Reckless (4 page)

“Ava,” I said sternly.

“I will try … for you, baby,” she said kissing me.

We pull up to their apartment building and Ava is seemingly as shocked as I am by the repugnant building. I look cautiously around before I help her out of the cab. Ava swallows hard after we are buzzed in and I immediately hover around her when we enter. We walk up three flights due to the ancient elevator being out of order - since the last World War. Ava leans in close to me as a suspicious-looking man peers out of his door at us. I let go of Ava’s hand and wrap my arm around her, making sure to check behind us as we walk down the corridor to their apartment. Ava knocks while I keep an eye out behind us.

“Ava. I’m so glad you were able to make it, too.” Joel said with excitement as he hugs Ava and grabs my hand. We walk into the small, sparsely furnished apartment with an awkward air around us.

“Let me get your coats,” Joel says as he helps Ava remove hers.

Rebecca enters the room from the closet sized kitchen, smiling.
Maybe this will be a better night than Ava feared, and for that matter, me as well.

“Come in and sit down. We already have food laid out on the dining table. I hope you guys are hungry. Joel over-ordered as usual.” she said, shaking her head and still smiling.

“Sean, we thought since it’s your birthday we would get your favorite,” Rebecca said as she lifted the towel covering the food.

“Uncle Wong’s! Damn, I can’t believe that place is still in business.” I laugh, remembering how much I use to eat at that place.

“Ava, this guy ate at Uncle Wong’s, I think, every day,” Joel mocked me

“It wasn’t every day, but probably close to it. That man was really nice to me, he gave me extra everything and I was a growing boy back then. I could eat a semi full of food in one sitting. And it was good too. But really there was just something about the place that was calming to me. I don’t know, maybe it was the table waterfalls.” Everyone laughs, remembering the awful décor. I glance at Ava, seeing her smile at me makes me feel much better about the night going well. “Ava, let me make your plate. I know exactly what you will like,” I say, anticipating her pleasure.

“This Uncle Wong’s, is it next to that bar … umm what was it … Crazy Horse?” Ava asked, getting excited about remembering the bar.

“I think that was the name of it, it’s a Starbucks now, but yeah I think that’s the place,” Joel said before putting a fork full into his mouth.

“Did you go there too, Ava?” Rebecca asked.

“Yes, I never ate there but I was there quite often,” she smiles.

“How is it that you remember it then? Did you stand outside smelling the front door?” I grin in her direction, receiving a mocking expression in return.

“Actually smart ass, Kyle and I lived in the apartment above it.” My mouth drops as she laughs nervously. “Yeah, we smelled the food so much that we could never bring ourselves to actually eat there too, but … he was a very nice man.”

“That’s just … I don’t what that is.” Joel exclaimed.

I glance over at him, catching Rebecca’s stern stare on Ava. “Are you sure, sweetheart?” I asked her.

“Yes, he was our landlord. We called him Bing because he liked it for some reason,” she said.

I laugh, nearly choking on my food. “He liked it because I told him he looked like Bing Crosby one day and from that point on, I always called him Bing.” Ava laughs with me, taking my hand. We don’t even care that we are the only ones seeing the humor in it. “I can’t believe that you were right above me. We must have just missed each other hundred times, at least.”

“At least,” she said.

“Well, until I left for LA. When I got back, for some reason, it wasn’t the comforting place I use to love. I chalked it up to all the jade symbols hanging everywhere. So, I guess you moved pre-symbol days?” I smile, assuming her absence was the reason for my discomfort.

Her smile diminishes, “No, he hung those for me. It was right after Spencer … and he ...”

I reach for her, “Baby, I’m so sorry. I should have never brought it up.”

“It’s alright, you didn’t know,” she said, caressing my face with a smile. “But, if you will excuse me for a second?” We all nod as Ava walks to the bathroom.

“Is she okay?” Joel asked.

