Chapter Five
1853 Words
Ethan's POV
I looked up to greet the next interviewee, but the words died on my lips as my eyes widened. She looked just like...like an older version of Ava. No. It couldn't be, she moved away ages ago and if she came back...wouldn't she let me know? Wouldn't her parents tell mine?
Third person POV throughout flashback
22 years ago
"Mummy? Daddy? Why are you eating each other's faces?"
His parents broke apart. Angela smiled at him, a light blush brushing her cheeks while Hugo smirked. She gave him a look. He stopped smirking and crouched in front of Ethan. Clearing his throat, Hugo started talking.
"Mummy and I weren't...eating each other's faces. We were kissing."
"What's...kissing?" Ethan asked.
Hugo fell silent, thinking. Slowly, he said,
"Kissing is when you show affection for each other...When you love that person a lot, you kiss them. When they are the one."
"Oh." Ethan frowned. "When will we visit Ava, Uncle Mark, and Auntie Lisa again?" Hugo looked surprised at this change of subject.
"In a few months time sweetie," Angela replied, seeing Hugo trying to find an answer.
"'Kay. Can me and Ava go to the beach?"
"Ava and I, sweetie," Angela corrected him, "Maybe. It will depend on how long they stay."
"Can they stay long enough to go to the beach?"
"That'll depend on Uncle Mark and Auntie Lisa."
"I want them to stay long enough to go to the beach. I want to make a castle with Ava with a swimming pool and the...the...the half tunnel which goes around it." He motioned a circle in the air.
"A moat?"
"Yeah, like the one me and Theo are making."
"Theo is here?"
"Yeah. He jumped over and now we're making..." He motioned a circle again.
"A moat."
"Yeah, a boat."
"Moat."
"A...moat? Did I say it correctly?"
"Yes. What did Theo jump over?"
"The fence. He put the trampoline next to the fence and then jumped over."
"Right. Does Theo's mum know Theo is here?"
"Yes?"
"Hugo, do you mind calling her?" Angela asked him. He took out his phone and stepped outside.
"Mummy?"
"Yes sweetheart?"
"Can I tell you something?"
"Of course."
"Can you not tell Daddy?"
She nodded her head and crouched down to his level.
"Do you promise?"
"I promise," she replied, holding out her pinky. They shook on it. Ethan leaned closer to her and whispered for a bit. A smile started to spread across Angela's face.
"That's wonderful sweetie!"
"You were nicer than Theo."
"Was I now?"
"Yeah...he said that he thought girls were...weird because they say we have slugs and snails. Ava isn't weird. She's very nice. She's never said I have slugs and snails."
"Ava is a very nice girl."
Ethan nodded his head vigorously. Theo burst into the room, a worried look on his face. "Ethan...the half tunnel doesn't work!"
Immediately, both boys rushed out of the room, love problems forgotten. Hugo walked in.
"I've called them but no one answered."
"You don't think she..."
"It wouldn't be the first time she's done it. I'll call Colin in a bit, wait for her to call back."
"That would be a good idea. I'll call Lisa as well. See if they're going to carry on with the plan."
"I think they will, he's closing in on them. I've told Mark to just change identities and move to another state or even country but he's being stubborn."
"If they continue like this, they won't make it. He's too ruthless."
"I know. Try telling that to Mark."
"Lisa won't even try to persuade Mark otherwise, she thinks everything is going to be okay."
"Well, we can't force them to leave. The most we can do is make sure that they are as protected as possible."
"You know, Ethan won't take them leaving lightly and now that he's got a crush on Ava, it's going to take a toll on him."
"He does?"
"Mhm. Our little boy is growing up..."
Hugo came up to Angela and wrapped his arms around her. She leaned her head against his chest, "I just hope that if they do leave, they'll live to see the next day for a long time and maybe, just maybe they'll end up together."
"Have you and Lisa been planning that?"
"Maybe..."
He smiled and planted a kiss on her head. "Shall we continue with what we were doing before we were interrupted?"
"Thought you'd never ask."
* * *
1 year later
"I'm leaving," Ava said, eyes filling with tears.
"I know," Ethan replied gloomily.
"I'm going to miss you." Ava sobbed, hugging him tightly.
"Me...too," Ethan said softly.
"Kissing is when you show affection for each other . . . When you love that person a lot, you kiss them. When they are the one," his father had said. He lifted her head slightly and placed a kiss on her forehead. Hugging her tightly, he bent his head and whispered in her ear, "Ava I-"
"Come on Ava! The plane won't wait for us."
He sighed. Ava looked up at him, tears started making rivulets down her cheeks,
"I'm...I'm going t...to miss you."
"Me too..."
"We can send each other letters can't we?"
"Maybe."
