"THE PATERNITY TEST RESULT is out."
Shelly's message was longer, but it was the only sentence that stayed and kept flashing in Avery's mind. Her eyes were closed as she lay in bed, but the information she received kept her awake. Since she came home to her parents, there hadn't been a night that she hadn't cried. Everybody had been telling her it was time to love herself first. Give herself a break from all the pain. She could do better by moving on. But nobody ever told her how.
How could she unlove him?
How could she give herself a break when she was beyond broken?
How could she move on when the ending was not as easy as when she'd started loving?
Avery knew she was trying hard. However painful, she kept trying every day. She wanted to get over David. Get over the hurts. Every time she closed her eyes, she still saw their moments together. It's said time is the best friend of a broken heart. What if time won't do what it was supposed to do? Weeks, months, or even years may pass. Her little bean would always remind her of David.
She kept assuring herself everything would be better with her alone, just her and the baby. Yet, deep inside, she knew how big a space her fears were occupying. It was she who begged David's father to help him. Have a paternity test done, and if the results confirm the baby as Thomas, she made his father promise to guide David in securing the baby's future. She knew how David was in a wrecked state. Avery would only be at peace leaving Boston if she knew David's parents were behind him.
The paternity test result is out. It would reveal another truth soon. She'd asked his father to do it. She felt as if she wanted to turn back time. Not that she regretted asking because she would like someone to do the same thing if it were her child. It was the fear of not knowing how she could handle the result. Would it break her heart again?
Since she discovered David's cheating, she realized nothing could ever prepare someone to face the ugly truth. At first, she told Shelly she just wanted to confirm it. But, when David admitted it to her face, she felt an unbearable pain she could never compare. In LA, she went to the hospital, needing to see things with her own eyes. But when she witnessed David holding a newborn, it shut her senses down. Whatever the result, she knew it would surely hurt. It was supposed to hurt since it would break her heart either way.
As if her hands had minds of their own, they automatically patted her belly gently. Since she learned about her pregnancy, it'd been giving her the comforting idea that she would never be alone. Her little bean had been her source of everything that kept her sane.
***
Days passed in an instant. David kept reminding Avery of his existence through his daily messages, begging her to see and talk to him. Avery fought so hard at the urge to reply to any of his messages. Her fear of hearing another truth from him scared her. She knew she would eventually need to meet and talk to him but she couldn't face it now.
Though it was ideal to know the truth about anything, for Avery, getting the truth from David's mouth had been nothing but the source of her devastating pain. A misery she never dreamed of for herself, but fate made it her reality.
"Are you going somewhere, Muffin?" Her dad's voice came from the main door behind where she was standing. She got lost in her thoughts while taking the fantastic neighborhood view from their porch.
"Shucks, Dad, you startled me!"
"Did Grandpa startle my Munchkin too?" Her dad looked at her tummy like he could see the baby inside her. "Are you contemplating going out or asking Daddy for a ride?"
Avery shook her head. "I'm waiting for Shelly. She's picking me up. We'll get a referral from my OB here, then hang out in their house."
"Are you telling her about Florida today? We only have three days left here." Her dad's eyes fixated on hers.
"I know, Dad. I'm telling her today. You know I wouldn't do that to Shelly. I wouldn't leave her without saying goodbye."
Avery slowly approached her dad for a hug. In return, he gently patted her back.
"When your mom and I said to keep our moving low-key, you didn't take it as though we're gonna be thieves in the night and disappear on the face of the earth with no one knowing, right?"
Avery put a distance between them and looked at her dad's face. "What do you mean, Dad?"
"Tell David. Maybe not all the details, but as Munchkin's father, he deserves to know that you are leaving with his child."
Avery was speechless. Her eyebrows squinted, and her forehead wrinkled when she looked at her dad, wondering why he would tell her this.
"Muffin, you know we are and will always be on your side. And I know David was the shittiest man for doing what he had done. But he deserves to know. His parents deserve cordiality. They've been the nicest people to us and mostly to you."
"Dad..." Avery felt her hand squeezed softly.
"Promise me you'll at least think about it."