I look back at Joel and Rebecca’s questioning eyes. “Ava was kidnapped and attacked viciously. He hung the symbols to help protect her spirit. I remember Bing telling me about a sick girl, I just didn’t realize who, until now.”

“That’s horrible,” Joel said.

“Yeah, well if you would, please don’t mention that I told you.”

“Sure, no problem.” Joel nodded.

Once Ava returns, the conversation moves to the dumb things we use to do and people we use to know, drinking up the wine without thinking.

“We seem to be out of wine,” Rebecca said, standing up and shaking an empty bottle.

“We could go out, maybe the bar down the street?” Joel asked.

“That’s probably not a good idea, maybe somewhere more…” I hesitated trying to come up with a solution.

“I know the perfect place, your Mom told me about it, Sean. And since I haven’t gotten you anything for your birthday yet, then the rest of the night is on me, for everybody. Besides, I am your wife so I should pay for your birthday party, right?” Ava sits at the edge of her seat, seemingly excited by the whole idea. I grab her hand and squeeze it, feeling very lucky to be married to her.

“If you want to do that Ava, I guess we shouldn’t ruin Sean’s birthday by saying ‘no’,” Joel said shyly.

“Of course not, it will be fun and I haven’t been out in forever. Oh, I need to change if we are going out though!” Rebecca excitedly runs out of the room. I try to stop her, but she is gone before I can get a word out. Joel simply sighs in the direction she left in.

When Rebecca is finally ready to go, we all leave for the cozy upscale restaurant where we are seated immediately when we arrive.

“Do you guys remember when we snuck into that upscale party for the food?” I asked.

“Oh, I can’t believe you brought that up. That was crazy. Ava, your husband pretended to be some hot shot attorney and we followed him like fools, only because he was craving shrimp.”

“Me? You wanted it just as bad. I seem to remember you saying, ‘Oh Sean, they even have steak.’ Your mouth was watering the whole time,” I laugh with them.

“Well at least I was the innocent one.” Joel and I laugh at Rebecca’s comment. “I was. My only fault was following you two idiots.”

“You may have followed, but you were the one eating your weight in chocolate covered strawberries.” I laugh even harder after she smiles away from everyone. “You thought I forgot that,” I said, winking at her.

“Those were some of the best strawberries I have ever had.” Rebecca said as she sips her wine.

We laugh some more until I hear a few of the staff singing Happy Birthday and bringing a flaming cake towards me. I glance at Ava, who is biting her bottom lip to keep from laughing. Exasperated, I lean over to whisper into her ear, “I didn’t see you leave the table but I know you had something to do with this and I will get you back.” I smile, watching her laugh and sing along.

“That was great. But how did they know it was your birthday?” Rebecca asked

“I believe someone here told them,” I glance at Ava, who takes a drink to hide her smile.

“You did this Ava? How? You never left the table?” Joel asked, curious.

“Yes baby, please tell us how you did it?” I asked glaring at her with an impish smile.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. How would I have been able to do it?”
She looked right into my eyes and lied.
“I never left the table, so it’s impossible that it was me.” She wiggles a little in her chair, and in that instant I know damn well she is lying. I fork a mouthful of cake that the waiter cut for us, eyeing her disbelievingly and smiling as I plan to make her confess to me later.

“Ava?” someone calls out from another table.

“Oh no,” Ava mumbles.

The man approaches our table, with a superior attitude, “Ava it is you.” He said reaching out for her as she slowly stands and hugs him.

“Jasper, I should have known I would run into you here.” Ava said with tenseness in her voice.

“We had a meeting across the street and decided to have dinner and a few drinks.” He laughed, stopping only to stare Ava up and down while I struggle to place the name that sounds so familiar. “I think you are more beautiful now than when we worked together and that’s saying something.”

“Thank you Jasper. You look nice as well,” she responded, still sounding tense.

“I have seen some of your recent work, Ava. I knew you were special.”

