Page 42 of Rescuing Nathaniel

“Then why is he still touching you?” Mrs. Hendricks snapped.

Why was he?

It was obvious he shouldn’t be here. That he didn't belong.

While he liked Ava, might even have allowed himself to be persuaded to see her again, learn more about her, stick his toe in the water, and trial trusting someone, they could all see that it would never work out. She might like him, but her parents did not.

If he’d realized she came from a well-off family who wore diamonds and thousand-dollar suits for hospital visits, he never would have come here today.

They were from two different worlds. Ava had likely grown up with a private school education, swimming pools, ponies, brand new phones every year, and expensive clothes, and he’d had none of that. More often than not, he’d gone to bed hungry, his clothes had holes and stains on them. They lived in a two-bedroom apartment with twelve kids and two adults all living in it. He hadn't owned a phone until he joined the military, and school was a torturous experience where he’d been bullied because he was dirty and smelled in filthy clothes, and everyone knew his father beat on him and his siblings.

What had he been thinking believing there could be anything between him and Ava?

Obviously he hadn't.

That was the only explanation.

Slowly, Nathaniel removed his fingers from where they were wrapped around Ava’s arm. A quick glance at her wound showed that it had stopped bleeding, so there was really no need for him to be touching her any longer.

No need for him to be there at all.

“I think I’ll head out,” he said stiffly. Any ease between him and Ava when he walked into her room and she was actually happy to see him evaporated. They were too different, nothing could ever work between them. They came from different worlds, she would always be the rich girl, and he would always be the poor kid from the abusive home.

“You don’t need to leave, Nathaniel,” Ava said, her eyes pleading with him not to go.

“Your parents are here now.” Wasn't like he would be leaving her all alone with her fears of being in a hospital again. While her parents might not be nice people, surely they loved her and would support her throughout her recovery.

“I didn't call them and ask them to come,” Ava said, desperation in her tone.

“Ava,” Mrs. Hendricks scolded.

“Come on, Mother, you know I didn't call, and you know why I wouldn't. I don’t know who told you what happened and where I was, nor do I know why you bothered to come to see me, but it wasn't necessary.”

“Don’t talk to your mother like that,” Mr. Hendricks spoke up for the first time, although he still looked mostly bored by this whole situation, like he would rather be anywhere else.

Maybe it wasn't just poor families that were dysfunctional, because these people weren't what he would have expected.

Still, it didn't change anything.

Ava deserved someone who could give her the things she was accustomed to, and he wasn't that guy.

“I have to go, I have things I need to attend to,” he said to Ava, blocking out her obnoxious parents. It wasn't true, he was on leave and had nothing to do for the rest of the day, but he couldn’t stay in this room a second longer looking at what he could never have.

“I think that’s for the best,” Mrs. Hendricks said with mock care.

“It’s not for the best, Mother,” Ava snapped. “Please don’t leave yet, Nathaniel. I had questions I wanted to ask about what happened and the ship, about you and if you're okay, and I was happy that you came to visit.”

Yeah, stupidly he’d been happy, too. Until reality slapped him in the face anyway.

Whether they liked it or not they both had to face reality. Maybe Ava thought she could be happy with someone like him, but sooner or later, she would want things he couldn’t provide for her and whatever they were building would crumble.

“You're only leaving because of them. They always do this, but they don’t know what's best for me. Please stay,” Ava begged.

“We’re only looking out for you, darling,” Mrs. Hendricks said, but there wasn't a drop of sincerity in her tone.

The thing was, while her parents weren't really looking out for their daughter, they were looking out for themselves, Nathaniel really was trying to look out for Ava. She’d been through so much, and she wasn't thinking clearly, if she was, she would see that they were just too different.

“Prey should be able to answer any questions you have, and I’m fine,” he assured her, hesitating. He wanted to leave but needed to touch her one last time before walking away. One last touch to hold onto.

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