Pure Redemption (Tainted Legacy) (2 page)

“I’ve seen him too,” Ava blurted. “I have!” she insisted when her friends shared a startled look. “I just…I thought I was crazy.”
Because I saw him die. And he
can’t
be here. Because he’s dead. “
I swear I saw him,” she said desperately, unaware that tears were beginning to spill from
her eyes. She was desperate for her friends to believe her but even more desperate for it to be true. 

“I have a theory on that,” Molly said, sadly.

Julia and Ava gave her twin looks of wariness.

“I, um, I don’t want to say it…But this guy? He didn’t look well. We mentioned how thin he was. But it wasn’t just that. He was gaunt. His cheekbones were so sharp they looked like they were ready to cut through his skin. He was so pale. And he had these shadows under his eyes. Only,” she paused, unhappily noting the way Ava’s lip was trembling, “they were worse than shadows. They were so dark they almost looked like bruises. Ava, whoever this person is, he does not look well.”

“
This person
? So we’re thinking it’s
not
Gabe?” Julia pressed.

“No,” Molly said in disagreement. “I do.”

“Then why hasn’t he contacted Ava?” Julia asked, exasperated.

“Oh, God, I didn’t want to say this,” Molly’s tone rippled with regret. She scrubbed her hands across her face before taking a deep breath and forging ahead. “What if it is Gabe and he came back to see you? I mean,” she said, noting that Julia was about to interrupt, “what if he’s only got so long to live and he just wanted to see you again? But maybe he thought it would be too hard for you to see him? I mean, Grier told us you said your goodbyes. So what if he’s here but that’s why you haven’t heard from him?”

There were so many things wrong with that theory but Ava couldn’t even begin to explain them in a logical fashion. She hadn’t asked Grier to plant the idea in their heads that Gabe was sick. That he was probably dying and had to be whisked away, out of the country. And while it had served its purpose at first, giving a logical reason for Ava’s overwhelming grief after his disappearance, it was complicating things now. He wasn’t suffering from an ailment. He had been snatched up by death and tossed into the fiery pit the moment he had impaled his own heart with the angelic blade.

Ava didn’t know how to begin to explain any of that. Considering the state of mind she’d been in, she’d expect her friends to think she was suffering from some type of mental breakdown where hallucinations and fanciful thoughts were a side-effect.

Julia shook her head, saving Ava from having to say anything. “I don’t think so. When he walked by yesterday, I said his name. He didn’t even look my way. I mean, if you hear your name you usually look, even if it’s reflexively but he didn’t even flinch. I mean, I could’ve called him Bob for all of the reaction I got from him. I just assumed it wasn’t him. I mean, it’s been nearly a month since I’ve seen him and really, I didn’t spend that much time with him.”

“A few days ago I was working. I was behind the counter and I looked up. There was a glare from the sun coming in through the window and all I really saw was his silhouette looking in. But he just looked so familiar. I thought he was looking at me. I, I left the person I was ringing up and I ran outside. By the time I made it around the counter and through the shop to the door, he was gone.” She blushed furiously at the memory. The customer she’d left had been flustered and none too happy with her hasty dash outside. She’d apologized profusely but she’d
been so shaken she’d had a hard time completing the transaction. In the end, she’d given the customer the bag of handmade taffy and later paid for it herself.

Typically, Ava prided herself on her strong work ethic, at her ability to keep customers satisfied. She was infinitely grateful that her boss, Becky, had not been in the shop at the time. She was able to keep the embarrassing transgression to herself. She mentally sighed. Thinking she saw Gabe was bad enough, allowing it to interfere with her work was bordering on unacceptable.

Then there was the time s
he had been with her parents. They nearly had to force her out of the house because it was her birthday. They had been walking down a crowded street, toward her favorite restaurant. A glimpse of golden blond hair had caught her eye. She’d darted away, but the person had rounded a corner. By the time she’d reached the corner, no one with hair that color was in sight.

And then there were the other times…

“Maybe it was him,”
she
whispered. It couldn’t be possible. Or at least, it
shouldn’t
be possible. At the same time, nothing that happened those last few days she’d had with Gabe should have been possible. And yet they had been. They had happened. She mindlessly began rubbing her fingers around the cross on her neck. The one that should have been lost to her forever and yet, inexplicably, it had been found.

“I need to go!” she said as she shot up from her chair yet again.

This time, each of her friends grabbed one of her wrists, anchoring her in place. Ava was oblivious to the curious glances of the other patrons.

“Please, sit down for a minute,” Julia soothingly requested.

Ava shook her head, already gently trying to pull away.

“We’ll make a deal with you,” Molly said diplom
atically. “You sit down and eat every last bite
and we’ll go to the boardwalk with you.
After
you eat,” Molly said as she pushed Ava’s plate back to her yet again. “I’ll even show you exactly where Julia and I were standing. Where he was walking. Which way he went. Whatever you want to know. As soon as you eat.”

With a look or resignation, Ava plopped back into her chair. For the first time in nearly a month, she ate a complete meal.

Chapter 2

Ava took one obnoxious last slurp of her lemonade to satisfy her friends before setting the empty glass down heavily on the table. “Done.”

