FATED: A lover for her

New York City:

"Wake up!" Little Matthew said, running into the room his aunt slept in.

"Ava?" He called, holding her matured face with his small hands.

"What is it, Matt?" Ava asked, opening her eyes to see her nephew.

"It's New Year!" The little boy said excitedly, shoving a card he took from his mother's collection into her hands.

Jumping up to sit on the bed, Ava smiled. "Come here, little Lucas."

"Happy New Year," Matthew greeted, sitting on his aunt's lap.

The Smiths family had gathered since the 23rd of last December. Lucas, a brother to Ava, and a husband to Hazel. They spent the vacation in their parents house, New York City.

"Happy New Year, Matthew Lucas," Ava greeted Matthew, planting a kiss on his cheeks.

"Let me go!" He screamed, giggling amidst laughter.

"Nah. You woke me up, remember?" Ava said, letting him slide off her lap and onto the floor.

She watched him run off the room screaming, "Mommy, Ava kissed me!"

"Silly," Ava said, standing to her feet. She touched her phone, reading something aloud.

"January first!" She said, running off to greet her family members. "It's New Year!"

.

.

"Cheers!" The people present in the big living room cheered, clinking glasses together and one after another.

"Mom?" Lucas called, sipping from his glass.

"Yes, honey?" Mrs. Grace said.

"Don't you think Ava should be getting married this year?" Lucas asked, directing his gaze at his sister.

"You asshole," Ava cursed, knowing the exact destination of her brother's discussion.

"I wouldn't know!" Mrs. Grace said, her two hands in the air. "It's her life, and I'm tired of telling her what to do."

"You'll be twenty-nine this year, Ava," Lucas said quietly, just so Ava doesn't take any offence.

"I know!" Ava said, taking offence. "It's my age, remember?"

"I'm sorry," Lucas said, giving up.

"I told you," Mrs. Grace said quietly.

"It's a new year, everyone!" Hazel said, interrupting the discussion that just ended a while ago. "No fights, please."

"Of course," Ava said, beaming a smile at her family members. "Tell him to stop disturbing me too." She said again, hitting Lucas's shoulder.

"Ouch!" Lucas said, soothing the spot where he was hit. "Did you see that, Mom?"

"I won!" Matthew's small voice disrupted the moment, his index and middle fingers forming a gun.

"What did you win, Matt?" Ava asked, enjoying the moment.

"Daddy has fallen!" The little boy said, jumping in excitement.

"Ohh, yeah," Ava said, laughing softly. "Daddy keeps getting on my nerves, baby."

"He does?" Matthew asked, bringing his gun-formed hands down.

"Yes!" Ava said, almost screaming. "Shoot him again!"

"Puahhhh!" The little boy screamed this time, creating a bigger gun with four of his fingers.

"Thank you," She said, bending to kiss Matthew on his cheeks before he ran off. But, he did run off before she got close.

"When will you be resuming work, Hazel?" Mr. Smith asked his daughter-in-law. He scooped Matthew into his hands and made him sit on his lap.

"Ermm..." Hazel said, looking into the calendar app on her phone. "On the 9th, dad."

"Fair enough," Mr Smith said, sipping from his glass.

"Speaking of jobs..." Ava said, her gaze directed at her father. "I applied at KROST."

"You did?" Mrs Smith and Lucas asked almost the same time.

"Yes, mom."

"Ohhh, that's a good one." Hazel said, smiling at her sister-in-law. "I hear KROST pays well."

"I heard too," Ava said, rolling her eyes.

"Congratulations, small sister." Lucas said, throwing an object at her from the place where he sat.

"I'd shoot you, daddy!" Little Matthew screamed from where he sat on Mr. Smith's lap.

"Easy, tiger," Mr Smith cautioned, smiling. "You're going to kill my son."

"Okay, Pa." Matthew said, his gaze directed at the television.

"Maya's wedding is in 9 days, remember?" Grace said, ending the discussion concerning her pending employment.

"Really?" Ava asked, laughing. "I know, mom."

"I know you know, Ava."

"Huh?" Ava said, knowing what her mother was trying to do.

"When is your wedding?" Mrs. Smith asked, shooting the bomb everyone was avoiding.

"Mom, please." Lucas said, his gaze at his mother's face.

"Please what?" Grace asked, her gaze at her son's.

"Not now," Lucas answered.

"I don't need a man, Ma." Ava said, standing to her feet.

"You think you don't?" Grace asked, laughing mockingly at her daughter.

"I don't need a man." Ava said again, taking a step.

"Okay, then," Mrs Smith said, letting it go.

"Have a nice day, you all," Ava said, planting a peck on her father's cheek while she headed to her room.

"No no no no no!" Little Matthew said, thinking the pecs were for him.

