The next morning she woke late. Eli had kept her up half the night, wringing every last orgasm he could from both of them until they collapsed in a heap, unable to do anything but sleep. Without a phone or any other electronic since she had forgotten her Eli-approved tablet at the house, it was impossible to say what time it was, but she guessed around 10 am.
His side of the bed was cold. He must have been gone a couple of hours by now. Hard to believe she had slept through him dressing and exiting the room, but the bed here was especially comfortable and she lay there awhile, staring up at the canopy while she contemplated what she should do next.
Her naked skin against the satin sheets felt glorious. Ava stretched her arms and legs, then felt a painful twinge along her abdomen where her skin was already stretching beyond anything it was used to.
"Ow!" she winced and rolled onto her side. She rubbed the stitch in her ribs, relieved when it wore off after a moment and she wondered where Eli was. Just as she was wondering whether he expected her to come and find him after waking, the bedroom door opened.
Eli slipped inside and closed it softly. Her back was still turned to him, so he must think she was still asleep. She closed her eyes and tried to slow her breathing, not sure yet if she wanted him to know she was awake.
Footsteps came around the room to her side of the bed, then knelt down. A hand stroked the side of her face, "Ava? It's time to wake up love." His voice was tender, and she cracked an eye open.
"How long have you been up?" he asked, clearly seeing she was not groggy enough for someone having just been woken.
"Not long," her voice was scratchy, no doubt after so many earth-shattering climaxes that left her screaming into the pillow last night.
He smiled and tucked a hair behind her ear, leaning in to kiss her forehead.
"What time is it?" she asked, trying to coordinate her limbs into sitting up. Eli stood and helped her, then sat on the bed next to her, winding his arm around her shoulders, stroking the bare expanse of her back while she covered her breasts with the sheets.
"About 10:30. You missed breakfast, but I told them you were very tired after our trip," he smirked at her and she couldn't stop herself from chuckling.
"Yes, I'm sure it was the trip that's to blame, not being pregnant and up half the night with you."
He laughed, "What can I say? We had a lot of time to make up for."
Ava blushed. It was silly to feel embarrassed after everything, but she still had some sense of modesty with him, this man who was her captor no matter how much the lines became blurred on this trip.
She leaned her face on his shoulder right as her stomach gurgled.
"Hungry?"
"Famished," she admitted, "How long until lunch?"
Eli grinned, "I told Iris you would probably just eat something down in the kitchen once you were up. Maisie has been asking about you all morning. Iris is busy doing her lessons with her, but I think after lunch she would really like to see you and show you around."
Ava nodded. What little girl cooped up in an enormous house with only two other people wouldn't be jumping at the chance to befriend a new person closer to her age?
"After I get dressed and eat," she felt his lips on her shoulder, and in spite of the gnawing hunger in her stomach, she immediately felt an all-too-familiar hunger suddenly bloom between her legs.
"After dessert," he murmured against her skin, already unbuttoning his shirt as she pulled him closer.
By the time Eli had finished with her, she lay there immobilized, her legs still twitching from their time wrapped around his waist and head. He redressed and left the room with a promise to return with brunch, which he did shortly after, bearing a tray of food on a predictably formal, lavish silver plate covered by a matching dome topped with a knob for lifting. He did so with flourish, presenting her with leftovers from the previous evening all steaming hot, accompanied by several dinner rolls with butter.
"I have to get back to work," he kissed her cheek and readjusted his tie, "When you're finished eating just leave it on the bed and Iris will get it later. She and Maisie are on the other side of the stairs in the formal study. You'll find it easily enough, but if you get lost I'm in the room across the hall," he pointed towards the door, "So don't be afraid to stop in and interrupt me if you need to."
Ava nodded and speared her fork with a bite of potatoes.
Eli gave her one last lingering smile and then left the door open. She heard him go a few steps down the hall and then open another before shutting it behind him.
When her plate was clear and her stomach finally sated, Ava tossed up her hair in a bun before she found her duffel bag where she fished out her leggings and granny sweater from the boutique yesterday. Dressed, full, and feeling cozy, she slipped out into the hall, walking quietly past the room Eli was currently ensconced in. She thought she might be obligated to heed his words about popping in, but to her relief, she could hear he was on a phone call. Just past the door, she paused in the hallway, listening in to his side of the conversation.
"Yes, I'm sure those numbers are right. Well, our top scientists are predicting an imminent eruption. We need to have a plan B for the dinosaurs and we need to put safeguards in place for it now."
