He pulled in a breath as he tried to control his emotions. “And then came you.”
I lifted my hand to my mouth as I tried to hold back my own emotions, the ultimate love showing on his face was choking me. “You burst in and demanded more. You didn’t take no, you shoved all the no’s up my arse and made me want more. And now, twenty years later, you still shove plenty up my arse.”
The room erupted in laughter as I shook my head at him. He grinned at me, blew me a kiss then nodded to the DJ, “Hit it!”
I rolled my eyes but laughed when he started to sing Jackie Wilson’s, Your love keeps lifting me higher – awfully.
“Your love, lifting me higher,
than I've ever been lifted before,
So keep it up,
quench my desire,
and I'll be at your side, forever more,
You know your love,
Keep on lifting me, Higher,
Higher and higher,
I said your love,
Keep on,
Lifting me,
Higher and higher.”
George jumped on the stage and slowly walked to his dad. My heart exploded as Mason held out his hand and George filled it with his own. I had never witnessed anything more beautiful and fulfilling than at long last watching my son and my husband come together, finally, after so long.
I gasped when I was lifted high in the air. Courtney, Nate, Kade, Liv, Layla, Marcy, Katie, Grace, they all held me tight. I spared a silent moment for Rebecca, and hoped she was now happy. I finally realised that shit through the years meant nothing if you couldn’t forgive. She deserved forgiveness. She gave her life to my husband and she should be respected for that if nothing else.
Mason continued to watch me as he sung, his heart on his sleeve and his love in his eyes as he idolised me.
“I'm so glad, I've finally found you,
yes, that one, in a million girl,
And now with my loving arms around you,
Honey, I can stand up and face the world.
You know your love,
Keep on lifting,
Higher,
Higher and higher,
I said your love,
Keep on,
Lifting me,
Higher and higher.”
“Jesus Christ!” I laughed when he finished his song and jumped off the stage.
“How good was I, baby?” He scooped me up and carried me towards the doors.
“You were awesome, Mason!” He grinned and nodded as he nudged the double doors open with his backside. “Uhh, where are we going?”
He smirked at me as he took the foyer steps two at a time up to the first floor. “Why Mrs Fox, you are going to show me your new tattoo.”
I bit the edge of my tongue and smirked at him. “Ahh, is that all. I thought for a moment you were rushing me to the bedroom to make mad passionate love to me.”
He tutted and shook his head in disappointment. “Ava, Ava, Ava,” he sighed as he inserted the key card and kicked open our door. “Since when have we ever made love?”
He dropped me on the bed, rolled me onto my stomach and started to peel me out of my dress. He growled when he found my tattoo.
His monster of fortitude
“We fuck, baby. We fuck each other, we fuck with other’s but most of all we fuck like there’s no tomorrow.” He nibbled at my arse and I yelped when he slapped it. “And now…”
“Now?” I asked when he paused and ran the tip of his finger up my arse cheeks.
“And now we fuck like the infamous Ava and Mason Fox.”
I gasped when I looked over my shoulder and found Kade and Grace grinning at me. “I love you,” Mason whispered in my right ear.
“Fuck, I love you,” Kade breathed in my left ear.
Grace smirked, straddled my back and then shrugged, “Ahh fuck it, I love you too.”
And holy shit, did we fuck. Just like Mason had said. Just like his little warrior and my glorious bastard always did – with each other, with others and until there was no tomorrow, because at the end of the day, who knew what tomorrow would bring. And today? Well, today was a new day and I was hell bent on living it to the full.
And yes, there was innuendo in that sentence. I was very full, every – single – which – way.
But hey, I was his little warrior. And I kicked ass! I kicked fucking ass, and I grew old with my husband and my lovers right beside me, right beside the sea, right where George had wanted me to be and right where I continued to live life to the full.
I am Ava Fox, and I am his monster of fortitude.
The End
Please continue for an after note from Mason, Ava and DH
Ava and Mason
Ava: *waves* Hi all…. Say Hi Mason.
Mason: Hi.
Ava: *Rolls eyes* Well I’ll start shall I?
Mason: You usually do, baby. *Bites on a chocolate digestive*
Ava: *glowers at Mason* Okay, well... well I’m here – at the end. Lots of you didn’t think I would be did you? Be honest!
Mason: I know, they’re ecstatic Ava. Can you hear them all cheering?
Ava: Fuck off you surly bastard. *Clears throat* Sorry, where was I? Oh yes, the end. Well I’m here, I kicked cancers ass.
Mason: You kick ass fucking brilliantly my little warrior. *Kisses Ava’s forehead*
Ava: *Beams and nods* I do don’t I! *Sighs happily*
Mason: Get on with it, baby.
Ava: Yes, sorry. Right umm... oh yes – cancer. Well I got through it but I’m gonna be honest here, if it wasn’t for you lot out there, I wouldn’t have made it. *Turns to DH* Someone was going to kill me. Weren’t they DH?
DH: *Shakes head slowly* Nooo.
Mason: She was baby, I saw the plot line in that little pink book of hers. *DH kicks Mason’s shin* Ow Fuck! That hurt!
Ava: *huffs* BUT… as I was saying… what the fuck was I saying? …….. Oh! Yes, I made it and thank you everyone that shouted at DH and told her not to kill me. You have no idea how much I appreciate that.
Mason: Mmmm
Ava: And, well that’s it really. It’s time to go now. Time to say goodbye but hell, it’s been fun. Some of the stuff we’ve got up to *Chuckles* Oooh Mason, do you remember that time in the Panther’s stockroom.
Mason: AVA! *glares* Shush… William will be reading this after.
Ava: Ooh, shit yeah. Remember that time we DIDN’T smash those expensive whisky bottles he got from that Scottish fella he entertains all the time when you slammed me against the shelving unit?
Mason: *Groans and shakes head* FML!
Ava: Eh? What does FML mean?
Mason: It means…. … Forever my love.
Ava: *grins happily* Aww, baby. *Kisses Mason hard* That deserves something special tonight.
Mason: *smirks*
Ava: Anyway, I want to thank you all for taking my hand and coming along for the ride. There’s been some ups and downs, actually there’s been a lot of ups and downs. But I wouldn’t change it for the world. We made some good friends, amazing friends actually…. What’s that noise?
Mason: (Whispering under his breath) You know your love, your love keeps lifting me, keep on lifting, love keeps lifting me.
Ava: Will you stop singing that damn song!
Mason: Sorry *smiles apologetically*
Ava: …And you all made them with me. But one thing is for certain, through it all, I got stronger, I got wiser and I got….
Mason: (Singing louder) I'm so glad, I've finally found you. Yes, that one, in a million girl *Rolls lips, smiles at Ava* You got what baby?
Ava: *stares at Mason* Fuck knows! *laughs* What did I actually get out of it all?
Mason: You got me. *Grins widely and nods enthusiastically*
Ava: I got blonde hair!
Mason: Perfect.
Ava: (climbs onto Mason’s lap) I got you! *SHUT YOUR EYES EVERYONE!*
DH: Anyway *Kicks Ava and Mason* I want a quick word to say
, thank you, each and every one of you for taking the Fox’s into your hearts alongside me. They have been a joy to work with but broke me bitterly, yet through it all, as my writing progresses and new characters are created, there will only ever - ever be one Mr & Mrs Fox. And I will miss them so much.
And as the wonderful Warner Brothers always said… That’s all folks!
Fortitude (Heart of Stone) Page 18
