Chapter 21 #2
I let my finger brush against her hand, ever so lightly, but it still sent a jolt of electricity up my arm, stopping my heart.
Even with the crowd constantly brushing against us, Ava felt it too.
Her body stiffened, a shiver moving through her.
She turned and I quickly stepped behind the wall of scarves, turning to disappear into the crowd as my heart bled into my stomach cavity, creating an excruciating ache.
Breathe, you lunatic fool.
That was stupid. Reckless.
I had to get a hold of myself. I had to remember the reason I’d let go of my little witch in the first place. I couldn’t fuck with her life like this. I had to stay away.
I looked back towards the scarf stall, seeing my baby walk away from it, her brows furrowed in irritation, but her eyes held a sadness that ripped me to shreds.
Goddamn it, I was a selfish prick! Why couldn’t I just leave her alone?
I had always enjoyed Ava’s pain, but not this kind of pain—the misery that bled through her eyes. I hated every second of it.
I stopped at a flower stall, taking in the bundles of bouquets. Maybe I could do something about it. My eyes locked onto a bouquet of roses that was such a dark burgundy, that it almost looked black. And in the centre were three light pink roses, creating the shape of a heart.
Perfect. Reminiscent of that little light of hers I still carried within myself. A light I refused to let go of. It was the only thing that held me together while everything around me fell apart.
What a sentimental clown I am.
I picked it up and handed it to the old florist who nodded his approval.
“There’s a woman coming this way. The most beautiful woman you will see today. Will you give it to her?” I asked, handing him more than triple the amount of money for the flowers.
The florist chuckled, shaking his head in amusement. “You will have to give me more information than that, son.”
“She has red hair and an olive-coloured shirt. But you’ll know who I’m referring to when you see her.” No eyes could miss her.
The florist nodded, scanning the crowd.
“Whatever you do, don’t mention me,” I warned, slipping into the chaos once more, as Ava drew closer.
I found a spot not far from the florist, hidden in the shade from where I could see her face. I just wanted to see her smile again.
I tracked her as she moved with the hoard. Ava caught a glimpse of the little girl that’d been staring at her in awe from where she was perched on her father’s shoulders. I probably had the exact same expression as the girl.
My little witch pulled a silly face, and the girl threw her head back laughing. I couldn’t help but laugh myself.
“Are you waiting for someone?” a woman asked from beside me.
I begrudgingly dragged my gaze from Ava, seeing the woman smile at me, with too much twinkle in her eyes.
She was manning the stall right next to me, selling honey and other honey products.
She twirled a strand of blonde hair around her finger, her eyes sliding over my body.
Whatever she was thinking had her neck flushing red.
I groaned inwardly. “Yes. My girl,” I answered in a clipped tone, hoping it would stop any further conversation.
It did.
I found Ava again. She had bought a purple teddy bear and handed it to the little girl, who crushed it to her chest.
My own chest ached. Abby would have loved my little witch.
She finally reached the florist, and the old man waddled from behind the stand, taking off his hat as he stopped in front of her, handing her the flowers.
Her eyes brightened as she laughed without restraint, clutching a hand to her heart.
My world stopped.
Her laughter carried over the noise, and I was painstakingly reminded that it was the only thing I needed. I didn’t need to eat; I didn’t need to breathe. I only needed a world in which my nightingale was laughing and happy. I needed her happy.
She spoke to the florist for a while longer and I couldn’t keep my eyes off her. I would make sure to keep that warm smile on her face for the rest of the day.
She moved to the next stall and determination settled in my gut. I knew where I wanted her to go next. She hadn’t eaten yet, and there was a coffee shop not far from here that had caramel cheesecake on the menu. One of her favourites. Right up there with pancakes.
I looked around me, searching through the chess pieces, trying to find those that would help me steer my queen in the direction I wanted her. My eyes snagged on the blonde, who was still watching me from between her honey jars.
The perfect pawn.
I gave her a dazzling smile. “You wouldn’t happen to have a blank paper on you?” She did. I already saw it peeking out behind the counter, the first time she talked to me.
