Jeffery
“A… I made breakfast! Pancakes with berry syrup, your favorite!” I called out loud so she would hear me all the way from her room.
It’s been 2weeks since the dinner brawl between she and Heather, but she’s still mad at me.
I’ve done everything I could possibly think of, but nothing have worked to put an end to the cold treatment I’ve been getting from her.
I even tried doubling the profits of the company, making the inflation on the statistics skyrocket in just 11days- still I got nothing from her.
She simply gets dressed, grabs her key and leaves the house before 9am every morning- except on a weekends.
Soon, I heard her come down the stairs. I knew she would just ignore me and leave again, so I stopped her. This is going on too long and I had to put a stop to this qualm.
“Sooner or later A, you’ll have to talk to me so we can settle these matter between us. Why don’t we talk about these already and make peace, huh?” I asked in anticipation of a positive response, but nothing.
I can’t handle another day of us living like ghosts in this big mansion. We’ve never had such a huge fight like this before and it’s beginning to get to me.
It’s annoying anytime I see her sad or angry, it disrupts my thinking and rationality.
“I’m going back to New York, Cal. I’ve already started my transfer application from my Fentrix Academy, and I’ve spoken to my boss about transferring me to TNet, New York branch.” Ava replied sending me into shock.
No… no, she can’t do this to me. No! I screamed inside as I vigorously shook my head and took a step backward.
I met with the dining chair behind me and rested on it for support.
“Wh… wh… why?… what do you mean by ‘you’re going back to New York’? You told me I never have to worry about you leaving, so what exactly are you saying now? You said you would stay by me always” I stammered disoriented.
Ava can’t leave me, she is all I have.
“I mean I’m leaving you, Cal. Things are no longer how they used to be and it’s not my doing. You’ve got this mapped out plan in your head and no matter how I look at it, I don’t think I fit into that plan. So, I’m leaving- before someone accuses me of going too far again.” She stated coldly.
Wow!
“I can’t… no. You’re joking right? Ava, you are all I’ve got. Why… why are you doing these? Is it because of the little fight we had? But I said I was sorry, so why are you doing these to me?” I ranted in pain.
“Little fight?! We never use to have any type of fights before- whether big or little, until she came into our lives. It might have been irrelevant to you, but to me, you showed just how important I was to you that night. I have to go to work now or I’ll be late” she answered plainly before she left the house.
I was finding it hard to breathe- everything became too painful to do. I really didn’t mean to hurt her so bad she wants to leave me, all I just wanted was for both Ava and Heather to get along and get to know each other.
I would do anything- anything at all to make things better, but what Ava is asking for is just incomprehensible. She wants me to choose between she and Heather, and that’s asking a lot.
I became more disrupt for days and the silence between us grew even more. I used to be very eremitic- completely introverted, until she came into my life.
Taking Ava in as my ward changed my life, and my worse nightmare would be the day she finally decides that she doesn’t need me anymore.
She was now treating me like a complete stranger and that stings on so many levels. I don’t think I can ever choose between Ava and Heather- there’s no choice in the first place.
On a date with Heather one evening after the news, I tried so hard to be cool and act normal, but she caught me. Few minutes into the date she knew something was up with me.
“Is something wrong at the company?… or is it still about Ava? To be honest, I’ve never been so nice to anyone as I was with her that evening. She hates my guts and thinks I’m some bimbo her brother picked up by mistake. I don’t think she and I can ever find a mutual ground, and honestly she’s a bit too much for me to handle” Heather stated discouragingly.
Both Ava and Heather are like two positives of two different magnet, and it’s only natural that they would not get along.
What was I thinking? I’ve ruined everything.
“Ava decided to return to New York. She’s moving everything down there with her- the academy, her work, everything except me.” I lamented unintentionally.
Saying it out loud didn’t help at all, in fact it made the pain in my chest hurt even more.
“Oh… oh Jeff, that’s… that’s just sad. I’m so sorry. What’s it about? Certainly something else must have happened, right?” She questioned curiously, but I couldn’t affirm her speculation.
One look at me and she went dead silent, baffled by the realization that she is actually the reason Ava wants to return to New York.
She dropped the cutlery she was holding and placed her hands on her laps under the table- something she was used to doing when she’s uncertain of a situation.
“It because of me, right? She wants you to choose. (Sighs)… Surely you told her you chose her right?” She questioned incoherently.
I was silent, trying to understand what she meant by that.
“Ava is the best part of my life, but you are the woman I’ve given my very heart to. Why do I have to choose between the two most important people in my life?” I questioned back.
Why can’t I have them both?- my sister and my lover.
“Give me your hand” Heather ordered calmly, and I obeyed.
“I’ll find a way to stop this. Just you continue to about your day like nothing happened, and I promise your sister will remain in Minneapolis with you. Trust me, ok?” She assured with sudden confidence.
I want to believe her- I really do, but I fear my sister is very stubborn and it’s almost impossible to change her mind once it’s already made up.
“Ava can be very difficult, it’s not easy to change her mind once it’s been made up” I argued.
“Then it’s a good I’m equally stubborn. Babe, I hate it when you’re feeling down, so believe me when I tell you that I’ll do everything in my power to see that you still have your sister by your side for as long as you both will.” She proclaimed and I nodded with a faint smile.
I have no idea how she plans to make Ava stay, but I want to trust her- or anyone in that matter who can make Ava change her mind.
Later that evening when I went home, i sat by Ava’s room door.
“A… can you hear me? I hope you are, because it’s been pretty lonely without you these past days. I don’t… even know if I should stop you or let you go. Honestly, it’s been getting harder and harder letting you go. You must really hate me to want to leave me…” I confessed hurtfully as I brushed my hair with my fingers in frustration.
“… At the court room when the judge said I could take you home 8years ago, I was terrified- not knowing exactly what to do. But you walked up to me, held my hands and you said to me, ‘just feed me, I’ll handle the rest’. That’s when I knew my life was going to be changed forever. I knew I had to do right by you- not just feed you, but also to protect you and make you happy. You brought light into my life A, and that light shined on Heather. Just because I fell in love doesn’t mean there’s no love left for you- I just thought we could grow our family…” I paused for a while, but not a sound from Ava.
“… A, are you listening to me? Please don’t make me choose between you two, because I can’t.” I stated broken-heartedly.