“Sean isn’t going to find out anything, he doesn’t believe a word you say remember? You’re a drug addict whore, who sleeps around. Trust me he isn’t going to give a shit about you when I am done.”
I scream harder, fighting him until ... Whack! … Whack! … Boom! Joel pauses after the loud crash startles us both but the sudden rumbling coming from the floor beneath me, causes me to smile. Rondo and Prince round the corner with their target’s image mirrored in their eyes. I lay flat on the ground as they both fling themselves atop of Joel, showing no mercy to his screams. Jumping up I immediately grab my bags, call for the boys, and take them both along with me as I drive away. I don’t know where I am going, but anywhere is better than here.
Chapter 16
Rebecca
As soon as I saw Joel leave with that rope and the needle, I knew he was asking for more than we are both willing to bargain for. He told me to follow, he told me to bring the video camera but I can’t see this going the way he thinks it will. He should have just let her go, let Sean put her in that rehab place. He is so damn stubborn, I know he has been set on having her since he first laid eyes on her. He has been determined to win her over and steal her from Sean. Only Ava, is only interested in being his friend. Now he has lost his damn mind and he is going to take me down with him, if I’m not careful. While searching the guesthouse, I hear the dogs going nuts and I do not dare go outside now. They sound like they are going to kill somebody. As soon as the thought enters my head I hear the crash followed by Joel’s screams. Shit! What the hell am I going to do now? Remembering back to how I got the last bit of money from Joel’s father, I take in a deep breath and then slam the door against my arm and then my face before throwing myself down the stairs. I hope I got blood everywhere because that hurt like hell. I take a half a step outside wondering what to do next when I see Ava rushing down the drive with both dogs. I look back at the destruction of the now open house and stand frozen as Joel hobbles towards me.
“Have you lost your mind?” I asked him.
“What the hell happened to you?” He asked.
“I’m covering my ass, because you are obviously going to be killed.”
“She’s gone and is probably never coming back. I will tell Sean that she was trying to get away and I held her back but that the dogs thought I was hurting her and attacked me, helping her get away.” He said as he walks into the guesthouse and cleans himself up.
“Okay boy wonder? What are you going to do when she does come back?”
“If, … if she comes back. And if that happens, I doubt he believes her, he is getting ready to put her away. She will probably go straight to the loony bin before he hears her say anything.”
“Well excuse me if I don’t take part in this crazy plan.”
“Fine Rebecca! Do whatever you want. Stay here and makeup your own little stories, handle it all on your own. Hell, call Ethan, he has been so helpful to you in the past.”
“Shut up! I can do just fine on my own. I don’t need you.” He laughs at me as he walks out the door. “You however do need me, or at least you will. When Sean and I get married you’re going to need my help, you just wait and see.”
“Go have another drink Rebecca, you’re delusional again. I am going to go wait for my best friend and console him when he finds out his wife just left him. And I might let him know that I know how he feels, because my wife is also a cheating whore. Maybe then we can bond over needing to get a divorce from our crazy wives!” He smiles ignoring my huffing as he walks back towards the main house.
Chapter 17
Sean
I pull into our drive still shaking as I picture myself, strangling the son of a bitch to death. I am out of the car before the engine completely shuts off. Rushing towards the house, I notice the destruction of our back door. The sight of it reminds me of what I should have been thinking about. Rather than killing Joel, I should have been worried about protecting her from him.
“Ava!” I stop short at the bloody mess outside our bedroom door. “Ava!” I search our entire house, becoming more hysterical by the second.
“Sean,” Joel rounds the corner calmly. “Sean - she took off.”
“Why? What did you do to her?”
He seems shocked by my accusation, “I didn’t do anything, I tried to stop her but the dogs came after me, I guess they thought I was …” Before he can finish his sentence my rage takes over and I grip him hard as I throw him up against the wall.
“What did you do to her?” I scream as he struggles to reach the floor with his feet. “What did you do to my wife?”
“Nothing! Sean calm down I didn’t do anything.”
“The hell you didn’t! You drugged her didn’t you? You tried to make her crazy pretending to be Spencer and then tried to rape her.” I watch him shake his head in disbelief. “You son of a bitch, I know you did. Now tell me where she is!” He shakes his head trying to get away from me. “Tell me!”
“I told you! I don’t know.” The lying piece of shit tries to look me in the eyes and I lose it, ripping his shirt sleeve I find the puncture wound from where Ava stabbed him with the pen. I focus on his eyes as he searches for a way out. “Sean she came on to me and I admit I was willing but then she went psycho on me and I got scared.”
I slam his back into the wall as I take hold of his neck. “Tell me where she is!”
“I don’t know!” I relax my hand and a new calm comes over me. “Sean, I’m telling you …” The blood that spews from his mouth as my fist hits his jaw doesn’t even phase me, I cannot stop now. The pressure I feel to my fists plowing into him over and over, doesn’t seem to help relieve any of the pain or guilt that I am feeling but I continue to try.
“Sean!” Ethan yells as he and Randy drag me off Joel. Still vibrating with anger, I cannot take my eyes off him. “Sean, what is going on? What happened?”
