Ava a held up a hand, interrupting the handler. "Actually, Director Patel, I need to take a break."
The team turned to her in surprise. "A break?" Jake repeated, his brow furrowed. "What's going on, May?"
Ava shrugged, a small smile playing on her lips. "I just need to spend some time with my family, that's all."
Ray raised an eyebrow. "Or maybe it's because of a certain someone special?" she teased, winking at Ava.
Mike chuckled. "Yeah, May's got a boyfriend!"
Ava rolled her eyes, laughing. "Shut up, guys. It's not like that."
But as she turned to leave, Ava couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement. She did have someone special in her life, someone who made her feel alive and happy.
As Ava settled into the taxi, she let out a sigh of relief, feeling a sense of freedom wash over her. She had just finished a long and grueling mission, and all she wanted to do was go home, kick off her shoes, and relax.
But as she glanced at her phone, her heart sank. Her mum's name flashed on the screen, and Ava knew she was in trouble. She had been putting off visiting her for weeks, fabricating one excuse after another to avoid her mother's probing questions.
Ava hesitated for a moment, wondering whether to answer the call or let it go to voicemail. But something about her mum's worried tone made her pick up.
"Mum, hey," Ava said, trying to sound casual. "What's up?"
"Ava, where have you been?" her mum asked, her voice laced with concern. "You haven't been home in weeks. I've been worried sick about you."
Ava winced, feeling a pang of guilt. She knew she had been avoiding her mum.
"Mum, I'm sorry," Ava said. "I've just been really busy with work, that's all. But I promise I'm coming home tomorrow, okay?"
There was a pause on the other end of the line, and for a moment, Ava wondered if her mum had seen through her excuse. But then her mum spoke up, her voice softening.
"Okay, Ava. I'll see you tomorrow. But we're going to have a long talk, young lady."
As she stepped into her two-bedroom apartment, Ava felt a familiar sense of comfort wash over her. But as she looked around at the empty rooms, she couldn't shake the feeling of loneliness that had been creeping in lately.
She shrugged off the feeling and began to unwind, running a hot bath and soaking her tired muscles. As she lay in the tub, she closed her eyes and let the warmth seep into her bones.
After the bath, Ava wrapped herself in a cozy robe and climbed into bed. She picked up her phone and dialed Caleb's number, feeling a spark of excitement at the prospect of talking to him.
Caleb answered on the first ring, his warm voice a balm to Ava's frazzled nerves. They chatted for a while, catching up on each other's lives
She hesitated to tell him that she was free,with the idea that a surprise visit will be better…
The next day …
It was a lazy Sunday afternoon, and the warm sunlight streaming through the windows of their cozy home seemed to match the relaxed atmosphere within.
"Aiden, go call your sister, food's ready!" she said, a hint of exasperation in her voice. "She's been cooped up in her room all day, as usual."
Aiden chuckled and headed upstairs to fetch Ava. A few moments later, Ava sauntered into the kitchen, a mischievous glint in her eye.
"Wow, something smells amazing in here!" she teased, sniffing the air. "I'm salivating just thinking about it."
Her mum rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "Glad you're excited, dear. Now, let's sit down and eat."
As they sat down at the dinning table, Ava's mum asked, "So, Ava, have you finally found a job? You've been home for a week now."
Ava nodded, taking a bite of her food. "Yeah."
Her mum's face lit up with a smile. "That's wonderful, sweetie! I'm so proud of you. Now, eat more, eat more! You need to get nice and plump before you start working."
Aiden chuckled at this, and Ava playfully rolled her eyes.
After lunch, Ava's mum began tidying up the kitchen, while Aiden washed the dishes. Ava, already dressed in casual clothes, came downstairs and started packing some cookies into a container.
"Where are you off to?" her mum asked, eyeing the cookies.