Four

We remain in each other's arms for what seems like an eternity to me, but she pulls away too soon, her cries muffled down to light sniffles. I watch her as she wipes away her tears and pulls the short, loose strands of her hair behind her ears.

I want to reach out to her, but I'm afraid she will pull away further. Everything with her seems so fragile and sensitive.

"Well, you found me," she manages to say through her sniffles. "So, why are you here?"

"I didn't find you, Ava. Yes, I have been looking for you, but when I saw you at the carnival the other night, I wasn't looking for you then. You appeared before me, as if after all this time, my prayers have been answered."

"T-that's not possible, that is too much of a coincidence. I moved an entire state away, there is no chance you just happened to move here yourself, and found me at that exact carnival that night," she says, and I can hear she is starting to panic.

"I own a company, back in New York City. I moved here a little over a year ago to start it from what my father had left me in his inheritance, which I obtained when I turned 21, as of last year. I didn't come here for you, though that isn't to say I wasn't still looking for you," I try and explain, hoping that will calm her down enough to continue to listen to me.

She bites her lips and turns away, but still has nowhere to go. She seems to be thinking everything over, her eyes closed, and lips pressed into a thin line. I wait anxiously for whatever she is trying to think of to respond with.

"So, why were you at the carnival that night? You tend to go to those things alone?" she finally asks. A question I was hoping she wouldn't ask, until I had enough time to think of a good enough excuse, or figured everything out on the other end.

"That is a long story, if you're willing to listen," I say, quickly throwing every other thought out the window, and deciding to tell her the truth, if she wants to hear it. This is my once in a lifetime third chance at a normal relationship with her, and I'm not about to screw it up by hiding things.

"When do you close?" I ask, and gesture around the shop.

"I close at 8 o'clock. But I have to pick-up–" she stops suddenly, but I already know what she was going to say.

"Can I see her?"

"I-I don't know if that's a good idea."

Her answer tears at my heart.

"She's still young, and she wouldn't understand what is going on, I don't want to confuse or frighten her, she hasn't been around a father figure, she's only ever had me," Ava tries to explain, seeing the pain in my eyes at her rejection.

Her confession that there has never been another father figure in Emily's life, warms my heart and chases away any doubts and fears I had in the back of my mind.

"Wouldn't now be the perfect time? She is young, unable to retain any long-term memories, it will be like I was there almost all her life, if you give me the chance to prove that I can be. Give me the chance to be in her life, and work my way back into yours."

She stares at me, speechless again. Everything in me is yelling at me to skip the formalities, and attack her lips, feel her body pressed against mine again, and breathe in her sweet scent. I know that would just scare her off more. Something happened the day she left, or even after, to make her so withdrawn towards me.

I am going to find out what.

"Is there anyone who is able to watch Emily for an hour after you're done work?" I ask.

Ava thinks about it then nods. "There is an elderly woman in the apartment next to mine, she adores Emily and has watched her a few times when I need to do quick errands. Why?"

I take out a small pocket note pad and write my number down, ripping the paper and handing it to her. "Pick Emily up after you're done work, and ask the woman if she is able to watch her for at least an hour afterwards."

She looks at the paper in shock. "Wha– Why?"

"I want to see you again, I'm picking you up at exactly 8:30 tonight for dinner. Text me your address and tell me when Emily is safely at your neighbor's house, and I'll be waiting outside." Before she has the chance to say anything else, I lean over, and place a soft kiss on her cheek, wanting to inch over just a bit to her lips, but I kept my self-control in check.

As impossible as it is to do that.

I rush out the door and don't look back. I know if I do, I'll never leave her side.

***

I anxiously wait out the next three hours in my office, trying to busy myself with work, hoping to feel my phone vibrate in my pocket, with a text from Ava. I didn't grab her number, fearing she would turn me down for it anyway, so there is a large chance she is going to toss the paper in the garbage.

It didn't matter, I am going to see her again. I know where she works, and it seems like she may even own the place, which will make it all the more easier to find out more about her through the store name, and if it has branched into a franchise.

