CHAPTER 9

When Thanksgiving break came about, Avery packed a small bag of clothes, toiletries and a smaller history book. Just because it was her university's break, doesn't mean she herself was on a break. She figured between downtimes she could sneak away to the guest room and read. Plus she would get a moment away from Josh and Beth's annoying couple behavior. But before they left to go to Beth's family home, Avery talked to Larry.

When she arrived at the museum, Avery went straight to the archives to drop off her backpack as per her usual routine. She loved to wander around the museum, talking to the exhibits. But her routine was interrupted when she emerged from the archives to find Larry with the three old guards.

"Larry, Avery, we just came to say goodbye and goodluck." Cecil said.

"That's right we're clocking out for the last time!" Reginald had a big smile on his face.

"Aw, I'm gonna miss seeing you three here in the museum!"

"Well if anything goes wrong, just know we're only a phone call away!" Cecil smiled warmly and held his arms open, inviting her in for a hug. To which she gladly accepted. He was like a father figure to her. Avery felt her eyes start to water and cursed herself for not having a better handle on her emotions.

"Aw come on now, there's no need for tears! Why don't you two walk us out?"

"Oh uh, you guys go on ahead. I, uh, need a moment."

"Sentimental he is. Lots of good memories in this place."

As Cecil shepherded the group out the door, Reginald took a quick second to look around before pulling a tin out of his pocket. He glanced at the door to make sure he was alone, he opened Larry's locker and took out his set of keys and made a copy of the main one. Having found what he was looking for, he hurried to catch up with the rest of the group.

As the group made their way to the entrance, Avery pulled Cecil aside to have a private conversation.

"Hey Cecil. So I don't know if it's my place to say but I noticed that there were some missing artifacts. I cannot find them anywhere! And I know for a fact that I cataloged them. I've literally held them in my hands. I just don't know what to do! Have you ever… noticed anything off lately? I really hate to be a burden like this but I'm freaking out. One minute the artifacts are there and the next they are gone! You don't suppose… that Larry…may have, you know…?"

She felt awful for having to say it in the first place. She actually kind of liked Larry, and felt bad for throwing him under the bus like so. Especially since she didn't know the full story. Cecil regarded the question carefully. He was confident in not giving himself or his other two accomplices away. But Avery seemed determined to get to the bottom of it which may cause an issue sooner than later.

"But that doesn't make any sense. Larry is new here. He hasn't gotten the full scope of the museum. I doubt he even knows where the most valuable stuff is kept. The only other people who have keys and access to the archives room are you, Gus, and Reginald. But you guys are retiring though, so you must have already given your set of keys back. It could have been McPhee but he gave me the set of keys for the room and he has more important things to worry about than trips to the archives room… Ugh my brain hurts." Avery began to think further. She hated to have to think that Cecil was the one who had taken those artifacts. She looked up to him which created a bias on her judgements. She saw a kind old man who had helped her on her first day when she was feeling particularly vulnerable.

"That seems like quite the predicament, Miss Avery. Larry's a decent enough fellow but I heard he's having a hard time financially. Just do me a kind favor, would you? Be careful. Wouldn't want anything bad to happen to you if you keep digging. I would hold off on going to McPhee, like you said he has more important things to worry about. And don't worry, I have a feeling that those artifacts will appear soon enough."

He wanted to plant the seed of doubt in her head. He wanted to start driving a wedge between the new guard and the intern. That way Larry would take the fall and Avery would be just fine. He wanted her mind further away from thinking about himself or his accomplices. His words were a silent threat that went over Avery's head, but he hoped that she would at least heed some of it. He cared for the kid which seemed unfortunate to him. But Avery was a sweet girl with big dreams and he didn't want to put a target on her back. But if she kept meddling then something needed to be done.

After saying another goodbye, Avery hugged each of the old guards. When she hugged Cecil again, it felt like he held her a little tighter this time.

Goodbyes done, Avery began following Larry around as he checked off his night guard tasks. He was getting well adjusted to his new role. Evidently his coffee date with Rebecca had proven a step in the right direction. And he was really taking Cecil's advice to heart. He had told Avery that he had spent most of his mornings in the local library, nose in various history books. His knowledge proved useful as she followed him on his rounds. She was impressed by the simple magic tricks he had shown Attila. This seemed to pacify the Huns for the night being. Avery was certain that he had raided a local magic shop. He had a duffle bag filled with tricks and illusionary magic, along with other things for other exhibits. Cecil's words still rang clear in her mind however. But just following Larry and seeing the ways he interacted with the exhibits warmed her heart. He really was taking his new role seriously. Her doubts slowly melted away through the rest of the night.

