Egos

Chapter Five

"My heart is not in my body; it's lying under the castle you burned down. Yet I am still here, an empty shell with bloodshot eyes and a fake smile."

-Courtney Peppernell

On the morning of Christmas Eve, Ava was awoken by men pounding on her front door. While she was used to daily ATF, IRS, FBI, CIA, GPD, etc., this took Ava by surprise. Perhaps they had been standing in the cold for too long? It was only five a.m., what was the matter?

Ava donned her clothes from the night before, which still laid messily beside the bed. It had been another night of research, tears, and attempting to understand the web that Charles had woven for her. Was he attempted to guide her to freedom, or attempting to cause her pain? Or did he even care at all?

Ava opened her front door, just as an officer who looked as if he was about to kick it down fell through. Fear, quickly and coldly, turned her face into a statue. Law enforcement only busted down doors when searching for criminals.

"What can I help you gentlemen with today?" Ava asked. Her mind was steeled, defensive mechanisms closing around her heart as they had when Charles had shared her home.

Shutting the door behind him, a gruff older man said "Well, it's come to our attention that you and Charles shared a bank account-"

"That's what married people do," Ava interjected. If this was the reason her door had been assaulted this morning, Ava had now doubt there'd be hell to pay.

"I'm aware, ma'am. Please, let me finish." The officer became defensive, his ego clearly damaged. "Because Charles was using his personal bank account, the one shared with you, to clean dirty money, we suspect that you were involved with his criminal activity."

Ava opened her mouth to interject, but the man shook his head no at her.

"Now, because we can neither prove nor disprove your involvement with his crimes, we don't intend to press criminal charges. To be frank, we've made enough of an example out of your husband and gotten the testimony we need."

However, we haven't gotten our money. Now Mrs. Johnson, records show that you have nearly six-hundred thousand dollars in savings, as well as assets in both the stock market and cash deposit accounts. In order to obtain reparations for the crimes committed by your family, the Internal Revenue Service will be seizing these assets. Thank you." With that, the six officers left Ava's home, heartlessly delivering their decision without consulting her first.

Now, Ava's heart sank to the floor. Her whole life, since she was five years old, Ava had deposited her money in a bank account. She had cultivated her savings, knowing that she could always take care of herself if possible. But now, they were all gone. All because Ava had chosen to let the man she used to love care for her. How had she been so stupid? Trusted so blindly?

Thoughts of Christmas, thoughts of bills, thoughts of work, thoughts of daycare. All the things Ava would soon have to face clouded her mind, taking over the space she had been working so hard to reclaim. Why must this war wage on?

Curled in a ball on the floor, Ava cried until she couldn't see. Until the world went black and she was asleep, Ava cried for herself, for her daughter, for the love she now realized never existed.

Yet, there was a careful ruse she had lost and now knew she could never reobtain. She could never return to the persona of a housewife, as strength was calling Ava's name. But to be strong would mean working through so much pain.