A Rescued Heart (Rescued Heart Romance) (8 page)

Ava tucked her hair behind her ear and swallowed, trying to get the lump out of her throat. She wasn’t sure what to say or how to explain why she had come. The last thing she wanted to do was get Kim in more trouble. Ava didn’t want to lie, but she needed to sugarcoat the truth. She’d never been good at thinking fast on her feet.

“I, um, haven’t talked with Kim much lately and thought I would walk Tessa home after school to see how she was doing.”

“Hmm, aren’t you a dedicated teacher?” His words, while spoken through the semblance of a smile, dripped with sarcasm.

“I care very much about my students’ home lives and their happiness.”

He folded tanned, muscular arms across his chest and took a step toward Ava, shedding all pretenses. Shivers surged through her body from the way he studied her, his eyes tracing the full length of her body.

“Tell you what, Miss Williams. Your concern is noted, but not needed. I am in charge of this household now and we are just fine. Kim and Tessa are well taken care of and our home life is honestly none of your business. Thank you for bringing Tessa home. It won’t be needed again in the future.”

Helplessness washed over Ava. She wanted to protect Kim and Tessa but didn’t know what to do. She heard and clearly understood Ray’s underlying threat. Her continued presence would only cause further distress for Kim. She turned toward Kim, ignoring him. “Kim, it was good to see you again.”

“You too.
Good-bye, Miss Williams.”

Ava’s legs strained to move as if lead had filled her shoes, while she walked back to the school. Her anger stifled her cry, but once she settled down the tears would come. She had no doubt that man was hurting Kim whether she admitted it or not. In the five minutes that Ava was in Ray’s presence she could see how controlling and vindictive he was.

In their last meeting for the abuse support group they discussed some of the warning signs of abuse but also covered the topic of why most women take the beatings silently. The few reasons they discussed were sad and heartbreaking. It was upsetting to hear the statistics at first and not fully understand why these women just didn’t run or stick up for themselves. People could easily judge their lack of action when they weren’t in the circumstance. After being in a home that showed the signs, their entrapment was understandable.

Some women were simply embarrassed. They thought they knew this man they loved but were rudely awakened when their prince charming became a dud. A number of women kept quiet because they felt like they didn’t deserve better. Whether their self-esteem was shot or never there to begin with, it was the best they thought they could do. They also didn’t want to be alone or felt they couldn’t support themselves, so they mistakenly decided to just stay in the relationship. Several women were so in love, the abuse didn’t matter. In most cases remorse followed the abuse, so when the apologies started, they replaced their fear with affection and hope that the abuser would change.

Sadly, some women thought the abuse had been their fault. They put the blame on themselves because they didn’t do what they were told or because they made him angry and egged him on to the violence. They put the blame
solely on themselves. The bottom line was that their actions deserved the beatings.

The last scenario was the hardest to swallow because the majority of women were afraid to leave or tell someone. They were scared for their life or scared they would get caught leaving and endure an even harsher punishment. Some were in fear their children would suffer and be hurt in the backlash of the anger. If they took the beating, it meant that they spared their children. It was a love wrongly misplaced and confused.

Ava reached the park and took a detour from walking back to the school. The playground appeared fairly empty. She sat on the swings and tried to unwind. The light breeze made the sweat on her forehead cool while she leaned her head against the chains. She wanted to talk with someone, get the frustration off her chest. One person came to mind. Without weighing the consequences and what the undercurrent of her actions meant, she took her cell phone out of her back pocket and dialed.

Matt drove east out of the city, doing his best to keep at the speed limit while talking himself out of turning on his lights for an excuse to go faster. The call from Ava came as he left the station, which put them on opposite sides of the city. Ava sounded upset but didn’t elaborate on why. She had simply asked if he could meet her at the park by her school.

Their first date had gone well besides the drama at the coffeehouse … or so he thought. When he held her in his arms, he never wanted to let her go. But when she stiffened in his embrace, he needed to. Whatever hidden demons clung to her, pushing her wasn’t the answer. From the few words they shared on the phone he hoped she wasn’t upset about them. At least Ava didn’t say the four words every guy dreaded hearing—“We need to talk.” However, he would feel better once he saw her.

He handled his car with ease as he approached the park and found a parking spot near the front. About thirty yards from the playground, he spotted her sitting on one of the swings, kicking stones around with her shoe. She looked lost in thought and didn’t hear him approach.

“Hey,” Matt said as he wedged his frame into the swing next to hers.

Ava looked over. The tears glistening on her eyelashes took him off guard.

“Hi.”

