Chapter Text
AVA
Ava winces as her alarm goes off, the noise penetrating a very good dream she was having about herself and Elizabeth Olsen on an island resort somewhere sipping cocktails and talking about their next movie.
It’s a sharp turn to wake up to the buzzing of her alarm and the slow understanding that it’s not even light outside yet.
She has no idea why she feels the need to be up so early, but there’s so much to do today and if she’s going to be awake enough to start when she actually has to, then she needs the early siren horn.
Sitting up, Ava’s hair falls across her face, bangs in her eyes as she reaches up to run a hand through the tangles. Her hair needs a cut, or a brush run through it or…something. She’s been meaning to go to the salon for weeks, but when the fuck is she going to have time for that?
About ten minutes pass as she sits up in her bed, bordering between staring at the blue night light in the hallway outside her door and trying not to fall back asleep.
When she does almost slump over after forgetting to open her eyes after blinking, Ava decides it’s time to get moving.
After slipping quietly down the hall and peeking into the room across from her, Ava grabs a fresh pair of clothes and takes a shower.
By the time she’s done, it’s almost six, which means that there’s only going to be so much time to herself.
So she pulls out all of her ingredients and her laptop to make sure she has both the recipe and the instructional video ready to go and starts working on a birthday cake.
Ava’s not the most skilled chef in the world and her baking skills are even less developed - but she’s learning and has expanded her ‘trusted dishes’ list to well over fifteen.
Even if Lilith tells her that five of them are only edible with egregious amounts of sauce and or salt.
Still, she’s getting better and today is a big test. Hell, today might be the most important test of her kitchen skills she’s ever had.
The last thing Ava wants to do is fuck up her daughters first birthday cake.
She goes through the steps one by one, using the scale she borrowed from the bar to make sure her ingredients are all perfectly measured.
As she gets to mixing, Ava checks the clock on the wall and sighs, It’s almost six-thirty and Aly never sleeps past six-thirty.
So as she finishes mixing, Ava sets out the pan and the grease and starts preheating the oven before making her way back down the hall.
Stopping off in her room first, Ava snatches up her camera from the end table and turns it on. Something about not having the first nineteen years of her own life documented in any way has made her a stickler for making sure every bit of Aly’s life is available to her.
Her first birthday is at the top of the list.
When she opens the door, Aly is sitting up in her crib, leaning against the rail. “Hey you,” Ava smiles as soon as Aly notices her. “Happy birthday, little ducky.” Then snaps a couple of photos of her with the light from her window coming through, before putting the camera strap around her neck and moving to the crib
Of all the dreams and desires she had when she was growing up trapped in a bed in an orphanage, only able to connect with the outside world through movies and documentaries, being a mom was the last thing she ever imagined.
Honestly, right up until the day Aly was born Ava couldn't really wrap her head around it. She had no idea if she would have that connection that all the reddit posts and people at the bar told her would come when she saw her baby for the first time.
After six brutal hours of labor, she was more convinced she’d been birthing a devil spawn than anything as magical as what she was promised.
Then Aly was there and the nurses put her in Ava’s arms - both of them crying and exhausted - and the world immediately felt a lot less lonely.
Needless to say, Ava’s been addicted to her ever since. “Mommy,” Aly says, still not quite able to get the word just right.
Still, Ava’s smile grows. “That’s me, baby,” she scoops Aly up in her arms and feels her head rest on Ava’s shoulder. It’s been a year and getting hugs from her daughter still hasn’t stopped being the coolest fucking thing on the planet. “Are you hungry?”
“Choco,” she says, leaning back and staring back at Ava with eyes that match her own. “Choco, choco!”
Ava grins. “You smell it don’t you?”
“Choco?”
“There is choco, but not for breakfast.”
They make their way down the hall, Aly in her arms and Ava swaying her hips as they go - dancing to the soft music she’s had going all morning.
She puts Aly in her high chair and watches her eyes find the bowl of cake ingredients and light up because it very clearly looks like a giant bowl of chocolate. “Choco!”
“Not yet, this is for later. Do you want oatmeal or eggs?”
Those eyes find her again, so big and wide Ava feels like she’s getting a taste of her own medicine. “Choco,” she pouts and it’s devastating.
“I can't give you this yet, ducky, it’s got raw eggs in it and also it’s for your cake later.” The pout doesn’t leave and Ava knows anything less than choco will result in a very disappointing breakfast and it is her birthday. “Okay, how about pancakes with choco chips in them?”
“Choco?” Her little grin grows and she wiggles a bit in her seat.
“Just today, cause it’s your birthday. Can you say birthday?”
Aly’s brows furrow in determination. “Birfay,”
“You know what, not bad for your first try.”
By the time they make it to Cat’s Cradle, Aly is starting to get bouncy and impatient. She sits in her carseat in the back, babbling to herself about anything and everything, only getting loud when Ava forgets to acknowledge her as if they’re chatting.
The bar doesn’t technically open for another four hours, but Ava’s got a party to plan and Lilith is her best source for making sure things are in order.
She opens the back door and finds Aly already tugging at the straps of her carseat. “Hang on, Ducky, I can't get it unlatched when you’re pulling on it - don’t you bite my fingers,” Ava says with a giggle before leaning in and burying her nose in Aly’s neck. It makes Aly squeal with delight as she blows a raspberry into her cheek, but is enough distraction to give her time to unstrap her.
As she picks Aly up, Ava adjusts the camera on her back and holds it out far enough to take a quick selfie. “Can you give me a big smile?” Aly looks at her curiously. “Like this!” Ava shows off her biggest smile and Aly giggles at her in response. She decides to take that photo instead of waiting for them to look at the camera. “Exactly! You’ve got the Silva smile down perfectly - you’re gonna get whatever you want for the rest of your life.”
Cat’s Cradle is the hottest spot in their tiny little town, a bar and sometimes restaurant depending on Lilith’s mood (and Shannon’s schedule). It’s tucked away in the middle of the downtown strip and every night is filled with people looking to ease off their busy days.
“Lil?” Ava calls out as she steps in, tipping her sunglasses up on top of her head as she leads Aly over to the big counter, looking freshly wiped down as always, before setting her on it. “Don’t touch the taps, okay?”
“No touch.”
“No touch, you’ll make a mess and Lilith will be very mad.”
Aly makes a very deep frown. “Angy Lil,”
Ava can't stop herself from snorting. “She’s not doing the impression of me again, is she?” Lilith calls out from the back, ears like a goddamn bat.
“Of course not!” Ava leans down to Aly and whispers, “Angry Lily.”
“Angy Lil!” Aly says even louder and Ava can't stop herself from cackling as the kitchen door opens and Lilith stomps out with a glare.
“Hi!” Ava greets and gets an eye roll.
“You’re a terrible influence.”
Ava grins. “You say that like she doesn’t have you wrapped around her finger already.”
“Irrelevant, she can have my number and respect me at the same time.”
“I don’t.”
“You’re a lost cause.” Lilith moves around the bar, Ava watching with delight even as she’s elbowed away and Lilith scoops Aly up in her arms. “Happy birthday, quackers. I cannot believe you’ve made an entire lap around the sun already.”
“Crazy right?” Ava pulls up a barstool and sits down, feeling her back protest from all the work she’s already been doing this morning. Between making a cake and breakfast and getting Aly in the bath - it’s not even nine yet and she feels like she’s had a full day of work. “So what did we decide on streamers?”
“That they’re incredibly messy and we’ll be cleaning them up for the rest of the year?” Lilith takes Aly behind the bar and hands her a cocktail shaker that she carefully takes with both hands and starts to rock it back and forth. “Mary’s bringing a few, and some lights. Shannon’s going to make homemade nuggets and-” Lilith’s sentence is cut off by a flash of light directly in her eyes. “Ava!” She blinks, rubbing at her eyes as Aly giggles. “I knew giving you that camera was a mistake.”
“You say that every time, but it’s been three years.”
“And yet you continue to prove me right.” She sighs. “At least take another where I look halfway composed.” She says, then widens out her shoulders a bit, which look nice in her ‘I’m not dressed for company or customers' tank top.
Ava can safely admit that Lilith is hot as fuck given that they both know that they absolutely do not work in any way romantically. One very bad date that led to a somehow even worse night of sex was all either of them needed to figure out that oil and water do not, in fact, mix.
