Ava's Wishes

by Karen Pokras

  It felt good to be home.

  ~~~

  “All right, Av,” Holly said, “spill it. We know you don’t have the flu. So why did you stay at school so long?”

  Holly and Tessa cornered Ava as she was coming out of the kitchen with a plate of lasagna, which Mrs. Haines had made for dinner. Poor Ava had only been offered soup because of her unfortunate illness. Her stomach had been growling all night. After dinner, Ava’s parents and sisters decorated the tree while she watched from the couch, tightly wrapped in a blanket, sipping tea.

  After that, her mom sent Ava straight up to bed. She wasn’t able to call Max—she didn’t want her sisters or her parents to hear her talking—but she was able to answer his texts:

  Max: Hey, babe. I miss you already. What are you doing?

  Ava: Pretending to be asleep. My parents sent me to bed early because I’m “sick”. Next time don’t let me come up with an illness as an excuse.

  Max: Oh no! Can’t you say you’ve had a miraculous recovery or something? Could happen, right?

  Ava: I sure hope so, ’cause that’s what I’m going with when I wake up tomorrow morning. How’s it going there?

  Max: Oh, you know. I already got the law school/med school speech over with, so that’s good. Actually, it wasn’t too bad this time. My parents seem pretty excited about this flight school I got into. I guess maybe they’ve had a change of heart.

  Ava: And Aunt Sheila?

  Max: Haha. She hasn’t been by yet.

  Ava: I wish I could be there to see her face when you tell her about me. I sure do miss you. I miss having you next to me in bed even more.

  Max: I was just thinking the same thing. When do you plan on having that talk with your sisters?

  Ava: Tomorrow.

  Max: Well, good luck. I’ll talk to you then, okay? I’m going to turn in. That drive took a lot out of me. Xoxoxo

  Ava: Good night. xoxoxo

  Ava stared at her phone, wishing she could make Max appear. Texts were nice, but they were a poor substitute for having him in the same room with her. These three weeks were going to drag and being hungry didn’t help. Once she heard her parents go to bed, she snuck down the stairs and into the kitchen to snatch a piece of lasagna; she didn’t care if it was cold. She was starving. That’s when Holly and Tessa cornered her. She tried to pretend cough, but just giggled instead.

  “Follow me,” she whispered, plate in hand.

  The three girls quietly snuck back up the staircase and into the room that Ava and Holly shared for as long as Ava could remember. Tessa, being six years younger, had always had her own room, while Ava and Holly always roomed together. Now with Ava “sick,” their mom had decided to move Holly into Tessa’s room temporarily. “No sense in all three of my girls getting sick for Christmas,” she had said. It felt so odd to have the room to herself. The three girls all climbed up onto Ava’s bed, and it felt like old times.

  “So?” Holly asked.

  Ava shoved a forkful of lasagna into her mouth. “Mom’s lasagna is so good,” she said.

  “Ava! Come on!” Tessa squealed. “We know you’re hiding something. Tell us right now, or I’m going to scream. You don’t want Mom to come running in here to see you eating that, do you?”

  “Okay, fine,” Ava said. A huge smile crossed her face. “So I didn’t have the flu.”

  “We already knew that,” Holly said. “Keep going.”

  “And I wasn’t with a friend all week after Thomas—” She paused, not knowing if Tessa knew about the attack. She hoped not. Sometimes she forgot that Tessa was only sixteen. She was too young for parts of this conversation, so she’d have to give the censored version.

  “After Thomas what?” Tessa asked. “He’s that rich photographer dude who liked you, right?”

  “Sort of. Well, we kind of broke up, and he had to leave town. The whole thing was kind of a bad situation,” Ava told Tessa while keeping her eyes on Holly. “Anyway, I was pretty upset, so I told Holly that a friend was staying with me, but that wasn’t entirely true. I mean, it was, but not in the way you think.”

  “I’m confused,” Holly started. “So a friend, who isn’t a friend, but kind of is a friend, stayed with you?”

  “No,” Ava replied. “Yes. I mean … well, he’s more than a friend.”

  “He?” Holly and Tessa asked together, raising their voices slightly higher than Ava would have liked.

  “Shh,” she reminded them. “Yes, he.” She smiled again and put her plate on her nightstand. “It was Max.”

