by Pamela Ann
“Ava Chambers … was Ava Westwood.”
My deadpanned tone made something click behind her mind before she frowned and gave me a curt nod. “I’ll get back to you after I have news.”
However, even Emily’s expert negotiating skills didn’t bring any news to fruition. Panic seized me more and more firmly the longer Ava’s phone remained unavailable.
Of all the things I had experienced in life, this was something I wasn’t accustomed to feeling. It left me a man of nerves, like my world was about to fall apart any moment, and I had no power to stop it. The saying “in God’s hands” made so much sense to me in that instant.
Left with no choice, I had to call the only other person who would know what to do—her father. I made the call and departed for the day, unable to concentrate on anything except Ava.
Driving home when the entire city was gripped by fear and panic wasn’t the best way to dampen the crippling terror that was growing inside me; therefore, it was a fortunate thing that the helicopter pilot was still in the building and was immediately ready to take me back to my home. I loved driving and rarely used this kind of transportation, but today, I felt helpless, as if my fate was in someone else’s hands—someone who had a sick humor and took great pleasure in smashing my world into smithereens.
The travel from the office to my home didn’t give me any inclination to peek at how grave it was down there. Because, if I did, I might not survive. Ava had declined offers of having her own car and driver because she was fond of taking cabs and walking about the city. And this was the downside of giving in to my wife’s wishes—leaving her in harm’s way. There was nothing I could do about it, either, other than wait until something came up.
Maybe the jammed traffic and people scattered about in a frantic state were all using their phones, trying to reach family and loved ones, which made it impossible to get ahold of her. She was probably somewhere safe, chatting up the cabbie as she worried about what was going on. Yes, she was safe …
God, she had better be safe, or I won’t ever forgive myself.
An hour later, I was back at the house, drinking scotch in the living room while awaiting Charles Watson’s arrival. It didn’t take long until Alistair announced his arrival, and what caught me by surprise was that he wasn’t alone. He had brought his wife with him.
“Charles,” I greeted him with a firm handshake before directing my gaze towards his other half. “Charlotte.”
The patronizing woman I had encountered two nights prior at the fundraiser had completely vanished. The Charlotte before me was an entire wreck, hysterically weeping as she mumbled what a horrible mother she’d been to her only child. Charles didn’t seem like he was faring well, either. He was attempting to comfort his wife, whispering assurances that all would be well, although his eyes mirrored my own, feeling gravelly glum as to where Ava might have been.
With our phones close to us, we vigilantly waited for Ava’s call in the living room, barely touching the snacks and hot tea that had been replaced several times since the first ones had been set before us, untouched.
Time trickled slowly, and as the night wore on, we were all in a state of numbness, evidently inconsolable as we tried to contact and reach the most powerful people we knew to help with our problem. Just as Emily had feared, however, the entire city was swamped and overwhelmed with locating bodies and investigating the terrorist attack. With everyone in a state of alarm, there was little to nothing to be done except wait.
Regardless, there was a gigantic problem when it came to waiting. I was capable of exercising patience, yet when it came to Ava, I had zero tolerance for delays. It left me at my wit’s end, unable to do much of anything. Even Charles, barking orders on his phone, did little to no good. Charlotte remained in hysterics and simply out of commission when it came to functioning. Though she wasn’t weeping like she had been earlier, her silences and staring off into space were giving me worry.
Yes, I was starting to worry about Charlotte Watson. The world definitely had gone mad. Even though the woman wasn’t throwing vile words in my direction, it didn’t mean she didn’t think of it, despite being in my home. I chose to look past that to the grief-stricken mother, and what I saw made me feel unexpectedly warmer toward her.
“Charlotte, is there something I can get for you to eat? You might need it if you plan to stay up late.” I sat across from her, plucking a piece of china from the nearby settee then placed small sandwiches on it that she might like. Setting the plate in front of her, I went on to pour her a cup of tea before glancing towards Charles. “Does she take milk and sugar?”
He shook his head, pausing from his constant state of pacing around the room. “No milk, no sugar, but do use honey,” he stated as if he was a robot before resuming his walkabout.
Pouring a teaspoon of honey, I stirred it slowly into the hot tea and then placed it next to the plate. “Please, we all need our energy if we must wait for news,” I pleaded with my voice, and with my eyes, because when I had said the word news, I couldn’t help shivering at what that entailed. It could be news about Ava’s whereabouts. News about Ava in the hospital and injured. Lastly …
No, there is nothing after that, I persisted as I tried to vanish the thought of death. The very word was chilling enough to consider; however, when it was used next to Ava, the very idea itself was distasteful. I wouldn’t have any of it. Life wasn’t that cruel to take her away in such a tragic method. Bad things didn’t happen to women like her. I had to reassure myself of that, or I might end up in a heap of hysterics like Charlotte.
Staring at the tea and plate I had set for her, she didn’t touch it until about ten minutes later as she whispered an almost inaudible “thank you.” I merely nodded, noting that she and I were shifting to a different level of understanding. We were here because of her daughter, and in that, she somehow had mellowed out, treating me as if I was a human being for the first time.
Another hour passed, and I was about to walk out the door and search the streets myself when I heard a loud thud coming from the main foyer.