So now they’re just best friends, even if Lilith has sworn to put “I never liked Ava” on her tombstone.
Snapping off a few more, posed, photos of Lilith and Aly, Ava starts mapping out where she wants to set up for the party tonight.
She’s about halfway through figuring it out - the booths and chairs, how much food they’ll need, when she can't hold the thought in anymore. “Is it shitty that I’m having her birthday in a bar?”
When the response doesn’t come right away, Ava looks back where Lilith is pointing out something to Aly on a clipboard. It’s mostly likely an honest to god finances sheet because that is how Lilith talks to her.
“Are you saying my bar is shit?” She says, not caring at all for the one year old next to her jamming her finger through the metal hole in the clip of the clipboard.
Ava rolls her eyes. “Of course not, but shouldn't it be something like…I don’t know, Chuckie Cheese?”
“Ew, why on Earth would you take her an hour out of town to get us all food poisoning at that dump?”
“I don’t know! That’s just what I saw on TV and stuff growing up. It was just a thought, this is a bar and like…there’s gonna be drunk people here.”
Lilith rolls her eyes. “Everyone in this town adores Aly. Nobody’s going to mess up her night.”
She knows Lilith is right. Everyone knows Aly. They were all here when Ava was pregnant and working and they’ve all been here on shifts when Ava’s had to bring her in and only take a few tables to make sure she keeps an eye on her.
Ava also knows deep down that Aly won’t remember this day - that this party is more for her than it is for her daughter and there’s no place that’s felt more like home the last few years than Cat’s Cradle.
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BEATRICE
“What seven year old talks like this?” Beatrice picks up the book she’s been reading, that had been quite good for the first five chapters, and flips it over to read the back - as if it will suddenly tell her why the child character that was just introduced sounds like they have a bachelor’s degree.
It’s frustrating because she’s set up her entire afternoon around finishing this very good book she’s been reading. Her legs up on the couch, a cup of tea on the end table next to her - the lighting is just perfect and there’s even an ambient rainstorm outside. Idyllic surroundings for a perfectly good day to read.
Yet the book is getting dumber by the page and now Beatrice finds herself wanting to toss it out.
She doesn’t, instead setting her bookmark back into it and putting it aside. She’ll try again later. Perhaps read ahead and see if the seven year old goes away at some point or…dies.
She’ll take either.
Thankfully, there is an immediate distraction waiting for her as her phone buzzes.
Beatrice sips her tea as she checks her messages. Two of them in quick succession from Camila.
Camila: Okay, my flight is booked and please don’t forget to yell at me to pack my inhaler
Camila: Also what did you tell Yas about the +1?
Beatrice sighs, setting her cup down and deciding how to approach this. Because Yasmine’s wedding is the big event this summer and it’s something they’ve all been planning for a while.
It was a bit of a struggle from all of her friends to get her to return home after so long and such a dramatic exit. The truth is that Beatrice despises the town they grew up in. There are too many bad memories and outside of Lilith, all of the people she actually cared about ended up moving to the city with her for one reason or another.
So when Yasmine decided to have her wedding back home, Beatrice felt as if some cosmic force had swooped in and created the exact scenario to mess with her.
Even though it’s silly, even though her parents went back to London years ago and are nowhere near that tiny little town they sequestered her in so they could control every aspect of her life without any of the freedoms of the city.
Little did they know the friends Bea would make there. The ones who kept her head above water that are now the same ones who have helped her open up about her sexuality and find the strength to ignore her parents calls long enough that they’ve stopped trying.
They’re also the ones who introduced her to her girlfriend that she decidedly does not want to bring back to her dreadful home town.
Beatrice: I haven't brought it up yet
Of course, the answer comes immediately because that’s how Camila works.
Camila: you need to make a decision! come on, you can't tell me you don’t want her there
Camila: i know you hate it, but we’re gonna be there for two weeks and how much better will it be if you have her to go back to your hotel room with every night?
Camila isn’t wrong, the thing about the place they grew up is that it’s something of a vortex - a black hole.
The fact that all of them were able to make it out, even if they basically had to form a pact and carry each other through it, is a small miracle.
So the idea of returning, even knowing that her parents have long since left and haven't spoken to her in years, is terrifying.
That doesn’t change the fact that Lucia is going to want to go with her - of course she is. Why wouldn’t she, they’re together, they have been for almost a year now. They live together.
Beatrice: You’re right, it makes sense for me to bring her.
Camila: damn right i’m right! now tell her so she can have a week to prepare!
Taking a deep breath, Beatrice doesn’t even put the bookmark back in her now ruined book before closing it to call her girlfriend.
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LILITH
“I'm just a dinosaur, I don't know what I'm for. I like to stomp and roar!”
Lilith rolls her eyes for what has to be the twelfth time today as Ava starts to actually stomp and roar while she sings. She’d come out from behind the bar herself and tell Ava to shut the hell up if it weren’t for the delighted giggles Aly lets out at her mother’s insanity.
It wouldn’t be so bad, but they are actually open and people are coming in and though Ava isn’t working, she sure is a hell of a distraction.
Deep down, Lilith knows it won’t bother most of their customers. You know what you’re getting at Cat’s Cradle. The regulars here have watched Ava grow up. From a nineteen year old who was basically homeless and starving, to a single mom who knows everyone’s name and drink orders by heart.
They’re all used to her antics. Her singing and inability to remain still or quiet. They’re all drawn in by her charm and her smile and how adaptable she is. They give her whatever the fuck she wants. She makes more tips than any other bartender Lilith ever hires - hell it’s why she’s had so much trouble keeping them.
They get pissed off when they compare tips and Ava’s $200 a night and they’re barely scraping together $60.
It’s frustrating, but it’s not like she’s going to fire her most popular employee. So instead the stream of ‘others’ as the patrons call them keeps turning like gears being replaced in the machine.
The most recent one, Hans, is probably going to stick a bit longer than most. If only because he is a little bit in love with Ava himself.
So much so that he’s not actually working and is instead grinning at her as she sings children’s songs and dances as if those around her aren’t dying from second hand embarrassment.
“Hans!” Lilith snaps, making him jump and juggle the glass in his hand. He fails to reel it in, but Lilith is close enough and snatches it out of the air.
“What? Boss…did you need something?”
Lilith rolls her eyes (thirteen times). “I need you to check on the tables by the window and the man at the end of the bar has been waiting for five minutes.”
“You got it, boss.” He says, then moves down to do as told.
Lilith is prepared to go back to the back and check on the orders when she spots Vincent stepping through the doors.
Father Vincent is a staple of this town - with his soft smile and obnoxiously vintage good looks. He’s a charmer and a self-proclaimed philosopher. He’s long winded and exhausting and has a lot of people in this town who believe his bullshit.
He also has a weird obsession with Ava.
So Lilith puts the rag she was washing her hands with over her shoulder and makes her way around the bar to cut him off. “Father Vincent, a little early for libation is it not?”
He stops in his tracks, eyes widening a bit as he takes his focus off of Ava and looks back at her. “Lilith, it’s good to see you. Though I can promise I’m not here to partake.”
“So you’re just here for…what? The live music?” She glances back at Ava who is still putting on a little show for Aly. Then returns her hard stare back at him. “Give her a rest.”
He sighs. “I’m simply trying to -”
“She’s told you half a dozen times that she has no interest in the church, Father. None, zero. She curses like a sailor and has a weird obsession with vampires, you need to let it go.”
As he does, Father Vincent takes off his glasses and starts to clean them. He does this shit so he can buy time to think up whatever preachy nonsense he’s going to ramble on about. Lilith grew up in his church, she’s played this game with him since she was six. “I’m merely concerned with the well being of her daughter. The child needs more stability. We can give her that.”
“That kid has more love than you could ever imagine and we’re not having this conversation anymore. If you want a drink, I’ll bring you one. If you want to sit at the bar and preach to anyone else, be my guest - but today is Aly’s birthday and that’s important to Ava and I won’t let you bother her with this.”
Lilith knows deep down that she can't do something as drastic as kick him out or ban him from coming, like she said, he’s a staple around this town. Still, she’ll put Ava first every time.
