The Way Home

Autumn Lane

Chapter 1
Ava Morrissey slowly steered the Barina into Autumn Lane, immediately catching her breath at the scene before her. Above was a dense canopy of leaves given by soaring oaks that lined the narrow lane, barely allowing the early October sun a chance to peak through. Low stone fences edged pretty gardens that were bursting with agapanthus, and luminous purple verbena. Fluttering butterflies relishing in their explorations. It was a wistful daydream of a welcome to compliment the elegant charm of the shingled cottages, and, finally, as she felt her mind slow, she knew she's found the contrast her wreck of a life needed.
She let down her window, allowing the fresh coastal air to fill her lungs. The sound of children playing in a front yard a little way down danced through the car.
'What do you think, Ollie?' she said, unhurriedly inching further down the lane. She glanced back over her shoulder at her young son when he didn't answer. He'd pressed his face to the window, peering up and out at everything there was to see.
'It's nothing like London at all,' he marvelled, and Ava couldn't agree more.
'Nope, this is something brand new for us.'
She found a cottage marked with a number three on the letterbox, and pulled into the gravel driveway. Turning off the car she sat back in her seat, having to take a moment to let to all sink in. This was really happening. She'd done it. London, and all its horrid memories were in her review. Slowly, she breathed, and then out, letting the past go with it. This was it. The first day of the rest of their lives.
'Are we going in, mum?' Ollie said after a minute. He took his seat belt off and leaned in between the seats. She turned to her son, mirroring the excitement on his face.
'I think we're ready to go find your new room.'
Ollie burst from the car, running around the front garden. It was something he'd never been able to do in London, mainly because there hadn't been a yard of any sort, just a cramped back garden. Ava climbed out and watched him. Maybe escaping to the coast of Cornwall would turn out better than she could have imagined. She'd dreamed this, to see the delight in such a whimsical place, but never were her dreams true to life. They were always brighter, more intense than reality, but this place, Marazion, was perfect.
'Do you think you'll like it here?' she said while he lapped the plush grass, expelling the unspent energy from the long drive.
'We could get a dog, couldn't we, mum?' he said, coming to edge of the garden, panting a little. 'Because dogs love running, and in London you always said no, but now we have room, and I think-.'
'I think we should settle in first,' Ava said. 'And let's not forget that you're barely five years old, and can't yet keep you room clean.'
Ollie's shoulders slumped. His idea was clearly a hurried one, and then he sparked again. 'So if I can clean up, then I can have a dog?' he said, and Ava laughed, taking the few steps to him and ruffled his sandy blonde hair.
'We'll talk about this in a few months hey.'
'Ok,' he said. Ava wrapped her arm around his shoulder.
'Come on, we should get started unpacking to do. You can practise this cleaning up that you're super keen for.'
Under a planter of lavender, just where her closest friend, and landlord, Ember had said it would be, Ava found the spare key. A young woman with shiny blonde hair rushed out of the cottage that neighboured Ava's. The woman stared at Ava for a moment, and realised too late why she was getting such a searching look. Her face was a mess – bruised and swollen. It throbbed then as if to remind her. Ava offered a small smile and quickly turned away. She was looking forward to not have to hide herself from the consequence of another's bad decisions.
'Who do you think those kids are?' Ollie said as Ava unlocked the door. She followed his line of sight. Three children were playing football in a front garden a couple of cottages down. They must have been around the same age as Ollie, laughing and flailing around as they competed for goals. Ava's attention was drawn to the goalie. A man, looking to be in his late twenties but with a playful smile as if he were a small boy, clapped encouragement, even when one of the children screamed at him that it wasn't fair. His dark wavy hair framed his face, and bounced around as he shifted from foot to foot, athletically guarding his post. Ollie was just as taken by the scene, standing quiet and still as they took it all in.
'Looks like fun, huh?' Ava said, and Ollie gazed up at her. Blue shining lights that kept her moving forward. His eyes danced with excitement, never once dimming, not even at the sight of how broken his mother was. He saw past the sadness in her eyes, paid no attention to the bruises on her face. With his pure eagerness for what may come next, her son had led the way out of hell. He nodded.
