Lost in Embers (Rising From Ash Saga #1)

Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR

M y excitement is barely contained when I barrel down the stairs and end up tripping. “I’m good!” Yelling loud at the top of my lungs, I thud my way down the last few steps so the ghosts that reside in this house can hear me. I pick myself up, eager to get this day over with.

I leave tomorrow for vacation, and this day is the only thing standing in my way. My mother is in the kitchen, loudly slamming cabinets, unlike her normal docile self.

I peer around the corner into the kitchen. “Gee, thanks for helping me over there.” I stick my butt out and rub it in front of her. Crossing the threshold into the kitchen instantly makes me crave my mother’s tea.

“Sweetie, please, you do nothing but trip over your own feet all day. Thanks for the sarcasm first thing in the morning.” She gives me the most pleasant, forced smile and states with conviction, “I can’t wait until you meet the man who will catch you when you fall. ”

Gag. I roll my eyes to the back of my head as I let out a massive huff loud enough for her to hear it.

I still admire everything that we have done to this place. Our kitchen is newly transformed with stainless steel appliances, white cabinets, gray-and-white marble countertops; it just looks so clean and crisp, as does the attached dining room. Before, this place looked like rats wouldn’t even inhabit the area. Now the dining room has a large, light wooden table that can easily sit twelve, which is pointless since we never have guests. The walls are painted a light pink throughout the kitchen and dining room, making a beautiful transition with a focal point painting of the sea on the wall in-between. The dark wood flooring brings the whole room together. It’s not necessarily my taste, but I can certainly appreciate how far this house has come and the work my mother has put into it.

The cold flooring against my bare feet gives me the jolt I need to pull my head back in the game. “Oh, Mum, just a reminder that Dino is staying the night here tonight, and we are leaving at seven in the morning tomorrow.”

“Why don’t you date that boy? he’s obviously so in love with you,” she says coolly and inquisitively, like only a mother can do. If only she understood that I shut down after Lucas and I ended. Sure, my professor might have been a rebound, but nothing physical happened with him. Or Lucas, minus his anger. I need more time. Plus, I know way too much about Dino at this point and could never be romantically involved with him. Knowing every detail about who he’s slept with is not something I really want to know about a partner. Call me bananas, but all the girls who want to know how many women their man has been with before them, what’s the point? As much as we say it doesn’t matter, it does. It one hundred percent matters, because you can’t unthink that or forget it.

“Mum, you know he’s just a friend,” shrugging it off. “My best friend.”

“No man wants to be your friend, Ava. When will you get that through your thick skull? Don’t get me wrong, Dino is a sweet man, and I know you think you two are just friends, but he only spends time with you in hopes that one day you will want more. It is just a fact of life.”

“Well, thank you for the morning pick-me-up, and as much as I would love to continue talking about my lack of love life, I have to go to work now.” Bending down, I give her a quick kiss on the forehead. The smell of lavender and mint touches my nose, an odd combination but rather pleasing.

“Do you really have to go on this trip? You know this is the most important birthday of all.” She grabs my hand and rubs her thumb against my wrist. “Did you drink your tea?” Her eyes look sad, and then she darts them from me to my untouched mug of tea. I lift it to my mouth and take a sip, and she instantly turns her lips up in a tiny smile.

“If the trip wasn’t already booked, I would stay with you. In fairness you say that about every birthday, and, as always, your tea is delicious.” I make slurping sounds but don’t actually finish the rest of the tea. While it has been delicious in the past, my stomach is not so much liking it anymore, but I don’t dare crush her with that. She prides herself on making the best cup of tea.

My mother ticks off rambling statistics on Mexico’s safety and how United States citizens have been the target of violent crimes. I catch something about her saying even the football season has been temporarily shut down due to threats. The last thing I care about is football. Only God knows how long she’ll continue this rant, so I drift off and think about my birthday. Victor calls me, my mother never wants to spend a second away from me, and Dino doesn’t bat a lash at my crazy visions. It just doesn’t feel normal. I know to her this is not a joke, so at some point I tune back in. “Ava, I want you safe.”