Thankfully, Father Vincent also knows he has a reputation to keep, so he smiles after a time and nods. “Very well, I will try again another time.”
As he turns to leave, Lilith looks back and sees Ava watching her, a soft smile on her face as she mouth’s a ‘thank you’ before focusing on Aly again.
The next time she rolls her eyes, it’s at herself, because Ava has really made her a pathetic loser.
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LUCIA
“Hello, love,” it’s no longer surprising when Beatrice doesn't hear her come in. She’s become far too good at getting lost in her newfound love of modern jazz.
Beatrice turns back at the sound of her voice, looking delightfully beautiful in a black turtleneck sweater and khaki pants - her glasses on as she’s been reading. “Lucia, I’m afraid I got caught up in the music.” Beatrice turns her music down, it’s cute watching her expand her tastes beyond the classical washboard she used to lose herself in.
“I’m just disappointed I didn’t catch you dancing,” Lucia steps up to where Beatrice is standing near the counter and places a soft kiss on her lips. “I considered bringing dinner but I thought you might prefer a nice gnocchi?”
“Oh? Are we celebrating something?” Beatrice grins as Lucia makes her around the counter to the fridge.
“Your first full day off at home in four months perhaps?”
Beatrice laughs. “It was dreadfully boring.”
“I know, love. You’re not built for a quiet life, you’ve told me.”
“It’s not that,” the squeak of metal on tile fills the room as Beatrice pulls out a stool and sits. “Well, it is that, not the quiet so much - I enjoy quiet, but I prefer to be productive. I believe we’re lucky I didn’t decide to take down that wall connecting our closet to the bedroom.”
Lucia knows all about Beatrice’s restlessness. It’s been something she’s carried since the day Lucia met her. She hides it well, and there is a genuine truth to her enjoying the quiet and being solitary. They go long stretches without seeing one another between Lucia’s job at the clinic and Beatrice’s at the consulting firm.
It’s something they’re working on, needing each other more. At first Lucia thought it was healthy that they were able to spend days apart and not really miss one another - well…she misses Beatrice for sure and Beatrice tells Lucia she misses her back all the same.
Still, going days without talking is draining and something they’ve both discussed trying to fix. They text regularly now and Beatrice has cut out her late nights to come home and spend time together.
It’s a process, but there’s a ring tucked away in Lucia’s nightstand that she is dying to give to Beatrice once she knows they are ready. “Well if you wish to be productive tonight could you cut up and fry some bacon?”
“Of course,” Beatrice gets up and steps behind her at the fridge, Lucia takes out the chicken and a nice block of cheese as Beatrice opens the crisper and pulls out a cut of bacon.
With their faces a mere inch or so apart, Lucia takes the opportunity to lean in and kiss under Beatrice’s ear. “You look amazing in that sweater, have I told you that before?”
Beatrice hums. “You have,” she gives Lucia a smile and puts an arm around her waist. “Why do you think I wear it so much?”
Lucia turns to settle in Beatrice’s arms, ready to perhaps throw dinner aside and drag her off to the bedroom.
But then Beatrice kisses her on the nose and then a softer one on the lips before stepping back and turning to start chopping up the bacon as asked.
Lucia fights off the urge to sigh, because this is who Beatrice is - always needing to do something.
She’ll get to have her fun tonight, she thinks. She just has to be patient.
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AVA
“You’re doing it again,” Mary’s voice cuts through Ava’s long winded inner monologue about candles.
“No I’m not,” she snaps back, grabbing a candle shaped like the number “1” off the rack.
“You are,” Mary steps up next to her. “It’s just like with the banner, I thought you were gonna cry in the craft shop.”
Ava elbows her and sticks the candle in the basket over her arm. “It’s just insane, okay! She’s one year old! One whole ass year! This time last year she was still inside of me and I didn’t even know her and now she’s this whole person who has things she likes and things she doesn’t. It’s…it’s insane.” Oh god she might actually cry again.
“It’s pretty fucking wild, you were annoying as hell when you were pregnant by the way.”
Ava scoffs as they round the corner to the self checkout. “I was not.” She was, oh god she was - but everything was achy and slow and she could barely control her bladder and ate food so gross the memory of it makes her sick even today. “I was suffering.”
Mary starts taking things out of the basket as Ava holds it. “You were and you made sure the rest of us were too. The fucking footrubs.”
“Hey, nobody said you guys had to do it.”
“Yes, Lilith did.”
Ava nearly knocks Mary out with the basket when she turns sharply in her direction. “She did?!” Ava cannot fucking believe it. “But she hated them! She never did it!”
“Of course she didn’t, she made us do it. The woman controls the liquor, she makes all the rules and she knows it.”
There are times when Ava can't really put into words how much she loves Lilith. How glad she is that she met her. How, even though Lilith sometimes barely tolerates her, Ava knows for a fact she wouldn’t have made it without her.
Lilith is like a sister to her, which is only made slightly awkward by the fact that they had sex once, but that was before Ava’s sisterly epiphany and back when she only thought of Lilith as the tall, hot bar owner.
Which she still is, but the sex was bad for both of them.
“Wow, Lilith loves me.” Ava says wistfully.
Mary starts bagging their items and hooks one bag over Ava’s shoulder. “Tell her that to her face and she’ll shove that cake you made down your throat.”
“Don’t think I won’t do it, I’m not above starting a food fight in her bar just to prove a point.”
“Hello girls,” they both turn to the voice as Ava sees Suzanne Superion walk over to them with a smile. Suzanne is Lilith’s neighbor, and also the principal of the elementary school and has been a steady supporter of Ava’s since the day they first met.
“Suzanne, hi!” Ava can't help herself, she shoves the basket in Mary’s arms and gives Suzanne a big hug. “I was hoping to see you, are you coming to the party?”
Suzanne pats Ava’s back and holds her at a much more normal amount of squeeze than Ava hugs her.
When they pull apart, Suzanne is smiling. “Of course, I was promised free chicken nuggets.”
“Best in the city,” Mary chimes in, always ready to brag about her wife. “How are you Ms. Superion?”
“Doing well, though the rain is coming this evening, I believe - my hip is starting to feel it.”
Ava sighs, “yeah, the my back is picking up notes too. But hey! A good reason to wear a hoodie is always fun.”
“Oh yes, so the students at my school can all hide their phones and toys in their pockets.”
School is such an interesting fucking concept to Ava. It’s something she was never able to experience growing up, at least not for very long and she doesn’t remember anything about going to school in Portugal.
Still, they’re only about three/four years away now from Aly going to school, and then she’ll be graduated and moving out and Ava will probably only get to see her on holiday until Aly starts going to her partner’s parents and -
“Ava?” Mary elbows her in the back. “Stop zoning out, she asked you a question.”
Ava looks up at Superion with wide eyes and grimaces. “Sorry, Aly’s birthday has sent me spiraling a few times today, what did you ask?”
Suzanne’s grin is soft, like she gets it. “I just wanted to know what time you were thinking of starting?”
“Oh, around four so like…three hours from now. Aly needs to get home by seven for a real dinner and so we can cool down. She won’t sleep a wink if we’re bringing her back immediately after all the excitement.”
“She won’t, or you won’t?” Mary teases and Ava can't really deny it.
Ava chooses to ignore her and focuses on Suzanne instead. “She’ll be thrilled to see you.”
“I have missed her - I’m still free to babysit whenever you need. I should head home and get ready then.”
“See you soon!”
It’s never something Ava takes for granted, how lucky she is that she has people in her life. That they’re all gathering up to throw a party for her daughter - for her in a way. That they all care, that they all love her. It makes her heart split wide open and bleed endless warmth into her -
“Jesus Christ, Ava can you stop day dreaming so we can get the fuck out of the store?”
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SUZANNE
Parties have never been Suzanne’s idea of a good time. Even when she was younger and at university and they happened every night it seemed, she generally stayed away.
More so now that she’s older, she doesn’t really fit in much to the noise and the games and all the drinking - but today she’s happy to make an exception.
There are a lot of people here, sure most of them are just patrons who are joining in on the fun, but the stack of presents on the table next to where Ava and Aliana are sitting is very telling for how much this whole community loves them.
