Life After Taylah

by Bella Jewel

  “The pool?”

  I grin at her and she smiles, showing me that cute-as-shit dimple in her cheek. She only has one.

  “The pool,” I confirm.

  “Because . . .”

  I laugh. I brought her here because there is nothing better than practicing things in water. It’s light and it’s easy. Her brother has a pool in his shared apartment lot, and because we know him, we got in for nothing.

  “Balancing is super easy in the water, now get in.”

  She stares at me, lips parted.

  “Don’t look at me like you’re about to chuck a fit. Get in.”

  She straightens, grins and then charges at me. I don’t see it coming. She’s only tiny but she hits me so hard I lose my footing. I tumble backwards into the pool, but I make sure to take hold of her arm as I go. She comes in with me, screaming and laughing. The water is fucking freezing and I come up roaring. “Holy fucking shit!” I bellow, rubbing my arms.

  Avery is laughing, her head is thrown back and her long blonde hair is fanning out in the water behind her. Fuck she’s beautiful, not just on the outside but on the inside. She’s been through so much yet she still has this light within her. I look away, knowing I shouldn’t be looking, knowing I shouldn’t care about her or even be helping her.

  “Well, you got me in here,” she says. “What are we going to do?”

  I turn back to her and swim over, gripping her hips and pulling her close. “Try again now.”

  I spin her around and press her back to mine. Fuck, stop thinkin’ about it, stop fuckin’ thinking about it. I put my hand on her flat belly and the other on her back and then I order, “Go.”

  She moves with such grace it’s beautiful. I’m a man, and beautiful isn’t in my vocabulary, but that’s the only way I can describe her. She practices until we’re both exhausted, but she turns to me with a smile. “You’re right. I think it’s all in my posture. Thanks Nate.”

  I shrug. “Anytime.”

  A cool wind comes past and she shivers. “It’s getting cold in here.”

  “Yeah, we should get out.”

  We both swim to the side but as she climbs up, I can’t fight the urge. I grip her hips and I hurl her backwards, tossing her into the water. She comes up laughing and spluttering. “You’re awful.”

  I flash her a grin and go to climb out myself, but she lunges at me, hooking her arms and legs around me like a fuckin’ monkey and pulling me back. I lose my grip on the side and we both go crashing into the water. When we come up, she’s still laughing and goes to lunge at me again, but she sees something over my shoulder and stops. Color rises to her cheeks.

  “Kelly, Liam.” She smiles. “Hey.”

  I turn to see Kelly and Liam leaning against the gate, staring at us. Liam is glaring but Kelly has a concerned look on his face. He swings his eyes to me and narrows them.

  “Avery, your dad called your phone a few times,” he says to her.

  “Right, of course,” she says, quickly getting out of the pool.

  “What were you doin’ in there?” I hear him ask her as she rushes past.

  “Just practicing.”

  He grunts and she disappears, yelling, “Thanks Nate, I’ll see you later.”

  Nice.

  I get out of the pool, pull a towel off the chair beside it and give Liam a glare as I walk past him. Kelly stops me just as I get to the garden. I’m guessing I’m about to get a lecture, probably the same lecture Liam is giving Avery right now.

  “What’s goin’ on there, Nate?”

  I give him the stink-eye—hard.

  “What are you implying, Kelly?”

  He leans his hip against the arch surrounded in colorful flowers. “You’re married.”

  I stiffen and straighten. “When did you think I became unaware of that?”

  “The moment you saw her.”

  I narrow my eyes and cross my arms. “Avery and I have created a friendship, an innocent one. Since when was it not okay to be friends with a member of the opposite sex?”

  He steps close. “Avery isn’t the kind of girl that can deal with heart break, Nathaniel. Just you remember that. She’s had a hard time; she’s not the kind of girl for you.”

  “And she’s the kind of girl for you?”

  His jaw tics. It’s obvious to me Kelly has or has had feelings for Avery. I’m going with the first option.

  “I’ve known Avery for a very long time. I saw her suffer when her momma went missing. She’s complicated, she’s deep and she’s fragile.”