Quiet ensued as he listened to the voice on the other line.
"If you don't have a game plan then I need you to find the people who can make one. Make me a list of which dinosaurs are the highest priority first, while I make some calls."
Judging by the sound of the frustrated clacking of keys on his laptop, Eli must have hung up. Ava had enough experience of his bad moods to know she didn't want to walk in there right now and tiptoed down the hall until she came to the staircase. Instead of going downstairs, she crossed the landing this time, taking the opposite side of the hallway to the other half of the house, this one seemed to be more frequently used.
After she passed several closed doors, she heard low voices in an upcoming room on the left. The door had been left cracked. When Ava got close enough to hear the familiar voices of Iris and Maisie, she knocked softly.
She expected to hear someone tell her to come in, but seconds later the door lurched open and Maisie's bright eyes beamed at her.
"You're here!" she exclaimed.
Ava found it hard not to smile, "I'm here," she laughed, then let Maisie take her hand and lead her over to a table where Iris sat waiting.
It was a large table used as a makeshift desk, which seemed redundant given the enormous oak desk already situated in the room in front of the tall windows. Bookshelves laden with leather hardbacks flanked every wall in the room. A few plush reading chairs were arranged near tables topped with Tiffany lamps. On the large table sat an array of art supplies; paintbrushes, canvas, various types of paper, and a vast assortment of paints. The empty seat diagonal from Iris had an unfinished canvas on a small tabletop easel. The paint was still wet, the subject matter looked to be the redwoods.
"She's been very excited for tomorrow," Iris explained as if the meaning of the painting weren't clear.
Ava nodded, looking at Maisie's earnest face waiting for a reaction, "This is really good, Maisie. Well done."
The girl grinned at Ava's praise, pulling her towards the empty seat next to hers.
"Sit, sit. Paint something with us."
The options were limitless, and immediately the desire was there to jump in and feed Maisie's enthusiasm, but Ava felt a moment's hesitation when she looked over to see Iris was not partaking in the art-making process, only sitting here as a bystander.
"Do you paint, Ms. Chambers?" Iris asked her.
Ava looked down at the supplies in front of her and furrowed her brow, "I did a bit in high school. I never kept up with it though. Once I got involved in sports everything else became secondary. I wish I had kept doing it on my own."
Iris smiled and gestured towards the options laid out before them, "Now seems the perfect time to start again."
For a moment, Ava hesitated. It felt taboo somehow - like Eli would come in and find her enjoying herself doing something he hadn't contributed to and drag her off, but she perked her ear towards the door and heard no approaching footsteps. Surely, he would encourage her to bond with Maisie, she reasoned, as she finally took the seat next to her eager companion. Iris smiled and nudged a pack of paintbrushes in Ava's direction.
She didn't need further encouragement. Ava set to work almost immediately. It all seemed to come back to her, as if she had only just stopped working at her art a few weeks ago, rather than almost a decade.
The time seemed to pass so quickly. Maisie and Iris made small talk with her, and Ava found it made the process feel less like pressure when she could answer while concentrating on the task in front of her instead of meeting their probing eyes. Outside the large window, a gray sky opened up and began to pelt the window panes with rain.
"Ahh," Iris sighed, "Reminds me of England."
Maisie didn't answer, but Ava felt her eyes on her often.
"I've never been to England," Ava offered, brow still furrowed in concentration.
"Neither have I," Maisie answered.
That made Ava finally look up, "But your accent is English."
Iris chuckled, "A product of living without much outside influence I'm afraid. She does sometimes pronounce things in a more American fashion, but usually only after Mr. Mills has been here an extended period."
Maisie gave a half-smile, slightly embarrassed. Ava wanted to ask what they thought of Eli, but it seemed a strange question for her to pose, especially since she was here as his supposed girlfriend.
Grasping for something to say, at last, she settled on, "Well, I hope you get to visit England one day, Maisie."
That made the girl brighten, "Maybe you and Eli could come with us!"
Ava almost laughed at the thought, "Maybe," she said, "Maybe."
At dinner that evening the conversation flowed easier, especially since much fewer questions were asked of Ava than the previous night. Eli was in a relatively good mood, which boded well for her not being subject to his temper after whatever had made him angry on the phone earlier.
