Love In Between

The night had barely parted ways to bring forth the light of dawn when Ava’s phone rang, rolling from one end of the bed to the other feeling nauseated by the several glasses of white wine, she managed to pick up her call.

“Hey Andrew I’m so fagged out we should talk later,” she wondered what was so important that couldn’t wait till the sun was fully out in the sky.

“Ava we need to talk,” a deep husky voice sounded over the phone. For the first ten seconds Ava tried to place the voice she jolted up and sat on her bed when she realized who the caller was—- and what did he want this time? She questioned her thoughts.

There was silence over the phone for a while none wanted to break the silence until Bruce finally broke the silence to Ava’s pleasure, she needed sleep before going to the office if he hadn’t said anything she’d had hung up on him

“How have you been all these while?” Bruce asked unsure if that was appropriate

“Can you just cut to the chase some of us need to sleep,” Ava replied flatly and immediately felt a pang of guilt and she hated herself for a bit, if she felt guilty that means she still liked him.

“I am sorry to bother you, it’s about Chloe,” Bruce replied, ava didn’t respond immediately her head was still hurting from taking so much wine

“You have no right to talk about my daughter!” Ava shouted back in response, hoping Chloe didn’t get startled by her voice.

“Ava please —” Bruce begged, but before he could say anything she hung up on him. She angrily pulled the blanket over her head in an attempt to go back to sleep.

Ava clasped her sweaty palms as she made her way to the bathroom”How convenient for him to ask about her, he didn’t want to be in her life anyways,” she said under her breath, he couldn’t just barge in and out of their life anytime he wanted.

Even though it’ll thrill her to have both father and daughter together it made her angry, thankfully she had Andrew by her side now and Chloe would learn to love him as much as he would learn to.

The next morning during breakfast, she tried to bring up the conversation with Chloe who seemed to be more interested in her fruit juice. “Sweetie, we’re going to the park today, how about that?”. Chloe looked at her happiness radiating through her face.

She nodded in approval, “alright then, to the park it is,” she responded. During the drive to the park Ava couldn’t help but notice how distant Andrew acted towards the little girl, she tried to foster up the atmosphere

“I’m trying to concentrate on driving,” Andrew said coldly, his hands on the steering wheel and his focus on the road, if the scenario was much lighter maybe either of them would have noticed a car trailing them from behind.

The road glistened in the heat of the midday sun. The sunlit skyscrapers pierced the hot blue sky, Chloe excitedly pointed at magnificent buildings giggling to herself, Ava stared at her through the rear mirror— she looked happy, maybe all she wanted was Dada to be there.

The park was bubbling with activities, families in different sections of the park cradled together enjoying a picnic. Chloe went over to Andrew and held his hands he cleverly shoved her aside which made her countenance change.

Ava, angry at Andrew’s attitude towards her little girl pulled her close,”let go get ice cream sweetie… Spread out the mat in a nice spot,” she said in a shrill voice visibly upset at him, Chloe pulled Ava by the hand to the plummy man in a clown hat by the ice cream stand.

Bruce hid himself carefully by the far end of the park away from sight but also at a distance he could see his daughter he was filled with the urge to pull his daughter and storm out of the park— he tried not to, but for a while he hated Ava for depriving him of the chance to be with Chloe.

Ava came back holding hands with Chloe, the checkered picnic mat was already spread out by the time they got back, sandwiches, orange juice and fruits were on the mat… Chloe walked over to Andrew and rested on his laps playfully tugging at his hair, he tried to pull her little hands away from his hair and the ice cream sputtered on his shirt

He angrily shoves her aside, Chloe, terrified by Andrew’s act towards her, starts sobbing, “What was that for?” Ava questioned angrily in her defense

Andrew pulled out a rag from the picnic box and cleaned himself up”Pffft… Didn’t you see what just happened your charming daughter just spilled her ice cream on me,”

“But it was just a mistake I’m sure she didn’t mean it,” Ava replied curtly, Bruce was fuming with anger and he couldn’t take it anymore he barged in on them.ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

“What are you doing here?” Ava said when she noticed his presence, her efforts to pacify the little girl were futile.

“Don’t you even dare ask me any questions, you couldn’t even defend your daughter and for what exactly?” He reached out to drag Chloe from Ava but she protested, she didn’t want him holding her daughter he was out of their life after all.

He resisted her and took Chloe who willingly agreed into his arms, embarrassment was written all over Andrew’s face he tried to cover it up—

Seeing that Bruce was the father Ava didn’t want to talk about the guilt he felt suddenly disappeared and was overtaken by anger he puts his hands over Ava’s shoulder

“Honey he’s interrupting our picnic,”

“Bruce, can we please talk… In private,” stretching her hands towards Chloe who clung tightly to her Dad.

Andrew couldn’t bear the thought of losing Ava, and seeing they shared something — their child he knew there’s a possibility of them coming back together,

“Sweetie he’s distracting us and causing a scene,” Andrew said almost in a whisper he caught the irritated look on Bruce’s face and it got him excited.

“Give me a few minutes to talk with him,” she said and dragged Andrew to the corner, seeing how adamantly he held onto Chloe despite her resistance she let them be— it would be selfish of her to do otherwise.

“Look, I know you’ve moved on and you seem happy with him well that’s fine,” in that second he wish he could take back his words, he had beat himself up for putting her through this and maybe it was time for her to move on with her life, even though the thoughts made him feel hazy.

“She needs me in her life, you know it I’m sure your new man knows it too,” he smiled at Ava who was playfully pulling at his hair— she must have a thing for pulling at people’s hair Ava thought to herself.

There was a bit of silence, the struggling between accepting the truth or doggedly doing what she feels is right for the little girl made Ava uncomfortable.

“Andrew is there for her,” she managed to say finally.

“He doesn’t even want her by his side, you’re seeing the obvious but you’re too blinded by your selfishness to admit it,” Bruce replied blatantly.

“I’m sorry I shouldn’t have said that,”

“Maybe you should mind your business and leave us alone,” Andrew’s approaching voice echoed from behind, Bruce was too infuriated and disgusted by the mere presence of Andrew he made Chloe sit on one of the empty benches and charged towards Andrew with clenched fist.

The two men couldn’t control their anger, Bruce punched Andrew on his mouth this led to a fracas between them, it was too heated for Ava and she was too scared to go close to them

“Stop it this instant! The both of you!” She screamed on top of her voice, she took Chloe who was sobbing profusely and stormed out of the park leaving the two men to settle their scores how they deem fit.