It was almost bedtime when Ava went to Tom’s room. He was in blue plaid pajamas, sitting on the edge of the bed.“Darling, I want to talk to you about something,” Ava said as she closed the door to his room.“What is it?”Ava walked to the bed and sat next to him. “Forgive me for bringing this up but . . . we never talked about your mother.”Tom physically shuttered but kept his eyes on her. “I don’t want to talk about her.”“Are you sure? You don’t want to talk to me about any . . . feelings you may have about her? I know what it’s like to have your own mother hurt you.”“You do? You remember your mother?” Tom asked with bewilderment. “You don’t have amnesia anymore?”“No, darling, I still have amnesia but I remember things from time to time. It comes sporadically.”“What does sporadica . . . ly mean?”“It means occasionally. I had a memory of my mother . . . doing to me what your mother did to your father.”“You had a husband?” Tom asked with furrowed brows.“No. He was my boyfrien
Ava and Jesse rode to the Super 8 in Bedford. It was almost ten in the morning. Ray had gone to work on the range. Dax had taken Tom with him to see Lana. Jesse had told Ray that he was driving Ava into town to do some shopping. Ava hated lying to Ray but what choice did she have? Dax had been right. In this case, Ray needed to be protected. The boys themselves needed to be protected. They didn’t say a word during the ride. Jesse didn’t speak until they were walking down the hall at the Super 8. “I still don’t believe it. I won’t believe it until I see her with my own eyes,” Jesse said. They stopped at room 203. Jesse knocked on the door. It didn’t take long for someone to open it. Lillian. “Son of a bitch,” Jesse said through gritted teeth as he stared at her. “Nice to see you, too, Jesse,” Lillian said with twisted lips. “You may as well come in. I don’t want to have this conversation in
“I know it’s short notice, darling, but I didn’t make this decision on a whim,” Ava said over her cell. She was riding in the back of one of her father’s many limousines. “And I won’t be gone forever.” “I know but I will miss you,” Catherine said with a sad tone. Catherine was Ava’s best friend – from Ava’s side of things. Ava laughed a little. “Are you sure you won’t miss having me under foot? You are a married woman now.” “Of course, I’ll miss you. Cameron will, too. You know he’s grown fond of you.” Cameron Townsend was Catherine’s husband. “That’s good to know,” Ava said with a smile. She glanced out the window. “Oh, I have to go. The driver is pulling into JFK now.” “All right. Call me when you can.” “I will. Kiss, kiss, hug, hug.” Ava clicked off. Ava Bartholomew was twenty-seven-years-old and had no vision, purpose, prospects, or even a man in her life. Everyone she knew was either m
She woke up to the smell of smoke and ash. The sound of a million pieces of paper being crinkled up echoed around her. She opened her eyes to see charred items around her. Her head thumped and her eyes felt crossed. She was in the middle of a fire – or the beginnings of a fire. It didn’t look like she had long. She did her best to stand, unsteady on her feet. She hissed as pain shot through her lower arm. A loud banging got her attention. It appeared the fire was spreading to some crunched medal to her right. She grunted as she looked around, trying to find a safe path to get away from what appeared to be a disaster area. Luckily, one was to her left. She limped as fast as she could. A brown case with intricate patterns got her attention on the way. She didn’t know what was in it but grabbed it just in case it would be useful. She continued to limp away from the wreckage. She coughed from the smoke. Once she got some distance from the fire, she turned around and looked.
