chair, the empty chair that Harper should be
sitting in.
“He wanted to be here dad, but he had a meeting with clients.” I am
so making excuses for him right now.
“So work is more important than telling his future in-laws about
proposing to their daughter?” He rubs his crinkled forehead, and I hate that I
have made him so upset. “What is it Ava? Is it because he comes from money?”
“Paul!” My mother reprimands.
I feel my cheeks heat, but I am not sure if it’s from anger or
embarrassment.
“Sorry honey. I just can't understand why a kind, humbled girl like
yourself, would want to marry that corporate bloodsucker!”
Pushing back my chair, I stand abruptly. “It's nice to know what you
think of me. This was a bad idea.”
Storming upstairs to my old room, I slump tummy first onto the bed
and bury my head under the pillow. The familiar smells are comforting, which is
something I am in desperate need of at the moment.
There is a knock at my door.” Honey? Can I come in?”
Throwing the pillow off my head, I roll onto my back, staring at the
ceiling.
“Sure,” I answer quietly.
My mom apprehensively opens the door and quietly sits near me, while
my eyes are still focused on the ceiling.
“Honey, please forgive your father’s bad manners. He’s just in
shock.”
I turn my head to look at her. “What about you?”
She brushes a lose tendril of brown hair that has slipped from her
bun behind her ear. “Ava, this has come as a surprise to both your father and
me. We were not even aware of you seeing Harper, let alone considering becoming
his wife.”
I nod, biting my lip, afraid of her next question.
“What happened between Jasper and you?”
Sitting up, I place my cheek against my knees, turning my face away
from hers. “We broke up mom.”
“Why honey?”
The tears I have been holding onto since I returned begin falling,
and my shoulders shake, betraying my grief.
“Oh Ava. Ssh ssh come here.”
My mom pulls me into her and I crumble into her lap. She brushes the
hair off my forehead and strokes my tear stained cheek.
“I don't know what's going on, but you can talk to me, you know
that.”
I sob harder because I know I can’t talk to anyone about this. I’ve
dug myself a hole and as each day passes, that hole keeps getting deeper and
deeper.
“Oh my baby girl, I'm so sorry you are hurting, but it'll work out
honey. Life has a funny way of surprising us.”
With my head in my mother’s lap, I pray to a higher power that I'm
not in for anymore surprises.
I’ve had enough to last me a lifetime.
*****
I came back downstairs after talking to my mother, and after much
persuasion, convinced my dad not to castrate Harper. Now I am at The Mall,
shopping for V and Lucas’ wedding gift.
The talk with my parents today has really brought home the reality
of what I agreed to. But I decide to not think about that, as I am on a
mission to find the perfect wedding gift, for the perfect couple.
I have gone into every shop and I mean every shop, even ones I never
knew existed. And I have come up with zip.
About to give up, I walk past a travel agent and I have a brilliant
idea.
V mentioned her and Lucas couldn't afford a honeymoon, because they had
spent all their savings on the wedding. And that just doesn't sit right with
me.
So I walk into the agency, and do what any best friend does. I
purchase the happy couple a trip to Hawaii.
*****
After spending most of my savings on a well spent gift, I walk out
of the travel agency feeling elated. My decision to spoil my friends was a
brilliant idea, and I know V and Lucas will be mad at me for spending so much
money, but the tickets are non-refundable, so they have to suck it up and
accept it.
Turning the corner blindly as I am on a total high from my shopping
spree, I nearly knock into the lady in front of me because holy fuck, Jasper is
walking towards me!
My palms begin to sweat as I observe him looking around The
sitting in.
“He wanted to be here dad, but he had a meeting with clients.” I am
so making excuses for him right now.
“So work is more important than telling his future in-laws about
proposing to their daughter?” He rubs his crinkled forehead, and I hate that I
have made him so upset. “What is it Ava? Is it because he comes from money?”
“Paul!” My mother reprimands.
I feel my cheeks heat, but I am not sure if it’s from anger or
embarrassment.
“Sorry honey. I just can't understand why a kind, humbled girl like
yourself, would want to marry that corporate bloodsucker!”
Pushing back my chair, I stand abruptly. “It's nice to know what you
think of me. This was a bad idea.”
Storming upstairs to my old room, I slump tummy first onto the bed
and bury my head under the pillow. The familiar smells are comforting, which is
something I am in desperate need of at the moment.
There is a knock at my door.” Honey? Can I come in?”
Throwing the pillow off my head, I roll onto my back, staring at the
ceiling.
“Sure,” I answer quietly.
My mom apprehensively opens the door and quietly sits near me, while
my eyes are still focused on the ceiling.
“Honey, please forgive your father’s bad manners. He’s just in
shock.”
I turn my head to look at her. “What about you?”
She brushes a lose tendril of brown hair that has slipped from her
bun behind her ear. “Ava, this has come as a surprise to both your father and
me. We were not even aware of you seeing Harper, let alone considering becoming
his wife.”
I nod, biting my lip, afraid of her next question.
“What happened between Jasper and you?”
Sitting up, I place my cheek against my knees, turning my face away
from hers. “We broke up mom.”
“Why honey?”
The tears I have been holding onto since I returned begin falling,
and my shoulders shake, betraying my grief.
“Oh Ava. Ssh ssh come here.”
My mom pulls me into her and I crumble into her lap. She brushes the
hair off my forehead and strokes my tear stained cheek.
“I don't know what's going on, but you can talk to me, you know
that.”
I sob harder because I know I can’t talk to anyone about this. I’ve
dug myself a hole and as each day passes, that hole keeps getting deeper and
deeper.
“Oh my baby girl, I'm so sorry you are hurting, but it'll work out
honey. Life has a funny way of surprising us.”
With my head in my mother’s lap, I pray to a higher power that I'm
not in for anymore surprises.
I’ve had enough to last me a lifetime.
*****
I came back downstairs after talking to my mother, and after much
persuasion, convinced my dad not to castrate Harper. Now I am at The Mall,
shopping for V and Lucas’ wedding gift.
The talk with my parents today has really brought home the reality
of what I agreed to. But I decide to not think about that, as I am on a
mission to find the perfect wedding gift, for the perfect couple.
I have gone into every shop and I mean every shop, even ones I never
knew existed. And I have come up with zip.
About to give up, I walk past a travel agent and I have a brilliant
idea.
V mentioned her and Lucas couldn't afford a honeymoon, because they had
spent all their savings on the wedding. And that just doesn't sit right with
me.
So I walk into the agency, and do what any best friend does. I
purchase the happy couple a trip to Hawaii.
*****
After spending most of my savings on a well spent gift, I walk out
of the travel agency feeling elated. My decision to spoil my friends was a
brilliant idea, and I know V and Lucas will be mad at me for spending so much
money, but the tickets are non-refundable, so they have to suck it up and
accept it.
Turning the corner blindly as I am on a total high from my shopping
spree, I nearly knock into the lady in front of me because holy fuck, Jasper is
walking towards me!
My palms begin to sweat as I observe him looking around The
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