Getting back to "Normal" | Rhekker

Chapter 92- Goodbye, Goodbye, Goodbye

Connor stirred awake, reaching out to put an arm around Ava he found her side of the bed empty. Connor opened his eyes suddenly, sitting up in the bed he pulled the covers off his legs. Just as Connor was about to leave the room to look for Ava the en-suite door opened behind him and Ava wandered out, dressed in leggings and a t-shirt.
"Hi" she smiled, looking him up and down at his dishelved state.
"Hey" Connor ran a hand through his bed hair. "Sorry, I thought you'd Irish goodbye'd me" he chuckled bitterly.
"Irish goodbye?" Ava questioned, not being familiar with the phrase.
"Left without saying goodbye"
Ava dropped her brows, knitting them together. "I'd never do that Connor" she stepped forward to take his hand, wrapping an arm around him she pulled him into a hug.
"Good morning" she muttered into his shoulder.
"Good morning, Aves" he ran a hand smoothly down her back.

Connor reluctantly pulled back first, "I'll get started on breakfast, we're going to need energy for today"
"You get the boxes for the car"
Ava nodded in agreement and left the bedroom. Taking Connors car keys from the bowl she left for the carpark. Ava returned a few moments later with flat packed boxes that Connor had thoughtfully bought. Connor had started on their breakfast, cooking Ava's veggie sausages first and adding them to one palate of a full English breakfast. Connor then cooked scrambled eggs with milk for himself and a sunny side up egg for Ava.
Ava came up to him, briefly touching his arm and thanking him before taking her plate to the dining table. Ava took her toast with marmalade and watched the sun rise high into the sky over the city. Connor joined her, setting a glass of orange juice in front of both of them. The pair ate in a comfortable silence, enjoying one of their last breakfasts together.

"Can I try one of your veggie sausages?" Connor asked.
"Sure" Ava agreed cutting him off a quarter of one of her sausages.
"We've lived together for months, figured I should try one at some point"
Ava smiled at the interest Connor had taken in her culture and habits, placing the sausage into his plate. Connor picked it up with his fork and tried it.
"That's nice" Connor  nodded taking a sip of his juice.
"Taste like pork?" Ava queried, having never tried it.
"Not in the slightest but it's still nice"
"We should start packing soon, get a start on it"
Ava nodded and finished off her plate, putting it in the dishwasher. Connor helped her pack up her possessions, boxing up a few things that she could have shipped to New York. She brought a large suitcase, the one she had traveled with from South Africa to Chicago.

They had boxed up most her things, and labels them with a mix of Ava's and Connors writing. Ava had slipped out to the kitchen for a coffee run for the two of them. Connor looked at the boxes and her open suit case. A company was coming after today to collect the boxes and bring them to New York. There was a noticeable gap in the built in wardrobe with all of Ava's clothes gone, but something else caught her eye. The box Connor had found in her wardrobe all those weeks ago was tucked away in her case, surrounded by pyjamas for safety. He gently took the box out of its nest. Popping it open Connor noticed the addition of a bouquet of paper flowers, the ones he'd made at Christmas.
He smiled softly, returning the box to its place as the bedroom door open.
"One vanilla latte" she held out a cup for him.
"Thank you" he took it gratefully.

"Let's go sit down for a bit" She held out her hand. They moved into the kitchen to sit at the breakfast bar, taking a rest from their hard work.
"Wait here" Connor said after finishing his coffee. Ava watched him walk down the hall to the bedrooms. He went into the guest room and took a box from the wardrobe.
"I got you something" Connor said, placing a box on the table, "as a sorry for destroying your purse with coffee"
"Connor you didn't have to" she told him, having gotten over the bag.
"I wanted to" he pushed the box towards her.
Ava smiled politely, and opened the orange box carefully, pausing in shock as her eyes went wide at the H logo on the dust bag, Ava untied the dust bag and looked at the cream purse.
"Connor, this is a Birkin"
"I can't take this" she shook her head, pushing the bag towards him. "It's too much"
"Yes you can. Ava, I wreaked your purse, let my repay you for it"
Ava touched the bridge of her nose, and took a deep breathe.
"My sister told me it was a nice purse" Connor knew himself it was a nice purse.
"It is a nice purse Connor, it's a very nice, but it costs too much" she defended.
"Ava, c'mon, you have to take it. I'd be offended if you didn't" he assured her.
Ava looked between him and the purse, licking her lips.
"What would I do with it anyway, mhm?" He touched her cheek, drawing her attention to him.
Ava leaned in to his touch, closing her eyes briefly.
"Thank you" she smiled.
Connor buried his face in her hair.
"Come on" he tapped her waist, "let's get you packed"