“We will be in Cancun; it isn’t one of the places with major warnings. We won’t even leave the compound, and if we do, it will be in a group.” She needs to know I will be safe and nothing will happen to me. The last thing I want is for her to worry the entire trip, or worse, show up. I give her one more reassuring kiss on the forehead, place my mug down, and scurry out before she can realize nearly all the tea is left.

“Please take good care of Laila for me while I’m gone. Maybe you two can get some bonding time in.” I turn the stuck door handle, and a jolt of electricity shoots up through my hand and down my spine. My eyes are forced shut, and my mind goes on a trip through a green field filled with daisies, until I’m back in my house. The mind travel makes me want to vomit until everything becomes very clear.

I stand at the front door, still holding the cold silver handle when my father appears before me. This cannot be real, so I try to shake myself out of it, a ghost of this house, but nothing can break this spell. He looks at me with longing and holds his arms out to embrace me, but my feet are cemented to the ground. I thought my father was dead. What is he doing here? Mum said he’s dead, but his eyes sparkle as they gaze into his hands and a package appears. Brown paper packaging, wrapped in twine, old and stained. It looks like it has been sitting around for centuries. It is addressed to me, advising me to open it on my twenty-fifth birthday.

Good Lord, that is unbelievable. My birthday is less than two weeks away, and this cannot be a coincidence, and now I’m starting to think maybe I shouldn’t have even said anything to Dino, and kept all of this mental madness to myself.

“Ava, you are going to be late! You didn’t finish your tea. What on earth are you doing?” She holds out the mug to me with one hand and shakes me free of my imagination with the other.

“Was Dad just standing here?”

She’s clearly baffled and looks around the room. “No, it is just us. It is always just us. That bastard ran out on us and died. Finish your tea.” Her tongue lashes never do get easier with age.

Her brow furrows when I refuse the tea, turn the handle, and head to my car. As I look back, she focuses on the front door handle in anger and speaks to herself in a language I have never heard before, oddly familiar to what Victor spoke. It sounds like if Gaelic and Russian were mixed together with a sprinkle of German in there too.

Driving into work, my mind cannot wrap itself around what happened. My dad appeared out of nowhere. He has aged from the look of him, and he doesn’t look as he did in the few memories I have of him. His hair, once dark, is now salt-and-pepper. He flashed his pearly white teeth, smiling at me, accenting his crow’s feet beside his sea-blue eyes. He stood tall with his perfect posture and gestured for me to open the package. He did not say a word as he looked sympathetically into my eyes, and I know he was apologizing to me.

I like the nostalgia that comes from thinking of my father and trying to remember him. Was he a sweet man? Was he well-educated? Was he a good husband? I don’t recall any of the fine details. Just one. Throwing me in the air and catching me, before he placed me in a swing, all while I giggled; then he disappeared from my life. Did he not love me anymore? Then Victor left shortly after. My mother refuses to speak of either man, as though they did not exist. No wonder I need a heaping of help from a counselor, but the newer events in my life have me steering clear of the counselor because she might just go straight ahead and send me to the mental hospital. Do you blame her? Eyes follow me everywhere and try to speak to me, my mother speaks a made-up language, oh and lizard people are real. Then, let’s just sprinkle it with how I can also see ghosts and believe they are real. That’s a one-way ticket to a mental ward.

Yet— I make it to work. My boss managed to find the only “high-rise” building for our office in this quaint town. We are on the fourth floor, which also happens to be the top floor, with the best view. From the outside, the building stands out with its sleek walls, compared to the antique look of the rest of the town it is squished between. Mr. Greene just had to have this location, even though this location isn’t conducive to a construction company. The project managers love coming here for meetings; it is a vast difference from the warehouse in the deep outskirts of Kennet.

It never gets old walking into this building, feeling like I’m transplanted into a small hotel for a matter of seconds each time. Reminds me of what it feels like to travel. The multicolored tile and gray walls and white furniture look like something you would find in the city. There is even a television in the lobby near the security desk, which doesn’t have anyone manning the station yet, but this town is small and safe.