But I didn't want to go about this that way. I want her to come to me, I want this to be as natural as possible, for the pieces to fall into place, like they seem to have started to do already, since the day I saw her again. I don't want anything to screw this chance up, which meant I was going to act as if I am walking on egg shells around her. She never used to be this fragile, this sensitive before.

What happened all those years ago?

Whatever did happen, I am going to find out, no matter how much it might kill me.

I nearly jump out of my seat when my pocket vibrates. I fish my phone out and quickly check the screen, my heart beating wildly as I read the message from the unknown number.

My address is 6417 Main St. Emily has been dropped off.

I'm on my way.

I shove my phone in my pocket and fly out the door, not even bothering to reach for me jacket on the couch. I make sure to lock up the building before I rush to my car and race over to Ava's place, my palms sweaty and my body shaking the entire way.

I park outside the apartment building and look for her name in the list to ring her apartment. She opens the door without saying anything, and I don't bother with the stairs, with her place only on the fourth floor. Just before I knock on the door, I try and calm myself, and think over everything I want to ask her.

But the moment she opens the door and stares up at me with those wide, beautiful green eyes, my mind blanks. She opens the door wider for me to walk in. I take a second when she turns her back to catch my breath and distract myself with the surroundings of her home.

It is a decently sized apartment, with a medium sized kitchen, and a large open concept living room, with a long and wide balcony facing over Manhattan. I wander around the living room for a moment, while Ava disappears into the kitchen, and returns with two glasses of water, and offers me one. I take it and thank her silently, and we both take a seat on the couch, the air already tense between us.

"So, uh how have you been?" she asks. I can't help but chuckle lightly at her attempt to make small talk.

"It's alright, Ava, you don't have to force anything. You have questions, so ask away. I asked for your time tonight, because you asked why I was at the carnival that night." It is better to get it out and in the open, while the night is still young.

"Alright, well then, start from there. Why were you at the carnival that night? Did you know I was there?"

"As I have said, I went there with no idea you were even in the same state as me. I was there, because I had agreed to meet with someone, on behalf of my mother, and her father," I say and pause for her to soak in that bit of information. Her lips part slightly, but she hesitates to speak.

"Before you say anything, I'll explain in as short detail as I can." I pause and take deep breath to prepare my next words carefully. "My mother came to me a few days ago, and told me that my father's company is on the verge of filing for bankruptcy, and so is she. Her solution to the problem, is to hand off the company to a man who claims he can and will rebuild it from the ground up."

"Why do I feel a shady business deal coming up?" she asks with dry humor.

"Because you know my mother all too well, she hasn't changed over the years. Yes, she proposed a business deal of sorts, in order to keep her name on the company's payroll, so she can continue living in silent luxury."

Ava nods and thinks everything over. "So, what is this business deal then?"

"Her name will remain on the payroll, if our families join together, meaning an arranged marriage between my mother's business partner's daughter, and myself. I was there that night at the carnival, because it was what she had requested. I agreed to meet her, in hopes it would satisfy my mother, and I could turn the girl off from the idea of the arranged marriage." I stop and wait to gauge her reaction.

"Oh," she says softly.

"I wanted you to know now, so I can be the first to tell you, it isn't going to happen." Ava looks up at me shocked. "I love my mother, and I don't want to see her homeless and she never will be, I have always been there to support her, just not to her lavished extents. I won't be agreeing to this marriage arrangement, but I will be allowing this man to take over the company, once I learn a little more about him."

She bites her lip and looks away. I want to kiss her so badly.

"Have you told your mother this?" she asks.

"No, not yet. I want to meet with her business partner and discuss his views and input on my father's company, where he plans to take it and what he will make of my family's name. I want to make sure it isn't going to be tarnished, before I sever ties with my mother, and the company all-together."

Ava lets out a breath and stands to pace the room. "You know what this means, if she finds out we're in contact again? She is going to make my life a living hell, and I don't want to involve Emily in your mother's drama, like I was forced to three years ago, and look at where it got me. I got amnesia for a month, couldn't even remember my own name or my family, I was completely lost and–"

I act without thinking, and grab her hand to pull her in. I press my lips to hers, cutting off her worried ramblings, and I'm relieved when she doesn't push me away. Instead, I feel her melt under my touch, her mouth moving under mine in perfect sync.

