Chapter Text
It takes a handful of nice dates and some good but rather uninspired sex for Ava and Ruby to realize that things have changed between them. It’s nice in the way it always has been, comfortable and kinder this time around. They're better at talking about things, and the connection is there emotionally. It just doesn't feel exciting . For either of them.
They both agree it feels like a little too much, a little too late.
Blooming from that rather uncomfortable conversation is a delightful friendship that for once, doesn’t feel like one or both of them are holding onto something that isn't there. Mostly it’s just nice to have someone to know in the area still. They go to good bars, help each other pick up beautiful strangers, make a couple mutual friends that they see around the local stand up spots.
Ruby’s still traveling for movies all the time, and Ava’s more booked than maybe she’s ever been; but the pockets of free time in between has become ‘Ruby and Ava do dumb shit time’ and it is freeing .
It’s even better this way, Ava spends less time measuring herself against Ruby’s success. Ruby doesn't get that condescending tone that used to send Ava into such a fierce spiral they’d end up sitting in awkward silence until she’d begin to cry.
It's good. It's healthy. It’s weirdly one of the nicest platonic relationships she’s maintained in a long time. (One of the only platonic relationships she’s maintained in a long time, but she’s working on it).
When they stumble back to Ava’s place a little drunk and mostly just really stoned and collapse on the couch, it's not unusual for Ruby to grab the remote and turn on the TV. Ava’s paying more attention to untying her Docs than Ruby, and when it starts up loudly on QVC Ava’s whole body is suddenly ramrod straight.
Deborah isn’t on, because of course not, it's one AM, and it’s either re-runs or ‘Today's Special Values’ and the odds of one of Deb’s being run again are low, and Ava wants to kick herself for knowing that. To be honest, she’s stooped way lower in her life than keeping up with her ex boss via her sales pitches on QVC, but Ruby will get too much satisfaction from the knowledge so she keeps it to herself.
“Jesus, Aves, who the hell has cable anymore?” Ruby teases and Ava laughs awkwardly.
“Whaat c’mon, all the cool kids watch local news.” Ava brushes it off. Ruby bumps her leg with a socked foot from across the couch lovingly, starting to channel surf.
“Seriously though, QVC, what's up with… oh.” Ruby cuts herself off and Ava can tell that she’s muscled it out as she turns back to the channel in an attempt to find TLC and a rerun of Deborah’s relaunched and better tested stretch jeans has begun (because of course it does, the world just had to mess with her tonight). Ava watches some gears begin to turn in her head.
She wants to disappear into the carpet, if there's one thing Ruby loves it’s meddling in the affairs of helpless Ava’s.
“Motherfucker,” Ava whispers, and Ruby starts to laugh. It’s a giggle at first, until it works itself up into a rumbling chuckle, one of those laughs that feels a little manic but you can't really stop. Ava scowls at her.
“Are you keeping tabs on Debbie now?” she teases and Ava’s whole body shivers at the nickname she’s taken for Deborah. Can already imagine the steam pouring out of Deborah’s ears at it.
“No! I just I-” Ava huffs, trying to think of one other reason she’d could've ordered cable in the first place, “I, I got it for the golf channel?” The sentence peters out into a question and it’s such a pitiful attempt she actually feels the urge to apologize.
“God damn, Ava, didn’t realize it was that bad.”
“ What was that bad?” she yelps, looking offended.
“Your little…crush or whatever,” Ruby whispers, like she is trying to make sure Deborah herself doesn't overhear it from states away.
“No way! You’re so crazy, dude,” Ava bats away the comment, snatching the remote from her hand and flipping confidently to TLC which is playing 90 day Fiance.
“ You're the one who told me about the sex-ish dream,” Ruby defends and Ava shakes her head.
“I was drunk and it was in confidence!”
“Well it's just us chickens, so I don't think I’m breaking that confidence now,” she scoffs, still choking on stray giggles, “Has she even texted you since you’ve been back in LA?” She pushes, god Ruby loves to push.
“No she has not , Rubes, thank you so much for reminding me,” Ava pushes back and watches as Ruby rolls her eyes. “Just watch the pro-grum, asshole,” Ava goads, saying ‘program’ with that horrid midwestern drawl she uses just to piss her off.
X
The rooftop bar makes the whole city look so very small. The wind pushes through Ava’s hair, and the dim lighting mixes with the whiskey and brings her right back to a different rooftop in a different city. Getting her heart broken by a woman who didn't even know Ava loved her.
