Page 133 of Take This Heart
Everett glances back. “Have a seat, Ma.”
Grandma Nancy doesn’t look happy about it, but she sits down.
“I believe the only one you haven’t met yet is my mom, Nancy,” he says, waving his hand toward his mom.
“Hello,” Ava says.
Nancy says nothing.
“My sons wanted to be here today, but it’s probably a little less intimidating with just the six of us here,” Everett says.
Ava swallows hard and looks around, her gaze pausing onGoldie and then back to Everett. “I want to say again how sorry I am for…the fire. I wasn’t thinking clearly.” She clears her throat and her voice gets stronger. “I’m grateful you didn’t press charges. I deserve a lot worse.”
“Everyone deserves another chance,” Everett says.
“I’m not used to…this level of kindness,” she says, looking down. “My family is not so forgiving. The one I grew up in, not…” Her voice trails off.
“Are you close to your family?” Goldie asks.
Ava shakes her head. “It was just my parents and me, and we’re…nothing alike. I didn’t know I was adopted until I was twenty-five, and things sort of made more sense once I knew.”
Everett picks up the brown box sitting next to him and carries it to Ava. He places the small box on top. “Goldie found your letters this week?—”
“I didn’t read them,” Goldie interjects.
“No,” Everett smiles, “no one has read them. I knew she was writing to you when she’d get that box out. The key is in the little box. She told me once that she had to lock away this part of her just to be able to withstand it. But she never stopped thinking about you, Ava. Never.”
“It’s true. She never stopped,” Grandma Donna says. “I have a lot of regrets, that I kept it a secret, that I didn’t keep you myself. My husband Otis was a good man, but he was old school. He never would’ve forgiven Stella if he knew…and he probably would’ve taken a shotgun to Bruce.” She wipes her nose with a tissue.
“I was surprised when I found out how young she was,” Ava says.
Her hand trembles as she takes the key and unlocks the box. She gasps much the same way Goldie did when she sawthe tiny items inside, next to the letters. A tear drips down her cheek.
“Thank you,” she says.
She touches the letters reverently.
“I’ve been so angry.” Her voice is barely a whisper. “So bitter. We didn’t have much growing up, so this beautiful house and all the land…it just felt so unfair. You all seem so close and I didn’t have that either. My parents mean well. But they’ve never been affectionate. They don’t understand me. When my mom told me I was adopted, she said their financial situation had changed after they got me, and…I think they regretted me.”
Goldie flinches and wipes the tears that have fallen down her face.
Ava notices and her cheeks flush. “I only say that to try to explain some of my behavior.” She holds back a sob. “I know it’s not a good excuse. I can never fully explain it, but…I don’t think I’m a bad person. At least I don’t want to be.”
She puts her hand over her face and Goldie gets up to give her a tissue. She almost comes back to sit down, but then turns toward Ava and puts her hand on her shoulder. Ava looks up, and the expression on her face is desolate. I don’t think even the most hard-hearted person could look at her and not have compassion right now.
“I don’t know if you want a relationship with us,” Goldie says. “We’re a lot. Noisy.Trite...”
Ava cringes and looks surprised when Goldie laughs.
“Sorry, I couldn’t help myself,” Goldie says. “We also like to tease each other. And honestly, you weren’t wrong—I am trite.”
Ava’s mouth parts like she’s about to argue, but Goldie continues.
“What I’m trying to say is, we’re not perfect, but we loveeach other. We’d like a chance to get to know you, if you’re willing. We’ll all have some trust issues to work through, but…” Goldie inhales and the only tell that she’s nervous is from how she’s twisting the hem of her shirt. “I, for one, have really been trying to work through my trust issues, so…I’m not going to be hard on you. We loved our mom so much. Meeting you and getting to know about another chapter of our mom’s life, despite how hard it was for both of you and what a shock it’s been, feels like a gift.” She drops her hand and grabs a tissue for herself. “You don’t have to decide today, obviously, but think about it.”
She comes and sits down. I can tell she feels vulnerable and I reach out and take her hand, squeezing it. She looks at me gratefully.
“I’d like a chance to get to know you,” Ava says.
