Through the cracks

Ava Johnson wakes up not knowing if the dream was real or not. Her heart is racing, and she wonders if she screamed. She looks at Lucas, her husband. He is sleeping like a baby. The moon is shining through the open curtains and the air conditioner is gently blowing cool air. It's a hot summer's night. Her Boston terrier is snoring, and the sound calms her immediately. She loved Kristy more than any animal she ever had the privilege of having in her life. Everything outside is peaceful and quiet. She gets up and goes to the kitchen to make herself a cup of tea. The dream unsettled her, but she deliberately thought of more pleasant things. She has a right to feel happy and contend. Twenty years ago, the construction company Lucas started when they were young was heading for financial problems despite Lucas’s hard work and dedication. He begged her to give up her career as a bank manager at a local financial bank to join his company. Lucas was a brilliant project manager and had incredible talent in his field, but the financial side was foreign to him, and he needed a trustworthy person who could handle that side of the business. After her joining his company, it was booming, and they were blessed with a lavish life. Ava knew she had made the right decision even if it meant that she gave up her financial freedom. Ava and Lucas live in the beautiful, barren, sparsely populated country of Namibia’s capitol, Windhoek. They were also blessed with a son, two beautiful daughters and two grandchildren they adore. Kristy comes looking for her and cuddles with her on the couch. Ava must have fallen asleep again. She wakes up as the first light shines through the window and looks at her watch and sees it is time to start a new day. It is Saturday and the one day of the week that she can relax and just do whatever she wants to. She sends w******p messages to all her children, friends and family to wish them a good morning. She puts her cup in the zinc and starts making breakfast. Lucas comes into the kitchen. He did not even notice that she slept most of the night in the family room on the couch. "You're up early," he says, almost annoyed by her presence. " I made us breakfast. Are you going somewhere? " Ava asked when she noticed he was dressed already. "I have to go into the office today. I have a tender that is due next week," Lucas answers. "At least have some breakfast before you rush off," Ava said. "I am not really that hungry. Why did you make so much food?"he said in an irritated tone again. "I didn't sleep well, so I got up early and wanted to make some breakfast. It isn't even that much." She replied. At the breakfast table, she looks at Lucas while they eat. He is still very attractive for a man of fifty. He is well-built and bold, but that boldness suits him. He has a well -trimmed and nurtured salt and pepper beard which makes him look sexy and successful. She feels proud to be his wife, although he can be so abrupt sometimes. "Maybe you and Kristy should start walking again." Lucas said, while looking at her as she took a bite, and Ava knew he was indirectly telling her to lose weight. She suddenly lost her appetite at his harsh and direct comment. She ignores his remark and changes the topic. "Jayden's birthday is coming up. I was thinking we could get him a better car. The one he has now is so unreliable," Ava asked. Jayden is their youngest and their only son. "There is nothing wrong with the one he has. Maybe if he starts earning money we can discuss this further, but right now I do not think he really deserves a new car. You spoil him too much!" Lucas said. "He was stranded the other day when the car did not start, and he never asks for much. We agreed when we bought that piece of s**t, that it would only be temporary until we received the money from the Angola project." Ava said with an expression of anger. Lucas always did this, he said things and when push came to shove, he would pretend to have no recollection of the agreement. "Fine. Get him the car then. Why do you even ask me when you have already made up your mind!", he said, and then got up and left the table. While putting his plate in the dishwasher, he says: "I'm off, see you later." before he disappeared out the door. Lucas is not an easy person to live with. He is quick tempered and sometimes almost unreasonable. He sets very high standards, especially for her and the children. He is fanatic about the truth -always insisting that the children must tell the truth since they were small, saying that he will always be on their side and support them as long as they tell the truth. It is a very good characteristic, she thinks, although she herself has told him little white lies sometimes just to keep the peace. To her, he is almost perfect, and she does not understand why he is not really popular and why he does not have any real friends. It must be his success that intimidates people, or maybe it is his way of being honest and always saying what he really thinks. The grandchildren get away with everything, and he seems to be less strict on them. He is a better grandfather than he was a father, she must admit. Ava is always the one keeping the peace between him, family, friends and workers. Even between Lucas and their children, Ava always intervenes when he expects too much of them or interferes in their lives. She also always reminds them that he has a lot on his plate, and she is always finding excuses for his behavior. Sometimes it is very tiring to be his partner. He is a good lover, and although they only have s*x once or twice a week, it is probably normal for people their age and after twenty-eight years of marriage. That night, Ava sits in front of the television. She watches the true-crime stories channel. She loves to watch true crimes. Her children always joke and say that she watches so many crime stories and that she will be able to murder someone and get away with it. Lucas has not come home from the office yet. He likes to work on Saturdays. He says that it is more productive as it is quiet and there are no phones and staff bothering him like on weekdays. She prefers to do gardening and reading on Saturdays or even just relax. When her children were young, she also used to work long hours at the company, but it was in the best interest of all of them, because when they were older, she could spoil them and started working half-day to be able to spend more time with them. In fact, it was Lucas who told her ten years ago to scale down and make more time for herself and the children. They could afford to employ qualified staff that took over most of their duties. Ava has sent a message to Lucas saying that his food is in the microwave if she is already asleep when he comes home. She takes a long bath and retires to bed as it has been a nice, peaceful, relaxing day. It is late when she hears the gate opening and his Mercedes driving into the driveway. She hears the front door opening and him coming into the room and chasing the cats from the bed. He goes into the bathroom and takes a shower before he gets into bed and, almost immediately, he falls asleep. She pretends to be sleeping as well. Kristy got up when Lucas came home to greet him. He also loves her and she, like her grandchildren, can also do things that the other animals are not allowed to do, like sleeping in bed. Kristy also comes back to bed and settles down to sleep again at Ava’s feet. Ava always waits until Lucas gets home before she can really fall asleep. She wonders why Lucas is so late, but it is just a thought. She will see in what mood he is tomorrow and asks him she thinks before also falling asleep.