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Meg had told Ava to clean out her closet before Christmas. It was Christmas Eve, and Ava hadn’t gotten around to it, so she’d better get that done today. If she didn’t have it done by dinner time, Meg would throw a fit. She’d probably say that since Ava didn’t care enough to make room for new clothes, she must not want any, and return whatever it was she’d bought Ava for Christmas.
As Ava went through the clothes, the first question she asked herself on everything was whether Meg liked it. By now, Ava had gotten rid of most of the stuff she’d had before that Meg didn’t like, but occasionally she’d come across something. Like this red sweater hiding in the back. What was that about? Meg hated it when Ava wore red. She said it made Ava look like a whore. She picked it up, and noticed the box underneath. When she opened it, her breath caught.
If Meg caught her with these, Ava was dead. Meg hated that Ava had these old CDs. There was a player with them, along with batteries and a pair of headphones. Meg wouldn’t be home for hours, she could still work while she listened to music, so Ava took the risk. She put the headphones on, picked a CD at random, put it in the player, and hit play.
She’d missed this music. Just listening to it made her smile as she weeded through her clothes. Then she opened a case to find it was a homemade CD. Meg would definitely kill her for keeping this, but how could she throw it away? She and Jo had drifted apart because of Meg – Jo was her best friend, but Meg insisted that Jo was in love with her and planning to steal her from Meg. Ava didn’t believe that, but was easier to just let it go so she wouldn’t be fighting with Meg.
The playlist brought back the sleepovers, the bus rides for band contests or football games or field trips, laughing together as they got ready for prom, the crying together as they broke down over the stress of college preparation or failed tests or… or breakups. It brought back the memories of late nights on the phone and the internet both as they went to separate colleges but made absolutely sure to stay best friends despite the distance. It brought back the promises of always being there for each other, no matter what life brought.
If Jo came running to Ava for help now, Meg or no Meg, Ava would help her. Ava looked at the pile of clothes on her bed, the stuff she was planning to get rid of to make Meg happy. What if she threw it all into a bag and ran for the Roadhouse? She could get there in four hours, and Ellen Harvelle had always prided herself on taking in the people with nowhere else to go for Christmas. It wouldn’t be the fancy dinner Ava was supposed to go to with Meg, where she’d finally get to meet Meg’s father, but it would be good food and, if Ava were right, Jo would help her find her way on her own.
The next song came on, “Wide Open Spaces”, and it brought back talking to Jo about finding their own wide open spaces in college. Jo had wanted to follow in her father’s footsteps, get into private investigation, while Ava wanted to help others. She’d gone into her school’s nursing program, and on the advice of some of her professors, was about to switch to pre-med when she met Meg. Meg talked her out of following her dream of medical school, convinced her that being a nurse was good enough. Then she’d convinced Ava not to work, to stay at home and let Meg take care of her.
It might be too late for medical school, but Ava’s degree was still good, and she might need to brush up on some stuff to recertify but she could do that. What had happened to her? How had she let herself end up like this? It didn’t matter. She saw now. She needed to go out. She had a plan. She grabbed the old school duffle from the closet, threw in the clothes she was getting rid of, and put the CDs right on top. Meg kept money in a sock drawer in case of emergencies, and didn’t count it. Rich girl privilege, Ava had always figured. She took five hundred dollars from it, pulled the red sweater over her shirt, and headed for the bus station.
The Roadhouse looked the same as ever. Ava’s courage nearly failed her as she stared through the window, where she could see Jo laughing with customers as she dropped off their drinks. If she was wrong, if their old friendship couldn’t survive Ava’s choices to make Meg happy, this was going to suck. She’d find a way, but it would be a lot easier with her best friend at her side.
Jo suddenly turned and stared out the window. Her mouth dropped open when she saw Ava standing there, and she turned and ran for the door. Ava barely had time to hide before Jo was launching at her in a giant hug. “AVA! I am so happy to see you!” She looked around. “Where’s Meg?”
“Not here.” Ava hugged back, clinging to Jo. “I left. I’m not going back. I’m sorry it took so long, but…”
“Don’t. Don’t apologize for what she manipulated you into doing. Come on.” Jo took Ava’s hand and led her into the Roadhouse. “Mom! New customer, get her the best we’ve got!”
Ellen poured Ava a shot of whiskey. “Welcome back, honey. You ready to get your life back on your own track?”
“Yes, I am. I could use some help, though. People I can trust to call me out on letting someone else tell me what to do with my life. I know it’s a lot to ask, but…”
Ellen leaned on the bar, staring Ava in the eyes. “You even think about suggesting that Jo and I aren’t here for you, finish that shot and walk out the door. Meg was a huge mistake, but who hasn’t done something stupid when they’re young? You’re family here, Ava, and that means you’re always welcome to come home.”
Yeah, it wasn't fancy. It wasn't crystal and duck and wine. It was better. It was whiskey and hamburgers and sawdust. It was home.