“He did it, it was him and I blamed her and the whole time it was him.” I cried out.
Joel staggers back to his feet holding his bloodied body with a scowl, “You’re fucking right I did! And you know what I loved every second that I rammed your wife’s face into the ground as I fucked the hell out of that whore.” Jerking away from my brother and Randy’s grip I lunge at him only to be pulled back again. “Keep coming Sean, I already got enough to put you away and take all your money. If you’re nice enough, maybe I will send you pictures of Ava and I fucking, hell I think I even got video. My resistance against my restrainers grows as he enjoys my pain. “Ohhh don’t worry, I didn’t hurt her too much, she enjoyed it … trust me. Hell maybe since she isn’t on birth control, I will get that son I have always wanted.” Suddenly the grips on me - release, and I take my revenge out on Joel once again.
“Okay Sean, that’s enough.” Randy helps Ethan to pull me back again.
“Joel I wouldn’t be so confident, if you raped Ava,” My body tenses as my brother speaks. “She is going to testify and put you in jail, no one is going to care what Sean did to you. It is his home.”
Joel continues laughing, as blood runs from his nose down into his mouth, “Oh Ethan, still trying to be so innocent are you? I know what you have been up to, maybe we can work out a little deal but as far as Sean, he’s going to jail and I am taking everything he’s got.”
“No, you’re not.” Rebecca says coming up from behind us. She stuns us all with her tattered clothes and gruesome appearance, “I found these,” she said releasing a bag full of pill bottles. “Plenty of evidence to prove that you have been drugging his wife in hopes that enough of them might make her want to sleep with you. I watched him go after her, I tried to stop him but he made sure I couldn’t. I’m sorry Sean, I tried. I heard her screaming and there was nothing I could do.”
“Where is she?” I asked her.
“I don’t know, when I was finally able to get up, she had taken off.” Rebecca said as she began to cry pitifully. “I tried to leave myself but Joel came back and told me if I said anything
that he would kill me.”
“You’re a fucking bitch! Do you know what you have done!” Joel screamed at her. He tries to move in her direction but is unable to do anything but stumble to the ground, with his swollen face and broken body.
Rebecca had called the police before she came over with her confession and they showed up a few minutes after she did. Joel was dragged off and I assured Rebecca that she could stay in the guesthouse when she gets back from the hospital. Her arm is clearly broken and I assume it’s not the only thing, she looked terrible. If Joel can do that to his own wife and I can only imagine what he did to mine. I call her every few minutes, search for her everywhere I can think of, but she is gone and I am not sure when she is coming back. I can only hope that she does.
~
It has been days and no word from Ava. Ethan has convinced me somehow that working will help take my mind off things but being on set everyday is not helping anything. I am not even sure if I want to do this damn film any more, but Joel’s father has made sure that I realize I am under contract. The asshole even made me aware that his son has been released from jail since Ava is not here to file a complaint against him. And since I allowed him on my property, I am as guilty as he is for fighting. Castor says he will not sue me if I promise to be a good boy and finish the film and not touch his son again when he returns to the set. It takes Ethan some time before he can get me to calm down but he reassures me that despite Joel, the script is still just as good as it was when I signed on and the chances of Joel showing up anywhere near me is slim to none. It really doesn’t matter because I am numb to it all right now, I only want Ava back.
It is towards the end of the fourth day and her name finally appears on my cell. “Ava? Where are you, baby? Everything is okay now, Joel is gone, I know everything …” I pause as I hear cry.
“I need you Sean. I need you.” She cried, mumbling repeatedly until I can finally get out what is truly wrong. Not that it matters, she needs me and that is really all I needed to hear. As always, I drop everything for her and go to her immediately, damn anyone who has a problem with it.
~
Ava ran away to her grandparents’ house, in Lexington, the place she has known since her parents died, her true home. However, the woman that raised her and has comforted her through everything, passed away quietly in her sleep sometime last night.
The funeral was somber. I stood by Ava the entire time with my hand on her back as she stood strong. She said her goodbye and her tears flowed, leaning into me a little more and more as time passed. I do not know who amazed me more, Jack or his granddaughter. I kept an eye on them both waiting for some sort of breakdown. Instead, I am dealing with Ava’s relatives, most being wonderful, but some are simply obnoxious and annoying.
“Hey Sean, do you think you could beat me in an arm wrestling contest?” Cousin Doug asked me for the fifth time.
“Yes I do,” I said finally not ignoring his stupid question. For some reason he seems to think his gigantic size means he can take me in almost anything and maybe he can if it is an eating contest, otherwise, he doesn’t stand a chance in hell.
“Oh well lets go then son!” He said dancing around and waving for other cousins to surround us. He sets his arm down with stern focus. I casually walk around the table, take my jacket off, roll up my sleeve and sit with a humored smile. “Come on, stop trying to delay the inevitable.”
“Doug please, leave Sean alone,” Ava yelled at him.
I wave her off, “No baby I got it.” Cousin Doug smiles with grinding teeth, ready to take me down. I take his hand and watch his eyes as he tries to predict when we will be released into battle.
“Go!” Cousin Nate yells.