  “That’s the problem with people like you,” I say, leaning forward and getting in his face. “You treat her like a child. She’s a grown woman who is extremely smart and funny. Maybe you should try being her friend—just like I am—instead of treating her like a wounded child and you might just see that.”

  “Stay away from her, Nate,” he warns.

  “Or what?” I growl. “You don’t choose who I’m friends with, Kelly, and you certainly don’t dictate to me what I will and won’t do. She’s my friend and I won’t stop being her friend for you.”

  “You so much as touch her . . .”

  “This conversation is finished.”

  I turn and walk off, not letting him get another word in.

  I can’t—because if he digs too deep, he’ll see that part of what he’s saying is right.

  She makes me forget.

  CHAPTER 9

  AVERY

  “You did good today,” Lyn says, throwing her bag over her shoulder.

  “I think I sent one of the kids spiraling out of control with my instruction.” I frown.

  Lyn laughs. “It takes a while; you’re only just starting out. You’ll do fine.”

  “Thanks, Lyn.”

  “Avery.”

  I look up to see Jacob walking in. He’s striding towards me with his usual stiff expression on his face. He reaches me, presses a kiss to my cheek and then straightens again, as though he just preformed a ritual.

  “Max is outside, he’s waiting for you.”

  My eyes light up and I rush past him, yelling a goodbye to Lyn. I step outside and let my eyes fall on the tall, muscled, sexy-as-hell cop that has been my friend since I was thirteen years old, broken and alone. He was just starting out back then, a rookie. He’s not anymore.

  Max is in his early forties and he’s handsome as all hell. Messy black hair, smoky grey eyes, tall, broad—all topped with a smile to die for.

  “Mad Max!” I cry, running to him and leaping into his arms.

  “Petal!” He laughs, spinning me in a circle.

  He’s called me petal since the day he met me as a young girl. I was so fragile back then, just like a flower, he said. I clung to him when they were investigating my mother’s disappearance. My father was busy, always running around frantically, and my brother closed off. Max was the only person I could talk to. He left five years after she went missing, and I haven’t seen him since but he always calls me.

  “I didn’t know you were coming,” I say, stepping back and holding onto his shoulders, taking him in. “You look exactly the same!”

  He chuckles and grips either side of my face, pressing a kiss to my forehead. “You’ve grown up, petal. When did you get so tall?”

  I laugh. “Growth spurt, hey? I blame all the greens I eat.”

  He smiles warmly at me, his hands still on my face. Max couldn’t have children because of an accident he had when he was younger. He’s married to a woman named Kate, who was always around when he lived here, though she was a little snotty.

  “How’s Kate?” I ask.

  He frowns. “We split.”

  I crinkle my forehead and frown. “I’m sorry, Maxy.”

  He rolls his eyes. “Maxy? Still?”

  “It’s cute.” I beam.

  “How’s your dancing?” he asks, wrapping an arm around my shoulder.

  “It’s good. I’ve just started practicing and studying to be a teacher.”

 
; “Good for you, petal.”

  “I’m going to leave you to it,” Jacob says, walking up behind me. “It was good to see you, Max.”

  Max nods at Jacob. “Yeah, you too, son.”

  When Jacob disappears, I turn back to Max.

  “So, what happened with Kate?” I ask, looking up at him.

  “How about we get a coffee and I’ll tell you all about it?”

  I nod enthusiastically. “There’s a café just around the corner.”

  We walk to a nearby café and order some coffees, then Max tells me about Kate and how it just wasn’t working out. He thinks him not being able to have kids played a big part.

  “I thought she’d accepted you couldn’t have kids?”

  He sighs and shrugs. “People change their minds, petal. She’s a woman; I can’t hate her for suddenly feeling the need to be a mother.”

  I nod. “True.”

  “How’s your dad? Liam?”

  I frown and look away. “I don’t see Dad much.”

  “Oh,” he says, patting my hand. “Sorry, kid.”

