[Inspired off the movie Annie 1982. This book is an H20VANOSS. Other ships will be included]
[All other characters will be the same, others have been added. I'd like to say this story is between 2010 to 2014]
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
'I think I'm going to like it here'
A nice fancy car rolled up the road on Hudson St, a black Mercedes-Benz S-Class to be exact, and it parked right outside the home for boys. Less fortunate people passed by eyeing the car in all its beauty, some looked in jealousy others in admiration. A few stood and looked as an well dressed up man came out the front seat and headed to the back door to open it, he walked around to the other side of the car and the man opened the door widely and a beautiful young woman stepped out, blue dress suit and a blue hat to match even her blue tie matched witch her white and blue outfit, her deep drown hair was tied back into a bun handing loosely out the hat.
She walked up the doors of the home for boys and ran the doorbell, a man walking by looked her up and down with an look of desire, she was definitely someone from a place with lots of money either working for someone or working her own business but the fact that she came all the way out here to an much more poor place made everyone think she much be working for someone, after ringing the bell she waited and looked at the children looking at her, she gave them an awkward smile. She ran the doorbell again a couple of shouts were heard "Alright, alright!", then the door swung open "Yeah?".
The woman standing there gave a smile, "Miss Hannigan, I'm Grace Farrell. The New York's board of orphans sent me". Miss Hannigan took a long stare at her before crying out- "OH! My goodness, why don't you come in?", her grin going as wide as possible, Grace nodded and replied her thanks "Thank you".
"Right this way" Miss Hannigan held the door open for her as Grace walking in carrying her bag. Grace looked at her surroundings with a look of shook before Miss Hannigan grabbed her forearm linking in her one and with a joyful voice, she said "Welcome to our happy home", Grace smiled at he and looked to the boys hanging around on the steps. "What did you say your name was?". Grace gave another smile, "Uh Grace Ferrell" Miss Hannigan nodded as in approving manner, "Grace, what a lovely name".
Grace looked around awkwardly for a moment, "Uh, I'm here to inquire about an orphan?".
Miss Hannigan put on a shocked face before grabbing Grace's shoulders, "Grace, wait, I can explain the whole thing! You see what, what happened" Miss Hannigan then began to rush Grace and herself forward, "That- that the child bribed Mr. Bundles to smuggle her outta here in the laundry basket!". Grace looked towards the flailing woman confused, "I knew I should've called and told him, but the truth is my brain threw a red and I called the cops instead! But the he's back now and everything fine, ho harm non felt, huh?".
Grace sorted herself out, "Hiss Hannigan, what on earth are you talking about?". That's when Miss Hannigan's feared face dropped and turned into a disinterested one, "Hold it sister, are you pedaling beauty products? Because if ya are I don't need no beauty products.", Miss Hannigan then reached for a cigarette putting it in her mouth and sitting on her chair behind a desk, kicking up her feet. "If that's what you're doing, you can pedal yourself outta here, sweetie".
Grace smiled, "Miss Hannigan, I am the private secretary to the Oliver Warbucks". Miss Hannigan sat up in her chair, "The Oliver Warbucks? Oliver Warbucks the millionaire?". Grace laughed and sat down on the chair in front of the desk "No, Oliver Warbucks the billionaire"
Miss Hannigan's feet dropped down with a bang, she put her head in her palm "Holy mother of Mary god".
"Mr. Warbucks's would like an orphan to spend a week away at his home, I'm here to select one". Something in the corner of Grace's eyes caught her attention, she looked beside Miss Hannigan to see a boy peeking out the closest with a finger in between his lips, it was no other than Jonathan.
"Well that's just wonderful!" Miss Hannigan started sorting out papers on her desk. Â "What kind of orphan do you have in mind?", "Oh well uhm, friendly", She looked to Jonathan ho nodded and raised his brow then to Miss Hannigan, "Intelligent". Jonathan smiled "Mississippi, capital M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I", Jonathan whispered, and Grace smiled back at him.
"And happy". Suddenly Jonathan let out a laugh, an loud crazy one filled with snorts and wheezes, Grace couldn't help but laugh too, Miss Hannigan hearing the two got up and shut the door to the room containing Jonathan, She glared at Grace and then returned to her seat missing it and falling to the ground. Grace let out a little 'oh', she arose from the ground, "how old" she blinked a few times "Oh, well age doesn't really matter... 13?", She saw Jonathan peak out from the closet again and saw him motion his hand upwards "14, 15, 16?", Jonathan's hand signaled a stop to go no higher, "yes 16, 16 will do just fine!".