"Not you, silly," Mr. Smith said, watching his daughter walk away.

"Why did you do that again, Mom?" Lucas asked. "I thought you said it's her life."

"I just can't..." Mrs. Smith said in explanation but was cut short by her husband.

"Let it go," He said, his face gloomy. "She'd be fine."

.

.

January 4th:

"I know!" Ava Smith said to someone over the phone. "Stop reminding me, Maya."

"I know you know, baby," Maya's voice was heard while she giggled with excitement. "I can't wait to see you."

"Me too," Ava said, smiling at nothing in particular.

"How is Taylor?" Ava asked.

"Fine, baby," Maya answered.

"Where is the venue again?" Ava asked, teasingly.

"Really?" Maya screamed over the phone. "Palace of Fine Arts!" She screamed again.

"I know!" Ava said, laughing hard at how she got her best friend.

"I mustn't look for you, okay?" Maya said, her tone sounding the normal way.

"Yes, ma!" Ava said, her hands on her head.

"Good!" Maya responded, satisfied with what she heard. "How are they?"

"Who?"

"The Smiths, who else?" Maya answered. "Or...do you have a boyfriend I don't know about?"

"Not you this time, Maya!" Ava said, laughing. "They want my marriage so badly."

"What do you really expect?" Maya asked. "Lucas is married with a four year old son."

"So?" Ava asked stubbornly.

"I'm getting married in a week's time, Avv."

"I don't see my own marriage being the next in line, is this some sort of competition?"

"Dad wants you at the dining, Avv," Lucas's voice thundered, interrupting her conversation with Maya.

"I'd talk to you later, babes," She said, nodding at her brother who walked away.

"Alright, Miss," Maya said.

"Greet the groom for me," Ava said, ending the call.

"Dad?" She called, sitting on the chair close to Mr. Smith's chair.

"Hi, baby," Robert greeted, beaming a smile at her.

"Hi, dad," She greeted back, reciprocating the smile.

"What have you been up to?" Mr. Smith asked, looking at his daughter's face.

"Nothing much, dad," She answered, looking at the screen of her phone. "Checked my mail for updates, that's all."

"I see," Robert said. "Did you speak with your mother again?"

"No. Why?"

"You can't possibly keep malice with someone who birthed you because of a small argument, Avv," Mr. Smith said, calling her name in the very best way he could.

"Dad, I..." Ava started.

"See," Her father said, hastily interrupting her speech. "We love you."

"I know," Ava said, her face on the table. "I'm sorry."

"Nah," Robert said, his hands on her shoulder from where he sat. "We are family and we should behave as one."

"Ohhh, yeah!" Grace said, walking out of the kitchen with a tray of food. "Family, we remain."

"Yeah!" Lucas joined, holding a smaller tray.

"You forgot the cheese, Lucas," Hazel said, joining them at the table.

"Okay..." Baffled Ava said, looking at their faces one after the other. "What is happening?" She required, her gaze stopping at her mother's.

"Nothing." Lucas said.

"I'm sorry, Mom," Ava said, briefly hugging Mrs. Smith.

"We love you," Mrs. Smith said, her beautiful face beaming with smiles.

"Don't we look alike, Haz?" Lucas asked, joining his mother and sister.

"No. You're ugly, baby."

"Really?" Lucas asked, laughing.

"Aunt Avv, see...." Matthew said, running to meet her.

"Thank you," She greeted, receiving a bowl of popcorn from her nephew.

Little Matthew smiled, touching her face with his small hands from where he was.

"Now, this is for you," Ava said, bending to pick him.

"No!" He screamed. "Dad!"

"I'm not around, Matt," Lucas said, settling on a chair.

"Muah muah muah muah," Ava said, planting many kisses on Matthew's face.

"Dad!" He screamed, twisting his body in struggle. "Mom!"

"Now, that's for you," Ava said, letting him go away.

"Here," Mrs. Grace said, handing a plate to Ava.

"Is this some kind of reunion, mom?" Ava asked, receiving the plate from her mother.

"No."

"So..."

"Late New Year treat, baby," Lucas chipped in, winking at her.

"....in addition to your new job," Mr. Smith added, chewing his food.

"Thank you," Ava said, smiling at her family.

"And your wedding," Mrs. Smith said, looking at her daughter. "In advance."

"Mom," Ava said, smiling.

"Cheers," Her father said, raising his glass.

"Cheers," the rest of them said, sipping from their glasses.

"I'd be leaving for my apartment in Los Angeles on the 6th," Ava started when the room was free from sound.

"Just one more day with the sister," Lucas sang, rolling his eyes.

"In preparation for Maya's day, too," She explained.

"It's fine," Mr. Smith said, sipping from his glass again.

