Ava left him to his own devices and walked to the bulletin board to read the advertisements. A flier for Summer’s sunrise yoga class she taught three days a week caught her attention. She snapped a photo to send to Summer, unable to help herself. There was also a town hall meeting notice for the end of June and a fundraising gala for the Cedar Falls Historical Society the first week of August. Nestled in-between was information for the annual fourth of July festivities in downtown and an open mic at the café. She took another picture of the open mic flier, already thinking of ways to tease Owen about it.
Friends teased each other, right? At least it seemed they were in friend territory recently. Friends who kind of wanted to kiss each other.
She continued along the shelves, picking up odds and ends before placing them back down. She checked on Avery again, who now had three books tucked under his arm and had moved on to the sparse collection of video games.
“We’re done, Ava,” Dora called across the room.
Ava returned to the sorting table. Dora had a handwritten receipt waiting for her; all the items she’d brought were placed in careful piles. Winter coats and too small pajamas, beanie babies, VHS movies, knick-knacks her dad had hoarded in various closets. She waited for a pang of sadness to hit her, but all she felt was relief.
I’m making progress.
Ava took the receipt from Dora’s outstretched hand.
“Please let us know if the church can do anything for your family to support you. We all miss your dad,” Dora said.
Nathan paused his retreat into the hallway behind the counter. “Your dad was Mr. Hanson? He was a cool guy. Subbed at the school sometimes for the science teachers. Everyone liked him,” Nathan said.
Surprise filled Ava. She hadn’t expected the teen to know her dad or to learn her dad subbed at the school on top of his full-time position as a lecturer at the University of Maine. She filed that away in her compartment of things to discover more about.
“Thank you both. I appreciate it.” Ava looked at Nathan. “I didn’t know he subbed at the school; I would’ve thought he’d be too busy.”
Nathan shrugged. “Don’t know. But we always did cool experiments when he taught instead of watching movies, unlike most subs.”
Ava turned that over in her mind. The knowledge made her chest clench, her earlier relief replaced with guilt. A guilt that settled heavily around her shoulders. The vibration of her phone kept her from lingering on her feelings for too long.
Owen (Avery’s dad):Done at City Hall. Meet you both at the Early Bird?
She nodded at Dora and Nathan again and turned to look for Avery. “Ready to go, Avery? Your dad’s done,” she said.
“Yup.” Avery rushed over to her. Three books and a video game stacked in his hands. “Can I get these?”
Ava shrugged. She wasn’t his parent, but Avery was her responsibility until she returned him to Owen’s care. What would any best friend of a kid’s aunt do?
“Sure. Let’s pay and get you back to your dad,” she said.
Dora returned to the purchase counter to ring up his items. Nathan disappeared down the hallway to wherever he was before. When the total came to a whopping ten dollars, Ava pulled a twenty out of her wallet and slid it across to Dora.
“Keep the change. Consider it another donation,” Ava said.
Dora thanked her, and Avery bounced up on his toes beside her.
“Thank you, Ava! That would’ve been all my allowance.”
“You’re welcome, you little loon,” she said. Where the nickname came from, she didn’t know, but he didn’t protest. He threw an arm around her waist in a brief hug before walking ahead of her to the door, back to the car.
Dora hummed behind the counter, her eyes bright with laughter.
“What?” Ava asked her.
“Oh, nothing. Say hi to Owen for me, dear.” Dora waggled her fingers in goodbye.
Ava’s brows furrowed at her response, but she dismissed it to catch up with Avery in the parking lot. She had a kid to return to his dad.
Ava:On our way
Ava: And I want to hear allllll about open mic night.
Owen (Avery’s dad):I can explain…
