But I also see some of my qualities in him as well. His love of sweets for one. That’s the only thing the poor guy lucked out in having Ava as his mother. I laughed hysterically when Joel told me Ava sings him the “Brush the Teeth” nursery rhyme every morning and night to ensure he brushes his teeth for the recommended timeframe. He also disclosed that she limits the amount of sugar he is allowed to consume. When he argues, declaring she isn’t being fair, Ava says she doesn’t need his praise, because his teeth will thank her when he isolder.
My attention reverts from reminiscing when Izzy paces out of Isaac’s office. Her face is gaunt, her eyes full of tears. I pace quietly behind her, still reeling too much from my own emotions to handle any more. Izzy moves around the master suite of the home she shares with Isaac, hastily gathering a small bag of barenecessities.
“Is that it?” I ask when she hands me the smallovernightbag.
When she nods her head, relief engulfs me. From how light she has packed, the hope our trip to Tiburon is going to be a short one increases. Isaac was vague on the phone last night, simply requesting for me to accompany Izzy to her hometown. He didn’t give any stipulations on how long we were going to be away or why we were going, he merely said he “needed me.” After everything Isaac has done for me the past five years, I couldn’t deny hisrequest.
My heart was maimed leaving Joel and Ava. It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever endured. But I know it is only a matter of time before I see them again. I'll never be parted from them for an extended period of time ever again. I just have to steer Isaac and Izzy through their latest crisis, then I’ll sit down and work out how to balance both my loyalty to Isaac and myfamily.
“Alright. I’ll meet you in the foyer. Roger is going to take us to the airport,” I advise Izzy, pivoting on my heels and rushing down thestairs.
My steps are eager, because the quicker we get to Tiburon, the faster I’ll return to myfamily.
* * *
By the timethe private jet Isaac hires touches down in Tiburon, I’m a wreck. I haven’t slept in over thirty-six hours. I assumed the sleep I missed during my nine-hour car trip from Rochdale to Ravenshoe would be caught up on the flight over. It wasn’t. Anytime I closed my eyes, the image of Ava’s tear-filled face would haunt me. It was only halfway across the country did it hit me why the image haunted me so much. If she reacted so fearfully with me promising to return, how many times have I been the cause of her tears the past five years? The thought of her crying over me riddles me with guilt. I hate that I’ve caused her so muchheartache.
That message I left on Ava’s voicemail the day I vanished is as solid now as it was back then. I still love her. I always have, and I always will. I just hope one day she can find it in her heart to forgive me. Not just for vanishing without a trace, but for breaking herheart.
My eyes lift from the small eat-in kitchen floor when Izzy says, “You can put your bag in the spare room. It’s the third door on theright.”
I nod my head before ambling down the hall. Photo frames ranging in size are scattered on the walls of the corridor. They’re all pictures of Izzy at various stages of her life, from a freckle-faced little girl to a stunning teen all dolled up for a school dance. In a majority of the photos, she has her arm wrapped around a large brute of a man. He would be nearly as tall as me, but double my weight. The flash of the camera bounces off his shiny bald head. Even looking like a trained killer, nothing but admiration beams out of Izzy’s eyes as she stares upathim.
Placing my black bag onto the double bed in the middle of the room, my eyes drop to my watch. It is a little after five PM local time, so it’s close to eight PM at Rochdale. Nearly Joel’s bedtime. Swallowing a lump in my throat, I pull out my cell phone and dial Jorgie’s old home number I have memorized, hoping Ava’s number is the same. I push the phone in close to my ear, ensuring I can hear her over the mad beat of myheart.
“Hey, you’ve reached Ava and Joel. We’re not home right now so leave a message after the beep,” Ava and Joel sayinsync.
A grin tugs on my lips from the corniness of theirmessage.
“Hey, it’s me… umm… Hugo. Joel’s dad.”Jesus, I sound like amoron.
“Just wanted to say goodnight to Joel. Goodnight, buddy, I hope you had a good day. And to let you know I’m thinking of you… both ofyou.Bye.”
I’m pulling the phone away from my ear when it suddenly dawns on me what I said. I raise the phone back to my ear in a sense of urgency. “Not goodbye. I’ll seeyouso--”
I stop talking when a loud clink sounds over the line. “Hey, you are home,” I greet with asmile.
“Yes, they are,” advises a male voice I don’t recognize. “Home with me, where theybelong.”
My teeth grit when I recognize the condescending tone shrieking down the line.Marvin.
“Leave my family alone, Hugo,” Marvinsneers.
“They are not your family,” I snap back. “Joel is my son. He has my blood.”AndAva owns myheart.
“Joel may have your blood running through his veins, but I’m the man who raised him, fed him, and clothed him. Without me, he wouldn’t even have a roof overhishead.”
Fury blackens my veins. But even fuming in anger, I can’t negate Marvin’s claims. I haven’t been there for Joel, but that is only because I didn’t know he existed. If I did, I would have done everything in my power to ensure he was looked after. To ensure he didn’t have to endure the pain Ava and I went through the past fiveyears.
“Put Ava on the phone,” I demand, my words coming out rough as a surge of emotions flood into me. “I want to talktoAva.”
“Do everyone a favor, Hugo. Stay away. That will be the kindest thing you could ever do for you son,” Marvin snarls before disconnectingthecall.
I throw my phone onto a bed in the corner of the room and run my hand over the top of my head. I can’t give them up. It isn’t possible. It was hard enough staying away from Ava the past five years. Many times I’ve jumped into my car and headed to Rochdale, dying to see her again, needing to know she was safe and protected. I never made it any further than the Welcome to Rochdale sign four miles out. I couldn’t risk her life, but I also didn’t want to see the pain in her eyes knowing I was the one who put it there. So with a heavy heart, I turned around and steered my car back to Ravenshoe, back to the town that sheltered me during my roughest storm. I’ve always quoted that your home isn’t where you were born and raised; it is where your family is. For the past five years, Ravenshoe has been my family. But not anymore, the woman who owns my heart lives in Rochdale, as does the boy who has capturedmysoul.
I peer out the window when I catch the shadow of a figure in a room at the back of the property.Shit! I’m supposed to be here protecting Izzy.I house my firearm in the back of my jeans and rush in the direction I saw thefigure.
“Izzy,” I call out when I enter thebackyard.
