It's a Wonderful Life 1.5

"Vince! Vin-NIE!" she yelled, catching a glimpse of herself in the mirror over the fireplace. She ran toward it with a big smile, and blew her familiar face a kiss. "Bye, Bye, Mrs. Doubtfire!" she said, feeling a little mean but not caring. "VIN-NIE!"

Her husband appeared at the top of the stairs. "I'm sorry, babe. I flipped the movie back on while you were asleep. I didn't think you'd mind."

Annie bounded up the steps, two at a time, and tackled her startled husband about halfway up the stairs. Out of breath and hair in her face, she planted a kiss on his mouth before he could say another word.

Vince's eyes opened wide. He managed to break free from the liplock, pleasant as it was, and managed to ask, "Annie, are you all right? I mean, great kiss babe, but what's…"

"You've gotten into me," Annie said. "Better yet, I think I've gotten back into me!" Vince looked up at his wife, his eyes just inches from her chest heaving up and down.

"What are you saying?"

"Vinnie, I know I've been weird, lately, but…"

"As opposed to now?" Vince laughed. He placed his arm around her and massaged her lower back. She felt the hairs around her spine begin to stand up.

Annie cocked her head and shrugged. As she brushed one side of her hair behind her ear, she leaned down and kissed him again, this time a bit more gently. She savored his lips against hers and gave his top lip a tiny nibble. "I love you, Vince. And don't say it. I know what I said earlier. We have a lot more than that." Annie almost caught herself looking upward. "I know that."

"I know that, too, Annie."

"Better still, Vinnie, I love me, too."

"You have good taste in women," Vinnie smiled tenderly, both his hands now caressing his wife's face.

"So do you, Vinnie. But I'm sorry, I'm so very sorry. I think I lost my way a little bit."

"Nothing a few breadcrumbs couldn't have handled," her everunderstanding husband added.

"You're the best."

"You deserve it."

"And so do you, Vinnie!" Annie said, kissing the top of his head and taking in the fresh smell of shampoo.

"I love it when you call me that."

Annie propped herself up with one arm and wrapped the other tightly around Vince's neck. She buried her face just below his ear, her chin rubbing against his late day stubble. "Halston! Baby, you're allergic."

"I'm allergic to Halston, sweetheart, but I'm addicted to you."

She looked up at Vince, their faces inches apart. "You are the sweetest man," she said, gently twirling the jet black hair that curled around his ear.

This time it was Vince who kissed Annie. He reached behind her and drew her into his lap, taking her hand in his.

"I'm not going to go, George. I changed my mind," Violet Bick said from downstairs.

Vince turned his head toward the direction of the voice, furrowing his brow. "Doesn't it bother you that Violet just decides not to leave town JUST because George was in trouble? I mean, isn't she still just as broke as she ever was?"

Annie rolled her eyes. "We go through this every year, Vinnie." She leaned toward him and rubbed his nose with hers. "What do I have to do to get you off your Violet fixation?" she said allowing him to feel her hot breath against his cheek.

"No fixation," Vince protested. "Just curious."

"I don't know," Annie sighed. "Maybe…hmmm…maybe she decided to stay in town to become a pilates instructor."

"What?"

"In other words, Vinnie, I. Don't. Care." She gave his nose a bite and kissed him again. Where were we?" Vince drew her hand to his mouth, gently and slowly kissing the tip of each of its slender fingers. "Yeah," she said, closing her eyes. "That's where."

"I love you, Annie," Vinnie said between nibbles. He put his hand behind Annie's neck for the second time that night. He rubbed his hand up through her hair as he leaned forward and kissed her ear. "I don't see any flinching," he whispered. "I want you, sweetheart."

"Mmmm," Annie purred. "I wouldn't worry about flinching right now." She opened her eyes and placed her hand over Vince's mouth so he could kiss her palm. "I love you, too, Vince." She mushed herself against his chest, a hot flush rising in her cheeks, and a flutter in her tummy. "Let's go upstairs, Tiger. We're already halfway there."

"I think we're way beyond halfway," her husband said, pulling his shirt up over his head and tossing it over the bannister.

********************

The week between Christmas and New Years was always a good one for catching up. Annie carefully made out her to do list at the kitchen table on Monday. But when she was done with it, she looked it over, shook her head, and tore it into tiny pieces, tossing them into the air and creating one more thing to do.

