Seeing Blind (Rough Draft)

Chapter Twelve

Ambrose stepped away from Avery, silent. He wouldn't even look her in the eyes, looking everywhere but at her.

"Ambrose," Avery said softly.

"Don't." He bit out. He swallowed, softened his voice, "I'm sorry. Guess I read the signals wrong."

Did he? Avery let him get pretty far without saying anything. Did she want to kiss Ambrose? Someone she promised herself never to like? "I-I have to go."

"Avery." Ambrose tried grabbing her wrist, but she turned away, rushing to get some air, to someplace....anywhere.Once outside, she ran. Ran anywhere, somewhere Ambrose wasn't.

Her feet took her to the house. The house her father wanted to make a home.

Her father was still sitting on the porch swing, looking up at the fireworks that continued to light up the sky. She walked up the steps and sat next to her dad, looking up at the sky.

"Two of your friends came over to see how you were," her father said without taking his gaze off of the sky. "They thought you had come home. When I told them you weren't here, they were confused, wondering why you lied to them. Where were you, Avery?"

"At Ollie's Pizzeria."

"Thought it closed early?"

"It did. Ambrose let me in."

"Ah." Dad got up and went into the house, motioning to Avery to wait. She heard some rustling and when he came back, he had two spoons and a pint of ice cream in his hands, along with some paper towels. He sat down and opened the lid. "Why'd you leave the pool, Avery?"

She swallowed a bite of Rocky Road, debating on if she should tell him or not. Shouldn't he know? "You've never asked about the four-inch scar I have on my left thigh."

"I know how you got it."

"You do?" She didn't believe him. Why didn't he visit if he knew?

"Your mother called me. I came right away, Avery. When I tried to see you your mother wouldn't allow me into your hospital room. She told me you wouldn't want to see me, that it'd be too painful after all the time I've been gone. She had full rights to you by that time. I thought she was right, that you were still mad, that you'd just kick me out. So, I left and went back to St. Louis."

"She never told me," she whispered. "I wanted to see you."

"I called every day you were hospitalized asking about you but your mother would never tell me."

"She didn't tell me that, either." Why didn't she? Why did her mother keep her father away from her? Why did she let Avery go on believing her father didn't want her anymore?

"Your mother and I had our problems but you were never one of them. Ever."

Avery cleared her throat. "The attack...when...when...it got me...ever since I was saved I've been afraid to go near the water. I won't go in it now. There are no more trips to the beach or pools for me. I can't--I can't get close to it, I get panic attacks."

"I would have been there for you, Avery. If only..."

If only Mom would have let him see her, Avery finished silently. "I know now," she said out loud.

"And that's all that matters."

He was right, that was all that mattered. "I just want to know why she won't come back," Avery said. "I want her here to explain."

"I know you do. I know."

"But she won't, will she?"

"Your mother's unpredictable, Avery. I don't know what she'll do anymore."