“How could you ?!”
“Ava, wait,” he says in a small voice. I see the apology on his face, but at this point I can’t care anymore .
“Just stay away from me, Ethan. Just stay away .”
“Ava, you know I can’t do that .”
I point at him, stabbing at the air. “Actually, yes you can!” I yell, letting my voice get as loud as I can. “You just keep away from me, stay away from all of us. You want visitation, take us to court! Just give me a little bit of child support… just a little bit! Just enough to get by. That’s all I want from you, you understand me? That’s it !”
He shakes his head. “No. No way! You can’t do this .”
“I cannot believe I fell for you, Ethan!” I howl, letting the scarlet anger just pour out of me. “I can’t believe I let you jerk me around with that phony proposal, all this bullshit about us being together with our babies. I actually wanted to believe you meant it! I cannot believe how stupid I was !”
“That’s not stupid. That’s how I — ”
“Don’t call me! Don’t text me. Don’t contact anyone in my family ever again !”
“Wait, no!” he blurts out, lunging toward me. “You can’t do this !”
“It’s done!” I practically scream, turning on my heel and almost running back to the elevator. The doors open immediately and I fling myself inside, turning around to see his face just before the doors close again .
I’ll never forget that look. Half anger, half fear. Remorse. Maybe a little shame. Actual emotions on his actual face, how ironic. I finally see what he is really made of, and I can’t stand it .
Chapter 41
ETHAN
A den’s restaurant just happens to be in a building that I thought about buying a couple years back. It’s in an almost-great neighborhood, one of those transitional spaces where it trembled on the brink of being profitable for several years, scaring investors off left and right. It’s limped along ever since .
There are still a few vacant lots surrounded by rusty, bulging chain-link fences, and then some beautiful Victorian constructions. High on a hill, the neighborhood has nothing but potential .
Which, to an investor, means it mostly has “nothing.” Great potential for loss, right now .
But like I said, I really like this neighborhood. I like the old San Francisco with the crazy sloped streets, the candy-colored houses. Downtown is a little bit too congested for me. A little too sleek and sophisticated, if I’m honest with myself. I have the most prestigious addresses, of course, but I have never felt entirely comfortable there .
I walk in front of Aden’s restaurant, considering my options. Maybe my only remaining options at this point. I know reaching out to her parents was wrong, but I didn’t think I had any choices .
On the other hand, reaching out to Aden seems downright impossible. Not to mention, practically suicidal. If she finds out, I am toast .
And yet, here I am. I turn around and walk in front of it one more time, noticing that the lights are on, but the place is empty. Next door is another restaurant, just a narrow carry-out for Lebanese food. But the tables there are full. And next to that, there’s a rather seedy bar, TV blaring a baseball game in progress. A quick glance in the front door tells me every barstool is occupied .
That’s good information .
The interior of Aden’s restaurant is pretty much what I would have predicted. He always used to talk about having a place that was really slick. That’s the word he used: slick . He wanted something elegant but masculine, something to compete with the flashy disco clubs that were popular five years ago. Something different than his parents’ sprawling but homely diner, certainly. Sort of like a cognac and cigar bar, before those were even cool. He had a vision .
I stand in the waiting area, looking around. Actually, it’s really nice. Slate floors, casual groupings of oxblood leather wing chairs. An LED-lit bar in black walnut with an excellent selection of rare scotches, from what I see .
So why is this place empty ?
I stroll up to the bar, focusing on a Japanese scotch I’ve never gotten around to trying before. The mood I’m in, I feel like I could drink the whole bottle .
And since nobody else seems to be here, I think I just might get to .
After waiting what I think is a polite amount of time, I go to the back of the bar and grab two rocks glasses and the bottle of Kawasaki. I pour three fingers in each, then return to the barstool to wait for what inevitably will happen .
I don’t have to wait very long .
“Just what the hell do you think you’re doing here ?”