Echoes in the Bayou

by Dukes, Ursula

  By morning, Sinta knew that Celeste was gone.

  Chapter Two

  Savannah Georgia, June 2012

  "Ava please wait!" Gavin urged.

  Ava fumbled for her car keys. "What Gavin? Are you going to stand there and tell me that it’s not what it looks like? That I didn’t just catch you and my best friend about to screw on top of your desk?" She shouted.

  Gavin shook his head. "No. I was simply going to tell you that it’s over between me and you and that I think you should relocate," he said. And without so much as an ounce of remorse, continued. "Look Ava, things between us have been going downhill for a long time now chère, you know this."

  She turned to him in disbelief. "Really Gavin? Because that’s news to me. I mean yeah, we've had our share of problems, but I didn’t think things were that bad. I just moved in with you, you son of a bitch!" She barked, and slapped him hard across the face. He was her boss, but at that moment she didn’t care. This is what I get for jumping into things, she scolded herself. And with my boss none the less.

  "Yeah Ava about that, Melanie and I are going to need you to move out too."

  Ava stood stunned as her best friend Melanie leaned against the doorway of Gavin’s office and casually began buttoning up her blouse.

  This can’t be happening, she thought to herself. I know that this couldn’t possibly be happening to me right now. The realty office seemed to be getting smaller and smaller by the minute. She was glad that there weren’t any clients around, she wasn’t sure how much longer she’d be able to hold it together.

  "Gavin, you asked me to move in with you remember?" She reminded him sternly. "And now you want me to move out so you can play house with her?" She immediately began contemplating whether or not she should try and get her old place back. She'd moved a little over a month ago, but she hoped that her old place was still vacant and that her landlord would allow her to move back in. A shroud of disgust came over her face when she looked at her so-called best friend.

  Ava and Melanie had been best friends for five years now. It was shortly after she was hired as a staging designer for the realtor office that she had become fast friends with Melanie. It was because of her that Melanie was able to close on her very first house sale; Ava remembered it like it was yesterday. She had just started working for Gavin when Melanie came into the office hootin’ and hollerin’ about this couple she’d just finished showing a refurbished house to in the not so fancy part of town.

  She informed them that it needed some cosmetic work, but they insisted on seeing it immediately. Although they liked the overall structure of the house, they weren’t sure if they could see themselves living in it and raising a family. Melanie had shown them several houses before this particular one and they’d all but shot down every single one. She had shown them forty seven houses so far and now the young couple, along with Melanie where at their wits end.

  That’s when Ava suggested that maybe she could be of some assistance. She practically volunteered herself to stage the home and make it look welcoming and inviting to the young couple. It was after all what she was hired for, and what better way she told Melanie to put her talent to work.

  "You were hired for staging the larger more exquisite homes Ava, not a three bedroom that’s in the seedy part of town," Melanie told her.

  "Who cares how big or small," Gavin interjected. "That house has been on the market for far too long Melanie, and the area may not be rich but its full of hard working folks, just get it sold already will you? If Ava is offering to help you, then I suggest you gladly accept."

  And with that, Melanie had herself a beautifully staged home and Ava had a boss that was extremely pleased with her. When Melanie had convinced the young couple to take another look at the house, they fell in love with it.

  After spending a few moments talking with the young clients, Ava was able to put her keen sense of intuition to use and had managed to stage the home exactly the way the young couple would have imagined it. Within the hour of seeing the home again, they had made an offer well above the asking price. They wanted the furnishings and everything else that Ava had used to stage the house, and once the offer was made, they were homeowners by the end of the night.

  "You are amazing," Melanie raised her glass to Ava. Gavin had taken the both of them out to celebrate the sale of the house. "Yes she is," Gavin gave Ava a sultry look.

  "I didn’t think I’d ever get that house sold," Melanie frowned. "But thanks to you Ava, it sold and well above the asking price so kudos to you my new best friend."

  And just like that, the two had become the very best of friends, or so Ava thought. Now here she was watching her job, boyfriend, and best friend slip away. What the hell did I do to deserve this? She questioned herself.

  As if she could read her thoughts Melanie said, "Come on Ava you and your wonderful intuition? Surely you must have seen this coming."

  Ava shot her a ruinous look. "No Mel, I didn’t. I guess I never expected my best friend to betray me. You know it'll all be in vain," she scowled. "How long do you think this will last?" She questioned the two of them.

  "Look, ladies, what's the use huh? Ava, it’s been great but it’s over now. But I want you to know that Mel and I have come up with the perfect solution. You have to move out right? Right. So… and this is purely out of coincidence and you yourself always said that there are no coincidences, that everything happens for a reason," he said reminding her.

  "Well anyway, it just so happens that when Melanie and I were trying to figure out what to do with you, a client called and said that he needs someone special to handle the sale of his house. Now before you object, I know that you don’t have your realtor license, but that’s okay because all this client wants is for someone to come in and stage his house to sell. You do that, and I’ll take care of the rest."

  Ava looked back and forth between the two stunned. Not only was he talking to her as if she were a child but did she just hear him correctly when he said, when we were trying to figure out what to do with you?

