Page 21 - Vol. VI #8

It’s sweet and and and tangy—like heaven in in in your mouth ”
Jacob winks at her Ren turns away Her eyes wander through the the the the room looking for the the the the the the toddler and and and and her her her father but they are are gone ~
On the the the the the the the way out the the the the the the the hostess hands Ren a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a white carnation and and and wishes her her her a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a Happy Mother’s Day She She stares at at it it in in the the the the car car The edges are are browning Jacob stops by Dairy Queen and and and asks her her her her if she she wants ice ice cream cream Her stomach clenches like a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a fist She She She shakes her head He He orders himself a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a large vanilla ice ice cream cream cone dipped in in in in in chocolate She She listens to to to his teeth crunch through the the the dark coating and thinks about Ava when she she was was thirteen—the fragile beauty
“She remembers how after Ava’s father left she went dormant and cold like the geckos Ava tried to save at the end of every summer ”
of of her her her her milky skin against her her her her cocoa hair how her her her her green eyes flashed with with with contempt at at at at at the the the the least provocation Any attempt Ren Ren made to to to interact with with with her her her was was met with with with a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a snort of of disgust or or or or a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a dismissive shrug Her moods were unpredict- able springing up like storms on on on on on the the sea Ren Ren Ren had attributed it it it to to to hormones Jacob Jacob holds Ren’s hand as as as as he he he he he he licks his his ice cream cone He He swirls his his thumb in in in in small circles over her her knuckles She strains to to to remember Ava Ava with Jacob—a smile that that was was more than polite a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a hug that that wasn’t stiff But all
all
she can conjure up is is is Ava—expressionless and and and wooden as as as a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a doll turning on on on on on its stand when Ren made her her her her model the the the the jewelry and and and and dresses Jacob Jacob bought for her her her her on on on on on his business trips Even on on on on on on their wedding day the the the the the photographer could barely seduce a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a smile Ava’s face an an an an unreadable pale oval against the the the the the the the the lace and and and pearls of her her flower-girl dress dress dress When they get home Ren Ren drops her her her her purse on on on on the the the the the entryway table next to to to to the the the the the returned package with the the the the the Hello Kitty shirt still in in in in it it it it it it As Ren Ren reads Ava’s address scrawled on on on on on it it it it it it in in in in her her her own hand- writing Jacob tosses his keys on on on on on top of it it it it it it The (continued on on on next page) 12