Maisie talked more at dinner, having had most of the afternoon to grow comfortable with Ava. She had given their guest a tour of the mansion, with Iris trailing behind to offer insight whenever necessary. They had explored each side of the house on each floor in a blur, culminating in Maisie's room. Ava took it all in, the hand-painted trees on the wall, the full fireplace with glowing colored stars atop the mantel and a small sofa in front, a 4-poster canopy bed with sheer green curtains to match the ones over the doors to the enormous balcony. It was a massive amount of space for such a small girl, but in spite of her lack of interaction with the outside world, some things looked very typical for her age. Stickers had been haphazardly stuck onto the door back out to the hallway, her desk and bookshelves were laden with thin young adult paperbacks and various trinkets while a star projector sat on the nightstand, still rotating since this morning with the white shapes gliding across the walls, where Maisie had proudly displayed some of her drawings. Ava complimented her on the art and watched the girl swell with pride at being recognized by someone outside of her normal circle.
After dinner and dessert, Iris ushered Maisie out, reminding her of the importance of an early bedtime tonight before their trip into the redwoods tomorrow. This time, Eli excused himself along with Ava, also feigning tiredness and the need for extra sleep. His hand on the small of her back as he guided her from the room sent a jolt through her, and once she hugged Maisie goodnight at the top of the stairs and watched Eli give the girl a kiss on the top of her head, Ava felt an unfamiliar, almost eager sense of anticipation as he led her back down to their room.
Whether it was the change of scenery or the addition of new people into her daily routine, Ava felt more alive here, and it helped her subdue her aversion to Eli or any amorous feeling he managed to arouse in her. As he shut and locked the door behind them before pulling her into his arms, Ava sighed into his lips and let him guide her to the bed, opening her legs to him without needing further enticement.
The next morning dawned bright and sunny, with no hint of the gray drizzle from the day before. Eli woke Ava with his hand splayed across her bare belly, caressing his progeny even as she lay there trying to sleep.
She groaned, still exhausted from the three times they had fucked last night after retiring to their room. After the first round, she drifted off to sleep only to be woken a couple of hours later by him typing on the computer next to her. When he had noticed his business was keeping her awake, he seemed to take it as his chance to slip under the covers with her again. Some hours after that she was woken by his hand between her legs. Unsure of the time, she had stared up at the canopy, letting him tease her until she welcomed his firm grip on her thighs as he parted them for his cock once more.
Now the sun was peeking through the curtains and she wanted to sleep more than she wanted to cum.
"One more hour," she pleaded as his fingers traced circles on her belly and dipped lower.
"Are you sure?" his hot breath in her ear ignited the familiar fire between her legs and she moaned, still too tired to open her eyes.
"Let me put you back to sleep," he murmured in her ear, trailing his tongue down her neck and between her breasts. She was so tired, but her body responded as it always did, erupting in goosebumps as her legs parted to welcome him.
He squeezed and nipped at her breasts, causing her to yelp from their tenderness.
"They're getting bigger," he observed before using his thumb in circles around her nipples until they hardened, then lathing them with his tongue until she fisted her hands in his hair.
Eli kissed along the swell of her belly, using his fingers inside her to drive her into another frenzy as she waited to see what he would do next. He had no issue eating her out at any and all times, even though he had never asked for or accepted reciprocation even on the one time she offered it. He seemed more than content to spend as much time between her legs as possible, but this time instead of inserting his tongue as she hoped, he rose over her, removing his fingers from her cunt to insert his cock once again.
Ava didn't mind it anymore. If he had eaten her out this would have still been the next step for his own completion, and her body begged for the relief of more sleep after this rendezvous was finished.
His hips began a slow rhythm, listening for the mews and moans she gave off when he hit the right spots and taking those as an encouragement to go faster. She tried to wrap her legs around his waist but couldn't muster the energy, and he sensed her predicament, using one arm to support himself and the other to lift her leg, allowing him to penetrate her deeper.
She felt his eyes on her face even though she only opened hers for a second. He always watched her, always seemed to be studying her every expression like she was a lock he was trying to pick. Her hands fisted in the sheets and her breasts ached with every jiggle of her hips as he began to piston his cock inside her, harder, faster.
Ava wanted to tell him to grab her breasts, to shower them with attention but her lips pressed together as she sought out her orgasm. Thankfully, he knew her body by now, and somehow, he sensed what she needed even without her saying it. His arm released her leg and he bent low over her, fitting his mouth over one nipple and drawing as much of her breasts into his mouth as he could before he sucked hard. She bucked her hips against him and grabbed his shoulders when he flicked his tongue against the hardened nub.