'One day, mum?' he said.
She looked back at the game. The children weren't the issue. It was the man, the goalie, who stood in her way from allowing her son run down the lane and be young and free. He could be a gentleman. He could be the good guy like the cheeky grin on his face showed her he was. Or, he could be something else entirely. It wouldn't be the first time she'd been fooled by a handsome show.
'Ah, I see you've stumbled across Romeo St James, and his football stars in training.' Ava jumped at the distraction. She turned to watch Ember come down the drive way. 'Don't worry, everyone stares at first before they manage to find their voice.'
Ava went to her, and pulled her into a tight hug. Up until this moment she'd been propelling herself forward without looking too far back. But Ember knew it all, and knowing she was in safe hands, Ava released everything she wanted to keep hidden from her son.
'Let me get a good look at you,' Ember said when she leaned back and examined Ava's face. 'Oh dear, god, Ava. What has he done?'
'It's over now,' she said, shaking her head. 'It doesn't matter.'
Ember's porcelain features hardened. 'Where is he?'
Ava glanced back at Ollie who was still mesmerised by the fun down the road. 'I guess he's in London,' she said quietly.
'He just let you go?'
She shrugged. 'In the end he had no choice. They arrested him.'
Ember looked over her again, holding Ava's hands and spreading her arms wide to get a good look. 'It's so good to see you again. I can't tell you the relief I feel knowing you're so far away from Leo sodding Bannister.'
'So, mum, can I go play with them?' Ollie said.
Ava went to him, kneeling down as they watched on. 'I don't know, but maybe we can introduce ourselves properly tomorrow when we have less to do.' Really what she meant was, maybe when we have our lives in order enough to welcome new friends, and her battle wounds had healed.
Ollie remained planted at her side. 'Please?' he said again, lengthening the word, and adding a toothy grin because knew it was her kryptonite.
'It'll be fine,' Ember assured her. 'Those two there, the ones with the matching shorts, that's Liam and Tess.'
'Your twins?' Ava said, straightening up. Ember nodded. 'They've gotten so big!'
'With attitudes to match, I assure you. Romeo's great with them. I'm sure he wouldn't mind having one more on the team.'
Ava watched Romeo as he ran a lap of the garden, high-fiving the children one by one. When he reached a girl, about Ollie's age, with her head down, and with a gloomy look on her pretty face, he picked her up and swung her around. She gripped her arms around his shoulders and squealed with laughter.
'That's Rosie,' Ember said. 'Romeo's daughter. She's a handful, but it must be hard to have a single dad, and a mum who's barely in the picture.'
'So I should rethink this whole move, then?' Ava said.
'Oh, heavens no. Completely different circumstances. You know it's safer to be here than London,' she said, and Ava hesitated. Ember held her upper arms, and turned Ava back to her, locking their eyes. 'You know that, don't you?'
Ava thought about Leo and what led her here. She nodded. 'I know.'
Over Ember's shoulder, Ava saw Ollie inching his way to the front fence. His attention was still on the children.
Ember leaned in close. 'It's fine, really,' she whispered. 'It's just Romeo.'
'Alright, Ollie. You can go,' Ava finally said. 'Ask first if it's ok to join in, yes?'
He beamed. 'Yep, I will. Thanks, mum!' And off he ran down the lane, her boy who had never felt this free.
'Hey, Romeo,' Ember called out. 'Oliver's coming to have a kick,' she said.
Ava watched on as he tossed Ollie the ball, and straight away Ollie booted it over the net and into the hedge. Romeo jogged to collect it, giving it back to Ollie to try again. It was the way he ruffled her son's hair that stopped her heart. And the lifting of Ollie's shoulders as he calmed himself to try again. When he did, everyone cheered. Romeo celebrated with another round of high fives, and Ava cried because she'd stolen the whole of Ollie's life by staying in a volatile relationship for so long.
'Hey, look forward, not back, Ava,' Ember said, breaking her out of her doubt that always managed to seep in through the cracks of hope. 'Come on, let's go in, and I'll make us some tea.'