She takes another stiff sip of her drink, her lips pulling into a thin line with the burn. She watches Ruby mingle with Jessica, it's good to see her so happy.
Jessica is thirty, tall and broad shouldered. Traditionally butch in a way that reminds Ava of a tall oak tree. Safe and solid. She’s not Ruby’s usual type and Ruby’s not hers either but it works. Jessica makes Ruby light up, she doesn't blink an eye at their past-relationship-turned-friendship that could so easily be perceived as a big ol sapphic red flag, and always pushes Ruby to take more time for herself outside of her work.
Ava doesn't want to be jealous but she is. Not of Ruby or Jessica directly, it's nothing like that. Just the comfort they clearly bring each other. How relaxed they both become when they see each other across the room. Ruby spots her and waves, making her way through the crowd with her arm looped through the crook of Jess’ elbow. Ava is waving back when her phone rings, making itself known in her back pocket.
When she looks at the caller id, it's DJ, calling at midnight. A cold slither of panic smoothes down her spine, the soft downy hair on the back of her neck standing on end. She pulls herself to the side, away from the standing table she’d been gathering all their purses and hors d'oeuvres to take the call.
Did something happen? Is Deborah hurt? Is DJ?
Ava hears DJ’s squeal over the phone, and it sounds excited, and not like anyone's dead or hurt but Ava still feels shaken.
“Avvaaa I have some really great news, and I felt like I had to call you!” She greets and Ava smiles at the signature enthusiasm that made DJ, DJ.
“Hit me, Deej.”
“I have just peed on so many strips of paper, and it’s for something so much more fun this time. I’m pregnant!” DJ’s whole voice is a smile and it’s infectious.
“Oh my god! DJ! I’m so happy for you guys! That's so insane! Deborah the Third is on the way!” They’re laughing and Dj begins to fill her in on the gritty IVF details which always makes her feel kind of nauseous in a fascinated way.
“I’m really happy you called,” Ava says as a lull forms in conversation.
“Of course! You’re my maid of honor!”
Ava doesn’t even care about the semantics of that statement. Your god damn right she was a maid of honor. It simultaneously makes so much sense and none at all that they’ve stayed in such good contact. She’s good company honestly, completely insane and absolutely wonderful. Ava wonders sometimes if they talk about her, the Deborah’s. She isn’t sure if she wants them to or not, but it’s making her fucking anxious either way.
“The minute Aiden and I knew for sure I called! Well, mom first of course, but you were my second.”
That sentence pokes a hole in the center of her chest, something about being in this constant state of ‘just missed it’, one degree of separation between them at all times. It’s a thorn in the side of all of Ava’s days right now. It makes her feel distracted and a little pathetic, she has created a strict no crying in the shower rule that has been difficult to maintain.
“Yeah wow, dude, I’m just really happy for you,” Ava pauses, “H-how is she?” She almost doesn’t start the sentence, because she knows Dj knows she wants to know the answer. Dj will just also definitely make her stoop to asking.
“She’s… okay?” The intonation is all off and Ava isn’t sure at all what that’s supposed to imply, and she’s not so sure Dj is either when she sighs, sucking air through her teeth.
“She’s definitely good, you know what I mean? She has that post-successful special glow that I’ve seen before. She just seems kind of lonely? We like, actually hang out sometimes, it’s weird,” she laughs a little awkwardly. “I’m like, absolutely not supposed to tell you this but, she does miss you. I know that’s what you’re asking,” she says quietly, and Ava’s initial instinct is to deny it because damn, read her I guess; but it’s not wrong.
It’s Ava’s turn to sigh.
“Why are you guys playing like the weirdest game of mutual ghosting I’ve ever seen? It’s infuriating tbh.”
Ruby catches her eye from their table and gives her a look, Ava nods back.
“Look, Deej, I’m really so excited for you. I’m at a bar right now and I think I might cry a little if we talk about your mom which is lame so I have to say goodnight.”
DJ makes a sound halfway between a chuckle and an exasperated sigh.
“You guys suck. Anyway, like, love you or whatever.”
“Like, love you or whatever too.”
It’s the first time they’ve said it, but Ava doesn’t have to hesitate. Makes her feel kind of warm inside, makes the whole Deb Disaster hurt just a smidge less.
When she weaves her way back to the table Ruby looks concerned.