That is why Suzanne is here, because she still remembers the first time she met Ava and how hard it was. Because Ava at nineteen years old was the picture of a girl who had never been taught how to live.
She was barely able to walk back then, only with her supports. She was skinny, her hair was so long and untamed it made her look almost feral. She had on baggy clothes that didn’t fit and was timid around everyone.
Still, she was all heart and fire and determination when she came in here one day asking for a job, Lilith had no chance.
Suzanne thinks of the two of them, both broken in their own way at the time, and adores the way they’ve built their lives around one another. Lilith gave Ava a little hope and Ava gave Lilith a kick in the ass.
If you ask Suzanne, they should be together - but according to Lilith it would never work, but that doesn’t mean she isn’t still holding out a bit of hope. She adores them both and wants to see them happy, in whatever shape that may take.
“Drink?” She turns at the sound of a voice, Shannon, stepping up next to her with a glass of dark liquid.
Suzanne laughs and accepts it. “Thank you, it might help with the buzzing in my brain.”
“It’s pretty chaotic, huh?” Shannon settles in next to her, she’s always liked her - an old soul. “Ava’s gonna cry when we bring the cake out.”
“Oh most certainly,” Ava’s been on the verge of crying all night. “It is quite surreal that Aliana has already been in our lives for a year.”
Shannon sighs. “It’s still weird to me that Ava’s been here so long. I feel like just yesterday I was combing the knots out of her hair and trying to convince her it was okay to ask for seconds.”
“Now she never turns down food,” Suzanne quips, earning a smile as they both watch Ava opening another gift for Aly - a pink stuffed goat. “Did Ava already receive the stand mixer you all pitched in for?”
“She did, she loved it, but was a little miffed that we didn’t give it to her until after she baked Aly’s cake this morning.”
“A good hand mixing builds character.”
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AVA
By the time she finally makes it home, Ava’s exhausted. The only person more tired than her is Aly who slept the entire ride home and clung to Ava’s neck as they walked into the apartment.
As she took Aly to her room, Ava held her a little longer than usual and let herself cry. A good cry, a happy and comfortable cry that her little ducky had so many people show up to tell her how much they loved her.
Ava works really hard not to think about the parts of her life that she doesn’t have. She tries not to think about her mother not being around to be a part of Aly’s life. She doesn’t think about how she has no idea where to even look for Aly’s father.
There are questions she’ll have to answer and bridges she’ll have to cross at some point, but for today at least, she has dozens of photos and good memories that will carry her through whatever hard times might come.
She settles Aly into bed and immediately sheds her party attire and hops into the shower - taking the baby monitor with her as she lets the warm water wash off the long day.
Nights like tonight are also when Ava feels the loneliness seep in a bit.
Because despite all the people she had at the party and everyone who will be at the bar tomorrow, and Lilith, Mary and Shannon - Ava goes to bed alone. She celebrates a lot of Aly’s smaller moments alone.
Well that’s not entirely true, she celebrates them with Aly, and as she’s grown up and started to develop her own personality, those celebrations are more and more fun - but god it would feel good to have someone wash her hair and hold her in the shower right now.
By the time she’s washed up and toweled off, Ava decides she’s gonna give herself an orgasm tonight - maybe two if she doesn’t pass out.
So she slips into Aly’s room to check on her one last time before climbing into bed with her sleep shorts and a tank top to put on later and lays down.
Ava slips a hand between her legs and strokes a finger through her folds - she’s not particularly wet yet, but it’s enough to get her started as her middle finger gently brushes along her clit. Three strokes in, she feels the sensations start to rise and closes her eyes.
Her mind never really knows where to go in these situations. She imagines bodies and sorts through memories - of her trip to Spain and her few years before Aly was born but after she started to really re-learn how to use her body. When she would pick up men and women at the bar and take them back home. When her home was a one bedroom in a shitty part of town that had traffic and loud noise all night.
The flashes of bodies and movement fill her mind as she plunges two fingers inside her cunt and starts to press up into that sweet spot that maybe three people in her life have ever found.
She didn't find the fucking thing until she was twenty-one.
Ava bites her cheek, she can't let out any loud noises, she can't risk waking Aly up, but fuck she needed this, she needs more and she knows it, but for tonight this is all she’ll get.
Her body starts to chase the orgasm, her hips lifting up in a rocking motion off the mattress, throat tightening as she fights to breathe. There, she’s close, she’s…
“Mommy?”
She stills, the voice calling out to her over the baby monitor shuts her down entirely and Ava clenches around her fingers and grits her teeth.
“Fuck,” she whispers, pulling her hand out and letting a tremble run through her body.
“Mommy!” Aly cries again, this time an obvious strain in her voice.
Ava pushes it all down, the needs and the thoughts and all of it. “Coming, baby!” She gets up, ignoring the irony in what she said and puts her clothes on. She grabs a wet wipe from the side of the bed and cleans her hand before shuffling across the hall, clothes sticking to her sweat covered skin.
----------------------------
CAMILA
“Why are you here two days early?” Lilith asks, because Camila broke the schedule and outside of Beatrice, nobody likes a schedule more than Lilith.
So she sits in Lilith’s car, watching her turn onto a gravel road and keep looking over at her waiting for an answer. “Because I wanted to, I don’t know. I had the time off, Bea’s flying out with Lucia and I didn’t feel like third wheeling.”
Lilith seems to accept it. “So she’s actually bringing her girlfriend?”
“Mmm, yeah, she’s nervous about it too. Which makes no sense because her parents aren’t here anymore and even if they were she hasn’t spoken to them in years.”
“It’s tough to let those sorts of things go. Parents messing with your mind the way hers did is the kind of trauma you never shake.”
Camila knows it, she’s been around Beatrice more recently and still sees signs of it. When Beatrice is out with Lucia in public they barely act like a couple - even if she definitely sees Lucia trying more often than not.
Beatrice simply doesn’t do PDA, she will give Lucia a smile and sit next to her and smile at her, but no hand holding, no hugs and definitely no kissing.
It’s kind of sad, but Lucia swears every time Camila asks that she doesn’t mind. “It’s part of the package, I never feel unwanted.” and so Camila lets it go.
“This trip will be good for her,” Camila says because she fully believes it. Beatrice works too damn hard.
“So long as we keep her off of her laptop.”
The rough road starts to bounce the car a bit and Camila has to hold onto her seat. “They still haven't paved the road out here?”
Lilith sighs. “Of course not, it’s been on their to-do list for a decade.”
“Also why are we coming out here, again?”
This time, Lilith rolls her eyes so much Camila worries she’s taking them off the road too long. “Because Ava hasn’t answered my texts so I need to make sure she hasn’t set her house on fire trying to make bacon pancakes.”
Ah right, Ava. It’s been the talk of their friend group in the city for as long as Ava has been a part of Lilith’s life. All of them worried about Lilith being out here on her own when the rest of them decided to stay away after graduating.
Beatrice and Yasmine landed jobs at a consulting firm and both of them were making great strides up the ladder - meanwhile Camila found her niche in marketing and absolutely loves the creativity her job gives her.
Then there’s Lilith, who took her business degree and came back home to open a bar. None of them understood it, all of them worried, but she promised it was just something she needed to do.
She needed to make the town she grew up in feel like her own again. She wanted a do over.
For as hard as Beatrice’s life was with her family, Lilith’s wasn't far behind in terms of mistreatment. They minimized her whole world, controlling every aspect of it. Where Beatrice’s parents harassed and abused the person she wanted to be, Lilith’s parents flat out denied it.
Camila really can't say which was worse, but they both have handled it as best they could. “So, the Ava, I finally get to meet her.”
“Don’t get your hopes up.”
“Oh come on, you talk about her all the time!”
“Yes, because she’s a pain in my ass. If you had a never ending pain in your ass I imagine I’d hear about it all the time as well.”
Lilith’s voice is too loud, her words are too sharp, especially considering how she drove them out here to check on her first thing this morning. “Listen, I understand we’ve discussed that you are not romantically interested in Ava.”
“Don’t start that again,” Lilith points one of her dangerously long fingers at Camila who raises her hands in surrender.
“I wouldn’t dare, but can you at least admit that she’s important to you and you care about her?”
