Eternal Hearts (Incurable Hearts 2) (12 page)

Ava

“Hang on a minute” my dad said in shock.

I had just informed him I have invited Lizzie to his birthday meal. He said he didn’t want any fuss this year but he relented when Fiona kindly reminded him it was his first birthday with me in his life. He did not look happy now.

“Please, she is lonely, that is why she spends so much time in the pubs” I pleaded.

“I’m not sure Ava”

“Just this once, she has promised she won’t drink and she was sober when I met up with her the other day.”

“Fine”

He said it was fine but he still wasn’t happy about it, I was learning quickly that he could never refuse me what I wanted.

My grandmother wasn’t the only one I planned on inviting, if my father wanted me to stay here, I wanted to make friends. Each day that passed I was more comfortable with my biological family. Everyone has been so kind, I couldn’t have imagined a better welcoming.

I got the impression the other day that my dad didn’t like Jack talking to me. I plan on changing that too, I don’t want him telling me whom I can and can’t see. I have looked out for myself for too long, and I haven’t done too badly.

I was sitting on the decking in the back garden waiting for Jack to pass. I began running different scenarios through my mind of how I was going to ask him. I was pretty sure he would accept, he was very keen to show me around the city the other week.

It wasn’t long before he passed. He was very good looking, his dark hair was cut short which left his facial features wide open. He had deep dark eyes surrounded by his tanned skin. I was partly put off asking him when he walked straight past me, I know he saw me. How can he go from showing an interest in me to ignoring me?

“Hi”

“Hey Ava” he replied, still not meeting my eyes.

He carried on walking, he was doing his best to not stop and talk to me.

“Have I done something I’m not aware of?”

“Of course not, I’m just busy”

“Well, this will only take a minute, if you just stop” I said, moving in front of him, blocking his way. When I had his attention I spoke again.

“You seemed interested the other week so I wondered if you would like to do something one night?”

As soon as I asked I regretted it. My offer obviously disgusted him by the pained expression on his face.

I turned to walk away, the humiliation was unbelievably unbearable. I have never felt anything like it. I took no more
than five footsteps before he caught me up and blocked my way.

“I would like nothing more
than to see you away from this place, I thought you were busy. I have heard what has been going on,” he explained.

“It’s my
fathers’ birthday meal tonight, how about you come as my guest, he won’t mind?”  I asked accepting his explanation.

“I think he will,” he muttered so quietly I barely heard him.

“Let’s find out, unless he scares you?” I challenged.

“Okay, should be fun” he said
, although he didn’t believe his words.

I walked away thinking it could have gone smoother but a victory regardless.

I thought I wouldn’t know what to get for a present for my dad, wow, it felt surreal calling him that. I had yet to say it to his face but to other people and in my thoughts it felt natural. In the end I had some of my baby photographs and some of when I was a toddler sent to me from my aunt in London. I bought a new photo album and filled it with photographs of me, I thought it would be nice for him so he had a broad range of photographs showing everything he missed out on. I could see where some of my habits came from within him, like his ears turn red when he is tired, like mine. I also noticed he had a birthmark just below his elbow in the exact same place as mine. I did notice he had a protective side to him, which could get very annoying, especially if he feels the need to act his father role to the extreme like the other day with Jack.

I’m
excited about tonight, the family is coming and Jase and his girlfriend Anna who I have yet to meet. I have enjoyed myself each time we have all been together. I spent the rest of the day choosing what to wear and wrapping his gift. He already left when I woke this morning but he left me a note saying he would be back this evening and that everyone was arriving at six pm.

I opted for a soft yellow summer dress paired with my wedges and tied my hair into a simple ponytail.

Fiona showed up around five pm carrying shopping bags, I helped her and took a couple of bags from her, receiving a thank you smile.

“You look lovely Ava” She complimented me.

“Thank you, I thought I should make an effort”

“He is looking forward to tonight with you here. This is the first birthday since your mother passed he has let us celebrate,” she told me.

“I figured that was the case, he hasn’t really done much for himself since she died has he?”

“Not really, he built up Collins Construction and never stopped working, something your mother did well before she met your dad again”

“Did he tell you I invited Lizzie?” I asked.

“Yes, I got to admit, I didn’t think he would agree to it. He was repulsed by the way she treated Jas
mine, be warned he won’t tolerate her behaviour like that towards you”

“I know she will be on her best behaviour. I also invited Jack” she looked confused, “He works here, I haven’t told dad yet, I hope it won’t spoil things”

Hopefully I can get her on side in case he isn’t happy about my guest choice.

“I’m sure it won’t”

I couldn’t see her face so I couldn’t judge if she meant it or not. I wasn’t going to let it ruin my night. I had been out with a couple of boys when I was at school but there was something different about Jack. I wanted to get to know him.

Rose, Alex and Nat arrived next, Jack and Jasmine-Lily were running around the kitchen excitedly while Rose began helping Fiona set the table. It didn’t take long before Nat had me blowing up balloons, I didn’t last long, my cheeks ached and I was rubbish at tying them up.

“Sorry” I squeaked, as another balloon whizzed from my hand and flew across the room.

“That is okay, you
can help with the banners”

“I’ll help you” Alex offered.

I haven’t really spent time with Alex, I wasn’t uncomfortable around him, it was like there was something unsaid between us.

“Here, you can take that end” he said
, passing the other end of the banner to me. I had to step on a chair to reach the height he was pinning it up at.

