by Small,DJ
Pool of Lies
By
DJ Small
September 2016
Pool of Lies
© 2016 DJ Small. All Rights Reserved
ISBN: 0-9981887-0-0
DJ Small Books
Richmond, VA
www.djsmallauthor.com
First Edition
Editor: Lauren Whale (https://www.fiverr.com/laurenwhale)
Cover: SelfPubBookCovers.com/hoppitty
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission.
Acknowledgments
I want to thank those: family, friends, and of course my dedicated readers; for supporting my writing, me, and my stories. Your support has driven my imagination to some crazy places and I hope you will all continue to follow these crazy, challenging, and adventurous stories that I will keep on writing.
Prologue
Ava looked over the railing and stared down at the dark water that lapped against the support beams that were holding up the new pier. The pier was an addition to the building that was being renovated by the fledgling tech company that had purchased it. It was the talk of the city, but Ava had only remembered it as she was driving by the harbor.
She let out a deep breath and continued to watch the water, the familiar despair curling around her insides in time with the waves. Ava knew the signs of severe depression; she had every one of them, but refused to seek treatment. Not only would she receive criticism from her mother, but she didn’t want to be the topic of gossip at work. The longer Ava looked at the water, the deeper she sank into her depression.
Her mother wasn’t proud of her and she constantly pointed out all of Ava’s flaws. Her mother didn’t care that she was a successful doctor; instead she was more focused on her desires to see Ava marry one and have her become a trophy wife. To make matters worse, she continued to hold Ava’s break-up, with the only woman that she had ever approved of, over her daughter’s head. When Ava had broken up with Brooke, her mother didn’t talk to her for a month, and when they had started speaking again her mother would only criticize her and make snide comments. Ava sighed at the thought. Her father was always trying to make things civil between them, but she knew that would never happen. Not unless her entire life changed.
It wasn’t just her family. Life itself had shifted and Ava no longer found joy in the work that she did as a cardiac surgeon, or in any of the things that used to make her happy, for that matter. She didn’t hang out with her friends anymore, she had stopped attending hospital events - she had just stopped living her life. Ava wasn’t certain what had caused it. At first, she had believed it was because of the break-up, considering the verbal tirade that Brooke had gone on, but that had been more than a year ago.
Ava couldn’t understand why it was still affecting her, but she was done with it. Done with the loneliness that seemed to stick to her like a shadow and followed her everywhere, done with being exhausted all the time from carrying the weight of her depression. Most of all, she was done with feeling like she was in an endless pit of despair. Ava was done with everything, and tonight was the night that she was going to end it all and get the peace that she so greatly wanted.
Ava wrapped her hands around the top rail of the fencing that surrounded the pier, then placed her foot on the bottom rail. She was about to move her feet to the second rail and hoist herself over the fence when a voice shouted over to her.
“Hey! What do you think you’re doing?” Ava looked over her shoulder and saw a tall figure walking towards her. The person was flashing a light in her direction, and she squinted as the bright light moved across her face. Her mind scrambled to come up with a good excuse, but she failed to come up with one.
“I thought I saw some dolphins,” Ava said when the person, a woman wearing an all black uniform, was closer.
The woman lowered her flashlight. “There are no dolphins in the harbor, ma’am.” Ava scowled. She should have known that. She swore at herself for not coming up with a better excuse. She opened her mouth to say something, but the woman held up her hand. “Save it.” She folded her arms over her chest. “You’re trespassing. I would usually tell you to leave and escort you off the property, but you standing on the railing like that has me interpreting things differently.” She paused then asked in a softer tone, “Are you okay?”
Ava scoffed at the redundancy of the question, turning her head to stare back at the night sky and dark water. The silence lingered between them for several moments. “Ma’am?-”
“What do you want me to say? Clearly you have interpreted the situation for what it is, so you obviously know the answer,” Ava snapped, tears forming in her eyes. She hated the fact that she was going to have an emotional breakdown in front of this woman. It only made her feel worse.
Ava heard the woman let out a soft sigh. “Do you want to talk about it? Maybe it’ll help if you get it off your chest.” Defiantly, Ava pressed her lips together and remained silent. Talking about it was only going to lead to more suffering, so she wasn’t going to do it.
When she didn’t say anything, the other woman sighed again. “Okay. We don’t have to talk. I’ll just stand here and wait for you to come down, when you’re ready.” Ava saw the woman lean against the rail out the corner of her eye and the two of them stood there in silence.
Ava soon noticed how companionable the shared silence was between them. She thought that standing in silence with a complete stranger would be uncomfortable or awkward, but it wasn’t. She found the idea unsettling, but was grateful for it anyway. They stood there, not speaking, for several long minutes. The only sound to break the quiet was the water splashing underneath the pier. Finally, after another minute passed, Ava spoke. “I wasn’t going to jump.”
A small scoff came from the woman. “Of course you weren’t. I’m certain you’re only up there to get a good view of the harbor.”
Ava turned her head and scowled at the top of the woman’s head. “I’m in a precarious situation, and you’re making offhanded remarks.”
