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Chapter 3: Shut the Front Door! Another Swan!
As Ava and Deputy Shore made their way in his office, Charlie had secured in his mind, that he needed to give Ava a heads up before they headed home. Now that he knew for sure who she was, he damn well had it in himself to make sure she was taken care of. She is now his responsibility, emancipation be damned. He will hound on Renee when he got the chance.
"Thanks Deputy, I'll take it from here. Do a round of the office before you leave." Charlie said as he sat down and motioned for Ava to have a seat in the chair across.
"Not a prob Chief. Call me if you need anything," Deputy Shore said as he nodded towards Ava and closed the door behind him as he walked away, turning lights off as he went through.
Charlie looked at Ava. And sighed a big sigh. He noticed she was eating a salad.
"Did the meat not look appetizing?" Charlie kind of smirked.
Ava finished the bite she had taken, "No it did, but having not eaten a lot the past few days and it getting late, I don't want to have a stomachache from eating too much. Although I was tempted, believe me. The Deputy kept pestering me to take more, but I didn't budge."
Charlie had to muffle a laugh. "Yeah, my deputy usually deals with child cases. And the ones who haven't eaten, he gets a bit riffed."
"I could see that. So, were you able to get me a hotel room?" Ava said taking another bite of her salad.
"About that, we need to talk about something. I know you're tired and probably want to sleep, but something came up and I don't know how you would take it." Charlie was absolutely scared shitless.
Ava swallowed slowly. She saw the look on his face and felt dread swallow her. "I'm not going to jail, am I? I swear on everything that those documents are legal."
"What? Oh, of course not. No, that's not what I'm talking about." Charlie wanted to smile at what she thought, but instead got up and took a picture of Bella that wasn't facing her. He turned it over and handed the frame to Ava face-down.
She looked at Charlie confused, but put her salad down next to her on the other chair and wiped her hands with a napkin, and took the frame as Charlie let go and sat back down in his chair.
Ava looked at him confused until she turned the frame over and saw…. Herself.
"What…. The….fuck." Ava whispered.
Charlie coughed at her language.
Ava shook her head, "Sorry, Chief, but who is this? She looks exactly like me." Ava couldn't stop staring at the girl in the picture.
"That's my daughter, Bella. Well, her full name is Isabella, but she prefers Bella. I have to ask you Ava, when is your birthday?"
"September 13th," she replied. It was like she was autopilot. She stared at the picture, noting every detail the girl had. Albeit with one difference. Her eyes. The girl in the picture had brown, while Ava's were blue.
"I can tell, just by your demeanor, that you can guess where this conversation is headed. If you want, I'll explain a bit while we're driving." Charlie said, looking at Ava. Trying to gouge her reaction.
"Sure," Ava replied again automatically. She glanced up at Charlie who was looking at her, she shook her head and gave the picture back, "although I'm certain I'm not dumb Chief Swan, I'm well aware that my mind doesn't know how to process this. So, to speak."
He smirked at the comment, "I'm sure we'll work something out. I'm not sure how to process this situation either, but let's go."
They both made their way out of the office, Ava throwing away her empty salad dish as she passed a trashcan and the station which Charlie made sure he locked, and they both got in his cruiser and started making their way home.
"So, I really don't know how to start this, but, well, as you see you and Bella look exactly alike, and have the same birthday. I'm not sure what happened, I called my ex-wife, she didn't confirm nor deny, at the end of our conversation, she hung up on me." Charlie stated as he side-glanced Ava.
He noticed she had tears streaming down her face as she looked out the window at the passing trees.
"Ava," he whispered.
She just continued to cry quietly. Not answering.
Charlie made it his mission to find out what happened, and why he was denied the right to this girl. HIS girl, his daughter.
Seeing how she was, he didn't say any more. He pulled up to the house. Noting the lights still on, seems Bella was still awake. Good.
"Ok," Charlie said as he put the car in 'park' and turned off the engine. "Seems Bella is still awake."
At this, Ava looked ahead to the house. Her eyes went wide when he made the statement, then looked at him. Tears were still fresh.
"I know. I don't know how to go about this either. But Bella has always appreciated a direct approach to anything. She's mature, she sees things others don't. I trust she won't go overboard, but like you, this will be new. For all of us this is new territory. Will you be okay?" Charlie wouldn't deny he was scared shitless.
After a few moments, Ava dried her eyes and wiped her face with her sleeves. Charlie gave her a tissue to blow her nose. "I'm just on autopilot Charlie, my emotions are out of control right now, no promises I won't lose my shit."
He appreciated her honesty, so with a nod to the house he and Ava got out of the car and made their way up the stairs.
"If you want, stay in the walkway until I call you. Let me see where she's at. I hear dishes so maybe the kitchen." Charlie said as he opened the door and walked inside. He motioned for her to stay to the wall and closed the door. "Bella?"
"In the kitchen. Jake's here too," Bella called out.
"Oh okay." He turned to Ava. "Jacob is her friend. Close to the family. Let me see what's going on." Charlie looked at Ava as she nodded that she understood.
Charlie left to go to the kitchen and Ava heard small talk but couldn't make out what was said. She peeked into the living room and saw pictures. More of Bella.
"Ava, could you come here please?" Charlie asked as he poked his head from around the corner.
Ava sucked in a breath and began to make her way to where Charlie was. She stopped just behind Charlie.
"Dad?" Bella asked worriedly.
Ava side-stepped from around Charlie and came face to face with…. Her twin.
"Dad," Bella breathed. Bella being shocked would be an understatement.
Jacob's face mirrored Bella's. But, as always, he was more vocal. "Shut the f…." Charlie proceeded to cough. "Front door! Bella, she looks exactly like you."
"I can see that Jake," Bella whispered. Never taking her eyes off her mirror image.
"Jake, maybe you should go home," Charlie said as he looked between the girls. Jake was oblivious to a lot, but the feeling he got of getting lost he got right away.
"I won't say a word to anyone Charlie. This is your stuff, not mine." Jacob said as he headed towards the door.
"I appreciate that, Jacob. Tell your dad hi for me." Charlie stated as he motioned for the girls to take a seat at the kitchen table.
Jacob nodded and left.
Charlie sat down between the two and waited.
You could hear crickets. Or a pin drop at how silent it was.
"Ahem, well," Charlie started.
"I'm not going to say that I don't know how you got a look alike Charlie, I can clearly see she's my twin, but how the hell did we not know?" Bella stated, glaring at him. "You didn't know…. Right?"
He coughed out the water he had drank, "of course not. Bella you know me better than that."
"Look the situation is not ideal for anyone. I'll just go." Ava made to stand up.
Bella pounded her hand down on the table, which made both Ava and Charlie jump.
"No. You sit down." Bella stated. Ava sat back down slowly; her eyes wide.
"Look, Ava. I don't know what happened, or how this came about. But you're my… sister. But, not just my sister, my twin. For the last 6 months, I have had my decisions made for me. I didn't see it then. But I've reflected. I've seen. Right now, I see a family member that needs me. Needs us," Bella looked at Charlie who nodded. "I've still got to work on my issues, but Ava, you'll become one of my issue's we'll work on." Bella smiled as she put out her hand.
Ava, not initially being a person who trusted easily, felt looking at Bella, that the girl has been through pain just like her. Even though it may not be the same type of pain, pain is pain. And if she could help Bella heal, then there's no reason why Bella couldn't help her heal as well. Brown eyes glued to blue. Ava took Bella's hand and shook it. "Okay." Ava whispered.
Charlie was definitely going to have Renee's head for this.
Ok my lovelies. Until next week. Upcoming: Ava's 'gift' and Ava starting school. How well everyone react?