Chapter 21 My Dear Cousin

Anna stomped up the stairs and held in the angry tears until she reached her room. She went into the bathroom and washed her face. She stared into her own blue eyes and realized that she really didn’t care anymore what any of them thought. She was tired of trying to impress everyone else.
“What am I doing with all of these type clothes in my closet?” Anna asked herself as she drifted into her walk-in closet as she tried to calm down. Row upon row of designer clothes that were too flashy for her simpler tastes. Row upon row of neihman Marcus clothes, Jimmy Chou shoes, and ball gowns that she would never pick for herself or want to wear hung with price tags still on.
“Well, maybe Jimmy Chou’s are something I’d wear.” She said with a smile as she looked at the black high heeled beauties. “The rest is not me, it’s like an alien took over my brain when I was shopping.”
She ran her hands quickly through her hair and decided that she didn’t look a total mess. She grabbed her purse, determined to get away from this house and everyone in it. Anna needed some time to clear her head and get away from all the pressure. She took the check out of her pocket and was startled again at Melissa’s audacity. “Did she seriously think that I would take a bribe to leave John? Obviously she thought less of me than I ever thought possible.”
In a way, this broke her heart, because she realized that somewhere inside her she’d wanted to please Melissa. Honestly, she was shocked that she cared after five years, sometimes she was such a glutton for punishment.
Now it was obvious that no matter what she did or said that Melissa only wanted her out of John’s life. Anna had always thought that she would grow to like her but now she knew that was never going to happen. Nothing short of a miracle was going to change the way she felt about her.
Anna’s head jerked as she heard the door to their suite open. She stuck her head out into the room and saw Isabel looking through the open door.
“Isabel,” Anna said in irritation as she picked up her keys and stood staring her down “To what do I owe the pleasure?”
Isabel sighed and folded her arms, tapping her fingers angrily. Isabel eyed Anna and Anna could practically see the wheels turning behind her blue eyes.
“Going somewhere?”
“Not your business,” Anna said tartly as she tried to walk abound, Isabel.
“Wait,” Isabel said as she grabbed Anna’s arm to stop her. “Did I interrupt something downstairs?”
“Do you care?”
“What is that supposed to mean,” Isabel said in a tone so genuinely shocked that anyone seeing it from the outside would have thought the emotion was genuine.
“Well, I think our conversations in the last few days have shown me that you only care about yourself.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about Anna.”
“You came in with that present and tried to show me up.” Plus the fact that you gave Melissa the purse I bought for her.”
“What are you accusing me of?”
“The purse was purchased by me, for her and then it mysteriously disappeared.”
“So I’m suddenly a thief now too?” Isabel screeched. “How could you accuse me of that?”
“You’ve done nothing but prove to me that you will do anything to make yourself look better.” “You’ll do anything to undermine me.”
“How dare you!” Isabel screeched as she raised her hand as if to slap Anna. Anna grabbed her hand and twisted it.
“I wouldn’t remember John taught me to take care of myself, can you?”
Isabel growled and pulled her hand free. Anna saw the moment of indecision in her eyes and the clenching of her fists. Anna was ready though. It would feel amazing to kick her A^&.
“I can’t believe you,” Isabel screeched as she adjusted the belt of her dress and smoothed her hair back into place. “I was even going to come to ask if you wanted to go shopping with me, I could have given you fashion tips and this is how I’m treated, like a common thief!”
“If the shoe fits, wear it,” Anna said scathingly as she tucked her Dooney and Burke purse under her arm. “I don’t need fashion tips from you.”
Isabel sputtered practically speechless as she saw what she’d missed before, Anna had a backbone. Isabel is shocked to the core at Anna’s change over the last few days. “It’s like she is a different person.” Isabel thought as she huffed in indignation. She would have to be more careful around Anna.
“I can assure you, you do,” Isabel said in a last-ditch effort at having the last word.
Anna sighed and walked toward Isabel. She grabbed her by the arm and drug her to the door. She stepped outside and firmly closed her bedroom door. She pulled Isabel close and smiled to see her cringe. “Don’t come into our room again unless you knock or are told to enter, I’m done with you barging in where you do not belong.” I don’t care what you think of how I dress and there is nothing you could say to make me what to go shopping with you.”
Anna pushed Isabel away and walked toward the stairs. She turned to look back at her at the top of the stairs wanting to make one more thing clear. “If I were you I would stay out of my way and out of my marriage.”
Anna smiled and walked down the stairs leaving Isabel gaping at the top. She walked out the door and put her land rover into drive. She squealed the tires as she pulled away but she felt better than she had in years.
Isabel watched shell-shocked from the upstairs landing, wondering what the hell she was going to do.
***
John smiled, the phone still to his ear as Anna stomped down the stairs the biggest grin on his face. His Anna really did have a backbone of steel and he was loving it. He didn’t miss the sniffled of angry tears on her face as she slammed the door shut. John wanted to go after her but Isabel followed her down the stairs and stomped out the side door. “Stupid, worthless bitch, I’m going to make you so sorry,” Isabel said as the door shut. John felt himself panic and he tried to call Anna. He had a horrible feeling that Isabel had just gotten a lot more dangerous. Her phone went to voicemail and he cursed as he grabbed his keys. He had a really bad feeling that Isabel already had plans in motion and it terrified him.
He frantically pushed the redial button on his phone praying that she would pick up, but it just kept going to voicemail.