13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Ava

I fumble with my keys, exhaustion weighing heavy on my shoulders as I finally unlock our apartment door. The living room is dark, silent. No sign of Ava.

"Babe?" I call out, dropping my bag and kicking off my heels. No response.

My stomach knots as I check my phone. No messages. I pad into the kitchen, flicking on lights as a text comes in.

Sam: Working late again. I will be home as soon as I can.

I feel upset. Sam had promised me that she would come home early tonight so we could talk. Things had been difficult between us.

Me: Ok.

I kept typing out more responses, but everything I wrote felt either too sappy or too angry. I grab a glass of wine and sink onto the couch, trying to quell the nagging worry in my chest

I go to bed that night alone. I turn on Netflix and let an old comedy play in the background as I'm lost in my own thoughts. I wake to an empty bed, the sheets cold beside me. Glancing at the clock, I see it's past midnight. When I finally close my eyes, I feel tears shed onto my pillow.

Hours pass, sleep eluding me. When I hear the front door open at 2 AM, I pretend to be asleep. Sam's footsteps are unsteady as she enters our bedroom.

"Ava?" she whispers. "Are you awake?"

I don't respond, keeping my breathing even. She sighs, fumbling in the dark as she changes. The bed dips as she slides in beside me, smelling of alcohol and unfamiliar perfume. I feel her hesitate, then she turns away, leaving a chasm between us.

The next morning, I find Sam in the kitchen, nursing a cup of coffee. Her eyes are red-rimmed, her posture defeated.

"Late night?" I ask, trying to keep my tone light.

"Look, I know that you are angry," she begins. "I had an emergency with one of my distributors. I couldn't leave until everything was sorted out."

"I would have understood that if you had bothered to call or text me," I shoot back.

I know my tone is harsh, but I'm sick of her forgetting about me.

"I know I should have called, but I was just so busy. You need to understand, Ava. I've been trying to do better. Please don't make me feel like shit about this," she seethes.

Now I'm angry. Sam thinks she can do something sweet for me and I am supposed to just forgive and forget. I wish I could do that, but I just can't.

"The other night was beautiful," I say, my voice cracking. "But it doesn't change how I've been feeling. I'm suffocating here, Sam. I need you to remember that I have feelings, too," I cry.

"Baby, I love you. All I do is think about you and your feelings. You know my work is hectic. I was up front about that from the start. Just give me some time to sort some things out and then I can give you more time," Sam pleads.

Too tired to fight anymore, I offer a small smile. "Ok. I just hope that don't make me wait too long."

The next evening, I'm determined to reconnect with Sam. And to my surprise, when I come back from my evening walk on the beach, Sam is home, and our tiny balcony has become a haven of twinkling lights and mouthwatering aromas as I spot one of my favorite dishes on the outdoor table; parmesan crusted chicken with garlic mashed potatoes.

As I walk further into the apartment, my eyes widen.

"Sam, what is this?" I ask.

Sam pulls me in close to her. "Just a little reminder of how much I love you."

I hug her back, breathing in her scent.

We settle onto the balcony, the Miami skyline glittering before us. As we savor perfectly grilled salmon and crisp white wine, conversation flows easily for the first time in weeks.

"Remember that little seafood shack in Seattle?" Sam asks, a wistful smile playing on her lips. "

"You mean the one that smelled awful, and that old man told us to stay away from?" I laugh.

"Yes, I saw a food truck today that reminded me of that. And it reminded me of how much fun we had. I want us to get back to being happy and laughing again," she says.

I laugh, warmth spreading through my chest at the memory. "I agree. I want that, too," I tell her, extending my hand and holding hers across the table.

I squeeze her fingers, my earlier doubts fading. "I'm so grateful we found each other, Sam. That we took this chance on Miami, on us."

Sam's eyes shimmer in the candlelight. "Me too, Ava. I know it hasn't always been easy, but...you're my home."

As we lean in for a kiss, I vow silently to nurture this precious thing between us.