Page 4 of The One that Got Away

She offered a smile, though it didn't reach her eyes, which remained fixed on Ava, searching for clues in the subtlest twitch of her lips or the slightest flicker in her deep blue gaze.

As the two women waited there, the comforting scent of coffee mingling with the briny fragrance drifting in from the sea, the cafe's atmosphere shifted imperceptibly from serene to charged. Lisa's world, once defined by the rhythm of small-town life and the steady heartbeat of family, now teetered on the edge of a precipice, awaiting the return of the one man who could pull all the pieces into place—or scatter them to the winds.

Lisa could feel the weight of each second as it passed, the ticking of the cafe's old clock punctuated by Ava's soft breaths and the distant call of gulls outside. She studied the woman before her, the edges of her own thoughts frayed with concern and curiosity.

"Listen," Lisa began, her voice a blend of warmth and caution, "Oliver should be back soon, but you can also come back later if you’re tired of waiting?”

“I don’t mind waiting.”

Ava’s eyes, a striking shade of cobalt that seemed to mirror the ocean itself, met Lisa’s with a mix of relief and apprehension.

“We can go upstairs to our living room if you prefer,” Lisa said.

"Thank you. I appreciate you letting us wait here," she said, her smile fraught with unspoken tales.

As they entered the living room, its walls adorned with pictures of smiling faces and handcrafted wooden frames—a testament to Oliver's craftsmanship—Daniel rushed ahead, his youthful energy a whirlwind in the serene space. The little boy, no more than five, with his tousled dark hair and bright eyes, immediately found solace in a toy car, which he zoomed across the hardwood floor with abandon. His laughter, pure and untainted by the complexities of adult emotions, echoed through the room, mingling with the soft crackle of the fireplace.

Lisa watched Daniel play, the tension in her shoulders easing slightly at the sight of his innocent joy. She motioned for Ava to take a seat on the plush sofa, its cushions worn in just the right places from years of use. A throw blanket, knitted in hues of blue and green, lay folded neatly on the backrest—a small, comforting detail in the midst of uncertainty.

"Make yourself at home," Lisa offered, her tone genuine despite the whirlpool of questions churning within her. She settled into an armchair adjacent to the sofa, her gaze wandering from Ava's contemplative expression to Daniel's animated play.

Outside, the shadows grew longer as the day waned, and inside, two women sat, each wrapped in their own thoughts, while a little boy played, blissfully unaware of the storm that might be brewing over the horizon.

Lisa rose gracefully from her seat and strode to the kitchen, the hem of her apron swaying with each step. She returned shortly, a plate of freshly baked cookies in hand, their sweet aroma wafting through the room. Daniel's eyes lit up at the sight, his toy car momentarily forgotten.

"Would you like a cookie, Daniel?" Lisa asked, her voice soft but laced with warmth as she crouched down to his level.

"Chocolate chip, my favorite!" he exclaimed, accepting the treat with sticky fingers. His small teeth sank into the gooey center, a smile spreading across his face, chocolate smudges painting his cheeks.

"I bet you're quite the explorer," Lisa said, engaging him. Her heart swelled with an affection that seemed to come naturally around children.

"Uh-huh," Daniel nodded enthusiastically, crumbs tumbling from his lips. "I found a big rock today! It looked like a dinosaur egg!"

"Is that so?" Lisa chuckled. The innocence of youth was a balm to any troubled soul, she thought, watching his animated gestures.

"Mommy says we're gonna find lots of cool stuff here," he added with the certainty only a child could possess.

"Indeed, you will," Lisa assured him, brushing his hair back gently. She turned her attention back to Ava, who watched the exchange with a tender gaze, making Lisa's heart pound with curiosity over their shared connection to Oliver.

"Daniel seems to be liking it here," Lisa began, easing into the conversation. "And how about you, Ava?"

Ava took a deep breath, her hands clasped tightly as if gathering strength from the contact.

"It's… complicated," she finally admitted, her eyes darting away before locking back onto Lisa's. "You see, Oliver and I, we have history."

"History?" Lisa echoed, her pulse quickening. She felt as though she were standing on the edge of a revelation, the weight of the unknown pressing down on her.

"Oliver was my first love," Ava confessed, the words hanging between them like a delicate thread about to snap. "We were young, full of dreams and promises. But life… has a way of taking unexpected turns. I left Alaska, and it broke both our hearts."

Lisa absorbed every word, and the puzzle pieces slowly formed an image she hoped didn’t exist anymore. The love in Ava’s eyes when speaking of Oliver frightened her to the core. Her mind raced, trying to reconcile this piece of Oliver's past with the man she knew now.

"Then why return after all these years?" Lisa's question was gentle but loaded with the gravity of their situation.

"Because there are things left unsaid, and I need closure," Ava replied, her voice barely above a whisper. "And because… because Daniel deserves to know about his father."

The air seemed to still around them, the implication of Ava's words settling like dust after a storm. Lisa felt the ground shift beneath her, the mixture of heartwarming nostalgia and thrilling suspense leaving her on the precipice of an answer she wasn't sure she was ready to hear.

"Daniel is…."

---