Page 22 of Edge of Desire

Eight

Just Miles

It was becoming rather clear to me that I needed to get out of here. Avery was onto us. She sensed something was up. I dropped her off at work and her conversation with me was stilted at best.

“Is everything okay?” I asked.

“Fine.”

She was always so talkative that I was surprised at her lack of dialogue. When we arrived at SoftwarePlus, she hopped out and said a quick, “Thanks for the lift.”

I sat there and stared after her as she scurried into the building. A traffic cop tapped on my window and told me to move my car. That’s how long I’d sat and stared after her.

On the drive home, my decision was made. I would leave on Wednesday and head to Montana. It would be gorgeous now since it was summer, and the solitude would do me some good.

Caroline was pouring herself a cup of coffee when I walked in the kitchen. I tossed the keys on the counter and announced, “I’m leaving on Wednesday.”

“Wednesday? Do you have to go so soon?”

“You know I do. She suspects something’s up. She barely spoke on the way to work and that’s not like her at all.”

“I know. Justin said as much last night. I don’t want you to leave though.”

“Well, one of us has to and it’s not gonna be her. Something’s going on with her, sis.”

“What do you mean?”

“The other night I heard screaming, and it was coming from her room. I woke her up from this nightmare she was having. I know PTSD when I see it. I have it myself.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I have PTSD from a lot of things, mostly from being in prison. But I think she has it too.”

“Oh no! Not Ava.”

“And another thing. You know the other night when she dumped her lasagna?”

“Yeah,” Caroline laughed.

“When I went to help her, I reached down, sort of fast, and she cowered.”

“Gosh, I wonder what happened. That worries me.”

“I don’t know but my guess is it has to do with a man, and she won’t talk about it. Don’t ask her. If she wants to talk, she’ll talk.”

“Okay.”

“The whole situation here will be better without me.”

“Damn. I was just getting used to having you around.”

I hugged her. What a great sister I had. I did my best to avoid Avery until my departure day.

Nine

Avery

I couldn’t hide my disappointment when I heard that Just Miles was leaving. Caroline didn’t tell me until that morning. She said he was leaving on Wednesday. It was Tuesday night. Justin was working and Caroline had gone to her yoga class and wouldn’t be back until eight thirty. Just Miles and I were on our own for dinner. I got home from work and took a long hot bath to ease the tension from my body. Just Miles had gone for a run and was currently in the shower. I was in my room, wearing nothing but my cute little red-and-black polka-dotted robe, when I heard the doorbell ring.

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