Episode 660: No Fear

Slumped at the kitchen table, Sebastian shook his head.

"If you change your mind, let me know." Ava turned back to the bacon sizzling in the frying pan on the stove. "Are you feeling sick or something? You haven’t been yourself for a couple days now. Maybe you shouldn’t come in to the store today. Why don’t you stay here and rest instead." She glanced over her shoulder at him.

"I’m okay." Bas avoided Ava’s eyes. He didn’t want Avalon to see how much he wanted to take her up on her offer. He hated that he yearned for time away from her; he didn’t really want to be away from her, it was just that he felt so damn guilty around her.

That conversation in the middle of the night, it had haunted him for days. She’d asked about the bank loan and he’d danced around it. Maybe Avalon would have understood in that moment. Maybe he wouldn’t have to feel so miserable all the time, worrying night and day that she would figure out what he’d done, how he’d managed to land the loan and the sparkly ring on her finger.

But he’d let that, and several other openings pass him by, he hadn’t come clean with her when she’d point blank requested honesty. How receptive would she feel after he’d not only lied, but continued to after she’d given him the chance to stop?

Avalon took her seat across the table from him with a breakfast plate of bacon and eggs. She smiled at him. It was a trusting smile. She trusted him. Why couldn’t he just go with it? Why not just feel happy things were good? Why waste potentially great times with her worrying it would go sour? Maybe they wouldn’t sour. His dad had lain off of late. He’d promised he wouldn’t tell Ava. And no one else knew, so really, what was there to fear?

Sebastian reached over and snagged a piece of bacon from Ava’s plate. She smacked at his fingers, but laughed and smiled, clearly happy to see him hungry again, and as long as Avalon seemed happy, Sebastian was determined to enjoy it.

Episode 661: Believe