Before Avery could say something, the loud voice of Shelly occupied their entire neighborhood. Her dad kissed her on the forehead, and the ever-cheerful Shelly had her buckled up in her car in record time. She was physically with her best friend, but her dad's statement mentally dawned on her.
After she picked up the document from her OB in MassGen, they drove to Shelly's house, where Art was already busy grilling. Again, she felt the love the couple had for her. They remembered how much she'd enjoyed the last time they did a BBQ together, so they prepared a feast for her.
Once the three finished cleaning up after their meal, Avery decided to let Shelly know about Florida. She suggested they watch their all-time favorite hangout movie, Notting Hill, in the entertainment room. When they got inside the room, Shelly excitedly prepared everything. Avery felt guilty about having to break the news last minute. But most of all, she felt sad, realizing that spending time with her best friend was one of the greatest things she would miss about Boston.
"Earth to Avery! What's happening in that sexy brain of yours, my girlfriend?"
"Promise me you won't get mad, Shells. There's something I need to tell you."
Shelly's eyes widened. Immediately, she rushed and sat beside Avery.
"Cross my heart, Ave! I won't be mad. But if you don't tell me about it in five minutes, I might. Spill!"
"Me, Dad, and Mom are going to Florida in three days. I'll surely miss you, Shells!"
"Oh! We can take a week or a month away from each other. If only I didn't use all my work offs for the honeymoon, I would love to join you guys. Like when we were cute little girls vacationing together."
Avery started crying when she remembered the numerous girls' trips they'd had together in grade school. They were practically sisters. There was never a summer they didn't spend together. When they both got boyfriends, it became like a double summer date. Shelly was the sister she'd never had. The best friend anyone could ever ask for. And just like she always told her, Shelly is her do-or-die.
Confused, Shelly watched Avery shed tears. Then, since they knew each other too well, she realized why her best friend was crying. "Shut the front door! Are you guys moving to Florida?"
Avery couldn't say a word and nodded, tears falling down her face. Shelly's shoulders sagged. Her hand covered her mouth as she let her tears fall. She could never be mad at Avery, her precious Ave. Then, realizing it might be their last time hanging out in Boston, she pulled Avery towards her, and they shared the tightest and warmest embrace.
"You know I can never be mad at you. But you can never stop me from getting emotional right now. We have been best friends since we were in second grade." Shelly started wiping Avery's tears.
"I'm sorry for not telling you earlier. I will surely miss you, but you are always welcome to come and stay with us—you and Art. I need to do it. I need to be away for now. It's harder if I stay."
"I know, I know, Ave. Don't be sorry. Don't worry and I'll surely take your offer to go there and stay with you. You know how I hate too much snow! So we can have a no-snow Christmas for a change."
Avery nodded. "Yeah, we would love to have you guys anytime."
"Does he know? David? What did he say?"
Avery looked into Shelly's eyes. "He doesn't know Shells. I wasn't planning to tell, but Dad asked me to think about it."
"I get it." Shelly nodded. "David fucked up! But think about it, Ave."
"I know. Let me think about it. But for now, I want to move away and forget."
"Isn't it sad? Sometimes the people we want to forget are those who once made us the happiest."
"Why are you so smart, Shells?" Avery started tickling Shelly on her side. Shelly tried running around as their giggles filled the room. Art opened the door and rushed inside.
"Hey! What is not clear with only girls hanging out?" Shelly exclaimed.
Art motioned for them to be quiet. "Shush... David is on the back porch waiting for you, Hon."
"What the F? Why did you invite him? Do you want me to divorce you now?"
"I didn't invite him. He just came. I didn't say that you guys were here. He said he wanted to talk to you about her." Art pointed at Avery. "Ave, he wanted you to be the first to know about the paternity test result."
"God! How am I gonna lie when you are here?" Shelly started pacing.
"Gosh! My bag! I left it on top of the table on the back porch." Avery's eyes pulled up as her mouth stretched.
It stupefied the three of them when Art's phone sounded.
"Oh shit! Triple shit!" Art said.
David: Man, is Ave here? Is she inside? Please let me talk to her.
***