“Well, apparently I have no idea what I’m actually dealing with, so I’m playing it by ear.” The woman said as she looked up at Ava with a smug smile.
Ava rolled her eyes then looked at the harbor. She drew in a deep breath then climbed off the fence. The woman moved to help her down and Ava gave her a brief smile. “Thank you.” She gestured off to the side and said, “I guess now is the time for you to escort me off the property.”
The woman smirked. “I guess it is.” Ava was able to get a better look at her now that she was standing in front of her. She was the same height as Ava and the gaze that looked at her was authoritative but there was also some care in the woman’s green eyes. She held out her hand and said, “I’m Ava.”
The woman took Ava’s hand in hers and shook it. “Hello, Ava. I’m Robin.” A ghost of a smile formed on Ava’s face. Robin seemed to be a genuine person, and the fact that she hadn’t tried to force Ava down or get her to talk struck a chord inside her.
Ava began to walk away from Robin, but immediately heard footsteps behind her. She looked over her shoulder with a challenging smirk on her face. “I have to escort you off the property remember?” Robin stated in a professional tone.
Ava gave a small chuckle as she nodded. “I do, but do you have to walk behind me like a stalker?”
Robin chuckled, moving to Ava’s side. “Happy now?�
�
Ava nodded, and the two of them began to make their way off of the construction site. This time, the silence between them was more familiar, but the companionable aspect of it was still there. When they reached the entrance of the construction site Ava turned to look at Robin. She was at a loss for what to say. She cleared her throat. “Thank you, for um…walking me out.”
Robin smiled at her. “I’m just doing my job.”
“Right,” Ava said softly as she looked down at the ground. Her self-destructive thoughts returned and they pushed her into the despair that she had just managed to get away from. Of course the woman had only stayed because it was her job. She had to make sure that Ava didn’t hurt herself. Feeling a gentle hand on her shoulder, Ava was pulled from the war going on inside her head, and looked up. Wide green eyes, full of concern, were looking back at her.
Robin sighed. “I know it’s not my place, but whatever you’re going through, Ava, it’s not worth it.” She smiled a little. “In the few minutes that I’ve been around you, I know you’re something special, and I’m certain someone somewhere would miss you in their life.”
Tears formed in Ava’s eyes and she looked away from the other woman. “You don’t know that.”
“You’re right, I don’t,” Robin stated. Ava heard some rustling before a card appeared in her line of sight. “But if you ever need someone to talk to, I have two good ears.”
Staring at the card for a second longer, she took it as she looked into Robin’s eyes. “Why are you doing this?”
Robin shoved her hands in her coat pockets and shrugged. “Like I said, you’re a special person, Ava. If you need someone, then I can be that someone if you want, even as a last resort. I would hate to see you in the same place that you were in tonight.”
Ava stared into Robin’s eyes, trying to detect some other motive. She couldn’t find one; all she could see was genuine concern and some apprehension. Ava nodded and slipped the card into the pocket of her coat. “Thank you, Robin.”
Robin shrugged again, nonchalantly. “Just doing my job.” Ava chuckled. “Of course.” She sighed. “I should be going. It’s getting late.”
“Yes, it is.” The two of them stood there for a moment, then Ava said, “Thank you again Robin. Have a good night.”
“Yeah, you too Ava,” Robin said as she began to walk to her car. Once she was inside of it Ava realized that she felt different. She didn’t know what it was, but the darkness that had been following her had finally lifted and Ava felt like she could breathe again. She even felt a glimmer of hope that told her that everything would be all right eventually. As she glanced out the window, she noticed Robin had left the entrance of the construction site. Sending the woman a silent thank you, Ava started her car and headed for home.
Now that her haze of depression was starting to lift, she was ready to take the necessary steps to treat it. The compassion that the green-eyed stranger had shown had saved her life and Ava was going to use this second chance to heal, and get her life back on track.
Chapter One
Three Years Later…
“Have a good night, Dr. Carmichael,” the overnight nurse called to Ava as she headed out of the hospital.
Ava smiled at the woman as she walked by. “You have a good night as well.”
She continued to make her way out of the hospital and to the parking garage that was across the street. Once she was in the garage, Ava rushed to her car. If she didn’t hurry, she was going to be late. She got into the vehicle and closed the door. Turning around in her seat Ava grabbed the gym bag that was in the backseat. She dropped the bag into the passenger seat, before starting the car and heading out of the garage.
It would take her half an hour to get to the city, then ten minutes to get to her second job. That gave Ava enough time to mentally prepare. She relaxed in her seat, enjoying the scenery that passed by as she left the suburb that the hospital was located in. The drive went by fast, and before she knew it, Ava was pulling into the parking lot of the club that was located in the downtown area of the city. She parked her car then cut the engine. Ava took off the light blue button up shirt that she was wearing then stuffed it into the gym bag. She zipped up the bag and grabbed it as she got out of the car.
Ava made her way to the entrance of the club. As she approached, the bouncer grinned at her. “We’ve got a full house tonight, Ava.”