"Hey Larry, since Thanksgiving break begins tomorrow and I'm away with my roommate, would it be alright if we traded numbers? I'd love to be able to check in and see how everyone is doing, ya know?"

"Oh yeah, sure. That's a good idea."

The two hour drive to Beth's family's home was excruciatingly boring at first. They had gotten stuck in rush hour traffic, classic New York. The weather was frigid but thankfully it wasn't snowing yet. Leaving the city was the hardest part but once they were on the outskirts, it was smooth driving. Avery felt relieved that it was just the two of them and not Josh. The car ride was filled with laughter and singing off key to their favorite songs. Avery had been to Beth's house a handful of times over the course of her education at NYU. Her family was nice but always left her longing for that dynamic. It deeply contrasted the environment in which she grew up.

"Welcome home Beth! And hello to you Avery!" Beth's father, Evan, greeted as soon as the pair were out of the car. The rest of her family had come out to greet them as well; her mom, an older sister, and both sets of grandparents.

It wasn't a large family but the energy and love they gave off made it seem so. The first time Avery had been over, they welcomed her with open arms and made her feel like she was an honorary daughter. They knew a bit about her home life and the little background that Avery had put forth. Even with all the turmoil surrounding her life, they still supported her as the individual she is. Needless to say, the first night Avery stayed over, she cried herself to sleep. It was a mix between happy and sad tears. She was happy because she had finally found a family environment and dynamic that she fit in with. She was sad because she had oh so wished that her own life and family were like that.

"Come on girls! Dinner's just about ready. Why don't you put your luggage in Beth's room in the meantime." Her mother, Amy, was a sweet woman.

"Welcome home baby Beth. I see that that boyfriend of yours isn't around. Did he get cold feet or something? I can't believe doctors actually managed to de-attach you guys from the hip." Her eldest sister Hannah said in a teasing manner.

"Ha very funny Hannah. No he didn't get cold feet. He said he was going to make the drive tomorrow. And we are not attached at the hip!" Beth stuck out her tongue in a childish manner. Hannah retaliated by sneakily holding up her middle finger.

"Girls, save that energy for tomorrow!"

"Sorry mom!" Both girls replied to their mother.

The rest of the evening went relatively well. They all shared a nice dinner and made their way to bed after a while. Avery had taken a few minutes to step outside and call Larry to see how everything is at the museum. And once he reassured her that all was well, she went back inside feeling relieved. After a quick stop in the bathroom to change her clothes and brush her teeth, she laid on the floor of Beth's bedroom on an old air mattress. It didn't take long for her to fall asleep as she felt safe and loved.

The next morning after having a quick breakfast, was chaotic to say the least. So many preparations were to be done for the big Thanksgiving meal tonight. Avery was helping Amy prepare the side dishes; peeling potatoes and other vegetables, making a homemade stuffing and cranberry sauce. The turkey was being marinated and oven roasted. There was even some time to make pumpkin pie. The spices made the house smell heavenly. If only that mood could last. For the doorbell rang and Avery swore she could smell his cologne over the smell of the various spices; Josh.

"Hey babe! I missed you. And here are some flowers for your mom." The bouquet of flowers that Josh presented Amy were lovely, even Avery had to admit that.

"Oh thank you Josh!"

"Hey Avery! Long time no see." His smile made her skin crawl. But she was in the presence of Beth's family and needed to put up a polite front.

"Yeah, hey Josh. Good to see you." That's the best she was willing to give.

The rest of the day went by quickly, Avery kept her distance from the couple but tried not to be obvious about it, and soon they were seated at the table for their Thanksgiving meal.

Though something had been nagging at Avery's mind. And no it wasn't Josh's presence. She had a sixth sense that something was wrong at the museum. She couldn't shake it. She would have to call Larry after dinner to make sure everything and everyone were okay.

She just had to get through this dinner while watching her roommate fawn over her boyfriend, becoming re-attached at the hip again. She didn't want to say she was jealous because it was Josh. No, she felt a tinge of jealousy because she wished that she had someone in her life look at her the way Beth looked at Josh. Of course she wanted her relationship to be genuine and not one sided (like how Josh was treating Beth), but she made it this long without a boyfriend that it seemed like it would never happen to her. She felt bitterness rise in her throat but she forced it down with some water and willed herself to listen to the toasts.