I glide through the hallways like I’m on ice skates, directly to the elevator, making sure to say hello to the construction crews that are leaving. The doors shut, and I take a ritualistic deep breath as I hit the button to the fourth floor, gearing myself for the events of today.

Normally there is hustle and bustle as soon as the elevator doors open, but not today. The office is soundless as the change of seasons has officially hit our company. Through the wide, neutral-colored halls, past the vibrant conference rooms, sits my office. As I approach, I can see through the large window, much to my surprise, it has been completely redone, with a finishing touch of a new placard on the wall. One with much more elegant writing than before. My name is transcribed beautifully. It warms me; one of the little things in life that reminds me my job isn’t half bad.

“Thanks for this.” I smile down the hall to my boss, Mr. Greene, who leans casually against his office door. I push open the door, flick on the light, and admire my new workspace. Normally, I work some Saturdays, but I don’t mind. It’s been keeping my mind busy. With all the sleek, modern gray furniture, and a beautiful light-blue-and-green accent rug and nice seating area for our clients, I couldn’t have put this together better myself. It is exactly what I love. The coloring of the wall has changed to a pale, almost not there, blue. My sea hibiscus flower painting remains but somehow fits well with the room.

“Thanks for bringing in donuts this morning, Ava.” Mr. Greene appears in my office doorway, as always, wearing his construction boots, tight Wrangler jeans, and a button-down. It throws me for a loop no matter what when he has those boots on, even if he is in a suit. He blames it on the fact that he could get called to a job site at any moment, but like sir, just keep the boots in the bed of your truck then.

“You’re welcome, Mr. Greene. It looks amazing in here. Honestly, thank you for my new everything, and the placard.” I could sense he was up to something the other day when I left for the day, but I didn’t imagine this. I can feel the smile on my face hitting my eyes, and genuine excitement pours out of my mouth as I gape at my new layout.

“Well, the bonus of working here is you are surrounded by handymen.” He inspects the room, proud of his accomplishment, but shrugs it off like it is no big deal.

“Is there anything I can get you?” At some point, given the fact I’m his assistant, I’m obligated to ask.

“Nope, just keep smiling, and remember we have a meeting at 2:00 to discuss the bid proposals.” he’s always so lighthearted, and it is one of the major reasons why I love having him as a boss. We are both very relaxed and collected people who love to laugh; it makes work go by so fast, and normally he tells cheese-tastic jokes first thing in the morning.

Just as I’m about to sit down in my new large, plush office chair and give it the congratulatory spin around the office, he turns to me. “Please call me Harrison. Mr. Greene is my father.” He lets out a huge man laugh, amused at himself for no reason. Constantly reminding me he does not want to be his father.

“Got it.” I smirk and point my index finger at him. Why did I do that? Was a point really necessary? Only me. Just another dumb thing to laugh about later.

Mr. Greene doesn’t appear to be more than thirty-five years old, so I’m not surprised that he wants me to call him Harrison. His sandy brown hair and light eyes match his surfer-type personality. He speaks of his father, but rarely about work, so I don’t know what happened to make him give over the CEO position. I was told that Harrison inherited the business while his dad was away for a while. I have been working here nearly a year and haven’t ever seen Gideon appear in the office. His rough voice can be heard on conference calls every now and then.

Harrison took over the company right before I started working here and hired me once he was fully settled into his position. I normally never exchange anything more than pleasantries. There were a few random conversations thrown into the mix: Why did I move here? Was I planning on staying here long? Nothing too in detail, just brief talks while planning his schedule mostly.

After I’m done spinning around in my new chair, I realize I have about a thousand things to do before I leave work for two weeks. Before I fire up my e-mail and start working on the bids I need to finish before the meeting, I decide to make good use of my time and my boss’s money by Googling Victor, something I couldn’t bring myself to do the other day. Nothing comes up. Not a single thing. Since when does a human stump Google? Maybe he changed his name.

