Anna's Magic Ch. 12

"I just knocked her out for a while..." Anna remarked. "She tried to hit me with the camera and I just reached for the first thing that I could. It turns out that an encyclopaedia of Shakespearean literature is more useful as a weapon than it is for reading!" She laughed as we started hearing moans coming from Wanda's prone body.

"Alright, let's get the hell out of here before she comes to." I started, grabbing each of the girls' hands as I went up the stairs. Anna just pulled hers away as Crystal and I turned around to face her.

"Wait! I need to do something first," Anna replied, heading for the computer room. I just looked at Crystal dumbfounded but we soon followed. As we headed into the room Anna was thumbing through files in the cabinet adjacent to the computer. It looked obvious to us that she was looking for something in particular but what? That question was soon answered when the young woman pulled a fairly large file folder from the cabinet followed thereafter by two others. "Here they are!" She gleefully rejoiced then raced over to the computer. "Steve, help me with this!" She added, pointing to the computer's main tower. It kind of clicked as to what she was doing. Anna was in fact purging Wanda from her life and everything that she had held over her head all of these years. The file folders had all of the original contracts and copies of the work that she had done for Anna, as well as those of Crystal. I knew that I didn't have to be gentle with the wires on the back of the hard drive and I just started pulling at the cables. The three of us then headed for the stairs, only to find Wanda, somewhat shaken and tipsy, blocking us.

"Stay where you are! I'm calling the police!" The older woman snorted, holding her hand out in front of her. Anna and I froze.

"Fuck you, bitch!" Crystal screamed, lunging between the both of us and connecting with an uppercut that would have made Ali proud to Wanda's face, knocking the dishevelled woman to the floor; unconscious once more. I grabbed the video camera and we vaulted up the stairs and out the back door, walking leisurely to our cars so as not to attract too much attention from the neighbours. Crystal anxiously hopped into Anna's car as I placed the computer in the trunk and walked up to Anna, a bright smile on her face.

"What the hell were you doing here Steve?" Anna quizzed while she composed herself, shaking slightly from the scenario that we all had just experienced. "Crystal! Why aren't you in Europe?" It felt good to see that Anna didn't have all of the answers for once. The emotions of the situation that had just played itself out finally got to Crystal as she started to sob uncontrollably. After a few seconds I had to say something.

"Crystal has been back for a few weeks now working off her plane ticket home from Europe that Wanda bought because for some reason she felt that she couldn't come to you Anna." I started in a cynical tone. "For some reason she didn't want to be hurt by what she thought you would say to her. I have to say though; I think I know exactly what she is talking about Anna, because you seem to be the person that no one wants to get close to for one reason or another." I panned, the sarcasm flowing freely in my voice. At this point I really wasn't watching what I said to Anna, for I didn't really care. For all of the crap that we had been through this was the icing on the cake.

"And what makes you the fucking expert on what Crystal thinks?" Anna replied with her all too common venom towards me. Then she turned to Crystal. "Why didn't you call me?"

"Because I didn't want to go through the motherly bullshit that you always pull on me," Crystal started between sobs. Her matted hair clung to her face where the tears stained her cheeks. "I didn't want to hear all of the fucking 'I told you so' shit that you always pull on me when I screw up. I want a friend, not a mother!" The crying girl added, turning away from Anna as she wept.

"Oh Crystal I am so sorry if you feel that way!" Anna replied, reaching for the girl and embracing her in a loving hug. "I just didn't want you to make some of the mistakes that I did in life." She added, holding the girl closer. It had all the makings of a Hallmark moment but there was still one thing that I had to get off my chest.

"By the way, I saw your first video today Anna," I interrupted, tapping on the car door. "You might remember it; after all, it was your first time." That seemed to get her attention as Anna turned to face me, her cheeks flushed red. It was the reaction that I had pretty much expected, for we both knew that I had caught her in another lie but I pressed on. "So in essence the story that you told Holly and me about how you met him was you guessed it, another lie!" I laughingly added.

"Fuck you Steve," Anna hissed. "You don't have the slightest clue about what happened between Stuart and I that led to that video and right now I am not in the mood to explain anything, least of all to you!" She added angrily, starting the car. I braced myself against the car and leaned in towards Anna, seething.

"What I do know is that your whole life is one fucking lie after another!" I spat back, shoving off of the car as she hit the gas and the car peeled off, leaving me in a trail of dust and smoke. At that point I didn't really care. As far as I was concerned I was done trying to figure out a fucked up situation and an even more fucked up ex-girlfriend.