Ava informed me later that day that Kael had let go of his flat in the city and would be staying with us. While I sensed this story wasn't entirely true, I didn't question her. Secretly, I was relieved. Ava's character was far from warm and inviting. As much as I wanted time to question my mother, I didn't relish being away from Kael again.

Ava drove us to her home in silence. The light of the outside world seemed to pierce my skull, adding to my constant dull headache. Kael sat beside me in the back seat, hands resting on his knees, eyes surveying our surroundings. I was starting to feel like he was my personal body guard. The story that he had lost his place in London was covering the truth. For some reason, he wanted to stay with me. Before his dedication had made no sense. I wished knowing he wasn't a criminal would have shed more light on his reasoning but in reality, it didn't. I was safe now that I was with Ava and under Interpol protection. Either there was something I still didn't know, or I was missing something obvious. Knowing myself all too well, it was probably the latter.

The clock on the dash read five thirty, and in classic rush hour fashion, the trip proceeded slowly. Ava switched on the radio, a classical station that started with piano but progressed to the ear piercing vibrato of an opera singer.

I took the opportunity to speak to Kael. With the stop and go traffic and boisterous vibrato, Ava was well occupied. The plastic divider between the front and back seat added reassurance that we had some privacy.

I whispered, "How did you find me in the tower?"

He looked down, as if remembering for the first time I was there. "Earpiece," he reminded me.

I glanced toward the front before whispering back, "Explosives?"

"I planted them on the way down. We need to talk later," he said as he glanced up at Ava who seemed oblivious to our conversation. He shook his head and murmured, "What happened to you was my fault, Harper."

I said nothing at first, playing with a button on my sweater. Remembering my actions the night of my capture, I knew that wasn't true. "No, it wasn't. I should have shot when I saw her." I replied firmly. I saw eyes in the rear view mirror and said no more.

We reached Ava's complex a few minutes later. A row of townhouses lined both sides of the street. Boardwalks and five-year-old trees gave the impression of a desirable, up and coming neighborhood. The car stopped in front of one of many identical structures. Once inside, I appreciated the immaculate housekeeping as well as the modern style. The walls were a rich gray color with black and white nature pictures in large frames hung throughout the room. An overstuffed cream sofa sat in the lounge. Ava walked straight through the living room into a guest room, tastefully done in olive green and cream.

"You'll be in here," Ava spoke for the first time since we had arrived. "Kael, could you pick us up something? I'm starving."

She turned to walk away, and Kael looked at me. I shrugged. I supposed I should accept that at times, he would have to leave me alone with her.

Kael left with a cap pulled low over his forehead, obscuring his face. I followed Ava into the kitchen and wondered if she had created this opportunity for us to talk. The kitchen was similarly styled to the rest of the home in gray and white. Though her modern decor appealed to me, I couldn't help noting the difference between Ava's stark taste and the colorful, eclectic style of my New York apartment. Between the granite countertops and oversized stainless steel appliances, Ava had spared no expense. She poured herself a glass of red wine, sipping it slowly with her hip against the edge of the island.

I folded my arms and leaned on the opposite edge of the rather large island, trying to settle my nerves. She took another sip, saying nothing.

Finally, I asked, "So, it's true?"

If she wasn't going to address the topic, I would.

She let a tired sigh escape her lips. She watched the remainder of the wine swirl in the bottom of her glass.

"Yes, it's true." She looked up at me resigned and explained, "I was so young. I grew up his neighbor. Gideon was older, handsome, and exciting. I made mistakes." She shrugged and turned, "It was so long ago, I'd practically forgotten you." She took a few steps and started placing dishes from the dryer rack into the cupboard and amended, "Well, not forgotten, but suppressed. That was a dark time in my life."

The casual way she approached our shared history disappointed me. Regardless, she had to answer the questions that had plagued me my whole life.

"Why adoption?"

The lack of motherly aura this woman emitted was phenomenal. Nevertheless, she couldn't have always been bereft of the natural instinct.

"Why couldn't one of you raise a baby when you separated?"

Ava took another sip of wine. I knew I was delving into a sensitive topic now and must tread lightly.

"It wasn't that simple, Harper. When I found out who he was, I was committed to ending the family business. But unfortunately, Gideon anticipated my actions. He figured out that I was working with Interpol. Nearly cost both of us our lives. You were with the nanny when Interpol extracted me. Be grateful he spared you to an orphanage." She shuddered, then continued, "I thought you'd be dead for sure. And look at you now."

However solemn she looked, I couldn't help but consider that most mothers would never leave their child in a life threatening situation, only to hope for the best. I kept these thoughts to myself. Pensively, she took a sip of the last half of her wine.

She considered her next words, "Harper, let's not make a big deal out of this, can we? A lot of time has passed that we can't get back. I'm glad I met you, but we both know in the big scheme of things, this doesn't change anything. No one can ever know."

She waited for me to acknowledge, standing with one arm on her hip, the other resting against the granite counter.

"What is there to hide?"

"Everything," speaking slowly yet deliberately, she went back to her work, "Kael and I hold each other to very high standards. If he found out I'd had an affair with his arch nemesis, I don't want to know what he would do. And he's vital to my work here. Vital." She looked at me with meaning.

"I don't know..." I started, not liking her way of approaching this at all, but she interrupted.

"He's lied to you," Ava said coldly and shrugged, "And what I'm asking of you isn't even a lie, more of an omission of our true connection." She pressed on, sensing my hesitation, "Look, Harper, it was great to meet you, but let's be honest, you want to get out of this mess while I want to infiltrate this criminal organization more than anything. Our lives are not compatible. It's best we just take it for what it is - a random joke of fate. Leave it at that."

I took a slow deep breath, knowing that her terms were not conditional. She was far from what I had expected in a mother, but I tried to hide my disappointment.

"Fine. But it was still nice to meet you."

"Likewise."

She gave me a shadow of a smile before proceeding to set a few bottled waters onto the bar. She surprised me with a casual question, "Well then, were you adopted eventually?"

Expecting her to change the topic, I faltered to answer, "Yes, yes. As a teen."

"And they were good to you?"

I smiled as I thought of Maria, and said "She is, yes. I was adopted by a single middle-aged woman." I didn't feel her four marriages were a good example of her character, so I omitted them.

"Interesting. And the whole orphanage and foster care experience? I hear that can be rough."

She leaned her elbows on the island, all attention on me now.

I saw Mr. Kinley's enraged face, red and sweating, a fire poker swinging at me, clenched in his chubby grasp. I shook my head to suppress these thoughts. "The orphanage provided me food, clothes, shelter." But not a family, I thought. She seemed pleased.

"Why would a middle-aged, single woman adopt a teenage girl?"

She really seemed engaged in my story, so I decided to open up.

Smiling I replied, "I asked myself the same thing. But she isn't one to raise children. I guess she wanted companionship more than anything."

She probed further, "Never married, eh?"

I sighed, resigning myself to telling the whole story, "She did eventually. A few times. That's why I'm here actually. She wanted her fourth wedding to be a destination wedding. England holds sentimental value as my birth place, but obviously we should have thought through it more."

"Four times! Amazing." Ava scratched her head and half teased, "You don't have such an impressive track record, do you?"

"No, no. I'm not interested in marriage."

Ava started to ask me another question, but the lock on the front door twisted open at that moment and Kael's return silenced our conversation. I was relieved. I didn't relish another matronly figure telling me that my fears were unfounded.

*****

What do you think of Ava? Harper hasn't made up her mind. She's certainly not what Harper was expecting! 

*****