  “You were shacked up with a boy this whole time?” Tessa asked.

  Ava sighed. “It wasn’t shacking up, Tessa. We really care about each other.” Ava looked over at her other sister. “You’re being really quiet, Hol.”

  “No, it’s good. I’m just … this is the same guy who kissed you, then told you it was a mistake, then kissed you again, and then had a letter hand delivered to you to tell you that the second kiss was also a mistake. That Max?”

  “It’s not what you think, Hol.” Ava explained the circumstances surrounding the events leading up to the note in the library and subsequent cold shoulder. She tried to explain how nurturing Max was after her and Thomas broke up, but somehow it got lost in translation. She wished Tessa would give them five minutes alone so she could properly explain.

  “So are you in love?” Tessa asked with her chin resting in her hands.

  Ava smiled. “Well, we haven’t actually gotten to the point of saying it yet, but … well …” Ava’s smile grew even larger. “Yes, I do believe we are in love. At least I am.”

  Holly just continued to stare while Tessa squealed in delight.

  “Be happy for me, Hol,” Ava stated.

  “I am, Ava,” she said, smiling and putting her arm around her sister’s shoulder. “I really am. You’ve just had such a rough week. I want to make sure this is right. Long distance relationships aren’t easy.”

  “I know, and to be honest, this first day has been really hard. But when I left home to go to college, leaving you two for the first time was really difficult, also. We just made it work, you know?”

  Holly nodded and smiled. “It will get easier every day, Av, you’ll see.” She kissed Ava on the cheek. “So you’re in love, eh?”

  Ava nodded and giggled, which caused Tessa and Holly to start giggling also. “Shh,” Ava reminded them. “Mom and Dad are just down the hall.”

  Ava, Tessa, and Holly, snuggled together in the bed, until none of them could keep their eyes open any longer.

  Chapter 33

  Ava could barely pull herself off the couch. This time her mom worried that maybe she really did have the flu. In reality, she was suffering from a broken heart. Daily phone calls and multiple texts just didn’t seem to satisfy Ava’s growing need to be close to Max. What happened to the part about it getting easier every day? It had been almost two weeks already. Even knowing her time apart from him was more than half over didn’t help, since she knew he’d be leaving soon after they were reunited. She began to wonder if maybe Max was right all along.

  “Ava, it’s Christmas, do you think maybe you could spend one day not moping around?” Holly asked, organizing the gifts they had unwrapped earlier that day under the tree.

  Holly always had to make piles; it was her thing. Ava guessed it was so she could compare which sister received more loot, but their parents were always very careful to make sure each sister received the same number of presents. Ava’s stash included a new case for her phone from Tessa, a framed photo from Holly of the two of them taken at the beach over the summer, and a pile of new clothes from her parents along with some other assorted necessities for her apartment, including a cookbook. Ava had almost let out a giggle when she opened it, thinking that perhaps Max would want to borrow it. Max. She couldn’t stop thinking about Max.

  “Yeah, Av! You’re like totally killing my Christmas mojo here. You used to be the fun sister,” Tessa stated.

  “What?”
Holly asked, turning to face Tessa with her hands on her hips.

  “Come on, Hol, you know what I mean. Ava’s like our leader. She’s the one who always comes up with all the cool plans and stuff. Like that time over the summer she helped sneak me into that bar so I could see my favorite band play. Remember that, Ava? Now that was fun.” Tessa put her hand over her mouth. “Oh shoot! You don’t think Mom or Dad heard that, do you?”

  Ava mustered an almost laugh. “No, they’re upstairs, and I’m not moping. I’m just … I don’t know … dreading.”

  “Well you’re not allowed to dread on Christmas. Otherwise, I’ll have to do something drastic.” Holly motioned to the piano.

  “You wouldn’t!” Ava dared.

  “I would!” Holly smiled, and she ran over to the bench. “See,” she told Tessa from across the room right before she started belting out Christmas carols in the worst tone-deaf voice Ava had ever heard in her life, “I can be fun, too!”

  “I’m not sure fun is the right word,” Tessa yelled, putting her hands over her ears.

