Episode 945: I Need To Know

“I’ll help, okay? This is my fault.” Xavier grabbed up a few of the many books strewn across the floor. He looked at her. “Okay?”

“Um, yeah, okay.” Avalon walked to the door, locked it and then flipped the sign in the window to closed. She stood there a few seconds longer attempting to regain her bearings. She hadn’t expected this. She’d stopped expecting this a very long time ago. And now, for him to just show up, when it was too late, and when she had news for him that wasn’t her news to tell.

But he deserved to know, didn’t he? What would that mean for everyone else? For Bowie? Most importantly, for Jesse? Goodness knows Sebastian wouldn’t want Xavier receiving any information that might have him inclined to stay in the city. But it wasn’t for Sebastian to decide, and it was none of her business, either.

“Um, Avalon? How did you have these books set up, I know they were in a kind of tower formation...”

With a deep breath, she turned back and walked to him. “It was fall colors, all the reds together, the oranges, the golds, etc.”

Ava demonstrated and he followed her lead and together, they rebuilt the tower in really no time at all. Certainly not enough for Avalon to determine whether it was more moral to keep her mouth shut or to say something.

“Thank you,” she said as he placed the final book on display.

He waved off her gratitude. “It was my fault. Everything that happened is my fault. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry I left the way I did, I should have talked to you, explained. I’d like to explain now if you’re okay with hearing me out. I understand if you’re not, I-”

“You look healthy,” Ava said. She did want an explanation, she had an idea of what it would be, still, she’d like to hear it from him. That could wait though, there was obviously a more pressing issue she needed to investigate. “Are you healthy?”

“I’ve been clean for a long while now. I’m good. I have a job, some solid people in my life. I wasn’t good when I left, but I’ve got it together now, I wouldn’t have come here otherwise. I wouldn’t have the nerve to ask you if-”

“You need to know something,” Ava blurted.

Episode 946: Last To Know