'I don't have any tea,' Ava said, wiping her face. Ember linked her arm through Ava's, and led her toward the front door.
'Yes, you do. I took the liberty of filling your fridge and cupboards with groceries. Your beds are freshly made, and I've stocked the bathroom with everything the two of you need.'
'You didn't have to do that,' Ava said as she sat on the front step instead of going in. She kept watch over Ollie. Ember sat with her.
'Of course I did. I couldn't offer you a place of refuge, and then meet you here with more things to worry about. The cottage is good to go, Ava. It's still furnished. All you need to do is start a new life in it. Put some laughter between its walls.'
Ava observed her son, making new friends that he could have over for lunch without fearing his dad would burst in and make a scene. He could run down the street and play under the oaks, or make cubby houses in the bushes where he could share secrets and plans of his own.
'I'll never regret doing this for him,' she said.
'Or for yourself, or even for Leo. Being alone is the best thing for him, Ava. You all need space and time.'
Fresh tears threatened, but she breathed them back. 'I thought I could do it, you know?'
'Save him?'
Ava shook her head. 'Ridiculous, I know.'
'It's not ridiculous. You're not the first person to think that, believe me. You wanted more for Ollie and Leo than you did for yourself.'
'I didn't want to fail at having a family. I wanted Ollie to have his mum and dad. It took me too long to realise that he hadn't had Leo in a long, long time.'
'All your boy needs right now is you, because you're the only one fighting for him. And just look how excited he is to be here.'
The children were now running races on the road. Ollie won and the other children cheered his name. Romeo came out of his cottage with a tray of drinks and food. A picnic rug hung over one of his arms. Immediately, the children flocked to him.
'Autumn Lane is the best place you could be,' Ember said. 'It's full of new hopes.'
Ember nodded toward Romeo who was jogging up the lane toward them. 'You winning out there?' she said as he came down the cobbled path. Ava moved her hair over the mottled half of her face.
He laughed. 'Nope. Getting my arse kicked.'
'This is Ava. She's moving into the cottage.'
'Oh, great. Romeo St James,' he said as he reached out. Ava took his hand. His palm was warm when she shook it, and his gentle gaze held hers as his mouth curved into an open smile. With skin that was tanned, brightening his eyes that were the colour of the turquoise bay, Ava was taken aback all at once by him. A handsome, relaxed expression spread across his features. Never had she met a person who could make her feel calm in one, simple moment. It had been a long time since anyone had looked at her as if she mattered. She tilted her hair further across her eye when he looked too long over her.
'She's come for a fresh start,' Ember said.
'Right,' he said. 'Good.'
'Interesting name, Romeo St James,' Ava said to move on from the unease in his eyes.
'Interesting or completely indulgent of my parents to assume I'd want to be known for a foolish man who killed himself?' If he wasn't still carrying the grin, Ava might think he resented them somehow, but then he laughed. 'Either way, it's reassuring to know they put that much thought into their only son. Romeo was a romantic, wasn't he?'
'To the very end.'
His smile widened, and Ava continued to stare at him wondering how he did it. She saw pure contentment wash over him, and she couldn't help but to feel a pull toward it. Like a light show or a burst of fireworks in the dark sky. He looked happy. Beaming, she discovered, as she watched him further. This was why she left London, to someday shine like that. In immediate awe of him, she was inspired. She knew beyond a doubt that Ember was right – maybe she had come to the right place.
'Your boy, Beckham, over there is a star,' Romeo said when she forgot to speak, too lost in optimism.
She glanced at Ollie, eating and laughing with his new friends. 'He's my life,' she said.
'Who knows what he'll learn tomorrow? I'm teaching my daughter Rosie how to sail.'
'Romeo's a boat maker,' Ember explained. 'He runs his own business down on the shore.'
'Wow,' Ava said, wondering, as far as first impression went, if there wasn't anything Romeo St James couldn't do. 'Congratulations. You must love what you do.'
'I wouldn't have life any other way. Finished off my very own dinghy over the summer. Took me a year between everything else to build. Strip planked a varnished, I'll have splinters until I'm eighty.'
'Sounds like a real labour of love,' Ava said.