"Eli!" she cried out as her body finally exploded around him. He did not slow down, keeping his same pace as she moaned her way through her climax and dug her nails into his shoulders. Not long afterward, her moans subsided into breathy pants in his ear, and his hips began to stutter as he found his own release, spilling his seed inside her with a raspy grunt. He grabbed her jaw and turned her head so as to kiss her while he came down from his high, and Ava could only wrap her arms around him, stroking his back like any two lovers on a trip away together.
That thought made her cringe, but Eli kissed her so gently, blowing on her still-wet nipples before she batted him away from overstimulation.
He chuckled, "Later, then."
Ava rolled over after he extricated himself, pulling the covers around her shoulders to keep her naked body warm from the chill air of the room.
"Are you coming down for breakfast?" he asked, sauntering butt naked towards the bathroom.
"Save me something," she groaned, "Now let me sleep. Please."
Another low chuckle, "Suit yourself, but we need to leave within an hour if we're to have enough time in the park."
She wanted to throw a pillow at him and say she didn't care about the park, she only wanted to sleep, but then she thought of Maisie's disappointed face and that was what finally roused her.
Eli was in the shower while Ava lay there like a naked burrito, now wide awake but too afraid of how cold it would be if she crawled out. A few minutes later, when he strode out of the bathroom, his skin still steaming, she glanced at him and then closed her eyes, knowing she needed a shower too from all the fluids leaking out of her onto the bedspread.
"I know you're awake," his voice sounded amused.
"It's too cold to get up," she whined.
"Do I need to carry you to the bathroom?"
"Maybe. At least it should be warm in there."
"It is," he did a little jump as he pulled on a pair of cargo pants she had never seen followed by a blue sweater over his white t-shirt. Ava stared at him in shock.
"What is it?" he asked.
"I… didn't know you owned clothes other than suits and pajamas."
Eli threw back his head and laughed, "Did you really expect me to go visit the redwoods in a 3-piece business suit?"
Ava sat up a little and blushed, "Well, yeah, kinda. Or in your pajamas I guess, but the suit seemed more likely."
He was still chuckling at her, then ran his fingers through his tousled, wet curls.
"Do you need me to carry you to the bathroom before I head down?"
The look he gave her was almost sheepish - like he was trying to be sweet and endearing, and for some reason, that sudden change made her queasy.
"I'm good. Thanks."
She swung her legs over the side of the bed, still wrapped in the duvet but giving him her best attempt at a haughty expression before she stood and wobbled towards the bathroom in her cocoon of bedding.
Eli snorted and left, seemingly unbothered by her response. Meanwhile, Ava was standing in the bathroom now having a small identity crisis.
In the mirror, she stared at herself. There were bags under her eyes from lack of sleep, and she remembered how she had welcomed him each time. Disgust filled her. All he had to do was show her the slightest amount of compassion and give her a change of scenery before she was putty in his hands. No doubt this whole weekend had been an attempt to thaw the chill between them, and against her better judgment it had worked. When was the last time she copped an attitude with him? When was the last time she made it clear she loathed his advances? From the moment she all but begged him to fuck her following their shopping spree the sex had been no holds barred.
Taking a deep breath, she splashed her face with cold water and turned on the shower. There had to be a way for her to regain control of the situation, she reasoned, even though she knew as she climbed under the water that she never truly wielded any control at all where Eli was concerned.
The redwoods were as spectacular as Ava had imagined. Maisie could hardly contain her excitement when the three of them had departed in Eli's car, heading North through the town of Orick, and sat in the back seat peppering Ava with questions as they meandered up Highway 101 until they came to a turnoff marked for Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park.
This new road wound through several open fields and patches of forest until they passed a sign for Elk Prairie Campground and kept going. They passed signs for trailhead after trailhead but Eli seemed in no rush to stop anytime soon. Cars were parked along the road wherever there was space, and overhead Ava could hardly see the sky for the trees. At last, the car began to slow as they approached another sign. There were fewer cars here than at previous trailheads, and as Eli edged the vehicle closer before parking she could read the name, Ossagon Trailhead.
Before either of them had unbuckled their seatbelts Maisie was clambering out of the backseat and almost skipping toward the start of the trail.
Eli chuckled, "She always has boundless energy."
Ava opened her mouth to say, "Sounds like someone else I know," but then thought better of it and closed her lips before he noticed. In the shower, she had resolved to stop playing along with this flirty rapport they had developed. For Maisie's sake, she would be cordial, but not overly friendly with Eli. When they finally left Lockwood Manor she could fully resume her frosty approach without worrying about hurting the young girl's feelings.