“How is that…Uncle?” I couldn’t stop myself plus I wanted to see his reaction. I was chuffed when he smiled, he looked like he didn’t know how to reply for a few seconds but eventually he replied,

“Perfect…niece”

Apparently all that was unsaid between us was a matter of a few words. Although my life has not been tragic, it now felt like it was all fitting into place. I was falling in love with my new life completely, I could hardly remember my life before now.

“Hey, does anyone know where my dad is?”

He still wasn’t back, normally he tells me where he is going. Everyone looked at each other, each shrugging their shoulders.

Jase, Anna and their baby arrived not long after the decorations had been put up.

“You timed that perfectly” Fiona scolded Jase.

“Sorry Mrs R,”

I saw Anna holding the baby, I had heard a lot about her but had yet to meet her. Jase stepped in and called me over.

“Anna, this is Chris’s daughter Ava. Ava this is my girlfriend Anna” he said.

“Hello Ava, it is nice to finally meet you” she smiled shaking my hand.

“Hi, you too. Your daughter is so cute” I said looking at Sophia in her arms.

“Thank you, luckily she gets her looks from me” she teased.

“Definitely true” I added.

“Hey girls, ego is getting bruised here” Jase said pretending to be hurt.

We were laughing when Henry came in saying my dad was home.

We were all waiting facing the front door as he came through the back door taking us by surprise.

“Wow, look at this place,” he said shoving something into the cupboard.

“Happy birthday son” Fiona collared him first.

“Happy birthday” I said meekly, all of a sudden I felt shy.

“Thank you, you all didn’t have to go to all this trouble you know,” he said.

“Yes we did, Ava done most of it anyway,” Nat said.

I don’t know why she was giving me all the credit, I only put one banner on the wall.

I was starting to think Jack wasn’t going to show when the doorbell rang.

“Who could that be, we are all here?” Henry pointed out.

I guess he didn’t know about Lizzie yet if he thought we were all here.

“I’ll get it”

I quickly left the kitchen, straightening my dress down before opening the door. I guess he did like me enough to show up, he had made an effort and changed into a shirt and done his hair, the outcome was very yummy to look at.

“You look…hot” he said
, causing me to blush.

“Thank you, come in” I said
, opening the door wider to let him in.

He hesitated as he stepped into the house looking all around him.

“Have you told him you invited me?” he asked.

“Nope, he will be fine. Come on” I said
, hoping it was true.

I am sixteen after all, it’s not like I intended to marry Jack or anything.
It’s one meal with all my family around the both of us, nothing could happen even if I wanted it to.

All eyes turned to us when we entered the kitchen, an awkward silence filled the room for a few moments before the conversation started up again. I squeezed his hand slightly and led him to the table where everyone was seated. I didn’t miss the way Uncle Alex looked at my dad, and then in turn at Jase too. I was definitely missing something.

“You know Jack so I don’t have to introduce you” I said to my dad, Alex and Jase, “but everyone this is Jack, Jack this is my Aunt Natalie, these are my cousins Jack and Jasmine-lily” huh, it didn’t click they had the same name, “This is Rose, this is my grandmother Fiona and her husband Henry” I concluded.

“It’s nice to meet you all” he said pulling out a chair for me.

While I received encouraging smiles from Nat, Rose and Fiona, I could feel the tension from my male relatives.

Soon enough conversation began, it gave Jack and I some time to talk between us.

“Shouldn’t Lizzie be here by now?” my dad reminded me.

I looked at the time, she was half an hour late. I would have every member of my biological family here in one room tonight for the first time in my life, I prayed everyone behaved themselves, especially Lizzie, if she ever got here.

Nobody had anything nice to say about her, by all counts she had bought it upon herself, I was hoping to change that starting tonight.

I didn’t know my dad well enough to hope he wouldn’t do the father interrogation on Jack. This was far worse, he had Uncle Alex and Jase on his side. It was Uncle Alex who started the line of questioning. I was positive they were trying to scare him away. When I wasn’t cringing
, I was trying to sink into the wood of the chair. I was saved when the doorbell rang, I didn’t like to leave Jack on his own, I was sure they would try to scare him out of the back door while I was out of the room.

“Hey, you made it” I smiled as I opened the front door.

My smile soon disappeared when I saw Lizzie having to lean against the doorframe to hold herself up. She had promised she wouldn’t be drunk, she even said she wouldn’t drink throughout the evening.

The part that hurt the most was everyone was right, she was a drunk who wouldn’t change. I thought she would try for me at least. I believed every word she said last week and like a gullible teenager hoping to have her in my life, I soaked up every lie.

I soon began to panic, I didn’t know how to handle a drunken woman I didn’t know and I certainly didn’t want my dad to see her like this. I’m sure he wouldn’t be horrible about it, the line I-told-you-so came to mind. I wanted to show him I could handle her but he was right, she was only going to hurt me.

“Are you going to invite me in or what?” she slurred.

“You should go home and get some sleep,” I advised.

“You look like her, and now you sound like her.
I’ll go home when I want to. Now, I was invited to a party and I want to go to a party”

Lizzie started to push her way in, this was a disaster, I couldn’t think
quickly enough of what to do before my dad came walking towards us.

“What the hell Lizzie?”

“She is drunk, look, she can hardly stand,” I said, moving out of the way so he could see for himself.

“I knew you would let her down. You are never going to change, you couldn’t do it for Jas and now you have a second chance, you can’t do it for Ava” his voice was getting louder and louder.