“Everything okay? You were on the phone for a sec, is Nina bothering you at weird times again? Girl needs to chill out.”
“Nah, nothing like that. Dj just called to tell me that her IVF treatments finally took and she’s pregnant!” Ava smiles and both Jess and Ruby look confused.
“You mean like, Deborah’s Dj?”
“Literally who else do I know named Dj?”
“You are absolutely ridiculous. This is not normal former employee behavior. If you and Deborah banged and you haven’t told me I will be so fucking mad! You still talk to her kid?”
“I was her maid of honor!”
“Literally how does that make it any better!” Ruby scoffs, “C’mon, back me up Jessica,” she whines and Jess looks a little wide eyed.
“I will be doing no such thing, this is yall’s mess,” she gives Ava a sympathetic look, Ruby huffs, “ I am gonna get another drink,” she squeezes Ruby’s shoulder, “You want anything?” She shakes her head.
“I know you’re not completely emotionally unavailable, you have to know that this is messy on both your ends. Just text her already!”
“Please, can I just have a fucking drink tonight and not think about Deborah Vance!” Ava snaps, and Ruby’s face falls.
“Let me roll that back actually, that tone was horrible wow I’m sorry,” Ava does a rewind symbol with her hands and starts again. This is one of the things they do now, apologize right when they realize they’ve fucked up. It’s a good routine actually, for the little stuff.
“I just want to have a good time tonight, and I can’t do that while thinking about her right now. The whole thing is just ruining the cool rooftop bar vibes we have been cultivating this evening, and I was originally just aiming to find someone to make out with in a bathroom with. I just don’t have it in me.”
Ruby nods.
“I’m sorry, Aves. You just never talk about her, but clearly it’s something big.”
“It is. It feels big.”
“Well, I’ll stop picking at it.”
“Thanks.”
By the time Jess is back with drinks, they’re laughing again.
X
Ruby has been given a key to Ava’s house (for emergencies only). The emergency today is that Jessica is saying she’s ridiculous for trying to schedule another shoot this week, and yes, it has been hard to see each other but it’s all of this is so new and it just feels like if she stops doing everything always, everyone might forget about her. So she needs a joint, some crappy television and a deep talk that they’ll inevitably work up to cause they always do when there's weed and Ava involved.
When she arrives there's a woman wrapped in Ava’s top sheet drinking a cup of coffee lounging on the couch. She has beautifully coiffed hair despite clearly having stayed the night, in her late fifties, and looks like she has a filthy mean streak. She pulls the sheet around herself tighter and frowns deeply.
“Oh! Oh I’m so sorry!” Ruby apologizes, turning to face the wall out of respect for her almost nudity “I have a key! For emergencies, it's just- uhm,” Ruby stalls, the woman says nothing. She wants to disappear into a pocket dimension where this did not happen.
“Ava!! Sorry my bad! Didn't realize there was company!” She shouts, and hears Ava shuffling around in her room (definitely getting redressed, Ruby sends her a mental high five). When she re-emerges, she's looking flustered and just a tiny bit pissed when she turns back to look at her.
“Is everything okay?” She asks
“Uhm. I will admit. It was not an emergency per se ,” Ruby giggles nervously and Ava frowns.
“C’mon dude, seriously?”
“I’m going! I’m going right now, uh, my bad,” she turns around towards the door before turning back to wave at the lovely lady looking very confused and very beautiful in her sheet, still sipping her coffee.
“Very nice to meet you, Deborah,” Ruby smiles, glancing back at Ava with a killer smile and her eyes almost shoot out of her skull. She's been so good about leaving it alone, she deserves this one, obvious dig.
“I’m sorry, how do you know my name?”
It clicks. Oh lord does it click, especially when Ava turns so red it looks like she might have broken out into hives. Ruby chokes on a laugh.
“ Ava ,” her mouth drops wide open as she looks back at her aghast. Ava fumbles through words that do not form a sentence and points at the door.
“Emergencies, Ruby! Emergencies!” She splutters. “Get out! Out right now,” she shoos Ruby to the door, opening it for her and gesturing like she's a dog waiting to go outside.
“We are so talking about this,” she whispers as she leaves, Ava frown deepens.
“We are so not.”
When the door shuts she can hear the faint sound of Ava and not Deborah but Deborah beginning to talk.
“You know I used to be the crazy one, big fuckin roll reversal,” she hears Ava say and she's scoffing even if Ava can't hear.