“No,” Lilith says like a petulant child. “I’m just making sure she doesn’t set her own house on fire.”
Throwing her head back, Camila gives up as the gravel road beneath the car makes them practically have to yell to talk to one another and Lilith is too stubborn for her own good.
Thankfully, they make it to Ava’s apartment complex where the roads get much better and, if Camila’s being honest, the whole development is very pretty. “Wasn’t this a big ass field before?”
Lilith hums as she climbs out of the car. “It was, it overlooked the river, but they built these along with a shopping center. It was a whole mess, preservationists tried to rally against it but the growth has helped small businesses all over.”
“Are these low income?”
“Not really, they’re cheaper than Park or Westwind, but a two bedroom is still around two thousand a month.”
“Damn, you must pay well at the bar then.”
Lilith shrugs. “I take care of my employees and Ava wears enough low cut tops to make very good tips.”
“So you notice that stuff, huh?” This earns her a glare that makes her cackle before Lilith reaches up to knock on the door, only to stop. “What?”
She frowns, lowering her hand and leaning over to peek in through the window. “The television is off,” she says.
“Is that bad?”
“No, but she always has it on in the mornings for Aliana, so if it’s not on yet then…” again Lilith’s words fade off, like she’s thinking them as she speaks.
Instead of finishing the sentence, Lilith lifts up a very small potted plant sitting on top of a small carving of a bear holding a log - it’s very cute, and under said plant is a key.
“Her spare?” Camila asks.
Lilith nods and unlocks the door. “She’s asleep on the couch, meaning Aly kept her up, meaning her back is going to be a mess. Dammit, Ava.”
Once they enter the house, Camila takes in all of it. Quaint, beautiful and messy - very clearly a place where a baby lives because there are toys and blankets and little bouncy seats and things scattered all over.
They find Ava lying on the couch and, though Camila’s seen photos, it’s quite jarring to see just how pretty she is in person. Even lying on the couch with a baby waddling around in her arms, she’s gorgeous.
“She’s gorgeous,” Camila whispers, elbowing Lilith in the side. Lilith elbows her back, hard, and Camila winces. “Ow! What the hell?!”
“Stop that,” Lilith moves then, deftly stepping over a play castle and carefully scooping Aly out of Ava’s arms. “Shhh, shh, I’ve got you, quackers.”
This is where Camila loses her mind a little, because Lilith is so gentle and so careful with this tiny child that Camila has never even met. She’s a beautiful baby, with big brown eyes and skin a little darker than Ava’s - but the face alone looks like a miniature version of the girl on the couch.
She’s also clearly delighted to see Lilith, who steps over to where Camila stands. “Camila, this is Aliana - Aly, this is our friend Camila.”
“Hi,” Camila gives the baby a smile and fights off the urge to melt when the little one shies away from her. “Oh, she’s adorable.”
Lilith nods, looking back at Ava again. “Do you mind sitting with her in the kitchen for a second?”
“Not at all,” she follows Lilith into the kitchen and waits as Lilith puts Aly in her high chair. Camila pulls out a stool next to the counter and sits down to keep watch.
“Two seconds,” Lilith says, “then we’ll make you some breakfast.”
Little Aly watches Lilith go, clearly anxious about the stranger in the room with her - Camila doesn’t really have much experience with children so she just smiles at her but doesn't try too hard.
Lilith slips back into the living room and the silence of the house gives her a chance to listen in. “Ava,”
“Aly!” Ava almost shouts, desperation in her voice. “She was-”
“She’s fine,” Lilith soothes and…oh…Lilith has never sounded so soft spoken. “I’ve set her up in the kitchen, I’ll make her some breakfast.”
Ava sighs in relief. “Okay, Jesus, I didn’t mean to sleep here.”
“But you did and I bet your back is a mess now, isn’t it?”
There’s a long pause of denial. “...no.”
Camila swears she can hear Lilith roll her eyes. “You’re such a terrible liar. Go do your stretches and take a bath.”
“But-”
“I’ll watch Aly, and my friend Camila arrived early for the wedding so she’s here to keep me company.”
“You have other friends?” Ava teases and Camila represses a giggle. “I should go say hi.”
“No, Camila will be here when you’re presentable, you don’t want her first impression of you to be you with your hair like that and eyeliner streaks on your cheeks, do you?”
Ava groans, “fine. I’ll be quick.”
“Don’t fall asleep in the tub.”
Camila will hold her tongue, she won’t say a word - but even if it isn’t romantic, Lilith very clearly loves Ava and her daughter.
------------------------------
BEATRICE
Lucia rolls off of her and Beatrice fights to catch her breath, she listens to the sound of laughter, soft and warm, coming from the spot on the bed next to her and smiles. Ignoring the fact that she didn’t actually come, but she knows Lucia did and that’s enough.
Beatrice has always just struggled a bit more to get there, she even has trouble getting herself there - so much so that she’s often wondered if it’s just something broken in her. The few orgasms she has had were tremendous, but chasing them is too much work.
Still, she enjoys the intimacy and Lucia most definitely does and after getting in a little bit of trouble for waiting so long to invite Lucia to Yasmine’s wedding, Beatrice was happy to put in a little extra work.
“This makes me miss smoking,” Lucia says as she rolls over and places a hand on Beatrice’s stomach under the covers. “Don’t worry, love - there’s no risk of me picking up the habit again.”
Me either, Beatrice thinks but doesn’t say. Because Lucia doesn’t know the story of how Beatrice was two days away from taking vows once upon a time - when she was wrestling with going to college or submitting to her parents' demand for reform.
Also Lucia’s not a fan of puns, so Beatrice keeps them tucked away.
“I appreciate it,” she says instead and then grabs Lucia’s hand with her own. “I am sorry for not approaching you sooner about the trip. Returning to that place-”
“I know,” Lucia gives her hand a squeeze. “But you’re a different person now, stronger and more yourself.”
She is, the days aren’t always easy and oftentimes she wavers and struggles and thinks she’s made a dreadful mistake - but her therapist has told her that’s just repression.
Because for as many strides as she’s taken in building a life of her own here, she still feels guilty for being such a disappointment to her parents. Even though that was the only path they ever would have given her.
Frustrated, Beatrice pushes those thoughts away and chooses to focus on the present. “You’ll enjoy it, I think. The mountains, the lakes - it’s beautiful.”
Lucia grins. “It sounds expensive,” she says.
Beatrice can't help but laugh. “Parts of it are, certainly. Not where we’ll be though. Lilith’s bar is downtown and though Yasmine is marrying into a significant amount of money, she’s not about to change who she is for that. I imagine the ceremony itself will be fairly tame.”
“I can't wait to see you in your bridesmaid’s dress.”
It’s been years since she’s worn a dress, almost ten if she’s honest and even then it was forced on her.
“Yes, well, I think we’re all just lucky Yasmine was kind with her choice.”
Lucia hums and scoots closer to cuddle, her head resting on Beatrice’s shoulder. “Mm, most certainly. What else can I expect when we get there? You don’t talk about Lilith much.”
“Lilith is easier to experience in person, she’s quite comparable to me…if I was more aggressive…and let every sarcastic comment that comes into my head out into the world.”
Again Lucia hums and this time she brings her lips to Beatrice’s shoulder. “Maybe being around your old friends will make everything easier too. Maybe it will help me get you to open up a bit more.”
“Perhaps,” Beatrice says, because it’s all she can say. She’s opened up more with Lucia than anyone she’s ever known. Has she told her everything? No, but none of it really feels worth telling. She hasn’t even told her therapist everything.
It’s in the past and her parents can't hurt her anymore - even if they tried, Beatrice is stronger now.
Apparently she can't shake the thought of them tonight. So Beatrice opts to distract herself further. She pulls the hand she’s holding up and out of the covers, then starts to drop kisses along Lucia’s wrist.
She hears a gasp in the bed next to her and turns to see Lucia staring at her with lust in her eyes. “Again?” Beatrice nods. “We have to leave early for our flight tomorrow.”
“Then we’d best not waste anymore time talking.”
---------------------------------
The first thing Beatrice notices about Lilith’s bar is how much it stands out to every other establishment of the sort she remembers from growing up here.
Granted, Beatrice didn’t spend much time in bars in her teenage years, but the occasional sneak out or late night coming home from studies led her and her friends to wherever Camila managed to drag them off.