I wrap my arms around her waist, clutching her as close as possible to me, savoring every sweet second of this moment. We pull away for air, and I brace myself for some sort of punishment or backlash from my actions.

But she remains quiet. Her wide eyes gazing up at me, as if waiting for me to say something. I suddenly remember what she was freaking out about a minute ago.

"My mother is not aware that we're speaking at all, I can assure you. I can also promise, it's going to stay that way. I don't want her to know, just as much as you don't."

Ava frowns nervously, but slowly nods her head.

"So, what happens now?" she asks quietly. I can't help but smile at how adorable and innocent she sounds. I lead her back to the couch but keep her close to me, cradling her under my arm.

"I want nothing more than to have you back in my life, since I never intended to lose you. I understand, that is going to take some time for you to think about, as well as some time for you to recognize your own feelings towards me," I pause and pull back to look at her completely, "and I want to give you time to consider the idea of me being involved in Emily's life, as a parental figure."

I see the fear pass through her eyes. Getting her back is going to be a big enough task; being in Emily's life is a whole other obstacle on its own.

"You're right, I'm going to need time to think about all of this. It's happening all so suddenly, I can barely process how much my life has really changed over the last couple days." She stops and looks down at her phone. "Oh, shit. The neighbor is messaging me, Emily is getting fussy."

We both look at the time, and realize it's well past a toddlers bed time.

"Will I see you again?" I ask, and curse myself silently when I hear the tone of desperation in my voice.

"I work tomorrow, and I have a scheduled play-date for Emily with one of the regular customers at my store, her little girl likes the mini cupcakes I offer as samples for the kids," she says, and I can tell she is rambling. A small part of me is hoping she is doing it to stall time, because she doesn't want the night to end as much as I do.

"What about this weekend? Don't you have a day where you're closed?"

She bites her lip. "Not really, but I do close early on weekends, to spend time with Emily before the sun goes down."

"If I pay for a babysitter, can I take you out to dinner Saturday night?"

I'm taken back when she narrows her eyes at me. "Are you implying I can't afford a babysitter for one night?"

"Not at all, I'm merely offering to pay, in case of any inconvenience by asking last minute. I do understand to some extent, how hard it is to get a babysitter on short notice. My assistant does have a child, and I have had to ask her to work long hours and she has expressed to me the struggle of finding a good babysitter, willing to work late nights."

"I don't see how that situation applies here, this will only be for a few hours," she says and crosses her arms. I love that she is still as stubborn as she was before, it is one of the many things I still love about her, in fact.

I lean close to her ear. "Who says I'm only asking for a few hours?" I whisper, and I feel her shiver slightly, causing my heart to do back flips in my chest, knowing I still have some effect on her.

"W-what?"

I smirk when I hear the tremble in her voice. I nibble her earlobe, before whispering again, "I want to steal you away for all hours of the night. I don't want you to leave my side, until the sun comes up. So, you're finding a babysitter willing to work all night, and I don't give a fuck what they're asking you to pay, the money will be in your bank account the moment you send me a message of how much."

Before she has a chance to argue, like I already know she is going to, I pull away and quickly press my lips to hers again, cutting off any thought of protest she had. I feel her tense under me for a few seconds, before she gives in like before, and leans into my touch.

I savor her taste for as long as my self-control withstands, before I have to pull away. I rush out the door without another word, leaving the door wide open as I make a bee-line exit for the stairwell. I don't know exactly where I'm going when I get out the doors, but I walk a few streets before I decide to turn towards the street and hail a cab.

After giving the driver my address, I lean back in the seat and glance out the window, a wide grin glued on my face, as I think about the perfecting ending to my night. I touch my lips, still remembering the feeling of her lips on mine.

Everything is falling into place. For once, things are going right.

With that feeling of relief, comes the nagging feeling at the back of my head.

The one reminding me; what goes up, must come down.