That evening, they all sat down for dinner together to formally welcome their new guest. They had adjusted themselves around the table to make room for Audri, who now sat beside Johnny. It was just past six o'clock, and the sun was preparing to sink into the ocean to end yet another day in Playa Linda. A great feast had been supplied; including chicken, vegetables, mashed potatoes, green beans and of course, shrimp and lobster tail to compensate for the beach. Audri had been taken aback when she had come downstairs from helping Susannah earlier, to find Johnny, Ava, Jay, Bradin, Nikki and Derrick setting everything up. Susannah had whispered 'Surprise' in her ear and beamed when Audri was too choked up for words.
Now, they ate to their fill sharing stories of the past, creating laughter in the air. Audri was so blown away at the kindness all of them had shown towards her, that she knew of no way possible to pay them back for it. When she had said as much, Ava had looked at her in surprise and said, "Audri, what makes you think you need to repay us? We're more than glad that you are here safe and sound with us. That's all that matters."
The rest had replied with a nod of their heads.
As the dinner items were stored away and the night filled the darkening skies, Ava and Audri wondered outside, a glass of tea in their hands. They seated themselves at the picnic table.
"Thank you so much for that dinner Ava, I'm so stuffed!" Audri said, patting her stomach.
Ava laughed, "You're very welcome Audri. We all just came up with the idea and put it into motion. I'm glad you liked it."
"Liked? Try Love. I haven't had a dinner like that in, well…ever. Can you believe I've never had lobster until tonight?"
"No way! Tonight was your first time having lobster?"
"You bet. It's one of my favorites now, you've corrupted me."
Ava laughed, then watched as Johnny and Bradin made their way outside as well. In one hand, Johnny had a lighter for the candle on the table; in the other he clutched two sodas, in which he handed one to Ava. Being as Audri's parents had been, he didn't think she was ready to be in the presence of an alcoholic beverage, although he would have preferred one. Bradin was carrying two of them as well, setting one in front of Audri.
Audri smiled at him, and Bradin returned it.
"Dinner was awesome Aunt Ava, thank you."
"Oh, thank Johnny. He came up with the selection and helped cook it."
"Oh, it was nothing, really. Just welcoming another one into the family."
Audri smiled.
At that moment, Jay surfaced from the interior of the house, an anxious look upon his face.
"Uh, Ava, Johnny, could I borrow you two for one second, please."
Ava and Johnny exchanged glances and rose from the table. Bradin was about to ask Jay what the problem was, when Jay told them to stay put. Audri gave him a confused look, and he shrugged, "It's an adult thing I guess."
Jay shut the doors behind them and gestured to the television. Susannah was already seated on the couch. "You may want to sit down," she told them.
Jay made sure Bradin and Audri were still outside before turning up the volume. The program that they were waiting to show Johnny and Ava was returning from commercials as they took a seat. It was a news program.
"Welcome back to the evening news, I'm Michelle Dawson here with tonight's top story. An investigation began today in Phoenix, Arizona regarding the death of two locals. Monday night, two local policemen answered a noise complaint called in earlier that evening. After speaking briefly to an resident, they searched an apartment and found a thirty-nine year old male passed out from drug abuse and a thirty-eight year old female that was highly intoxicated. Their first names have not yet been released to the media, but are believed to have the last name of Durant.
"One of the officers was wounded after the female pulled a gun from the top drawer of a nightstand and fired, striking him in the shoulder. She then fired a second time accidentally killing her husband. At that time the second officer withdrew his gun and was forced to shoot the woman, killing her. The wounded officer was rushed to the hospital where he was treated and released this afternoon. No arrests have been made involving this case, and there were no witnesses. This afternoon, police returned to the neighborhood asking residents about the couple. Police were stunned to discover from a local woman that the Durants' in fact have a sixteen-year-old daughter who was not home when the police raided the apartment. Since then, she has not returned to the building and has yet to questioned about the happenings in the investigation. Police have issued a statement regarding her."
The footage now went to a plump man in his late fifties who had thinning gray hair and mustache and piercing blue eyes. He was dressed in his uniform; his nametag read H. Forrester. Beneath him was a row of microphones fit tightly together and there were officers on either side of him.
"We have no knowledge at this time of Miss Durant's whereabouts or when she left the apartment yesterday. We can only keep looking and hope for her safety until she can be reached for questioning. If you know her and have seen her please contact our department with your information. Thank you."
The man disappeared from the screen and the reporter reappeared.
"I'm Michelle Dawson for Channel Six Eyewitness News. Back to you, Marc…"
Jay turned off the TV and crashed on the couch beside Susannah. Ava and Johnny were dumbfounded and speechless. It took Johnny a few moments to take it all in, but eventually; he leaned forward and placed his head in his hands.
"This is not good. This is not good at all," he said through his fingers.
"Johnny?"
They all turned at the sound of Audri's voice. Even through the glass doors, Audri had clearly heard the name 'Durant'. At that, she had risen from the table telling Bradin that she'd be right back. She had opened one of the doors quietly and walked inside. No one noticed her enter, so she stood there, catching the rest of the report. Audri's thoughts stopped cold as she watched the footage of her old home play across the screen.
Her face was white as a sheet and she was motionless, she couldn't move. Tears spilled down her cheeks as she broke down right where she was standing. Johnny's eyes started to water themselves as he rose and went over to her. He sat down beside her and carefully wrapped his arms around her, cradling her. She sobbed uncontrollably into his shirt as she held onto him and cried. Bradin came in and saw the scene, looking over at Ava. She motioned him over to her and took him back outside, Susannah and Jay following. Slowly, she explained what had happened and Bradin couldn't believe what she was telling him.
"Do you think she will stay here?" Jay asked, contemplating the certainty of the near future.
"I don't know. I think now we just need to help her through this," Ava said, running her fingers through her hair.
"I agree," Susannah said. "Let's face it, she's carrying more than one cross right now. We need to worry about the cops later."
"I'll help Johnny with her," Bradin said automatically.
"Honey, I don't – " Ava began.
"I can do it. After all I know a little something about losing parents. I can help."
"I know. I'm sure she'd like that. Thank you."
Bradin nodded.
Johnny was trying his best to calm her down, but it was to no avail. As the hours continued on, Ava and the others went to sleep as Johnny still held her. He would stay like that until almost the early hours of morning as she finally cried herself to sleep. Even after he picked her up in his arms and laid her gently on the couch, he would sit in the chair across from her and stay up all night until Ava and Susannah came down to leave for Los Angeles that morning.