Mistakes of our past | Rhekker

Chapter 26- Memories

It had been four tiring days without Sophia. Ava and Connor had both been given time off from work as the investigation progressed. The news had broke of a missing girl in Chicago two days ago and it had only taken a day for the papers to realise that for Ava Bekker to have a three year old, it must be Connors Rhodes child. As tabloids ran wild with stories of this secret love affair and child, PD tried to refocus the news to the fact that Sophia was missing, and not that she was a Rhodes.

Connor hadn't been home since Sophia went missing, he'd been afraid to leave Ava's side and had seen the swarm of reporters that were camped outside his empty apartment.
All the couple did was sit in silence, waiting for a phone call, a text, even a ransom note. Anything that could give them hope.
Jay had told them not to expect a ransom note, most people knew Ava had a child after all the time she spend in Chicago, but no one had known that she was a Rhodes, so it was unlikely she was taken for money. This only made Ava blame herself even more, if Sophia wasn't taken for money than it was personal.

Ava had been quite all day, they had finished dredging the river that had turned up nothing. Relived but also disappointed, this only left them with more unanswered questions. Connor held Ava in his arms, like he had so many times before, both their faces were stained and neither of them had enough energy to cry anymore.
Nuzzling her head closer into Connors neck, Ava exhaled deeply.
"A couple months before you came to South Africa I lost a patient" Ava croaked.
"She shouldn't have died, it was a car accident, debris caused damage to her aorta. She died while we were transporting her upstairs. I was shaken by it, she was only a year older than Sophia. Anyway I pushed my emotions down, I didn't want to upset Sophia. I brought her home and put her to bed. I went to go have a shower but just wound up crying on the edge of the bathtub. I was trying to be quite so I wouldn't wake her, but I heard the door creek open and two little arms cling onto my leg" Ava chuckled.
"She brought her teddy with her, gave him to me and just buried her face in my calf. She's so tiny but so smart and considerate"
Connor smiled at Ava's story, "Remember we had that mini picnic, when the park was empty. You made sandwiches and snacks. Sophia wanted some cake but you said she had to finish her sandwich first, and then you went off to the bathroom"
"Mhm" Ava hummed, not sure where Connor was going with this.
"When you were gone I ate one of her sandwich's so she would be done faster" he admitted, not sure if Ava would be mad.
Ava burst out laughing, wiping some leftover tears from her face. "When you went to the bathroom I did the exact same thing"
Connor and Ava both laughed at their brilliant and clever girl.

"Alan used to do the same thing with me, finish my food so I could have dessert"
"Who's Alan?" Connor questioned, having never heard Ava mention him.
"My step dad, my biological dad lives in New Zealand, but he left when I was about seven. Alan was always my real dad. He passed away just after I graduated med school, he was so proud of me"
"He still is Ave, even proud at how strong you are" Connor whispered to her.
"He would have hated you at first" Ava sniggered, "he never thought anyone one was good enough. But I think he would have liked you after seeing how happy you make me, and that you gave me Sophia"
Connor ran his fingers gently along the back of Ava knee, "Let's go to bed my love"

Connor and Ava got into bed, feeling lighter after talking about the good times with Sophia, but still being very aware of her absence, her bag packed by the door.

A/n: Early update today because I just found out med and fire are being taken off Netflix, devastating for those of us outside of the states 😭💔
I'm away next week as well so there will be two chapters out Friday or Saturday 💓