Blackmailed For Love

Hi, my name is Anna.

Because my Mama thought it would be cool to name me that because her name was Elsa.

But unlike Mama, I did not have golden, sun-like hair, nor her blue eyes.

My eyes were grey, Mama said that they reflect light and change from bright to dark- I didn't know the difference though, and my hair was as black as a dark night.

Mama said that they were beautiful but sometimes I wish I had her hair.

1 Because I got my hair and eyes from my father.

And it was a subject that my mother rarely talked about or when she did, only when I would insist on it, she would get sad.

You must be wondering, how did I know so much when I was just a five year old, right? Well… I was soon to be six years old, if that helps.

But let me tell you a secret, I was really smart even when I was five.

I knew my multiplication tables up to thirty.

I could add and subtract without using the pencil and eraser.

I knew pneumonia starts with p.

And I knew my grandfather wasn't a nice man.

I knew Mama was worried about me and Gammy.

I knew Gammy was sick and it wasn't just cold.

Also my father's name was Kristian.

3 I knew it because Mama sometimes dreamed about him.

I knew it because I heard Gammy talk to Mama.

Gammy told Mama to ask for my father's help but Mama didn't want to.

I didn't know why Mama never talks about my father.

Sometimes, I felt angry that she wouldn't tell me anything about him.

Sometimes, I felt sad that she had to be the only one to take care of us.

Sometimes I wanted to ask her that she tell me everything about my father and take me to him.

Sometimes, I was afraid that if I met my father, he would take me away from Mama, just like Mama did me from him.

4 Sometimes, I just didn't want to be this smart.

Mama didn't know, because I took my time writing down my sums even though I already knew the answers.

Sometimes, I just pretended to not be interested in reading and studying.

But they were the only things that made sense, not like how Mama pretended to be happy when she was actually sad.

Right now, Mama was standing behind a tree and a tall man was standing in front of her.

I couldn't see him as he was hidden behind a tree so I walked to the edge of the park and called, "Mama!"

But she didn't hear me.

The tall man suddenly turned around and walked away.

I wondered if he was the one she wanted to be friends with.

Was he the one she went on a dinner with last night? Mama had never gone to dinner with a friend before, and it made me feel really sad for her.

I got excited yesterday when I heard that she was going to dinner and it was the reason I gave her my lucky charm.

I hope it worked.

Mama could really use a friend.

Just like I made new ones today.

I looked back to where the two girls were still playing with the flying disk.

Phoebe and Hanna were nice.

It felt nice to be out here and play with other girls of the same age.

I really enjoyed myself.

It felt normal.

beautiful park, And it was nice to pretend that everything was normal even though I knew they weren't even as

stay here longer than the other places but I won't complain if Mama moved us

best for us and she had her reasons, though she never told me

"Anna?"

turned around to face Mama and notice her blotchy cheeks and

She was crying.

"I live here, Elsa.

I own this building."

he

him until he came into view once again near the pool and then walked up the stairs to the doors that led inside the

standing in a storm and made my way toward

standing at the edge of the park behind

felt a hundred times heavy as I walked

"Mama?"

tears and smiled

"Come, angel.

go up to

have been here for

up and she easily

why are you

She asked.

"I am not, angel."

and she turned my face to look

her cheek against mine and said, "You are lying,

then she didn't say anything else as she

herself a herbal tea that she had always liked

you know what we

my daughter's excited chatter as she started to tell her about everything she did downstairs,

the door behind me and let

knew what I was going to

in the same

fûcking owned the

nothing could

not today, then one day in

In an elevator.

Outside, in the hallway.

in unannounced just to

then his anger would be something I wouldn't be able to

me for what I

finding out that I hid his daughter, all this

I would've

no

know what happened all those years ago and wish

ask him to

not believe

my daughter away

now when I had one, I was choosing

later after having a shower and dressing up for the day in one of the sundresses that filled my closet, I came

was smiling and that was

windows and came to stand

When you were little, you could always sense

looked out of

is her father's daughter because of the way she

smiled to myself, my heart

put her hand on my shoulder

She has your chann.

she has

both of

"Don't call me that."

I hated that endearment.

me and said, "She smiles and pretends to be the kid we

like you, she isn't getting a chance

my eyes to her and met the blues that

"I never wanted

She nodded.

"I know.

like I never wanted all that happened to

have a

isn't

know he would die before letting something happen to his

tear escaping my

pressed my lips tightly until the sob crawled