  “Liam isn’t great either. He’s not been in a good place after Momma went.”

  “Taylah changed many lives,” he admits. “I never met her, but I can say she’s consumed my mind so many times over the years. So much so I looked further into it. It’s a cold case, but I’ve found a few leads that haven’t been investigated enough so I have had permission to investigate further.”

  “You did?” I ask, feeling my heart skip a beat.

  “I did.”

  “And . . .”

  “I’ve got a few leads, Avery. I’m not going to tell you what they are because I don’t want to get your hopes up. I promise, though, if I find something I will tell you.”

  I swallow and try to fight back my tears. He reaches across and takes both of my hands in his. “I don’t know how hard these years have been for you, because I couldn’t imagine the pain of losing someone the way you did. But I can tell you that I will do everything I can to see if I can find information. There has to be something we’ve missed.”

  “Thank you,” I whisper. “I can’t begin to tell you how much this means to me.”

  He smiles, his grey eyes softening. “I think I get that.”

  “Here’s your coffee.”

  A small, blond waitress puts two cups down and then rushes off. I take mine and stir it before taking a sip. Yum.

  “I’ll be in town a while. I’m setting up base here until I decide to drop the case. I’ve rented an apartment not far from yours.”

  “Really?” I smile, glad to finally have someone I can talk to who understands.

  “Really. I’ll go and see Liam tomorrow.”

  I nod. Liam adored Max, and I think if there’s anyone at all that can get through to Liam, it’s him. Speaking of Liam, I still need to go and visit. I’ve been meaning to do it since Kelly and I spoke but I’ve not had the chance. Maybe tonight is the best time to do that.

  “I might go and see him tonight. Did you want to come?”

  He nods. “That would be great. He won’t mind?”

  I shake my head. “I think he’ll be just fine with it.”

  ~*~*~*~

  “What are you doing here, Avie?” Liam asks, staring down at the beer in my hands.

  “I’m coming to visit you.”

  He looks confused, his brows furrowing. “No lectures?”

  “I’m your sister, not your mother. I just wanted to hang out.”

  “Hang out?” he says skeptically.

  I beam. “There may be something else . . .”

  “There always fuckin’ is,” he grunts, turning to shut the door in my face.

  “Don’t talk to your sister like that, boy.”

  Liam stops and slowly turns, a grin spreading across his face. I’ve not seen my brother smile for years. “Mad Max?”

  Max appears and Liam’s grin nearly splits his face in half.

  “Well fuck me!” he says, reaching out and taking Max’s hand.

  The two hug and Max takes a minute to look over Liam.

  “Boy, it seems it’s time we have a serious talk.”

  Liam looks to me and back to Max.

  “But,” Max adds. “Not until we’ve finished all this beer.”

  Liam grins again.

  “What’s dragged you back to this shithole?” he asks, shutting the door.

  “Workin’ a case,” Max says. “How’s things been?”

  Liam and Max spend the next two hours talking, with me joining in where I can. We laugh, we talk, we eat and we drink. Well, they drink. I really can’t afford to have any more beer. By the time I leave, I feel like I’ve pieced just a touch of my family back together.

  It feels good having Max home, and I can only pray that he can help Liam.

  That just leaves Dad.

  CHAPTER 10

  NATE

  “Swing me faster, Daddy,” Macy cries and I swing her in a full circle as fast as I’ll allow myself.

  I hear Lena laughing behind me, and it’s probably the first time in a while things seem to be going okay. Granted, there are still a shitload of fights, but today, for some strange reason, we’ve been able to act like a family.

  “How about we go out for lunch together?” Lena suggests as I set Macy on her feet.

  I look down at my little girl with a smile. “What do you reckon, shorty?”

  She squeals and claps her hands. “Yay!”

  I take her hand and turn to Lena. “Where are we going?”

  She shrugs. “How about the diner by the ocean?”

  “Sounds good.”

  We head over to the diner and order some lunch. The conversation seems to flow quite well and I can see Lena is making an effort. I can’t pick on her for that. I’ve asked her to try and she is, which means I am. It’s a two-way street.

