Save Me (DTRTI Sequel)

Chapter Thirteen

"I-I can explain." I stammered out.

"Please do." Was Ava's response as she pocketed her cell phone.

"It's not what it looks like."

"It looks like a kiss to me. Is that not what it is?" Ava asked, her eyebrow raising as she did.

"It is. But she's the one that kissed me." I argued. "Did they send you a picture of what happened after that? Or are they only ever sending pictures that make me look like I'm cheating?"

"There were none after that." She confirmed.

"Well then let me brief you. Tasha kissed me a total of two times, the one you just showed, and the one all over the internet. The first time, it took everything in me not to slap her because I knew that she was pregnant. I told her that I was done helping her. And I left." I explained to Ava. "The second time is the one you know about through everybody but me. She kissed me, I slapped her. That's all that ever happened between us. Well...she did knock on the door the other day and tell me that she loved me but I slammed it in her face."

"And that's all?" Ava asked.

I nodded and she stared at me, trying to read my face for any hint of lies. "That's all."

She continued to stare at me for a moment before she spoke again. "Do you?"

"Do I what?" I asked.

"Love her? Do you love her?"

My breath hitched in my throat and I caught my bottom lip between my teeth before I could tell Ava no. Because I was tired of lying to her and telling her that I didn't love Tasha...that would be a lie. I spent ten years of my life with her. So of course I love her, no matter how she treated me.

Now, before you say anything, I'm not dumb...trust me. Let's remember that I didn't know that Tasha had been cheating on me ever since we got together.

I didn't know that the baby she "lost" was not mine to begin with. I was a young, impressionable 14-year-old in love.

So ten years of that...only in the last couple months of our relationship figuring out that she had been cheating the whole time...it broke me, yeah. But the fact that I loved her, it didn't change. It wasn't a conditional love that I had for her. Just like it isn't a conditional love that I have for Ava. I'll always love Tasha...but it'll never be enough to take her back after knowing how she treated me.

Ava on the other hand, that's my baby. She's all I ever wanted...I'd never leave her for anybody...ever.

So yes, I might still love Tasha...but to leave Ava for her? It'd never ever happen...ever.

But that's not what Ava seemed to think. And the question she had asked, that wasn't helping the situation at all.

'Do you love her?'

'Yes...I do.' That was my answer...well, the one I said in my head anyway. But aloud?

"No...I don't." I lied clear through my teeth.

Ava stared at me for a moment, seemingly believing me. She looked a little wary and I spoke again.

"Ava...I don't love Tasha...I love you." I practically whined. "This arguing and fighting stuff, I don't like it."

There was a long pause of silence after my words and Ava sighed softly. "Neither do I." She admitted.

"Then talk to me. Talk to me without bringing up things other people have told you. Let me tell you. Let me explain, not whoever the hell sent you those pictures."

"Ali." She answered quietly. "She sent me the pictures."

I scoffed. "That bitch. Ava don't you see that she just wants to come between us? That's what they all want. And that's what we're giving them." I threw my hands up in frustration. "Can't you and I just sit down and talk like adults? Like you're my wife and I'm your husband?"

She seemed to contemplate my suggestion for a moment. "Five minutes. Tell me everything. And if you lie..." She allowed her sentence to trail off, raising a warning eyebrow at me.

I just nodded quickly. "Thank you. So here's how it all started..."

Five minutes later, I was out of breath and I had completed my story. There were no lies or false details and Ava just stared at me blankly for a long while.

"Why are we allowing them into our home?" Ava asked me. "We're letting them ruin our marriage."

I nodded in agreement. "Yeah. They see one thing and it gets blown out of proportion, the truth becomes this foreign concept. They don't want us to be happy...especially that demon seed you call a sister."

Ava giggled lightly but then the smile she wore fell and she sighed rather heavily. "But you still lied to me, Chres."

I frowned. "I know. I'm sorry."

"When I asked you what was wrong...when I asked if he was back...when you told me the story the first time you left things out." She began to list the instances where I had either neglected the truth, or blatantly lied.

"I know." I admitted.

"Maybe I should just...lay low." She suggested. "You know, stay away from the games...the paparazzi... just keep out of the limelight."

"What about Lily?"

"She can stay with you for the weekends." She answered.

"They're gonna think we're separated." I mumbled, referring to the media.

She shrugged. "Let then think that then, I guess."

"Ava...why can't you just come home? You and me and Lily and the new baby could just be happy..." I was a few seconds from dropping to my knees to beg her to stay.

"I can't Chres. Not if you're gonna keep lying."

"So I won't lie ever again!" I promised in a rush. "Will you stay?"

"I can't. I have to go." She turned away from me and began to get in the car when I grabbed her arm lightly.

"Ava...baby, please."

She turned to look at me, pulling her arm from my hand with a frown. "I'm leaving."

"And when will you come back?" I asked with blurred vision. "To stay?"

She sighed and turned to face me once more, tears brimming her eyes as well. She gave me a sad smile and then dropped her gaze. "Chresanto, I think...I t-think maybe you and I should just get a d-divorce."