She smiled at the wall of a man. “I’m not surprised, Frank. It’s Friday night during spring break. The kids need an outlet.”
Frank chuckled as he opened the door for her. “So what you’re saying is that it’s a nice night to make some money?”
Ava winked as she walked by him. “Of course that’s what I’m saying.”
Frank laughed. “Have a good night.”
Ava chuckled as she entered the club. The moment she walked into the main lounge, she saw that Frank had been right. The club was packed, and the clientele that filled it varied. As she made her way to the door that led to the backstage area, she took in the patrons. There were college kids, guys in suits, and average guys all looking for a good time, either after a tough week of work, or just a good time in general. It was definitely going to be a busy night.
Backstage, Ava was greeted by organized chaos. Some women were in various states of undress, others looked for outfits while the rest craned in front of the mirror to do their hair, make-up, or both. Ava smirked as she made her way to her usual spot at the long vanity that stretched out along the back wall of the dressing room, reveling in the pleasant hum that went through her as the bustle of the club and the excitement from the other women invigorated her. It was exhilarating, and she got a high from it all. Ava placed her gym bag on the vanity then slid into the chair that was in front of the mirror. She unzipped it, and pulled out her makeup bag. Fishing out an elastic hair tie, she put her blond hair up so that she could start working on her makeup.
Using her foundation and a cosmetic brush, Ava started to apply a light layer of it to her face. She was brushing across her cheekbone when a cheerful voice said, “Hey Ava, did you see the crowd out there?”
Ava turned her head so that she could look at the woman that was standing next to her chair. “I did see the crowd out there.” She grinned. “Did you call dibs on the frat guys already?”
The woman laughed and tossed her red hair over her shoulder. She smiled at Ava and remarked, “I tried already, but they are eager to see the blond that takes the stage near the end of the night.”
Ava laughed. “Well, the longer they stick around the better it is for you girls.” She went back to applying her foundation. “I also saw those Japanese suits were back again.” Ava glanced at the woman in the mirror. “They were big fans of you, Rach.”
“Oh shit, that’s right! They tipped so well last time they were here!” Rachel exclaimed. She swatted Ava’s shoulder. “Thanks for looking out for me.”
Ava chuckled as she started to put away her make-up. “Not a problem.” She pointed at the other woman. “Though I do have to say, if one of those assholes tries to touch me tonight, I will kick someone’s ass.” Last week, a drunk had gotten out of line while Ava was walking to the bar and Rachel had to get security for her.
Rachel laughed then said, “My, someone is feisty tonight. Busy day at your other job?”
Ava shook her head, smirking. The other girls didn’t know what she did during the week, just that she had another job. She shrugged. “It’s like any other job.” Ava took her hair out of its ponytail, changing the topic. “When am I up next? I need to get dressed and grab a drink.”
“You‘re up after Nat, and don’t worry about it. I’ll grab your drink.” Rachel grinned at her. “You get dressed. Gin and tonic, right?”
Ava nodded. “You got it. Thanks, Rach.” Rachel gave her a quick wink then headed out of the dressing room. When Ava had started working at the club, she had connected with Rachel right away. The woman had a welcoming personality that made her easy to
like. Ava got her outfits out of the gym bag then she got dressed at the vanity. There was no actual dressing room backstage, so the women changed out in the open. This had come easier to Ava than most - she wasn’t modest by any means. If she was, then her choosing to be an exotic dancer was a little peculiar.
Becoming an exotic dancer was something that Ava had stumbled into. Before she had taken the job, Ava had been looking for a hobby; volunteer work or something that would stimulate her and break up the monotony that her life had fallen into. A few months ago, Ava had come across an ad in the local paper looking for dancers at a nightclub. She had thought it was going to be something like cage dancing or something else that was innocuous. However, Ava soon realized that wasn’t the case when she arrived at the club for her audition. The first question the manager had asked her was if she was comfortable dancing on stage in nothing but a g-string and a see-through bra. The question had caught Ava off guard and she almost walked out of the audition, but something stopped her, telling her that this was something she needed to do. Ava auditioned for the manager of the club, and thanks to her many years of dance classes, she was able to nail it and get hired that very day.
On her first night, Ava had been worried about someone recognizing her and whether she was making a big mistake; but as soon as her stage name was called, and she stepped into the bright lights, she realized that she had found something that not only got her adrenaline racing, but it also exhilarated her. When she was on stage and lost to the music, Ava became a different version of herself and she loved it. Her weekend job provided her an escape from her mundane life and gave her the freedom to be who she really wanted to be without worry - someone who was unhinged, unafraid, and daring.
Once Ava had on her blue sequined bikini set, she put on her robe and began to do her hair. Her long, straight blond hair would be curled, teased, and moussed into a controlled, unruly, sexy mess. Then she would put on dark eyeliner to complete the look. The end result would be a woman whose appearance told the world that she didn’t give a damn about anything and only cared about the money that was being thrown at her. Ava’s stage persona was a sharp contrast from what she really felt. She never cared about the money. All she cared about was the freedom that being on stage gave her.