Seeing her didn’t put his mind at ease and he began to second guess himself about why she had called him here.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes … no … I don’t know.” Her last words were articulated in frustration. She pushed the swing back and forth slowly, her feet never leaving the ground. “I think one of my student’s
mom is being abused by her live-in boyfriend.”

He realized the redness in her face didn’t come from the warm weather, but from being upset. Her shoulders slumped forward as if weights had been placed on her. She was obviously involved in the situation emotionally, so he needed to keep a level head.

“Why do you think that?”

Ava stopped the swing and twisted around to look straight at him. “A few problems have occurred in the last couple of weeks that made me concerned about the home life of my student Tessa. I walked her home today to speak with her mom, Kim. Kim’s arm was in a sling and one side of her face was covered in bruises. She was nervous and on edge, clearly hiding something.”

“Did she admit to being abused?”

Matt had seen this too much in his profession. If a man had to beat a woman, it only showed that he was weak and a coward.

“No, but I could tell she wanted to, only we were interrupted by her boyfriend, Ray. Matt, he made me feel so uncomfortable. I couldn’t get out of that house fast enough.”

“Did he touch you or say something to upset you?” All level-headedness left him. If that man even touched a hair on her head …

“No, it was nothing like that. He was just stern in getting his point across that I was to keep my nose out of their business. It was mostly the way he spoke to her.”

Matt studied her, trying to see if he could read her emotions and if she was telling the truth. He speculated she was angry and honest. She wore her heart on her sleeve and her thoughts on her face.

He let her words soak in and watched the sun begin to set and coat the sky with splashes of pink and orange. They sat in comfortable silence, neither eager to break the quiet. Matt figured she called him for a reason, so he would wait. Ava had so many other people in her life that she could confide in. He hoped this was a good sign, the first step in her trusting him.

Ava broke the silence first. “Matt, I need you to do me a favor.”

“If I can.”

“I need you to intervene and check out this Ray guy, or even get Tessa and Kim away from him.” The pleading in her eyes crushed him.

Matt figured this would be Ava’s request and he hated having to disappoint her. Domestic abuse frustrated him and left a nasty taste in his mouth. He had taken a vow to serve and protect, but his hands were tied concerning this situation.

“Ava, I’m so sorry, but there is nothing I can do.”

“What do you mean, there’s nothing you can do?”

“Listen, I know you’re upset and I wish I could help, but I can’t.”

“How can you say that? You’re a cop, isn’t that your job?”

Her words didn’t come across as callous, just discouraged. Any type of abuse was a tricky problem where the law was concerned. Even if a wife was being abused by her husband, unless she pressed charges there was nothing the police could do. If they were called to the house because of a domestic disturbance, he could take the husband to jail for a night or two, but in most cases they would make bail quickly, and sadly it was usually paid by the wife.

If it would make a difference he’d knock at Kim’s door right now and check out the situation. However, Ava’s concern came from a hunch, and even if she was right and Kim was being abused, having a policeman show up would only cause Kim more problems. She had mentioned at Kyle and Kate’s wedding about being a part of the abuse support group at her church, which meant she knew the signs, but she also knew the way the system worked. If he were a betting man, he’d put his money on the fact that she knew what his answer would be but felt the need to ask anyway.

A few kids who looked to be middle school age walked across the playground as a shortcut to the basketball court. They were oblivious to the intense conversation that was taking place. He hesitated to answer her until they had their privacy.

Matt stood and came around to face her, crouching down to put him at eye level with Ava. He placed his hands on the chains of the swing, pulling her toward him so her knees touched his chest. He was invading her personal space, but he didn’t care.

“Ava, you and I both know there is nothing I can do. Unless Kim comes forward and presses charges, my hands are tied.” He didn’t like it, but it was the bitter truth.

“Or until he beats her to death.”

No accusations laced her tone, only sadness. The anger she’d held earlier diminished and was replaced with hopelessness.

He wished he could save the day, but all he could offer was encouragement. “We may not be able to go in and rescue Kim, but we have a God who can. The best thing we can do is pray for her and hope she gains the courage to walk away or seek help.”

Ava gave him a tearful smile and nodded her head in quiet agreement.

“Now, is my job the only reason you chose to call me instead of someone else?”

Ava looked down at her hands in obvious hesitation and back up again, slowly letting her eyes reach his.

“No.”

He couldn’t hide his satisfaction. “I didn’t think so.” He seized her hands and pulled her off the swing. “Come
on, let’s go get you something to eat.”

Date #2

“Wow, I’m very impressed.”

