THE BEFORE
ONE- TUSCALOOSA
Ava Carter brushed past him on her way to the art gallery, shielding her face from the biting wind, a hint of snigger playing on her slightly plump lips.
She was going to gawk at the image of 'Mistress Penelope and her slaves' for the umpteenth time, and probably tear it at the tips, against his wish.
It was not her favorite exhibit because its owner was Kath, her seatmate in class. Kath of all people. She shouldn't have been taken aback that much when at her own art exhibition, the perky-nosed rebel emerged with a large painting, which she nicknamed 'Mistress Penelope and her slaves'.
She left it at the entrance, scoffing all the time she passed by Ava, and disappeared from the gallery minutes after slipping some dollar notes into her bag while giving her negotiator a wry, rather subtle smile.
If only she knew that the poor guy didn't exactly like the painting, that he only purchased it to encourage her, and that he left it there, after glancing at it for split seconds.
Right in front of the 8-inched frame of the 'Mistress Penelope and her slaves', Ava giggled, and almost immediately , a frown creased her forehead as soon as the revelation of its whole meaning dawned on her. She stretched forth her quivering fingers, in a bid to tear the ends off the frame, her other hand was already closefisted, but then she turned back and watched him pull his thick collar up, tightened his hoodie at the neck, and shoved his hands deep into his plain pockets.
Ava could bet she heard him swear under his breath.
She sighed, dropping her hands by her side. She was not going to destroy the painting. She was not going to do it because he didn't want it.
Even if the urge was there to kick off its reins and smash it on a rock. Not that any of that mattered anyway, Kath had already sold it off, and at a huge price even.
"I don't want you to be like me, Ava" he shivered, misty air escaping from his dry lips.
Her mouth was shut tight. What could she say? She knew him to be a survivor of whatever trauma there is, in the world. Every pulling and pushing and yanking he did to whoever student stood in his way at Valley Tulip high school was a yearn for freedom. He was only sixteen, but he seemed to carry so much burden on his shoulders.
The whole of Valley Tulip High Schoolers, especially the students in their finals knew him. He was the usuals, but a little mysterious- 6'0, with green eyes and dark wavy hair, chiseled and firm, an unapologetic loner;You dared not step on his toes.
"She's clearly immature, we don't want to be like her, right?" He said again, this time lowering his weight on a seat outside.
"We should go now, Ethan
It's getting dark" Ava coughed, fetching her backpack which was lying lazily on the last row of staircase.
He hesitantly pushed himself up and walked by her. It was past lunch time already, but he was not in the mood to go home just yet. He could as well save the routine of embracing the emptiness in his room everyday after school, for later.
Maybe after a drink with Ava. It usually worked.
After a ten minute- walk, It was about time to part ways when he spoke.
"Let's have a drink sometime please" he was formal, very unusual of him. Ava noticed his sombre mood. She closed the space between them and embraced him tightly.
"Are you catching the late night bus home?" She drawled.
"No. I'll walk the mile." His hands covered the small of her back. He subconsciously rubbed it every now and then, as he spoke.
"Here's not safe for a late night walk, Ethan. I've told you that a million times" she scolded him like he was a little child
"I'm a guy"
"Guys get killed too" she insisted
"I'll walk you home and sleep over if you want" He said, pecking her forehead affectionately. "I wanna be with you some more"
She disengaged his hug sharply as though she had been stung by a black ant. As if on cue, Her hand flew to her mouth.
"Did you say you're going to sleep over in my house?" She blushed, jumping.
"We'll sneak in, okay?" He laughed, pulling her towards Eastern Tuscaloosa.
Ava was speechless. As much as she liked to be wrapped in her boyfriend's arms, she thought it was weird for him to sneak into her room. Without letting her parents know that is.
"Ethan, I'm gonna tell mom you're here myself" she said, dragging him while ringing the doorbell with her other hand. He didn't respond.
As soon as the door was answered, she pulled him in before he could resist, and shut the door behind him.
Ethan's eyes darted around the couches and interior decorations of the house. Hers was indeed a snug home.
Emma Carter was behind the dining table, dusting off soot off the edges with a table towel, her back turned to the duo.
"Mam! I'm home!" Ava shrieked, dumping her backpack on the couch. Emma ran over to embrace her daughter, rocking her carefully in her arms. She wriggled her waist to the sound of the clap of Emma's hands on her chunky thighs.
"Congratulations on your exhibition, cherry. I left earlier because we had someone visit us" she rubbed Ava's head and pecked her cheek, totally oblivious of the young man leaning on the door.
"It's okay, mam. Where's Papa?" She looked around the room despite being sure of his whereabouts.
Her force of habit, Ava was used to it.
