Anna's Trial

Standing outside of heavy double doors on the main floor, the boy knocks at the door before opening them and showing us in. Sitting behind a big white wooden desk is Silverman. His face looking more tired than when he had greeted us earlier. when he looks up from his papers his expression changes as he looks at his nephew with a questioning look, which says it all. He wants to know why Ren didn't come alone as requested.

"Forgive me uncle. She was insistent, I felt it would just be better to just bring her." The boy says not daring to look up.

"In other words, you chickened out instead of standing firm." The boy's shoulders just drooped.

"In all fairness Silverman your nephews actually smart." REn Says amost chuckling. "Least he knows to pick and choose his battles, and knows when he's not going to win. For the record I wouldn't have need to even lift a finger, Anna would have laid him out flat in seconds. She stands her ground against me. He didn't have a fighting chance if he had pissed her off." Ren stands tall boastingly. A mischievous smile though on his face. I can't help feeling embarrassed a little, he makes it sound as if I'm amazing. What I hear though is I have become some type of demon. Enemy's beware cute but deadly, just about sums up what he says about me. I face palm wishing I could hide. Not the reputation I necessarily wanted.

"Very well," Silverman says with a sigh. "You can leave" he gestures to his nephew. He stands walking to a chart of various bottles next to the couch. "Drink?" He says picking up a glass looking over at Ren. Ren just nods. "Anna what would you like?"

"Rum and coke if you got it." I say trying to ignore his sudden informal way of addressing me as I follow Ren to the couch. Silverman walks over placing our drinks in front of us returning to the cart to fix his own before he sits across from us on the other couch in his office. I look around noticing the couches were a mahogany brown leather, between a cherry wood coffee table a giant rug brown with a red floral pattern. I couldn't help feeling it was to sectioned off this area as the living area from the rest of the office that had many cherry wood book shelves lining the walls. In fact, the office had no pictures at all except one on the desk and that wasn't facing us. The desk was the only thing white in this room. Was it a focal point choice or something?

Ren sips his drink as if waiting for the older man to speak but neither do. I take mine and sip it but am surprised by a cherry flavor that I hadn't expected. "Do you like it?" The silence is broken as Silverman addresses me smiling. I nod. It was good, it didn't taste like a syrup but an actual cherry. "It was my wife Jilly's favorite before she passed." I could hear the strain in his voice. He was speaking but it seemed like it was to no one in particular. Clearing his throat, he directed his attention back to Ren. "Lord Feng I did wish to have this conversation just the two of us first…"

"My woman won't be denied, she gets what she wants heaven forbid I try to stop her. I think even I would lose the battle. Strong mind and will you know." Ren says smiling as he twirls a strand of my hair around his fingers then releases it shrugging.

"Sounds like her mother." Silverman says smiling at what I can imagine is me wearing a dumbfounded expression. Ren now glaring.

"What kind of crap are you talking about?" Ren's eyes were on fire as if ready to cut Silverman down if his words where not careful.

"Now see, this is why I wanted a private conversation with you first." Silverman says shrugging. "What do you know about Anna? About her past?" Silverman asks. I can see Ren's jaw line twitch with annoyance. He couldn't know much because hell I didn't even know much. All I knew is I spent most of my life in an orphanage.

"I suppose you have a point and that's why you mentioned her mother?" I touched Ren's arm I could feel him tense to my touch.

"I will tell you what I learned Feng, but you will need to calm down, shut up, listen, and stop acting like a out of control child because; I have a story to tell you. It's going to take some patience and understanding to hear. To be honest I can't believe it myself, but than again I guess I had thought it possible that's why I went digging." Ren sat back nodding his head reluctantly.