Everything That Glitters Ain't Gold - Danielle Martin (the snowy day read aloud .txt) 📗

sprawled out body across the shower floor remorsefully. 
“I love you so much. But you deserve better than me… You asked me to let you go if I was going to hurt you… I wouldn’t be a man if I didn’t keep my word.”

 Each sentence that left his mouth completely shattered her on the inside. She could not say anything. The words would not form themselves. The truth had already been told. This place was not her home. Blake was not her man. He was married. He was going to have a baby.  This was the reality. One of the toughest pills she had ever to swallow.

“Ava, I got to go… You don’t have to leave tonight. I got 3 days to figure out where I’m going to move you next.” He turned his back and headed towards the doorway leaving her sitting inside the running shower. No more apologies. No explanation. Nothing.  

“Wait…” Ava called out to him.

He halted in the doorframe with his back turned. He took a deep breath. “Yeah?” he called out over his shoulder.

She stared at the back of him. If he loved her as much as he claimed she couldn’t understand why was he walking away. He promised he would never leave. He promised to never turn his back on her. She swallowed her tears before asking. “Do you want to be her with, Blake??? Is that why you are leaving???” she asked the question weakly as if she could barely speak. Her insides were hurting. Her heart had been snatched out of her chest and torn into pieces. Blake slowly looked over his shoulder. He stared at her. The look in his eyes was different. Distant. As if he were staring for the last time.

“I love you, Ava. I swear to God, I do… That’s why I’m letting you go….” Blake reassured his love for her one last time. Ava shuddered. She could not scream. She could not shout at him or chase after him. All she could do was lie helplessly underneath the water that poured down over her head. She was devastated.  Traumatized. As quickly as this man changed her life, he flipped it upside down just as easily. Things would never be the same. After today, she would never love the same. Love had defeated her. Love had broken her down to her lowest for what would be the last time. There was no coming back from this no matter how badly she wanted to. No matter how badly she loved the hell out of him….

With that being said, Blake took one last glance, mouthed the words “I love you.” turned on his heel and headed out of the bathroom down the hallway and out of the front door leaving her soaking in the shower alone.

 

Chapter 24.

Chapter 24.

 

Ding Dongggggg.

The sound of the doorbell loudly sounded off on the opposite side of the large black door. Ava used her index finger to ring the doorbell then anxiously stepped back, firmly planting her feet in the middle of the welcome mat. It was almost 10 o’clock. Her heart was racing out of control. The agitation had taken over. Ava began tapping her foot apprehensively while waiting. It had been a while since she had been outside these doors. Approximately 98 hours to be exact. Those 4 days felt more like an eternity. Now, she felt strange and awkward at the place where she once felt so comfortable. About another minute had passed and still no answer. Ava sighed dejectedly. She thought about ringing the doorbell again, but thought maybe the no answer was a sign. She had shown up running off adrenaline and had not been thinking clearly. I shouldn’t be here… Not now… Maybe it’s too soon… Maybe I should give it more time…

It didn’t take long for Ava to come to her senses. She had been standing on the porch knocking a little underneath 2 minutes before finally giving up. Quickly, Ava turned on her heel and began to skip in the opposite direction towards her car which was parked directly across the street. She walked fast, suddenly feeling desperate to get away. I have to stop this… I have to stop making spur of the moment decisions… I have to start doing better with my life!

“Hazel!” she halted in her tracks after hearing a voice shout out her middle name. She came to an abrupt standstill, her foot still raised in midair. She had not moved fast enough. Slowly, Ava peered over her shoulder glancing at the front door which had been opened wide “Hazel, is that you???” the voice called out to her from the porch.

She did not answer right away. Instead she nodded her hanging head instead of giving a verbal response. She was afraid to speak. Afraid that her presence was unwanted.

The figure stepped off the porch and began walking down the walkway heading to where she stood. Ava flinched as soon as the person approached, stopping two inches away from her sizing her up and down. “What’s up, Hazel??? What are you doing here???”

Ava choked. Initially, she had so much to say prior to showing up. But now that she was actually here, she did not know how to say any of it. She looked down at the floor, deciding to spit out before she accidentally swallowed the truth. She was here now and it was either now or never…

“I… I…. I’m sorry, Jade…. With all of my heart… I am sorry….”