A few hours later . . . She was admitted through the Billings Clinic Hospital emergency room. She explained what had happened – or what she thought might have happened. The staff was efficient and fast. They had taken X-rays, done a CT Scan, and an MRI. Once that was done, the ER doctor admitted her as an inpatient. All of her tests results weren’t back yet but what they could tell so far was she had a concussion, her left arm was broken, and she had a sprained ankle. Bruises and cuts were on her arms and legs. There was even a large red bruise on the side of her abdomen that she didn’t know she had. Apparently, she had a few cracked ribs as well. Pssh, all she really knew was she was sore all over her body. The Tylenol Redd had given her only took forty percent of the pain away for a few hours. Once they got her a room and settled in, Redd came to visit her for an hour and then said he had to go. “I’m always on the road, but if you nee
Three days later . . . Lester Bartholomew, billionaire publicist and investor, paced the carpeted floor in his study. His wife, Lisa, was watching him as he did. “Don’t fret. I’m sure the police will find her soon,” Lisa said with soothing in her tone. Lester stopped dead in his tracks. “It’s been three days. Ava couldn’t have wondered off in a haze that far from the crash.” “I’m starting to think my original assumption was right, Lester,” she said. “Ava got to the main road to flag someone down for help. Like you said, it has been three days.” “Yes. Maybe so . . . dear, god. Do you think someone who meant her harm could have taken her?” “I hope not, but Ava can be pretty feisty sometimes. She can get away from someone like that.” “Not if she was injured, and she had to have sustained some sort of injury in a crash like that.” The pilot and the flight attendant’s bodies had been found in
Eighteen months earlier . . . Ray was tired of being in the dark. He wanted to know what was going on with his wife and he wanted to know now. For the past six months, Lillian has been acting strangely and out of character. She was more argumentative and unsatisfied. No matter what Ray did it wasn’t enough or what she wanted. It was like she was a totally different person. Also, Lillian would disappear hours at a time with no believable explanation to where she had been. Recently, Lillian had expressed aspirations of being a professional country singer. Ray didn’t have a problem with it per se but it was hard to make it in the music business no matter how good a person could sing. And they had two children that needed to be cared for. He had tried telling Lillian that, but she had taken it the wrong way. She accused him of trying to stifle her dreams. “Why are you trying to keep me in a box? I’m a great singer and you know it. And the b
The present . . . Three months later . . . It had been three months since the plane crash, and Ava was doing somewhat well. Her bruises and scratches had faded away to her relief, and her sprained ankle had heeled six weeks ago. She had just gotten the cast removed from her arm yesterday. However, she wasn’t making any progress in recovering her memories. Her behavioral neurologist and psychologist had told her to not be discouraged, but she couldn’t help it. She loved Mrs. Porter but she wanted her own life . . . and place. It was Labor Day weekend in Helena and the city was hosting an event in the park for the holiday. The city park was open to citizens who wanted to picnic and play games that were provided by the city. Ava attended the event with Mr. and Mrs. Porter and one of their sons. He came to visit for the holiday. Mr. Porter, didn’t have to pull a haul until Tuesday so he was home for a few days.After A
Ava and Jesse rode to the Super 8 in Bedford. It was almost ten in the morning. Ray had gone to work on the range. Dax had taken Tom with him to see Lana. Jesse had told Ray that he was driving Ava into town to do some shopping. Ava hated lying to Ray but what choice did she have? Dax had been right. In this case, Ray needed to be protected. The boys themselves needed to be protected. They didn’t say a word during the ride. Jesse didn’t speak until they were walking down the hall at the Super 8. “I still don’t believe it. I won’t believe it until I see her with my own eyes,” Jesse said. They stopped at room 203. Jesse knocked on the door. It didn’t take long for someone to open it. Lillian. “Son of a bitch,” Jesse said through gritted teeth as he stared at her. “Nice to see you, too, Jesse,” Lillian said with twisted lips. “You may as well come in. I don’t want to have this conversation in
It was almost bedtime when Ava went to Tom’s room. He was in blue plaid pajamas, sitting on the edge of the bed.“Darling, I want to talk to you about something,” Ava said as she closed the door to his room.“What is it?”Ava walked to the bed and sat next to him. “Forgive me for bringing this up but . . . we never talked about your mother.”Tom physically shuttered but kept his eyes on her. “I don’t want to talk about her.”“Are you sure? You don’t want to talk to me about any . . . feelings you may have about her? I know what it’s like to have your own mother hurt you.”“You do? You remember your mother?” Tom asked with bewilderment. “You don’t have amnesia anymore?”“No, darling, I still have amnesia but I remember things from time to time. It comes sporadically.”“What does sporadica . . . ly mean?”“It means occasionally. I had a memory of my mother . . . doing to me what your mother did to your father.”“You had a husband?” Tom asked with furrowed brows.“No. He was my boyfrien