It was Saturday and Matt had taken Ava to a park outside the city. They found a secluded spot on a tiny hill out in the sun. The day had turned cooler, but the warmth of the sun helped to take the chill out of the slight breeze. Matt pulled from the picnic basket a few pieces of Tupperware and put down a blanket for them to sit on. He had brought chicken salad croissants, a plate full of vegetables and fruit, baked chips, and brownies for dessert.

“My mom gave me the recipe for the chicken salad and Betty Crocker did the brownies. Hopefully you’ll be as impressed after you eat it.”

They watched a group of children playing on the playground across the grassy knoll and laughed while witnessing a father trying to teach his daughter how to ride a bike without training wheels. She had been nervous about seeing Matt again after her lapse in judgment in calling him earlier in the week to come talk. He had been exactly what she needed. And that was the problem. Each time they were together Matt chipped away at the walls that had guarded her heart for so long. Being vulnerable didn’t sit well with her.

Matt finished his sandwich and leaned back on his elbows, looking up at her. “So how was the rest of your week?”

“Honestly, not good in the teaching department.” She
cringed just thinking about her long and trying week. “I had a lot of behavior issues with my kids. I’ll give you an example. On Thursday one of the girls got homesick and cried all day. I tried to comfort her but nothing seemed to help. The other kids noticed and made fun of her at first, but then caught on that my attention was divided and used that to their advantage.”

“Thoughts of running away?”

“I had my destination picked out on the computer.”

“Warm weather?”

“And complete seclusion.”

“Running water?”

“Define running water.”

“Ouch, it was a bad week.”

She chortled and took a bite of her brownie, savoring the chocolate melting in her mouth. “So how was your week?”

“Wish I could say mine was better.”

“I guess misery likes company. Spill the beans.”

He sat up and put his elbows on his knees, tilting his head toward her, contemplating. “Besides the normal routine, I had to go to two houses this week because of domestic abuse. One of the calls wasn’t
serious, mostly a lot of yelling that worried the neighbors. The second one was totally out of control, though. By the time we got there the wife’s face was so bloody she wasn’t identifiable.”

Ava sat stunned and finally grasped his hesitation—his caution was for her concern. The subject bothered her and he didn’t want to upset her. Deep empathy tore through her heart. She had been so mindless with her words on Wednesday about him not doing anything for Kim. It was wrong of her to put him on the spot and ask him to do something she knew full well was out of his control. He had taken her to dinner afterwards and she thrived in his company. He made her laugh and never seemed bothered by her comments, but that didn’t change the fact that she said them.

“I’m sorry, Matt, that must have been horrible.” Her bad week suddenly sounded pathetic by comparison.

“Yeah, sometimes I want to deck the guy and say, ‘How did that feel?’ But unfortunately they frown upon that at the department.”

Ava twisted a piece of grass in her hands, examining the blade’s detail. She wanted to crawl into a hole, but first she needed to apologize.

“Matt, I’m really sorry for my words the other day. You kindly came at my request and I threw it in your face.” Bringing her eyes to reach his, she exhaled slowly wondering if she had caused him to think less of her.

“Ava, there’s no need for you to apologize. You had every right to ask me to help Kim. I’m just sorry I can’t right now. Have you heard from her yet?”

“No.”

“Don’t lose hope, keep praying. God is good.” He stood and stretched. “I brought a Frisbee, do you want to play?”

“Sure, I haven’t played in years. Sounds like a great way to embarrass myself.”

They casually tossed the Frisbee back and forth for a while. Once they both loosened up, they stepped it up, lifting their legs and throwing it underneath, whipping it around their sides and chucking it backwards and backhanded. It was as if they were teenagers again. Matt’s throws were smoother than hers and his Frisbee arrived at its exact destination every time. Ava’s throws usually made him run. After twenty minutes her arm started to get sore. She agreed quickly when he suggested they take the hike he had mentioned earlier.

They followed the wilderness path at an easy pace, enjoying the beautiful scenery. Ava loved the spring. After the long winter it was nice to see color on the trees again and flowers blooming with their scent of new life.

The sun came out from behind the clouds. Ava closed her eyes, enjoying the warmth upon her face. She realized she closed them too long when she tripped on a log and started to fall forward. Matt’s quick reaction stopped her before she hit the ground. His arms gathered around her waist, pulling her back against his chest. He held her a few seconds longer than necessary. She didn’t protest.

He released her as she giggled nervously. “Thanks,” she said as she rubbed the goose bumps that appeared because of his touch. “I guess you could say I’m not very coordinated.”

“Good, because perfection is overrated,” he teased.