"Now on this Thanksgiving, we would like to say thank you to our two guests who are joining us this evening, Avery and Josh. You both make our daughter very happy and for that we are thankful." Evan beamed with pride towards the two non-familial guests. He loved seeing his daughter happy. The rest of the toasts went similarly, calling out various family members for such and such a thing. Avery tried her best to pay attention but her anxiety and doubts had grown with each passing second.

I just know something is wrong. I don't know how but something feels off.

She couldn't worry about that now, it would be rude to leave the table to take a private call. It would have to wait till after the meal. The atmosphere was a nice distraction from her distress however. Stories were being swapped and memories were being told. Avery laughed and smiled along with the rest of them. She loved this family, she really did. They went out of their way to include her in the conversations, being mindful of her past. The meal progressed quickly and before she knew it, it was dessert time. Feeling full from the main course, Avery opted out of the sweet buffet. Though she did save a slice of pie for later. Grabbing her jacket, she excused herself to make a phone call. The air was frigid and the sky was cloudy and gray but still no snow. Without delay, she dialed Larry's number and waited…and waited. Until finally he picked up.

"Avery! Can't talk… Huns after me… Bad magic trick… Dexter stole my keys… West and Romans battling. Oh God! Fire FIRE!" Larry was frantic.. He sounded like he had been running a marathon. She heard a clatter and muffled screams. She guessed he had dropped his phone during the commotion.

"Larry? LARRY!" She yelled into her phone. Something was terribly wrong. And suddenly the call was disconnected.

Avery swore under her breath. She rushed inside to find Beth. She found her and pulled her aside in a hallway to talk to her.

"I, I- I'm sorry. I'm really sorry but I need to get back to the museum. My…colleague there is in a heap of trouble and I'm the only one who can help him."

"But it's Thanksgiving break Avery! No way your internship boss is gonna make you work! Just tell him it can wait!"

"Look Beth, I know it seems unreasonable but I just really need to be back there. Everything could be at stake here."

"Okay well, I'm not driving you back. I'm sorry but this is my time with my family and I don't want to waste it! You know they consider you part of the family too. You're just going to leave us?"

"I'm so sorry Beth. I love you and your family but I'm needed back at the museum. I need to help my…friend" Saying that Larry was a friend and not a colleague sounded weird to Avery. She hadn't thought about their relationship outside of the intern/nightguard titles. Really, who was Larry to her?

"Ladies, I couldn't help but overhear that Avery needs a ride back. I'd be happy to offer my services. I planned on heading back anyway." Josh sauntered up behind them.

"Oh do you really have to go babe? I was hoping you could stay a few days."

"'Fraid so. I gotta meet up with a couple of buddies for a… bros-giving dinner tomorrow anyway."

"Just what I need, my two favorite people in the world are leaving me on Thanksgiving. Some holiday this is." When Beth got angry, she tended to lean on the dramatic side.

Evidently, their raised voices had reached the ears of the rest of Beth's family.

"Couldn't help but overhear you three from down the hall. Are you both leaving us?" Evan said coming around the corner.

"I'm sorry, but I feel like I should get back. Something is wrong at my internship but I can't say what. I'm so sorry I have to cut this visit short. You've shown me so much kindness, that I feel terrible for even asking to leave." Despite her best efforts, Avery started to tear up. She quickly blinked them away. She was surprised when she felt arms wrap her in a hug. It was Beth.

"As much as I hate to see you leave, I understand that you already made a commitment. Knowing what an ass your boss is, I'm glad it's not me on the other end of that stick. Just promise me that at the end of this semester you'll stay here longer and have a real break. Because if anyone needs a break from that British boss, it's you." She quipped. She was hurt but she could tell Avery wasn't doing this on purpose. She saw how much her family meant to her, and how much it pained her to be forced to leave them.

"Of course, I promise." She hugged back. They stayed like that a few more seconds.

"I hate to put a downer on this but I'm not about to let you kids travel in the dark! Just because it's not snowing, doesn't mean these roads aren't already dangerous. You don't know the area, or the twists and turns in the road. I don't care how old you are, you're still too young for that. Plus you've each had a heaping helping of turkey. And as they say, turkey will make you sleepy. Can't have you falling asleep at the wheel. Now Josh, follow me and I'll fix up the couch with blankets. There will be no hanky panky tonight mister!" Amy had gone full mama bear mode.

"Whatever awaits you back in the city, it can wait until tomorrow morning."

"Yeah, I hope so…"