Maybe Jessica is sort of right about her being a little pushy.
X
Phone calls with her mother have been less painful as of late, it probably has something to do with their recent uptick in in-person conversations, which while not perfect, do tend to end with less messy misunderstandings. She’d flown in to stay for a couple days (in a hotel this time, because she cannot emotionally stand sleeping in that bedroom again). By day two they’ve begun taking apart Ava’s old room and reminiscing. Giggling and arguing and remembering Dennis. When the visit is over, Ava’s room has become the craft/cat room and everything feels a bit lighter. They still don’t get each other, not really, but there's an understanding, a mutual agreement to keep things light for now. Enjoy getting to know each other more as people, and less as mother and daughter.
So when Nina calls, Ava doesn’t even sigh too hard before she answers, and something balances out in the world.
“Hey Mom.”
“Ava! Honey! I just found the neatest subscription service for brain-healthy-nutrient-greens?” The sentence ends in a question, like even she’s not sure what that's supposed to mean.
“I was just thinking maybe I could send some to you? I just read all about scurvy and Ava, I’m not judging, I'm just concerned that with your diet you’re on the track to being under nutrient-ed.”
“That is not a word mom, and thank you, but I have been trying to get my fruits in veggies in, okay? Like you said last time we chatted. I promise.”
“Okay, okay, I get it,” she trails off, “Can I ask you something?”
Suddenly Ava understands Deborah’s panic at her own similar question.
“Um, yeah sure go ahead,” Ava says reluctantly.
“Are you, are you doing okay? I don’t mean with your jobs, I know you’re keeping busy which is great darling I just. I’m your mother and I worry.”
That's not the direction she had expected that to go.
“Yeah Ma! I’m doing great, it’s been nice to have stuff to focus on.”
“I just mean. Have you and Deborah spoken?”
Fuck. God damn. What is people's obsession with this question? Ava sighs.
“No, mom. No we haven’t. She canceled the court date. She doesn’t want to see me.”
“Isn’t that a good thing, that she’s not suing you?”
“I mean, I guess. She just also made it clear that was the only time she wanted to see me.”
“Did she say that?”
Ava is silent for a moment. In what world is her mother, Nina Daniels, giving her advice about communication with others.
“Do you love her, Ava?”
Wow. She couldn’t have guessed where this conversation was going but she’ll be honest and say that would not have been in the top five.
“No! Jesus, Mom! What are you talking about?”
Ava is a bad liar, always has been, always will be.
“We’ve talked about that language Ava. It makes me uncomfortable.”
“Shoot, sorry. You’re right.” Ava apologizes, she’s been trying not to offend her faith. It’s harder than she’d expected. “Just, no, Ma. I’m not in love with Deborah, it's just. Complicated.”
“I really like her,” her mom sounds soft over the phone, and Ava knows she doesn’t believe her. She’d been the first to tell her just how bad at lying she was.
“I do too. I really do too.”
When the phone call ends, she gets in the shower, and breaks the cardinal rule of not crying.
X
The baby shower is hosted at Deborah’s mansion in Las Vegas. Ava knew it would be, really had a horrible sneaking suspicion. She’d already steadied herself to see Deborah, but seeing her in the house? In the backdrop of every weird memory, every fucking fountain diet coke, has sat on probably every one of these couches, shared at least half of them with Deborah (their thighs pressed together, pretending it was very normal to sit this close with your boss on a settee that would definitely allow for more personal space). It’s actually starting to eat away at her.
Dj looks wonderful, glowing and proud, guiding Aiden around the house with her as they socialize and Ava’s heart warms a little at the way her hand already rests on her stomach.
It is good to be back, natural even, and that’s maybe the worst part. Even Marcus had been happy to see her, reached out and squeezed her shoulder with a knowing smile when they’d seen each other again. Josefina had hugged her, which had surprised her so much she’d almost spilled her drink, and when she’d pulled back she’d whispered “Good luck” which hadn’t been cryptic at all, but then Deborah is making her way into the room and oh boy does it make sense.
It’s like some messed up Romcom moment as Deborah floats through the crowd, she’s in a midnight blue-black pantsuit, the lapels of her jacket shine and her hair is natural and fluffed to fall around her cheeks and Ava does not stand a motherfucking chance. Her heart twists in her chest and she feels the floor drop out of her stomach.
As she mingles and weaves, touching shoulders, shaking hands, and completely ignoring Ava’s obvious gaze.
