Page 229 of The Life of Anna-Tenth Anniversary Edition: Act 2

Tommy gave her a sad look. “I’m sorry, Anna. I thought... I thought you were supposed to be free to do as you pleased, but Dad’s been talking with Wilhelm a lot lately. Something’s changed.”

“I wish I knew what it was. Then I might understand why things have changed.” She sighed. “I don’t like fighting with Kurt. I don’t like thinking of him as a jerk.” She watched Kurt as he laughed and joked around with the women around him and sighed. What had gotten into him? Or was he just acting like he normally did? Alex did say he was quite the flirt. And being unmarried now...

When the song was over, they saw Kim had returned to the table and Tommy went to be with her. Anna wandered around the edge of the room, wondering when she could go home. Being tied to Kurt made her feel lonely. Her new “free” life was over, and it was simply a waiting game until they would marry and she would move to Germany.

“Where have you been?” Kurt asked as she finally approached him a long while later. The circle widened for her, and he put his arm around her waist, taking possession of her again.

She shrugged. “Wandering.”

The conversations continued around her and she stared at a nearby table, wondering what kind of flowers they’d used in the centerpiece. She supposed there were worse things than being possessed by Kurt. Devin, for example. Kurt didn’t hurt her like Devin did. She should simply be grateful for that. But she wished she’d been told instead of being expected to know what was going on. She’d had a month to be herself and now it was over. She supposed she would just have to accept it and hope to figure out whatever was making Kurt act so odd.

When the party finally broke up, well after two in the morning, she went to the table to get her purse.

“Where is your apartment?” Kurt asked as he stood behind her, rubbing her upper arms affectionately.

“It’s just a couple of blocks away.” She turned. “Where are you staying?”

“The Plaza.”

“Oh.” Did he expect her to go with him?

“Do you need anything from backstage?”

Anna shook her head. She could get it tomorrow. She just wanted to go home and sleep.

Kurt took her hand and led her outside to where the limos and town cars were awaiting their passengers. “Do you want to have dinner tomorrow night?”

Anna frowned. “You’re asking me out?”

He shrugged. “I did not know if you had plans or not.” His expression made her suspect it didn’t matter if she had plans or not.

“Are you asking me out or telling me we’re going out?”

“Which would you prefer?”

“Does it matter?”

“I am trying to be nice.”

Anna huffed. “What time do you want me ready?”

“When are you done with rehearsals?”

“Six at the latest.”

“I’ll pick you up at seven-thirty.”

“Fine.”

A limousine pulled up and Kurt led her to it and they got in. “What is your address?”

“You’re not taking me back to your hotel?”

Kurt clenched his jaw. “Do you want to come?”

“No.”

He closed his eyes for a long moment. “Then what is your address?”

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