Eli quickly got out of the car next and came around to open the door for Ava. She rolled her eyes at the gesture and got out, ignoring his possessive hand on the small of her back, as well as the familiar ache between her legs that his contact caused.
She ignored it and walked faster, trying to catch up with Maisie who was halfway down the trail already and put more space between them and Eli.
Maisie was already out of breath from trying to climb a tree with branches almost low enough for her to reach. As they passed under it, Eli stretched his arms up to touch the branch in a show of how tall he was, causing Maisie to bemoan her short stature.
"At least you still have time to grow," Ava reminded her with a smile, "I stopped growing any taller when I was 10."
"Really?" Maisie gasped, "But I'm already taller than you!"
Ava nodded, "Women in my family are pretty short, I wasn't holding out hope to be much taller than this."
She and Maisie laughed together, walking side by side with Eli pulling up the rear. All around them was vibrant, leafy greenery in the form of the trees above and the ferns that covered almost every square inch below. The path wound between them but it was narrow and sometimes muddy. A few fallen trees were left to rot, covered now with moss and mushrooms, their hollow insides teeming with insects and various forest life. Eli took picture of them with his phone and humored Maisie's every request, even allowing her to take a picture of him hugging a particularly large tree.
"Maisie, can you take one of me and Ava?" he asked afterward.
Ava stopped walking, suddenly on edge. She couldn't very well refuse the request, especially with the eager look in Maisie's eyes as she nodded vigorously, holding the phone aloft as a show of her readiness.
To make him work harder for it, Ava sat down on a large fallen tree, seating herself on the cushy moss and smiling at him as if to say, 'You can come to me.'
Eli obliged, seating himself next to her and pulling her closer with his arm around her shoulders. Ava didn't even meet his eyes, merely looking at the camera and giving a fake smile while Maisie got the photo. She set off down the path without another word once Eli took the phone back from the girl, thinking about the picture he had taken of her in the café on Friday and wondering what other photos he might have taken of her when she wasn't looking.
Whether from the tiredness of Eli or just general exhaustion, Ava could feel her mood souring by the minute. By now she was also feeling particularly hungry. After her shower she had delayed coming downstairs, taking her time to dress and not wanting to see Eli again any sooner than she had to. When she had descended the stairs Eli and Maisie were standing at the bottom waiting for her with a brown paper bag.
"You missed breakfast," he had admonished her, "But we grabbed you some things."
In the car driving up, she looked inside the bag and found a couple of scones and a granola bar which she had eaten quickly, but without any protein, she was already feeling ravenous again. Her stomach grumbled and she placed a hand over it. Eli noticed the movement and smiled at her, clearly thinking it had to do with the baby, and not the fact that he had insufficiently provided breakfast.
Together, the three of them crossed roughshod wooden bridges and stepped over logs as the path began to descend down toward the coast. The terrain became boggier as trees and ferns gave way to tall grass and sand while further down, the wide open ocean crashed upon itself in wave after wave.
Briny salt air filled Ava's nose and helped her forget about her hunger for a few moments. At her first sight of the sea, Maisie increased her pace again, hurrying down the incline with her arms stretched out wide like she was trying to imitate the gulls careening overhead in circles.
Eli appeared beside Ava, shortening his stride to keep pace with her. "Beautiful day," he remarked, slipping his arm into hers affectionately.
"Mmm," she responded, but by now the roar of the waves made it harder to hear each other, which was just as well because the moment her feet touched the sand Ava freed her arm from his and started walking on towards Maisie.
His hand caught her wrist and pulled her back to him, "Can we just have a moment together, please?"
She tugged at his grip but it held fast, "Why? Didn't we have enough moments together all night?"
His pleading expression hardened, "I don't recall you complaining about it."
"Not like you have ever cared when I did so what would be the point?"
Eli squared his jaw and gritted his teeth, "Every time I think we have finally turned a corner you pull something like this, Ava. Are you determined to be unhappy with me?"
The wind from the ocean whipped at their hair and clothes, and she had to raise her voice to be heard over it, "What makes you think I could ever be happy with you?"
Now his eyes registered hurt, "I've brought you here, as my guest…"
"As your prisoner."
He held up his hand, "I have done everything in my power to make your life comfortable, and happy…"
"Except letting me go."
Eli huffed in frustration, "Ava, I don't know where I went wrong between showering this morning and now but this attitude of yours is really dampening this day for me and for Maisie. Can't you at least fake it until after lunch when we're in the car heading home?"