  ~~~

  “Ava, hurry up, the ball’s about to drop!” Tessa yelled from downstairs.

  Ava knew she should be down in the living room huddled around the television as she did every year to ring in the New Year with her sisters, but she couldn’t pull herself away from Max. She longed to hear his voice, but didn’t dare call him. She didn’t want to hurt her sister’s feelings. She just needed another few minutes to talk to him before going down to wish her family a Happy New Year. She typed:

  Here’s to a great New Year with lots of possibilities for you.

  Max: For us, you mean.

  Ava: I can’t believe I’m going to see you in four days.

  Max: I know! It’s all I’ve been able to think about.

  Ava: And then, you’re leaving a week after that. I don’t think I can handle it after all, Max. This is so hard.

  “Ava!” Holly yelled. “Come on!”

  “I’m in the bathroom,” Ava called back. “Not sure I’m going to make it to watch, but be down in a few!”

  Max: It is. But remember what you told me? If we believe in us, it will all work. We will make it work.

  Ava: Yes. It’s just … each day is so hard. I thought it was supposed to get easier with time, not harder. I don’t think I can do this.

  Max: Please, Ava, don’t. You have to try. For us. Babe, it will all be okay. Promise me you’ll try.

  Ava: Okay. I know. I will. I’m going to try … I promise. It’s a new year. New beginnings, right?

  Max: Right.

  Ava: Are you watching?

  Max: Yeah, are you?

  Ava: No. My family is, but … I’d rather bring in the New Year with you. I wish we were together.

  Max: We are together – right there in Times Square celebrating. The streets are completely packed and all eyes are on the ball. It’s completely encrusted in white crystals—the sparkle reminds me of your eyes with the light dancing through them. It’s starting its decent now … thirty seconds. I’m holding you tighter, waiting. Twenty seconds. I’m wetting my lips, getting ready. Ten – nine – eight – seven – six – five – four – three – two – one. I can see your smile in your eyes before you close them. I close mine as well and imagine our future together, as I kiss you gently and whisper, “Happy New Year, babe. I love you.”

  Ava tried to wipe some of her tears away so she could see the screen to her phone. She typed back:

  “I love you, too.”

  “Ava!” Holly pounded on the door. “You missed the whole thing! Are you okay? Come out. I’m worried about you.”

  Ava opened the door. Despite her efforts to wipe her eyes, she couldn’t hide the swollen red rings around them.

  “Oh, honey, don’t cry,” Holly said, pulling Ava in to hug her tight. “You’ll be together soon.”

  “He loves me, Hol,” she whispered.

  Chapter 34

  “It’s your turn, Ava,” Tessa prodded.

  They were playing Monopoly, normally Ava’s favorite game. She was always so competitive when they played. She’d buy every property she landed on, including the utilities and railroads, and she’d never trade with anyone without squeezing out every last dime. Then, once she owned the monopoly, she’d build hotels so fast the other players wouldn’t know what hit them. She had no mercy. You either paid up or were out of the game.

  “You sure you want to go into art?” Dad always used to joke. “You’d make a great slumlord.”

  Ava took the dice in her hands and put them down without rolling. “I think I hear my phone. You play without me.” She raced up the stairs, cursing herself for not keeping her phone in her pocket like she normally did. She answered so quickly that she didn’t have time to notice who was calling.

  “Hello?”

  “Remember me?” the British accent asked.

  Ava’s heart raced as she pulled the phone away from her ear and looked at the caller ID. Private Number.

  “Where are you?” she whispered, sinking down onto her bed. She knew she should just hang up, and yet she continued to listen.

  “The better question is where are you?” he replied. “I was just by your apartment, but apparently you’re not there.”

  “I thought you were in jail,” Ava said. Hang up, Ava! Hang up.

