna's legal guardian rather than Polly. She was mixed in some dangerous crowds, has killed and hurt.
Imogen holds tea parties and fundraiser.
It was almost ridiculous how easy it was for Anna to read Polly at the moment. When she had first met Polly at Grace's wedding, she couldn't read the woman at all but now it was so easy. She could tell what Polly was thinking.
"Imogen won't come and take me," sighed Anna.
"I-I wasn't..."
Anna stopped Polly by taking her hand.
"She won't do that to me. If I want to stay here, I get to do that," said Anna and smiled softly.
For a moment she looked like the little three years old child Polly used to know.
"But if you want to leave then she could just..." whispered Polly.
"Have I told you I want to leave? There's still much I don't know and understand. I need your help to do that. Will you help me?" Anna wondered.
Polly sniffed. "Why do you need my help? You have managed to live without me for so long."
"God mum... are you really need me to spell it out. I am not leaving any time soon," cried Anna.
Polly was sure Anna was still talking, going on about how she wasn't going anywhere any time soon but all she could hear was the word mum.
It's been fifteen years, five months and some about fourteen days the last time Polly's heard her daughter call her that. It was as wonderful and magical as it had been when Anna was only a year old and said it for the first time. But this time it felt even more amazing โ Polly had truly thought she was never going to hear her daughter say it again.
Anna was staring at Polly when she realized she wasn't registering anything she's been saying. She looked at her with a frown while Polly looked at her with teary eyes.
"What?" Anna asked.
But Polly didn't say anything. Instead she wrapped her arms around Anna again and the girl was nearly knocked down by the force of the embrace.
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