Safe Haven
Chapter 1
'How did I let my life become this?' Avery asked herself as she looked over at her sleeping daughter. As the city of Seattle disappeared to the ground below, Avery couldn't help but think about her life.
She had been a normal kid. She grew up in Nashville. She had a mom and dad, a younger brother, an lots of friends. She knew right from wrong, never getting in to trouble. Her life had been perfect. Then she met him; Toby Duncan. It had been love at first sight. She had met him at a concert, and they'd immediately hit it off. He was 26 and Avery was barely 17. Her parents had flipped when they found out about him. They forbid her from seeing him, so she did what every girl who's convinced their in their own version of Romeo and Juliet; she ran away with her Romeo.
At 17, she packed her bags one night, and ran away with Toby to Seattle. She hasn't spoken to her family in 7 years.
When they first got to Seattle, everything was great. Toby worked as a mechanic while Avery worked at a local coffee shop. She had never been happier. Then everything changed. Avery still remembers the first time Toby ever hit her. She had been at work that day and had developed a headache. One of her male coworkers was being nice and decided to give her a shoulder message, hoping that would help. Unfortunately for her, that was when Toby walked it. "What the fuck is this!?! Are you cheating on me you fucking slut!?!" Avery was scared, she had never seen Toby that angry, "No! I swear, I'm not!" But Toby didn't believe her. Avery never saw the hit coming as Toby backhanded her across the face, causing her to stumble in to her coworker and tears to fill her eyes. "Whore." was the last thing Toby said before stalking out of the cafe. Avery could only stand there and watch him walk away in utter shock.
When she got home that night, she didn't know how Toby would be acting. But when she found him on the couch, she wasn't expecting to see him with tears in his eyes. "I'm so sorry Av." If Avery had known what was to come, she would have ran that very second. Instead, she sighed and walked in to his arms, "I forgive you." She had thought that was the last time he would ever lay a hand on her, but it just got worse after that. It seemed that no matter what she did, she would always piss Toby off. If he was having a bad day, he would take it out on her. He would rape her repeatedly. She tried to leave him multiple times, but he always found her and would tell her, "If you ever leave me, I'll find you. And I'll kill you."
When Avery was 20, she learned that she was pregnant. She was scared to tell Toby, because she didn't know how he would react. When she finally told him, he was ecstatic. During her pregnancy, he was so kind to her. He never laid a hand on her. But a week after their daughter Charlie was born, the beating and the raping started again. He never laid a hand on Charlie though. Avery would have killed him if he had.
Shortly before her 24th birthday, Avery decided that she was going to leave Toby once and for all. She couldn't live like this anymore. She didn't tell anyone of her plans, for fear that Toby would find out. She finally put her plan in to action a week after New Years.
That's what led her to where she was at this very moment. After another beating at the hands of Toby, Avery waited for him to pass out drunk. Then moment he did, she grabbed Charlie and she got the hell out of there. Stopping at a bank, she drained her bank account and used the money to buy 2 plane tickets to Madrid. A place she had always wanted to go to, but had never told anyone. She knew Toby would never look for her here.
She was so lost in her thoughts, that she jumped a mile in the air when she felt the air stewardess touch her shoulder. "I'm so sorry ma'am. I didn't meant to scare you." "It's alright. I'm a little jumpy lately." She took one look at Avery's bruises and gave her a small smile, "It's perfectly understandable. I was just coming to tell you that we're landing now." "Thank you. I'll wake up my daughter." "OK. And ma'am; I hope you find happiness here. And that you're finally free of the person that did this to you." "Thank you. I hope I do too." After the woman walked away, Avery shook Charlie, "Baby. We're here. It's time to wake up now." Charlie didn't want to wake up, so Avery picked her up and carried her off the plane.
As they headed out of the airport, Avery couldn't help but finally feel optimistic. Maybe here, she'd finally get her happy ending. She hailed a cab and directed them to a local motel. Once Avery and Charlie were checked in, they decided to explore the city they would be living in. Avery knew she would have to get a job. The money that she had cleared out would not last them forever. As they walked around the city, as sweet smell overtook them. "Mama, I'm hungry." Avery looked down at her 3 year old. "Alright bug, we'll get you something to eat." Looking around, Avery tried to figure out where that smell was coming from. She finally found it when she stood outside a bakery. Walking inside, the smell became even stronger. "Hola! Welcome to Diente Dulce! What can I get for you?" Avery hadn't looked up as she was too busy looking at the delicious baked goods. When she did look up, the woman at the counter gasped. "Oh cariño! I hope you kicked that asshole's ass!" Avery was confused at first, but then she remembered. "Not quite. But I did leave." "Well that's even better. Now, what can I get you?" "I actually don't know. I'm not from here, so I don't know what any of this is." "Well, why don't I pick for you and your daughter." "Sounds good." Maria, as Avery learned, picked out 2 giant cream puffs. "Bug, why don't you go and sit down and enjoy your food. I need to talk to this nice lady really quick." "K mama." After she saw that Charlie was settled, she turned back to Maria. "I'm sorry to bother you, but I just moved here and I'm looking for a job. Do you happen to know anyone that's hiring?" Maria smiled at her, "As a matter of fact, I do. I need a new baker and someone to help run the bakery since my daughter is in school. Do you know how to bake?" "Oh yes. I love to bake." "Well, then you're hired." "Just like that? Without an interview?" "I have a good feeling about you. I know you'll do just fine." "Thank you. You have no idea how much that means to me." "You're very welcome. You start tomorrow." "Alright. Now I just need to find a place to live." "You know, there's an apartment right above the bakery. It's a 2 bedroom and it's just going to waste. You can live there, rent free." "I can't do that. I have to pay you something." "Nonsense. Just consider it a place to stay until you get back on your feet." Avery could have cried. She had never felt such kindness since the day she met Toby. Maybe she actually could find happiness here.
