Normal | Rhekker

Prologue - VI

Ava stepped out of the car and thanked the driver that had picked her up. He helped her with her luggage before driving down the gravel path. It was late evening and their was a warm bite to the air that Ava had longed for at her time in Chicago. Before her was a double fronted house with a porch that wrapped around the front and a small love seat. Ava stepped forward with her bag, finding the front door open, the evening sun in her shoulders.

"You need to calm down she's like anyone else" she heard Brooklyn say.
"She's Ava Bekker, she's basically a god in my career Brooklyn"
Brooklyn caught her eye across the room as Ava stood in the kitchen doorway.
"Bekky!" She came over to her, throwing her arms around her. Ava dropped her bags and wrapped her arms around her.
"Ava this is my very anxious partner Bob" she introduced them. Bob wore thick frame brown glasses and an opened collar shirt. He was freshly shaven with thick dark hair onto his head.
"Ava, it's so lovely to met you, Brooklyn told me all about you. And I've read so much of course, I loved your latest paper, I was holding we could discuss-" he continuously and vigorously shook her hand.
"Bob, she needs her hands attached to her body"
"Of course, sorry" he pulled his hand back.
"And no shop talk, this is a holiday" she reminded them.
Ava had been welcomed for the full week but chose to only come up for the last four days to finish some things at work and give Bob and Brooklyn some time together.
Brooklyn produced a tart fresh from the oven.
"Let's eat"

*

Ava lay on the crisp line in sheets, they were soft against her warm skin. The room was generic, Bob's older brothers room from when they were kids here on vacation. Ava wonder what it was like to have not one but two bedrooms as a child. Her head was tilted to the window, if she lifted her head she'd be able to see the lake.

Her eyes fell to the empty side of the bed and she thought of him. They hadn't spoken since her birthday, over the phone that is. Their only commmcatuon being the odd text, usually with a medical journal attached.

Saw this, thought of you

Thoughts?

Interesting concept

She could ring, and he'd pick up she new he would. But Ava didn't reach for the phone, he was out, she reasoned. She wouldn't want to disturb him.

*

The fourth came around and the camp site was buzzing, the sun was high in the sky when the trio left the house. Throwing their stuff in the back Ava and Brooklyn sat in the back of the truck while Bob made the four minute drive to the shore.

"Do you like it?" She asked, "The catskills?"
"I do" Ava smiled, "thank you again for inviting me"
Ava had her elbows on the edge of the truck her back against it. They drove down the road, a group of young men clearing having come from the beach greeted them as they passed. Ava turned her head to watch them disappear into the distance.
"You like?"
Ava looked Brooklyn behind her oversized sun glasses.
"I don't know" Ava said sheepishly.
"C'mon, you deserve to get back out there" she touched her leg.
"You could pull half the people here"
"I'm sure you could too"
"No, I'm happy with what I've got" she smiled.
"Talking about me?" Bob called back.
"No, Bobby, that's just your ego talking" Brooklyn joked and rolled her eyes with a smile.

They got down to the water and Brooklyn and Ava were straight in, stripping off their outer layers in the truck. Ava floated in her back, her eyes closed to the sun as water hit her face.
"you are such a child!" Ava laughed, splashing her back.
She could see Bob sitting by the water with a group of men his age.
"Is he not coming in?" Ava adjusted her bikini.
"He doesn't swim" she laid on her back, "he can but he doesn't"