Vienna Wait For You -9- William Nylander
Avalyn sat in the green room of the studio, leg bouncing up and down, sweat gathering at the nape of her neck. She’d never been this nervous, but that’s because she’d never had so much to lose before. She was getting ready to out her parents, and immediately following her lawyer, Mr. Jefferies was going to file the lawsuit. After today she’d be free for the first time in her life.
Jackson sat next to her, refusing to let her do this on her own. She was grateful for him in more ways than she could ever put into words. But all she could think about was the text she sent William earlier this morning, requesting that he tune in to her interview. It was the first time she’d asked him to watch an interview of hers. The first time she wanted him to hear what she had to say, because today would change everything.
“It’s almost time,” Jacks said from his spot next to her, “Are you ready?”
She was shaking where she sat. Feeling more like she’d vomit with every passing second. She wasn’t afraid of what her parents might do to her, but more afraid of what they would do to the people she loved. William included, because she did love him. God above, she loved William.
“No,” She admitted shakily, “But I have to do this.”
“It’s not too late to bail and just go upstate,” He reminded her, “They can find another way to fill the time slot.”
“No they can’t,” She shook her head, “This has to be now or it’ll never happen. They didn’t announce that I was doing this, so my parents have no idea, they’ll be blindsided, which is what we wanted, remember?” “I’m just saying, there’s more than one way to do this.”
“Not with them, there isn’t.”
She swallowed the thick lump in her throat when they came to retrieve her. This was going to happen, now there was no more putting it off. No more trying to find another option that wouldn’t potentially wreck her career. She would wreck it all, if only it meant she would finally be free.
“Today we’re joined by none other than Hollywood’s favorite young starlet, Avalyn Bradshaw Kreitzbrg.”
She took a deep breath before plastering on a nervous smile as she walked onto the stage, waving at the crowd a little as she did. She made her way to the seat left open for her, taking another deep breath as she sat down.
“Thank you for having me,” She said, voice still a little shaky.
“Now this comes as a shock to all of us, but you’re releasing a tell all memoir today,” the interviewer stated, “You managed to keep this under wraps for, as you said in your book, years. And I have to say, there’s some pretty shocking things in this.” They held up a shiny new copy of her book.
Avalyn nodded, not making eye contact with the book that would wreck everything, and yet put it all back together again, “Yes, it was incredibly important for me to be able to tell my story in a way that meant I still had privacy while doing it. And that meant keeping it a secret from everyone, so I could tell my truth.”
“Now, in this book, you say some incredibly harsh, and might I say, damning things about your parents. What does this mean for your relationship with them?”
Avalyn sat up a little straighter, “I’m hoping it means I can finally be free of them. For years I’ve been nothing more than a source of income for them, not their daughter. I’ve been treated with very little respect, and never any love by them. But that doesn’t make doing this any easier, because they’re still my parents. They gave me life, but that doesn’t mean I should let them control every aspect of it.”
“You write about being in a fake relationship with Jackson Portland, which comes as an absolute shock to most of the world,” They continue on, “Can you tell us more about that?”
“We’ve been best friends since we were little,” She shrugged, “But when my parents decided it would be best that we act like a couple, he and I went along with it because it was just easier. We’d be safe with one another, you know? We could protect each other from the world and anyone else seeking a relationship. It was the safest option for both of us to continue the ‘relationship’ as we got older. I only disclose it now with his permission, so we can go on being best friends, but not have to make out with each other every time there’s a camera on us.”
The interview continued on. They asked more questions about her parents and their treatment of her. Asked about Jackson some more, because he was always a hot topic. Off stage, you could see him smiling at you, beaming with pride at what you were accomplishing by doing this.
She continued on, spilling her secrets and her pain in front of the audience, and the thousands of people tuning in the second it was announced she would be on the show, very early this morning. She was risking it all, yet Avalyn was strangely happy about it.
“I want other people in my situation to know that they aren’t alone,” She said at the end, “I want them to know that there is an out, even if it seems like it’s impossible, and that there is freedom. You just have to be brave enough to take the first step towards it.”
“Thank you so much, Avalyn Bradshaw Krietzburg everyone!”