She had been a normal kid. She grew up in Nashville. She had a mom and dad, a younger brother, an lots of friends. She knew right from wrong, never getting in to trouble. Her life had been perfect. Then she met him; Toby Duncan. It had been love at first sight. She had met him at a concert, and they'd immediately hit it off. He was 26 and Avery was barely 17. Her parents had flipped when they found out about him. They forbid her from seeing him, so she did what every girl who's convinced their in their own version of Romeo and Juliet; she ran away with her Romeo.
At 17, she packed her bags one night, and ran away with Toby to Seattle. She hasn't spoken to her family in 7 years.
When they first got to Seattle, everything was great. Toby worked as a mechanic while Avery worked at a local coffee shop. She had never been happier. Then everything changed. Avery still remembers the first time Toby ever hit her. She had been at work that day and had developed a headache. One of her male coworkers was being nice and decided to give her a shoulder message, hoping that would help. Unfortunately for her, that was when Toby walked it. "What the fuck is this!?! Are you cheating on me you fucking slut!?!" Avery was scared, she had never seen Toby that angry, "No! I swear, I'm not!" But Toby didn't believe her. Avery never saw the hit coming as Toby backhanded her across the face, causing her to stumble in to her coworker and tears to fill her eyes. "Whore." was the last thing Toby said before stalking out of the cafe. Avery could only stand there and watch him walk away in utter shock.
When she got home that night, she didn't know how Toby would be acting. But when she found him on the couch, she wasn't expecting to see him with tears in his eyes. "I'm so sorry Av." If Avery had known what was to come, she would have ran that very second. Instead, she sighed and walked in to his arms, "I forgive you." She had thought that was the last time he would ever lay a hand on her, but it just got worse after that. It seemed that no matter what she did, she would always piss Toby off. If he was having a bad day, he would take it out on her. He would rape her repeatedly. She tried to leave him multiple times, but he always found her and would tell her, "If you ever leave me, I'll find you. And I'll kill you."
When Avery was 20, she learned that she was pregnant. She was scared to tell Toby, because she didn't know how he would react. When she finally told him, he was ecstatic. During her pregnancy, he was so kind to her. He never laid a hand on her. But a week after their daughter Charlie was born, the beating and the raping started again. He never laid a hand on Charlie though. Avery would have killed him if he had.
Shortly before her 24th birthday, Avery decided that she was going to leave Toby once and for all. She couldn't live like this anymore. She didn't tell anyone of her plans, for fear that Toby would find out. She finally put her plan in to action a week after New Years.
That's what led her to where she was at this very moment. After another beating at the hands of Toby, Avery waited for him to pass out drunk. Then moment he did, she grabbed Charlie and she got the hell out of there. Stopping at a bank, she drained her bank account and used the money to buy 2 plane tickets to Madrid. A place she had always wanted to go to, but had never told anyone. She knew Toby would never look for her here.
She was so lost in her thoughts, that she jumped a mile in the air when she felt the air stewardess touch her shoulder. "I'm so sorry ma'am. I didn't meant to scare you." "It's alright. I'm a little jumpy lately." She took one look at Avery's bruises and gave her a small smile, "It's perfectly understandable. I was just coming to tell you that we're landing now." "Thank you. I'll wake up my daughter." "OK. And ma'am; I hope you find happiness here. And that you're finally free of the person that did this to you." "Thank you. I hope I do too." After the woman walked away, Avery shook Charlie, "Baby. We're here. It's time to wake up now." Charlie didn't want to wake up, so Avery picked her up and carried her off the plane.
As they headed out of the airport, Avery couldn't help but finally feel optimistic. Maybe here, she'd finally get her happy ending. She hailed a cab and directed them to a local motel. Once Avery and Charlie were checked in, they decided to explore the city they would be living in. Avery knew she would have to get a job. The money that she had cleared out would not last them forever. As they walked around the city, as sweet smell overtook them. "Mama, I'm hungry." Avery looked down at her 3 year old. "Alright bug, we'll get you something to eat." Looking around, Avery tried to figure out where that smell was coming from. She finally found it when she stood outside a bakery. Walking inside, the smell became even stronger. "Hola! Welcome to Diente Dulce! What can I get for you?" Avery hadn't looked up as she was too busy looking at the delicious baked goods. When she did look up, the woman at the counter gasped. "Oh cariño! I hope you kicked that asshole's ass!" Avery was confused at first, but then she remembered. "Not quite. But I did leave." "Well that's even better. Now, what can I get you?" "I actually don't know. I'm not from here, so I don't know what any of this is." "Well, why don't I pick for you and your daughter." "Sounds good." Maria, as Avery learned, picked out 2 giant cream puffs. "Bug, why don't you go and sit down and enjoy your food. I need to talk to this nice lady really quick." "K mama." After she saw that Charlie was settled, she turned back to Maria. "I'm sorry to bother you, but I just moved here and I'm looking for a job. Do you happen to know anyone that's hiring?" Maria smiled at her, "As a matter of fact, I do. I need a new baker and someone to help run the bakery since my daughter is in school. Do you know how to bake?" "Oh yes. I love to bake." "Well, then you're hired." "Just like that? Without an interview?" "I have a good feeling about you. I know you'll do just fine." "Thank you. You have no idea how much that means to me." "You're very welcome. You start tomorrow." "Alright. Now I just need to find a place to live." "You know, there's an apartment right above the bakery. It's a 2 bedroom and it's just going to waste. You can live there, rent free." "I can't do that. I have to pay you something." "Nonsense. Just consider it a place to stay until you get back on your feet." Avery could have cried. She had never felt such kindness since the day she met Toby. Maybe she actually could find happiness here.