Chapter 100

Her fury

Rowan

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“Is Noan coming?” my mother asks me.

“Not today, mom. I forgot to let Ava know, and I didn’t want to spring this on her all of a sudden,” I

tell her as I walk into Kate’s home.

It was our monthly get–together. Just like the last one, I didn’t want to be here. The only reason I

was there was because I’d promised Mom that I would attend.

“I’ve missed him so much, and so has Kate. She really wanted to see him.” She pauses. “Now that

she and Ava are estranged, the only time she gets to see Noah is during these get–togethers.”

I wanted to feel sorry for her, but I don’t. That makes me a bastard, sure, but I believe that we were

all getting what we deserved. This was our punishment for how we treated Ava.

“Maybe next time,” I say as I walk past her.

Mom and Kate have been friends for years. She would do anything for her best friend. The last

thing I want or need is to stand there for almost thirty minutes just listening to how Kate was

suffering.

I didn’t need to hear about someone else’s suffering when I was dealing with one of my own.

She follows me as I make my way to the backyard. I know Kate’s home like the back of my hand.

After all, they’ve lived here for years. This is the same house where Ava and I got married. The

same house she tried to escape when she found out she was pregnant with Noah.

I stop dead in my tracks. I

who was following behind me, collides with my back.

“What the hell, Rowan?” she asks, but I don’t turn around. Nor do I answer.

She comes to my front when I don’t answer. My eyes stare at her, unseeing.

“Rowan? What is it?”

My throat bobbles as I try to form the words.

“I just remembered the day I caught Ava trying to escape. Looking back now, I can’t imagine how

my life would have turned out had she managed to escape me.” I tell her.

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“Rowan darling. Don’t think about such things. It didn’t happen and we should be grateful to God

for that ”

I sigh, remembering how foolish I had been.

“Ava was eighteen and scared, mom. She begged me to let her go because, deep down, she

probably knew that I would destroy her if she stayed, and I did. I broke her heart more times than I

can count. Right now, I don’t know what to even think. Part of me wishes I had let her go because

maybe she wouldn’t be as broken as she is right now, the other parts is grateful I’d stopped her

because I wouldn’t have gotten to know Noah or the wonderful woman she is.”

The crushing weight that descends on me every time I remember all I put her through is almost

unbearable. I should have tried harder; maybe then I wouldn’t have this much regret weighing

down on me.

“You’re taking too much on your shoulders, Rowan. Sure, you hurt her, but you forget that we all

played our roles in breaking her. Both families have a hand in destroying her heart. You’re not the

only one to blame for her broken pieces.” Mom puts a hand around my forearm, trying to comfort

me.“Your mother is right.” I turn to find my father standing next to the sliding doors.

“We all played our part in hurting, Ava. We forgot that she came into our lives as a tiny baby girl.

We forgot how much joy she brought us. We forgot how she used to make us all laugh. We forgot

that she was a girl who needed our love. That is on us. We were the parents, and you children

followed our lead. We shunned her, and so you followed suit. If anyone is to blame, then it’s us. We

failed as adults and that is on us,” he finishes, clasping my shoulder in a tight grip. 1

I know what they said was meant to make me feel better, but it doesn’t. The rest mainly ignored

Ava and treated her like she was invisible. I did worse. So much fucking worse, and that shit is all

on me.

I give them a small smile. I didn’t want to dwell on this for long.

Mom must have believed me because she takes my hand in hers.

“Come on, let’s go before the others start wondering what’s taking us so long,” she says, pulling me

along while dad follows behind.

I internally groan when I spot Emma. I knew she would be here, but knowing and seeing are two

different things.

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“Hey Ro. I’m glad you came.” Kate kisses both of my cheeks

“Yeah” it’s the only response I can master, given that I’m not really glad to be here

She gets distracted by my parents, and I see that as my chance to slip away.

I head straight to my brother.

“How are things going?” he asks after the initial greeting.

“Terrible” I mumble, remembering the fight between me and Calvin the weekend before.

It wasn’t one of my greatest moments, but he just reminded me of the time he used to chase after

Emma. That scared me because I was afraid that he was doing the same to Ava. Regardless of

everything, Calvin is a good guy. That, more than anything, scared the crap out of me because it

means that he actually has a chance if he were to shoot his shot.

“Any progress so far?” he asks.

“None. The only progress is that I managed to piss her off even more.”

Gabe sighs. “What did you do?”

“I got into a fight with Calvin. Turns out he is Gunner’s father”

I don’t need to explain who Gunner is. Noah talks about him all the damn time. He tells everyone

that he is his new best friend.

“I’m confused. Who is Calvin?” Gabe asks, looking confused as hell.

“Nerdy Cal. You remember him?”

It takes a while, but

it the moment it downs on him.

“You’re shitting me!” he yells. “That Nerdy Cal? The one that used to follow Emma around all the

time.”

“Yes, the same one”

I still can’t believe it. It’s such a damn coincidence that I don’t know what to think.

“What’s going on?” Travis asks as he walks towards us.

I look behind him, thankful that Emma hadn’t followed him. In fact, thinking about it now, I

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far away from Ava, then I didn’t mind at all.

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“Just that nerdy Cal is Gunner’s dad, and Ro got into a fight with him,” Gabe answers.

“Seriously?” he asks before turning to me. “Why? Was it because of Emma?

Before I can answer him, we hear the front door open and then bang shut. Moments later we hear

Ava’s clear and angry voice shouting Emma’s name.

“Emma?” she shouts again as she walks out of the house.

“What’s going on?” I turn to Travis.

“I have no idea”

We step closer. Our eyes on Ava as she stomps towards Emma, who was standing next to our

parents. Before anyone can do anything or stop her, she slaps Emma so hard that she falls to the

ground.

“What the hell, Ava?” Travis shouts as she rushes to help his sister.

Emma, just like everyone else, was shocked. Ava, on the other hand, looked wired. She looked

downright pissed. As if she was ready to rip someone’s head off.

“Shut the fuck up, Travis” she says at him through clenched teeth.

“What’s going on, Ava? Why would you attack your sister like that?” Kate asks as tears fills her

eyes.

She was torn. She didn’t know which girl to choose, so she was waiting to see if Ava had a good

reason before picking sides.

This just shows how i

side.

she’s changed. The previous Kate would immediately take Emma’s

“That’s what I would like to know.” Ava snarls and then glares at Emma. “I would like to know why

you would do that, Emma. Why would you abandon your child? Your own son”

We all stand stock still. Maybe we weren’t hearing it right. Maybe Ava got it wrong. There is no

way Emma had a child. She would have told her family.

“That’s bullshit. Emma doesn’t have a child, and she would never abandon her kid,” Travis defends.

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Ava laughs as if she had lost her goddamn mind.

“That’s what I thought at first, but I am not wrong” she asks

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Said wome was now in Travis‘ arms Clutching his arm like her life depended on it. She had tears

streaking down her cheeks and fear in her eyes. She was even fucking trembling. Even with all

that, she didn’t answer.

Ava continues while looking at Emma like she in the scum of the earth.

“You’re Gunner’s mother, isn’t that right Emma or are you going to continue pretending that you’re

not?”

Ava delivers the final blow. One that none of us saw coming. A blow that none of us were prepared.

for.