'Maybe you and Ollie could come and take a look, if that's something you'd be interested in,' he added when she didn't jump at the idea. Ember laughed, wrapping her arm around Ava's shoulder.
'She's from London. Not used to the hospitable, small town coastal way yet,' she said.
She offered a small smile. 'Sorry, but I'm sure I could get used to it.'
'How does it go, Ember? Down here, we mean what we say, and we say what we mean, unless we don't know what we're sayin', and in that case, we put the ale away.'
Ava stared at him. Ember laughed. 'It's something old Mr Bennett used to recite. He lived down the lane there with his wife until he died a couple of years ago.'
'But it's true, though,' Romeo said. 'Except for his ale. Could never stomach it myself.'
'I think Mr Bennett was the only one who could,' Ember said. 'Anyway, what were we talking about?'
'The boats?' Ava said, enjoying the easiness of the company.
'That's right,' Romeo said, the pride reappearing in his features. 'There's nowhere else I'd rather be than out on the water.'
Ava imagined it then - sea breeze on his face, the sun on his shoulders. From the stoop, she found a view of the bay between two cottages across the lane. 'I bet you can really let go and breathe out there.'
'Yeah, just me and the ocean. No one else.'
She watched him as a fresh wave of optimism rushed through her. 'I get that.'
'Ollie would love it over on the mount,' Ember said. 'Romeo thinks a giant once lived there,' she added, rolling her eyes. Romeo laughed.
'I don't think it. Legend has it. Where's your sense of adventure, Ember?'
'It was snatched away when I had the twins.'
'Ah, but that's the perfect time to get it!' Romeo beamed. 'Rosie loves going over there. Maybe Ollie would like it too?'
Ava watched Romeo as life shone through him. It was hard not to let some of it take her. 'When we're settled in a few weeks, maybe we'll take a walk over.'
'That's the way,' Romeo said. 'Let me know when you go. Rosie and I could give you a guided tour.'
She glanced at Ember who was trying hard not to smile. 'That'd be good, but I wouldn't want to put you out.'
'No imposition at all, Ava,' he said. 'Remember, we say what we mean...'
She let out a little laugh then. 'Ok, I'll keep it in mind then.'
'Good. I'd better get back to the kids. See if they've demolished their lunch yet.'
Ember bumped against Ava's shoulder as she watched Romeo walk away. 'He's single, you know?'
'And that's relevant because..?'
'I see the way you looked at him.'
Ava flushed. 'I didn't...I don't. It's intrigue, that's all. I've never seen true happiness in real life, not even on Ollie. But that's all it is. So, I beg of you, beg of you, Ember, please don't get carried away. I won't deny he's gorgeous, and kind, and just a lovely, lovely person, and probably a walking talking cliché, but I need to get some traction on this new life-.'
'It's ok,' Ember knocked her again. 'I was just teasing. He's as charming as he is good-looking, and if you hadn't just walked out on a shitty relationship, I'd be match-making my heart out. But you're right, let's find the next step under your feet.'
'Whatever that is,' Ava said, heading to the car.
Ember followed. 'What fun you'll have figuring it all out.' Ava opened the hatch and lifted out a box. Ember peered inside at the pile of books. 'Of everything obscenely expensive in that apartment, you brought these?'
There was a glint in Ava's eye. 'You underestimate the power of the written word.'
She waited as Ember lifted another box and followed her in. 'There's an empty shop along the foreshore. Maybe you could open a book exchange,' she said as they dumped the boxes on the sitting room floor.
'Oh, yeah?' Ava looked over the novels, picking one up and fluttering the pages. To say she wasn't keen on the idea would be a lie, but she shook her head. 'You sure know how to get ahead of yourself, don't you?'
'There could be a real future here with Ollie. However long it takes. You have options now, just make sure you keep looking forward.'
Ava fluttered the pages again. In measured steps - that's how this was going to go. It had to, because everything other decision she'd made had been in haste. It was time to decide what she really wanted, to be careful with new opportunities. Not even the smell of other people's stories beneath her nose, or the distracting calm of Autumn Lane was going to force it.