They had been patiently waiting as Ava picked her way through her sandwich. Finally, she had been able to slide her empty plate to the side. She tried to ignore the fact that since she’d eaten so little lately she felt as if her stomach might explode. It didn’t matter.
It was a small price to pay for the information she wanted.
Since
she knew
Molly wasn’t going to budge until she’d eaten every last bite, she’d decided she’d better eat every last bite.

She scooted her chair back yet again. This time, her friends followed.

It seemed to take forever to pay their bill
s
. Ava fidgeted as she waited in line, the last of the three to pay. She hurriedly threw down some money,
told the cashier to give the waitress all of the change for her tip,
didn’t say thank you as she normally would have, and took off once more.

“So, where are we going?” she asked over her shoulder
. S
he
was
ru
shing
through the indoor dining area of Bella’s to reach the door that led outside.

“Shopping,” Molly announced as they spilled out onto the sidewalk, into the beautiful, gloriously sunny summer day.

Ava stopped so abruptly, Julia slammed into her and bounced right back off.

“No,” Ava firmly replied. “Not shopping. You said you would show me where you saw Gabe.”

“We saw
a guy
,” Julia corrected. “Not necessarily Gabe.”

Ava huffed in annoyance.

“Also,” Molly said without remorse, “I said we’d make a deal with you. But eating your lunch was only half of it.” Ava started to shake her head but Molly ignored her. “The other half of the deal is that we have to take you shopping.”

Ava didn’t typically get upset with her friends. However, Molly’s comment was more than she could handle at that moment. She needed to find this person. Now. She was trying not to get her hopes up, though it was hard. How could she not? She wanted Gabe back,
safe
, more than she wanted the air
that
she breathed.

And if it wasn’t Gabe? She steeled herself for that possibility because she needed to know that, too.

“Molly, please,” Ava nearly whimpered.

“Here’s the thing,” Molly said as she took off down the sidewalk
.
Ava had no choice but to trudge along after her
, just as Molly knew she would
. “Your parents are really worried about you. They know you need some cheering up. I suggested retail therapy and your mom thought it wasn’t a terrible idea. Your dad agreed too. I promised him I would take you shopping. You have to go. If not, you’ll be making a liar out of me. I can’t lie to a pastor. That’s just all kinds of wrong.”

“You talked to my parents about me?” Ava groaned.

Julia looped her arm through Ava’s as they walked. “We’re all worried about you. They’re especially worried because you insisted on moving into your cabin. You’re all alone out there. There’s nothing to stop you from thinking about…well, sad things.”

“Your dad gave me this,” Molly said as she rooted around in her purse. She pulled out an envelope. “I didn’t open it, obviously, but I know it’s money. Enough money to have a little fun with.”

She handed the envelope to Ava who simply stuffed it into her pocket.

“So, after your retail therapy is complete, we’ll show you. But you have to shop and you have to at least try to enjoy yourself,” Molly told her.

“Ava, whatever is going on with Gabe right now, he’d want you to be happy, wouldn’t he?” Julia carefully asked as Molly held the door of their favorite store open for them.

Ava couldn’t answer. She clenched her jaw instead. Gabe had given up his life for her so yes, without a doubt, he’d want what was best for her.

Before stepping inside, Ava’s eyes scanned up and down the sidewalk. At least they were down by the river, where Gabe had been seen. Maybe, just maybe…She took in every detail, every person. No one looked like Gabe. Not even close.

Julia guided her into the little boutique. Molly had already begun circling the racks. Ava glanced around as Julia took off after something she’d spotted. Usually she loved this place with its unique collection of clothing but now…it just seemed overwhelming.

“No more looking glum,” Molly said as she took Ava’s hand to tug her along. “Graduation is behind us.
High school
is behind us. It’s summer. It’s time to have some fun!”

“That’s exactly why the two of you should shop and let me go home. After you show me where you saw this person. Then the two of you can have some fun without my grumpy mood dragging you down,” Ava suggested.

Molly stopped with two identical tank tops in different colors slung over her arm. “Do you really think Julia and I can have any fun without you? Knowing how miserable you are right now? We can’t. It’s not going to happen. So get used to the idea that we aren’t going to leave you alone any time soon. We all know that if it were Julia or
me
in your position, you’d be doing the exact same thing. Now, which one do you like better? Turquoise or fuchsia? Or both?”

“Both,” Ava decided.

Molly rolled her eyes. “I know you’re just agreeing to both to hurry things along.”

It was true. But yet…

“I do like them both,” she told Molly. She plucked the fuchsia one from her friend and held it up to her chest. “What do you think?” she asked.

Molly looked at her suspiciously.

Ava gave her a weak smile. “I’m trying. I promise. You’re completely right. I would want you and Julia to be happy. I appreciate what you’re trying to do. I’m so lucky to have friends like you.”

“Yes, you are,” Julia agreed as she tossed a lime green sundress over Ava’s shoulder.

“What’s with all of the bright colors?” Ava wondered. She was
n’t necessarily opposed
but her friend
s
seemed to be going to the extreme with them.