She swallowed hard, blinking fast at the sudden change in my demeanour. “Yes, of course. How many do you need?”
I stepped closer. “Two would suffice, doll.”
She smiled broadly, her fingers fumbling nervously with the paper, then handed it to me.
I quickly folded a paper airplane in a design I’d aerodynamically perfected in one of my spouts of boredom. I handed it back to the blonde, making sure to lightly touch her fingers. “Would you write something for me, on the wing?”
“Sure,” she answered breathlessly, reaching for a pen.
I let my eyes glide over her body, the same way she had done to me, moments ago, and dropped my voice lower. “You’re such an obedient girl, aren’t you?”
The woman stopped breathing, her neck flushing deeper as she processed my words.
“Now be a good doll and write, Go where the wind blows you.”
It couldn’t be my handwriting.
The woman giggled nervously, shyly dropping her gaze, but did as I asked.
I turned from her, finding my princess again, and quickly folded the last piece of paper into a flower.
A vervain flower, which I’d learned to fold for Ava, when I wasn’t able to get the real flowers.
Folding one was second nature now. I’ve been using it as a way to occupy my jittery hands for all these months, folding any piece of scrap paper I could find, while I spiralled into the catacombs of my mind, trying to find a way to stop my worst fears from coming true.
Hunter was sick of all the paper flowers lying around, and Gem had started collecting them, binding them together in bouquets and garlands that adorned our living spaces. In memory of the family member we had to leave behind—our Ava.
“Is this okay?”
I turned back to the blonde, taking the plane from her.
“Thanks, doll.” I winked, handing her the flower for the small part she played in making Ava happy.
She giggled again, stepping closer to me, but I pretended not to notice, turning and walking away before she could say anything else.
Fear was my preferred method for making people do what I wanted, but unfortunately, flirting was more effective in most cases.
I positioned myself at the end of the street, leaning against the streetlamp behind the last stall, and waited.
Ten minutes later, Ava emerged from the thinning crowd, roses and another shopping bag in hand, biting her lip, unsure of which way to go next.
She decided on the wrong way, so I lifted the paper airplane above my head, flicked my wrist and watched it soar on the breeze, landing right in front of her feet, perfectly according to my calculations.
She halted, then picked it up, reading the words.
She twisted around, searching for the owner with a chuckle that warmed my insides.
When she found no one, she flicked her hand and let it soar back into the crowd, then lifted her face to the wind with a smile still tugging at her gorgeous, full lips, and turned right, into the next street.
Good girl.
I followed behind her, unable to keep my eyes from her swaying hips, almost walking right into a street sign.
Ava looked around, trying to decide on where to go next.
She had to go right at the end of the block.
I searched through the chess pieces and found a delivery truck.
I crossed the street and tapped on the driver’s window. He rolled it down with a puzzled look.
“I need you to block off the road on the left until that girl turns to the right,” I gestured towards Ava who had stopped to look at the display window of an antique shop.
The man looked at me as if I was daft. “Dude, I can’t just…” He shut right up as I dropped the wad of cash in his lap. “So I just park there in the middle of the street?”
I nodded once. It wouldn’t create too much of a problem. Hardly anyone drove down that side street. It was mostly used by pedestrians.
The man started the engine, grinning broadly. “Consider it done.” He moved the truck and blocked off the left side of the street, never questioning my intentions with Ava, which I found a little agitating.
I turned my attention back to Ava.
People were hardwired to find the easiest route with the least number of obstacles. Ava’s brain would classify the truck, blocking the left side of the street, as an obstacle, automatically making the right turn seem more desirable without her ever thinking of it consciously.
I grinned as she took the right turn, walking into the street where the coffee shop was. The delivery driver saluted me, then drove off.
I punched in the number from the coffee shop I remembered from their sign when Gemma and I had lunch there, two years ago. Someone picked up in two rings.
“This is Deo Vista Coffee Shop, how may I serve you?” A girl answered in a quirky voice.
“Who’s speaking?” I asked.
“You’re speaking to Shannon.”
“Shannon, how would you like to make a shit ton of money today?” Money worked even better than flirting.
The girl hesitated. “Umm…”