  She could hold on to her anger no more. "What the hell am I? Some goddamn stray you found out in the street Gavin? And since when do you have to figure out anything about me Melanie?" She said sarcastically. "What you need to do is figure out why you can't keep your goddamn legs closed!" Ava snarled at her.

  Gavin and Melanie exchanged looks.

  "Ava, you and I both know that you’re not that hard to figure out. I mean let's face it, you are very passive. But deep down you know we’re finished right? Yes I asked you to move in and yes I thought things would work out but I was wrong. So for you, this will take some getting used to and that's why you need to hear me out," Gavin pressed. "Going to this place is just what you need."

  Ava could not believe the words that were coming out of his mouth. She was sure that there was not enough room in his small office for himself and his ego. What the hell did I ever see in him? She asked herself. You saw those gorgeous baby blues and you liked the way he did that thing with his tongue too, her inner self reminded her. Well he’s doing it to somebody else now, she pouted. No wait that’s not right, she debated with herself. He’s doing it with my best friend, she thought angrily.

  "You know you're right about one thing Gavin, getting the hell away from you two is exactly what I need, now tell me about this client of yours," she insisted.

  "Now that’s more like it Ava, I knew you’d come around." Gavin gave Melanie a, this will only take a few more minutes my love, once I’ve gotten rid of Ava we can resume our fucking on my desk, look before continuing.

  "Now as I was saying this client, Magnus DuPonte lives in Louisiana and works right there on the plantation. Once he got out of the corporate life and decided to start writing, he needed someplace quiet, so he moved into the plantation. Now the plan was for his fiancé to move in with him, but when he asked her she told him that she wouldn’t be able to stand the isolation. Well DuPonte didn’t take that too well, but the guy
really needed a break so he packed up and moved into the old place and kept seeing his fiancé whenever he could. But the distance soon became a problem for her so she broke it off with him completely and he ended up staying. He figured he’d go it alone but that's no longer working out for him so now he wants to be rid of the place. He doesn’t see the point in keeping it; it’s too much for one person to handle."

  Ava gave him a look of astonishment. "So now you’re sending me to Louisiana? Could this job be any farther? She asked herself. But of course, the farther I am the better, especially for these two. "And pray tell how the hell do you know all of this Gavin? I mean surely this man hasn’t shared with you his entire life story, or has he?"

  "Don’t you ever read the society pages?" She could hear the sarcasm in his voice. "Just hear me out Ava please. Magnus DuPonte is the owner of Montieu Plantation. Now it’s obviously a very old plantation and he wants to get rid of it, maybe sell it to someone who will make it into a banquet facility, a bed and breakfast, or raise a family. He needs someone who will stay on the property and take care of any and all redecorating and the like. He’ll pay you for your time of course, but he doesn’t want a lot of people traipsing throughout the house. You’d have to pass everything by him first though so that he can approve it. Now there are a lot of rooms in the old place, some haven’t seen the light of day in many, many years so you’d have your work cut out for you. Well? What do you think?" He asked staring at her intently.

  She could almost see the urgency in his eyes; he wanted nothing more than to get rid of her, the sooner the better. She could see it, smell it, shit she could almost taste it. And because of his devious determination, she decided to make him squirm.

  "Sounds too good to be true Gavin; what’s the catch?" She raised an eyebrow at him.

  "There is no catch Ava, you have no idea who he is do you?" Gavin questioned.

  "No Gavin I don’t, should I?" She asked. Her interest was now peaked.

  Gavin gave her a mocking look. "Ava, maybe you know him under his pen name, William Nomiuet? You know the bestselling author? He writes those historical romance novels, with a focus on the not so popular locations? None of this is ringing a bell is it Ava? I mean I’ll admit his books are not my thing but even I know who the guy is, don’t you read?" He looked at her as if she were ignorant.

  "Of course I read Gavin. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever read so much as when I moved in with you. After all, I needed something to occupy my time while you were out doing what did you call it? Oh yes, working late," she looked at them with daggers in her eyes.

  "Ava, please try and focus." Gavin dismissed her last comment as if it were nothing more than a stumble of words that had accidentally spilled from her mouth.

  "Listen, Magnus DuPonte, a.k.a William Nomiuet is a very well respected author and it would do you good to treat him as such should you take the job. Now he wasn’t always a writer, he used to work with his father Joseph DuPonte. Now surely you’ve heard of him Ava?" Gavin looked at her inquisitively.

  "Yes, of course I have. He’s some big shot oil tycoon."

  "He’s not just a big shot Ava; he’s one of the principal shareholders in the industry. Anyway, his son, Magnus got tired of the hustle and bustle of big business and decided to branch out on his own and pursue his dream of becoming a writer, and his father supported that decision one hundred percent.

  She was still skeptical. "I suppose this Magnus is some invalid who also needs looking after? Am I right?" Ava asked.

  No it’s nothing like that Ava, trust me."

  "Wait, did you just ask me to trust you Gavin? Trust you? After what you just did to me?" She sneered.