Two days later . . . It was still morning. Ava went into Tom’s room to change the sheets on his bed. As she was doing so, she noticed what looked like a set of new drawing pencils on Tom’s new drawing desk that Ray had bought him for Christmas. At one time, Ray had called Tom’s art meaningless doodling a young man needed to grow out of. But, now, Ray supported Tom’s talent to draw. I wonder when he got those? I don’t remember him buying them the last time we went shopping. Ava continued to make the bed. That’s when she noticed a brown case under the bed. She pulled it out. She had never noticed it before. The boys were out with Ray working the range so they wouldn’t be back till lunch. Ava unzipped the case. There were a few drawings in it. One was of a woman who looked to be standing next to a SUV in the fog . . . or snow. Ava wasn’t quite sure. She shifted to the other picture. A blonde, who looked very beautiful, but she had fangs. Bl
“Mom?” Tom stretched out. It’s like he couldn’t believe it – just like Dax couldn’t believe it. “Oh, Tom,” she nearly cried. “My god, look at you. You’ve must have grown a foot since I’ve last seen you. Maybe a little more. My baby boy is growin’ up.” “A person can do a lot of . . . growing in two years when you don’t see them,” Tom said with a frown. “Oh, honey. Please know I’ve missed you – and your brother. But . . .” “But what?” Tom asked, urging her to go on. “But Uncle Luke meant more to you than us? But you were too busy to even call? But you were more concerned about singing for strangers than your own family? But –” “Tom,” Dax interrupted. “What you’re saying isn’t helping.” Tom whirled on him. “It’s helping me!” Dax rocked backwards, taken aback by Tom shouting in such a deep voice. Tom’s voice wasn’t changing – yet. Or he didn’t think so anyway. “Tom, I can explain, h
After Ava had made Dax shower and get dressed, he took his new truck out for a spin with Ray. Then the guys cleaned the den up for Ava while she enjoyed her gifts – especially her new jewelry. She even had time to call Redd and Mrs. Porter to wish them a Merry Christmas. Then Ava prepared an early lunch.It was now twelve-thirty in the afternoon. Ray and Ava were curled up on the sofa watching The Santa Clause with Tom in the floor watching it, too, as he played around with his new cell phone. Jesse had left a few minutes ago to give his various girls their gift cards for Christmas. Dax walked into the room wearing a pair of jeans, his new boots, and a navy blue sweater with a white dress shirt underneath. “Dad, can I go to Lana’s and give her a ride in my new truck?” Ray raised one brow wondering if he should let him. “I don’t know, son. It is Christmas.” Ava turned to her love. “Let him go,” she cooed. Ray snorted with amus
Christmas Day . . . Ava had woken at six a.m. to get a big Christmas breakfast on the table in the dining room. She wanted Christmas Day to be special for all of them. This morning, the boys didn’t bother getting dressed. They came downstairs in their robes and pajamas. Ray was dressed in a pair of jeans and a long sleeved sweater. Jesse showed up wearing a sweater, too. At least they weren’t those ugly Christmas sweaters. There was at least four inches of snow outside. It had snowed a little yesterday and overnight. Ray went outside and asked Ava to keep the kids busy in the dining room while he was out there. She wasn’t sure why, but she could tell he was up to something. He had returned just when they were starting to eat. The boys sucked their breakfast down so fast that Ava worried that they were going to make themselves sick. They were excited to get the exchanging of gifts underway. They practically ran thr
Christmas Eve . . .Dax, Tom, and their father walked down the sidewalk in Helena. Snowflakes fell from the sky. Last night, there was a snowfall that resulted in two inches on the ground when they all had woken this morning. The street was full of last minute shoppers, rushing around with large bags and packages. Wreaths hung from the light poles and stoplights.His dad had asked Dax if he wanted to tag along to Helena with him and Tom to get a Christmas gift for Ava – at a jewelry store. Dax had said, yes, because he thought he might see something for Lana. Of course, Dax had already bought Lana a gift but if he could get her a better one that would help him score more brownie points with her than he was all for it.“We’re coming up on it,” Tom said as he strode ahead a few steps.Tom was getting taller that was for sure. There was a time Tom had a hard time keeping with Dax’s and their father’s strides. Today, he was in step with them and even faster at times.“This place. Sands Je
Ava was still in her Santa Helper’s costume as Ray plowed away inside her. All he had taken off her was her panties. He had slipped them over her black thigh-highs and boots. He wouldn’t even let her take the stockings and boots off. He had said that she looked sexy in the outfit and he wanted her to leave it on – so she had. At first, he had her mount him and ride him for a little while as his hands roamed over her body. Now, he had her flat on her back at the edge of the bed. He was standing as he thrust in her. Sweat gleamed on his body. Ava gasped as the ultimate pleasure was coming on. She moaned and cooed and then grabbed her breasts as she felt her nipples ripen under the costume. Ava’s legs were wide open in the air. Her limbs trembled as she cried out his name in ecstasy. Ray grunted and then let out a loud growl as he stilled, pressing his pelvis hard against her. She felt the creaminess of his semen unloading into her soft, we
Some parishioners were in line at the buffet and others were in line with their children to talk to Santa and take a picture with him. Ava was doing the picture taking. Then another Santa’s helper sat at a small desk and sent a copy of it to the child’s parent’s email. It was a simple system. It wasn’t until the fourth child, Ava began looking at Santa with suspicion. “Hoo, hoo, hoooo. What do you want for Christmas, little girl?” “I want . . .” the shy four-year-old began softly. No. There’s no way that’s Ray. Ava nearly stumbled down the step to get to the camera. She took the picture. Santa gave the little brown-haired girl a sucker and helped her off his lap. Ava quickly approached St. Nick and bent down to be eye to eye with him. Her mouth dropped open. It was Ray. “Ray, why are you . . . Santa?” she whispered. “Where’s Phillip?” “He got COVID. Now stop staring and keep it moving befor