Free Key To My Heart (Love Conquers All) by Victoria Wells Page B

friend.
    “Here it is!” Zoe beamed, handing Ava the silver framed picture.
    Gazing at the photo, bittersweet memories warred within her. The picture had been taken her sophomore year, and his first year of law school. The event they were attending was a benefit dinner to raise money for the United Negro College Fund. The faces smiling back at her showed a couple deeply in love.
    “You kept this picture? After all this time?” Ava asked.
    “I was saving it to maybe one day give to Zoe when she got older.” He wondered if she would believe him if he told her for the last several weeks he’d looked at the photo every day, wondering where she was and what she was doing.
    Zoe climbed back up on Ava’s lap. “Daddy said the lady in the picture is his friend. Are you my mommy or Daddy’s friend?”
    Smiling down at the child, Ava kissed her forehead and hugged her again. “Baby, I’m both. I’m your mommy and your daddy’s friend.”

Chapter 12
    Sunday rolled around too quickly for Ava’s liking. She was getting to know her little girl and enjoying every minute of it. She so wanted to call out from work on Monday to prolong her visit with Zoe. However, she had a job she had to get back to.
    Calling out last Thursday and Friday hadn’t fazed her at all. Knowing her daughter wanted her and needed her had taken supreme precedence over everything. It had taken Ava less than ten minutes to stuff a large overnight bag with clothing and essential toiletries before jumping into Langston’s vintage Jaguar. All she could think about was getting to where Zoe was.
    Now sitting cross-legged on her bed while folding laundry, Ava counted down the days until she would see Zoe again. Dear God in heaven, help her. It was only Tuesday. Melancholy cast its grim aura. Friday might as well have been next year.
    She could still feel the ache in her heart when she had to say good-bye. Zoe was having a difficult time letting go.
    Holding Ava tightly around the neck, Zoe whimpered, “I don’t want you to leave. Please stay. Don’t go.”
    “My Zoe, I don’t want to go, but I have to get back to work. I promise I’ll come see you again. On Friday, OK,” Ava soothingly assured the distraught child as she held her in her lap.
    Ava’s heart shattered into a million pieces when Zoe nodded, her lips trembling as she tried to be a big girl. “OK, Mommy.”
    Getting to know the child she’d given up was beyond a blessing. Ava’s lips curled into a warm smile. Langston hadn’t embellished. Zoe was indeed a sweet child. After their initial meeting she had literally become Ava’s shadow. Ava couldn’t make a move without the child being at her side.
    Utter fascination warmed Ava insides. She and Zoe easily engaged in the roles of mother and daughter. Ava lovingly indulged Zoe every time she climbed into her lap as if she were a toddler. On Saturday afternoon when they went out for a walk, Zoe held onto Ava’s hand as she led her around the neighborhood. Ava had to control the waterworks when Zoe tugged on her hand, pointed to a lovely colonial style home, and excitedly stated, “Mommy, that’s where my friend Allison lives.”
    Zoe naturally accepted her mother’s need to constantly shower her with affection. Her round cheeks and forehead were the recipients of thousands of tender, warm kisses. And Zoe enjoyed Ava helping to bathe her. She bubbled over with laughter when Ava teased her as she cleaned in and around her ears, “Critters, critters, if you’re in there come on out!” Ava shouted.
    “Mommy! I don’t have critters!”
    “Yoooou…nevvvver…knoooow.” Ava continued to tease, wiggling her eyebrows and sending Zoe into a fit of giggles.
    “Mommy, you’re silly just like Daddy.”
    Ava didn’t even get annoyed then or now as she remembered the exuberant child comparing her to Langston.
    Finishing folding the laundry, Ava glanced at her watch. Almost seven thirty. To make the time go by more quickly, she decided to