27. Ava
27
AVA
It finally happens—we’re flying to Hawaii today. The anticipation has been escalating, given the short time we’ve had. As we pack the last of our belongings, I can’t shake the sense of déjà vu. But this time, it feels like we’re packing for a well-deserved break, like a stepping stone toward our future together.
We’re aware that we’ll always have unfinished business as long as Willem remains at large. But today, we feel a renewed sense of resolve, as if we’re riding the clear skies after a storm. Morgan has arranged a chartered flight for us, courtesy of her connection to a company that sometimes flies Red Mark personnel and their clients. Flying on a private jet will make things easier for newbies Quinton and Elmo, and we won’t have to worry about being seen.
Taking a break from packing, I prepare some blueberry oatmeal for Quinton.
Jack joins me, wrapping me from behind like a cape. I slant my face, admiring his look after visiting the barber. I will miss running my fingers through his thick hair, but something about his military-crop look and smooth, clean-shaven face stirs my core—a ‘Lieutenant Kelleher, make love to me please’ kind of yearning.
“You’re all right?” I check in on him. We woke up at the same time before dawn, just as he gripped the bed sheet and was about to scream. I don’t think he had a deep sleep, but we agreed not to discuss it and simply hug each other instead. Sometimes, silence is all you need.
“I’m still nervous about the trip, but I think we’ve made the right decision,” he says, planting a light kiss on my cheek before grabbing the oatmeal for Quinton, who is already seated in his high chair, happily tapping on the plastic table.
“I can’t believe we’re really leaving.” I look around the kitchen, reminiscing the moments we’ve shared during our stay—the meals, the coffees, the teas, the baby formulas. Lost in my thoughts, I gaze out of the window.
“We’ll create new memories, sweetheart,” he assures me.
“For sure,” I respond. However, my eyes remain fixed on the porch through the window, specifically on the railing. New memories or not, it will be hard to top the incredible night we had. Carry me—not many men could have pulled it off.
“Ava Belle, do you know if Elmo will need to fly in his cage?” asks Jack, interrupting my thoughts about that spectacular night.
I notice him keeping watch on Elmo while feeding a spoonful to Quinton. The mutt has been inspecting every nook and cranny of the house all morning, and now he’s scratching at the back door.
“I don’t think so,” I answer, pulling Elmo away from the door. “What is it, Elm?” Elmo raises his eyes to me as if revealing a sad premonition. “Oh, don’t look at me like that. You can be a passenger like your humans. But you’ll have to go into quarantine when we reach Honolulu.”
As soon as I let go, Elmo dashes to the door again. I look out the window. One of the bushes moves, and I’m sure that’s what my dog is concerned about rather than his flight. A black-and-white creature runs across the yard.
“Everything okay back there?” Jack asks.
“Yeah. It’s just a skunk.”
Elmo whimpers and then continues pacing around the house.
As I wipe the kitchen bench, I bring up the topic we haven’t had a chance to discuss amid all the rush. “So, will we be living on the base?” I ask, trusting my man to have made all the necessary arrangements for our arrival.
“My current on-base accommodation is more of a bachelor pad, definitely not suitable for a baby.”
Pausing in my cleaning, I turn to him. “Why? You have posters of topless women?”
“Ava!” he exclaims.
“It’s okay if you do,” I deadpan. “I just need to warn you that Quinton might think it’s mealtime all the time.”
“Ava!” Jack exclaims even louder, trying to stifle his laughter. “I do not have posters of naked women. It’s just that the space is small and the ventilation isn’t great. That’s all.”
“I’m just teasing,” I say as I scrub away a stubborn dried oatmeal stain on the stone bench. “So, we’ll have accommodation outside the base?”
“Yes. It’s only twenty minutes away.”
Becoming a military partner never entered my mind. But this unexpected turn is nothing less than a blessing and a miracle—even though I only know a little about the USMC lifestyle and island living.
