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I’m struggling as it is with the first part.
And no, I still don’t accept Eli. Even if he’s a bit more tolerable than his father.
After fetching some ridiculously-named coffees from the local shop, I walk back to Ava’s room.
My steps come to a halt when I hear laughter. Good God. It’s been a long time since I heard my daughter laugh so freely and sound so happy.
She’s been a little social butterfly since she was born, but her light has been stripped away by the abnormal neurons in her head.
Neurons she has because I was selfish enough to procreate and pass down faulty genes to her.
But Silver is right. I wouldn’t have it any other way. We would’ve loved our little miracle no matter what.
Ava, however, struggled so much, especially during her teenage years and beyond, and my sweet girl tried her best to hide and was in denial for far too long.
She’s slowly healing now. Ava doesn’t seem to care about the pain that comes with this loathsome therapy method. If anything, she goes in with a blinding amount of hope that puts me to shame for ever opposing the experiment in the first place.
My daughter is much stronger than me and her mother combined. She might have fallen into black holes in the past, but right now, not only does she want to get better, but she’s also working hard for it.
“By the way, Cecy,” Ava says. “I started reading this book you brought me the other time, but it’s like I’ve read it before. But I don’t remember.”
There’s a pause and I curse. That bastard Eli must’ve read it for her.
“Oh, who knows?” Cecily laughs awkwardly. She’s as honest and as caring as her mother, Kim, and that makes her shit at lying.
“Am I losing time again?” Ava asks in a spooked voice. “Please tell me if I am.”
“No, no,” Silver says. “I might have read the book aloud while you were sleeping.”
“Ah, that makes sense.” She puffs out a small sigh. “Hey, Mum?”
“Yes?”
“Has…uh…Eli ever asked about me?”
I peek through the ajar door and the hopeful expression on Ava’s face nearly gives me a stroke.
Jesus Christ.
She really loves the twat, doesn’t she? I should’ve believed her tears when she signed those divorce papers—they were morehonest than her words or the multiple injuries slashed along her body.
“Yes, he has.” Silver smiles. “Constantly.”
“Still bugging me and also Ari,” Cecily offers needlessly.
“But he hasn’t visited once.” Ava stabs the whisps of candy floss in the bucket, her lips pushing into a pout as if she were a child.
“I thought you didn’t want to see him?” Silver asks.
“I don’t. But that doesn’t mean he shouldn’t visit at all.”
“You’re such a contradiction, Ava.” Cecily laughs. “Would you meet him if he comes by?”
“Nope.”
I open the door and she looks up with renewed hope. Her expression falls a little upon seeing me, but then she smiles. “Papa, where have you been?”
“Getting you girls coffee.” I pass her a cup. “Your favorite hot chocolate with marshmallows.”
