A Rescued Heart(3)
Author: Natalie Replogle

Kate’s smile confirmed her contentment with the answer. “Thank you. So since you are okay, do you want to hear about where we’re staying on our honeymoon?”

“Absolutely.”

After finishing up a few more things at her desk, Ava headed out to her car, a red Honda Accord, clearly dated by the rust that covered the bumper. Nothing fancy, it got her to where she needed to go and that’s all that mattered. Ava stayed simple when it came to vehicles. She wanted to look around for something different, but her finances just didn’t allow it at this time. Her brothers constantly nagged her to buy something newer and cooler, but so far she held firm and ignored their digs.

As she reached her car something caught her eye at the corner of the building. It looked to be one of her students, Tessa Davis. She threw her books into the car, shut the door with a loud slam and jogged over to the small child. Tessa was one of her students that walked home after school and she recalled watching her head home earlier that day.

Tessa was a shy and introverted child. Ava continually questioned her home life. The girl’s father left awhile ago, but her mother always seemed nice and invested in her daughter’s life. During the last few weeks, though, something just didn’t seem right.

“Hi Tessa, why are you not at home? Is everything okay?”

“Well, I did go home, but my mom wasn’t there and I didn’t know what to do.”

Concern jumped first into Ava’s mind, since this had happened before.

“Okay, let’s go see where your mom is together. I’m sure she is very worried about you.” Ava directed Tessa into the office to call her home. Ava smiled when Tessa reached for her hand while they walked. These little moments made the long exhausting days a little brighter. Ava asked her a few questions to brighten the mood and had Tessa giggling by the time they reached the office.

Tessa’s mother answered, quite upset about the situation and apologized for the mix-up. Ava sent the little one home, frustrated that her hands were tied. She decided to mentally keep an eye on Tessa and observe her more carefully, maybe even prod her into answering a few questions that swirled around in her mind.

Ava drove to the store to pick up some groceries needed to make dinner, trying to fight the distraction of Tessa in her mind. Jules would be at her apartment soon for their weekly meal together. Between the two of them, Jules was the better cook, which wasn’t saying much. At least her critic didn’t have a high scale to judge from. Grilled chicken salads … she couldn’t screw that up too badly.

Hectic traffic and a packed grocery store put Ava behind schedule. By the time she got home the clock showed six. She threw the chicken on the George Foreman grill and ran back to her room to change clothes. Sweat pants, a comfy shirt, and slippers—her girls’ night wardrobe.

As she opened the bag of salad Jules knocked and stuck her head in. “Hi. Sorry I’m late, traffic was horrible.”

“I know. I just got in myself. My downfall started when I got caught up talking with Kate after school.”

“Is this the weekend she’s getting married?” Jules asked as she plopped down at the kitchen table, resting her head on the back of the chair. Her autumn colored hair spilled down onto her shoulders.

“Yep, it’s Saturday night.”

“You’re still planning on going, right?”

Ava rolled her eyes when she recognized the hope in her friend’s voice. “Yes. I know my record of attending weddings hasn’t been very good the past couple years, but I’m looking forward to this one.”

“Good. I’m glad. So … are you planning on taking someone?”

“Ha ha, very funny, Jules.”

“You’d have a great time.”

“No.”

“I know this guy.”

“Quit.”

Julia’s grin started wide and ended mischievous. She obviously enjoyed herself, a little too much for Ava’s patience.

“You’re not going to let this go, are you?”

“Come on, Ava,” she pouted, “just hear me out.”

If Ava didn’t have twenty years of history with Julia, she might have been a little annoyed at the badgering. They met in early grade school and had been best friends ever since. They grew up on the same street, riding bikes together and having sleepovers. Besides family, there wasn’t anyone else she trusted more. Julia only brought up the matter of her dating again because of concern for Ava’s happiness, but even after two years, the subject stayed one that Ava did not like to discuss. Being left at the altar continued to not only be embarrassing, but deeply scarring.

Dating for her was off the table at this point. It joined the same category as skydiving and bungee jumping … it terrified her.

The thought of Matt popped into her mind, and she became frustrated with herself because this wasn’t the first time today the handsome officer had invaded her thoughts. Ava quickly dismissed the idea of bringing him up to Julia. She didn’t want the drama that would ensue.

Ava waited, debating if she could handle this conversation Julia pushed. “Fine,” she conceded as she grabbed the plates and joined Jules at the table. “You’ve got five minutes.”

“Really? You’re starting to break a bit, Ava. I can feel it.”

“Four and a half, you better get to it, time’s a ticking.” Ava tapped an imaginary watch on her wrist.

“Okay, okay, so much pressure.” Julia took a deep breath. “I’m not saying that you need to go out and start a serious relationship. I understand that commitment is still not an option for you. But what’s wrong with just going out on a friendly date?”

“It seems pointless. Dating should be the first step in seeing if that someone is marriage material, and I have no desire to look for a husband.”

Pleased with her rebuttal, Ava smirked, certain her statement would silence her long-time friend. She wanted to lick her finger and make an imaginary mark in the air.Round one to Ava.

She licked too soon.

“I see your point, and it’s a good one, but it’s not going to change me bugging you until you cave.” Jules smiled, determined to win this conversation for once.

“I still don’t see what good it would do.”

“Listen, your heart was crushed. I’ve been with you every step of the way and know how devastated you were. I stayed with you all those nights when you cried yourself to sleep. But Ava, it’s time. Even if it’s only a few dates, just to get your feet wet again. You have to trust God to guard your heart. It doesn’t have to be anything serious, just go out and enjoy yourself.”

It had been two years and still a part of her remained dead. Burying her emotions created a safe environment, why dig herself out of that shelter now. Ava twirled her fork around in her food, stalling. “I’m scared, Jules,” she finally admitted.