Miss Hannigan nodded, "16, ok". "Oh, I am so sorry, I forgot to say Mr. Warbucks prefers freckled children", Miss Hannigan stared at her, "Freckled, yep no, don't got it".
Jonathan stepped out of the closest, Grace got up "Well, what about this child", She walked over to him hells clicking, she gently rested her hands on his shoulders, "Jonathan?", Grace nodded smiling at Jonathan and a big grin plastered on Jonathan's one, "Yeah, Jonathan". Miss Hannigan laughed waving her hand, "You don't want him".
"Uh-oh! No. Jonathan, how would you like to spend a week at Mr. Warbucks house?"
Jonathan smiled more, "Oh boy, I would love too, really, really love to!"
Miss Hannigan stood, pulling Jonathan away "Hold on a minute wait!", Her eyes burning with hate, "You can take an orphan, I mean any but Jonathan!".
"Because He's got it coming to him and I don't mean a week in the lab of luxury, This Brats got to learn his place!". Grace looked shocked, "Place?"
"Jonathan's entirely to cheeky!", Grace was appalled, "Mr. Warbucks likes cheeky children" She pulled him away, Miss Hannigan snatched him back "tough!", Grace pulled him back again, "I assume-", Both of them started bickering back and forth both an hand on each of Jonathan's arms.
"-He also told me about the people he had lined up for your job!", Suddenly Miss Hannigan stopped pulling at Jonathan. "I think it would be very easy for you to lose your job right now, don't you think?". She let go of his arm pushing him away, Grace grabbed his shoulders, "Leaping lizards!", Miss Hannigan did her usual and mocked his voice.
"C'mon Jonathan, Mr. Warbucks limo is waiting!". Grace collected her stuff walking, Jonathan followed only to stop, "Is okay if I bring my dog too?", Grace twirled around looking at Jonathan "Dog?".
Jonathan started patting his legs. "C'mere squirrel, come on", A German Shepherd came walking out of the from the closet, Squirrel's tan fur shook as he walked, you could easily see the darker spots in his coat. "He's really nice, really, really good. He never jumps up on people"- just then Squirrel jumps up onto her. "Oh no, Jonathan, that's a really sweet dog but I don't think it'll work Mr. Warbucks-", Jonathan cut her off, "Then I'm not coming".
Grace's smile dropped, "What?"
"She's going to send him to the sausage factory, she said it herself."
"I'm not a zone for dogs" She growled. "Well, we'll take him!", Jonathan's smile reappeared "Oh boy!". Miss Farrell took Jonathan's hand. Though Jonathan was 16, Grace noticed how much he sounded, acted and even looked like a 10-year-old!
He wasn't your average child to say at-least.
All the other kids waved from the windows of the orphanage, "Bye!" "Bye Jonathan!" "Goodbye!", Bryce was giving a big wave from the window and Ryan could be seen from behind the small child, the 17-year-old looking quite sad to see Jonathan go.
"I'll be back, and I'll bring presents!"
Grace helped the short male up into the car, he wasn't at all tall for his age either- 5,4. Jonathan didn't despise his height at all. Once seated in the car he rolled down the window and waved to Bryce and Ryan, "Bye Bryce, Bye Ryan!".
The Mercedes-Benz S-Class was driving up to a very big looking building, which to later Jonathan would learn that it is called a mansion.
A man at the gates pulled them open letting the car roll into the grounds, Jonathan looked out the window holding onto Squirrel with a 'wow' look on his face, he's never seen such a fancy place, it looked like the train stations Ryan talked about when he first arrived at the orphanage.
"Is this a train station, are we going on a train?" Jonathan yelped happily, "No sweetie, this is Mr. Warbucks home"
Grace jumped out the car Jonathan followed close behind as Squirrel also jumped out, Jonathan held onto the car door as he looked to the colored man that stood just outside the doors of the house. He held no expression, his white turban sat on top of his head with a red gem, he also had a nice traditional white and red outfit on with a red and deep orange-ish rope around his waist.
