Almost Everything

Chapter 24 - Casualty

The car pulls up to the Williams townhouse and the four of us look at each other. Oliver and Libby decide to stay at her house for the evening, knowing it's not going to be good when Elizabeth's son walks into the house. Jackson nods his understanding at their decision. The both of us get out of the car and quickly make our way up the stairs to the front door.

"Are you sure you want to stay?" He asks me.

"I'm sure." I kiss his cheek before we walk into the house.

Elizabeth comes running out of the kitchen when she hears the front door open. I see the wave of relief on her face when she hugs him. She calls out for Jim to call Kyle and my brother to ask them to stop looking for Jackson.

"Where the heck have you been?" She asks him.

"Hiding." He looks at the ground.

"Next time, call and let me know that's the plan." She slaps him upside the head and turns to me. "You didn't have to leave LA and come here, seems like I made you miss something important. I'm sorry if I made you feel that way." She apologizes to me.

I look at Jackson and smile. "I will drop everything for this boy. I do feel slightly overdressed now." I giggle.

Jim comes into the living room and I still can't make eye contact with him. I find a spot on the couch as his parents lay into him about still being their son and having the same rules as always. Both were worried, and it only makes me love this family more. They love each other so much.

His mom is more understanding of his need to escape the craziness of Hollywood. She gets what he means about feeling overwhelmed and wanting some normality. His dad wasn't as understanding. Jim was downright upset that his son didn't have the common courtesy to call and tell them he was fine.

My eyes feel heavy. I curl myself into a little ball at the end of the couch and close my eyes for a couple of seconds. The next thing I know, Jackson is carrying me up to his room and Elizabeth is following with an offer to make up Nicole's old room for me.

"You. I'm staying with you." I whisper near his ear.

"We're fine mom." He tells her.

"Jackson, this is still our house and I think Avery should stay in Nicole's room," Jim says behind us.

He turns on the stairway to look at his parents. "If you guys want me to stay here tonight, Ava is staying in my room with me. It's no big deal, she used to do it all the time growing up. We're exhausted and have a lot to talk about. Now, if that's all, we'll be in my room." He tells them.

I hide my smile in his neck and hold him tighter. He turns around and we walk into his room. Closing the door behind us, he sets me on his bed and goes to his dresser. I watch as he carefully pulls a t-shirt from the drawer for me to change into.

"You didn't have to come to New York." He says handing me the white t-shirt.

"How did you think I wouldn't?"

I stand so he can unzip my dress. My stomach tightens with his touch on my bare skin. His lips kiss my shoulders and I pull away from him quickly.

"Because you do that. You always pull away from me like I'm repulsive. You've been pulling away since your dad's heart attack. You try to get me kicked off the movie and you threaten to leave it if I don't. Ava, I don't understand what happened." He looks at me for answers.

"It's complicated," I say turning to face him. "It's not you, it's me." I offer with a slight smile.

"What did she tell you?" He asks with a low, deep voice.