“I know, but you’re never going to know unless you try.”

“Okay, tell you what. I’ll think about it.”

Julia lifted an eyebrow and gave a look of determining if Ava was serious or just trying to get her off her back.

She was both.

“Seriously, I will think about it.”

“Good. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Discussion closed.”

Ava laid in bed that night wrestling with the promise she’d made to her best friend. Jules’s reasons held merit. She needed to at least start thinking about dating again. She rolled over and sighed, letting the tension release out into the empty room.

There, I thought about it, that’s good enough for now.

The week flew by and before Ava had time to get nervous, Saturday had arrived. This afternoon Kate and Kyle were getting married. She settled on the couch to call her mom before she needed to get ready. Her mom answered on the second ring and their conversation jumped immediately to her week and how the kids did with transitioning after break.

When she brought up professional day her mom’s interest was piqued. “Who did you have this month?”

“I had a police officer from the Rockford Police Department.”He was gorgeous, great with the kids and that smile …Ava stiffened as the thoughts trickled in, hoping her mom would not further question about the police officer. Even over the phone, it would be difficult for Ava to hide all that she was thinking.

Ava’s muscles relaxed as her mom let her move on from that subject and replay the rest of the week. Her mom made conversations easy, and it helped to tell someone about the ups and downs in her life. She had her mom laughing for a solid ten minutes about all the silly things her students had said. The quiet apartment, dinners for one and lonely nights in front of the television had become mundane. Talking with her mom lifted her spirits.

So, do you have plans tonight?” her mom asked, without masking her hopeful tone.

“Actually I do. My friend Kate from school is getting married later this afternoon.”

“That’s right.” Ava knew she had remembered. “Do you think you will go and stay this time?”

“Yes.” She didn’t even try to hide her irritation.

“I’m sorry, Ava. I just know you haven’t had the best track record with attending weddings since yours.”

Ava sighed in frustration. Why can’t everyone just leave this situation alone? She shivered, letting herself remember why she had problems going to other weddings. The weddings her mom referred to were the three she had been invited to in the past two years.

The first had been from the daughter of another teacher at school a couple months after hers. She’d replied “no” right away and had wanted to write underneath,Are you kidding me?

The second had been a friend she’d gone to high school with. Jules had to work that day which forced her to go by herself. She’d made it to the parking lot and then had just sat in her car crying until she could settle down enough to drive home.

The third had been eight months ago when her cousin had married. She’d made it inside the church and had managed to sit through the entire ceremony but chose not to stay for the reception. Was she the only one who saw the progress being made here? She felt good about today, determined to stay and to enjoy herself.

She tuned her mom back in while she gave her speech about how she was such a great catch and that someday the man the Lord had made for her would walk into her life. Ava mouthed the words along with her. When she finally finished, Ava put in her two cents worth.

“Thanks mom, I appreciate that you care so much,” and she meant it. “I should probably get going. I need to start getting ready.”

After their good-byes she clicked the phone off and leaned her head back against the couch. It wasn’t entirely the weddings themselves that caused the setbacks. They were more or less her trigger point. The problems started with the memories that resurfaced when the wedding invitations arrived. She felt the flashbacks coming now but did nothing to stop them.

Already in her mind she transported the memories back two years.

The week afterthe wedding had been brutal. Ava had stayed at her parents’ house for a few days, mostly locked in her old room, crying until she ran out of tears. Her family had given her space. She’d needed time to mourn. School had let out for the summer, so mercifully she hadn’t been forced to face her co-workers right away or try to be upbeat for the kids while she was dying inside.

The one positive had come with her opportunity to keep her apartment. The lease had ended, but thankfully no one had replied to the ad, so it had remained hers. It had been nice to have something familiar, something that belonged to her.

She hadn’t heard from Tim at all after his no show, but a few weeks into the school year he’d blindsided her with an unexpected visit.

It could have happened yesterday by how fresh the memories stayed embedded in her mind.

It was Saturday morning and she had just finished the grueling process of cleaning her apartment when there was a knock at the door. She opened the door to find Tim standing there, head down and hands in his pockets. She wanted to throw up.

“Tim. What are you doing here?”

“Hi Ava, I um … I was hoping I could come in and talk with you.” He cleared his throat, never looking her in the eye. His discomfort characteristics hadn’t changed.

“A little late for that, don’t you think?” she practically spit the words out.

He looked down at his shoes and she had the strongest urge to slam the door in his face. She forced herself to keep it open for curiosity’s sake, despite how his presence initiated her blood pressure to spike. She needed closure.

“Fine, come in.”

Ava turned and walked to the kitchen, leaving him to close the door himself. “I’m getting a cold soda, do you want one?”What? Why am I asking the enemy if he wants a beverage?

“No, thank you.”

It was for his own good. She had already come up with a plan to shake the can before handing it to him.

She grabbed her drink out of the refrigerator, the tab cracking open echoed in the quiet living room while she strolled in, flopping down on the smaller couch. She needed the caffeine.

Ava smoothed back her hair and straightened her sweat shirt, annoyed at her self-consciousness about her appearance. She had spent the day at home which made her lounging attire consist of comfy clothes, no makeup, and hair pulled back in a ponytail. She’d rehearsed this reunion over and over in her mind, but this was not what she’d pictured. She wanted to look stunning and make him drool over what he’d thrown away. She’d imaged herself in the hot pink strapless dress she’d bought for their honeymoon and her hair full of curls and pulled back his favorite way, capped off with diamond earrings and necklace.

This wasnot that look.

He followed her cue and sat across from her on the other couch. She glared at him while waiting for him to begin.