*

Ava was woken to an arm on her shoulder, the faint buzzing of an alarm being turned off in the background. Ava lifted her head slightly to look up at Connor.
"It's time, Aves" he whispered, squeezing her arm gently.
Ava got up and had a quick shower, she brushed her teeth and changed into a comfortable dress, double checking she had everything she needed to hand in her new purse. The streets were still fairly quiet, the lights off in their apartments.

She walked into the kitchen, rolling a large suitcase at her side. Connor was at the stove with only the under cabinet lights on. He turned to look at her before turning back to flick off the stove. "You'll faint if you don't eat" he told her, half wrapping a bagel in parchment paper.
"Thank you" she smiled in the darkness, walking closer to him, bringing her suitcase with her . "I have to say, I'll miss you cooking for me"
"You'll just have to savour this last sandwich" he held it up for her.
Ava gave him a polite smile before he moved towards the door to put his jacket on.
"We should get going" he pulled his jacket on, looking Ava up and down in the only winter jacket she had left in Chicago.
"It's still pretty cold out there, here" he picked up a scarf from the rack and draped it around her neck.

Connor moved to take the suitcase from her. "I can manage" she told him, "it has wheels after all"
"Okey, Aves" he unlocked the door, stepping back to let her out first.
They got the lift down, with Connor taking her suitcase as they approached the car, placing it securely in the trunk.
Connor got into the drivers seat and bucked in his seat belt.
"Here, eat your bagel" he placed a small circler packet with a clear A marked on it into her lap as the pulled out of the carpark.
Ava bit into the warm dough with a banana and apple butter filling, Connor must have bought them fresh from a bakery the day prior.

They walked into the busy O'Hare airport in silence, the departures gate bustling with people even at this hour. They stopped before the escalators and looked to each other. Tightly wrapping their arms around each other they stood there, trying to hold on to each other for as long as they could.
"Don't forget me?" She requested.
Connor chuckled, "as if I could ever forgot you Dr. Bekker"
"You'll call me when you land?" He said into her hair.
"Of course" she took a deep breath of his cologne, hiding her face in his shirt.
They reluctantly pulled away from each other and Ava returned her hand to her suit case.
Connor caught Ava's wrist.
"Goodbye Dr. Bekker, don't have too much fun without me" he teased.
"Goodbye, Dr. Rhodes"

Ava took her suitcase and moved deeper into the airport, not turning back. Ava didn't left herself look back, or let her tears slip please her eyes until she was a comfortable 32,000 feet in the air.

~

Connor let out a deep exhale as he sat into his car. He wiped two tears from his cheek before pulling out of the O'Hare car park. He let himself into the apartment, the home feeling colder without Ava's presence. He ran a hand through his hair and took off his jacket, spotting a note on the kitchen counter. I'll be back x, was signed, Connors signet ring laying on top of the paper. Connor chuckled and slid the ring onto his finger. He walked into his bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed. He reached over to touch Ava's said of the bed, or what was Ava's side of the bed. The fresh sheets now pulled tight across the mattress. Connor sighed and open his bedside locker, carefully removing the black ring box that had resided in there for some time. With a flick of his thumb he opened it to gaze down at the ring. He pursed his lips before closing the box, sitting up from the bed he made his way over to his safe in his wardrobe, closed the door behind the ring with a heavy thud.

Fin