Church
Let them talk, Anne thought to herself as she ignored the whispers surrounding her and Ann after the service on Christmas morning. Their talk doesn’t bother me, Anne tried to convince herself, focusing her attention on the blonde next to her who were all smiles this morning, trying to rest in her joy and easiness.
Friends and neighbours came to have a polite chat, and Anne greeted them warmly - every single one of them – kill them with kindness had never rung truer. It was her best defence. They couldn’t ignore her or slight her when she was being so nice without appearing exceedingly rude themselves. That didn’t hinder them from trying their best to ignore her as much as possible whilst talking to Ann, and it didn’t stop their disapproving looks and stares from shooting her way. Anne did her best to keep her temper in check, Let them gossip she thought as she heard someone say her name a little too loud a few feet away. They have no idea what’s between me and Ann anyway Anne glanced at them bitterly, they would never know the love that was between them, would never understand it – and it saddened her deeply. All she wanted was for the whole wide world to know that she loved her so. Ann’s hand touched her arm gently but brief as she didn’t want to draw much attention to themselves,
“Are you ready to leave?” Ann wondered and Anne smiled back at her, feeling a sudden surge of relief at the prospect of going home where she could give her wife a kiss,
“Yes.”
“Where’s Marian?” Ann looked about herself, but Anne needn’t answer as said person appeared before them,
“I just had a lovely chat with Mrs. Smith – they wanted to invite us to tea someday.”
“Oh, that’s very kind of her! We would be delighted, wouldn’t we, Anne?” Ann glanced up at Anne with a sharp look and Anne, though clearly apathetic, mumbled,
“Mm. Very.”
Ann pinched her arm unnoticed, and Anne startled,
“Ouch!”
“Do try and look a little less, I don’t know, depressed.”
“What if I am?!” Anne muttered, and Ann rolled her eyes at her,
“Let’s go home and get you something to eat.”
“I don’t eat lunch.” Anne pressed and Ann shared an annoyed look with Marian,
“No wonder you’re in such a cranky state half day.”
“Ah!”
“Come on, don’t dawdle Anne!” Ann teased as she and Marian made a move to exit the church and Anne had to take large strides to catch up with them, turning to them, forcing them to slow down.
“What did you mean before? I’m not ill-tempered…” Anne complained to Ann who had to bite her lip not to laugh at her slightly whiny voice – sometimes Anne was her own worst enemy.
“Well, you are a bit grumpy come afternoon when you haven’t eaten since breakfast.” Ann pressed, her eyes sparkling with mirth and Marian had a hard time keeping her laughter at bay – teasing Anne was too much fun sometimes.
“I am no-AH!” Anne’s yelp cut her sentence short as she stumbled, not looking at where her feet were going, and she fell four feet down a newly dug grave. This was truly a nightmare. To be buried alive. Anne was certain she had bruised her ribs, and various other bones as well as her face from her fall.
“Oh Lord, Anne are you alright? Are you alright?!” Ann shouted down at her anxiously, her face a bit pale with worry. Anne groaned into the dirt, turning around slowly to face them.
“Apart from being trapped in a grave, and maybe suffering from a few broken bones and embarrassment beyond what I’m capable of handling… I’m dapper, why do you ask?”
“Do you need a hand up?” Ann quirked an eyebrow, looking about herself for something to help Anne up with.
“Why? Does it look like I need help?” Anne spouted mockingly and Ann’s eyes fluttered upwards as she shot her a glare,
“Do you really want me to answer that or would you like to remain in denial about needing help? - Digging your own grave deeper, if you will pardon my use of expression…”
Marian laughed at that, but for obvious reasons Anne didn’t. She merely sulked in her grave, refusing to give them a reply.
“I’m going to get the vicar, or someone else to help you out. Oh, look Dr Kenny!” Marian waved at her friend and Anne’s eyes widened in pure panic, Dr Kenny would not act as her hero in her moment of distress – over her dead body!
Anne scrambled up despite her sore body protesting her movements, and she reached up to the edge of the grave trying but failing to heave herself up because her hands and feet kept slipping. She tried to dig her feet into the ‘wall’ of the grave to leap out of it, but the dirt was frozen solid.
“Do you want a hand, Anne?” Ann asked her amused as Anne landed on her behind for the second time. The brunette glared at her but reluctantly reached her hand out for Ann’s.
“If I…” Anne thought, backing up the few steps she could, letting go of Ann’s hand, readying herself to take charge and leap forwards.
“I’m ready.” Ann told her; her hand ready to clasp Anne’s wrist. Anne exhaled before leaping forwards and Ann very much true to her word, caught her wrist pulling her with all her strength out of the grave. It wasn’t done with much elegance though – Ann toppled over by the force which Anne came up and Anne landed atop of her with a thud making them both moan in pain.
“Seriously?” Marian eyed them with a quizzical brow as she came over once more, and they tried to quickly detangle themselves and get up from the ground, aware that more than one person was staring at them.
“The lengths you go through to not be helped by a man.”
“Well, what can I say, Marian – I’m no maiden in distress.”
Marian shook her head, thanking Dr Kenny for hurrying over with her, and he left them confused, scratching the back of his head.
With Anne up out of the grave, Marian led the way through the snowy paths to their readied sleigh. Ann walked close to her wife, smirking at her,
“What?” Anne asked briskly as Ann had stared at her for a minute, and the blonde’s smile grew wider,
“Remember when you told me that you weren’t as strong as I might think?”
“Mm, yes, I remember that very vulnerable and sweet moment, why?” Anne glanced down at her mischievous wife – what was she getting at?
“Well, and then you said that you obviously were but sometimes you were not… was this that moment? You know when you weren’t.” Ann eyed her carefully and Anne rolled her eyes, a chuckle escaping her,
“Oh shush you!”
“There’s no need to be so grave and solemn.” Ann scolded her with a teasing grin and Anne nudged her discreetly,
“Not funny.”
“Dead funny!” Ann argued laughing and Anne shook her head,
“There will be no more Christmas fun to be had if you do not stop with your awful jokes!”
“Shame, I thought you’d appreciate them, I guess I have to dig deeper for better ones…”
“Just you wait! Tonight, you will die but little.” Anne said seriously but winked at Ann who flushed bright read thus shutting her up... for now.