She looked at him, confusion and hurt clear in her eyes. He rubbed his neck.
"It's not that I don't want to its just I don't know I-"
"Ava! Hurry up darling."
Ava smiled sadly at him slightly before wrapping her arms around him.
"Goodbye Ethan," she whispered, her voice choking up.
"Goodbye Ava."
He kissed her forehead one last time before she ran across the lawn to her parents. Uncle Mark nodded his head at him before getting into the car. He trailed back to his parents, who were now waving to the car. Standing next to his parents, he waved goodbye to Ava, his chest tightening, her hand pressed against the rear window.
I think that a part of me still loves her, first loves always stay with you. Theo used to tell me to move on, and I did, eventually. It seems stupid, what would an eight year old know about love? Nothing is the answer. But whatever I felt for Ava was something only I felt for a few women. Namely, my deceased grandmother and my mother. Now, I could say that my love for her died but seeing Ava, well the doppelganger Ava, it sparked an old flame. I don't think the fact it was the day which Ava left helped matters. God loves me so much.
A small squeak broke through my thoughts. Pull yourself together Ethan. I stood up. "Please. Sit," I said, gesturing to the chair in front of my desk. She walked up to the desk and sat down. I did the same.
"So Miss . . . " I looked at her inquiringly.
"Connor. Ava Connor," she replied.
Av- God definitely hates me.
"So Miss Connor, why do you think the job should be yours?" I asked.
* * *
Buzzing the intercom I asked, "Sarah?"
"Yes Ethan?"
"Can you get me a whiskey please?"
"Mhm. Is that all?"
"Once you've brought my whiskey, take the day off."
"Okay."
I sighed, rubbing my eyes, I leant back against my chair. Today was too hectic, even if all I did was interview people. Nearly all of them blatantly flirted with me and tried to be a bit too...pushy. How did they pass the first round of interviews? Then again, if they didn't swing that way, it wouldn't have been obvious. I thought back to who I had interviewed and who would be suitable for the job. I came to the decision that I'd have to ask my parents for advice. The telephone on my table started ringing. I answered it.
"Hello?"
"Ethan darling. Are you free?"
"Oh hey mum. Yeah. I just finished."
"Okay, can you come over? I have...news."
"What kind of news?"
"Can't-say-over-the-phone news."
"You aren't pregnant are you?!"
"No! Why would you think that? I've just finished my menopause"
"...I did not need to know that and I don't know, it was the first thing that came to mind. Anyway, I'll be over soon."
"Okay then. See you soon!"
Twenty minutes later, I pulled up in the driveway. Getting out, I locked the doors and opened the front door.
"Mum? Dad?"
"In the living room sweetie," my mum called.
I walked into the living room. Sitting down, I leant over to grab an apple. Taking a bite, I asked, "So what's the news?" My parents looked at each other before my dad pulled out some pieces of paper.
"We have some news...about Ava."
"Ava Daniels, Uncle Mark and Auntie Lisa's daughter?"
My parents' faces flickered with surprise that I remembered.
"Yes...Well, you remember how Uncle Mark and Auntie Lisa left abruptly? Well, we still don't know the full story but Uncle Mark had made quite a lot of enemies when he was working. So, with the help of his boss, they changed their identities and disappeared. Mark and Lisa didn't want us to be in danger so they didn't tell us where they went nor why they left. That is, until nine years back when Lisa came over for a visit. She just arrived on the doorstep and rang the door.
She came in and we caught up on each other's lives. They had moved over to Canada. Lisa is now a film director with Mark. They've directed quite a few big movies. She was nearby for work so she came in. Don't know how she remembered this place but she did. And so after that, we kept in touch."
Hold up. Rewind. My parents, well my mum, kept in touch with Aunt Lisa and Mark and didn't bother telling me?
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"We weren't sure if they were still in danger so we kept it to ourselves," my dad replied. I turned to him, "You knew as well?"
"We're married," they chorused, giving me a look. Fair enough.
"So why is this important?"
"Lisa has a feeling Ava is in danger, so they are asking you to keep an eye on her."
"Why can't th-"
"Don't be so rude Ethan!" my mum chastised, "They are filming in Australia right now so they can't do it themselves and they most definitely can't hire a bodyguard as that will raise suspicions, so they asked you. Ava doesn't even know her real surname or remember much of her past. This is why it's vital for you to take her on as her PA."
Suddenly, the pieces clicked in my head. That's why they were so eager for me to hire a PA when I already had a receptionist. How was I so blind? James was only hired a year ago and even then, didn't do that much. Sarah was more than capable enough to deal with everything. I dropped the apple into the paper waste basket next to me and snatched up a wipe to clean the juice from my hands.
"Okay. Anything specific I need to know?"
- Writer