Most places like this around here are dated - with log cabin style interiors and older tables. Jukeboxes and worn out booths.
Cat’s Cradle is modern. With neon lights along the bar and fancy tables that all match. It feels more like a club in a sense than anything down home - but the vibe and the energy are inviting.
Of course, things are also calm here as she steps in, her first excursion out after the long flight to town, just before two in the afternoon.
Most of the people here aren’t sharing a pint or taking shots, but are instead eating burgers and chatting about a baseball game on television.
Beatrice moves through the tables easily enough, so far recognizing no one which is a delight.
Lucia offered to come with her three times, but Beatrice knows she didn’t manage to sleep on the plane or very well the night before, so she’s told her to stay back and rest.
There will be far too much to do going forward once Yasmine arrives.
As Beatrice makes her way to the bar, she peeks around looking for any sign of Lilith. She hasn’t seen Lilith in person in years, but she was already a head taller than the rest of them before they parted ways so Beatrice imagines she still stands out.
However, the first person she does see come from the kitchen in the back is not Lilith, but instead a beautiful younger woman with, long, slightly curly dark hair, deep brown eyes and a delightful bounce in her step.
“Hi!” the girl greets, her purple apron giving her away with the neatly stitched Cat’s Cradle logo on the front. “Can I get you a drink?”
Beatrice schools herself to stay focused, to not let her eyes wander because she is not the kind of person to notice just how well this woman fills out said apron. “No, thank you. I’m…I’m just here to meet someone.”
“Oh?” The girl grins, her shimmering white teeth coming through, Beatrice’s stomach flips unexpectedly. “Lucky someone.” The woman leans forward on the bar and her breasts push up into the opening at the top of her shirt and Beatrice steels herself and maintains eye contact.
“I’m not so sure she’d agree,” Beatrice says, knowing full well that Lilith will be happy to see her but never admit it.
This earns her a laugh. “Well that doesn’t sound like fun. Is this someone I’ve met?”
“I’d assume so, you work for her.”
The girl’s eyes go wide, Beatrice loses herself a little in how brown they are. “Oh shit, Lilith?” She leans back, Beatrice thanks a god she hasn’t reached out to in years. “Are you here for the wedding then?”
Beatrice nods. “I am.”
“Damn okay, I uh - I didn’t know. I’m Ava,” Ava extends her hand out and Beatrice is suddenly the one who feels foolish.
“Ava, it’s…” she takes Ava’s hand, surprised at how strong they are. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”
Ava frowns. “Really?”
“Yes, Lilith complains about you constantly.”
This makes Ava burst out laughing. “Wow, you really do know Lilith,” Ava sighs and then leans over again, god help her. “So I met Camila already, and you must be…Beatrice?”
“What gave me away?”
Ava looks at her, it feels like she looks at her without saying a word for an eternity but the logical part of Beatrice’s brain knows it’s merely seconds. “You’re handsome,” Ava says. “I don’t know, when Lilith told me her best friend’s names I always thought Beatrice sounded classy…handsome.” Ava grins. “Looks like I was right.”
Beatrice suddenly feels very shy, she understands that this is probably just Ava’s nature - bartenders are well known for being charming and Ava has it in spades. It’s not really about her. “Is Lilith here?”
“Not yet, she’s supposed to be in in a few hours - I think she took Camila to the next town over - the malls are better there.”
“Right, so they still haven't brought any department stores to town yet?”
Ava snorts out a laugh as she drapes a cloth over her shoulder. “Not a chance, I had to drive like four hours just to get a crib for my daughter when she was born - well a good one anyway. I didn’t want to wait a week for Carl at the thrift store to carve me one.”
Beatrice knew Ava had a child, Lilith had mentioned it more than once - Aliana. “Well then I suppose I’ll head back to my hotel and wait to hear from her.”
“Are you sure I can't get you anything to drink? Lilith will be back soon and outside of the golfers over there getting an afternoon heart attack with their undercooked burgers, you’d really improve the company around here.” Ava tilts her head to the side expectantly, clearly a tactic she’s used to convince people to do things for her before.
It is highly effective. “I suppose I wouldn’t say no to a glass of water”
“Alright,” Ava beams. “Water-ever floats your boat, ma’am.”
Beatrice can't stop herself from wincing. “Ouch,” she teases and as soon as she says it she worries she might have offended, but Ava just laughs.
“Not my best, but…hang on, I’ll think of one.”
“No doubt,” Beatrice says, “you’ll be making waves in no time.” She tosses it out, feeling like it’s okay to pun if punned at first.
Thankfully, Ava lights up. “Excellent, love it. A good person to bounce puns off of might just get me back in the swim of things.”
“Ava,” Beatrice winces. “You really stretch for them, don’t you?”
Ava shrugs as she pours Beatrice a water, never once losing her smile. “What can I say, I go with my gut and avoid pier pressure.” She hands over the glass, her eyes expectant. “Get it, pier? Like…”
“Yes, I got it,” Beatrice laughs as well, her shoulders relaxing as she settles onto the stool. If Lilith is going to make her wait, Beatrice might as well make the most of it.
---------------------------------
LILITH
“Don’t eat the crayons,” Lilith says for the fourth time, even though Aly hasn’t even tried to eat one. The whole idea of it just freaks her out - she’s done enough research on crayons to know that they aren’t toxic, she doesn’t want to spend her night washing brown out of Aly’s mouth cause she thinks it’s chocolate.
Still, the knock on her door is calling to her so she gets up and makes her way to answer it. Even though she knows who it is.
“Lilly!” Yasmine cries out, hands thrown in the air and, as expected, a drink of some kind in one of them.
“Yasmine, I see you’ve started right away.”
Camila laughs behind her and she notices Beatrice is even smiling a bit, Lucia on her arm with a happy grin as well. “You don’t know the half of it,” Camila says. “Michael doesn’t get in for a few days cause he flew out to pick up his mom, so she’s living it up until then.”
“Look, he doesn’t drink - his mom doesn’t drink and he doesn’t mind that I drink, but I’d rather go nuts now and then make a better impression when she’s here.”
Lilith steps out of the way to let them all come into her home. Of course, Yasmine and Camila both give her hugs that Lilith returns in kind - she’s grown well at adapting to them thanks in large part to Ava’s refusal of personal space.
Thankfully, as always, Beatrice only gives her a smile. “It’s good to see you,” she says.
“You to-”
“Oh my gosh, who is this?!” Yasmine cries out and takes three large steps to where Aly is sitting on the couch with her coloring book, pages torn from her trying too hard to color and just stabbing through it.
A bit anxious, Lilith strides over and stands between them, scooping Aly up in her arms, she’s a nervous kid. “This is Aliana,” she says. They should all know the name.
Everyone’s eyes light up, even Beatrice. “Oh my gosh, she’s adorable.”
“Is Ava here?” Camila asks, looking around.
Lilith sighs. “No, she’s working tonight so I’m watching Aly for her.”
She sees the way Yasmine and Camila look at each other. “You two would be so cute together, Lil.”
It’s exhausting to hear it from them, from Superion - even Mary gets in on it just to annoy her and Mary knows they don’t work like that. “I’m begging you all to let it go, Ava and I are not compatible.”
“Opposites attract is all we’re saying,” Camila adds, in that obnoxious sing-song voice of hers.
Lilith has long since given up on fighting this, they can believe whatever they want.
She looks to Beatrice as the other two sit, her eyes still focused on Aly as her girlfriend Lucia, who Lilith has only seen in photos, steps around her. “We haven't properly met,” Lucia says and Beatrice jumps like she’s been burned.
“Gosh, how foolish of me, Lucia I’m sorry. This is Lilith, you know enough about her from all of our conversations but this is her, properly.”
Odd, Lilith thinks, Beatrice is never this flustered - perhaps Lucia really does bring out a different side of her.
She takes it as a positive when Lucia kisses Beatrice’s cheek to settle her. “It’s fine, love.”
“Definitely,” Lilith shakes Lucia’s hand. “It’s good to finally meet you. I’ve been trying to decide what your tone was since I heard you and Beatrice were together.”
“My…tone?”