  “I was, and now I’m not. So I’d thought I’d stop by your place for a little chat. I never did get to finish thanking you. Are you at your family’s house in Forest Hills?” Ava hung up the phone. Her hands trembled so much she could barely hold them still as she dialed Max’s number.

  “He called me,” she blurted out as soon as Max answered.

  “Who?”

  “Thomas!” Ava shrieked. “Said he was out of jail, and that he went by my apartment to finish thanking me, but I wasn’t there. Then he asked if I was here. He knows where I am, Max! What if he shows up here?”

  “I’m on my way. I was just packing to head back to school anyway. I’ll come to your house instead. Tomorrow, I’ll follow you back to school to make sure you’re okay. In the meantime, call the police.”

  “But you’re four hours away!”

  “Three and half … under three if I speed. Go make that call, Ava. Now. I love you.”

  “I love you, too. Be careful.” Still trembling, Ava walked out of the bedroom. She barely made it to the top of the stairs without passing out.

  “Ava!” Holly yelled from the living room where they were still playing Monopoly. “Dad just scored Boardwalk. You’d better hurry. I think he’s getting ready to trade with Tessa. Hey, are you okay?”

  “No,” Ava cried. With one hand on her phone and the other on the railing, she tried to make it down. She stumbled on the first step. Running up to catch her, Mr. Haines helped her down the rest of the way to the couch.

  ~~~

  “Max,” Ava’s mom said, coming down the stairs. “I’ve got the guest bed all made up for you. Are you sure I can’t get you anything to drink?”

  “No, thank you, Mrs. Haines,” he replied.

  Ava was curled in Max’s arm as they sat on the couch. Tessa sat next to them on the floor, while Holly and Mr. Haines sat on the opposite loveseat.

  “It’s so wonderful to finally meet you, Max, although I’m sorry that we’re meeting like this,” Mrs. Haines continued, sitting in the rocker. She looked over to her husband. “I sure wish we had known earlier. We could have helped.”

  “I didn’t know either,” Tessa stated, sounding hurt.

  “I’m sorry,” Ava said. “We just didn’t want anyone to worry. We thought he was getting shipped out of the country, and we’d never have to worry about him again.”

  “I apologize, too,” Max said. “I probably should have insisted Ava call or something. It’s like Ava said. At the time we thought it was over.”

  “What’s done is done,” Mr. Haines commented. “The important thing is that the police in two towns are now on the case. We’ve alread
y filled out the paperwork for the temporary restraining order, so if that monster comes within a hundred yards of you, Ava, he can be arrested.”

  Ava nodded, unable to speak. Just the thought of Thomas coming within a hundred yards of her made her feel sick to her stomach.

  “Ava, honey, why don’t you go upstairs and get some rest? You looked wiped out. Dinner won’t be ready for another couple of hours.”

  “I don’t want to leave Max,” she replied. “I can rest here.” She adjusted her body into a reclining position, still leaning into the warmth of Max’s body.

  Mrs. Haines pulled the quilt off the back of the couch and spread it over her daughter. “Girls!” she snapped. “Come on, let’s give them a little privacy now.”

  Tessa and Holly groaned and followed Mrs. Haines out of the room. Mr. Haines also got up, but stopped to give Ava a kiss on her forehead before leaving.

  “I’m so glad you’re here,” Ava murmured, taking Max’s hand and bringing it to her lips.

  “Ava,” he said, pushing her hair out of her eyes, “I called the admissions people at my flight school on my way over. I told them I had a family emergency, and they said I could hold off on starting until next year.”

  Ava sat up and stared at Max. “Absolutely not!” she said firmly. “No way.”

  “But … I thought you didn’t want to be apart to begin with, and now this! I won’t be able to concentrate on anything out there if I’m worried about you.”

  “And I would feel guilty everyday if you stayed behind because of me! I’ll be fine, honest. I’ve got the restraining order, and well, maybe I’ll get a dog or something. One with big teeth.” Ava showed her teeth, giving her best imitation of a dog while growling.