Women of Washington Avenue

by Linda Apple

  I stood and went to him. He took me in his arms, and I nuzzled into his embrace. All my sorrow, fear, and hurt melted away in the warmth of his strong arms.

  “I was so afraid you’d gone.” I looked up at him. “I realized I could never love anyone again after you.”

  “Nor I you. The moment I met you, I knew you were different.” Levi knelt down, took a tiny box from his pocket, and opened it. The largest diamond solitaire I’d ever seen sparkled in the firelight. “Jema, you said you loved me and would be willing to marry me when you thought me poor. Are you still willing to risk a life with me as a wealthy man?”

  It took all my strength to remain standing. I felt faint. Could this really be happening? To me?

  “Yes, a million times yes. I will take you as the man I love, no matter what you do or do not have.”

  “You have just made me a truly rich man.” He stood and said, “Before I kiss you—good and proper—I want to give you a wedding gift.”

  His cologne, his touch, filled my senses. What did he say? “A wedding gift?”

  From the same pocket he pulled out an envelope and handed it to me. I slipped open the flap and gasped. Inside were two tickets—to Italy.

  “For our honeymoon. We will tour all of Italy, and when you have seen the entire country, I want you to choose your favorite city because I am going to buy you a villa there.”

  “Wha…?” I put my hands to my head to stop the swimming.

  “Then you can go anytime you want and call it home.” He pulled me close, then kissed me, as he put it, good and proper.

  ****

  Lexi

  After the toasts someone pointed out the limo in the driveway. I walked to the window and stared out. Nathan joined me. “I’d say whoever that is arrived a little more than fashionably late, even for the South, eh, Lexi?”

  “Very late. But I didn’t see anyone get out. Did you?”

  “No.”

  Molly Kate and Stan moved beside us. She took my arm, “Who is that?”

  “I have no idea.” I surveyed the room. “There’s Avalee over there talking to Ty. Have you seen Jema?”

  “No.”

  Things started to churn in my mind. I seemed to remember something about a limo at Lifesource, a rude man and how he upset Jema. A sick feeling washed over me. Oh, no. No.

  “What? What’s wrong?”

  “Jema. That man in the limo at Lifesource. Something bad has happened. Oh, Lord help us. We have to find her.”

  Just as those words left my mouth, Jema walked in with an incredibly well-dressed man who looked a lot like, like...? Nah. Couldn’t be.

  Jema glowed. “Everyone, I have an announcement to make.”

  Well, she definitely had everyone’s attention, especially mine.

  “I would like to introduce you all to my fiancé.”

  Molly Kate, Avalee, and I moved closer, leaned forward, and stared. He looked so familiar.

  “Some of you already know him as Levi Smith. But his real name is Matthew Abrams. Matthew Levi Abrams.”

  Nathan snapped his head around and blurted, “What?”

  Miss Cladie whooped, ran over, and took them both into a bear hug. “I knew you were a fine man the minute I clapped eyes on you.”

  The room erupted into applause. I grasped MK’s and Avalee’s hands. We looked from one to another, still stunned. But when she held out her arms we ran to her laughing, crying, and dying to ask a million questions. At least I was. When we all calmed down, she gave us her huge million dollar, rather, her billion dollar smile.

  Stan waved his arms. “This calls for more celebration.” He signaled for the attendants to serve another round of champagne. We toasted the newly engaged couple, all the while I was dying to hear the details. I knew Nathan positively itched to get the scoop.

  All in good time, Nathan. All in good time.

  I took his hand and consoled. “I’ll have what you want tomorrow night. My place?”

  “The story? Details?”

  I nodded.

  “Promise.”

  “Yes.”

  A devilish grin spread across his face. “But that isn’t all I want.”

  A shiver ran through me. It wasn’t all I wanted either.

  ****

  Avalee

  After Stan toasted the newly engaged couple, Ty took my hand, leaned over, and whispered. “Unbelievable, isn’t it?”

  I nodded and remembered the vow I made to myself at the hospital. “Ty, we need to talk.”

  He frowned. “Is there a problem?”

  “It’s complicated.”

  I signaled for him to follow me and led him to the library behind the stairs. I liked this room because it was quiet. It smelled of leather and dusty books. Scott had decorated the Christmas tree in a Dickens theme. Little ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future hung on the branches amid snowflakes, crutches, holly berries, gold chains, geese, skates, and little books. It was all so whimsical.

  I paced the room, wringing my hands. Ty leaned against the chair and crossed his arms. “What’s all this about?”

  “Ty, there is something I have to tell you, and I’m afraid it will change things between us.”

  His eyes darkened.

  “Just promise me you will hear me out.”

  He dipped his head. “Oookay?”

  I took a deep breath and let it out in a long, slow sigh. Searching his face, tears filled my eyes and spilled onto my cheeks. “Tyler, I am responsible for your brother’s death. I guess you could say, I killed him.”

  Ty drew his eyebrow together. “I don’t understand. He died alone in a car accident. How can you blame that on yourself?”

  Painful memories rose in my mind, and I closed my eyes against them. Finally I found my voice. “It was a week before the wedding.” Heat crawled up my neck, and I fixed my gaze on the fire. “This may be TMI, but, I was late for my period which had never happened. I was never late. You could have set your watch by my cycle. So, I bought one of those pregnancy tests from the drug store and planned to check the next day.” I glanced at him then back to the safety of the cavorting flames. “Back in those days, the home tests were only accurate when taken first thing in the morning.”

  Ty’s face remained expressionless.