Lilith hates that she’s going to quote Ava, but she has no other choice. “Your vibe, I suppose. I could never quite pinpoint the kind of person that could pull Beatrice out of her shell.”
“Hot!” Yasmine says from the couch, letting out a little ‘woo’ after she says it.
Camila cackles. “Hot and the sexy lingerie I helped her pick out worked too.”
God help her, they're both already drunk. Poor Beatrice turns beet red. “Will you two stop!” She chides, hiding her face. “Not in front of the little one.”
Lilith knows Ava’s used worse language in front of Aliana, but decides to help her out. “Yes, please refrain from that as long as she’s here,” Lilith turns to show them Aly, so they remember there’s a child here and that she’s innocent and adorable.
It works well enough because they both swoon at the sight of her.
“So what’s the plan for tonight?” Lucia asks, hand rubbing across Beatrice’s back.
Beatrice, who looks like she’s in another world. “Well, we have to entertain Aly until her bedtime, so why don’t we all take a crayon and do some coloring.”
“That sounds fun!” Yasmine chirps, sitting up and digging through Aly’s big box of crayons.
----------------------------
YASMINE
It takes her a second to realize just where in the world she is. Head aching and skin tingly, oh right - Lilith and drinks and…crayons?
The baby, damn - she hopes the baby had fun.
She’s passed out on a loveseat, Camila’s head in her lap and the soft glow of a kitchen light shining somewhere behind her.
It’s certainly not morning yet, so she’s ready to drift back to sleep when voices start whispering behind her.
“How come you’re still awake?” Yasmine doesn’t recognize that voice, and she would say something about an intruder if she didn’t hear Beatrice speak right after.
“The others had drinks and Lilith was tired so I stayed up to keep an eye on Aly, she’s delightful, by the way.”
“She’s my little duck,” the other woman says and Yasmine’s foggy brain registers that it’s Ava coming to pick her daughter up. “No drinks for you?”
“No, I don’t really enjoy it.”
“That’s fair, if you want anymore of my freshly poured water, you know where to find me.”
Okay, now Yasmine’s interest is piqued because Ava is flirting with Beatrice.
“You do pour a great cup of water, right to the brim.”
Ava laughs at that, then tries to cover it up so it’s not too loud. Yasmine has to fight the urge to wake up Camila so she can hear this too. Lucia is literally asleep on the couch.
“I should probably get her home.”
Yasmine can hear Beatrice moving to go and open the door for Ava. When they’re within her line of site, she opens her eyes to watch. Sure enough, Beatrice is holding the door for Ava, who is carrying Aly in her arms and the big bag of Aly’s things over her shoulder.
“Have a good night,” Ava says, turning back to look at Bea despite being halfway out the door.
Beatrice smiles at her, “you as well. Both of you.”
There’s a second, which isn’t a lot but feels like forever, where they just look at one another. Perhaps Yasmine is still drunk and her understanding of time is messed up, but eventually Ava does leave and Beatrice moves back into the kitchen to no doubt clean up the mess she played no part in making.
-------------------------
AVA
“So what’s Beatrice’s story?” Ava asks as she and Lilith walk through the mall. Lilith’s pushing Aly in her stroller as Ava stops at a few racks to check out some very cute sundresses.
When her question goes unanswered, Ava looks back and sees Lilith staring at her. “Beatrice?”
“Yeah, she’s kinda cute.”
“She is. Her girlfriend believes so as well.”
Ava nearly drops the dress she’s holding. “Her…what?”
“Lucia, tall, beautiful dark skin, looks like a model.”
Suddenly Ava remembers seeing someone just like that on the couch when she picked up Aly two nights ago, she hadn't really thought much about it but it was also nearly midnight and she was exhausted. “Oh,” she says - not really sure what else to say. “Well nevermind then.” She turns back and hangs the dress up, suddenly not all that interested in looking good for anyone.
“Did you…were you thinking about asking her out?”
Ava shrugs and nudges Lilith out of the way to push Aly. “Doesn’t matter, she’s with someone.”
They continue down the store, Ava trying and failing not to think about the fact that she actually felt a pull for someone for the first time, really, since JC.
It’s been a long two years - lonely if she wants to be dramatic about it. She doesn’t regret a thing of course. Ava’s been dedicated to Aliana and making sure that she’s got nothing but her full attention.
But yeah, she spent a night or two recently letting her mind wander to Beatrice.
Beatrice, who didn’t tell her she was with someone when they were clearly flirting over puns.
Or maybe they weren’t, maybe Ava’s off her game or maybe she’s just lost it entirely. She looks down at her tits, using a free hand to pull her collar out and stare down at them - they still look pretty good from here.
“Ava,” Lilith swats her hand. “What are you doing?”
She pouts deeper. “Do you think I’m still hot?” Lilith makes a very unflattering face. “Am I not?” Oh god her voice breaks a little, she’s losing it.
Then Lilith rolls her eyes and shakes her head. “Shut up, you’re…of course you are. You are just absolutely terrible at picking proper people to sleep with.”
“Hey, don’t start, it’s not my fault JC and I were drunk and didn’t share phone numbers…or…you know…any detail beyond first names and body fluids.”
Lilith hums. “Yes, imagine how good it would have been to know that he was apparently only in town for one night.”
“Or that the condom in my side drawer was super fucking old.”
“Can we not have this conversation?”
Ava sighs, the JC thing is far more upsetting than she ever makes it out to be in private conversation. It isn’t even that she was into him that much, he was hot and they had been drinking and it was…fine - but she had his fucking kid and has no way to contact him. Not a clue. She tried to track down what hotel he might have stayed at and asked around the whole damn town if anyone knew him or had seen him - nothing.
She sometimes wonders if he was like…Batman or something.
How cool would it be if she fucked Batman and had his kid?
“You should go out with Mary.”
Now it’s Ava’s turn to make a face. “She’s married.”
“Not like that, you dumbass! I meant go out to a bar or…something. She’s always trying to take you to that one bar in Ellwood.”
“The biker bar? That’s not really my scene…”
“If you’re looking to…” Lilith sighs and leans down, covering Aly’s ears as she giggles. “Have intercourse-”
“Ew, cover my ears if you’re going to call it that!”
Lilith throws her head back dramatically. “I’m just trying to give you options.”
“What about Camila?”
Lilith shoves her. “Options that aren’t my childhood friends.”
“It’s not my fault your whole friend group are smokeshows, you told me you guys were all nerds!”
Of course, that’s what makes Lilith’s cheeks pink. “We all grew up.”
“Maybe I just need to get a new vibrator.”
“I’m not going with you for that.”
Ava laughs, “how about a pretzel then?”
“Fine.”
Thankfully, she’s lived a life where learning how to hide how upset she really was, is a means of survival.
---------------------------
LUCIA
When Beatrice invited her to come out here for two weeks for one of her oldest friend’s weddings, it was a delightful step forward.
Were there some hesitations because Beatrice waited so long to ask her? Yes. It was a bit upsetting to learn that Beatrice had known about this for almost three months before finally asking her to come - but that’s a part of the package.
Beatrice is reserved and hesitant, she’s careful. Too careful most times, if Lucia is being honest. Too gentle, too timid - there are moments when she lets loose, lets herself be, and Lucia clings to them.
What she’s learned in the few days she’s been here is that Beatrice is more free around her friends. It makes sense now why they all keep in touch, they have a very strong bond. It’s something Lucia couldn't quite relate to, having lost contact with everyone she went to school with, but the four of them seem to settle into old patterns easily.
Which is why Lucia is grateful that Mary has tagged along - because it gives her someone on the outside to chat with.
“Did you and Shannon do anything like this for your wedding?” She asks Mary as she looks around at this very picturesque bridge they’re standing on, rented out for a photoshoot for all of them.
Yasmine has, apparently, opted for the full wedding experience.
Mary scoffs. “Hell no, we barely had a wedding - more like a reception after signing the papers to make it official. We got married right around the time they made it legal so we wanted to get it out of the way before they changed their minds. Once it was over we took a few of our closest friends to a hotel and casino one state over and partied.”
“Oh, I’ve never been to a casino,” Lucia says, not entirely sure why - but Mary is easy to talk to.
Though perhaps she’s said the wrong thing because her eyebrows shoot up. “Never ever?”
