Velvet Styrofoam
Summer Robert's felt a warm hand on her shoulder, but when she saw the face the hand felt somewhat cold. She shrugged it off and glared at the young man towering over her.
"Summer, you have to speak to me sometime"
"No, I don't" She brought the warm container of coffee to her lips and swallowed, filling her body with temporary warmth
"Baby don't do this to me"
"Don't even try to talk to me Jake"
Summer slipped out of her seat at the busy café, her coffee adorning her hand and stepped out onto the cold streets; she pulled her coat a little tighter around her and continued down the street.
She tried to avoid her reflection but every store window she past, she saw the small and somewhat fragile body, the poignant face and the still fresh gash on her left cheek. Hidden under layers of foundation.
She walked a little faster in the direction of the tall building of apartments, raised between a small diner and an elegant boutique. As she was passing the diner she turned to her pastel green leather handbag and fished around for her keys, her gaze connected with a pair of brown eyes staring back at her from inside the diner.
Could it be?
Her eyes scanned over the mess of brown curls on his head, his lanky figure but when she focused her eyesight she realized that when all features placed together this person looked nothing like him.
The guy she had left six years ago. The life she had left six years ago.
Her head was still clouded with thoughts as she ran up the stairs towards her apartment. She almost fell backwards as she saw the same mess of brown curls outside her room. She soon steadied her self as she realized the ringlets were framing the face of her six year old daughter, Ava. Beside her, with a protective arm around her small shoulders, was a tall twenty four year old with sandy blonde hair scrunched into a ponytail.
"Hi Summer, I tried to reach you on your cell but-"
"Oh Shoot" Summer had her phone flipped out in front of her and was scanning through the three missed calls all from 'Katy'. "I'm so sorry Katy, I just was caught up at work and-"
"Summer, don't worry its fine but I have to run, I have dinner with my mom" She rolled her eyes as she finished her sentence, but with a smile on her lips.
Summer was fumbling around her wallet, pulling out notes and thrusting them in her direction
"Summ, don't worry about it"
"But Katy, it's Saturday, you spent your whole Saturday looking after Ava"
"Summ, its fine honest, anything for a friend"
"Okay, okay, thank you so much, I'll take you out to dinner sometime" Summer gave Katy a quick hug before rushing over to Ava
"Hey baby, how was your day" Summer ran a hand through her soft hair
"Mommy I missed you, her car smelt funny" Summer laughed and engulfed her in a hug
"I know it's Saturday-"
"She took me to the zoo Mommy, and we saw all the animals" A smile was spread across her small face and her eyes were sparkling as she recalled the whole day,
She continued to ramble as Summer unlocked the apartment "So I didn't mind the funny smell in the car anymore because Katy bought me a monkey at the zoo!"
Summer turned to face her "A monkey, oh did she now?"
"Don't be silly mom, a toy monkey" To enforce her point Ava dug into her large pink bag and pulled out a furry monkey with a lopsided grin
"Well that was nice of her, what do you want for dinner Ava?" they walked into the apartment and Ava slammed the door behind her, Summer reached for the lock and slid it so the door was secure. "I want Chocolate cake" Ava began to laugh as she jumped up on the couch. Summer threw off her white coat onto the couch, and unzipped Ava's furry pink coat.
Summer watched her daughter flick open a comic as she strolled into the kitchen, her heels echoed throughout the apartment as the floor changed from a creamy carpet to the large white tiles in the kitchen. She placed her empty coffee cup on the bench and was about to call Ava to help her sort out the groceries when she paused.
When did I go grocery shopping?
There were three bags filled with her favorite foods, Summer glanced at the yellow Post-It note stuck to her marble counter. Her eyes flickered over the scrawly writing.
"That bastard" she whispered to herself "He still has a key to my apartment; he thinks he can buy my forgiveness"
Summer threw open the trash can and lifted the first bag over it when it came crashing to the ground, the foods went everywhere, as did the bottles of Merlot. "Shit"
Ava rushed into the kitchen to find her mom leaning against the counter, clutching her shoulder.
She looked over at the smashed bottles and food that had dropped out of the brown paper bags.