She let out a deep breath as she walked off the stage and into Jackson’s open arms. No matter what happened, he would be her family, him and his parents loved her as if she was their own.
“Let’s get in the car and head upstate, yeah?” Jacks said, kissing the top of her head.
“Sounds amazing,” She breathed out.
Because for the first time in years, she felt like she could truly breathe. Felt the massive weight lifted off of her shoulders, and a new life was going to begin. She had two weeks before she had to be back in Toronto, two weeks where she could lay low and just live.
So she and Jackson headed out of the studio, greeted by hoards of screaming people, and got into the town car before starting the drive upstate. Rose promised to meet them there, saying her family was dying to see both Avalyn and Jackson again. Truthfully, Avalyn was dying for some of the normalcy her family somehow managed to maintain on their little homestead.
Her phone started ringing half way there, William was calling. He was one of the few people to have her new number.
“Where are you right now?” He asked frantically.
“On my way to upstate New York.”
“I was really hoping you’d say on your way back to Toronto,” He sounded deflated, “How long will you be there?”
“A week, maybe more,” She replied.
There was silence for a moment. There was so much she wanted to say, and he had plenty to say himself. But he didn’t know how to articulate any of it. Avalyn didn’t know how to tell him that she loved him, and that they could give this a try now that her parents were out of the picture.
Avalyn could only imagine how furious they must be. Not only losing their best client, but knowing that their other clients would follow because of how they treated their own daughter. She suddenly became very glad she ditched her old phone this morning so they couldn’t call her and harass her.
“I wish I could see you,” He admitted softly.
“I have tickets to your next home game,” She told him happily, hoping he’ll see the admission for what it was.
A declaration of love.
“Oh you did?” He questioned, “Are you coming with Jackson?”
“Yes, but only as friends,” She replied quickly, “He is bringing a date.”
“So you’re really free then?”
“I am. Finally,” She smiled as she breathed out.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were doing this?” He questioned.
There were, in truth, a lot of reasons why she didn’t tell him. The biggest being that she was afraid that something would happen and the plan would fall through. And then she’d be worse off than she was then. But the plan went off without a hitch, and Mr. Jefferies called to say that he filed the lawsuit just after she left the studio.
“I’m sorry,” She sighed, “But I couldn’t tell anyone, just in case somehow word got back to my parents. God, they must hate the world right now.”
“They don’t matter anymore,” He replied, she can hear the hint of his smile, “You’re free.”
“I’m free,” She repeated, a smile spreading across her face.
“I wish I was with you,” He admits softly. So softly you almost don’t even hear him.
“I wish you were here too,” You reply almost dreamlike, “But I’ll be back in a week or so. Just enough time for some other scandal to take over and all of this will be water under the bridge.”
“I love you.”
Your heart soars with his admission, because you know he means it. You can feel it in your very bones, and know once you’re back together again, nothing is going to stop you from seeing him. You yearn for him.
“I love you too, Willy.”
You can practically see him smiling behind your closed eyes as he replies, “It’s so good to hear you say that.”
“It’s nice to finally feel like I can say it,” You admit to him, “I’ll be home soon.”
Because although Toronto wasn’t truly your home, it felt as if it was. The city had taken up residence in your heart, along with the rag tag group of boys and men that made up the hockey team. Your cast and crew had become your family in a way that you hadn’t expected. You were ready to go back to them, after everything blew over.
“I’ll be counting down the days.”
You blush, unable to stop it. You feel utterly undone by the blond on the other end of the phone. In utter shambles at the thought that you finally don’t have to hide away. Your relationship can be shouted from the rooftops of Toronto if you wanted. It’s everything you ever wanted for yourself. To be free and have someone that truly loves you.
“I’ll see you soon, Will.”
“Don’t do anything else crazy before I see you again,” He laughs.
She found herself wishing she could save that sound so that she could go back and listen to it whenever she was feeling down. Because nothing made her smile like he did. She ached to be near him, but knew she needed to be off the grid for a little while, just until things settled down.
“I promise. I’m just going to be hanging out on a friend’s farm for a little while.”
“Good. I have to go, but I love you Ava.”
“I love you too, Will.”