I approach Jack, who is making engine sounds while he feeds Quinton a spoonful. I ask, “Is there a group or something where I can meet others?”
Jack wipes a bit of food from Quinton’s mouth. “I’ll introduce you to my friends. They all have partners or families, so you won’t be alone there. Just so you know, being a single man, I’m bucking the trend in our community. When I left, that is.” He smiles.
I return his smile, feeling reassured. With Jack by my side, I’m open to anything—learning, adapting, pivoting. “So, you’ll be with us in that off-base accommodation, right? Not in your bachelor pad?”
Jack puts the oatmeal bowl down and hooks his arm around my waist, pulling me closer. “Ava, we’re family. I’ll take care of you and Quinton, and we’ll always be together, no matter where we are. I promise.”
I chuckle and reply, “Well, I do have a long shopping list for when we arrive.”
Jack raises an eyebrow and teases, “Oh, really? Like what?”
I lean into him as he presses against me, feeling his warmth. “Well, for starters, I need a bikini. And maybe some lingerie.”
He smirks and playfully rubs against me. “Damn… of course, you can shop to your heart’s content. Just promise me you’ll let me help choose the important items.”
While I’m busy packing the large bag of trash, Jack takes the time to refill Quinton’s mug with drinking water. When he returns, we discover that the bowl has toppled over, leaving Quinton covered in oatmeal.
“Oh, Quinton!” Jack exclaims in dismay.
“Oh dear,” I sigh, regretting my choice of using fruit that stains easily in the meal.
My hands are full of trash, so Jack offers to help. He picks up Quinton from his highchair. Carrying the baby as if he were flying, he mimics the actions of a captain. “To the changing station!”
I chuckle as I drag the trash bag out. As I pass the front door, I notice that Elmo has peed in the corner of the living room. “Oh, Elmo!” I sigh, but the mischievous mutt is nowhere to be found.
“Elmo! Come here, boy,” I call out, but there’s no response.
I check outside to see if he is trying to chase those neighborhood skunks. With no sign of him at the front and on the street, I circle around the rear of the house, tracing the path of dog tracks that lead me to some damaged shrubs.
“Elm, come on, come to me.”
As I scurry, it’s as if the bush has sprung to life, with two arms emerging from it to grab my neck and silence my cry for help. The man is soldier-like, wearing a ski mask. I desperately want to call Jack, but all I can do is watch helplessly as I’m pulled behind the bushes and out of the backyard. The lack of any visible getaway vehicle only adds to my confusion. How did this captor manage to ambush me so effectively?
Finally, I spot Elmo in the distance. With menace, he sprints toward us, his short legs moving surprisingly fast. I’ve never seen my dog like this before. He fearlessly tries to defend me, his loyal nature shining through as he sinks his teeth into the man’s foot. But his brave efforts are quickly thwarted as the man heartlessly kicks him away.
No…
Elmo’s body sprawls across the ground. My cheeks are drenched with tears, yet a suffocating grip clamps my mouth shut, stifling any cries. The pain of losing my loyal companion shatters my heart. I didn’t even have a chance to say ‘good dog’ or even call his name. Meanwhile, the man mercilessly drags me farther away from the house.
I gyrate, desperately trying to break free from my captor’s grip. But my attempts are futile. In a desperate act of self-defense, I start hitting his neck with all the strength I can muster, hoping to weaken his hold on me. Just as I feel a glimmer of hope, another man appears out of nowhere. He moves swiftly, overpowering me and pinning me down.
“Where the fuck have you been!” the first man complains in a voice I don’t recognize.
“Chill out!” the other man replies, his voice calm and collected. He shouldn’t have bothered wearing a mask. I know he’s the bearded man.
Before I can even process my next move, a sudden, sharp prick pierces my arm. In a matter of moments, everything around me turns blindingly white. The world becomes a void, a blank canvas, as if all the colors have been erased.
In this empty space, I can only think about Quinton. As long as Jack is with him, I know he’ll be safe. And as long as I breathe, I will fight for my survival.