Chapter 11
Chapter 11
Chapter 11 Ava's POV
Two weeks later...
I was finally adjusting to my new job and avoiding Andrew at all costs. I noticed that he was mostly home in the morning when I arrived, then he'd leave but would usually return around mid-day. I made a point of avoiding the kitchen and upstairs when I arrived at the house because he was almost certainly there. When he returned home, I would take Dalia for walks or take her into the garden.
Dalia's mother never allowed her to leave the grounds unless she was accompanied by her. I found it odd but did not feel compelled to inquire as to why. I simply took note of it and moved on.
Dalia's favorite food was Mac and Cheese; she tolerated Kraft but preferred homemade. Her favorite animal was dolphins, and her favorite color was green.
She was one of the brightest and most well-mannered kids I'd ever met. I had no experience with children, but I knew that younger children were usually difficult, but she was never. I'd never seen her have a temper tantrum.
Andrew would occasionally come home and just watch Dalia as I played with her; he never looked at me, which I appreciated.
Today was Friday, and I planned to make Dalia's favorite lunch and take her outside to play in the garden because it was such a beautiful day. I began preparing the meal around midday.
"Aavaa," Dalia grumbled.
"Yes, princess?" I said
"Why don't you spend some time with Andrew?"
When she asked that question, I almost dropped the cheese.
"What exactly do you mean, Princess?" I inquired again.
"Well, when he comes home, you turn away and you don't speak to him." She stated
I was astounded by how perceptive she was and had no idea how to respond to her question.
"I-I just don't like your brother because his words hurt me." I replied, trying not to get into too much detail.
"Was he mean to you Ava?" She inquired, almost in tears.
"N-No, honey, he just made me sad, but I promise I'm fine, so don't worry." I replied, trying to reassure her that her brother was not a bad person, but he was to me.
"Oh okay then," she thought to herself.
I tried to divert her attention away from her brother by telling her we were having Mac and Cheese. She began to jump up and down with delight when she heard that.
I let her assist me in making the Mac and Cheese. I popped the Mac and Cheese into the oven and set the timer. We went into the living room and began coloring various animals. When the timer went off, I informed her that we would have to wait for the Mac and Cheese to cool before eating it. We colored for a few more minutes after I took the dish out of the oven to cool.
We went into the kitchen when I thought it wouldn't be too hot, and I got us two plates and dished her some Mac and Cheese. She was giggling with delight, and when I served her some of the pasta, she looked as if she was going to pass out from happiness.
"I like you, Ava." She stated
"I like you too, Princess," I laughed.
"Can I give you a hug, Ava?" she inquired
"Of course, honey, but for what?" As I knelt down and hugged her, I said.
"I don't want you to leave because you make me happy," she explained.
"Awww, of course, princess, I'm not leaving." With tears welling up in my eyes, I said. I realized she had made me feel loved all over again. She knew nothing about me and chose to like me anyway.
I noticed we had left her cup of water in the other room after I released her from the hug.
"Hello, Princess." I'll get you some water, okay?" I said
"OK, Ava, hurry up!" she exclaimed.
I entered the living room and began looking for her cup, not remembering where I had placed it. I found the cup of water and began walking towards the kitchen a few seconds later.
As I got closer to the kitchen, I heard someone say, "Here comes the airplane... brrrrrrrrrrrrrrr, "ahhhhhh, nuum, num," nm I walked into the kitchen after hearing Dalia laugh and was astounded by what I found.
To make Dalia happy, Andrew was feeding her and making airplane noises. I examined the scene in front of me. He was dressed in black jeans, a white jacket, and his usual leather jacket. Because his shirt was too tight, I could see the outline of his chest muscles and broad shoulders. His gorgeous brown hair was messy but handsome.
What surprised me the most when I looked at Andrew was his smile.
I never expected to see him smile, but it was so endearing when he did. He had perfect white teeth that he should flaunt more often, and his lips curled into the most beautiful position on his face. When he smiled, I forgot who he was because he looked so different; he wasn't the man who had insulted me and made me feel bad anymore; he was just a beautiful man playing with his little sister.
When he smiled, his eyes changed completely; they no longer appeared evil and controlling, but rather soft and caring. When he smiled, I couldn't help but fall in love with his eyes.
When he saw me, his smile faded and he appeared as if he was about to scream another insult at me. I was expecting his demeanor and what was about to happen, but what surprised me was when he looked at Dalia and gave her a weak smile.
"Hello, Ava," he hissed.
I was surprised that he hadn't yelled at me. I could tell his voice was tense with disgust, but he still said my name and greeted me without a single insult.
"Um hi Andrew," I stammered.
"I was just about to leave," he grumbled.
"Um, okay..." I said
I rolled my eyes at him and moved out of the way, ensuring that he did not say anything he would later regret in front of his sister.
I inhaled his scent as he walked past me; he smelled like whiskey and cloves. I never thought that would be a good combination, but it smelled like heaven. I shook my head and chastised myself for liking the photo of him and being so close to him.
I approached Dalia, raising my eyebrows because I knew she had said something to him.
"Because you said he was mean to you, I said no more play time if he was mean to you." She said this while stuffing her face with Mac and Cheese.
"Awww, Princess, you don't have to do that." I said
"I understand, but I really like you and want you to stay." She stated
I grinned uncontrollably, pleased that I had a three-year-old who cared enough about me to reprimand her older brother.
Dalia and I went out to the garden after lunch and began playing games that involved running around chasing each other. It was 6 o'clock when we finally got tired of the game.
I heard Andrew's car approach the house and hoped I could get away without him noticing.
"I have to be on my way home, Princess, but I will see you tomorrow." I told her while I picked her up to hug her.
"Awwww, bye, Aava." She said this while hugging me. Têxt belongs to NôvelDrama.Org.
When I sat her down and began walking towards the front door, I heard,
"Pause right there."