Squirrel started barking at the man, suddenly the man with barely any expression started making hand movements, Squirrel dropped to the ground and rolled onto his back.
"Woah", The man gave a slight smile. Jonathan jumped out from the car and grabbed Squirrel's leach.
"Jonathan, this is Punjab and Asp. Mr. Warbucks bodyguards"
Grace then laughed, "Come on now sweetheart, let's get you settled", They walked up the stairs and into the big hallway. Jonathan stopped for second to wipe his feet on the big carpet in front of him, Grace smiled taking off her hat. They passed a man working on a plant, He noticed Jonathan with a jump he got up and followed close behind.
In the hallway there was a gold rose table that help a vase with millions of pink roses and other pink flowers, Jonathan sniffed one from the vase. A woman fixing up the flowers gave a shocked face to the new comers.
Quiet music could be heard in the background.
A bunch of old men could be seen working on papers in the doorway open to the room. Jonathan peaked around the corner of the flowers to look at them, one of the working men dropped their book and all of them got up from their seats to look at the child, Jonathan gave a toothy smile, his gap in the front two showing off brightly, he let go of the flowers and kept walking with Squirrel, the people from the business room walked out and also followed close behind Jonathan and Grace.
After going through the next doors, Jonathan's eyes widened at the sight, pillars upon pillars engraved with style and balconies that people hung over doing duties. It must be the main hall.
Its roof was plastered with colored glass, after looking back down to the ground again and flash was saw.
Everyone once working had stopped to see the dirty child who had walked into the premises of Mr. Warbucks.
A fat looking butler cam walking up to them, his green suit showing he had much more importance than the others around.
He sneezed, "Into the zoo, Miss Farrell?".
Grace handed him her hat and bag; she shook her head. "Not recently Drake, has the organ been tuned?". And then they continued their walk.
"Computer keyboard prepared?".
The man in green sneezed again.
"Are you allergic to dogs, Drake?".
"Is dinner on its way, Mrs. Pugh?", a motherly looking woman swung her washing cloth around with a smile she replied, "Yes, I'm preparing his favorite. Texas grapefruit, Virginia ham, Idaho potatoes, Wisconsin cheese, Washington apples and baked Alaska". Jonathan smile at Mrs. Pugh, he had never heard any of the foods before, but he knew damn well it was going to be better than what Miss Hannigan gave him to eat.
Grace smiled and walked in front of the group of people standing by, "I have an announcement to make everyone, I have an announcement".
"This-", she pointed at the kid in front of her, "Is Jonathan and he'll be staying with us for a week."
Everyone then greeted Jonathan with smiles and hellos.
"This is his dog, Squirrel".
Jonathan waved back and then tightened his grip on Squirrel's leach, "Who'll be staying with me". The maids and butlers standing around giggled at his joke.
A lovely looking woman come over and politely asked, "Will I take your jacket, sir?". Jonathan gave her a baffled, "Will I get it back?", another woman looking a bit older took his jacket off with a smile. "Of course, sir!". The music that was playing in the background suddenly sounded like it was louder than before, Grace then bended over with her hands on her knees and with a smile she asked, "Now, Jonathan what would you like to do first?".
Jonathan put his pointer finger and his thumb to his chin giving a quick look around by spinning he stated, "The windows then floors", He started walking over to the bucket filled with water and cloth at the stairs, "Then that way if I drip-", He reached for the cloth in the bucket, "No, no, no Jonathan".
Grace put a hand on his arm pulling him away, "You don't understand", She pulled him back into the middle of the group.
"You don't have to do any cleaning while you're here with us".
"I won't, how am I gonna earn my keep?".
"Why, Jonathan your our guest", Grace held a hand onto his shoulder her out arm stretching out to the room, with an bright and lovely voice Grace started to sing with the music, "Cecille will pick out all your clothes", Cecille looked Him up and down, "Green is his best color, no, blue".
Another woman was introduced, "Your bath is drawn by Mrs. Greer", Mrs. Greer grabbed his shoulders crouching with a smile. "Soap, no, bubbles I think", Jonathan smiled widely, he loved bubbles!
"Annette comes in to make your bed", The woman who had taken Jonathan's denim jacket earlier stalked over, "The silk, no, the satin sheets, I think" .