"In his room. Hurry, go say hello to him. He's been dying to give you a hug. If wishes were horses.." she trailed off, dusting her damp hands on her mufti.
Ava ran off, but turned back almost immediately when she noticed Ethan still leaning on the door.
"Mam, meet Ethan Miller. He's...err..my friend at school" she said, flashing her a cringy smile."Ethan, this is my..well, best friend".
Emma blushed. It didn't come so common for a child to call her mom her 'best friend'.
Ethan bent his head low and shook hands with the slightly pudgy yet drop-dead gorgeous woman with pretty brown eyes. She merely nodded and asked him what he'd like to drink.
Ava saw her serve him a cup of boiling coffee in a tray before she disappeared through the stairs. Her father's room was alone there, almost at the attic, lone and dreary, like a stigmatized abode.
When Emma had suggested a year ago that they bring him back home from St Louis Hospital whether well or not, she had flipped her lid and isolated herself from her family for a while, to which her mother had responded, "You can't be as hurt as I am. He's my husband, my brother, my mother, my father figure,my best friend, everything, all in one person, but, he's only a father to you". She had also told her, "Bringing him home will be a blessing, because we can see him everyday and he'll not feel so lonely. Having to be bedridden for a long time in the hospital, without your family is a disease in itself". She was absolutely right, and those words stuck.
She had had to accept the fact that her father might never be able to move around, at least not on his own, anymore.
Maybe in many years, maybe in forever. It was a bitter pill to swallow especially because It's only been four years and she still finds that it's hard for her to accept fate.
'He might be confined to a wheel for a long while if not forever' , the surgeon's words were very clear, but she could not take them.
"Papa, I'm here!" Ava placed her wet mouth on his shiny forehead. There was a glint of hope in his sapphire eyes.
"Cherry, how'd it go?" He coughed
"Perfect!"
"How many paintings?"
"25" she shrieked, grabbing his bedspread.
"I'm proud of you, cherry. So proud of you" He said, trying to stifle a cough while embracing his starry-eyed daughter.
Ava took his wrist and forcefully spread his fingers. He sniffled under her breath.
"Papa, I'll bring you something now, okay? Something I made myself" she said, disappearing immediately and swiftly into the hallway.
"Careful, you could fall!" He warned.
She soon returned with a tiny bottle of honey, three limes and a cup of steaming percolated coffee. Without hesitation, she began to mix and unmix, sometimes running out to bring in more liquids and items in powdery form.
Few minutes later and she had a mug of something sweet-smelling, sour and medicinal. She poured it into several tiny bottles that used to house honey.
"Here, Papa. Drink this every morning and evening"
"Sometimes I don't know which of them you like to do more- paint or prepare unknown specimens to treat ailments" he took one of the bottles and brought it down to his lips, softly letting the taste bite his tongue.
"One day, I'll prepare a medicine to make you stand and walk" Ava snuggled up to her father.
"Nonsense, Cherry. Don't think too much about me. Let's simply be grateful for life because I am."
"Still, life gets easier when everyone in your family can walk". He fell back to the bed, panting and coughing dryly.
"If I can't make it happen, my future husband will, because he's going to be a seller of good medicine" she chuckled. Jason Carter knew his daughter was not kidding.
She had always spoken about marrying someone who loved medicine, sold medicine or loved taking care of people or no one else.
It was one reason she stuck with Ethan- he was caring to the extent that he mostly forgot that he was human himself. Well, the story was not same with other students in her school.
He was strict with them. They called him a bully but only his girlfriend, Ava knew how soft he was, underneath that coarse sheath.
Staring at her father's lively blue eyes, she was tempted to ask him for a personal equipped laboratory for the umpteenth time, even though it was obvious he couldn't afford it.
It was not the only thing he couldn't afford. He also couldn't buy her the bicycle he promised to gift her on her last birthday, and a visit to Granny's farm at the countryside.
He was helplessly bankrupt.
All his savings from his printing company had been spent on his ill health. Emma even took a few loans that she still struggled to pay back, even after a year.
Only Emma's salon business kept the family together now.
Ava stared at her dad's smiling face, after handing him the bottles. He heaved a sigh that meant he was impressed by the taste of what he just took.
He was alive but that was not enough for her; He should walk.
Both of them rocked each other on the snug duvet. Anyone could hear a pin drop at that moment.
All of a sudden, the silence was broken by an ear-splitting noise from her phone.
It was probably high time she listened to Ethan's whining about putting the damn phone on vibration mode.
Especially when it was only a fucking text.
"I'm in your room ʘ‿ʘ｡◕‿◕｡" she read it twice or thrice before rising.
"Papa, I'll see you tomorrow, okay? Stay safe for cherry" she gave him a goodnight kiss and disappeared from his room.