Time to focus on the tedious work. Not one number can be messed up here, or everything is absolutely wrong, for us and the contractors we are sending them out to. Going through the motions, hours pass by, and thankfully I get all of the work done before lunch, giving me extra time to finish up smaller tasks.

Well, that surely is odd. Why is my boss sending me a wink face? I love that I’m coordinating the whole charity event. It is set to take up most of my time when I get back from vacation. Thankfully, I have already booked the venue, The Grand Ballroom at the Ritz Carlton in Philadelphia. It is beautiful and simply perfect for our event since there will be close to 300 people attending.

My mother is way on the fritz with me at the current moment because when I get home, for the first time in forever, I ask her questions about my dad. Stuff all kids want to know— how did you meet, when did you fall in love, all the typical questions, and they are met with stone cold silence and looming eyes that blaze into me. She hastily tells me that part of her life is over and done with, never to be repeated, and answers her ringing phone and escorts herself out of the room into the kitchen.

There’s a force inside me that pulls me towards her for answers and also a force screaming in my face to stay away from her. The mixed signals my body gives me are enough to storm out of the room in frustration with myself, not just her.

Yet, something, I don’t know what, possesses me, and after a couple of minutes, I tiptoe to the kitchen, as quiet as a church mouse to see what is going on with her. Not one day in my life have I ever snooped on her, and she knows that. Her trust runs deep with me, so it’s the last thing she expects of me, but something is seriously off with her, more than ever before.

“What do you mean they have already killed off five of the Manayunks? It isn’t time for that yet, we were supposed to hide and wait for the optimal moment, now all those sleazy Elders will have their knickers in a twist and put a guard up when they are already untouchable. They will start recruiting more than usual…” Her voice turns into an even more quiet whisper. “It is not time yet, no powers have been developed. It would be too much of a risk, and I'll be damned if all of my time babysitting goes to fucking waste.”

The doorbell rings and causes me to jump out of my skin. What kind of work is my mother involved in, she and Victor? I quietly reach the door and then jump for glee to throw off any suspicion. With no surprise, Dino stands at the door. Nightfall is upon us now, the stars and the moon highlight bright across the fields. The horizon shows nothing but darkness with a few streaks of purple illuminating against the stars. The night brought with it a welcomed perfect coolness that we can only feel in the fall. It is magnificent, as is my best friend, who is handsome in his dress-down clothes.

With his bags in hand, he flashes his megawatt smile just as my mum walks into the room.

“Lillian, pleasure to see you again.” Dino takes my mother by the right hand and plants a quick kiss. She blushes. No wonder she’s so fond of the idea of us; he’s always such a charmer.

“Pleasure is all mine. I was telling Ava this morning what a cute couple you two would make.” Oh mother, your wicked smile is showing. This woman is relentless.

Dino grabs me by the waist and pulls me in close, his arm wrapping around with his fingertips grazing my hip bone. The skin-to-skin contact seems so intimate and the neurons in my body are sending shots, and I yell at them to comply and not jump.

“We would, wouldn’t we? Too bad her standards are so high, no one has a chance.” It is impossible for me to suppress my giggle. Thankfully he knows how to lighten the mood, especially after our recent dating conversation. He knows I don’t want to get into that with my mother and is quick to deter the conversation. After moments of meaningless chatter, I manage to pull him away from her clutches and up the stairs.

My eyes gesture to the small couch in the corner of my room, made-up for him. “Will this work for you?” My voice is skeptical. This isn’t the normal five-star accommodations he has grown accustomed to. He nods his head while his eyes are deep with contemplation. “What are you thinking about, Mr. Karlsson?”

“Just how lucky I am to have a friend like you. You have helped me through so much. I appreciate everything you have done for me. Just by being there, you have saved me. I hope I can make this your best birthday ever. You deserve it, kid.” His voice is so earnest. It is almost like he knows my mind is questioning everything around me and gives me that reassurance I need. Reassurance I never thought I would need from him, yet over the last 24 hours, my brain seems to be rewiring.