They continued up a small hill that led them into the woods. The air became crisp in the shade. Ava put on her sweat shirt, thankful she’d remembered it. Matt had mentioned while they were driving to the park that if she shared some information with him today, she would get some clues about next week’s date. Ava was slightly concerned about what information he would be
seeking. She wasn’t ready to share anything serious yet. He had already invaded her willpower to keep a distance and if they bonded over her past she would lose all leverage.

Matt led the way to a clearing with a rickety wooden bench overlooking a small creek. Ava sat gently, not sure if it would break under the pressure of their weight. The water rushing over the rocks had a calming effect on her nerves. The birds chirping reminded her of God’s instruction in the Bible about worrying.

“Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Ava loved the moments when God’s Word spoke to her heart. Reminding her how He had everything under control and loved her.

Matt turned toward her and put one arm on the back of the bench, careful not to touch her. “All right, I’m ready for my information.”

“Your wish is my command,” she said, messing around while putting her palms together and leaning forward slightly. She enjoyed how spending time with him made her feel lighthearted and silly.

“I just have a few random questions for you.”

“Okay, shoot … oh, well, not literally. I forgot who I was talking to.”

He laughed. “Let’s start with your middle name.”

“Well, this isn’t painful so far. It’s Noel because I was born on Christmas Eve.”

“Do you like having your birthday on Christmas Eve?”

“Yes and no. I enjoy the Christmas season, so it’s special in that sense. But when I was younger I always wanted my birthday in the summer so I could get presents spread out twice a year.” Now that Ava
was older she didn’t mind her special day surrounded with busyness. Her family always did their best to make sure she felt significant.

He questioned her about who was her best friend and why. Talking about Jules came easy. She was trustworthy, honest, funny and her rock during the hardest time of her life. She couldn’t have survived the last two years without her. Her friend was a gift from God. Her family was great and a part of her, but Jules was special because she was chosen.

They talked about Matt’s partner at work and what made their friendship click. He and Derek started the academy at the same time but didn’t get real close until they were placed together on the SWAT team. He explained how Derek was also a Christian and how nice it was to know they protected each other not only in force, but in prayer.

Matt asked her about what movies and music she liked. She became embarrassed when he asked her about what she did in her free time. Her pathetic list of hobbies included reading, watching sports and movies and taking walks. She didn’t realize how dull she had become until she said it out loud.

When she turned the question around to him she had expected him to blow her simple life out of the water, but was pleasantly surprised by his easy lifestyle. In the winter he enjoyed snowmobiling up north and in the summer he enjoyed hiking. The majority of his free time he spent working out, with friends, and at church activities.

Their second date came as a surprise to Ava. She had been afraid her insecurities would show through and force her to be uptight. Quite the opposite had happened. Matt’s questions didn’t push, they had purpose. He was setting the foundation of a strong friendship. He was in no
rush, simply savoring the time to get to know her. Matt’s interest in her life became clear, and if she were truly honest with herself, it delighted her.

“What’s your favorite color?”

“Orange. It reminds me of the sunset.”

“Not the sunrise.”

“Um, that would involve the morning.”

“Not a morning person?”

“Full out claws the first ten minutes.”

“Have you ever committed a crime?” Ava raised an eyebrow at his smirk. “I’m just checking to see if you are paying attention.”

“Alert and no, I’m crime free.”

“Good, but I did a background check anyway.”

“You what?”

“I’m kidding, Ava.” He put his hands up with his palms facing her in surrender. “I just wanted to get you all riled up. You’re so cute when infuriated.”

She playfully punched his arm as her cheeks flushed with warmth. He brought his arms down and stuffed his hands into the front pocket of his sweat shirt. Leaning back against the bench he straightened out his legs, crossing them at his ankles. “So, what’s your biggest fear?”

Ava looked away, fighting the urge to flee. Without even meaning to, he had stumbled upon the one subject she cautiously tried to avoid. Should she lie or tell him the truth? Ava had no desire to bring up her past today, but she had to be honest. He deserved that much. She turned back toward him, facing the inevitable.

“I fear rejection and falling in love.”

“Is that the baggage you were talking about at the wedding?” Ava noticed how he tiptoed around the sensitive subject carefully.

“Yes. It’s a hard subject for me to talk about. The thing is, Matt, I do want to talk to you about it, but not today. I’m not quite ready.”

She could barely get the words out. Afraid she would offend him or make him think she was blowing him off. She just wanted to remember the day as it had
started, happy and fun. She didn’t want it tainted by the resurfacing of her ugly past.

“Ava, there’s no pressure. When you’re ready to share, I’ll be here to listen.”

“Thanks for understanding.”

“No problem. Do you want to turn back?”

“Sure, but only if my interrogation is over and now I get to ask the questions.”

“All right, let me have it.”