Liam squeezed my shoulder. “Great! Then I expect the two of you home for dinner!”
The way he said it told me he absolutely did not expect us home today. My father-in-law probably figured it’d be a week or more since he saw us again.
Like hell. I knew Ava could survive anything— this island included— but I didn’t want her to have to stay here longer than one night. I was getting her off this island in the next twenty-four hours, or I was signing those divorce papers myself. She deserved a man who could provide, and provide for her, I would. Otherwise, I didn’t deserve to have her.
Oberi shoved his nose into my hand, and I stroked the top of his head. I felt my energy begin to drain, and I allowed my magic to funnel into him. The power that buzzed down to my bones, which I’d become so used to, faded away, until my senses were dulled. I was left with the vague awareness of the Air and Earth, but no influence over the elements whatsoever.
Well, that does it! Oberi said, panting happily. Oh, he was just loving this. You two have fun!
He turned away from me to say goodbye to Ava, and his wagging tail smacked me in the leg. He made slobbering noises as he licked Ava all over.
“We’ll see you soon, Oberi,” Ava said, but her tone held an edge I couldn’t quite read.
Wee! I’m going off to get spoiled at grandma and grandpa’s house! Oberi cheered.
The three of them climbed onto the boat, and Oberi gave a few happy barks as they took off. Soon, his voice faded, and Ava turned to me.
“Oberi seems particularly pleased about all this,” she noted. “What’d he say?”
“He wants us to have fun. He’s acting like we’re heading off on our honeymoon to fuck for a week and make more babies.” I realized what I said after it came out of my mouth. Ava didn’t seem to want the baby we already had, and I worried bringing it up would just hurt her. “Sorry, that came out wrong.”
Ava scoffed. “I mean, you’re right. We never did get a honeymoon either time we got married, so he probably thinks this stupid island trip will make up for it.”
I noticed she didn’t say anything about the baby comment. I was relieved she’d let it slide. “It doesn’t, though. You deserve more from your honeymoon than being stranded on a beach.”
“It’s fine. Let me see that journal.”
I handed it over. Ava flipped through the pages, before she finally paused to read the spell.
“What’s it say?” I asked.
“It says here we have to look into each other’s hearts to witness your partner’s true intention, but the spell isn’t straightforward,” Ava mused. “I’m not even sure I’d call this a spell. Maybe more of a ritual. There’s no incantation or magic to cast.”
“Well, if we’re going to witness each other’s true intentions, I need to know where you’re coming from,” I suggested. “Why didn’t you tell me you gave up all your stuff?”
Ava drew a deep breath. “I don’t know. It was hard, Charlie. And scary. Asking you to get my things back is a big deal, because it’s more than just you providing things for me. This is about me putting my trust in you. I didn’t feel like my part of it was complete until I was ready to do that. I wasn’t lying to you. I was waiting until I was ready to trust you again before I put something like that on your shoulders.”
“Do you really only have one dress?” I asked weakly. She was basically living in poverty… like I had. Except she had accepted it willingly. That blew my mind to understand, because coming from it, I couldn’t imagine anyone choosing such a destitute state for themselves. I never wanted Ava to experience anything close to it.
“I mean, yeah, I don’t have any nightclothes, either, so I’ve been sleeping naked next to you every night for a while. It’s insane you haven’t noticed.”
My mouth went dry at her admission. That did not help keep me on task, because I was getting hard just thinking about it. My wife had been lying beside me nude for weeks, and I was blissfully unaware. If I had reached out even a tiny bit and allowed myself to touch her, I would’ve noticed. Can’t say if things might’ve happened, but maybe if they had, it would’ve brought us closer. Instead, I’d been so intent on keeping to myself I was widening the canyon between us further.
I told my dick to calm down and stuck to the subject. “When you say you gave up everything… that can’t be it. Surely you kept other things. You’d never give up Monica’s armband.”
Ava’s voice drew on a bitter, aching edge. “Charlie… when I said everything… I meant everything.”
My chest physically hurt. I never wanted her to take things that far. “You really gave up your armband?”
Ava seemed so small. “Yeah. I did. Whatever it takes.”
Holy shit. That armband had meant everything to Ava. It was the last piece of Monica she had, but she’d been willing to part from it just to get a chance at saving this marriage.
I felt so weak in this woman’s stead. No matter how strong I thought myself to be, she was infinitely stronger.
I knelt at her side. “I understand none of this is easy for you. It was wrong of your dad to tell me. He should’ve let you do it when you were ready.”
“He didn’t know.”