“I will always be here for you, no matter what. I’m lucky to have you too. And just because you are 3 years older than me, doesn’t mean you can still call me kid.” I climb onto the bed where he sits, lean over, and give him a tender kiss on the cheek. His breath exhales deeply as he leans his face into my lips, making the cheek kiss last longer than intended.

His eyes open and focus on me. “How was your day?” He’s mindful not to place his hands on mine. He’s right to change the subject before we get too emotional.

“It was quite interesting… My boss sent me a wink face in an e-mail today; that was a first.” Dino rolls his eyes before I can even finish my thought. I add the only other piece of information that doesn’t seem off the wall crazy at this point, “Victor called me the other day. I forgot to tell you. Odd, right? Kind of left me flabbergasted, to be honest. ”

“Victor called you?” The stern echoes of his voice hit my ears. Just the mention of Victor’s name and even Laila growls beside me with her hair standing up on end. I can’t help but frown at the fact that this is the situation and how it is with Victor. No wonder I escape into books so much.

“Why?” Dino questions as he tries to soften his face, minding my feelings.

“I don’t know exactly.” I pet Laila’s hair down and whisper in her ear that everything is okay.

With concern seeping from his voice, he says, “Ava, I just don’t like that he calls you out of the blue, never says ‘Happy birthday,’ and denies you meeting him.”

“This time he said he would. Not in those exact words. It was something like,” —I say in my best Victor voice— “‘You will be seeing me sooner than you think,’” and I shrug. “After that, he hung up before I had the chance to say anything.”

“If he’s coming here to meet you, I would like to be present. I can tell you are shaken from the conversation just by looking into your eyes. They are changing color.” I turn my head slightly, not knowing where he’s going with this. “When you get upset, they show the smallest hint of blue. When you get passionate, they turn a bright, piercing green. Otherwise, they are hazel. I’ve always told you that your face gives you away.”

My face sure does give me away, always at the most inopportune times, like business meetings. Good Lord, does this man know me or what? I have never thought about it before or cared to look in a mirror when my moods shift. After years of studying my facial expressions and the color of my eyes, I have to give him an A-plus for being observant. So, if he knows me that well, he knows I’m hiding something, too, but he’s decent enough not to bring it up .

“Dino, I refuse to believe Victor is some sort of monster. I don’t want this world we live in to make me hard. I don’t want this pain I feel from him and my dad leaving to turn to hatred.” Laila curls into my lap, comforting me. “I know the rest of the world might disagree with me, but I believe my attitude can make it a better place. I just have to look at things differently, no matter how hard that might be. I haven’t seen Victor since we were kids; time changes people.” I put my head on his shoulder, and he wraps an arm tighter around me.

“Mother Teresa,” he jokes. “You have always been sweet, sincere, and looked for the best in people. That has never changed, ever, not once since I have met you. All I’m saying is you might want to listen to your gut. I will go with you to meet your brother, just in case. You know nothing about him besides the fact that he works in the military, which might not even be true. He could be a psychopath, and you’d have no idea. Did you tell Lillian?”

I scoff. Like hell I would tell my mother; she would have a conniption. For some reason, the thought of seeing my brother alone does frighten me, more than I care to admit. It is just something about his voice that comes across as vindictive. I won’t give up hope that we can get to know each other all over again. Yet, it feels like there’s a power growing in me, that makes me believe I could conquer the world if I had to, and not to just save puppies from the side of the road, but people too.

“Oh, by the way, your boss totally wants in your pants, hence the wink face.” Finally, he gets in the comment he’s been waiting to throw out. I know he’s wrong, so I roll my eyes. “Just calling it how I see it, A.”

“Well, thank you for that,” I scold .

“What’s not to love? You’re a blonde bombshell. Behind those insecurities of yours, you have to realize you’re a total smoke show. Curvy in all the right places and people just fall in love with your weird quirky charm. I know I did.”

Is that a love confession, or admiration for me as friends? Something I refuse to find out now, right before our vacation, so we laugh off the awkwardness of it and onto more important things, like do we start drinking on the airplane or wait until we land in Mexico.

You know. Priorities.