Jonathan then was patted on the cheeks by Grace, "I think I'm gonna like it here!". He was then picked up by some butlers into the air as a maid started taking his measurements, a flash went off too and another photo was taken, someone else threw a big sheet of blue into the air.
The men then laid him on his back on their hands so that the main could get a look at his size, men and woman danced in the background very flowed, one maid cam up to Jonathan with a tray of cups for him to pick out, another gave him a pillow to test out. Two men dancing while cleaning knocked one over and he tumbled with an 'oh!'.
Grace then picked up the weightless boy and put him on the shoulder of the fallen man, he held onto Jonathan as two others pushed him along the ground, Grace walked backwards in front of them singing, "The pool is down the stairs".
She pointed to them, "Inside the house? Oh boy!" .
The were pushed into the next hallway as some ladies jumped in the air with their dust cleaners.
"The tennis court is in the rear".
"I never even picked up a racket".
"What?", She turned to Drake, "Have an instructor here a noon. Oh, and get that Don Budge fellow if he's available".
The man who tumbled earlier let Jonathan down from his shoulder and other ran off.
It was Jonathan's turn to sing.
"I think I'm gonna like it here".
Maids in the dinning room set up the tablet with followers and cutlery, they then put two hands down onto the table and kicked their lets into the airs spinning around. Squirrel then ran passed Mrs. Pugh who threw a plate into the air after Squirrel ran underneath the table, a butler behind caught it and whisked away. Both Jonathan and Mrs. Pugh looked under the dinning table.
More men came in lifting themselves into the air kicking their legs and Drake came in carrying a chair, Mrs. Pugh held Jonathan close to her. Drake set the chair down, Mrs. Pugh started singing now, "When you wake, ring for Drake. Drake will bring your tray", Squirrel then jumped onto the chair and Drake gave the dirty dog a glare.
Drake sang while glaring at the dog eating food off the plate, "When you're through Mrs. Pugh comes to take it away".
Jonathan heard a faint call of his name; He ran back into the hallway slipping and sliding on the clean floors. Grace and the others encouraged him. Grace caught him, Jonathan swung his leg up, giggling.
Grace planted him on the steps, both her and servants sang, "No need to pick up any toys". Jonathan started hopping up the stairs, "That's okay, I haven't any anyway". He then started running up them, everyone followed.
"No finger will you lift my dear", Both crouched grinning at each other. They both started running up the next flight of stairs. "We have but one request", a man fell while running up the stairs, "Please put us to the test".
Jonathan ran back down grabbing his hand and helping him back up on his two feet, Jonathan smiled at the man.
"I know I'm gonna like it here".
In his new bedroom, maids fixed him a new bed. While passing pillows to each other Jonathan arose from the covers, he sang again.
"Used to room in a tomb. Where I'd sit and freeze. Get me now, holy cow!"
He looked around at he ladies smiling at him, "Could someone pinch me please?"
In the bathroom, Drake was cleaning Squirrel. "Now hold still you little rascal", Squirrel barked and jumped out running with soap going everywhere.
Jonathan had gone back backstairs and started playing with the organ pressing any keys he could, making an unfriendly tune.
He looked over the balcony of where the organ was sitting and watched the men and woman belong dance and leap.
Swinging their legs and twirling, men tap danced. He too wanted to leap and twist like the girls down there one day.
Jonathan turned around, walking into another room that held one another balcony that looked on outside, out there was a gardener working on the bushes. He stood up and waved a big wave to Jonathan, "Hiya Jonathan!", He grabbed a yellow flower, "Got something for ya!". He jumped up with a spin of 3 times and then proceeded to climb up the lattice, He gave Jonathan the flower, "Here ya go, Jonathan!".
Jonathan sniffed it then put it in his hair.
Grace picked Jonathan up, pulling him away from the gardener.
They both stood at the top of the stairs, "We've never had a little boy, we hope you understand your wish is our command", Jonathan started walking down the stairs, "I know gonna like it here, I'm glad I could volunteer".
Grace laughed, "I'm glad, I say I'm glad that he volunteered".
All the servants meet Grace and Jonathan halfway down the stairs, "We know your gonna like it here". They lifted him up into the air, "I know I'm gonna like it here!"
They all gathered around Jonathan who was in the air, hands raised to him as he started shaking them one by one.