Ava blurted it out. Finally. She let out what had been eating her up for days now. Jade stood before her dressed comfortably in pajama’s with her hair wrapped over her head. Seeing her blank expression reminded Ava how much she missed this damn woman. She missed talking to her. She missed telling her everything. She missed having a real friend. Ava covered her face embarrassed after becoming overwhelmed by her inner sadness. She lightly sobbed into her hand.  “I have never regretted something so much in my life, Jade. I miss you so much… I miss our friendship! Please forgive me for ruining everything! I need you to forgive me, Jade. Pleaseeeee!” she begged as she cried. Her guilty conscience had gotten the best of her and now she didn’t mind pleading. Ava couldn’t sleep. Couldn’t eat. She couldn’t move on with life unless Jade forgave her. She needed to make her wrongs a right.

In response, Jade stared at her blankly listening to her apologize. She didn’t seem very enthusiastic nor was she moved by Ava’s apology. She stepped forward. “What happened to your face Hazel???” she asked sternly but also concerned at the same time.

 Ava cowardly covered her eyes as if she could undo what Jade had already seen. She hoped she hadn’t noticed how badly her eyelids had swollen, but she did. “I think I had an allergic reaction. I got pepper sprayed.” Ava’s shoulders slumped after answering truthfully.

Jade’s jaw dropped in surprise. She gasped then stepped forward. “What??? Who the fuck pepper sprayed you??? Who would do such a thing???” she shouted in a startled tone. Jade was now fully attentive.

A cold shiver shot through Ava’s body. The thought was too painful process. Too heartbreaking to think of and too difficult to talk about. She didn’t want to remember. “That doesn’t matter.” Ava brushed off the question then reached for Jade’s hand. “You were right. About everything!”  I never should have thrown our friendship away over a man. I was so stupid! I never wanted to lose my friend!” Ava’s chest weaved up and down as she ranted. Once again, she burst into tears, this time louder and more hysterical than the first time. Once her cries began to flow, they wouldn’t stop. She cried hard, her shoulders bobbing up and down. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’m sorry! You were so right! Karma bit me right in the ass!” Ava felt weak. Beyond destroyed. Her tears had drained all the little energy she had left. Now she had nothing.

All of a sudden, she felt a pair of arms throw themselves around her shoulders taking her by surprise. “It’s okay, Hazel.” Out of nowhere, Jade pulled her in and wrapped her up in a huge warm hug. She held her tight. “All I wanted was a sincere apology…I forgive you…” Her words were like sweet music. Ava cried even harder and hugged her back tightly. “Oh Jade, thank you! Thank you so much!”

She pulled apart and looked her in the eyes. Surprisingly, Jade’s expression was just as apologetic.  “No, you were right Hazel. I never should have made you chose. I threw our friendship away over a man I just met. I was hurt. I should have told you how I felt. It wasn’t you.”

Ava wiped her tears. She smiled weakly. “Thank you so much. But you don’t have to apologize… Really. You did nothing wrong.”

Jade nodded her head. Her regretful demeanor proving just how selfless she really was. She held her hand. “Yeah, I know. But I have been meaning to apologize for hitting you while you were at work. That was wrong and completely out of character for me. I felt really bad about that.”

Surprisingly, Ava laughed. She covered her mouth in between her chuckles. “It’s okay… Honestly, I didn’t know you were that strong.”

Jade smiled but did not laugh with her. She squeezed her hand tightly. “Hazel, you don’t have to tell me what happened… but we need to get you to a hospital and make sure you’re alright. Your eyes are swelling up really bad.”

Ava blushed. She was embarrassed to show her face like this. But Jade was right. She needed to get herself checked out. “Okay…” she nodded her head and smiled a half smile. Silently, she thanked Jade for allowing her to keep things private. Ava was too disgusted with herself to reflect on the bad decisions she made. She wanted to forget. She wanted to numb herself from the pain.

 Jade took her hand and began leading her up the walkway back towards the house. “Come on.”

 Ava followed, her eyes glued on the front door.  Deep down, it felt so good to know she was still welcomed inside this home. She had come so close to losing one of the most important people in her life. And although there was a laundry list full of things Ava had lost, it was so reassuring to know that she did not lose a friend.

Jade led her into the doorway and shut it firmly behind her. “Let me grab my purse and keys then we will go."

Ava nodded her head and politely stood in the doorway. She watched silently as Jade scurried around the room to collect her belongings.

“Babe….” The sudden sound of a deep male voice instantly startled her. Ava jumped and turned her body towards the hallway where the deep voice was coming from. Seconds later, a manly figure emerged from around the corner dressed in only pajama pants and a tank top. Ava’s jaw dropped, watching as the man sleepily rubbed his eyes as if he had been asleep in the bedroom. “Baby, is everything all right???” he spoke directly to Jade.

Ava couldn’t hide her shock. She looked back and forth in between the