  "Look Ava, we… I think it’s best if you took this job, you know things will be too awkward here. So go, check it out and if it’s not for you just give me a call and I’ll tell him that you’re not interested okay?"

  She looked at him as if he were an unfamiliar person, someone who had simply intruded into her life. Of course she could refuse the job and quit all together, there had been enough in her savings to see her through, for a while at least. Long enough until she found another job, but she was no quitter and she loved her job. Even without the perks. She laughed at herself for thinking that she would be able to carry on a relationship with her boss. What's that saying? She questioned herself. Never shit where you eat? Well never fuck where you work ought to be added to that, she thought to herself.

  She knew what she was going to do before the words came out, she'd go on this assignment. But not because they wanted her to, she wanted to go for her own reasons. I'm going to do my job and impress the hell out of this Mister DuPonte, and then when he recommends me to everyone he knows, I'll be able to build my own clientele. Forget working for Gavin Realty, by the time I'm finished redecorating the plantation, I'll be ready to go out on my own and do things my way.

  "It’s all so easy for you isn’t it Gavin?" She said, looking at the two of them. "Excuse me, what I meant to say was, it’s all so easy for the both of you. And the both of you expect me to go with the flow is that it? Take it all in stride huh?" She faked sorrow. She didn’t want them to see that suddenly she was excited about taking the job, a job she was sure would lend a strong hand in earning her positive recognition in the world of interior design.

  Her mood instantly cheered, she knew that she had made a mistake moving in with Gavin so soon after they'd started a relationship. But I was so blinded by lust I thought that I was doing the right thing. She and Gavin's broken relationship aside, all that mattered now was that she come out of this ahead.

  "Ava, please just give Magnus a call and take things from there. Hey when you get him on the phone, you can put that great intuition of yours to work right?" For a moment it looked as if he was sorry, only for a moment. Gavin handed her the sheet of paper that held all of Magnus’s information.

  "Oh and Ava? I told him you’d be in touch with him this afternoon so please don’t forget to make the call and we’re going to need you to be packed up and ready to go as soon as possible. I’ll stay away for a few days so that you can have some time to yourself, just remember to leave the key before you go." Ava could not believe that this man, a man who she loved and had thought loved her was standing before her, looking at her with complete and utter lack of compassion. And after giving her one final glance, took Melanie by the hand, led her back into his office and closed the door. "Now where we?" She heard him whisper seductively.

  Chapter Three

  After stopping at the local supermarket and picking up several large boxes, Ava arrived at Gavin’s home. "It was nice while it lasted," she said out loud and stared into the mirror that stood just opposite the front door. "Is it me?" She spoke to the mirror. She wondered if she was letting herself go. She turned from side to side as she analyzed her reflection.

  There was something mysterious about her look that even she couldn’t quite put her finger on. Besides the fact that she was of mixed decent, her adoptive parents told her that the day they were blessed with her, they were astounded by the way she looked; it was as if she’d lived a hundred lives before. They told her that she was an old soul and as she grew older, she became even more intuitive and wise beyond her years.

  "And yet nothing prepared you for what happened today did it?" She got closer to the mirror. She stood there searching for wrinkles, wrinkles that were nowhere to be seen on her twenty eight year old face. "There’s absolutely nothing wrong with you Ava," she scolded herself. The problem lies with Gavin and Melanie, she silently reprimanded herself. Now get packing, the sooner you get out of here the better. "I’ve got to make a phone call first." She dialed Magnus’s number.

  Magnus picked up on the third ring and after she hung up the phone with him, Ava wondered if she was making the right choice. Although he seemed pleasant enough on the phone, he did sound irritated when she told him that since she’d only been told about his need of assistance this morning. She would need some time to pack and
take care of any loose ends before making the long trek to Louisiana.

  "Miss Montgomery, I was hoping that someone would be arriving today, but it seems that is not possible so I’ll expect you no later than the day after tomorrow," he said and abruptly hung up the phone. Luckily for her she had put most of her things in storage before moving in with Gavin so all she had to do was pack up her clothing and personal items. She’d take whatever she could fit into the car and put the rest in storage. Hell who knows, maybe I’ll like it there and decide to stay, she thought to herself as she began to pack up her clothes.

  Gavin was true to his word and had stayed away. It was well after midnight and while she lie soaking in the tub drinking a glass of wine, she began to feel really good about her upcoming move. She forced herself to acknowledge the fact that Gavin had been right; things had been strained between them and she simply chose to turn a blind eye. Deep down she knew that he was spending his time with someone else; but she had no idea that the someone else was Melanie, her best friend. Now she understood it all, it was clear as day. It wasn’t until after she moved in that he began to get preoccupied, staying out late running his so called errands.

  Come to think of it, there were several nights a week where he didn’t come home at all, and when he did it was only to take a shower. She remembered once when he’d just come home one morning, he was in the shower when she decided to join him. As soon as she stripped off her towel and climbed in behind him, the look he’d given her was one of disgust. "Not now Ava, Jesus Christ, can’t I have some time to myself?" He barked at her.