  “When’s your next race?” she asks, spooning salad into her mouth.

  “Tomorrow, then two on the weekend.”

  “Are you going out of town?”

  I shake my head. “No, they’re all here. I go out of town in about a fortnight for a few races.”

  She nods. “I’ve applied for a few jobs.”

  I raise my eyes and smile at her. “That’s good Lena, great actually.”

  “I’m going to try harder, Nate. I swear.”

  I keep my smile. “I’m glad to hear it.”

  And I was.

  Regardless of everything, Lena is my wife, and she isn’t a bad woman. I have to support her.

  ~*~*~*~

  NATE

  Avery: Hey, how r u?

  Nate: Good. U?

  Avery: I haven’t seen you for a few days?

  Nate: Sorry, been busy.

  Avery: Okay. Well, I just wanted to see how you were. I’m sorry about the other day with the pool. Kelly can be a little . . . controlling.

  Nate: It’s no worries.

  She doesn’t answer back and I flip my phone over, turning it onto silent. I shouldn’t feel bad abut texting Avery, but I do. I do because I can’t get her out of my head. It doesn’t matter how hard I try; she keeps popping up. It’s not fair on Lena or Macy for me to feel this kind of confusion over another woman. The best thing I can do is not talk to her, and maybe distance the friendship.

  She’s dangerous for me.

  I feel it with everything I am.

  CHAPTER 11

  AVERY

  I sit on the bench and curl my legs up beneath me, and I just stare. The ocean is beautiful, and it was Momma’s favorite place. It only seems logical that I would come here every year on the anniversary of her disappearance and think about her. A tear slides down my cheek, and then another. I close my eyes and smile at the precious few memories I have of her, my favorite one being the time she brought our dog, Benny, home.

  “Avie, baby,” my momma calls. “I have a surprise for you.”

  I skip out of my room, my long pigtails flying around beside me as I go. My momm
a is in the kitchen, a box in her hand. She’s smiling big and bright, her face flushed with happiness.

  “What is it?” I ask, leaning up on my tiptoes to try and catch a look.

  “Guess!” She laughs.

  “Is it a cake?”

  She shakes her head and rolls her eyes. “You and cake. No, it’s not food.”

  “Is it a toy?”

  She shakes her head again, hardly containing her excitement.

  “Is it a plant?”

  Suddenly the box rattles and I scream, leaping back. Then I hear the soft yapping of a puppy.

  “Momma!” I scream. “It can’t be.”

  “It can,” she says, kneeling and putting the box on the floor. She opens the lid and a tiny puppy comes barreling out.

  “Oh my God!” I cry, scooping the tiny animal into my arms. It smothers my face in little licks.

  “Happy Birthday, baby girl. I know it’s early but I couldn’t resist.”

  “Is it a boy or a girl?” I gush.

  “He’s a boy.”

  “We have to name him.”

  She smiles and wraps an arm around me, patting the puppy.

  “I kind of already thought of one.”

  I look up at her. “What is it?”

  “Benny.”

  I grin, big and wide. “Like our favorite song?”

  “Exactly.”

  We look at each other and both sing, “B-B-B-Benny and the Jets.”

  We fall back in laughter, Benny on my belly, still licking my face.

  “Thank you, Momma. He’s perfect.”

  “Just like you, angel.”

  “Hey.”

  I snap out of my thoughts and see Nate standing at the chair beside me. He’s wearing running clothes and he’s got sweat trickling down his face. He’s panting and in one hand he’s clutching a water bottle. I get to my feet quickly, horrified that he’s seen me crying. Especially since he’s been avoiding me for two weeks now. I turn and rush off, mumbling, “It’s fine, I’m fine.”

  “Jesus, Avery, stop.”

  He comes after me.

  “Let me help you. You’re clearly upset.”

  I spin around. “Oh, now you want to help me? After you’ve refused to speak to me for weeks? What did I do to you, Nate? Nothing. Don’t bother. Just leave me alone.”