"Mommy! What happened? Why did you drop the bag?" Ava's large brown eyes were filled with curiosity
Summer was obviously in pain as she grimaced at the sight of the mess, and held her shoulder.
"Don't worry Ava, my arms just hurting a bit, go read your comic book and I'll sort this mess out in a second"
Summer walked towards her room but not before calling out "Watch out for broken glass Ava"
She pulled her black cashmere top over her head and winced as her arm stretched.
Summer turned to look at her shoulder, a blue bruise covered the top half of her arm, she collapsed onto her bed and bit her bottom lip as it began to quiver dangerously.
Do not cry. Do not cry.
She couldn't break down in front of Ava, she was twenty-four years old, her life had changed, and she was now responsible for another person. She closed her eyes and breathed in sharply.
Summer stood up off the bed and pulled a crew neck, long sleeved tee over her head, splashed her face with cool water and walked towards the kitchen again.
As she walked the small distance towards the kitchen, a memory flashed through her head.
Her whole body was shaking as she felt his arm connect with her shoulder, his punch sent her flying to the floor, he kicked at her stomach and yelled at her to get out. Summer stared at his piercing blue eyes as he watched her struggle to get up. He slapped her face and threatened her never to call him a bastard again. Summer reached up to her cheek and felt a trickle of hot blood staining her face. Salty tears streamed down her face and mixed in with the blood as she left his apartment.
Cool shivers traveled down her spine as she tried to rid the memory from her head.
Summer looked up to see Ava brushing at the floor with a broom trying to sweep the glass into one corner. Ava heard her mom walking towards her and snapped her head up, a worried expression was clouding her face.
"Oh baby, you don't have to do that"
"Mommy, you looked so sad, I just wanted to help you"
Summer took a few steps closer and pulled a stool out for Ava to sit on
"Ava, sit here I'll finish it"
Ava reluctantly hopped up on the stool, and watched her mom gather all the smashed bottles and containers and toss them aside in the trash can. Summer reached over to rid the rest of the food he had brought over.
"Mommy, there are starving people in the world, if we are lucky enough to have food we should eat it, not waste it"
A smile tickled Summer's lips as she looked at her small daughter whose face was stern and lips pursed as if trying to emphasize her point.
"Where did you hear that from?" Summer asked, Ava sounded as if she was reciting it
"Benji" Ava beamed as she spoke his name
"Your boy friend" Summer teased
"Mom he is not my boyfriend!" Ava turned away from her mom and began reading the comic book that had been discarded on the bench
"So this friend of yours, he's quite smart then?" Summer pressed on, smiling
Ava ignored her and continued reading
"God Ava, you're so stubborn!"
Ava looked up at her "Well Mommy, where do you think I got that from?"
Summer couldn't help but laugh, Ava smiled at her and hopped down from the stool and began to help her momput the groceries away.
Summer was stretched out on the couch picking at noodles from a Styrofoam container, Ava was sprawled on the floor also eating noodles except with soy sauce drenching them. Summer made a face of disgust as Ava reached for more Soy Sauce.
"Hun, don't you think you should slow down on the sauce there?"
"Mommy it tastes nice, you should try it!" Ava turned half on her back with the bottle clasped in her hand as she offered it to her mom
Summer laughed and took it from her carefully dripping a minimal amount over her noodles.
Ava switched the TV on to some cartoon and basked in the glow of it. Summer rolled her eyes and finished off the rest of her noodles.
"Mommy, I wish we were eating out of velvet containers"
"Eating out of velvet, you're as strange as your father was, why?"
"Because I don't like the sound of these when you scratch your nails against them"
"Ugh neither!"
"I told you it would be nice to eat of out velvet"
This was peaceful, how it was meant to be, without Jake in her life.
A shrill ring echoed through the apartment and the sound of a phone vibrating against marble became evident. Summer looked over at Ava pleadingly
"Ava baby, could you bring that to me?"
Ava jumped up and skipped into the kitchen and held the phone in her small hand
"Mommy its Marissa, who's Marissa? Can I answer, please, please?"
"No Ava, could you just pass it to me?"
Ava placed it in her mom's hand and turned back to the TV.
Summer swallowed the lump in her throat and flipped open her phone.
"Hello?"