Free Echoes in the Bayou by Ursula Dukes

Gavin. "He tells me that you haven’t been answering
your cell. He wants to know how everything is going," Magnus said.
    Ava
wasn’t expecting to hear from Gavin, at least not this soon. "I haven’t been answering my cell because I have
been a bit preoccupied," she said matter of factly.
    " And…I’ve only been here a little over twenty four
hours, what the hell does he think I can accomplish in one goddamn day?"
She asked out loud.
    "What
did you tell him?" She probed.
    Magnus
could see the look in her eyes had changed. They were no longer calm, she was
angry but he didn’t know why. "I told him
that things were going great and that he sent the perfect person for the job
Ava," he said with a smile. "He told me to tell you to give him a
call; he needs to know what’s going on. And, I don’t know what this next part
is about but he said that he really needs to speak with you. He said it was
important."
    Magnus
looked at her inquisitively.  Ava knew that he was fishing for answers but
she wasn’t about to give him one. Talking about ghosts was one thing, but
sharing a part of her life that she wanted nothing more than to forget was
another.
    Ava
sighed with a huff, what the hell could Gavin want to talk to me about ? She thought to herself. Could there be trouble in paradise? Well if there is,
it serves them both right and I want no part of it.
    " Magnus, I'm sure it’s nothing that you need to be
concerned about. Next time he calls please don’t take any personal messages from
him, keep things strictly business alright? He’s my boss but he’s not my
keeper."
    " I'm sorry Ava, I just thought that…"
    " What did you think Magnus? That I would just come out
and tell you all of my business? Or are you trying to find out if there’s something
going on between my boss and I? Magnus please don’t presume to know me because
you don’t and I'm tired of every one thinking that I am just so goddamn passive
and predictable, my boss included. You know one of these days I just might
surprise everybody and do something so unbelievable it’ll blow everyone’s
fucking mind," she cursed.
    He looked
at her ste rn like and staidly. "You're
right Ava I don’t know you, you’ve just made that quite obvious. Forgive me for
making the assumption, it won’t happen again," he barked.
    " Check
please." He then motioned to the waitress.
    The drive back to the plantation was
an uncomfortable one to say the least. Neither spoke to the other as they
pulled into the driveway. Ava got out, slammed the car door and stomped up the
stairs to her room. She didn’t like a person assuming that they knew everything
about her. That’s
exactly how Gavin treated me , she
told herself. Besides , she argued with herself . I didn’t come here for any other reason than to do
my job, and ghost or no ghost, that’s exactly what I'm going to do.
    Before
he could open his bedroom door, Ava stomped up behind him. She told him that
she was there to do a job and then she reminded him that he was the one who had
called the office in need of help. "Well help has arrived and like it or
not, I plan to see this thing through. Now I'm not saying that I won’t help you
with your search for documentation on this place, but I'm telling you that I
plan on showing both you and Gavin that I can get the job done. Now if you’re
not willing to abide by those rules you tell me now and I’ll pack my bags and
be gone within the hour, it’s your choice."
    There was
nothing he wanted more than for her to stay; he could tell by the tone in her
voice that she meant every word. "Ava, I can live with that," he
said, his voice soft. "I just wish you would tell me what I said that’s
got you so upset?"
    " Magnus, just please can we not talk about it right
now? If you don’t mind I’d like to get to work, and get some measurements down
so if you have something else to do please don’t let me keep you." She had
become all business now and he wondered why.
    " That’s fine