#Still can't get over Annie being 'spoiled' because she had no parents

[gangler]

Annie really has become a Charlie Brown-esque punching bag. This entire universe exists just to shit on her.

It’s possible these latest accusations are just spurred on by Zimmy’s ether nonsense. Like when those elf boys were forced to inhabit the role of her old bullies while Zimmy relived a traumatic memory. She seems like she’s under a lot of stress right now.

But it’s not like anybody else gives her more of a benefit of a doubt than this. It seems equally likely that they genuinely have just jumped to an absolute worst faith interpretation of her actions, sincerely accusing her of murder based on wild mental connections they’ve constructed out of whole cloth despite her never having been anything but good to any of these people. Just based on how the comic’s been going.

Even if it was ether nonsense, would that be in service of anything in particular? Or would it just be a magic reason for her to take more abuse?

[clubsmarties]

Thinking of her daughter made her laugh. "She loves you. Doesn't give out Tia titles just anyone. She does not keep secrets from us. Mostly because we don't want her to start hiding things. We try very hard to have a reciprocal relationship when it comes to secrets. When my wife went to you, we didn't hide the reasons why. We embellished a bit not wanting her to have nightmares but she still knew we weren't keeping things from her. Thank you for not treating her like a child who doesn't know anything."

She smiled and shook her head. "Missed opportunity to be a bat. How about nowadays? What's your preference?" Hearing about her family friends had Lena smile excitingly. "I love this for them. It's going to be a hell of a journey but one that will be well worth it. If they need anything, some of Annie's baby clothes are still in the basement. Do they know what they're having? Poor buddy. I can only assume how hard it is to adjust to changes and I do suppose lashing out makes sense. I can see he's such a good kid. Do you think they'd be able to come down for the Harvest Patch in a month?"

She had never thought about this before so it took her a moment to answer. "You'll find this funny but I've never thought about it. When we're in the Bayou, I love anything lavender flavor. The ice cream they make over there is so good. Here, I like neopolitan only because the three flavors aren't chocolate, strawberry and vanilla. It's chocolate chip, peach and hazelnut. It's different and I like different. You could also try vanilla bean creme and walnut. That's Wally's favorite. Any of those sound appetizing?"

"They love you like no other. I feel like I've been spoiled because of the love I've received." She'd never tire of being in her wife's light. "Sometimes feels like an out of body experience. Baby steps is a good start. Rome wasn't built in a day so can't hardly expect yourself to accept yourself as you are and come to terms with it on the first time. No, you're fine. I get you. It's refreshing to get your take on how it's like." She smiled just to show she was making sense.

"I completely understand. Meeting parents or any family members is nerve wracking. Especially if you don't know what you're getting into. You can be told by everyone that you have nothing to worry about but what do they know, they've never been in your shoes. Do you really think they won't like you?" Lena smiled truly just wanting her to relax. She thought of the best way to put her question. What was Lucie like from the lens of someone who didn't grow up with her. What was Mama B like. Pursing her lips in deep thought she settled for something familiar. "Mama B, she likes being called that," she smiled and continued. "Is like if you put Wally and Lu in a blender. She's incredibly funny, cracks jokes when she's nervous and you can tell when her French starts to slip out and she transitions into more of a fast paced Louisiana accent. She loves books to an extreme point. Cries watching commercials of dogs. When she feels like someone else in the room gets nervous she goes over to them and starts off with a punchline to a joke just to get them to laugh. she likes calming everyone around her. Will learn random facts about a person just to have something to talk about. Uses humor to break the ice. Sound like someone we both know? She has that mom presence but its laced with childlike excitement."

"Lucie is different. Believe it or not she's more reserved than Wally is. She is silly but doesn't show it as much alone as she does when she's around her twin. Can look scary but is incredibly nice. Have you ever seen Wally talk about a topic he's passionate about or tells you a random fact wherever you're walking? That's her too. My brother, her husband calls her the female Wally." Lena laughed and shook her head. "She's quiet when you first meet her since she observes more than she talks. She loves animals. Pengiuns are top of her list. Annie is obsessed with tiny waddling animals. What was the first topic you and Wally talked about that wasn't work related? Were you nervous?"

