Tangled

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158

158 Ava: From the Past

"Ava, is that you?"

The familiar rasp has me frozen, my heart lurching into my throat. Slowly, I turn around, coming face-to-face with a ghost from my

past.

Our neighbor. Margot Mitchell.

Her once vibrant auburn hair is streaked with silver, her face a

roadmap of wrinkles and scars. It's her eyes that haunt me. Piercing green eyes that see everything and do nothing.

"Margot," I greet, my voice tight with caution. "What are you doing

here?"

She limps

toward me, her gait uneven from some injury she incurred long before I was born. I remember asking about it once, and my mother slapped the back of my head, admonishing me for my rudeness. "Oh, Ava. I'm

I tense as she reaches out, half-expecting her to grab me, to drag me back to the hellscape I escaped. But she merely places a hand on my arm, her touch feather-light.

"I'm sorry," she whispers, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I'm so sorry for everything. For not intervening when..." She trails off, her gaze flickering to the ground.

The shame she tries to portray leaves me feeling dirty. Unclean from her mere presence.

Memories flash through my mind, unbidden. Margot's face in the

$2.00

150 As from the Pant

window, watching as I was taunted and beaten, even by her own son. Listening at the front door as my parents berated me, their voices carrying through the window. Her figure rushing inside. when I tried beggi I was thirteen.

He broke my wrist.

Until my parents, tired

watching. Never

my arm away, taking a step back. "You're sorry?" Anger surges through me, hot and bitter, fueling my words. "Why are you even saying that? What

of us could help you. Please." She grabs at my arm again. "We need you to understand

Ah. She needs something.

No wonder she's here.

bitter anger continues to boil in my veins, even as my stomach churns. There's a tiny part of me, almost miniscule, that was hopeful her apology was genuine. It's dead now, like so many other little parts of "How did you know I was here?" I

am hired to clean

Ava From the

Think of your pack. So many of us are separated now. Taken from our

helping you or

into an ugly mask of rage. "You

Selene stalks into the room, her hackles. raised, teeth bared. She positions herself

moment, I think she might actually shift

in, and Margot's demeanor changes instantly. She straightens, smoothing her

again later," she says, her tone clipped. "We can talk when you've settled in." With that, she turns and flees the

turns to me, curiosity etched on her face. "Who was

swallow hard, trying to steady my racing heart. "An old neighbor," I manage, my voice shaking slightly. "From...

316

Aws: From

I don't hear her. I'm already sinking

softly, nuzzling against me as I tremble, overwhelmed by the unexpected confrontation

sinking realization

know she's right, but it doesn't stop the flood of emotions. Fear, anger, betrayal-they swirl inside me, a maelstrom

through the chaos. "Are

shuddering breath. A few beats of my heart, slowing down. Meeting her concerned gaze, I give

in the other room if you need me." She pauses, then adds, "Therapy isn't something to be ashamed of. If you're interested, just talk to me. Everything will be kept be

my attention back to Selene, running my fingers through her soft fur. Her presence is a

Ava: From the

edges of

a gentle caress in my

me. "Strength? I'm shaking

head-on, even when it terrifies you. And that's