"You'd be good, right?" Mrs. Smith asked, touching Ava's hand from the seat across.

"Yes, Mom," She answered, giving them a reassuring smile.

"When are you leaving, Lucas?" She asked, facing her brother.

"I live in New York City, like my parents," He said, smiling. "I can go on the day I resume work, baby."

"Lucky you," Ava said, looking away.

The family ate in silence again, and Ava looked at them one after the other the moment she could.

"I love them," She thought.

She thought of her best friend, Maya. How lucky she must have been to be married. She thought again of how peaceful Maya's life would have been even if she didn't have a husband.

Maya's parents are late, the only person aside from Mark is her brother, Jack.

Ava has met with Jack once, and the connection didn't flow. Perhaps she could have made him her boyfriend. No one wouldn't want to date Ava.

After her last relationship with Maxwell, she promised not to be engaged with anyone again, not even the quietest man on earth.

"He ditched me!" She had cried to Maya. "He ditched me!"

Maxwell had left at the last minute of their relationship, saying he had no feelings for her anymore.

She looked at her family again, noticing she wasn't chewing the spoonful of cheese in her mouth. She started chewing again.

-

Los Angeles:

"Finally!" She cursed, throwing the bags on the floor.

She dragged one of the bags to the kitchen in the apartment, opening the fridge to store the apples she brought from the city inside the cold house.

She walked back to the medium sized living room, gripping the rest of the bags with her hands.

"Oh, no," She muttered, watching one of the bags slide off her hand. She'd have to return for it.

A phone rang, and she hurriedly walked into the room where her purse is to have her phone.

"What is it, Maya?" She asked, placing her phone in her ears while she dragged the bags to her room.

"It's just a reminder," She heard Maya say.

"Really?" The lady laughed, walking back into the living room in her apartment. "Okay."

"Are you home already?" The caller asked.

"Yes," She answered, gripping the last bag she came home with. "How did you know?"

"I can't hear anyone calling you 'Avv' from the background, baby," Maya answered, laughing.

"Matthew?" She asked, laughing. "I'd miss the rat."

"I miss you too!" Maya said over the phone, laughing.

"Verbatim!" Ava said, throwing herself on the bed. "I need a drink, Maya."

"I'd call you later then," Maya commented, rushing to her living room at the sound of a noise.

"Who is it?" She asked, increasing her pace.

"Hello, Miss." A man wearing a uniform said, holding a small box.

"Hi." She greeted, taking in his appearance. "Delivery man." She thought.

"You've got a package." He said again, his hand directed at her.

"A package?" She asked, her eyes whiter.

"Yes, miss."

"From who?" She asked again, leaning on the wall of her apartment.

"Robert Smith." The delivery man said, taking in her beauty with his eyes.

"Ohhhh!" Ava said, breathing in speedily.

"This box?" She asked, stretching out her hands.

"Yes." The man answered, smiling.

"Thank you." She said, receiving the box and signing on a big board paper she was asked to sign in.

Shutting her door after him, she took off to the nearest chair, scattering the decorated papers shielding the main content.

"Awww!" She gasped, beholding the big bear before her.

"This is beautiful." She said again, taking another flight to her room to get her phone.

"Dad?" She called excitedly, although her call was not yet picked.

"Robert Smith, drop a message." Her Father's device said, disconnecting the call.

"Ohhh!" Ava said, sitting back on the floor to explore her new baby. There, she noticed a note inside the box.

"Since you may not be getting married this year, I guess. Keep this with you, it's a New Year's gift from me and a company to you.

Love, Dad."

Smiling, she dialled Mr. Robert's number again, getting a better response.

"Thank you, dad." She greeted, holding the bear close to her breasts.

"Anytime, Avv." Her father answered, his voice soar. "How is Los Angeles?"

"Fine, dad." She answered, "how is Mom?"

"With me." The man answered, making a noise with his mouth.

"Stop it, dad." Ava said, knowing the action behind the sound she heard.

"Hahaha," Robert laughed.

"How is New York?" She found herself asking. "And Lucas."

"New York is very well, baby." The old man answered.

"And Lucas," He continued, "Lucas returned home yesterday."

"Why? I thought he was staying forever." She commented, laughing.

"He'd be having an early resumption at work, Hazel and Matthew left with him."

"That's fine," Ava said. "Just be safe, okay?"

"Yes, boss." Her Father said, making another sound with his mouth.

"Dad!" She called, although you could hear the excitement in her voice.

"I'm sorry, baby."

"Send my greetings to Mom, I love you both."

"I love you more, baby. Let's talk later, okay?"

"Yes, dad." She answered, standing on her feet from where she sat on the floor.

"My bum hurts." She said, soothing her behind with her hands.