“Alistair?” I called out, knowing the butler and the cook were both just as frantic as we were. Ava had only lived here for less than a month, yet she somehow had managed to bond with them, and in turn, they were deeply fond of having her around the house.
I waited a beat or two for Alistair to respond, and when nothing came, I furiously walked towards the foyer, ready to demand what the bloody fuck was going on, only to find Ava—or the likeness of her—dirtied up with soiled clothes, face ashen, with eyes that were bleak, and a terrified look on her face.
“I c-couldn’t get a c-cab … so I had to w-walk,” she stuttered as I stared at her, wondering if I was hallucinating. “My purse f-fell somewhere when every one was scre-e-eaming and running the other d-direction, and I fell hard onto the pavement”—she pauses—“and by then, my purse was n-nowhere in sight.” Tears welled in her eyes before her lips quivered. “I’m s-sorry if you’ve been waiting for me … but you must kn-know, I tried to get back as fast as I could.”
There were no words to describe how relieved I was to see her. Without preamble, I rushed towards her side, holding her close, as if I had already lost her, and she had risen from the dead.
“I’ve been thinking the worst. You don’t know how relieved I am that you’re safe and alive.” Tears burned behind my eye sockets, while the back of my throat felt like there was a massive lump stuck in it. I held onto her as if my life depended on it. Well, it did, really. She was my life now, and I had been this close to losing her.
I sent out a small prayer of gratitude to whoever had been watching her tonight—angels, gods, hell, add the fairies into the equation. I was forever in their debt, simply thankful my wife was back in my arms. Even in a bashed, ashen state, I was grateful she was alive.
She slightly trembled in my arms before I cupped her cheeks, searching her eyes. “I love you.” The words left my lips before I even realized that they were being said a
loud. She didn’t say a thing, merely looked like she was about to start crying.
“Reiss?” Charles called out after me. “Is something the—my God! Ava!” he bellowed, shocked as I had been before he directed his wife. “She’s alive, Charlotte. Our daughter is alive.” There was immense relief in his voice, but most of all, there was a vulnerability that I had never known existed within him.
Charles, Charlotte, and I all bundled together, hugging Ava, who seemed confused and at a loss for words.
“You c-called Mum and Dad?” She gave me an accusing look before frowning at me. “You were that worried something might’ve h-happened to me?”
I wasn’t sure if she was amazed that I could put our differences aside, or that I was capable of tolerating her mother’s presence at all. She knew the depths of how much I royally despised her mother. There were times when breathing the same air as her would have been too much to bear. Subsequently, witnessing that I wouldn’t hold back to extract help from her parents when need be must have been alarming.
Without saying the words, it was as if my eyes confirmed everything she was thinking—that, yes, I was willing to do anything and everything for her. Even giving someone a second chance, despite the fact that I had vowed to never reconsider.
Charles and Charlotte guided Ava towards the bedroom. Charlotte had taken charge, stating her daughter was in the state of shock and needed a warm bath to clean up, and soothe her aches and pains while the staff busied themselves to prepare something that might entice her to eat.
While everyone did their appointed tasks, I was calling the doctor, needing him to give Ava a thorough check-up. After she had described the scene, like it was a stampede of chaotic mess, she had told me she wasn’t sure if someone had stepped onto her tiny, protruding stomach, causing alarm bells to start ringing in my ears.
It was as if we were all frantic to cater to Ava, and I was almost positive that, though she had hated her parents at one point, seeing how distressed they were had proven how devoted and how deeply they cared for her. Sometimes, people had a peculiar way of expressing their feelings when they weren’t accustomed to showing them, much as had done in the very beginning. However, we all had learned from our mistakes.
Charlotte’s personality had temporarily thawed from an ice queen to a caring mother, and I couldn’t help wishing it would be a lasting effect. This had been a lesson for all of us that life was too short to take for granted, that if you love someone, you told them without hesitation because who knew when they would be taken away from you. Right after her bath, the doctor came, giving Ava a thorough examination. I didn’t sigh my relief until he assured us all that she was fine and healthy, as was the baby. Once the doctor left, she was covered in layers of sheets, and even though she had just had a warm bath, she still looked far too pale and grave, as if she had witnessed something terrifying out there. I had no doubt that she did. Had I been with her, things would’ve been different. I would’ve been there to protect her, at least. However, regrets wouldn’t do me any good. Instead, the only thing that I could do to make a difference from here on out was to love Ava with all of my being. And I intended to do just that.
The fretting parents insisted that they care for her; as a result, I was left no choice except to sit on the tip of the bed and watch her being fed by Charlotte while Charles held her hand the entire time. It was rather odd in a comical way, I supposed. It was a sight to see—that even the toughest shell out there could melt away due to fear.
When nighttime came and her mother insisted she stay by her side, even though I was dying to be next to my wife, I obliged her request. I was a selfish man, but Ava had gone through life resenting the woman who had given her life, and I couldn’t deprive her of this opportunity, because she might never get another one. My needs could very well wait until she and I were alone.
Sending her a brave smile, I kissed her forehead before kissing her lips, holding on to her for as long as I could. “I love you, Ava.”