“Pancake!” Kiki’s voice breaks her trance, and maybe, just maybe she does stand a chance today.
“Kiki!”
Ava like, has friends now? It’s been a slow burn thing really, but it’s a thing now. One less red flag in the life of a disaster bisexual. She and Kiki talk on the reg, she facetimes for tea time with Luna, has even driven down to stay on their couch (sometimes for work, mostly for fun).
“You look so good!” Kiki smiles, pulling her into a squeeze.
“So do you!”
Kiki’s keeping her occupied with several absolutely batshit insane stories about Luna, who Ava is convinced will either be the President or a convicted felon. Something about flushing their live goldfish down the toilet while hosting a pretend wake for him, and getting so excited about getting to put her drawings from pre-k on the fridge that she’d begun to mass create them in amounts that had spilled over off of the fridge and into a make-shift gallery wall.
Ava’s missed this. Even when she hasn’t existed in this space in almost a year, being in Deborah’s home and talking with Kiki. Even just the stale cigarette and regret smell of Las Vegas had made Ava feel weepy and reminiscent. It’s only lightly pathetic.
“Have you and Deborah, uh, seen each other yet?” Kiki asks softly as they find a wall to lean against to watch the crowd and talk for a bit like they always seem to do at these occasions.
“Mmmno that would require her not to ignore me entirely.”
“Have you not ignored her entirely?”
Ugh. It is kind of a fair question.
“Um, I have… stared longingly?” Ava offers meekly.
“I mean, yeah, to be fair she does look so hot tonight but, seriously Ava. One of you is gonna have to make a move.”
“I know, I know.”
She waves off the subject, pivoting back to blackjack and Kiki’s fourth Rolls Royce. The rest of the evening passes easily, talks with DJ and Aiden, mingles with folks she’d vaguely met while living here. She finds herself standing quietly in the living room, loitering next to the wall and trying and failing not to scan the crowd longingly. When Deborah spares her one singular glance, Ava almost trips and falls into the table with all the baby themed sweets. She watches Deborah’s face fall and then she’s walking with purpose, dangerously high heels clicking on the floor until she’s standing directly in front of Ava in her full glory.
“Hi,” Ava says meekly and Deborah frowns like she’s failed a test she didn’t know she was taking. Ava already wants this to end (except she doesn’t, she wants Deborah to pull her into her arms, wants to inhale with her face in her neck and just revel in her closeness).
“So, you can talk to my daughter on the regular, but not me?” Deborah looks pleased with herself, like she’s earned the bratty attitude and her blatant cold shoulder the whole evening.
“Excuse me?” Ava can't help the way her voice climbs an octave like even her body couldn't quite understand the audacity of this woman, pulled from the momentary reverie of looking at her imagining. Deborah quirks and eyebrow and Ava wants to fucking explode, months and months and months of nothing. Radio fucking silence. And this is what she gets.
“You fired me, told me the only way we’d see each other was court, and then canceled the goddamn court date!” Ava’s voice is beginning to rise and Deborah looks panicked.
“Outside, Ava. Right now. I’m trying not to make a habit of interrupting my daughters' big moments with arguments anymore,” she hisses, pulling Ava out the side door and into the back yard. She vaguely notices the heads that have turned towards them.
By the time they've hit the familiarly still air of Las Vegas, Ava is buzzing. Half from the contact high of Deborah's hand gripping onto her forearm so hard she could break skin with her nails (Ava doesn't touch the thought that she might kind of like it if she did). Half from the usual excitement of arguing with Deborah. They were good at it. Pulled out all the stops, crossed all boundaries eagerly, in a blatant one up war that got them further and further towards mutually assured destruction.
“I wasn't going to take you to court, Ava, I do not fuck about when it comes to litigation,” Deborah says quietly but violently, as if they could still bother the party from outside the water level shed.
“I could have won.” Ava grumbles and she knows it's a lie, it sounds like one too. She was a sinking boat (ship) with no bucket and no paddle.
“I would have taken you for everything you were worth,” Deborah says, and her tone sounds dangerous. Like she's begging Ava to move with caution. The anger evaporates out of Ava so quickly it could give her whiplash.
“I would have just given it to you, if you asked,” Ava says softly. The truth tastes so fucking good.
Ava can see the way Deborah is shaking now, hadn't been able to overcome the simmering rage that tends to boil over when she felt condescended to. But with clear eyes she can see the tired, achy weight of a long month (months probably) that huddles over Deborah's body like an apparition.
