Editing The Quiz (section)

== Chapter 5 ==
Afterwards there was a noticeable change in Victor. He suddenly moved out of his uncle’s house, telling Avery and me that he was going to go find a real job now.

He sent Avery and me an email every two weeks, and I was glad to hear that he was working as a clerk in his father’s business. He didn’t even live with his parents, though they had offered him lodging, but had taken a little apartment room.

As for visits, he came very rarely. I think Victor was too upset by what had happened to stand staying in Janet’s town. When he did come, he spent almost all the time caring for his uncle, and only talked to us in the evenings.

“He’s doing penance, poor guy,” I remarked one day as I looked through one of his emails. “He’s totally changed.”

“I’m glad of it,” responded Avery.

I glanced at her, surprised at her tone. She was looking vacantly at the floor, and shook her head softly, as though dismissing a thought.

I thought it strange that Victor seemed to depend on his former enemy for support and help. On his few visits, I would sometimes find him crying on Avery’s shoulder. She would hug him, talk to him, take his hand.. And she slowly led him to become more happy.

Months passed. I noticed that Avery seemed to get more emails from him than I did, and that Victor visited more often. At times Avery would call on him briefly, or they would meet halfway at some restaurant. And I realized that my stern, focused friend was beginning to fall in love.

She never said so; Avery was a practical, sensible woman. But I saw it in the way she smiled, in the way she picked up the phone when Victor called, in the way she lit up at the mention of his name.

Victor came for another visit. By now he came every other weekend, and he and Avery would go out walking or eat at the apartment on Saturday evenings. This time, though, he asked her to come with him to his uncle’s house where he was staying.

I felt a bit sad that I wasn’t invited, but I decided that I might as well just head to bed anyway. When the two had walked off, I got ready to sleep.

But…

I sat on my bed, drawing my knees up, holding my head on my arm, and trying to stop the dizzy feeling. I couldn’t see anything, even though my eyes were open.

This has happened many times…

I saw myself in the Riches’ backyard. I didn’t even try to move; I knew that I was once more an invisible witness. This time, though, I didn’t feel upset, only curious.

Victor was seated on the garden bench, and Avery was just coming into the garden. He smiled and beckoned her closer.

“Avery, I want to ask you something important,” he said gravely.

She sat beside him, and he took her hand.

“Now I’m going to give a speech, and you mustn’t interrupt, because I spent hours writing it and I need to say it.”

She nodded.

His voice changed. He brought out from his pocket a rumpled piece of paper on which were many lines, some covered in a sea of gray eraser marks. “I’ve always known that my greatest fault is selfishness,” he began, “I have never been even half as good as you–.”

“Oh, Victor, don’t be silly!” exclaimed Avery. “Stop reading this nonsense and tell me what you were going to say.”

“Avery, please, just listen—”

“Make it snappy,” she laughed.

“Well,” he continued, clearly speaking now from his heart, “because of this fault I never married. I messed up…I fell in love, but…they…the other two…no, never mind. I can’t speak about them.” He looked away briefly, then turned to face her. “I believe that there is hope for me, don’t you? I still—when I saw you, Avery, from day one, we didn’t like each other. But now I’ve changed—Avery, may ask you—may I tell you—oh….”

“I will, Victor,” she responded softly, squeezing his hand. ''“I think I can love you…”''

He was startled. “Love me? I haven’t proposed yet!”

“Well, what else were you going to say after that windy introduction?”

“You have a point,” he laughed.

They threw their arms around each other.

The image spun wildly, and I could see it no more…I found myself back on my bed, panting hard. Unsure what to do, I sat turning over the scene in my head. True, it was one of joy and not pain. But it was still…somehow strange…

I heard the door open in the hall, and I realized that Avery had come home. She burst into the bedroom and leapt onto her bed.

“You’ll never guess what!” she cried, jumping up and embracing me.

I knew what she was going to say, but shook my head.

“I’m…engaged!”

I said something very nice, I’m sure, but I don’t remember what.

“Guess who?”

“I…don’t know.”

“Victor Ryan!”