There was one errand she made herself do. The bell tinkled as Annie walked through the door to the flower shoppe, and her nostrils took in the delightful aromas of roses, lilies and gardenias.

"What can I do for you?" the older woman behind the desk asked cheerfully.

"Actually, nothing," Annie said. "I know this week EVERYBODY is returning Christmas presents, complaining to customer service reps, and complaining about what's wrong with…whatever! I just wanted to come in here personally, and thank you for the lovely arrangement you helped my husband with."

"Why, thank you," the woman said, not leaving her chair. "And you're right, we don't hear that very often. What is your husband's name?"

"Vince. Er…Vegorigno. Vince Vegorigno."

"Yes," the woman said with a smile. "I remember. Handsome boy. We didn't help much at all. After he picked out the flowers we did the arrangement. He didn't really need our help. But thank you anyway!"

The woman started to look back down at her paperwork. Annie continued, "You're not from here, are you?"

"No, not originally, and it seems neither are you!"

"I moved down here from Long Island with Vinnie about a year ago. How about you?"

"New York, too. Not far from Elmira."

"OK. Which town?"

"Bedford Falls."

Annie felt a shiver as she suddenly recognized the face beaming at her.

"Zuzu?" she couldn't help but exclaim.

"My goodness, child, I haven't heard that name in years. Do I know you?"

Annie gathered herself and swallowed. "Lucky guess. I'm Annie."

The woman extended her hand across the desk. "I'm Zahara Bailey Wainwright. My husband Donald and I retired here."

There are fifty states, NOW, Donald, Annie thought, suppressing a smile. "How long ago was that?"

"Since we retired? Oh, it's going on ten years now. I run this shop just to pass the time. Donald was running the company our fathers started until he sold it.

"Oh, really? What business was that?"

"It all started with my father's invention."

"Invention?"

"Ziploc bags."

Annie scrunched her mouth and shook her head again. "Unbelievable."

"What was that, Annie?"

"Oh, nothing. I assume you had a career, too?"

"Why, yes. Yes, I did. I got my PharmD in 1967. I worked on some marvelous projects with some wonderful people. Even worked on a team that discovered a vaccine that has saved countless people all over the world," Zuzu said, as the passion inside her made her voice rise.

"I suspect you're being modest," Annie said. "You discovered it, didn't you?"

"These things are always team efforts," Zuzu said, blushing slightly. "I just feel so blessed to have helped so many people."

"So do I!" Annie said, choking up slightly.

"So, what do you do?"

"I work in marketing for a large company here," Annie said. "But I'm working on being whatever I want to be."

"That's the right attitude for sure, my dear!"

"I agree. Say," Annie noticed a picture over Zuzu's shoulder. "That a picture of you and Robert Blake?"

"Why, yes it is. That's our fiftieth high school reunion, taken just last year. What a terrific man. Good husband. Very generous. He's given countless time and money to our foundation."

Guess he didn't want to do the time! "Foundation?"

"The Hatch Memorial Foundation for Battered Women. In honor of our grammar school teacher. She was one of the first to stand up to the physical and emotional abuse so many women suffer at the hands of their domestic partner. We were so touched by her courage and strength."

"I'm sure you were," Annie thought, suddenly feeling five inches taller again, this time for a different reason. Annie just stood there for a moment, soaking in the joy she felt. Suddenly self-conscious, she said, "I shouldn't keep you. You seem busy."

"Year-end paperwork. Please don't be stranger," Zuzu said. "And by the way, if you do come back, feel free to use that nickname. I've always loved it," she said with a gleam in her eye.

"I will," Annie winked. As she opened the door the bell tinkled again. Annie whirled around and said, "You know every time a bell rings an angel gets his wings."

Zuzu took off her glasses and laughed. "I wish I had a nickel for every time I heard THAT!"

"Well, of course," Annie said. "The movie and all."

"Movie?" Zuzu said, genuinely puzzled.

"Oh, go on! The movie!"

"I'm not sure what you're talking about."

Convinced that she didn't, Annie shrugged. "Oh, never mind. Guess you had to be there."

"Besides," Zuzu said, "unless my Maker has different plans, I'm not counting on needing any wings anytime soon!"

"I hope not! Me neither!" Annie said. "Anyway, you have a Happy New Year…Zuzu!"

"Happy New Year to you, Annie!"