“I know,” she whispered in a small voice. “I’ve known all along … but you didn’t, so I had to be patient and wait for the right time for you to acknowledge it, as you did before.
“Our kind of love doesn’t just disappear because of hate, or because you wished it away. Once we’re linked, there’s no way to unlink the chain of our fates. That’s why I kept telling you I loved you even if your chosen rebuttal was to fight back and spew more lies. I knew, deep down, the journey would be worth it. You’re worth the wait, Reiss.”
She had known this whole time, while I was stuck in my own ball of misery and confusion? Bloody hell. It was rather sad and revealing all at the same time that she knew me better than I did myself.
“Woman, you and I need to have a very lengthy talk soon. And, yes, again and again—forever and a day, until death you and I part, until my last gasping breath—I’ll never stop loving you.”
Epilogue
reiss
“Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous, it does not brag, and it is not proud. Love is not rude, is not selfish, and does not get upset with others. Love does not count up wrongs that have been done. Love takes no pleasure in evil but rejoices over the truth. Love patiently accepts all things. It always trusts, always hopes, and always endures.” – 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Who would’ve thought that a girl and a boy could find lasting love at the age of sixteen and seventeen? Yet, it had happened to Ava and I.
When young, we were molded into thinking that life was what you made of it, that our younger years were merely a stepping stone to a bigger and brighter future ahead of us. Consequently, when we stumbled upon each other and ignited this consuming love, given our gullible age and our naiveté, it was inevitable that we would make a disaster of it.
Young though we were, it didn’t make our feelings any less intense, any less powerful, than people falling in love in their mid-twenties or more. Who was society to judge what real love was and what it wasn’t? Some were lucky enough to experience love twice or three times in their lives. Some only had that chance once in their lifetime, and would thoroughly live that experience through a glorified way of remembering the love once found. However, for the folks that didn’t toy with fire, most didn’t ever find love at all.
I proudly boasted that, not only did I find my one true love at a very young age, I also was given a second chance to correct what had gone wrong. This kind of luck normally didn’t happen. One would have a better luck in playing the lottery than trying to win this kind gamble.
Love.
One word, consisting of four letters. It looked simple and uncomplicated. It was rather plain English that didn’t make anyone sound scholarly compared to saying the word meretricious or succedaneum. Although, that was where the simplicity ended.
It was a frightening process to put your faith and trust into one person, risking everything in them. It was a sacrifice that everyone needed to make before achieving the all-consuming dream that was worth more than life itself.
I was a lucky man indeed to have such a woman who had never given up on believing in me.
A week after that horrendous nightmare, Ava and I left to visit my parents. The culprit who stole millions just happened to be the CFO of the company, a man who I met during studying economics in my university days. He was a man I trusted but his profound greed made him betray one of the people who had helped him achieve the wealth he had acquired…but with his arrest and the courts on his bloody traitorous arse hounding every account they could trace, he was done for. I was negotiating so the company could take back all the money that was lost, or what was left of it, without him going to prison for a decade. I believed a year or two would suffice. He used to be a good man at one point. Maybe spending time behind bars would enlighten him a little. With all this chaos involving work, I took a short hiatus right after, needing to cater to my wife and simply enjoy her company since I still owed her a honeymoon. Much more so, a real wedding, consisting of our closest fri
ends and family. I wanted an intimate ceremony, a different kind than the one she’d had with Ashton.
Therefore, on the third day of our trip, I took her somewhere special. We drove for about forty minutes before parking the car underneath a tree. We got out of and I blindfolded her. Then, we strolled for another ten minutes or so before reaching the intended destination where I took the cover from her eyes.
“Oh, my God, Reiss!” she shrieked as her eyes grew huge, delighted by my surprise. “I haven’t been back here since you left. Though I thought about this place quite often, I never did have the courage to return.”
The lake—our lake—where everything had begun between us. Where I had first set my eyes upon her and it had changed my life forever.
The place was surrounded by torches, aglow with fire, while rose-scented floating candles lit the lake that was trimmed with blue LED strip lighting.
This wouldn’t have been possible had Charlotte not offered to help me. She had since mellowed down, and was trying to make amends by building a relationship with me. It wouldn’t have been possible unless both parties were willing to move forward and, fortunately, such was the case.
Basking in Ava’s glowing happiness, I knew there wasn’t anywhere else on earth I’d rather be than right here, content as I watched her take in everything with her eyes.
Clearing my throat, my thumb caressed her hand before I got on one knee and gazed at my soul reflecting back at me in her eyes, showing me what the future held.
“Ava Watson Chambers, you and I had a very passionate start. Short as it may have been, it ended on a tragic note that painted our lives differently. After years of separation, you and I found each other once more, and I can’t apologize enough for my horrific treatment of you in the beginning, but I will make up for it by making a solid foundation for our marriage, compromising when need be, and continuing to love you even if you’re being a lovely pain in my arse. Lovely perhaps, though a pain, all the same.” I beamed as she grinned, blushing profusely. “Marry me again, with our family and friends to witness our undying love and devotion, and I swear to you, on my honor, our honeymoon will be better than our living room floor.”
