LOGINThe engagement dinner was to be jovial.Patricia kept saying this.The tables were arranged in a nice way. Candles were glowing softly. Plates were lined up perfectly. It all was so pleasant and cozy, yet the air was thick, as though no one was willing to breathe.Ava was seated beside Mark, with her hands clasped together on her lap. She smiled honeyedly, without it reaching her eyes."Sit up straight," she hissed to her as she flew behind her. "People are watching."Ava straightened right away. "Yes, Mom."Mark leaned closer. "You okay?" he asked quietly."Yes," Ava replied too fast. "I'm fine."Mark gazed at her and made no reply.On the other side of the table, Marcus was observing them. In front of him stood a glass of wine, which was untouched. His face was clenched, his gaze staring right at Ava.So, Patricia said loudly, raising her glass, “I would like to thank you all who came on such short notice.”Soft murmurs followed.This involvement was earlier than usual, and Patricia
Bella didn’t sleep that night. She sat bent over the small table in the living room, with crossed arms and a vibrating brain. As Mark re-emerged the next morning out of the bedroom, she was already waiting. “We need to talk,” Bella said. Mark stopped. “About what?” “You are quite aware of what this is all about,” she said. He sighed and walked closer. “Everything I told you last night was all there was to say, Bella.”“You said you are not certain,” Bella had to correct him. “That’s not enough.” Mark rubbed his neck. “What do you want from me?” “I desire proof; I want evidence,” Bella said. Mark frowned. “Proof of what?” “Of the truth,” she said. “Of whether or not that baby really is yours.”Mark shook his head. “I don’t even know how to do that.” Bella leaned forward. “Then we find out.” “How?” Mark asked, his voice tense. Bella stood up. “Dates. Timelines. Messages. Whatever tells us when Ava might have conceived a child. Mark hesitated. “That feels wrong.” Bella look
Mark has not been himself over the past few days.He began to bark at even the trifles. He stayed out way too late. And when he reached home, he did not say much. The smile which he had so naturally thrown on now was as unnatural as if it did not belong to him.Bella observed the minutest detail.Mark was sitting on the edge of the couch that afternoon, staring at his phone with no eyes. Bella was opposite him in the room and was monitoring him."You're doing it again," she said.Mark frowned. "Doing what?""Pulling away," Bella replied. You have hardly looked at me all week.“I am just weary; I am tired,” Mark said, rubbing his face. "Work's been stressful. And there’s school too."Bella crossed her arms. “Since when does work make you this angry?”Mark sighed. "I'm not angry."“Sure you are, you are,” said Bella. "You're irritated. You shout at me and pretend nothing has occurred.”Mark stood up. "Can we not do this right now?"Bella stepped in front of him. "No. We're doing it now.
There was no conversation in the house that night.It was too quiet.Most of the lights were turned off, and the hallway seemed to be endless when Marcus walked towards the back door. On the side of the house, the garden was dark with one light on the porch. There was Ava, standing, hugging herself, and looking into the blackness.She'd come when he asked.That already caused him to experience the burden of it all.“Ava,” Marcus said softly.She whipped about, startled, and then fell as she saw him. “You said you wanted to talk.”“Yeah,” Marcus replied. He walked up to her, but at a distance, as though he did not want to scare her. “Thanks for coming.”Ava nodded. “I don’t have much time.”“I will not detain you for long,” he said. There was some silence. The night air was cool. There was the sound of a car somewhere in the distance.Marcus took a slow breath. I have heard of the engagement dinner.Ava’s shoulders stiffened. “My mom moves fast, you know.”“Yeah,” Marcus said quietly.
The dining room was too quiet.Ava was sitting at a table, her hands clasped in her lap. Patricia was sitting right across from her and set the plates with super accuracy. Ava shuddered with every piece of noise the ceramics made on the wooden table.Patricia cleared her throat.“My mind has been made up,” she said.Ava's stomach tightened. So her mom went on, “And we’re not to argue about it in the future. Are we clear on that?”"Yes, Mom,” Ava responded softly.At last, Patricia laid down the last plate and sat down. She looked at Ava full on with serious eyes.“We will be having an engagement dinner soon,” Patricia said.Ava blinked. "An... engagement dinner?""Yes," Patricia replied. "For you and Mark."Ava's breath caught. "But... we just"“Next week,” said Patricia, cutting Ava off. "Saturday evening."Next week.The words painfully echoed in Ava’s head.“Very soon, very soon,” Ava said to herself.Patricia tilted her head. "It needs to be done.""Why?" Insistently, Ava question
Everybody had gone, and the courtyard was very quiet.Most students had already gone home. But Ava sat on a low concrete bench under a tree, her bag beside her, her hands folded tightly in her lap. Her stomach still felt uneasy, but this time it wasn’t sickness. It was fear.She knew Riley would find her.And truthfully, it always has been the case.“Ava.” Her name brought her in a hunched position. She did not immediately look up.Riley was a couple of steps off with a grave expression. No longer that adorable, anxious air of the previous time. Her eyes were sharp now, and hunting.“You left me, Ava, you did,” said Riley.Ava shoved a small shrug. “I had to beat the class.”You were saved by that bell, Riley said. “And you know it.”Ava finally looked up. “Riley, please. I’m exhausted,” she said.Riley stepped closer. “Then stop running,” she said. Ava blushed and turned her head away. “I am not running away from anything,” she said.Riley laughed short. “Don’t lie to me,” she said.







