Not Over You

Ms. Montgomery

"Babe, stop it!" Ava screamed as her tall, bearded "Romeo" chased after her. "Oh come on Avey baby, it's just a little bug," he says as he throws the bug on the ground and squashes it with his leather boot. "Thank you!" She yells in the most sarcastic manner she could muster without cracking a smile. "Oh you know you love me," he taunts. "Yes, yes I do."

*Beep,beep*

Ava Montgomery rolls over and hits the off button on her ever so annoying alarm clock. "Why a dream about him?" She thinks to herself as she shakes her head and gets out of her queen sized bed that lies in her studio apartment in Los Angeles, California. The twenty-seven year old elementary school teacher gets herself ready in a black pant suit and heads off to Vinedale Elementary, the place she's taught at since she graduated from the University of California with her degree in Elementary Education in 2009. The traffic this Tuesday morning was not too bad surprisingly. Ava arrives to the school and parks her 2012 Jeep Cherokee in her designated parking spot. Walking into the school, she spoke to everyone she passed, even if it was just a simple "hello" or "good morning". Ms. Montgomery was a firm believer in being kind to everyone she met. She arrived to her third grade classroom and sat at her desk to do some last minute preparations. That is where she was when her students came into the room. "Good morning class." Good morning Ms. Montgomery," and so her typical day began. Before Ava knew it, it was time for her to head home, and to say she was ready would be an understatement. You'd think teaching third graders wouldn't be difficult, but one would be surprised. Ava couldn't wait to get home and drink a glass of wine and unwind.

Ava pulled up outside of her apartment building just as a person she didn't expect to see was getting out of their car. "Mom?' Ava asked, confused, after she had gotten out of her jeep. "What are you doing here?" "Honey," her mom said, "I think we should talk inside."

After letting her mom in her apartment, Ava poured them both a glass of wine and set across from her mom, an aging woman but still just as beautiful. "So mom, what's going on? I can only assume something serious considering you came all of this way just to tell me something." Ava's mom, Margaret, sips some of her wine and sighs. "Baby, your dad's not doing well." Ava's mom reveals. "What exactly do you mean 'not doing well'? "she questions. "Honey, the cancer came back. The doctor says it's stronger than ever. Dad has opted not to do chemo this time. He's so tired," she explains. Ava was absolutely shocked and couldn't hold her tears back. "Ma, wha-what d-d-do y-yyou mean he opted not to do chemo?" she struggles to say between her sobs. "Ava, he doesn't want to fight anymore. That's why I'm here actually. I think you should come home for a while. I mean, if you can get the time off at work. I know you're bu-"her mother starts to say before being cut off by Ava, " No, mom, It's fine. I want to be at home and the semester ends in a couple of months any way. The principal should still be at the school right now. I'll run and talk to him." "Okay sweetie, I'll help you pack when you get back." Your dad will be so happy to have you home."