  I pressed on. “The evening Marc died, his fraternity brothers had given him a bachelor’s party. When it was over, he drove to my sorority house to say goodnight. I could tell he was pretty tipsy and in an upbeat mood, so I decided it was a good time to tell him my suspicions. Just as I thought, he took it well. He said, ‘No problem, Ava.’ I remember feeling so relieved. But then he said, ‘you can’t be that pregnant. So wait until after the honeymoon to get your abortion.’”

  I swiped tears from my eyes. “I was stunned. That was the last thing I expected Marc to say. Abortion? Abortion wasn’t even on my radar, and I told him so. He tried to explain how we were young and had plenty of time for children. He said while he was in medical school and I was working, there wasn’t enough time to devote to a baby. How it wouldn’t be fair to the child or us.”

  Ty walked to the window and shoved his hands in his pockets while staring out. I hated upsetting him, but I had to finish.

  “We argued. I kept insisting I wouldn’t kill our baby, but he kept pressing for abortion. Finally, I threw my ring at him and told him I couldn’t marry a man who was so selfish that he’d actually put his personal desires over a human life. He picked it up and left. The last thing I heard from him were his tires squealing out of the parking lot. Later I received the call telling me he had died in a crash.”

  Hesitantly, I lifted my eyes to Tyler’s. “The next morning the test read negative. Two weeks later I started my period. The doctor said stress and excitement sometimes caused a woman to miss her cycle.”

  The weight of my guilt and grief made me fold into myself. I sank to the floor and sobbed. “If only I hadn’t said anything. If only I had waited until the next morning. Marc would
be alive.”

  Ty strode over and gathered me in his arms. “Avalee? Listen to me. Marc’s death wasn’t your fault. Not at all. He was drunk and angry. You were honest and stood up for what you believe. Marc’s death was his own fault.”

  I gazed up at him. “But, if I had handled it differently...”

  “We will never know, will we? Alcohol and cars are never a good idea.” He tightened his arms around me. “Let it go. You didn’t kill Marc. And if he were able to say anything to you, he’d ask you to forgive him.”

  “Do you forgive me Ty?” I needed to hear him say it.

  “What is there to forgive?”

  “Just say it, please.”

  “Okay, I forgive you for being a loving woman who was shocked and momentarily displayed anger. I forgive you for not knowing my drunk brother would get in his car and drive like a bat out of hell until he ran into a tree.” He put his finger under my chin and lifted my face to his. “There. Better?”

  “Yes.” And it was. I looked deep in his eyes and admitted. “Even if there hadn’t been an accident, I don’t think I could have married him. I didn’t know who he was after all. I thought I did. But I really didn’t.”

  Ty watched me a moment, hesitated, and then said, “Could you love me?”

  Since I was being honest, I couldn’t stop now. “Yes.”

  His dimples deepened. “Good. Because I’ve fallen in love with you.” He sat in the chair, pulled me on his lap and took my hands. “I don’t have a three-carat diamond, and I cannot buy you a mansion. But I can give you a lifetime of love and devotion. I will idolize you, as you deserve. Avalee, would you take a chance on me? Would you marry me?”

  His voice was gentle, his face more handsome than any man I’d ever seen. But it was his heart that had me from the beginning. These past months he’d put me before himself, my needs were above his. He’d been so persistent, yet patient. Did the years between us really make a difference? No. They didn’t.

  “Yes, Ty. I would be honored.”

  He pulled me close. His kisses promised many evenings filled with love, lovemaking, and life building.

  With a gleam in his eye, he said, “Come on. It’s the night for announcing good news.” He kissed me again. “And ours is the best.”

  I followed him and imagined my momma’s face. While the guests mingled in the ballroom around the bar and refreshments, the musicians warmed up. Ty jumped on the stage and grabbed the mic.

  “Hey folks. Can I have your attention?” All chatter and laughing stopped. “What a night. Right?”

  Everyone applauded. Stan twirled Molly Kate and Levi, I mean Matthew, bowed to Jema.

  Ty held his hand out. “Avalee? Could you join me up here?” Scott nudged Nathan, wearing a Cheshire cat, I knew it, smile. Lexi let out an ear-piercing squeal, and Jema folded her hands under her chin. Molly Kate hugged Stan and stared at the stage. Ty let a few seconds pass for dramatic pause. “Just a few minutes ago, I asked this amazing woman to be my bride. And she said YES!”

  Momma threw her hands in the air and bustled toward the stage holding her arms open. Ty and I hopped off the stage and gathered her in our arms. Jema, Lexi, and Molly Kate encircled us and joined the hug. Arms, kisses, and tears swarmed Ty and me.

  What a night, indeed.

  I gazed up at my husband-to-be, then at my precious Momma and friends who were as dear to me as sisters. We were the women of Washington Avenue, and our lives were so intertwined it was hard to separate where one story began and the other ended. I liked it that way.

  The town slogan was right after all: Moonlight, Mississippi was where my romantic dreams came true.

  And the stories, the dreams, continue…

  A word about the author...

  Although Linda Apple lives with her husband in the hills of Northwest Arkansas, her roots run deep in the South. Originally a Mississippi gal, her stories grow from childhood memories of sleepy Southern towns, conversations around her grandmother’s decadent meals, and all the rich, diverse personalities she has had the privilege to know.

  The Women of Washington Avenue, her first mainstream novel, is a tribute to the kindred souls and friendships of Southern women.

  More information about Linda Apple and her upcoming projects can be found on her website:

  www.lindaapple.com

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