The woman looked up and seemed mildly surprised. ‘We do, in fact.’
‘You do?’ I said, glancing at Jack and then the woman. ‘Who? Where? What room?’
‘I can’t just give you information on my lodgers,’ she said coldly. ‘They are entitled to their privacy-’
‘Avalon?’ said a voice behind me.
My heart leapt and I knew who had spoken my name before I had even turned around. I spun on the spot so fast it made my head spin.
Standing in front of me was my mother and father, looking thinner and more tired than I had ever seen them. Large, dark circles were under their eyes and both of them looked quite pale.
‘Mum!’ I choked. My legs refused to move, but there was no need. I found myself in a tight embrace with my parents, who held me so close it hurt my ribs.
My mother said my name over and over again, while my father wrapped his arms around the both of us. His eyes were watery. ‘You found us,’ he said thickly.
I didn’t want to let go. It felt like it had been years, not months. The familiar smells came flooding back and I realised how much I had really missed them.
I feared that my parents would be cold, distant or even furious with me, but those fears left instantly. For the first time I realised that my parents had been without both of their children for the past few weeks.
‘I came looking for you,’ I blurted as we all disentangled ourselves and my mother held me at an arms length in order to analyse me. ‘I found you!’
‘You did,’ my mother said through tears. ‘Clever girl. So clever.’
‘I knew you would be here!’ I said.
‘We’ve been so worried about you,’ said my father, gripping my shoulder.
‘I know, I’m sorry. I’m sorry I left. I’m sorry for everything.’ Apologies spilled from my mouth with no sign of stopping.
‘We didn’t know where you were, what you were doing, or if-if-’ my mother’s voice broke and she was reduced to tears.
‘I’ve been fine,’ I promised her. ‘Really.’ My parents didn’t need to know the specifics, not yet. ‘I was worried about you! I came home and found the house destroyed with a notice pinned to the letterbox! I didn’t know what to do, what to think. If it wasn’t for Jack I would never have made it here!’
‘Jack?’ My father repeated.
‘Well, Jack helped,’ I said. Then, remembering that they had never met Jack, I exclaimed, ‘Oh! Jack!’
I turned around and saw Jack standing a few paces away, looking rather awkward. I grabbed his arm and pulled him towards my parents.
‘This is Jack,’ I said, thrusting him in front of them. ‘My-my … my -’ It was very important that my parents understood how much Jack meant to me. Yet I didn’t know how to describe our relationship.
‘Friend,’ Jack said helpfully. ‘Mr. Redding, it’s nice to finally meet you.’ Jack’s ears were bright red as he shook my father’s hand. ‘Mrs. Redding.’ He shook her hand too.
‘You helped Ava come here?’ My father said.
Jack gave a small nod. ‘There was no stopping her, really, but I couldn’t let her wander off alone.’
‘Thank you,’ my mother said, embracing Jack. ‘Thank you for bringing our daughter to us.’
Jack’s face turned a bright scarlet. ‘I, well, of course it was no trouble.’
‘Oh! And Hawthorne! You haven’t met Hawthorne!’ I blurted. I felt like a small child, showing off my newly acquired friends. ‘He’s outside.’
My father looked out of the lodge window, as though expecting to see a man standing on the pavement outside. However, there was only Hawthorne who peeked through the window longingly.
‘He’s, well, he’s … what are they called, Jack?’ I asked.
‘Animal Spirits,’ Jack helped.
‘You-You have one of those creatures?’ My father said unsure.
I nodded. ‘He’s great, Dad. You’ll love him!’
‘Isn’t he rather, uh, large?’ My mother said tentatively, looking through the window. Hawthorne pressed his nose against the pane and sighed, causing the glass to fog.
I waved a hand, ‘If he were smaller I wouldn’t be able to fly on him-’
‘Fly?’ My father repeated. ‘You fly on that thing?’
I laughed, ‘Of course.’
‘Isn’t it dangerous?’ asked my mother.
I waved a hand dismissively. ‘Don’t worry about that. The important thing is that we are here together.’
Chapter Twelve
Intentions
After paying a ridiculous five gold pieces for a mediocre room, Jack and I ventured upstairs, my father carrying my rucksack for me. After being informed that the rear entrance to the lodge would be large enough to fit Hawthorne through, I went to fetch him hastily. I was rather excited to show him off and couldn’t help but laugh at my parent’s expressions when Hawthorne and I entered our room.
‘Goodness me,’ my mother said faintly. ‘He is monstrous.’
‘He is very gentle,’ I promised, patting Hawthorne’s neck.