"What home, Eli? The one you keep me locked away from the outside world in? The one you expect me to stay inside until you deem me compliant enough to take out like some show pony? The one you presumably expect me to have this baby in with a total stranger all so you can maintain your image?"
"I'm not doing this right now. Maisie is locked away just as much as you are and at least she's grateful to be out here enjoying the day."
"Maisie probably slept 10 hours straight last night and had a breakfast that consisted of more than scones and granola bars!"
"Is that what this is really about? You're hangry?"
"It's about a hell of a lot more than that but yes, I am hangry, maybe because this baby you put in me makes me 10x hungrier than usual!" she shouted to be heard over the waves, then watched at his eyes widened at something over her shoulder.
Ava turned to see Maisie standing there, looking perplexed, no longer the carefree girl spinning across the sand in circles.
"Sorry Maisie," Ava felt her heart pang with sudden nerves. How much had the girl overheard?
"It's okay, we should probably head back soon."
Eli glared at Ava, then softened as Maisie walked past him, put a hand on her shoulder, and gave a light squeeze. He was good with her, that much was obvious. In another life, Ava could have been here on the beach with her husband and their daughter, pregnant and happy about it. Under the right circumstances, it could have still been Eli, with Maisie tagging along, if only he had been a completely different person than he turned out to be, which made all the wistful thinking in the world a moot point. Whether he was good with Maisie or children in general or not, she had never consented to this life as his unwilling sex slave and incubator, she had never asked to be brought around his employer to make a good impression, and if given the choice she would have picked her freedom any day but by now she knew that Eli would never give her that choice, no matter how much she begged for it.
Left behind on the empty beach watching their backs as they walked away, Ava looked out at the ocean forlornly and sighed, then followed.
The walk back to the car was steeper than before, and a few times on the incline Eli had to help first Maisie, then Ava up the slope until they reached level ground again and continued their silent trek back to the car.
Too frustrated with Eli to give him the satisfaction of talking, Ava avoided asking the most obvious question: did Maisie overhear what she said about the baby?
By the time they reached Eli's car, they had passed a fair few other hikers out for a Sunday afternoon stroll, and the side of the road was steadily lined with more of them.
"We picked a good time to come and an even better time to leave," Eli joked with Maisie, who smiled politely but seemed lost in thought. With everyone buckled in, Eli pulled out from the spot at the exact time a small SUV was arriving to pull in right behind them.
The drive back was quiet. Eli tried to make conversation with Maisie, but her usual boisterous attitude was subdued, and it made Ava uneasy to think about what she had overheard, especially since she didn't seem to be asking them any questions. Maybe luck was on her side and Maisie hadn't heard anything, maybe this was all unnecessary to stress over, maybe they would all have a nice meal before she was forced to head back with Eli.
By the time they arrived back at the house, her stomach was rumbling but her heart was hammering. What would Maisie say, if anything?
Iris greeted them at the door and ushered them into the dining room where to Ava's relief, lunch was ready and waiting. It was mostly cold sandwiches and other light fares. Diced apples and raw vegetables along with packets of potato chips. When Iris brought Ava a turkey and cheese sandwich with a sliced apple on the side she later thought she must have eaten it in 5 bites or less.
Eli and Mr. Lockwood were talking business as they ate slowly, while Iris fretted back and forth from the table to the kitchen to bring more water for the table and replenish sandwiches when needed.
For her part, Maisie still looked deep in thought and picked at her lunch as Mr. Lockwood scolded her.
"Maisie, why aren't you eating?"
"I'm saving it," she answered, eyes not meeting his, but glancing at Ava before she looked back at her plate.
"Saving it?" Iris asked, "Whatever for?"
Oh no. Ava felt suddenly tense. Before Maisie even uttered the words, she saw Eli's brows furrow, opening his mouth to encourage her to eat just as Maisie announced her reasoning.
"Well, Ava was very hungry this morning, and she needs the food more than me for the baby."
A quietness fell upon the room as Ava's mouth gaped open. So Maisie did overhear them arguing, and, in her youthful innocence had taken it upon herself to tend to what she perceived to be Ava's needs. It was both heartwarming and unnerving as Ava tried to shrink in her seat, tears brimming already, while Maisie, Iris, and Mr. Lockwood all stared at her. Eli looked to his employer, who met his eyes with incredulity, "Is this true, Mills?"
"I was worried you might disapprove," Eli began in a hasty attempt to quell the tension.
"Oh bosh, boy! You should know better than anyone I have no room to cast judgment on a situation like this. I'm frankly a bit hurt that you thought I might."
