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A waitress came to take their order, giving Emilie a break to make sure she had her ducks in a row. She wasn’t sure how to start the conversation.
“Minestrone soup bowl for me.” Emilie handed her menu back to the waitress. “Sourdough bread for the bowl.”
“And I’ll have a garden salad.” Ava patted her stomach and frowned. “Can’t gain too much weight before the wedding. The dress fits just right and is non-refundable.”
Emilie tried for a smile, but it felt like more of a grimace. “Before we talk about your wedding—”
Ava held up her hand to stop her. “First, let me get this out.” She took a deep breath, and talked faster than Emilie had ever heard her speak. “I’m so glad you told Finn you’d help with the wedding. I thought for sure you’d hate me after the terrible things I did to you in high school.”
Emilie grabbed her drink and sipped until her eyes watered. Memories of high school slipped in and out of her thoughts. Coming here was a bad idea. Why hadn’t she listened to Dean?
Ava seemed unaware of Emilie’s discomfort and kept on talking. “When I heard the rumors about your mom, I should’ve talked to you. Mom was always over at your house, and she never let me come along. You pushed me away, and I knew something was wrong. Instead, I talked to everyone else, including Finn. I was jealous of you and Finn.”
Emilie opened her mouth in surprise. “Why didn’t you tell me you liked Finn before we started dating?”
“I didn’t like him at first. But then I saw how good of a guy he was and how well he treated you. It was easy to let my mind wander when you and I didn’t hang out as much…if you remember.”
Oh, Emilie remembered. She’d pushed away anyone who had come to the house regularly. She’d dated Finn on a whim, hoping it would distract her from her life, but spending time elsewhere only made things worse. If the city of Danvers had known how bad her mom’s health was, they would’ve taken action.
It had been the loneliest time of her life until Dean dropped by during one of her mom’s episodes. He encouraged Gail to get involved. If it hadn’t been for his support and her understanding, Emilie wouldn’t have made it through.
Emilie straightened in her seat. “You’re right. I’m private about my life.”
Ava lifted a brow and continued her story. “I thought if I kept my distance, my crush on Finn would go away. But it didn’t, and then we were assigned as partners in science and hit it off so well and getting over him was out of the question. Out of the blue, he called me and wanted to hang out. You two had broken up, and he wanted to give us a try.”
Emilie dug her fingernails into her leg and braced herself. He hadn’t wasted any time getting into a new relationship. Even if it was long ago, thinking about it made her blood boil. “You sure jumped at that opportunity to date him. I’m not sure what I did to make you lie about me and steal my boyfriend.”
Ava sat up straighter and glared back. “You pushed me away first, and then you took my mom.”
“How can you be so selfish? Do you have any idea what I was going through?”
Ava slammed her hand down on the table, making Emilie jump. “No, because you never told me. All I did was spread some rumors and date your ex. I don’t know what I did so wrong that my own mom forced me out on the streets. I had nowhere to go. No one to turn to. Finn was the only one who took me in and cared for me.”
Emilie shifted in her seat. She had nothing to be sorry about. Gail hadn’t made Ava leave. Putting someone on a tight leash because they’d maxed out a credit card was not kicking them out. Live by the rules or leave. It had been Ava’s choice to move out.
Even if Ava had misunderstood the situation, it didn’t excuse her behavior. Emilie bit her lip and breathed deeply. She hadn’t come to argue or point fingers. The damage was done. “One of the reasons I moved back was to put my past to rest. I just want to be at peace and get on with my life.”
Ava’s hand retreated under the table, and she gave a sheepish grin. “Sorry, our conversation took a bit of a nosedive, huh? I couldn’t agree with you more. I’ve changed, and I don’t want to be judged for all the wrong things I’ve ever done.” The relief in her voice was too obvious, forced even.
Their conversation paused while the waitress delivered their entrees. Emilie licked her lips as the savory soup’s aroma reached her nose. At least her appetite hadn’t been affected. She dug in and moaned as every bite was delicious. When she looked up, Ava was stabbing at her food with a fork. Eating salad wasn’t fun even when you felt like eating one.
After a few seconds, Ava threw down her fork. “Can I ask something?”
“What?”
“Before your mom died, what was really going on? I started a few of the rumors, but no one really knew the truth. Was something wrong with your mom?”
Emilie chewed on her bread. She wanted to tell Ava the truth, but revealing everything left her too vulnerable. It would not shock Emilie if Ava turned around and started new rumors about her. But hadn’t that been her mistake? It was time to give Ava’s trust a reset. “Yes, something was wrong. Mom had some health issues I never told you about. She was really sick.”
Ava picked up the straw in her drink and twisted it. “When I heard about your mom’s passing, I felt awful. I wanted to go to the funeral, but it would’ve made you even more upset.” Her voice broke, and her gaze veered to the tile floor.
Emilie swallowed her bitter thoughts. Maybe if she’d confided in Ava sooner, none of it would’ve happened. Her voice was strained as she forced out the words. “Mom was sick, really sick. At the end of middle school, she was diagnosed with schizophrenia.”
Ava’s frown deepened. “What? Why didn’t you— How did—”
Emilie cut her off. “Mom asked me to keep it a secret. She said it would hurt me if people knew, and after all the rumors, I agree. Only a handful of people found out.” Including Finn. That’s one secret she’d never tell. On the night they’d broken up, he’d promised to take the secret to his grave. It was the one good thing he’d done.
“Is that why you pushed me away? And why Mom never let me come with her to your house?”