Her eyes sparkled as her smile widened. "That's really pretty. Hmm, well I've seen these dresses paired with a jean jacket, a cardigan and a sash. Although, what do you think about this combo?" Lena went over to get a white short cardigan. "It covers shoulders and back while not taking away from the dress."

It was a sad habit of hers, collecting stories about families that were not hers. Stories about things she had once wished for her. What she imagined life would be like if her father had been around or if she had finally made Jennifer proud enough of her. She was learning, rather slowly, that she needed to stop blaming herself for all of it, but it was still a hard concept to accept. "Oh," Elizabeth said in a bit of a surprise that Annie would talk about her. Then a bit concerned, hoping that whatever she might have shared with Annie might not be inappropriate, a worry wiped when she listened to Lena's words. "At least she keeps no secret from you. That's a good thing. I'm just glad she likes me."

The thought of hanging around like a bat amused her, a genuine smile on her face. "No, I'm an anytime body, it just depends on the mood or what's going on. It was just too hot to be a person during the day during that time." Glad for the change in subject, she smiled. The thought of Anna expecting and growing their family was just something that brought her so much happiness. She never felt so much joy for someone else in her life. A dream that Anna had wished for was coming true. "They would appreciate it. It's a wish come true really. They're all over the moon about this. Yeah, he had a rough bit there where he hurt her feelings and since then he's been a little hard on himself. They all made up but he still feels terrible about it. Feels like it's his duty to never do that again and protect her and baby." He was like his father in that regard, guilt always held onto, as if needing something to repent for, maybe it was genetic.

"I don't actually. I just kind of pick whatever is there." She shrugged. "I'm not picky like that." Never been afforded the privilege of having a favorite anything growing up, it was true. "What's yours maybe I can try it and see if it'll become mine?" She smiled. "But there are so many flavors out there in the world that I'm not sure if I would ever truly be able to pick just one."

Lena's words rang through her head, Being loved by a Bordeaux is like being stood in a dark room and being wrapped in light. "Yeah, it is, isn't it." That was exactly what it had been like, she thought, remembering how she felt whenever Wally would come around but couldn't place a name to the feeling. She knew now what it was, love. The thought of meeting more of his family, especially his twin and his mother, made her anxious. Nothing in the world made her more nervous than that thought alone. Only because if anyone could see the truth of her, of what a bad person she truly was deep down, they most likely be the ones to find it. She was sure of it. There was nothing like someone protecting someone they loved, she had come to know. And the things she had done before, while it could be something that Wally could look past, maybe they couldn't. Who could? Before she could suppress it, she found herself saying it. "Still makes me pretty nervous. What are they each like?"

The question threw her off, hating that she could be so obvious that this family seemed to be able to read her. Settling in one place had seemed to be changing her, the usual poker face she had come to wear so well since her teenage years seemed to be lost. "It doesn't." She admitted. "I take it day by day," it was all her therapist told her she could do. Baby steps. "I'm learning to not expect grand gestures or people jumping through hoops to show they are trustworthy. But trust also never came easy either, so I guess I just let it happen. Small bits of trust. Wally showed me he could be trusted in small ways, and then it just snuck up on me that I could trust him. I think just being around someone for a while and getting comfortable with them will help. I just," she sighed before shrugging her shoulders. "Have to sink or swim I guess. No, that doesn't sound right." Pursing her lips, she thought about it again. "It's like a marble jar, I guess. The more it fills when I'm around them, the more trust I can give if that makes sense. I don't think it does though, I might be bad at explaining it."

Smiling to herself for a brief moment, she realized that Lena had done what she had done so many times before. Drawn information from her in a relaxed state. "Any tips on what to match with this?" She asked holding up the sundress she had finally decided on buying.