“You have?” Ava asks wide-eyed.

“Yes. Are you surprised that I would keep up with my rising protégé? I do have to keep an eye out for possible competition.”

“That’s nice of you to say, Jasper, but I don’t think I am quite to your level.”

“You will be, especially if you have someone giving you the right direction.”
His drooling over her is starting to annoy me.

Ava sighs, “Jasper let me introduce you to my friends, Joel and Rebecca Castor.”

“Nice to meet the both of you,” Jasper said while he shakes Joel’s hand and kisses Rebecca’s causing her to blush.

Ava looks at me nervously. “Jasper this is Sean, my … husband.” Glancing at her, I stand up and shake his hand.

“Very nice to meet you, Sean. I thought I heard something about Ava getting married.” He quickly turns back towards Ava, drooling all over himself again.
That shit is getting on my damn nerves.
“You are a very lucky man. I tried to get her to marry me.” He said, as I tense and she stops breathing. “But no, she was too wild then to be contained I guess.” He smiles back at me.

“Or maybe you just aren’t her type.” I smile forcefully in his direction. He laughs as if my comment is ridiculous. “So how did you and Ava meet?” I said though my teeth, taking Ava’s hand to pull her away from him and closer to myself.

“Ava was right out of school, my sweet little protégé.”

“Ohhhh.” Rebecca giggled, but one look out of the corner of my eyes and she shuts up immediately.

“So she worked for you?” I said as calmly as I could.
JASPER! Son of a bitch, now I remember.

“Yes, years ago but I still hold out hope that she will return,” he said.
Over my fucking dead body asshole.
“Oh my love, you must come meet someone. I think it may be interesting for you,” he said, taking her other hand. “You don’t mind do you Sean?” I grip Ava’s hand tighter.

“I will be right back, okay sweetheart?” Ava said, looking up at me with pleading eyes, only I’m not sure what she is pleading for. “I promise I will be right back.” I nod at her and then proceed to have to watch her walk away with
him
to a table full of other men.

This is a first for me. I have never met anyone she was with before me. Now I meet him, who not only fucked my wife but proposed to her.
I want to carry Ava out of here right now. Breathe Sean before you do something stupid.

“Sean, are you alright?” Joel asked.

“Yes. Why?” I said.

Joel kicks me under the table, jarring me to his attention. “Because you look like you are ready to kill someone.”

“I’m fine,” I said, taking another drink while eyeing Ava.
She is laughing with all those men, while they just stare at her.

“Wow, you have really changed. I have never seen you jealous over anyone. So, he had sex with your wife.” I instantly glare at him. “Oohh kayyy. Just calm the fuck down Sean, it’s not like he’s going to do anything here.” Joel backs off making eye contact with Rebecca.

“Who is he?” Rebecca asked.

“Some architect that apparently is some great talent or some shit,” I said, twirling my glass on its edge.

“He’s handsome, distinguished looking.” She smiles devilishly at my sinister glare. “He is, Sean. I can see why she would be interested in him.”

“Rebecca,” Joel nudges her.

“What? He is.” Rebecca said.
I feel sick.

“Sorry about that. Jasper had a project that he thought I might be interested in.” Ava said smiling at me timidly.

“I’m sure he did.” I said too sarcastically, and receive a glare in return. Ava begins a conversation with Joel while Rebecca fights a smile, seemingly to keep from laughing at me.
I don’t know why she finds this so humorous.

We leave the restaurant soon after, apparently because everyone found my attitude distracting. Ava and I don’t speak the entire ride back to the hotel or in the elevator, and when we get in the room I go straight to the bar.

“Do you want to talk about this or are you going to be in this mood for the rest of the night?” I glance her way but simply roll my eyes. “I did tell you about him.”

“
No
. You didn’t tell me everything.” I shake my head and sit across from her. She follows with her head in her hands again. “Why didn’t you tell me, Ava?”