to make things awkward | fillie

3 | millie's stuff

Shaking her head, Millie said, "I don't even know." She laid her hand on the box, somewhat afraid to open it. She wondered if what she thought was in there, was actually in there. A little time capsule of memories, or more accurately, a time bomb.

Reluctantly, she pried opened the flaps on top of the box. To her relief, the first things she saw were old scripts and a couple ratted stuffed animals. She breathed out an alleviated sigh and let the flaps fall over the items. The particular piece of memorabilia she was afraid to find could still be in the box, probably was in the box, but now she was less concerned about it, having opened the box and not seen it glaring at her right from the get-go.

"What?" Ava stepped closer, scouring the box with her eyes, "You think a viper was in there or something?"

"Or something." Millie said, eyeing her pensively.

"Ahh." Ava said, rocking back on her heels and crossing her arms, "You're afraid that little box of truth is in there, aren't you."

Millie closed the box more effectively and picked it up, charged by the adrenaline she got from just the thought of Jake finding out about one of her biggest secrets, and started walking it to her closet.

"Because, I'll tell you now, it is in there, Mil."

Millie could tell that Ava was looking for a reaction. She wouldn't concede one, "I'm not afraid of it."

Following behind, Ava said, "Then what? I know you haven't told him."

"And that's your business how?"

"He's to be my brother-in-law. And after this many years, he's practically already so. I love him as if he were my blood-brother and my sister is holding onto something that I believe he has the right to know."

"The right?" Millie asked dramatically, hoisting the box up onto the highest shelf she could manage, "No one has the right to know someone else's. . .dilemmas. Past dilemmas at that. He wasn't in my life then, and he doesn't need to know anything right now. It would only hurt him."

The look in Ava's eye was stern. Protective. But not of her. Protective of Jake. "Millie." she said, patronizingly, "I think you know what a copout that is."

Millie crossed her arms defensively and let her eyes travel around her, noticing small things out of place in her closet. She pushed a shoe back in place and looked back to Ava, who knew most of what she was keeping from her fiancé, but not even she knew the full breadth of her secrets.

"I'll tell him eventually."

After scoffing, Ava rolled her eyes, "I'll believe that when I see it."

Growing tired of this conversation and having to think of the most tumultuous time of her life, Millie uncrossed her arms and left the closet, hoping Ava was also growing weary and was maybe ready to go home and help their mother finish polishing off the house for sale.

"Why do you do that?" Ava asked, walking into the kitchen, "Are you so bothered by yourself that you can't stand to sit in the same space as your thoughts for more than a few seconds?"

"Is this really what you came here for?" Millie asked, upset now, her voice gaining a slight tremble. Winnie ran up to her, sensing the frustration and Millie picked her up, "If you are really so upset with me, why don't you just leave? I've got a make-up team coming soon anyway."

It wasn't a complete lie, but 'soon' was four hours away.

"Maybe I will." Ava said, then shook her head. "But if you're not careful, you may make Jake do the same."