I hold him in place for a time, enjoying his struggle until his heavy breaths begin to turn his face a bright magenta. “Sean please,” Ava calls out from across the room. I smile and wink at Cousin Doug before taking him down.
“Sorry fella’s the wife calls,” I said standing up and putting my jacket back on, glancing at Jack who is hiding his chuckle behind his hand.
“One more time Sean?” Doug called out to me.
I ignore him and find Ava in the kitchen arranging numerous dishes of everything imaginable. “Do you want some help?”
She throws her hands up. “I just don’t know what to do with it all. It’s not going to all fit in the refrigerator, we can’t possibly eat all of this, and you can’t freeze most of this.” I walk over to her and hold her still.
“Stop, stop trying to do everything. It doesn’t matter,” I said as she collapses into my arms, allowing me to console her fully for the first time.
“Everyone is leaving now,” Jack said causing Ava to straighten up and clear her face quickly.
“Okay well make sure they know we have plenty of food, if anyone needs something to take home.” She said.
“I’ll tell them but that’s just going to prolong the idiots from leaving my house.” Jack said with a scowl.
I laugh and Ava smacks my arm, “Don’t laugh at him, it only encourages him,” she scolds me.
After everyone leaves and Ava gives up trying to rescue mountainous amounts of food the three of us finally sit down and take in the day.
“Grandad, I need to make up the extra bed for Sean, do you know where the …” Ava asked Jack.
“No. Just sleep in the one room, don’t go messing up two rooms just because you don’t like sleeping with your husband in a small bed. He’s your husband now. Lay on top of him if the beds are too small. He’d probably prefer that anyway,” Jack said pointing at me with his cane.
“Do you have to be so crude?” She said watching him narrow his eyes at her.
“You know what I forgot to turn off the lights in the barn,” Jack said scooting to the edge of his chair.
“Sit back down, I’ll do it,” Ava said running out the door before he can stop her.
“Is she this annoying at home?” He asked me.
“She’s trying to help you,” I said.
“Stubborn as hell is what she is and don’t you dare argue with me.” I wouldn’t dare argue with that. “So tell me what started this whole mess with you two?”
“What do you mean?” I asked him.
He laughs at me, “I might be old Sean but I’m not stupid and I know my granddaughter. You two had some fight and it’s written all over both of your faces.”
I shake my head looking away from him, “It’s nothing.”
“That bad huh?” I glance at him out of the corner of my eye. “If you don’t tell me I will tell her that you told me everything and that I’m on your side.”
I huff, “You are a mean, nasty old man.”
“Start talking before she comes back, it won’t take her long to figure out all the lights are already turned off.” I laugh at him as he waves his hand at me.
I explain the details to him while he nods seeming to understand. “Now I don’t know how to get her to forgive me for being stupid and not believing her over everyone else.”
“You sleeping in the same bed?” He asked.
“Not much lately, I was staying in a hotel and then she was sick. Not much sleeping together going on.”
“Well there you go.” He said sitting back in his chair nodding his head.
“There you go?” I questioned his illogical response. He simply nods assured of his stance. “Okay. Well I still worry about her, I think she is having those dreams about Spencer again.”He looks me over with a sudden concern.
Jack stands up abruptly, “Come with me.” He said walking away to some dusty corner of the basement. He takes out a book from the drawer of an old chest, puts it on a table and flips through the dusty pages. “Here, read this,” I look at the yellowed news article, with a picture of a car crumpled at the bottom of a cliff.
“Ava’s mother?” I asked.
Jack nods, “Read it.”
“It says that she skidded off the road and down the cliff.”
“Th
rough a barrier,” I shrug not understanding his point. “It was the middle of the afternoon on a straight road, and it wasn’t raining,” I straighten staring at him in awe. “Now you’re getting it, aren’t you? Now look at this picture.”
I smile at the obvious picture of Ava’s mother, “She’s beautiful, her mother … Lillah?” He nods and hands me another picture. “It’s her again.”
“Pay attention, that one was after Ava’s father died and two days before her death.” The beautiful woman holding her daughter’s hand smiles but her eyes are different, the emptiness is apparent, especially in contrast to the other photo. “She died when he died. Those eyes of hers never lived again.” Jack said sighing with the sounds of grief still in his heart.
“She committed suicide?” I asked watching his heartbroken nod. “But Ava was only five, how could she give up like that leaving her little girl alone?”
“She was heartbroken beyond repair. Ava is a lot like her mother, she loves deeply and passionately, loyal to the end but her strength comes from her father, a fighter to the end. And I hope it remains that way. Now until you see these eyes.” He said holding up the emptiness picture to me. “You have nothing to worry about, her strength has not diminished in the slightest, you’re just missing something.”
“What am I missing then?”
“I don’t know, she’s your wife.” He puts his book up and waves me to follow quickly back to our spots.
“Maybe you could talk to her?” I asked him.
“Nope, I don’t like to get in the middle of folks business,” he said. I roll my eyes at him.
Ava walks in, obviously exasperated with the old man as he smiles obnoxiously at her. Neither saying a word however.
“I think I need a drink,” he said getting up to get a bottle.