Save Me (DTRTI Sequel)

Chapter Eleven

The next morning, I woke up early, eager to see my wife and my baby girl.

I cleaned the house and tossed the broken television outside by the trash can on the curb.

By the time I had finished washing the dishes, Ava was knocking at the door.

Or at least...at that time, I thought it was Ava.

I rushed to the door excitedly, a smile fixed onto my lips as I pulled it open.

That smile fell immediately. "What do you want?" I asked. "Answer quick before I slam the door in your face."

Tasha fiddled with her fingers and glanced up at me, allowing me to see her bruised cheek which I did not regret at all. "I'm sorry." She mumbled. "For kissing you...for going to the media...I'm sorry."

I rolled my eyes. "Fuck you! Go crawl in a ditch and die." I slammed the door in her face and went upstairs to make sure I looked , and smelled, nice for when Ava got here.

Another knock sounded at the door and I let out an irritated sigh, rolling my eyes again. I made my way downstairs as the person knocked again.

"Look Tasha-" I cut myself off when my eyes found Ava. "Oh, Ava. Hey." I smiled at her and she didn't return the favor.

"Dada!" Lily cheered, standing beside Ava.

She ran up and hugged my leg, making me pick her up and press kisses all over her face. She giggled, wrapping her little arms around my neck to hug me.

"Dada missed you." I told her.

My gaze found Ava after Lily nuzzled against my chest, her head resting on my shoulder. "Are you coming in?"

She shook her head. "No. I don't think I should. I'll be back to get her tomorrow evening."

I frowned and set Lily down on her feet. "Lily, sweetie...dada got you a new book with lots of empty pages. Can you go draw me a picture?"

She nodded eagerly and scurried off up the stairs. I waited for her to disappear before I turned to Ava again.

"Ava.."

"Chres, don't." She mumbled.

"Ava, why is this happening between us?" I asked.

She sighed. "You keep lying." She spoke. "You're keeping secrets."

"Babe, I'm not lying to you." I told her.

"So in the entire time this event has been happening, you haven't lied?"

I bit down on my lip and dropped my gaze to the floor.

"That's what I thought." She mumbled. "I'll be back tomorrow evening to get Lily." She turned to walk away but I grabbed her arm lightly. "Let me go."

"Ava, baby please." I mumbled. I could feel the tears stinging the back of my eyes and Ava turned to face me again. "Ava..."

"Let...me...go." She nearly whispered, tears welling up in her eyes as well.

I shook my head. "No. I keep letting you go. I keep letting you walk away from me. I can't keep doing it." By this time, tears had begun to fall, staining my cheeks. "I need you Ava. I need you."

"But apparently you wanted Tasha." She retorted.

"I don't want her!" I exclaimed. "I want you. I need you." I moved my hand from her arm to her hand, taking both of her hands into my own. "Baby please..."

"Let me go." She mumbled. Each time she said it, it was becoming weaker and weaker. Tears streamed down her face in the same way that they cascaded down mine.

"Ava please."

She gently tugged her hands from my grip and stepped back. "I have to go."

"Ava..." I stepped closer to her and she shook her head.

"Chres, Stop!" Her voice raised slightly and she shut her eyes, backing up again.

I stepped closer to her and dropped to my knees, wrapping my arms around her waist and burying my face into her shirt. "I can't let you go." I sobbed, shaking my head. "Don't leave me...please. Not again."

She sighed and I felt her hand reach up to play in my curls. She stopped almost immediately. "Chres, let me go." She spoke softly. I heard her sniffle and I grabbed her tighter.

"I should've never let you go." I told her. "Please stay with me."

"I CAN'T!" She finally yelled, prying my arms off of her waist and pushing me off of her. "I can't stay."

I looked up at her, still on my knees, my bottom lip beginning to quiver. "Ava..."

"I'll be back for Lily tomorrow evening." She said, averting my gaze.

"Ava?"

She turned and began to walk away from me, going back to the car.

"Ava..." I jumped up to my feet and ran over, hugging her from behind. I shook my head and buried my face in her neck. "Don't leave me."

She just pried my arms from her waist once more and pulled away from my embrace, opening her car door.

"Ava..."

She didn't respond, she just got in the car.

"A-Ava?" My vision was blurred by how quickly my tears were falling as she shut her door. "Ava please?" My voice cracked, failing me as she started the car and didn't even glance at me before driving off. "AVA?" I watched her leave for the third time, wanting to chase her.

And had Liliana not been in the house alone, I would've chased her. But I had to watch my daughter, who ran out to me at that time, showing me her picture.

"Dada, look!" She smiled and I gave her a weak one in return, trying to quickly wipe my tears before she noticed. "Dada sad?" She asked, tilting her head to the side.

I nodded. "Dada sad." I told her.

She hugged my legs. "Dada no be sad. Dada be happy." She told me.

I gave her another weak smile and picked her up, looking at her picture. "Dada always gonna be sad if mama doesn't want to be with him." I told her softly.

"I wanna be wif dada." She returned, hugging me.

I hugged her back as I walked back into the house and shut and locked the door behind us. "Dada loves you." I kissed her forehead and she kissed my cheek.

"I wuv you too dada." She told me.

But even my baby girl's love couldn't fix the gaping hole in my chest from Ava leaving me yet again. Nothing could fix that...no matter how hard I tried, no matter what I tried. Nothing made it better.

Until finally, feeling nothing at all became the best idea yet. The only thing I hadn't tried.

Dying....