Eli went quiet, and through her tears Ava watched him grapple for the words to mollify his employer.
Iris stood to the side of the table just behind Maisie, who was watching the scene unfold with a mixture of excitement tinged by worry that she had somehow ruined things.
"Sir, I'm sorry to have caused offense by not telling you sooner. We wanted to be sure we were in the clear before announcing to anyone."
Ava grimaced at the lie, wiping the tears from her eyes in full view of all those present and knowing that it didn't make Eli look good - a fact he would surely lament later.
"Well…" Mr. Lockwood let his voice trail off, looking at Ava's tearful reaction and softening, "I'm happy for you both. Do you know what you're having?"
"We're waiting until birth to find out."
Something about Eli's answer rubbed Ava the wrong way. If the pregnancy itself weren't enough of a reminder, or Eli's refusal to let her see an obstetrician instead of a midwife, a hospital birth versus a home birth, was he going to deny her the choice of knowing what she was carrying for him the entire time too?
She squeezed her eyes but the tears would not be stopped.
"Excuse me," she warbled, pushing out her chair and standing to her feet, "I don't feel well. I'm sorry. I need to lie down."
Briefly, she caught sight of Mr. Lockwood's startled expression, as well as Eli's harsh glare before she turned and left the dining room. Outside the door, she leaned against the wall and took a deep gulp of air. How long until he followed her? What punishment would she receive for not being able to stifle her honest reaction to another shock heaped on top of a whole mountain of them?
Upstairs, she searched for something to busy herself with, but their bags were already packed and all she could do was pace the room nervously, waiting for Eli to stomp back up here and let her have it. She sat on the edge of the bed and bit her nails, looking out the window to the wilderness encompassing the Lockwood estate, bouncing her leg as she waited.
It didn't take long before she heard his footsteps in the hallway, then she flinched at the sound of the doorknob turning. He opened it deliberately softly and closed it behind him just the same. She kept her back turned to him and bounced her leg harder.
"Are you ready to go?" he asked, his tone even, but dangerous.
She couldn't speak. When her mouth opened she felt her voice catch in her throat and then the tears came with a vengeance. Softly, she wept, waiting for him to lash out. He allowed her to cry, not moving from the door except to scoop up their bags.
"We have a long drive back," he reminded her, "Can you wait until we're in the car to finish this?"
Ava made a noise between a laugh and a whimper, wiping her eyes and trying to quell the tears long enough to leave without making things worse for herself.
"Wash your face," he ordered, "Meet me downstairs in the foyer in 5 minutes."
She stared out the window, focusing on a bird flying across her line of vision as she nodded.
As soon as Eli left she stood up from the bed, too nervous about what retribution awaited her to risk pushing more of his buttons.
Unsteady feet led her to the bathroom where she splashed her face several times and looked at her red eyes and tried to practice a smile. It was hopeless to think she was going to be able to pull it together enough to salvage this day, much less the weekend as a whole after this. Never mind that she had played her part at every turn until this live wire finally sparked and landed Eli in a precarious situation with his employer. Her eyes twitched with more tears and she tried to splash them away too.
Her silent footsteps on the thick carpet allowed her to hear the conversations down in the foyer as she neared the stairway.
"She's still getting used to the idea," Eli was explaining, and from around the corner, Ava stopped to listen.
"I'm sure. It's a very difficult time emotionally, especially for the first." Mr. Lockwood's voice sounded more like his usual.
"Yes, exactly."
Ava leaned against the wall. So she would have to face Mr. Lockwood one more time at least before she could leave. Quietly, she took a deep, ragged breath and braced herself before she came around the corner and looked down at them both from the top of the stairs.
Maisie and Iris were there too, albeit silent bystanders in this exchange between the two businessmen. All eyes alighted upon Ava immediately. She gave an awkward smile as she descended, hoping she could sell it to Eli's satisfaction, but knowing she had likely already crossed an irreparable line.
When she reached the bottom of the stairs she approached Mr. Lockwood slowly, extending a hand to him which he took in his frail, wrinkly one and clasped it tightly.
"Thank you so much for having me here as your guest," she eked out, deliberately avoiding eye contact with anyone else. Benjamin's gray eyes met hers and gave a sad smile, "We were very happy to have you, Ms. Chambers, Maisie especially. I hope you come again very soon."
Oh no, that was too much. The tears formed again and she blinked, looking up at Maisie and Iris, but still not at Eli.
Maisie walked forward and pulled Ava into a hug, squeezing her tightly which Ava returned.
