Page 48 of Unexpected Love

She texted Friday night telling me she wouldn’t be over, and I know I kind of snubbed her with my blasé response, but it was better that she wasn’t here that night. I wasn’t in the right mindset after finding out about my parents.

Ava

Declan and Quinn just told us about what happened with Tyler. That’s messed up on so many levels. Hope you’re doing all right…

I shouldn’t be surprised by the message. Ava and I are friends—or at least I want us to be friends—but Iamsurprised. We’ve had a lot of conversations since we met, and in only one of them did we briefly talk about Tyler. It had been more about how her brother was worried about him than anything else, though I do remember expressing my concern and frustration with being unable to do more.

When I showed up at the hospital to take Tyler’s statement, Quinn and Declan had been in the room with him. It didn’t surprise me that Declan was the teacher Tyler went to, and I was honestly glad Tyler recognized hecouldgo to Declan. But even knowing that Tyler had been beaten with a bat, I wasn’t prepared for what I saw when I walked into that room.

He was more than just bruised and battered. His left eye was swollen shut, and it seemed his right eye wasn’t far behind. His right arm was in a cast, with plenty of cuts that needed stitches and a few broken ribs to go along with the severe concussion. But it was how small he looked in that bed, as if he was folding in on himself—trying to make himself the smallest target for whatever would happen next—that really did me in.

It took allowing Declan and Quinn to stay in the room for him to tell me what happened. He’d been home when his mother came in ranting about everything going wrong in their lives being his fault. Continuing on a verbal abuse pattern of making sure he knew how worthless he was before turning violent.

It was a shit show. And while the case was cut and dry, finding his mother took more time than anyone thought itwould. She was smarter than we all gave her credit for; though, not smart enough. She skipped town but didn’t make it far before she decided to stop at a bar and get drunk, using her credit card in the process.

I could have left at the end of my shift, but I wasn’t willing to go until that woman sat in a jail cell. Tyler deserves better, and I was determined to make sure he knew that, even if this was just a small step in making sure he feels safe.

Sorry. I’m just getting home and caught up on everything.

I’m sure I don’t have to tell you what kind of night it was. I’m just glad it wasn’t worse.

I wait a few minutes, waiting to see if she responds before I realize she’s flying back to Boston today and could very well already be on the plane.

Hope you had a safe flight.

My head falls back against the couch, and I let my eyes fall shut.Maybe Icouldfall asleep.I don’t know how long it is, maybe five minutes, when I feel my phone vibrates in my hand.

Ava

I just made it through security. I’ve got an hour to kill.

I don’t get a chance to respond before I see the three little dots telling me she’s typing.

Ava

Do you want to talk about it?

Not really. I’m sure Declan and Quinn filled you in.

Ava

When does your next shift start?

And even though it’s only a slight subject change, Ava’s response proves how well she already knows me. Something else I shouldn’t be surprised by based on the time we’ve spent together and the conversations we’ve had, but it does. And what surprises me more is the realization that I don’t think I mind Ava knowing me so well at all.

twenty

AVA

Gettingon the plane to fly back to Boston was harder than I thought it would be—not because of everything going on with Declan and Quinn. No, that worked itself out pretty quickly.

After my breakfast with Quinn at The Diner Quinn went home to talk with her dad before showing up at my brother’s door, exactly like I said she would. I ended up staying the night at Caleb and Emily’s so they could have their privacy, and by Sunday morning at Scott’s it was like there had never been a hiccup between them.

Seeing the love in both of their eyes—even with all they went through with Tyler the night before—was a sight to see. Honestly, it made me a little jealous of the connection they had. I wanted that for myself, though I still wasn’t confident I would get it. But going back to Harborview was step one in opening the door to that possibility.

No, getting on the plane was harder for a multitude of reasons: I wanted to be in Ashford Falls for Christmas with my brother and the Marks family. I definitely didn’t want to see myparents. I still haven’t spoken with my mother since our last conversation, and no matter how much my dad swears I won’t have to see or talk about Brian, I don’t completely trust his word.

Then there’s the conversation with Gage.

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