Hopeful Lovers

Part 12

Avis didn't know what else to write. She was mostly mad at herself for blowing up and thinking she could handle everything just fine. She especially felt bad that Phoenix didn't even get to hear his own father's voice. At all.

Avis put down her pen and wiped away the ink blotches from the paper as well as she could. She folded the paper carefully into thirds as soon as the ink dried. Avis set the paper down on her large oak desk and pulled out one of it's many drawers. In the drawer lay a large - ish marbly green and purple box filled with stacks of letter paper, rolls of stamps, and bundles of pens and envelopes. Avis selected a creamy envelope, slipped the paper inside, sealed the envelope, and wrote her address on the front in her twirly cursive handwriting.

Avis mailed the letter not long after. She hoped that Tyrrell understood her pain. He didn't deserve to live a carefree life and forget that he left behind a family that needed him. Avis rested her hands lightly on the steering wheel as the traffic light turned red. 

She was just a block away from her house on Sander's Avenue, she was hurrying home. Phoenix had caught a nasty cold and he was wailing in discomfort. Avis drove along, but mashed the brakes when she narrowly missed someone walking across the street. She hadn't seen him - he obviously didn't notice that a bunch of cars were zooming his way. The person had on earphones. "That explains it." Avis thought aloud. But when the man looked up, her heart stopped. It was Tyrrell. It really was.

Oh, God.

Avis slowly pulled over to the curb, letting the cars behind her pass by. A few people glared and made rude gestures with their fingers at Tyrell, having known he had caused the back - up. Phoenix stopped crying, and he sniffled. "Who dat, Mommy? Who dat?" he asked. Avis sighed. "That." she said. "Is your daddy." Phoenix's tiny jaw quite literally hung open.

"Really? Really, Mommy?"

"Yes, sweetie, it is."

"Oh." He almost sounded disappointed.

Tyrell sheepishly walked over to Avis' car, his head hung low. He was wearing ripped jeans, a pale pink sleeveless top and pristine white Vans. Typical way of dressing when you're 28. His chestnut brown hair almost shone in the sunlight. His angelic face brought back a gush of memories. Avis remembered the feeling of her growing belly being stroked by his warm hand. She remembered their gorgeous honeymoon in Bora Bora. She remembered the huge diamond ring that he had proposed to her with. She tried to block the memories - but they kept rushing back.

"Avis." His voice was pained.

"Yes?" Avis replied curtly.

"I'm so sorry."

"Why are you so sorry? You weren't sorry a year ago, two years ago. Why now?"

Avis felt her hands ball into fists. She hid them in her jean jacket pockets so as not to show her anger.

"Um....can I get a ride? I was going to get a bus, but I'm not sure than I can. My car kinda broke down."

Avis ignored the question. "So you don't even ask about your son? You were talking about how much you missed him, but you don't even acknowledge him when you finally get to meet him in person." she tried to keep her voice as void of emotion as possible.

Tyrrell's mouth formed into an "o" like as if he had been slapped.

"Oh. I didn't even...."

He caught a glimpse of the baby booster in the back seat, reached out, and pulled open the back door. As soon as Phoenix saw Tyrell, he lapsed into silence. Tyrell reached out and sadly stroked the baby boy's hair. "Hey, Phoenix. Daddy's here." Tyrell said, smiling. Phoenix gazed up into his eyes, looking like he was deciding what to think about this father he had never met. 

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Another long chapter for you guys! Love you all!

P.S Please feel free to comment on what you like and don't like about this story so I could improve on future work!

Thanks babes!

XOXO, icy234