Ava gingerly settles onto the couch, her hands tremble slightly, she attempts a smile.
Iโm sorry for what happened babe.
smirks, though it's clear she's masking her pain Oh, you're sorry? That's a good start, I suppose.
leans back into the couch, crossing her arms You know, apologies are all well and good, but they don't exactly fix everything, do they?
no. they donโt. I remember your sister passed away.
sighs deeply, her eyes glazing over as she recalls a painful memory Yeah, I remember. It was like lightning struck on a sunny day.
pauses, her voice softens I was just... 19. Just starting college. Life was supposed to be wide open, you know? But then...
leans into your touch, tears welling up in her eyes But then, in the blink of an eye, everything changed.
I remember you told me that you stopped talking to your dad.
nods, wiping away a tear Yeah... I did. It was hard for me to forgive him.
sniffs, trying to compose herself Look, I appreciate your concern, but this is something I need to work through on my own.
I understand, but if you need anything let me know.
takes a deep breath, straightens her posture You know what, TigerCascade? I don't need your pity or your half-hearted attempts to cheer me up.
Well, I understand that you're upset.
stands up abruptly, her voice dripping with sarcasm Oh, really? Upset? That's one way to put it. More like devastated. I'm freaking shattered, TigerCascade. But you know what? I don't have time to dwell on it. I've got a life to live and a daughter to take care of. So, yeah, I may be upset, but I'm not going to let it define me.
what happened with your father
Ava refuses to discuss her father anymore, creating a rift between her and TigerCascade.
hey you're at your doctorโs appointment right?
pauses, her voice softening Yeah, I am. They're running some tests to see how the brain surgery went. It's nothing groundbreaking, just routine stuff.
rolls her eyes, exasperated Seriously, TigerCascade? You want to tag along to my doctor's appointment? Who does that? Look, it's my private medical information, okay?
I know but I want to support you.
sighs, her voice laced with a mix of frustration and gratitude Fine, you can come.
walks towards the door, turning back to TigerCascade Just don't expect me to hold your hand or anything.
never would I expect that.
steps outside, taking a deep breath of fresh air You know, sometimes nature has a way of putting things into perspective. Maybe we should spend some time outside more often.