“It didn’t work, hmm?” She flopped down onto the sand beside me.
I didn’t answer. We listened to the crashing waves in silence for a while.
“Did I ever tell you that I scarred his face?”
“You what?”
I snickered. “Yeah, I had tried to run away but he caught me, so I fought like hell. I managed to scratch two deep gashes over his eye.”
Rachel started laughing. “My God, Ava. That’s fucking traumatic.”
I started laughing too. “You haven’t heard the best part yet, Rach. I made him give me a matching scar. Look,” I pulled my dress up for her to see.
She stared at it for a few seconds, then burst out laughing, even harder than before. We collapsed into each other in a fit of giggles, holding onto each other for dear life. “Fuck, A. You’re truly the craziest woman I’ve ever met,” she managed to get out between our uncontrollable laughter.
“If you stopped lying to yourself, you’ll find you’re just as fucked in the head as me.”
My gasps for air between the bouts of laughter turned into sobs. I clutched at my chest, doubling over.
“Shh, I got you,” Rachel cooed as she held me, rocking me, as I let the pain of his absence tear me apart.
After I had quieted down, Rachel stroked my hair while I laid with my head in her lap. “You’re only helping the FBI because it’s the only way to get closer to him,” Rachel said softly.
I nodded. “I see that now.” And it was pathetic, chasing after him like that. “Do you think there is a world where he misses me as much as I miss him?” I asked brokenly. Only now did I allow myself these thoughts. And only Rachel would ever hear how much I still longed for him.
“Well, I don’t know about him, but I could do absolutely nothingbutmiss you when he took you from me.”
I turned to look at her.Reallylook at her. She probably hated the man but had to listen to me pine after him. “I’m sorry for not coming back to you, Rach. We made a pact. And I broke it. I’m sorry.” I was the worst friend imaginable.
Rachel smiled warmly at me. “Don’t be. You were in love, babe.” She huffed a sad laugh. “And from the stories you’ve told me, it was quite something.”
I turned away again, looking out over the dark ocean, but seeing nothing of it. Only flashes of green pine trees, rainbows, and the warm glow of a campfire against a tent. “It was.”
Ava
“Ifoundtheperfectfeather earrings for you!” Mom gushed by way of greeting as she entered my store. Dad trailed calmly behind her, like an anchor holding the storm that was my mother at bay.
Gifts were her love language. Whenever I was under the weather or feeling sad, Mom would always bring home a little present to make me feel better. Sometimes it was a letter in my lunch, with words of encouragement. Sometimes it was a tin of my favourite chocolate cookies, waiting on my bed after school. It was always thoughtful and always made me feel better.
Mom knew I was trying to move on with my life, rebuild it again, hence her shopping spree to find me new clothes and jewellery. She was also helping me find the perfect colour paint for my room. I had tried all the greens in our hardware store, butnone felt right. So, mom took it as a personal mission to find the right one. They had just returned from a trip to Willsbury City to find said paint.
“They’re gorgeous, Mom. Thanks,” I said as she hugged me tightly.
“Hey, kiddo,” Dad greeted as he placed a kiss on my head.
“How was Willsbury City?” I asked, putting my mortar and pestle back behind the counter.
“Busy,” mom huffed, “But we found someone there who wanted to see you. So we brought him back with us.” Mom gestured through the window, and I smiled as I saw Owen, looking at me through the window, talking on the phone.
“Hi,” I said as I came out the door.
He pushed his phone into his jeans’ pocket. It was a rare occasion seeing him in something other than his black suits. “Hi,” he said back, grinning at me. “You look really well, Ava.”
“Wish I could say the same about you, Agent Becket.” He had dark circles under his eyes and seriously needed a haircut.
He shrugged. “You know. Work stuff.”
My heart skipped a beat at that. It had been a month since I last saw him. After that night on the beach with Rachel, I had resigned as consultant from Owen’s team, to which the director thankfully complied with, releasing me from the plea deal I had made, without sending me to prison. I’d been trying to move on with my life.Trying,being the key word. Some days were better than others, but I forced myself to get up in the mornings and do something productive. Building my life back up, brick by brick.
