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Praying.
53
I takethe biggest breath when I leave the cart and before I walk into the penthouse. The first thing I hear is crying. Ava. Is that good or bad? Fuck, I don’t know. I wander to the kitchen and find Elizabeth embracing her in a hug. She’s smiling into her shoulder, looking far from worried. It’s a relief. So why is Ava crying? I ponder that for a moment and come back to the same thing.
Emotion.
She’s pregnant.
Elizabeth releases Ava and looks at her fondly. “You have sent me and your dad wild with worry these last few weeks,” she scorns gently.
“I’m sorry.” Ava rubs at her face. “I’ve had a crazy few weeks.”
I laugh to myself. Crazy indeed.
“Hold up.” Ava looks between her parents. “How did you really get in?”
She’s only just wondering that? “I invited them,” I say quietly, and all three sets of eyes come at me.
Ava looks pretty freaked out. Unsure. “You never said,” she says, nervous, looking between her mum and dad and back to me.
“I didn’t want to row over it,” I tell her.Because you would have found a way to stall again.“They’re here now.”
I catch Elizabeth’s eye, and I know, just by the way she’s looking at me, I’ve won her over. It could be the penthouse. The Manor. My wealth. It could be Ava’s dad having a word. It could be me looking dapper in my suit. Couldn’t give a fuck.
Ava, completely blindsided, starts stuttering and stammering over her words, motioning to her parents. “Jesse, this is my mum and dad. Elizabeth and Joseph.”
“We’ve met.” She’s about to have kittens, I just know it.
“What?”
“We’ve met.” I can’t help my smile, the questions flooding from her eyes as she looks at me with fear too. It brings home just how concerned she is. If they’ll like me. Approve. I go to her, but I’m respectful and don’t completely smother her, which is alien to me. “I didn’t go for a run this morning.”
She still looks shell-shocked. “You didn’t?” she asks, and I shake my head. “You had your running kit on.”
“I know.” I look across to Elizabeth and Joseph, smiling, remembering both of their looks when they took in my shorts. “It’s not what I would have chosen to wear to meet your parents, but desperate times.”
“You’re making up for it now, Jesse,” Elizabeth says, reaching for my arm, rubbing it reassuringly.Definitelywon her over. It’s probably the money. Again, couldn’t give a fuck. And what Elizabeth here is failing to realize is Ava is way more valuable than manors and penthouses.
“I’m sorry,” Ava breathes. “I’m confused.”
“Sit.” I lead her to a stool. “I spoke to your mum late last night,” I explain as I lower next to her. “She was understandably worried about you and asked me lots of question.” I peek at Elizabeth, and she laughs, flapping a hand, like I’m being dramatic. I’m not. I’m so glad I took the reins on this. I would have hated Ava to have faced Elizabeth’s initial coolness toward me. It would have made things so much harder.
“Nosey, isn’t she?” Joseph says, finally speaking up.
“She’s my little girl, Joseph.”
“Anyway, I thought it was best for them to come and see for themselves that I’m not a raving loon, keeping you captive in our tower.”Go fuck yourself, Matt. And, obviously, I didn’t plan on them turning up so soon, but it’s all worked out in the end. “So, here they are.”
“Here we are!”
Ava looks at her mother, a little exasperated, a little alarmed. “So, you met them this morning?” she asks. “Why?”
Yeah, I can’t tell her that right now. “I felt I needed to explain myself. Ava, neither of us anticipated each other, and for very different reasons. I know your parents’ opinion counts for a lot to you, and as it means so much to you, it means a lot to me too. My priority is you. You’re all that matters to me.” I squeeze her hands. “I love you.”
She looks at me with wide eyes. Speechless, I think.
“All any father wants is for their daughter to be taken care of,” Joseph says, offering a hand. “I believe you’ll do good.”