“I’m afraid not,” she shies away.
“Damn, we need to add that to the list. Lilith told me Yasmine has camping planned already and a strip club because her soon to be husband apparently insisted.”
Lucia looks over to where the others are chatting about something. Camila in the center tells a story that they probably all already know. Beatrice has told her that they often swap old stories out of habit. Still, they’re all smiling and Beatrice looks happy. “When do we get to meet this husband of hers?” Lucia wonders aloud.
Mary shrugs. “No clue, but Ava freaked out when she heard his name, so he must be famous or something.”
Right, Ava…she’s heard about her so much, met her daughter, yet has never seen her. “How come Ava isn’t a part of all of this?”
“Aly had a checkup this morning and Ava doesn’t really know anyone outside of Lilly. I’m really only here because Lilith asked to use my truck to haul this weird photoshoot set Yasmine brought.”
It’s not so much a set as it’s just a series of different leveled steps, meant to help with angles and perspectives and such.
“Aly is sweet,” she says, an easy topic to discuss.
Mary smiles, just like Lilith always does at the mention of her. “She’s great, you met her?”
“I did, we went over to Lilith’s and she was babysitting.”
“Of course, Lilith’s a big fucking softie now. I’ve heard stories that she used to be this stone cold bitch, but all I’ve seen is her reading expense reports to Aly and making weird voices as she does it.”
Lucia can't help but wonder. “What’s the story with her and Ava?”
“Lilly?” Mary asks and Lucia nods.
“I only ask because there was a lot of teasing when we were over there.”
Mary snorts out a laugh. “Sounds about right, but honestly there’s nothing between them,” she says with a sigh. “We all thought it was about to happen a while back, but apparently they tried it and it wasn't good, and now they’re just friends. But also…kind of like sisters, it’s a tight fucking bond between them. Even if they don’t really admit it - Lilith especially.”
Lucia can't help but think about it. She’s always fancied herself a bit of a matchmaker and though she doesn’t really know either of them, Lilith matters to Beatrice. So what would be the harm in maybe pulling a few strings and trying to see if she could make something happen between them?
------------------------------
AVA
“I’m going to get it one day,” Ava says to the older ladies who come into the bar every Friday afternoon after their bingo games for a few drinks.
She loves them, in fact she catches herself admiring them even when they’re not around. They are what she is determined to be when she’s older - still happy and alive, doing things they did even when they were in their twenties.
Like going out to a bar and drinking so much they have to call one of their husbands to come pick them up.
The livelist one, Caroline, keeps asking for a drink with flames on it, and Ava keeps telling them her boss won’t let her. “I think you’d be good at it, you’re hot like fire already.”
Ava can't stop herself from bursting out laughing. “Caroline, if I was twenty years older.”
“Forget that,” another one says, Penny. “If we’re altering ages, make us younger.”
“But keep the wisdom,'' says Dot, whose name isn’t actually Dot but everyone calls her that. “I cannot be twenty again.”
“Can I get you ladies anything else?”
Caroline looks around their table, a few empty shot glasses and all of them with fresh beers. “I think we’re good, just keep Dot’s husband’s number ready, will ya?”
“You got it, holler if you need anything.”
Ava goes back to the bar and serves a few more people, keeping an eye on the ladies as she works.
Perhaps a bit too much, because she’s completely startled when she rounds the bar and bumps right into something solid.
“Ava,” a deep, very unwanted voice calls out to her.
She looks up just to watch the smirk on his face form. “Adriel, what do you want?”
He doesn’t move out of her space, and doesn’t give her room to get around him. “It’s a bar, my dear - I thought the intent was obvious.”
Ava takes a step back. “Fine, I’ll get you a drink, but I have other-”
“Have one with me.” He says, leaning against the edge of the bar.
“I’m working,” she says, then feels the need to add. “And I don’t want to.”
It’s a denial, not the first one she’s given him. Just like all the rest, he barely registers it. “Come on, Ava. Why are you so against the idea of giving me a chance?”
“I don’t like you like that…or at all really. I don’t understand why you and Father Vincent have this ass backwards idea that I can't raise my own daughter.” Ava can feel her fists clenching at her sides, her heart starting to race. She fucking hates these people.
Lilith isn’t even here to help.
Adriel is a member of the church, though his use of the church is only ever to his benefit and apparently that means he thinks Father Vincent’s dated thought that no woman should be without a man gives him an opening to try and own her like property.
Tonight might be the night she punches him. “Look around, Ava. You work in a bar, it’s the middle of the week and you’re not even home with her. Instead you’re parading around here dressed like that, openly flirting with strangers for tips.” He steps forward again, Ava’s anger crumbling into something different - thoughts she’s had herself. That she works too much, she has to, to take care of Aly - but she’s away from her a lot during the week. “You wouldn’t have to worry about money ever again. You wouldn’t be raising that poor child without a proper family. You know I’m right.”
“You’re not, get out.”
“Ava-”
“No, leave.”
He sighs, but she can tell by the look on his face that he isn’t defeated. Instead, he reaches out and grabs her chin between his thumb and index finger. “You need me.”
Ava wants to scream, she wants to run away - but before she can do either of those things, Adriel hisses in pain and his arm is yanked away from her. “You would do well to walk away.”
It’s Beatrice, her eyes intense, jaw set and her knuckles white where she’s gripping Adriel’s wrist.
He tries to pull his hand out of her grip, but she holds onto it, walking with him as he steps back towards the door. “Unhand me!”
“I will when you are outside and away from her.”
Finally, Beatrice lets him go and Adriel tucks his arm into his chest, glaring daggers at Beatrice. “There is sin in you,” he says, spouting more church rhetoric as if he wasn't just forcing himself onto Ava.
“You were asked to leave, now go.”
He looks up at Ava who tries her best to look as angry as she was before. She is still, but Beatrice’s display is causing a lot of different emotions inside of her right now.
Thankfully, Adriel does leave and Ava takes a breath when the door closes behind him.
Beatrice watches through the window by the door the whole time, making sure he actually leaves.
When he is well and gone, she turns to where Ava is still standing stock still by the bar.
She watches without moving as Beatrice turns to her, walks over to her and looks at her like she’s precious. “Are you alright?”
Ava’s heart feels like it’s trying to climb out of her throat. “I’m fine,” she smiles, forgetting where they are and who they are and just…looking at this beautiful girl.
“Who was that man?”
She sighs. “His name is Adriel, he’s a part of the church when it suits him. He…some of the people there don’t like that I’m a single mom and have been…trying to convince me to find a man. Adriel thinks he’s that man.”
“That’s absurd,” Beatrice’s accent really shines through in those two words. “It’s archaic and disgusting, have you spoken to the authorities about this harassment?”
“No, it’s…really it’s not as dramatic as it sounds. They’re just annoying but also the church is a big deal here so I wouldn’t have much support with the cops.”
Beatrice scoffs. “Typical,”
Ava can't stop her smile from growing. “Thanks for showing up though, I really appreciate it.” She also can't stop herself from reaching out and squeezing Beatrice’s arm. Oh she’s strong too, oh god.
“Of course,”
“What are you doing here, anyway?”
Beatrice’s face twists into discomfort. “We’re meeting here before going axe throwing, which is apparently something Yasmine wants to do. I have simply arrived early because…well, I don’t know any better.”
It’s only then that Ava remembers her conversation in the mall with Lilith. She lets her hand drop from Bea’s arm. “Where’s your girlfriend?”
“What?” Beatrice’s eyes widen for only a moment. “Oh, Lucia she’s…I think she’s a bit exhausted by all of Yasmine’s activities so she’s taking the night off and staying in our room. A hot bath and ordering in food.”
Ava laughs. “Sounds like a good ‘treat yourself’ night.”
“Yes, she deserves it.”
The others show up soon after and Ava goes back to work. Beatrice must relay something about Adriel to Lilith because she comes over before they leave to check on Ava.
Ava promises her she’s fine, Adriel was just pushy but he won’t be back tonight and she’ll be going home soon. It takes a bit of convincing to get Lilith out of there but eventually they all leave and Ava waves them goodbye as they go.
Beatrice is the only one to look back as they exit, meeting Ava’s smile with one of her own.
Fuck.