“That is exactly the problem,” Deborah sighs, crossing her arms over her chest like if she protects herself like this, Ava won't see the way her heart is pushing against her rib cage; begging to be seen.
Ava reaches out, she’s not sure what makes her think it's an okay thing to do. Even after all this time, the apologies wrapped in expensive price tags and soft touches in crowded places, her bar stool pulled close to Ava’s so their thighs touch. She still finds herself waiting for Deborah to touch her first. It's safer that way, like she's lulling a feral cat into trusting her.
She touches Deborah's cheek, first with the back of her hand, knuckles against her cheekbone like she's offering it out for her to understand the safety of the gesture. Pushes past the invisible bubble of personal space to be closer to her when she cups her cheek. Open palm to the flat of her cheek, her fingers hooked under her ear and splaying across her jaw. Her thumb lays against her smile lines. All that joy, held in the crease of her skin. Takes a moment to really look at her, she feels so small in Ava’s hands. The three, maybe four inches Deb has over her bleeds away and she’s just a girl. Same way Ava is when she's scared, when she’s cornered. Can see the Deborah who stepped up into parenthood, for a child-sister who’d dissect her life and never put it back together.
Deborah breathes shakily, and Ava should worry about retaliation, yelling or wrenching herself out of her grip, but she doesn't. Deborah just relaxes fully into her hands, one deep breath in and on the exhale her arms unfold from her chest, one hand cups the elbow Ava bends to reach her cheek, like she's keeping her there, her head tilted into her touch. The other finds her bicep and squeezes. Instead of the warning press of her nails, it feels like Deborah's quieter version of begging.
Please stay. Please don't go. Please don't let me leave. Please want me to stay.
She won't look Ava in the eyes, keeps them looking down at their shoes. Ava’s loafers and Deborah's deeply impressive heels.
“Look at me,” Ava asks, keeping her voice level and hoping it sounds like a request and not a demand. “Please.” She adds quietly and when she obliges, Ava feels suddenly at a loss for words. They fizzle out as Deborah looks at her, open and honest, no steely guard of a cruel smile or a flat affect to remind you of your unimportance.
She flounders for a moment as Deborah looks at her and she's open wide. Unguarded and looking at her like she's going to disappear it scares her so much.
“Anything you want from me is already yours,” Ava says quietly, letting her thumb soothe over her cheek lightly.
“You can't say that,” her voice shakes.
“It's the truth.”
It is. Ava had known it before now. Has simmered on similar thoughts since the moment Deborah’s hand had left her cheek on the balcony, but it feels real now. It feels exponentially important she finds the right words to make her understand.
“I’m sorry I didn’t call,” Ava says quietly as she looks at her, “I was angry and confused, and I felt like the ball was in your court, but that’s really a lame excuse to cover for the fact that you broke my fucking heart.”
“I know. I broke mine too,” Deborah admits and Ava’s inhaling sharply through her nose. They sit in the silence of honesty and Ava just looks at her. “We should talk more, later. Not here. I have to go back in soon, we’re cutting cake and I think someone has to find a plastic baby she hid in it? I don’t know, it sounds like a choking hazard. Either way DJ wants me to help.”
Deborah Vance is rambling, she’s nervous and it makes Ava want to explode into a million pieces of excitement. She settles for nodding, and Deborah uncurls herself from Ava’s grip, keeping their hands held together.
“Wait, wait, one thing, before we go back in.” The words push out of her desperately, holding onto the great wide feeling opening up in her at the possibility of all of this.
“Hmm?”
“I missed you too.” Ava smiles, wide and full of herself, the same one she knows Deborah finds so totally ridiculous and unflattering.
“How absolutely presumptuous,” Deborah smiles back.
“DJ told me,” She whispers and Deborah is rolling her eyes with a deep sigh.
“Of course she did, meddling little shit. I’m gonna kill her.”
“At least wait till the baby shower is over?” Ava suggests with a giggle and Deborah shrugs.
“I’ll think about it,” she pauses, looking over Ava kindly, and bringing the hand that had just held her cheek up to her mouth. Kisses her palm. Warmth zips through her like a fuse.
“Look, the party is going to take forever to wrap up. It always does, but please, stay.”
“I’ll stay.”
Deborah kisses her palm once more, before letting go, turning towards the door back inside. Ava watches her go, and this time, she lets herself enjoy the view.