Joe paced the apartment alone and eventually texted Caleb.
🗨J: Going out. Be home by 11
🗨C: You better beg. You don't deserve her.
He wanted to tell him off, but he was right. Joe didn't deserve her. He never had, but it wouldn't stop him from wanting her. He had never been to her apartment, but she had told him where it was. He needed to convince her he was her soft place and not to push him away.
Ella had no choice but to let Ava in. She knew her sister, and she would never give up.
Ava's eyes scanned Ella taking in her sweatpants and oversize t-shirt. It was Joe's, but Ava wouldn't know. Her eyes lingered on the ice cream.
When Ava finally spoke, she said, "What's he done to you?"
Ella said, "What? Like you don't know."
"You can pretend and lie, but I know the truth. I know Joe Walch is back and working at your school."
"So." Ella didn't want to talk about Joe. She wanted to talk about Ava and Tony.
"So the man broke you and now you have to see him at work."
"How do you know he's back?"
"Because I googled him. You've been acting strange, and then I saw him and you lied to me last week, so I googled him."
"Maybe, I've been acting strange because you've been lying to me!" Ella was angry.
Ava's eyes widened. "What?"
So she could google Joe, but Ella wasn't smart enough to know about her and Tony.
"I know you're the mystery girlfriend. How long have the two of you been lying to me? Since September at least."
"Joe Walch told you, didn't he? You've known for over a month?"
"No, he kept it from me, too. He finally told me this week, because I was upset Tony was staying for a girl who was too good to want to meet me. You're my sister and he's my best friend. You lied to me... both of you."
"You were too fragile. I didn't want to hurt you." Ava admitted.
"Too late, you did. So what you moved back because of Tony?"
"Yeah, but I was ready to come back anyway. I never planned to stay away from Maine forever."
Ella remembered Tony telling her his girl would never move away from her family. He compared his girlfriend to Ella in that way.
"How long have you two been together?"
Ella tried to remember when Tony first mentioned having a girlfriend.
"We learned we both had feelings that weekend you came to visit me."
Ella remembered that restless night when she drank too much. She kept hearing voices. They weren't just having small talk.
"El, you were a wreck that weekend. You were so vulnerable. We couldn't tell you."
"You didn't think I'd be happy for you?"
The sister were in a standoff. "Well, you obviously aren't."
"Jesus Ave, you lied to me, both of you, and then Joe joined in by keeping your secret."
"Speaking of Joe. Why is he back and why are you talking to him?"
"He's divorced. He came back for me."
"So you both got a job at the same school?"
"No, it was a coincidence. No one was more shocked about it than me. He had shown up at my gig and I slapped him. Then a few days later, he was walking the halls. He didn't know I left Sebago, no one did."
"What about his kid?" she asked, sharply. Ella could tell she wasn't happy.
"It wasn't his. The bitch trapped him."
"And you believe him?"
"Yeah, I do. I was angry with him. He knows he hurt me but..."
"But what?" Ava spat.
"I never stopped loving him and never will."
Ava yelled, "Are you telling me that you're together?"
"Yes, Granny talked to me about forgiveness and it wasn't easy, but I chose to forgive him."
"Granny knows!"
"Not, that he's back... just that I forgave him."
"Dad's going to have a fit, you know."
"I know. Joe knows. He's really sorry. So you and Tony?" Ava nodded. "Do you love him?"
"Yeah, I do."
Ella covered her mouth. "Oh my God, you're sleeping with him aren't you?"
Ava squirmed, just as there was a knock at the door.
Ella opened the door, and Joe immediately said, "El, be mad at me if you need to, but don't shut me out. I didn't want to keep their secret."
Ella moved aside and Joe saw Ava.
"Oh, hi Ava," he said tentatively.
"Joe."
Ella broke the silence. "Ava figured out about us."
Joe nodded. "I told you not to use Tony as your excuse. Ava's too smart to be fooled."
"Did you really not tell her about seeing me with Tony until this week?" Ava asked Joe.
"I tried to keep your secret. Ella, I'm sorry."
The look in his eyes reminded Ella of the hurt he felt at the start of school. She didn't mean to hurt him. "I know. I was angry with them and included you. I'm sorry."
She put her arms around him and instantly felt calm.
Ava interrupted their embrace. "I can't believe you came back, Joe Walch."
"I had to. I never stopped loving her, not for a moment when I was trapped in a nightmare."
Ava said, "You have to tell Mom and Dad."
Ella replied, "You do too."
"I'm not worried about Mom and Dad, but Tony is worried about when he tells his mother. His grandmother never forgave Uncle Michael for moving to Maine to be with Auntie. He knows his mother will be upset."
"Not as upset as Dad will be over Joe." Ella tightened her embrace of Joe.
Ava studied them. Finally, she sighed. "Joe, I knew you loved her before and I don't understand how you screwed up so badly, but I know my little sister loves you. If you hurt her again, I will personally cut your dick off."
Ella smirked, because Ava never spoke that way, but Joe responded firmly. "Noted."
Ava nodded. "I have to call Tony. He won't believe this."
"Tell him to come over. I want him to meet Joe."
Joe said, "Um El, curfew is eleven. I was hoping you'd come home with me."
"Oh right. You haven't checked your phone."
Joe took out his phone. "Gaby's"
Ella nodded and looked at her sister, who was looking at them as if they were speaking another language. Ella laughed.
"Joe is the guardian of his brother, and he's a good kid, but needs watching."
Ava said, "So I guess you won't mind if I tell mom I'm staying over here tonight."
"What so you can go to Tony's?"
"Well yeah! Aren't you going to Joe's?"
Ella threw up her hands. "Okay fine!"
They arrived at Joe's apartment just after Caleb. When he saw Ella, he said, "You pulled it off. Did he beg you?"
Ella laughed. "Sorry Caleb, but I was mad at my sister, not your brother."
"You had him sweating. He is so whipped it's sick."
"Caleb, if being in love is being whipped then there is nothing sick about it." Joe said.
"Urgh, maybe not for you, but I've got to live with you."
Ella laughed and felt the weight she was carrying all week fall away. When she thought about it she was happy for Ava and Tony. Although it came as a surprise, she wanted them to be happy and maybe instead of her best friend, Tony would be her brother one day.
More importantly, she was glad Ava knew about Joe and didn't hate him. Ella didn't expect Ava to forgive him right away, but neither had she.
She looked up at Joe who was studying her as she was deep in thought. "I want to wait until after Ava breaks her news and then I'll tell my parents."
Joe nodded. "It scares me, but I know it's the right thing to do."
Ella reached up and kissed him chastely on the lips. "I promise you won't lose me. Now take me to bed, because if Ave is getting some, I want to, too."
"You are a little competitive vixen aren't you?"
"But you love me."
"I do. I definitely do."