"Careful now," Iris chided her, "Not too tight on the baby."
The unspoken tension was broken. The words had been said. Now it was all out in the open and Ava could only try to tamp down her reaction until they cleared the doors.
"Congratulations to you both," Mr. Lockwood said, looking up at Eli and not Ava, "I mean it. We're very, very happy for you."
Eli showed no emotion, not the slightest hint of being overcome by Mr. Lockwood's words, "Thank you, sir," he reached down and shook the man's hand, "I will be back here soon, I'm sure."
"I hope so," Maisie offered, then reached out to Eli for another hug which he returned with a peck on her head.
"Take care of yourself, alright?" he wiped a tear from her cheek with his thumb and then looked at Ava with his arm outstretched, "Car's already packed, do you need to use the bathroom before we go?"
"No," she said in her wobbly voice, not trusting herself to say more. It was ironic to see how well he could play this role of loving boyfriend and father-to-be in front of these people, but only Ava really knew him for what he was.
He led her out onto the steps where a brisk fall wind greeted them. His hand on her shoulders guided her down the steps like he thought she might crumple if he let go. At the bottom, he opened her door for her and shut it, looking up the steps one last time to wave to Maisie, who was watching them leave with red eyes and Iris beside her. Ava waved back too as Eli slid in and did his seatbelt, then reached over and did hers. The car started and they began to move forward as Ava watched the sad little girl who felt probably as trapped as she did try to stifle her tears as her only links with the outside world drove away.
Silence ensued in the car as Ava let her tears fall without sobbing. She had a feeling the longer she put off the confrontation with him, the better it would be.
Of course, Eli did not feel the same. They were no sooner at the gates to the estate, waiting for the motion sensor to open it for them than he spoke.
"I hope you're proud of yourself."
Ava sniffled and then laughed sardonically, "You're right, Eli. I'm very proud of myself for looking like a fool in front of your employer."
"Well, you made me look like an even bigger fool."
"How the fuck do you figure that?"
The gate opened and he drove through, taking the driveway slow until he reached the entrance to the highway.
"I should have been the one to tell him, and I was planning to, but instead you lost your temper at the beach, blurting it out in front of Maisie, who then spoiled the moment and made it look like I was too afraid to tell him."
"So you were going to tell him today instead of her?"
"Not today, no. I wanted them to meet you first, I wanted them to see how beautiful and sweet you were, and then later they would have heard the news and been happy for us, but you couldn't even fake being happy for 2 days, and now where does that leave me in their eyes?"
"Sorry if I'm a little out of practice making small talk and good first impressions, it's not like I've spoken to another human being for months!" Her voice was shrill watching his hands grip the steering wheel tightly, noting the rigid way he sat there like he wanted to unleash his temper but couldn't, and they both knew the reason why.
"I never asked for this baby, and you've never asked my opinion once on a single detail related to it."
He looked both ways twice before turning the car onto the highway, leaving behind Lockwood Manor at last, "I asked you about baby names 2 days ago," he reminded her in a clipped voice, "You had zero interest in the subject."
"You ask me about baby names but not about my prenatal care, how or where I want to give birth, if I want to know the gender, and we both know you certainly never asked or cared about whether I wanted to conceive at all."
"It's water under the bridge now," he dismissed her with a wave of his hand.
"IS IT?" she shrieked, suddenly frantic, "If you're embarrassed by your employer finding out I'm pregnant I can only imagine how embarrassed you would be if he found out how it happened!"
"But you're not going to tell him that, Ava, because we both know it would end badly for everyone involved. You're smarter than that." His voice stayed so even in spite of her outburst that it was unnerving. How could he remain so cool when she wanted to claw his eyes out and crash this car over a cliff?
"Are you even going to take me back there?" she asked in a tremulous voice, already dreading his answer.
"Not until I'm sure I can trust you. Not until you show me you can handle it."
Ava pushed her head back against the headrest forcefully and sobbed, "I can't do anything right for you, Eli. Nothing at all."
"That's not true, you just need more time to adjust to all this. A few more months and maybe we can try again."
She was too overcome with emotion to argue, she merely covered her face with her hands and cried, deep, heaving gulps of air mingled with hot tears and she leaned her head against the window, wishing for all the world that she could jump out of this car right now and become another piece of roadkill on the highway.
His hand squeezed her knee and his tone softened, "You just need more time, darling. Just give it more time."
She didn't answer, turning her knees towards the passenger door to give herself space and wrapping her arms around her. For the rest of the drive back, she refused to say one more word to him.