I waited a beat or two for Alistair to respond, and when nothing came, I furiously walked towards the foyer, ready to demand what the bloody fuck was going on, only to find Ava—or the likeness of her—dirtied up with soiled clothes, face ashen, with eyes that were bleak, and a terrified look on her face.
“I c-couldn’t get a c-cab … so I had to w-walk,” she stuttered as I stared at her, wondering if I was hallucinating. “My purse f-fell somewhere when every one was scre-e-eaming and running the other d-direction, and I fell hard onto the pavement”—she pauses—“and by then, my purse was n-nowhere in sight.” Tears welled in her eyes before her lips quivered. “I’m s-sorry if you’ve been waiting for me … but you must kn-know, I tried to get back as fast as I could.”
There were no words to describe how relieved I was to see her. Without preamble, I rushed towards her side, holding her close, as if I had already lost her, and she had risen from the dead.
“I’ve been thinking the worst. You don’t know how relieved I am that you’re safe and alive.” Tears burned behind my eye sockets, while the back of my throat felt like there was a massive lump stuck in it. I held onto her as if my life depended on it. Well, it did, really. She was my life now, and I had been this close to losing her.
I sent out a small prayer of gratitude to whoever had been watching her tonight—angels, gods, hell, add the fairies into the equation. I was forever in their debt, simply thankful my wife was back in my arms. Even in a bashed, ashen state, I was grateful she was alive.
She slightly trembled in my arms before I cupped her cheeks, searching her eyes. “I love you.” The words left my lips before I even realized that they were being said aloud. She didn’t say a thing, merely looked like she was about to start crying.
“Reiss?” Charles called out after me. “Is something the—my God! Ava!” he bellowed, shocked as I had been before he directed his wife. “She’s alive, Charlotte. Our daughter is alive.” There was immense relief in his voice, but most of all, there was a vulnerability that I had never known existed within him.
Charles, Charlotte, and I all bundled together, hugging Ava, who seemed confused and at a loss for words.
“You c-called Mum and Dad?” She gave me an accusing look before frowning at me. “You were that worried something might’ve h-happened to me?”
I wasn’t sure if she was amazed that I could put our differences aside, or that I was capable of tolerating her mother’s presence at all. She knew the depths of how much I royally despised her mother. There were times when breathing the same air as her would have been too much to bear. Subsequently, witnessing that I wouldn’t hold back to extract help from her parents when need be must have been alarming.
Without saying the words, it was as if my eyes confirmed everything she was thinking—that, yes, I was willing to do anything and everything for her. Even giving someone a second chance, despite the fact that I had vowed to never reconsider.
Charles and Charlotte guided Ava towards the bedroom. Charlotte had taken charge, stating her daughter was in the state of shock and needed a warm bath to clean up, and soothe her aches and pains while the staff busied themselves to prepare something that might entice her to eat.
While everyone did their appointed tasks, I was calling the doctor, needing him to give Ava a thorough check-up. After she had described the scene, like it was a stampede of chaotic mess, she had told me she wasn’t sure if someone had stepped onto her tiny, protruding stomach, causing alarm bells to start ringing in my ears.
It was as if we were all frantic to cater to Ava, and I was almost positive that, though she had hated her parents at one point, seeing how distressed they were had proven how devoted and how deeply they cared for her. Sometimes, people had a peculiar way of expressing their feelings when they weren’t accustomed to showing them, much as had done in the very beginning. However, we all had learned from our mistakes.
Charlotte’s personality had temporarily thawed from an ice queen to a caring mother, and I couldn’t help wishing it would be a lasting effect. This had been a lesson for all of us that life was too short to take for granted, that if you love someone, you told them without hesitation because who knew when they would be taken away from you. Right after her bath, the doctor came, giving Ava a thorough examination. I didn’t sigh my relief until he assured us all that she was fine and healthy, as was the baby. Once the doctor left, she was covered in layers of sheets, and even though she had just had a warm bath, she still looked far too pale and grave, as if she had witnessed something terrifying out there. I had no doubt that she did. Had I been with her, things would’ve been different. I would’ve been there to protect her, at least. However, regrets wouldn’t do me any good. Instead, the only thing that I could do to make a difference from here on out was to love Ava with all of my being. And I intended to do just that.
The fretting parents insisted that they care for her; as a result, I was left no choice except to sit on the tip of the bed and watch her being fed by Charlotte while Charles held her hand the entire time. It was rather odd in a comical way, I supposed. It was a sight to see—that even the toughest shell out there could melt away due to fear.
When nighttime came and her mother insisted she stay by her side, even though I was dying to be next to my wife, I obliged her request. I was a selfish man, but Ava had gone through life resenting the woman who had given her life, and I couldn’t deprive her of this opportunity, because she might never get another one. My needs could very well wait until she and I were alone.
Sending her a brave smile, I kissed her forehead before kissing her lips, holding on to her for as long as I could. “I love you, Ava.”
“I know,” she whispered in a small voice. “I’ve known all along … but you didn’t, so I had to be patient and wait for the right time for you to acknowledge it, as you did before.
“Our kind of love doesn’t just disappear because of hate, or because you wished it away. Once we’re linked, there’s no way to unlink the chain of our fates. That’s why I kept telling you I loved you even if your chosen rebuttal was to fight back and spew more lies. I knew, deep down, the journey would be worth it. You’re worth the wait, Reiss.”
She had known this whole time, while I was stuck in my own ball of misery and confusion? Bloody hell. It was rather sad and revealing all at the same time that she knew me better than I did myself.